Game 11 #CUSEvsGT Ramblings

[Northeast Stinger]

If Syracuse isn’t a threat to pass, or at least isn’t a threat to hurt us deep, we could virtually play goal line defense on every play. I don’t mean that literally but you get the idea. An 8 or 9 man front, making sure you have a deep center fielder at safety and two cornerbacks to cover man to man. Everyone else starts off in run support even if they have to scramble back in coverage on a pass.

There are two ways to look at a run heavy team. We all know the positive way from watching death marches and winning TOP. The negative is that there are a lot more chances for something to go wrong on long slow drives. A missed handoff, procedure penalty, fumble, getting behind on the sticks etc.

I’m willing to take my chances with our offense putting them behind and they’re not being able to score quickly enough to catch up. Clemson was able to keep several drives alive by passing or the quarterback avoiding a sack and running for a first down. Even they didn’t commit 100% to running it down our throats. If Syracuse indeed commits solely to a run game they will lose.

 

[sgreer]

Cuse had a +3 turnover margin and cashed in on 3 of those for TD’s against Pitt. Jackets need to take care of the football.

 

[Bogey]

We need to bring our A game Saturday. I'm talking team and us fans as well.

 

[MWBATL]

We need to trot out our running game like we did at UVa. If we keep Syracuse on the bench and get ahead they may do what we did last week and start pressing...

 

[cpf2001]

Clemson had good success on the ground on average against us but would have had a lot of drives peter out if not for clutch plays through the air when they needed them. We haven’t given up a ton of big yardage plays on the ground lately, I don’t think.

Even averaging 5 yards a carry you’re gonna run into enough 5 yard, 4 yard, 0 yard sequences to kill drives if that’s all you can do.

We shouldn’t take the game for granted but I’m optimistic that we’re building up a bad team beating another bad team too much, kinda like we did about UVA’s offense.

 

[GT33]

We're likely much closer to the 50th best team than the 80th best team were were 2 years ago.

The reality might be it takes another 2 years to get back to where we were.

Just need to win this next game and restore our program to some level of respectability. We're already getting some positive coverage from the progress we've made in the last 59 weeks and despite the post-Clemson rantings our own fans aren't so down on the long term outlook any more.

 

[Bogey]

Clemson had good success on the ground on average against us but would have had a lot of drives peter out if not for clutch plays through the air when they needed them. We haven’t given up a ton of big yardage plays on the ground lately, I don’t think.

Even averaging 5 yards a carry you’re gonna run into enough 5 yard, 4 yard, 0 yard sequences to kill drives if that’s all you can do.

We shouldn’t take the game for granted but I’m optimistic that we’re building up a bad team beating another bad team too much, kinda like we did about UVA’s offense.

Syracuse completely changed their offense for the Pitt game. They ran the ball 66 times. Their QB, who is 6-5 225 lbs, ran it 14 times for 96 yards, their TE, 6-4 235 lbs, converted to wildcat/RB ran it 17 times for 154 yards, and their main RB 6-0 195 lbs ran it 28 times for 102 yards. Total rushing yards was 382 yards. Our DL and LB's need to stop these big boys at the LOS and we need to have an effective run game to keep them off the field. If they continually get into our backfield, they will wear out our D backs and we will be in big trouble.

 

[cpf2001]

Syracuse completely changed their offense for the Pitt game. They ran the ball 66 times. Their QB, who is 6-5 225 lbs, ran it 14 times for 96 yards, their TE, 6-4 235 lbs, converted to wildcat/RB ran it 17 times for 154 yards, and their main RB 6-0 195 lbs ran it 28 times for 102 yards. Total rushing yards was 382 yards. Our DL and LB's need to stop these big boys at the LOS and we need to have an effective run game to keep them off the field. If they continually get into our backfield, they will wear out our D backs and we will be in big trouble.

I get that, but 30+ points is a realistic target for our offense in a game against a team without top-tier defensive talent and the Syracuse rushing game against Pitt game doesn't fill me with a lot of concern for giving up 30+. Our bend-but-not-break has generally had better luck against that sort of grind-it-out attack than against teams that can hit big plays through the air against our cushion.

