Good Read in Macon Newspaper

[Eric]

. So which, one back to basics and finish 7-6 or half *** add new wrinkles and finish 7-6.

Can you give a game by game prediction for this year?

 

[GTJake]

Whether it's offense or defense, I'd really like to get to the bottom of all the 4th quarter collapses and OT loses.
Conditioning, confidence, scheme ... ???

 

[AE 87]

The offense has been the most consistent of the 3 phases in the last 7 years and it's not even close. Could it be better, absolutely no doubt. You're making it sound like the main reason for our 7-6 seasons is because of the offense. I'm pretty sure our defense and special teams had a HUGE helping hand in a majority of those losses.

@ATL1 I'm trying to draw your attention to this same point made by others. You change the offense to make it as efficient as possible.
The W-L depends on the efficiency of all three phases. The off eff was significantly worse in 2013 than previous two years. It was still better than def efficiency. So, posting as if off scheme is the sole driver of W-L seems silly to me.

In 2009, we had the #6 off in the country F/+ and #2 in Off FEI. I'm not sure what standard you have for juggernaut.

 

[Gojackets55]

People who don't understand our offense ***** about our offense. We could score 40 points a game and then score 21 on Alabama and we would hear "Told you the option offense can't score on top teir defenses."

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Oregon has a crappy offense, they only scored 16 at Arizona last year. Omg, they only scored 20 at Stanford, too!!!

 

[jeffgt14]

It did seem like the Offense hurt the D a lot more last year than previous years. From Football Outsiders: 32% of our drives last year we did not pick up a first down and only 18% of our drives lasted 10 or more plays. Combine that with 1.8 turnovers a game.

^^^I'm gonna keep these stats here but to be honest I was trying to make the point that we couldn't give the defense time to rest or good field position but the more I was researching the more these stats have been pretty consistent the since 2010. Those stats are the worst since 2010 but not by much. Not trying to complain about our offense at all BTW. I'm a fan of it.

 

[AE 87]

@jeffgt14 where, which table or special database, did you get those stats. After a quick look at footballoutsiders, I couldn't find them. Sorry if I'm missing the obvious.

 

[jeffgt14]

@jeffgt14 where, which table or special database, did you get those stats. After a quick look at footballoutsiders, I couldn't find them. Sorry if I'm missing the obvious.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/feioff

I was using the inverse of the FD column and the Me column.

 

[Gojackets55]

We do not run as many plays as these hurry up offense teams run, so to compare our offensive statistics to teams like Oregon, Clemson, etc...is just idiotic

 

[AE 87]

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/feioff

I was using the inverse of the FD column and the Me column.

Thanks. I can't believe how often I've looked at that stat without looking at data on which it is based. Shame on me.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

Gotta run, but real quick. My opinion is that we should have forced Vad to run the TO. Played Byerly or JT or anyone more if it didn't work. They would have gotten better with real time reps and so would the rest of the starters being all over the place. Would have been far better for this year.

Sometimes the longer range solution is better than the short term fix.

I get the logic here and it is true we MIGHT be better off THIS year if JT or Byerly had started last year. The goal each game though, by and large, needs to be winning that next game...not the 4th game next season. I think CPJ would have played either one of the younger guys last year more if he had thought that would have given us a better chance to win then.

For argument's sake consider this. Lets say coach agreedwith you and played one of the younger QBs exclusively. That easily could have led to fewer wins last year and no bowl. How would we all feel about a 4 win season last year even though we got experience for the QB of the future? I would have hated it honestly. The other thing to consider is the possibility you are throwing a young and not yet prepared QB to the wolves. Put a young QB on the field who isnt ready and you run the risk of having him get overwhelmed and possibly suffer damage to his confidence. That could be a career killer IMO.

Just my two cents. Sorry for rambling on. I think we may all be on the cusp of enjoying a very exciting season this year.

 

[AE 87]

It did seem like the Offense hurt the D a lot more last year than previous years. From Football Outsiders: 32% of our drives last year we did not pick up a first down and only 18% of our drives lasted 10 or more plays. Combine that with 1.8 turnovers a game.

