GT VT Post Game

[Bogey]

Why did DT #99 Jordan VDB leave PSU?
1. Was it because he didn't get PT? .
At gt 99 shares equal time with our best DT 88 who played way more snaps last year. With 99 there is no drop off at all. In fact, the hustle chase play is way better with 99. Last year our run defense was abysmal- we just stoned a good tough running team. With him here we are letting stud dt hit gaps and requires a quick help by other ol. 88 and he are bring disruptive and rest are swallowing up rb AT LOS. Funny how front 7 seems so much better.

I remember PSU fan saying they loved him at PSU, no drop off when he played. Can't remember him saying why he left though.

 

[Southern psu fan]

just wanted to add that it took James Franklin 10 years to get Penn St to where they are deep in talent and this is BK second year.

Why did DT #99 Jordan VDB leave PSU?
1. Was it because he didn't get PT? .
At gt 99 shares equal time with our best DT 88 who played way more snaps last year. With 99 there is no drop off at all. In fact, the hustle chase play is way better with 99. Last year our run defense was abysmal- we just stoned a good tough running team. With him here we are letting stud dt hit gaps and requires a quick help by other ol. 88 and he are bring disruptive and rest are swallowing up rb AT LOS. Funny how front 7 seems so much better.

I don’t know why he left Penn St because he was in the rotation but not the starter. I’ve said here a few times when 99 was on the field last year at Penn St I didn’t see a drop off at all. He actually played a lot of snaps so I don’t believe it was about PT. I hated he left but I’m glad he’s at GT.

 

[Yaller Jacket]

This is obvious. No one has to prepare for us. We run the generic offense of today and run the same plays everyone else runs. Zero imagination and no one even has to watch our film anymore. Sure, every once in a while our QB will run a draw for success but that’s all we have. Johnson would have scored 30plus points today even if he didn’t run the triple because good coaches love to create plays. Our team motto today is “Offense for Dummies”. And did anyone else notice Jamaal going to the sideline with body language that said “I’m out”.

 

[InsideLB]

As much as we run it up the middle on and-short situations I have been waiting to see some play action off it to a wide open WR. Watched Oregon eat Illinois lunch with it yesterday. Have been wanting to see us run the Philly special for awhile, so very chagrined when VT uses it to manufacture a TD against us.

At this point even if it doesn't work it still would have value in keeping defenses honest in those situations. Right now they can just run blitz every and short situation.

 

[Yaller Jacket]

To me, this was our worst loss of the season. Syracuse and Louisville were on our level and we could have won either or both. We competed but lost. Notre Dame was was way better and we would lose to that team almost every time. But I think we would have beaten VT handily had our best offensive player and best defensive players not been injured. There were passes that King would have made and there were numerous instances where there was open field and King would have made big yards.

 

[Richland County]

Why did DT #99 Jordan VDB leave PSU?
1. Was it because he didn't get PT? .
At gt 99 shares equal time with our best DT 88 who played way more snaps last year. With 99 there is no drop off at all. In fact, the hustle chase play is way better with 99. Last year our run defense was abysmal- we just stoned a good tough running team. With him here we are letting stud dt hit gaps and requires a quick help by other ol. 88 and he are bring disruptive and rest are swallowing up rb AT LOS. Funny how front 7 seems so much better.

Who would have thought at this juncture in the season the DC would be in better spot than the OC? Defense had been the best unit two weeks running. The D has gotten better as the season goes.

 

[4shotB]

To me, this was our worst loss of the season. Syracuse and Louisville were on our level and we could have won either or both. We competed but lost. Notre Dame was was way better and we would lose to that team almost every time. But I think we would have beaten VT handily had our best offensive player and best defensive players not been injured. There were passes that King would have made and there were numerous instances where there was open field and King would have made big yards.

We all like to believe in the next man up mantra. The theory is beautiful in its simplicity. However if you want to see the difference between QB1 and the next man up look at FSU with and without J. Travis.

