Physicality in COFH

[thwgjacket]

I've consistently heard over the past years that Georgia is more physical than we are because they're just bigger and stronger. I've heard our fans say it and the commentators on TV. I was bored so I thought I'd take a look at this years projected depth chart. Found what I think is some interesting stuff.

Our Offense vs. Their Offense:
GT:
O Line averages 313.8 with a total of 1569. (If optimal Devine weight is used, 330 then average is 306.8)
WR's: Jeune 6’3 214, Summers 6’1 196, Messick 6’3 195, Freshman 6’3 200.
RB's: Skov 6’1 235, Allen 6’2 225, Snoddy 5’9 190, Willis 5’9 193.

UGA:
O Line averages 299.6 for total of 1498.
WR's: Mckenzie 5’8 164, Mitchell 6’1 195, Davis 6’ 170, Godwin 5’11 170, Blazevich 6’5 232.
RB's: Chubb 5’10 228, Michel 5’11 208, Marshall 5'11 215.
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Our Defense vs. Their Defense:
GT:
D Line averages 272.25 for total of 1099 (Used 280 for Hunt-Days) (Playing Gamble ups the average)
LB's: Marcordes 6’4 235, Davis 5’11 218, Hankins 6’1 231, Freshman average 230. (Large Freshman LB's)
DB's:White 5’11 188, Golden 6’ 193, Smith 6’ 190, Milton 5’11 190, Noble 6’2 214.

UGA:
D Line averages 269.25 for total of 1077.
LB's: Carter 6’1 231, Kimbrough 6’ 230, Jenkins 6’3 250.
DB's: Parrish 5’10 194, Davis 6’ 189, Mauger 6’ 200, Sanders 6’ 187.
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Now obviously I know packages will change and different guys will play in different situations. I just thought it would be fun to take a look because in my mind's eye I always feel as if we will be the smaller team. The numbers show that not to be true, even when using conservative weights for our guys. The outliers being PJ Davis and Jordan Jenkins on D. Anyway I was bored and it's the off season, hope you enjoy.

*I used a depth chart Richt apparently tweeted out for them after Spring Practice. No I do not follow him on twitter.

 

[deeeznutz]

Last year was the perfect response to the "they're more physical than us" talk. Our OL flat out imposed their will throughout the game and our defense was knocking heads. Last year, we were the more physical/tougher team, and I expect a little more of the same this year.

 

[bke1984]

Our issues when we play factory schools typically have more to do with depth. Our starting lines tend to hold up, but our backups historically have a tough time doing so. That trend may be turning around with the recruits we've been pulling on both lines in recent years. I hope I'm right...

 

[4shotB]

wow. interesting data. I would like to see that data for the past several years (but am too lazy to dig it up and don't expect you to do do either). I got the sense that Ga.'s D line was unusually small last year by their standards but yet still comparable to ours in size. Of course, I could be wrong. Funny how data often times gets in the way of our preconceived ideas. I used to work with a mechanical engineer who ran the maintenance department. He always said, "In God we trust. However, all others must bring data."

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Reported weights are notoriously dubious. That said, just watching the last game puts the debate to rest. I can't "weight" to see the mutts try to tackle Skov with a full head of steam. I've "weighted" a long time to have a real masher at Bback. We all know JT only needs a sliver of daylight to break off a big run, lets see what happens when he and the rest of the boys have a 6 lane highway.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Last year was the perfect response to the "they're more physical than us" talk. Our OL flat out imposed their will throughout the game and our defense was knocking heads. Last year, we were the more physical/tougher team, and I expect a little more of the same this year.

But the relative sizes and strength of the teams changes year to year. Why would talk of another team being more physical in past years be invalidated by any one year?

 

[potatohead]

glad we won last year, wish we blew them out...

their defense was tired of getting the **** knocked out of them. you could tell in their body language. that was very satisfying.

i hope and pray we can put together and maintain that level of intensity this year. im getting greedy. beating them doesn't cut it, I want them to be humiliated.

 

[deeeznutz]

But the relative sizes and strength of the teams changes year to year. Why would talk of another team being more physical in past years be invalidated by any one year?

Very true, however if it could flip that quickly than the difference could not have been that large. I never really thought they were much more physical or tougher even in the years we lost...most of those games turned on one or two plays, otherwise we were pretty evenly matched.

 

[UgaBlows]

Lets see our 2nd team weights vs.the ugag 2nd teamers

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Very true, however if it could flip that quickly than the difference could not have been that large. I never really thought they were much more physical or tougher even in the years we lost...most of those games turned on one or two plays, otherwise we were pretty evenly matched.

