Our Offense

[Techster]

Dang...Synjyn missed another 100 yard game by 11 yards. Had 89 on 20 carries. Pretty good 4 game run by him at BB though.

 

[slugboy]

That's the best defense we will face this year.

Let's hope so.

 

[SidewalkJacket]

Now, where I get worried is the red zone performance: 1 TD and 3 FG in 5 chances. Going into the game GT scored on 81% of its redzone possessions and scored a TD 70% of the time when in the redzone. So, while the team scored at the same rate, the TD% was terrible. Maybe I'm just looking for something to be worried about, but kicking field goals in the red zone leaves too many points on the field. I think most coaches would tell you that when the opposing team has to kick a field goal, then that is a small victory for the defense. Certainly, when the GT defense forced an early Clemson field goal, I was thinking to myself that the defense had scored a victory.

This was also one of the rare games where CPJ was actually content to kick FGs in the red zone. Our red zone TD % is skewed somewhat because we go for it on 4th down so much down there. I was happy this time to see us take those points, and even happier to see Butker connect, especially from the hash.

 

[TampaBuzz]

Dang...Synjyn missed another 100 yard game by 11 yards. Had 89 on 20 carries. Pretty good 4 game run by him at BB though.

Zack picked up the difference so the B-Back was over 100 for the game. Did Zack play again after the fumble? Don't remember seeing him again.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I'm a bit conflicted. On one hand, I look at the stats and I see 5.8 yd/play on 61 plays. I think about the bad first quarter (GT was -4 rushing). I deduct the 1 qtr performance (9 plays, 20 yards) and now see 6.4 yd/play on 59 plays, which is more like it (GT averages 6.8 yd/play on the season). So, a slow start that finished well. I was thrilled to GT respond to Clemson challenge in the passing game. Clemson crowded the box early and few completed passes by GT backed up the Clemson defense quite nicely. The Clemson was still good enough to challenge the offense, but at least offense had some room to work with. I thought those 3rd down conversions in the passing game were instrumental in maintaining the offense's effectiveness.

Now, where I get worried is the red zone performance: 1 TD and 3 FG in 5 chances. Going into the game GT scored on 81% of its redzone possessions and scored a TD 70% of the time when in the redzone. So, while the team scored at the same rate, the TD% was terrible. Maybe I'm just looking for something to be worried about, but kicking field goals in the red zone leaves too many points on the field. I think most coaches would tell you that when the opposing team has to kick a field goal, then that is a small victory for the defense. Certainly, when the GT defense forced an early Clemson field goal, I was thinking to myself that the defense had scored a victory.

However, you also have to take into account game situation and score relative to what kind of play-calling CPJ does in the red zone CPJ. I think given our D's performance CPJ was far more willing to take FGs then set up to go for it on 4th downs as he may have in other game situations. With a lead (like against Miami) and a team you consider dangerous CPJ can also try and really focus on clock control and so can call a game which can result in less scoring chances or less tds.

I am not suggesting anyway to quantify this but I just think that CPJ cares a lot about the "feel" of a score in the game and calls an offensive game peculiar to how things are working on that day in that game.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Dang...Synjyn missed another 100 yard game by 11 yards. Had 89 on 20 carries. Pretty good 4 game run by him at BB though.

It was fun listening to Roddy cheering on Synjyn to get the 4th straight 100 yd game. I love him as color commentator, he has the exact right attitude of having no shame in being a homer and rooting on the Tech players. Love that in a college broadcast team!

 

[bravejason]

However, you also have to take into account game situation and score relative to what kind of play-calling CPJ does in the red zone CPJ. I think given our D's performance CPJ was far more willing to take FGs then set up to go for it on 4th downs as he may have in other game situations. With a lead (like against Miami) and a team you consider dangerous CPJ can also try and really focus on clock control and so can call a game which can result in less scoring chances or less tds.

I am not suggesting anyway to quantify this but I just think that CPJ cares a lot about the "feel" of a score in the game and calls an offensive game peculiar to how things are working on that day in that game.

Assuming CPJ was in fact playing it safe in redzone, then he had a heck of a lot more confidence in the defense than I did. I felt sure that it was just a matter of time before the Clemson offense started scoring touchdowns. I really expected Clemson to come out on fire in the second half. I would have never guessed that their offense would be so inept without Watson. I couldn't relax until the game was over.

 

[GTL]

After watching our O all season, I watched UGa, Duke, Falcons this weekend and all the while wondered why they only run it up the middle...

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Zack picked up the difference so the B-Back was over 100 for the game. Did Zack play again after the fumble? Don't remember seeing him again.

Laskey was done after the fumble. Days played a lot though. http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/playbyplay?gameId=400547748&period=0

That fumble really sucked. We held the ball for almost 20 minutes in the second half and would have held it longer without the turnover. "It is better to die as a young boy than to fumble the football."

 

[Boomergump]

Assuming CPJ was in fact playing it safe in redzone, then he had a heck of a lot more confidence in the defense than I did. I felt sure that it was just a matter of time before the Clemson offense started scoring touchdowns. I really expected Clemson to come out on fire in the second half. I would have never guessed that their offense would be so inept without Watson. I couldn't relax until the game was over.