This is an "execute and you win" game, not a gimme, but I'm hopeful that we're starting to show up more consistently.

 

[GTJackets]

Even averaging 5 yards a carry you’re gonna run into enough 5 yard, 4 yard, 0 yard sequences to kill drives if that’s all you can do.

I don't know. Fourth and 1 didn't seem to kill many drives yesterday at Clemson. They went 4-6 on fourth down. And I assume that includes a silly fake punt attempt on fourth and 9.

 

[cpf2001]

I don't know. Fourth and 1 didn't seem to kill many drives yesterday at Clemson. They went 4-6 on fourth down. And I assume that includes a silly fake punt attempt on fourth and 9.

That's a lot harder to pull off when you don't have as much ability to throw the ball on half those fourth downs or on the 3rd-and-goals they turned into TDs.

Look at their drive chart vs Pitt:

10 plays, 75 yards for a TD. Converted a long 3rd and 12, otherwise were ahead schedule.
7 plays, 23 yards and a fumble.
6 plays, 24 yards and a punt.
3 plays, 4 yards and a punt.
5 plays, 16 yards and a punt.
3 plays, 1 yard and a punt.
9 plays, 52 yards and a TD. Picked up the TD on a 4th and 2.
8 plays, 61 yards, turnover on downs (4th and goal on the 2).
2 plays, 34 yards and a TD.
12 plays, 54 yards and a missed FG (4th and 2).
10 plays, 35 yards, kneeled it out.

They had better drives in the second half, sure, but when you move the ball that slowly there's a lot of chances to stall out, and they weren't showing a willingness to push it on 4th as much as Clemson did yesterday.

I just don't think it's a fluke that even in the second half, half their long drives fizzled instead of finding the endzone. Even one of the ones that *didn't* need a 4th-and-goal, after all. We saw something similar ourselves for a decade - when you don't have the big play threat, you risk a lot of FG attempts; Johnson's best teams always had an explosiveness that wasn't there for Syracuse last week.

 

[wesgt123]

I just don't want to leave Bobby Dodd bitter. That's all I ask lol

 

[CuseJacket]

From the other side: https://syracusefan.com/threads/gatech-opens-6-5….178866/

The exciting and scary part about this game is no one knows what offense Syracuse will run, including Key and co. Even if it's a flavor of last week, surely there will be wrinkles not yet on tape. Babers has to love that edge. Though that also keeps open the door to sloppiness given their lack of reps.

I agree with those who suggest we stack the box. It almost doesn't matter what offense they run. There's no trend on tape that suggests Syracuse can go over the top consistently, unless we lay an egg.

 

[slugboy]

How much of last weekend’s game was Syracuse playing well, and how much was Pitt playing badly?
Has Narducci blown it with this year’s team?

 

[CuseJacket]

How much of last weekend’s game was Syracuse playing well, and how much was Pitt playing badly?
Has Narducci blown it with this year’s team?

Neither team played particularly well. Both played hard.

Pitt's offense is abysmal, but their DFEI is #28. They've held serve on that side of the ball.

Narduzzi's end of 1st quarter interview was honest. No one saw the Syracuse O coming, and Pitt's D didn't prepare for it.

 

[CEB]

From the other side: https://syracusefan.com/threads/gatech-opens-6-5….178866/

The exciting and scary part about this game is no one knows what offense Syracuse will run, including Key and co. Even if it's a flavor of last week, surely there will be wrinkles not yet on tape. Babers has to love that edge. Though that also keeps open the door to sloppiness given their lack of reps.

I agree with those who suggest we stack the box. It almost doesn't matter what offense they run. There's no trend on tape that suggests Syracuse can go over the top consistently, unless we lay an egg.

Fans make them sound like the Keystone Cops…. Of course that underscores the point that nobody outside of the Orange locker room knows what in the heck they will trot out offensively Saturday night.
We need our O to regroup and come out firing on all cylinders and we need our D just to play fast and force the issue. It doesn’t sound like Cuse will consistently pass it successfully, so stuff the run and live with one or two Hail Mary type plays.
Just win, baby… I don’t care how ugly!