 

[bobongo]

Too many GT fans trash our OL when we play a stout defense, ignoring the talent on the other side. Sometimes, the other team is simply better on the LOS. But that doesn’t mean we suck, sometimes it means they are quite good on that other team. Give our OL a break and stop being….unfair (most polite word I could come up with) to our OL players.

VT came in #99 in the country against the run. I'm having a hard time squaring that with the idea of them having a stout DL.
Going into the game, everyone was talking about how Tech was going to be able to run the ball on them. ND was a stout defense. VT, not so much.

 

[roadkill]

Alright, here are my thoughts:



So first off, we’ve all been speculating that King hasn’t been 100% almost all season. There were talks as early as the GSU game about how he hasn’t looked right. The same was said about Jamal Haynes at that time and eventually those things were confirmed after the fact(Key and Jamal Haynes saying he was 100% for the first time in awhile against Duke). They kept any nagging injuries quiet, but that didn’t fool the eye test. Something was clearly not right. This leads me to believe that it’s not farfetched that Key also did the same thing regarding King. No need to discuss nagging injuries, but there was no fooling our eyes; something wasn’t right. King has probably been injured most of the season. Jamal Haynes is probably once again injured. These things can not be overlooked when evaluating our season.



Having said that, a common sentiment on here was that one of the backups would be better than an injured King. I think these last two games can put that idea to rest. King’s leadership and playmaking ability is on a different level. This not a knock on the other guys. There is no harm in a backup simply being a backup. Philo may be more in the future, but as is, he’s still too inexperienced to start over an injured King unless King can not play at all. Our season really does hang on whether we get Haynes King back(and a healthy Jamal, for that matter). It’s also worth noting the HB room has been plagued with injuries all year, not to mention the loss of Seither. These impact the offense.



However, regardless of the injuries, Buster has been a bust this season(no pun intended). The offense has been stagnant, stale and completely predictable. The injuries certainly do not help, but there seems to have been a complete lack of adaptability to our new personnel who have filled in for injuries. For example, the OL has struggled and all of our running backs are banged up…why are we running it straight up the middle on every important short yardage situation? We don’t have an identity on offense and it seems that the one we are trying to build (power run) does not work with our current personnel, and yet we won’t deviate from the plan. We have a very similar personnel to last year and yet we have clearly regressed. This is alarming.



I suppose an optimistic look at the obvious regression is that it’s simply the result of the lethal combination of injuries and a sophomore slump. The ACC now has a whole season of tape of Buster’s Offense which, naturally could lead to a sophomore slump. Add the injuries and you get this season.



A pessimistic look at the regression sees this as more of the same of what Buster Faulkner was before he got that UGA shine as an analyst. A pessimistic look sees our offensive line continue to struggle and points to our head coach being the offensive line coach during the clown years.



The truth probably lies somewhere In between, but one can’t help but be worried about a potential lack of progress.



Regarding the defense, I believe we are seeing progress in Year one, but one can’t help but feel trepidation of getting too excited simply because of what’s happened on the other side of the ball. We already crowned a coordinator in his first year on the flats last year and were disappointed in year two. Fair or not, I see progress, but remain trepidatious.



Special teams has been discussed ad nauseam, but that’s clearly something that needs major improvement.



Overall, it’s been nine full seasons since we made back-to-back bowls. I know that doesn’t seem like a super exciting high, but that would be legitimate progress and something I feel we need to find a way to accomplish.

Refreshing to see a post-game post that isn't just a bunch of hot takes.

 

[Root4GT]

We all well know you think our team sucks. Why must you keep repeating yourself. Does it give you pleasure?

So you disagree that when it is clear the starting RB is playing hurt and the next up guy is #5 on the depth chart that won't impact the running game! Seriously!

You actually think GT has talented depth to overcome key injuries at several key positions to play at the same level as the starter would? Seriously!

Reality is reality. It was very clear yesterday we were a poor offense without our starting QB and a RB group that was playing hurt or absent from the game.