Ok, I can see that. However, I was one who began to wonder if there wasn't some kind of "toughness" factor going on at some point with all the losses at the ends of games and in OTs. It wasn't just a being "out-physicalled" issue all the time, although that would play a role in late game situations especially when the defense would just be so run down. Of course, some argue that Groh was simply not playing enough guys so that the starters were burdened with excessive plays.

But I am thinking of things like guys standing around and not getting penalized or even kicked out for retaliating when our star running back is getting body slammed. I began to wonder if the fact that Tech has smart athletes and real student-athletes, might mean on some level that they just didn't have the all-consuming passion and even rage at times on the field to not take anyone's b.s. and to flat out fight to the end. When you meaningfully care about your Mon-Fri education then maybe you can end up lacking something in intensity on Saturdays. Heck, you might have even been pulling in all-nighters that week studying and simply not have the gas for a hard fought game, even if evenly matched.

Let's just use that bellwether game that all Tech fans are dialed in for most intensively, the UGA game. I doubt I am the only one who has noticed over the years that no matter what is going on with UGA their guys always play against Tech with an unbelievable effort and intensity. Their fans can poo-poo the rivalry, even d-bag Tech fans can scold other Tech fans for having a "little brother" inferiority complex towards UGA, but their players are the ones that seem to show an inferiority complex motivating them on the field. I say that because they are always incredibly intense, aggressive, ready to fight, even play dirty, and otherwise demonstrate that they truly cannot stand the idea of losing to Tech . . . much more a hallmark of feeling inferior, in my opinion. But then I realize, all they have is football!

So then there was last year. That was the first time in a long while where Tech truly imposed their will physically over against UGA. Past games may have been more evenly matched than noticed by many Tech fans who talk about not being "physical" enough. But last year was tangibly and visibly different. I really think that without the refs interference Tech would have won by 3 touchdowns or better, in part by simply being far more physical than the Bulldogs.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I doubt I am the only one who has noticed over the years that no matter what is going on with UGA their guys always play against Tech with an unbelievable effort and intensity. Their fans can poo-poo the rivalry, even d-bag Tech fans can scold other Tech fans for having a "little brother" inferiority complex towards UGA, but their players are the ones that seem to show an inferiority complex motivating them on the field. I say that because they are always incredibly intense, aggressive, ready to fight, even play dirty, and otherwise demonstrate that they truly cannot stand the idea of losing to Tech . . . much more a hallmark of feeling inferior, in my opinion. But then I realize, all they have is football!

So then there was last year. That was the first time in a long while where Tech truly imposed their will physically over against UGA. Past games may have been more evenly matched than noticed by many Tech fans who talk about not being "physical" enough. But last year was tangibly and visibly different. I really think that without the refs interference Tech would have won by 3 touchdowns or better, in part by simply being far more physical than the Bulldogs.

Agree with all of this. Completely.
It used to really gall me in past years when, on the first play of the game, uga would seem to hit extra hard and play past the whistle, like they were trying to make a point. And they seemed to play like that year after year against Tech. This year was so satisfying when they could not stop the offensive line from pushing them back four and five yards at a time. And yes, without the refs Tech takes control of this game and wins easily. See Mississippi State game.

 

[redmule]

After the uga game last year, I posted that IMO something seismic had happened in the series with the way that game played out. With the exception of 1990, our recent wins against them were usually due to the finesse of Friedgen's or Johnson's offense or unexpected big plays like Lee's kickoff return. We didn't physically handle them. We did last year, and we did the same to most other teams the last half of the season. What changed? My best guess is that the combination of Johnson and Roof has changed the culture. You want a physical defense; they have to practice against a physical offense and vice versa. I suspect the practices are more physical now. Johnson put a "Do Not Touch" sign on Thomas in Spring, the first time he's done that with a QB maybe because he didn't want Roof's defense turned loose on his QB.

We're gonna beat the Hell out of you!!!

 

[dressedcheeseside]

After the uga game last year, I posted that IMO something seismic had happened in the series with the way that game played out. With the exception of 1990, our recent wins against them were usually due to the finesse of Friedgen's or Johnson's offense or unexpected big plays like Lee's kickoff return. We didn't physically handle them. We did last year, and we did the same to most other teams the last half of the season. What changed? My best guess is that the combination of Johnson and Roof has changed the culture. You want a physical defense; they have to practice against a physical offense and vice versa. I suspect the practices are more physical now. Johnson put a "Do Not Touch" sign on Thomas in Spring, the first time he's done that with a QB maybe because he didn't want Roof's defense turned loose on his QB.

We're gonna beat the Hell out of you!!!

It was obvious at the Clemson game. We were knocking the snot out Watson before he tore his ACL.

