Initial Impressions

[wuzjrbuzz]

Just a small addition here, Summers had one helluva downfield block on Smelter's long TD. It was really hot with that humidity, up there with the 1990 NC State game, and I have attended many GT games since the 70s. Used sunscreen, but still burned this morning.

 

[awbuzz]

... First GT home game needs to be in mid September OR after 6PM purely due to the heat. Frocking ridiculous for the players and the fans.

After sleep cycle, I have less concern about the O, but am very concerned about the D. The various points/comments above pretty much sum up the reasoning.

 

[Longestday]

@dressedcheeseside GT was closing the outside with the LB and using corners to cover deep with the WR and played a soft safety a lot of the time. This left the middle open. I am going to say scheme played into GT's hard time stopping.

The trenches looked like a battle and I think I would hire their OL coach away. I really like the technique of how their OL blocked.

We did blitz, but their line picked it up well and their QB stepped out of the way and read well. The OL was well coached.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I feel Nealy can bounce back from this bad game. He's played very well in the past.

 

[franklinjacket]

No, I did not say they ran the offense better. I said they ran the option better. Please, guys, please. I know I sound like a broken record, and I apologize for that, but if you choose to respond to me, all I ask is that you read carefully before you respond.

I have no issues with the passing performance yesterday. My issue is that a team of lesser talent was able to run a better option game than we were able to, even with our advantage of having a coach who is considered a master of the triple option. Look, Wofford's passing game was virtually non-existent. Yet they were able to match and exceed our performance in rushing. That should tell you something. That, in and of itself, is telling. Had we not had the passing game available to loosen up the Wofford defense, we would have been stuffed in the running game. Wofford did not have a passing game to loosen up our defense. Yet they were still able to exceed our performance in total yards rushing, and more importantly, yards per carry. That's disturbing, guys.

Is it possible that we ran a very vanilla ground game while they pulled all stops? The only thing that concerns me at this point is that we never got the dive going very well. I would have thought we could easily get 150 from the BB position in this game.

Also, as quite a few other posters have mentioned: Snoddy's big play was off a pitch. Count it as a run and look at the numbers again.

 

[MWBATL]

My concerns about this game were simple...both lines.

I sat with a former GT player (from the Eddie Lee Ivery years), a starter on offense. As he kept saying, we *should* be so much better that we could tell Wofford where we were going to run the ball on each play, we still should have been able to gain 4 yards every time just based on our out sizing them by that much. That did not look like the case at all. Generally I was unimpressed by our O line blocking (although the center looked very good).

Our D line worried me even more. On numerous plays, I watched as a D lineman got pushed back by Wofford's O line 2-3 yards. That *really* worries me. If Wofford's O line can block us that well, what about the D-1 teams we will be playing later?

Offensively, I was thrilled, especially with our second half passing performance. JT was 8 x 8 in the 2nd half and ripped the Wofford D to shreds. I am willing to give him a pass for the first half. Our skill guys all looked solid to me. Smelter looks special to me. Golden will be fine in the return game once he gets the rust out of his system. Our D backs looked solid to me.

However, as a traditionalist who thinks football is won and lost in the trenches, our weakness on both sides there yesterday makes me...worried.

 

[GTJake]

I'm late into this conversation and haven't read the whole thread, a couple of observations;
Concerns yes, but don't take anything to the bank from the first game
Woffords scheme, think us in reverse
Wofford has done the same to SCarolina and Clemson recently

 

[TechPhi97]

I'd have to go back and watch the tape but I would be very surprised if we didn't run basic vanilla defensive schemes most of the day. We should see more blitzing and line games/stunts next week. I think we will have a much clear picture based on that game than vs Wofford.

If you can't beat FCS with vanilla, there is a lot of improvement needed. I'm not saying we won't get better, but we're going to have to if we want to compete in the conference.

On the positive side, when Goose first started it took him several games to get comfortable, it was good to see JT settle down and execute in the second half.

 

[Techster]

Against Wofford, based on talent alone, GT should be able to do what it wants. Run for 300 yards or pass for 300 yards (which we almost did). That we had a hard time doing what we've been preaching (back to CPJ's offense) since that "other QB" left is a little disconcerting. Starters should not be playing deep into the 4th quarter, but maybe I'm being too picky since "it's just Wofford".

I do like how some individuals progressed, and how some youngsters have stepped up. Rook Chungong looks like he's ready to contribute on this level. Pat Gamble didn't always make the stop, but he was active and always around the ball...stops will come for him. Those Austin boys are small but they are gamers. Smelter looks like he added to his arsenal what we thought he needed to get to the next level: explosiveness and top end speed. Still not super fast, but looked faster than last season. Those smoke routes are back in play...and his ability to gain YACs will be vital for us this season...shades of BayBay on that.