If my reality posts hurt your feelings than use the ignore button. All the GT is going to roll in Blacksburg this week posts before the game knowing our injury status were simply absurd.

 

[roadkill]

We all like to believe in the next man up mantra. The theory is beautiful in its simplicity. However if you want to see the difference between QB1 and the next man up look at FSU with and without J. Travis.

This.
Many of our players who aren't "banged up" are true freshmen, especially on offense (QB, RB, TE). I see good potential when they're on the field, but expecting them to play at the level of experienced upperclassmen is foolish. Not to mention that it can limit our play-calling. It's hard to be creative in play-calling when the subs have barely learned the base plays.

The most important takeaway from Key's post-game presser was "We need to get healthy".

 

[57jacket]

Buster is an excellent OC. He designs his O around the players he has. King is a versatile player who has trouble seeing the field and throwing into coverage, but an excelent runner. Buster designed an O with short safe passes and an option running game. When King get's hurt ( which game), the O has went south. With Philo next year we will have a much different O. Get off Buster's back. We're lucky to have him.

 

[57jacket]

So you disagree that when it is clear the starting RB is playing hurt and the next up guy is #5 on the depth chart that won't impact the running game! Seriously!

You actually think GT has talented depth to overcome key injuries at several key positions to play at the same level as the starter would? Seriously!

Reality is reality. It was very clear yesterday we were a poor offense without our starting QB and a RB group that was playing hurt or absent from the game.

If my reality posts hurt your feelings than use the ignore button. All the GT is going to roll in Blacksburg this week posts before the game knowing our injury status were simply absurd.

Our problem with you Root is you never have anything positive to say. You are a contrarian who finds weaknesses in anyone's statement that is positive. Give it up man. Your life must really suck. LOL

 

[UgaBlows]

VT didn't blitz Philo as much as I would have expected. UM would likely challenge a freshman more than VT. Philo has the tools to be really good but he is a freshman. He is probably 18 or 19. HK is at least 23 and 5th year in college. What happens if HK comes back for another year? At least one of the backups leaves. Pyron must be fairly close to graduation. He can play somewhere next year or go to GT graduate school and compete again for the qb spot.

If he has his undergrad degree by next season then I suspect he will look at transfer , but opportunities but who knows? Au, FSU or ND etc might snatch up Hk and Pyron stays

 

[GaTech4ever]

We pass protect really well, Faulkner needs to lean into that with Philo and go for broke against UM

Jordan Williams will probably get drafted, he’s been that good.

 

[MtnWasp]

Philo looks like a stud!! Ridiculous that our receivers can't catch perfectly thrown balls. I am afraid until Haynes gets back results will be similar. Defense looked really good in my opinion.

Succinct and spot-on assessment.

The play of Philo and the defense had me feeling okay after the loss.

A QB that has pocket presence, can see the field, has a gun of an arm and has the moxie to throw into the middle of the field ... there is no more prized commodity in the game. It doesn't matter that he is raw.

Usually doesn't take long to see if a QB has 'It' . If I saw it, so did everyone else. If we don't pay and play him, someone else will.

We are not so deep that we can overcome Haynes King and Jamal Haynes being limited almost all year. It sucks but, there it is.

 

[57jacket]

Succinct and spot-on assessment.

The play of Philo and the defense had me feeling okay after the loss.

A QB that has pocket presence, can see the field, has a gun of an arm and has the moxie to throw into the middle of the field ... there is no more prized commodity in the game. It doesn't matter that he is raw.

Usually doesn't take long to see if a QB has 'It' . If I saw it, so did everyone else. If we don't pay and play him, someone else will.

We are not so deep that we can overcome Haynes King and Jamal Haynes being limited almost all year. It sucks but, there it is.

Exactly MtnWasp. Spot on. Future looks good if we fill some holes with recruiting and transfers.