 

[Skeptic]

Last year was the perfect response to the "they're more physical than us" talk. Our OL flat out imposed their will throughout the game and our defense was knocking heads. Last year, we were the more physical/tougher team, and I expect a little more of the same this year.

Wasn't Mississippi State more physical than us? Looked that way to me. I could tell every time one of them got up.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

After the uga game last year, I posted that IMO something seismic had happened in the series with the way that game played out. With the exception of 1990, our recent wins against them were usually due to the finesse of Friedgen's or Johnson's offense or unexpected big plays like Lee's kickoff return. We didn't physically handle them. We did last year, and we did the same to most other teams the last half of the season. What changed? My best guess is that the combination of Johnson and Roof has changed the culture. You want a physical defense; they have to practice against a physical offense and vice versa. I suspect the practices are more physical now. Johnson put a "Do Not Touch" sign on Thomas in Spring, the first time he's done that with a QB maybe because he didn't want Roof's defense turned loose on his QB.

We're gonna beat the Hell out of you!!!

Nice, very nice.

One small quibble however. The year of Lee's kickoff return we were beating them with brute force and very little finesse. One example of that was when uga had the ball on our goal line before the half and ran of time before they could score a touchdown because the defense kept stuffing their runners.

 

[awbuzz]

Wonder how'd it look with 75% starters and 25% of 2nd string... Point being that being able to rotate players and skill drop off matters too. Weight isn't everything, but a good indicator none the less.

 

[chewybaka]

Ok, I can see that. However, I was one who began to wonder if there wasn't some kind of "toughness" factor going on at some point with all the losses at the ends of games and in OTs. It wasn't just a being "out-physicalled" issue all the time, although that would play a role in late game situations especially when the defense would just be so run down. Of course, some argue that Groh was simply not playing enough guys so that the starters were burdened with excessive plays.

But I am thinking of things like guys standing around and not getting penalized or even kicked out for retaliating when our star running back is getting body slammed. I began to wonder if the fact that Tech has smart athletes and real student-athletes, might mean on some level that they just didn't have the all-consuming passion and even rage at times on the field to not take anyone's b.s. and to flat out fight to the end. When you meaningfully care about your Mon-Fri education then maybe you can end up lacking something in intensity on Saturdays. Heck, you might have even been pulling in all-nighters that week studying and simply not have the gas for a hard fought game, even if evenly matched.

Let's just use that bellwether game that all Tech fans are dialed in for most intensively, the UGA game. I doubt I am the only one who has noticed over the years that no matter what is going on with UGA their guys always play against Tech with an unbelievable effort and intensity. Their fans can poo-poo the rivalry, even d-bag Tech fans can scold other Tech fans for having a "little brother" inferiority complex towards UGA, but their players are the ones that seem to show an inferiority complex motivating them on the field. I say that because they are always incredibly intense, aggressive, ready to fight, even play dirty, and otherwise demonstrate that they truly cannot stand the idea of losing to Tech . . . much more a hallmark of feeling inferior, in my opinion. But then I realize, all they have is football!

So then there was last year. That was the first time in a long while where Tech truly imposed their will physically over against UGA. Past games may have been more evenly matched than noticed by many Tech fans who talk about not being "physical" enough. But last year was tangibly and visibly different. I really think that without the refs interference Tech would have won by 3 touchdowns or better, in part by simply being far more physical than the Bulldogs.

I am curious if it was just me or others observed and felt the same way, but the play that Smelter was injured looked like a late hit or unneccesary twisting of his leg by the defender with the intent to injure...I was infuriated that defender was not tossed from the game...

 

[deeeznutz]

I am curious if it was just me or others observed and felt the same way, but the play that Smelter was injured looked like a late hit or unneccesary twisting of his leg by the defender with the intent to injure...I was infuriated that defender was not tossed from the game...

Not the defender's fault (as much as I hate those guys), that injury was 100% on the ref. He didn't blow the whistle on the initial tackle, but since Smelter knew he had touched down he wasn't really fighting hard to stand up, just getting up normally. Since the DB hadn't heard a whistle he took him down a second time, and that's when the injury happened. God those refs sucked that day!

 

[YJMD]

I think the injury was mostly just unfortunate. It wasn't clear that he was actually down and had a chance to break the tackle. Defender was just playing to the whistle and unfortunately had hold of the wrong body part at the wrong time.

 

[JorgeJonas]

The offensive line crushing their defense I expected; our defense holding them to 17 offensive points was slightly less expected (even accounting for the fact that they had two fewer possessions in the 2nd half - the "fumble" and then the sky kick returned the ball to us immediately). They simply couldn't run on us, and that's a sign we were more physical.