^^^I'm gonna keep these stats here but to be honest I was trying to make the point that we couldn't give the defense time to rest or good field position but the more I was researching the more these stats have been pretty consistent the since 2010. Those stats are the worst since 2010 but not by much. Not trying to complain about our offense at all BTW. I'm a fan of it.

OK, two things to start: 1) thanks for pointing out these stats, and (2) you may also also want to look at their Field Position data for how much offense affects D and vice versa.

Now, as I look at the data you highlighted, I'm not sure how you determined worst since 2010 "but not by much." The differences seem significant to me:

Year ... FD/TD% .... Rk ....10+Play% ... Rk
2008 ...... 73.1 ......... 24 ........ 13.9 ......... 53
2009 ...... 72.5 ......... 20 ........ 22.9 ......... 2
2010 ...... 75.6 ......... 17 ......... 18.1 ......... 15
2011 ....... 71.7 ......... 30 ........ 21.7 ......... 2
2012 ....... 76.7 ......... 11 ........ 24.8 ......... 4
2013 ....... 68.3 ......... 56 ........ 18.3 ......... 25

6yr Ave .. 73 ............ 10 ......... 20.0 ........ 3

In their raw offensive efficiency stat, we're ranked 15th over the last 6 years, but were 59th in 2013. From 2008 to 2012 we were #49, #9, #52, #8, #19.

 

[Yoda]

Don't know if it's been mentioned but I want that old delay/draw play JfN and Dwyer used to run.

 

[33jacket]

Gotta run, but real quick. My opinion is that we should have forced Vad to run the TO. Played Byerly or JT or anyone more if it didn't work. They would have gotten better with real time reps and so would the rest of the starters being all over the place. Would have been far better for this year.

Sometimes the longer range solution is better than the short term fix.

if we forced vad to run the TO then JT woulda been the starter last year...vad was that bad doing it....so I guess it is what it is...But I really think paul wanted vad to succeed here...he liked him.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

if we forced vad to run the TO then JT woulda been the starter last year...vad was that bad doing it....so I guess it is what it is...But I really think paul wanted vad to succeed here...he liked him.

I also wonder if he believed that adding all that 49er/Redskin stuff would have attracted more blue chippers.

 

[AE 87]

if we forced vad to run the TO then JT woulda been the starter last year...vad was that bad doing it....so I guess it is what it is...But I really think paul wanted vad to succeed here...he liked him.

Yes and no, iiuc. CPJ began to adjust to Vad's preferences (and TWs) for gun and zone read etc in prep for 2012. He did want to find something Vad could enjoy and exploit, even before JT was on board. He wanted Vad to succeed.

But, I don't think CPJ ever thought of it as an alternative to the base because Vad couldn't do the base though. It was always meant to be an expansion. He did not respond to the bad game against VPI by doubling down on the new but by simplifying (base stuff with some gun for passing). RS soph Vad was still better overall than RS Fr JT.

 

[GTech63]

Whether it's offense or defense, I'd really like to get to the bottom of all the 4th quarter collapses and OT loses.
Conditioning, confidence, scheme ... ???

Conditioning and depth but also mind set can overcome to some degree. The mind set that the 4th quarter belongs to us can be a great motivator to play through being tired, hurting, and coming from behind. At end of practice, to push through tough conditioning drills, I believe help set this attitude.

 

[awbuzz]

Regarding RS Soph VL and RS Fr JT - anyone that truly thinks that CPJ and the staff didn't play the VL because they thought he gave GT the best chance to win needs to check into a hospital for a mental evaluation. JMO.

 

[techman78]

On another pay site I continuously read that Vad tan the base really well in practice and that was why he continued to start, the problem obviously came when the bullets were flying and he seemed to become tentative and try to avoid contact. If he had not practiced so well he would not have been in there..... Just what I have read elsewhere.

 

[AE 87]

On another pay site I continuously read that Vad tan the base really well in practice and that was why he continued to start, the problem obviously came when the bullets were flying and he seemed to become tentative and try to avoid contact. If he had not practiced so well he would not have been in there..... Just what I have read elsewhere.

The ESPN announcers were saying JT ran the base better from about midseason iirc. Where did they get that? I don't understand.