 

[Root4GT]

great for us for the better part of 2 years. Lots of people on this board said we would be just fine on offense with his backup based on something they remembered from one game 2 years ago. That is simply living in a fantasy world. Our problem with you Root is you never have anything positive to say. You are a contrarian who finds weaknesses in anyone's statement that is positive. Give it up man. Your life must really suck. LOL

Not true at all - you, and many others here, just focus on the stuff that is true but you don't want to hear. As I recall I said at VT would be a very tough game for GT to win. In the score poll I picked VT to win in the 7-13 range. I missed that barely.

Look, GT has some very good football players. However, not enough to win without our starting QB who has been great for the better part of 2 years. Lost of folks on this site said his backup would be just as good and we would not miss King because they had memories of the backup playing one good game 2 years ago. What world are they living in? Seriously! I think that was obvious the past 2 games.

Our lead RB is clearly not fully healthy. Do yo see the burst and lateral cuts he plays with when healthy, I don't? It's clear he is not close to 100%. Credit to Haynes for giving his all Of course when he come out we are down to the #5 RB. I repeat #5 running back!

CBK and staff have taken a program that was one of the worst in the FCB and made it competitive with all but the top tier ACC teams in 2 years. GT simply lacks the quality depth to win when key players are out" King and Efford are 2 very key players as in Haynes. That is reality. It's not hard to see. It's unfortunate but it is reality!

The improvement on defense this season jumps off the screen. Many of this board constantly trash our DBs. I have never done that as their play this season has been pretty good overall. They have missed some tackles, sure but all DBs do that at times. The DL until yesterday had not gotten much pressure on opposing QBs which makes it simply impossible to cover receivers for 4-5 seconds or more. We saw yesterday when the DL really gets fairly constant pressure on the opposing QB how much better the the DBs play looks. That is football 101!

People have ripped our OLs pass protection. What games do they watch? The OL has been pretty solid on pass protection all year. King never gets sacked and a good bit of that is his ability. Yesterday the OL was very good in Pass Protection with 2 backup QBs playing. VT knew we were throwing the ball almost exclusively in the latter part of the 3rd quarter and the whole 4th quarter yet both QB had solid protection against a DL that had racked up the sacks this season and had the Conference sack leader as one DE position.

Just take off the Gold Colored Glasses and look at GT's football team realistically. We are an average ACC team overall this season as we were last season. Our offense can be good with a fully healthy QB1 and RB1. We have neither a healthy QB1 or RB1. We do not have healthy / experienced depth at either position to carry the offense. That is as clear as it can be!

Against Miami our chances to win are very low regardless of who plays for us. Miami has too many very good offensive players and a QB who is playing as the leading Heisman candidate. Against NCST we are peer teams. GT needs to be healthy for that game! That is the game to get us Bowl eligible. UGA is clearly on a different level than GT is now. That is not a knock on GT. UGA has lost, what, one regular season game in 4-5 years? They are better than virtually every other college team. That sucks but it is reality.

Yesterday was frustrating for sure. We had normally very reliable receivers drop some very catchable balls. Unfortunate for sure but #8 and #9 are good college receivers. It happens. QB #2 had a very bad day. Disappointing, sure, unexpected, not really. Basing expectations on 1 game 2 years ago is not realistic. Last week was a better gage and QB2 struggled.

Getting to a Bowl Game this season has always been my hope. That hope is still alive. We need some key players to get healthy to achieve that goal.

 

[Root4GT]

Succinct and spot-on assessment.

The play of Philo and the defense had me feeling okay after the loss.

A QB that has pocket presence, can see the field, has a gun of an arm and has the moxie to throw into the middle of the field ... there is no more prized commodity in the game. It doesn't matter that he is raw.

Usually doesn't take long to see if a QB has 'It' . If I saw it, so did everyone else. If we don't pay and play him, someone else will.

We are not so deep that we can overcome Haynes King and Jamal Haynes being limited almost all year. It sucks but, there it is.

How what you said is not obvious to the GT fans is mind boggling to me! Spot on post!

 

[forensicbuzz]

We will end up 6 -5 and going bowling. Sort of good but could have been better.

Which of our final games are we not going to play to stay at 6-5?