CPJ kicked the FGs because he didn't have a lot of confidence in any play working for a couple yards. When you look back, Clemson was stuffing every other play and we had tried a lot of different looks. We got yards, but we didn't get consistent yards from play to play. We busted a few, which is to be expected, but we were having a hard time getting the guys up front blocked and I am sure they would have been blitzing the A Gap too. We moved the chains by passing and hitting big runs, not by grinding it out like we usually do. I would have kicked then too. I was telling my wife next to me, before we sent the FG unit out, that we needed to kick those and I usually want to see us go for it.

 

[33jacket]

CPJ kicked the FGs because he didn't have a lot of confidence in any play working for a couple yards. When you look back, Clemson was stuffing every other play and we had tried a lot of different looks. We got yards, but we didn't get consistent yards from play to play. We busted a few, which is to be expected, but we were having a hard time getting the guys up front blocked and I am sure they would have been blitzing the A Gap too. We moved the chains by passing and hitting big runs, not by grinding it out like we usually do. I would have kicked then too. I was telling my wife next to me, before we sent the FG unit out, that we needed to kick those and I usually want to see us go for it.

Our d was dominating. That is as big a reason as any too.

 

[GPD]

I have read on some other sites that people are not pleased with how our O played today. While it was not our greatest day offensively I think it's important to look at a few stats. We averaged almost 6 yards a play and 5 yards per rush against possibly the best defense in the country. We had 251 yards rushing and could have easily had 300 if not for the pick 6's which took about 150 possible yards away from our offense. It wasn't a great day for us but it may have been what you would consider a "great" day when you take our opponent into account.

This game demonstrated just how far we've come as a team... Offense, defense, ST's, and coaching.

IMO this Clemson defense is on par with the defenses we faced against Iowa in the Orange and LSU in the CFA.... In those games we got straight stoned early and for the most part had no answer. Contrast with the game this week... The team didn't panic nor did the coaches. We figured out a way to get it done.

Saturday was a "payday" to us for demonstrating patience as Coach Johnson has fully installed his system... not just physically, but mentally as well.

I'm sure PJ had answers and adjustments that would have given us a chance for greater success against Iowa and LSU, but it is very unlikely that our players were fully prepared for major in-game adjustments at that time.

The physical attributes (minus O-line) probably were just as good those years, but the "buy in" and experience level were nowhere close to the level on continuity we have today.

Continuity, cohesiveness, and experience are huge factors in the success of ANY organization... seems we have all 3 attributes now... and it sure feels good.

 

[Boomergump]

Our d was dominating. That is as big a reason as any too.

Well, early in the game, when the first FG decisions were made, it was not really evident our defense was dominating. I mean, we got the pick 6 but Climpsum was moving the ball.

 

[4shotB]

Saturday was a "payday" to us for demonstrating patience as Coach Johnson has fully installed his system... not just physically, but mentally as well.

Continuity, cohesiveness, and experience are huge factors in the success of ANY organization... seems we have all 3 attributes now... and it sure feels good.

If Saturday was payday, I want a bonus check for Thanksgiving!

 

[gtg936g]

@Boomergump One thing to add is that we are not shooting ourselves in the foot this year. I think our first penalty was an intentional delay of game. I am over the moon with the play of JT, our backs, receivers, and the O line. We are being disciplined and taking what the D will give us. Smelter, Waller, and Hill have been major impacts in the passing game. FWIW Smelter was abusing the 5* corner who had good coverage most of the time.

I bet you have to go back a while to find a CPJ game where we did not get a rushing TD. The TD we got was a pass play where Smelter just made a play. I think coming in Clemson was the best in the country at 3rd down stops on D. We still converted 50%. I was amazed. We know now why the Clemson DC had a lot of angst about facing us. I do not think his comments were tongue in cheek, I think he was being honest. To be honest with talent on Clemson's defense, I don't think Brent was worried about many teams on the schedule. I wouldn't be if I were the DC with those guys.

 

[UgaBlows]

To me the big difference between our failures against LSU and Iowa vs. the success against Clemson's D was pass protection, our guys were able to give JT time to complete a pass when they sold out to stop the run. That and he is very good at keeping a play alive, keeping his eyes downfield and throwing on the run. He truly is a special QB for us

 

[33jacket]

Well, early in the game, when the first FG decisions were made, it was not really evident our defense was dominating. I mean, we got the pick 6 but Climpsum was moving the ball.

Clemson had 22 yards in the second quarter....the first 2 FG's were in the second Q not first...watson was out and the D had forced a few 3 and outs....for me, paul kicked them to get points on the board and knew that clemson was struggling on O....

 

[GlennW]

@Jeff_for_real: @BennettESPN @Matt_Fortuna Georgia Tech has punted 24 times in 11 games.

 

[Ash]

@Boomergump
I bet you have to go back a while to find a CPJ game where we did not get a rushing TD.

One of my UGA coworkers asked me Monday if it was really true Tech did not have a rushing TD Sat. I said "Yes, unless you count the TDs the defense scored."

And of course, Clemson did not have one either.