 

[stech81]

Neither team played particularly well. Both played hard.

Pitt's offense is abysmal, but their DFEI is #28. They've held serve on that side of the ball.

Narduzzi's end of 1st quarter interview was honest. No one saw the Syracuse O coming, and Pitt's D didn't prepare for it.

If I was Syracuse I would use that offense against us as bad as we are stopping the run. Plus it would limit our possessions on offense and a couple of our offensive 3 and outs will kill the little defensive we would have.

 

[Sheboygan]

A team that can run scares the crap out of me with our less than stellar DEF.
If we have to outscore them so be it but THIS game determines my judgment on the success of the season. Have we advanced enough to win as favorites and at home. If the BGreen team hows up--hmmmm.

Exactly, I see it as BC 2.0, with even less passing. We cannot let this team get a substantial lead on us, or we will be toast. Presumably we have scouted them well, and will have some plans to keep them out of 2nd and 3rd short yardage situations consistently. IMO , it's a coin flip if we get this win.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Favored at home, bowl game on the line, I don’t like it…

Have to be scared as we've followed GT football long enough to know what can and does happen too frequently. But if we make a bowl, that is an accomplishment / great improvement given our SOS this year.

uGag will beat us easier than Clempy did and not look past us with a CFP on the line unless they lose to #21 @Tenn this weekend. So this is our bowl game play in.

 

[GTJackets]

That's a lot harder to pull off when you don't have as much ability to throw the ball on half those fourth downs or on the 3rd-and-goals they turned into TDs.

Look at their drive chart vs Pitt:

10 plays, 75 yards for a TD. Converted a long 3rd and 12, otherwise were ahead schedule.
7 plays, 23 yards and a fumble.
6 plays, 24 yards and a punt.
3 plays, 4 yards and a punt.
5 plays, 16 yards and a punt.
3 plays, 1 yard and a punt.
9 plays, 52 yards and a TD. Picked up the TD on a 4th and 2.
8 plays, 61 yards, turnover on downs (4th and goal on the 2).
2 plays, 34 yards and a TD.
12 plays, 54 yards and a missed FG (4th and 2).
10 plays, 35 yards, kneeled it out.

They had better drives in the second half, sure, but when you move the ball that slowly there's a lot of chances to stall out, and they weren't showing a willingness to push it on 4th as much as Clemson did yesterday.

I just don't think it's a fluke that even in the second half, half their long drives fizzled instead of finding the endzone. Even one of the ones that *didn't* need a 4th-and-goal, after all. We saw something similar ourselves for a decade - when you don't have the big play threat, you risk a lot of FG attempts; Johnson's best teams always had an explosiveness that wasn't there for Syracuse last week.

Sure it would be harder with no credible threat to throw. Clemson may have been at least slightly more successful on fourth down because we had to respect the threat of the pass. But there are of course other factors and you have to at least consider like comparing our defense vs Pitts.

Against Pitt's D (DFEI #28) with no credible passing threat, they went 2-4 on fourth down attempts. That second drive included a 4th and 1 conversion the play prior to the fumble that killed it. And then the other three you have listed.

Saturday they will be playing against our D which looks to be currently ranked #88 DFEI. If I were Babers and we were averaging 5 yards per rush as you initially proposed against the GT D, you wouldn't see my punter all day. I would go for every fourth down and take my chances of running it down your throat with those three horses described above. If you can stop it, congrats. But I'm taking my chances if I can average 5 that i can pick up more than you can stop.

 

[LargeFO]

Neither team played particularly well. Both played hard.

Pitt's offense is abysmal, but their DFEI is #28. They've held serve on that side of the ball.

Narduzzi's end of 1st quarter interview was honest. No one saw the Syracuse O coming, and Pitt's D didn't prepare for it.

Cuse, are we anticipating a weird run-only game by them as well?