All in all, lot more positives than negatives, but I hope we take a big step between now and end of game against Tulane.

 

[TechPhi97]

Go back and read. I said they ran the option better than us, not the offense. We had a passing game which led to our offensive advantage. But no one should run the option better than us. All I ask is that people read carefully before responding and making themselves just look silly.

Snoddy's huge option gain was a "pass" but it was a run out of the option. That was option at its best - last second change of hands for a big gain.

 

[GTJake]

Don't necessarily ascribe to the statement "based on talent alone" ... you still play the game between the white lines ?
I remember "The Kang" making the statement when we played Auburn a few years ago that "GT can't tackle Auburn" ... that's why you play te game !

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I'm late into this conversation and haven't read the whole thread, a couple of observations;
Concerns yes, but don't take anything to the bank from the first game
Woffords scheme, think us in reverse
Wofford has done the same to SCarolina and Clemson recently

On that same note, Navy put a scare on tOSU and put up only 2 less points than Wofford did on us. The Buckeyes separated late like we did. Do you think Ohio State fans think their D sucks?

 

[Techster]

Don't necessarily ascribe to the statement "based on talent alone" ... you still play the game between the white lines ?
I remember "The Kang" making the statement when we played Auburn a few years ago that "GT can't tackle Auburn" ... that's why you play te game !

There's a difference between a team GT/Auburn talent and GT/Wofford talent...or atleast there should be. If not, GT is doing something wrong.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Against Wofford, based on talent alone, GT should be able to do what it wants.

But's it was already pointed out how two other big time programs struggles with them recently.

 

[GTJake]

There's a difference between a team GT/Auburn talent and GT/Wofford talent...or atleast there should be. If not, GT is doing something wrong.

Agreed, but there are other factors to consider ...

 

[Techster]

But's it was already pointed out how two other big time programs struggles with them recently.

Michigan lost to App State in that famous game a while back in Michigan's house....and Michigan beat the brakes out of them yesterday. Just because a team does something in the past doesn't make them a good team now.

It's a misleading comparison to say "Well, they gave so-and-so a good game in 2012 so a game like this isn't that big of a deal". Different players, different teams. The one thing that should remain constant is GT should have better players than Wofford, and Michigan should have better players than App State.

I'm not going to lie, I'm a worry wart by nature so maybe it's just me being picky. I'll be a lot more positive about the season if GT can handle business at Tulane next Saturday. The 38-19 scoreline should be more what we do against Tulane than against Wofford...just my opinion.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Michigan lost to App State in that famous game a while back in Michigan's house....and Michigan beat the brakes out of them yesterday. Just because a team does something in the past doesn't make them a good team now.

It's a misleading comparison to say "Well, they gave so-and-so a good game in 2012 so a game like this isn't that big of a deal". Different players, different teams. The one thing that should remain constant is GT should have better players than Wofford, and Michigan should have better players than App State.

I'm not going to lie, I'm a worry wart by nature so maybe it's just me being picky. I'll be a lot more positive about the season if GT can handle business at Tulane next Saturday. The 38-19 scoreline should be more what we do against Tulane than against Wofford...just my opinion.

It's not apple to apples. Wofford relies on scheme to level the playing field against teams with bigger, more athletic teams. They proved that against USCe and and ? (can't remember) very recently (not 30 yrs ago). Navy put a scare into tOSU just yesterday for the very same reason.

It's what we use to be competitive against bigger, stronger, faster teams, too, but you already knew that.

 

[Techster]

It's not apple to apples. Wofford relies on scheme to level the playing field against teams with bigger, more athletic teams. They proved that against USCe and and ? (can't remember) very recently (not 30 yrs ago). Navy put a scare into tOSU just yesterday for the very same reason.

It's what we use to be competitive against bigger, stronger, faster teams, too, but you already knew that.

Wofford has 53 scholarship players compared to our 85 scholarship players. They're in a lower division than we are. We're in a Power 5 conference. We recruit FBS level athletes (or atleast I hope so) and they don't.

I really hope it's not an apples to apples comparison.

 

[GTJake]

And don't forget about GSouthern v. NCST ... who incidentally we should be very concerned about for all the same reasons.

 

[Animal02]

On that same note, Navy put a scare on tOSU and put up only 2 less points than Wofford did on us. The Buckeyes separated late like we did. Do you think Ohio State fans think their D sucks?

Many teams separated late against FCS schools as well.......has a lot more to do with depth than talent difference IMO