God we needed that. (POSTGAME THREAD GT 26 - PITT 21)

[wrmathis]

I thought I read someplace that it was now explicitly permitted as long as you just pushed the pile and didn't pick up the runner (which I think we might have in that pile, but I'll take it!) But I am no rules expert by any stretch

you can push, but are not allowed to pull a ball carrier. at least thats what i remember about the rule now

 

[gt02]

Some random observations:

1. Dunno how our kicking game improved so much but all I know is when Collins took over, he also took a kid that hadn’t missed a FG in about a year and demoted him and played someone else.

2. What was up with that substitution from Pitt where the kid walked on the field and basically caused us to take a timeout. That can’t be legit.

3. Sims scares me with the ball. He should have been picked 4 times last night. Need to keep him running the ball more.

 

[Sheboygan]

Dylan Devaney had two HUGE blocks in that last drive we had. One on Hall's long run and the other on Sim's TD run. Nice work !

 

[THWG]

Some random observations:

1. Dunno how our kicking game improved so much but all I know is when Collins took over, he also took a kid that hadn’t missed a FG in about a year and demoted him and played someone else.

2. What was up with that substitution from Pitt where the kid walked on the field and basically caused us to take a timeout. That can’t be legit.

3. Sims scares me with the ball. He should have been picked 4 times last night. Need to keep him running the ball more.

As to #2 it is legal but we were able to get them back with it on the last drive. It's a little bit of gamesmanship.

 

[jacket_fan]

That gave me goose bumps. What a great win for the team. I hope the players celebrated.

 

[GaTech4ever]

Dylan Devaney had two HUGE blocks in that last drive we had. One on Hall's long run and the other on Sim's TD run. Nice work !

Dylan Leonard*

Dylan Devaney plays for Pitt

 

[jojatk]

Agree. The refs seemed to spot the ball where his knee hit rather than where the ball was when he was down. Where the ball was appeared to be a TD but, if not, the spot would have been no further than 2 inches from the goal line.

Terrible call and spot.

I agree that the spot was off. I felt there was one angle where it seemed pretty clear to me that his knee hit and the ball was at about the half yard line. I can't recall which view that was but again, it felt pretty obvious to me his knee hit well before the ball touched the pylon and that the spot was off.

 

[Steverc]

I agree that one game isn't enough to make definitive conclusions. I am not predicting that GT will be in the championship game. After the Ole Miss game I would have said there is zero chance, not it feels like there is at least a chance.

There is no chance.

 

[Jacket05]

I think we need to try another quarterback at times. Sims did some good things but he still makes a lot of errors and fails to get the yard when we absolutely have to have it. I think one thing last night is that we pressured and hit the quarterback for most of the game.

Sims had a rough day throwing but this is the first game in a while where I felt like he did actually fight for those yards to get the first rather than just running out of bounds before the sticks. He even dropped his shoulder when taking a hit at the yard to gain to be sure he got the extra distance needed for the first.

 

[takethepoints]

There is no chance.

I agree that our chances are not good. Given our performance last night and efforts to improve, we should win against UVA and VT. Puke is about 40-60 imho. I watched some of their game with UVA and it looked like they had all been bitten by radioactive spiders; they knocked UVA's socks off. As for da U, FSU, UNC, and Ugag (don't look so unbeatable now, do they?) I think we are unlikely to eke out a win; too many of those games are away. But maybe, just maybe …

But first things first. We need to see if Puke is as good as they looked yesterday.

 

[LongforDodd]

I agree that the spot was off. I felt there was one angle where it seemed pretty clear to me that his knee hit and the ball was at about the half yard line. I can't recall which view that was but again, it felt pretty obvious to me his knee hit well before the ball touched the pylon and that the spot was off.

I agree the ball was about12-16” when his knee touched the ground

 

[Jacket05]

This is the play of the game to me--not because it's the most highlight-worthy, but it tells the story of the game to me more than any other. It's offense, but the entire line getting together in a scrum to make 13 yards on 3rd down was really important to the game (hopefully, the time code for YouTube works--if it doesn't, go to 17:14 on the time slider):




If you look at the stats, Dontae is our most effective runner up until yesterday's game. If you look at the matchup yesterday, Pitt is tough against the kind of running that Dontae is best at. Third and goal from the 1 and 4th and goal from the 1 told that story (and, in retrospect, I'd have preferred different play calls against Pitt's defense)

Hall is normally our least effective runner, but he was the right choice against Pittsburgh--his speed made him dangerous. Against a speedy defense, Smith might be a better choice.

