For This to be a Special Year

Whiskey_Clear

Whiskey_Clear

Banned
Messages
10,486
Gotta be on the plus side in turnover margin. Gotta have a QB who can make some completions in 3rd or 4th and long situations. D has to be able to bow up and get some stops.

Easy right?:whistle:
 

g0lftime

Helluva Engineer
Messages
5,917
We need to get better at 3rd down and 3 to 5 yards to go on D. We seem willing to give up the easy throws to the wide outs or tight ends and give up just enough for 1st downs. Our coverage is usually 10 yards off the LOS. Easy throw and catch. Would assume UT will do those early for new QB.
 

GTech63

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,145
Location
Flower Mound, TX (75022)
takethepoints said:
Why no emphasis on D, you ask? Two reasons. First, I think we'll be improved marginally, even if nobody particularly steps up their game. Second, I've been hoping the D would come around for some time now and it hasn't happened. A good year has been slightly below average. Oth, if the O is clicking, then that's all we need to do pretty well. If we can get to an average D it would help, but what we really need is an O that is working......
Click to expand...
CPJ wants a natty as does the team and myself. "good" and "pretty well" won't get us there. The D. HAS to get better. CPJ has shown he can put together an O consistently. Now we need to add a D of the caliber of last six games and see a 5-10 % improvement of that D.

I feel good we are headed in the right direction but most of the teams on our schedule have also moved forward since 2008. This year is going to be exciting. I hope it will be more exhilarating than disappointing. SWARM JACKETS!! STING "EM!!!
 

bravejason

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
307
I would go with Shamire Devine on offense. I hope he becomes a bulldozer that clears out running lanes wide enough to drive a semi through. I think if he could become real effective at pushing DL-men around, his size will doubly capture the defense's attention and thus allow the other OL-men to be more effective. Parker and the other OL seem to be both big and athletic and could really wreck havoc if Shamire is grabbing the attention of the defense. Can you imagine what it would be like if the defense felt that it had to double team Shamire? It'd be like playing with 14 guys on offense.

On defense, I don't have any specific player. The DL as a unit needs to be stout against the run and able to reliably apply pressure with just a 4 man rush in pass defense. It's been a long time since GT had such a DL. It has been improving since Roof was hired. Particularly, against the run I think the DL has much improved. I don't panic anymore when the defense comes into the field, but I'm still nervous. The team will go as far as the defense takes it.
 
iceeater1969

iceeater1969

Helluva Engineer
Messages
9,664
With bryan and braun leading the way the offense will be as special as the ot s will allow.

The dl will be improved but will still be average against top teams. Pelton and roof will continu e to play the dl conservative.
Coaches will ,however, play some aggressive safety packages. I notice that burnett and p j davis's number 40 has been given to kaleb Oliver 6'4 200lb from Tennessee. I say he plays this year and both he and aj gray make some esp n high lite plays. The year of the saftey at gt!

As jerry says go jackets
 
Whiskey_Clear

Whiskey_Clear

Banned
Messages
10,486
I wouldn't read too much into the #40 thing. I do think we have a good secondary and some good safeties.

My expectations for the D are a bit higher this year. It all still rests on the front four and while we made some good plays last year there we dominated no one. We don't need a dominant DL....just a productive one.
 
Em_Jae20

Em_Jae20

Helluva Engineer
Messages
3,896
No need to over think this, when teams have special seasons its usually because directly tied to the QB. There are always anomalies and outliers so other positions aren't completely out of the discussion. But ultimately I think Mathew Jordan wins out and balls out this year and carves out his own legacy. A close second will be the play of Kenny Cooper. If he has a big year he can have an Alex Mack kind of effect on this team.
 
ATL1

ATL1

Helluva Engineer
Messages
7,377
The entire front seven. Can they stop the run? Can they get to the QB?

Can our QB hit the backside of a barnyard?
 
ilovetheoption

ilovetheoption

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,816
Also, Mills HAS to play. I just went back and watched the Duke game from last year, that Mills was suspended for. That game should have been a blowout, but for all of Marshall's speed and big play ability, we REALLY missed Mills' ability to just run hard and fall forward and get the tough yards. Marshall had one big run, but he was constantly getting 2 when he needed 3, and getting 4 when he needed 5.

Mills might NEVER get you 60, but he's gonna get 3 when he needs 2, and 5 when he needs 4.
 
dressedcheeseside

dressedcheeseside

Helluva Engineer
Messages
14,218
ilovetheoption said:
Also, Mills HAS to play. I just went back and watched the Duke game from last year, that Mills was suspended for. That game should have been a blowout, but for all of Marshall's speed and big play ability, we REALLY missed Mills' ability to just run hard and fall forward and get the tough yards. Marshall had one big run, but he was constantly getting 2 when he needed 3, and getting 4 when he needed 5.

Mills might NEVER get you 60, but he's gonna get 3 when he needs 2, and 5 when he needs 4.
Click to expand...
Shhhhh.... tough, dependable yards in the trenches is not sexy. It just wins games. ;)
 

alagold

Helluva Engineer
Messages
3,732
Location
Huntsville,Al
bass ackwards said:
I don't think we can expect zero dropoff in the kicking game, but hopefully it's minimal. Especially the touchback percentage.
Click to expand...

yep, nobody much is considering the -
FGs-our kicker was the most prolific in history AND CLUTCH-can't expect anything near that, our FGs unit vs BC unit last yr WAS THE DIFFERENCE
FG holder change--hmmm
KOs--how many were not run back and how many will be this yr, we don't have a history of good coverage
Punting-- it was dependable and decent--for a team that doesn't punt much enough,hope the TRUE Fr doesn't wiff on key kick nor drop ball-hmmm
I can see us beating teams on stats but lose on the scoreboard because of STs--er, like UT
 
Top