The best part of the play you highlighted is that the scrum starts with Paula (#60) literally picking Hall up off the ground and carrying him forward!

Hall played a hell of a game so I am not criticizing the coaches for ridding him the whole game rather than Dontae. However, I do hate that the play you mentioned was his only chance in the game. The play was blown up at the line from the beginning so it is not fair to judge his play at all with that.

 

[TampaBuzz]

This is the play of the game to me--not because it's the most highlight-worthy, but it tells the story of the game to me more than any other. It's offense, but the entire line getting together in a scrum to make 13 yards on 3rd down was really important to the game (hopefully, the time code for YouTube works--if it doesn't, go to 17:14 on the time slider):




If you look at the stats, Dontae is our most effective runner up until yesterday's game. If you look at the matchup yesterday, Pitt is tough against the kind of running that Dontae is best at. Third and goal from the 1 and 4th and goal from the 1 told that story (and, in retrospect, I'd have preferred different play calls against Pitt's defense)

Hall is normally our least effective runner, but he was the right choice against Pittsburgh--his speed made him dangerous. Against a speedy defense, Smith might be a better choice.

I swear the offensive lineman literally picked up Hall in his arms and carried him forward. That was awesome to watch.

 

[Sheboygan]

Dylan Leonard*

Dylan Devaney plays for Pitt

OOOOPS !! Devaney used to, didn't he ??

 

[bke1984]

Sim played tougher this week

I disagree. He missed a handful of opportunities to run for first downs and gave a weak effort on the goal line sneak (O line effort wasn’t great either). He avoids contact on most drives. I did see one case where he stuck it out for the first down, but it’s definitely the exception.

 

[bke1984]

Sim played tougher this week. I wrote him off after he ran out of bounds on 4th down in the UCF game. But on that play last night with 1:55 remaining in the game, Sims made a key block that allowed Hassan to get 35 more yards to their 10.

To be fair. That play where he ran down to block was great. But there were other plays where he flaked out early.

 

[GT33]

I'd like to see Zack Gibson in there for a series or two. Hopefully we can get a sufficient lead late in the Duke or Virginia games and see what he can do (fat chance, I know). At any rate, it's good to get a backup some playing time just in case. Sims has plenty of upside but he's inconsistent and looks like an interception waiting to happen. If they snag one or two of those ill-advised throws, we probably don't win that game.

Plenty of coaches take their struggling starter and plop him on the sideline for a series or two. I think it might do Sims good to see the game from the sidelines a couple series. We used to do that with Justin Thomas to get him focused but maybe that offense was more difficult to run and this one’s much easier? Or maybe there’s a reason we don’t really want to see #2?

 

[wvGT11]

Plenty of coaches take their struggling starter and plop him on the sideline for a series or two. I think it might do Sims good to see the game from the sidelines a couple series. We used to do that with Justin Thomas to get him focused but maybe that offense was more difficult to run and this one’s much easier? Or maybe there’s a reason we don’t really want to see #2?

I mean we did that last year with Yates and many on here we're arguing that Yates should get the start. But usually if Yates went in a for a few snaps it got Sims more.focused

 

[4shotB]

Plenty of coaches take their struggling starter and plop him on the sideline for a series or two. I think it might do Sims good to see the game from the sidelines a couple series. We used to do that with Justin Thomas to get him focused but maybe that offense was more difficult to run and this one’s much easier? Or maybe there’s a reason we don’t really want to see #2?

I will say this about Sims. While there is plenty to critique about his game, he has shown up without complaint behind a very porous (to be kind) OL. Maybe putting a smaller and/or less athletic QB out there really doesn't make sense given the play of our OL. After all, there was a much bally hoo'd QB under CPJ who got tired of getting beat up all the time too and essentially waved the white flag. Ended up playing FB two or three levels down. Sims has taken a pounding and still shows up for work every day. I respect that.

 

[SteamWhistle]

Have we found our Dabo?