Quick Lane Bowl Postgame Discussion

[gte447f]

We had 44 carries. TQM had 22 (Oliver another 9). Mason 5 carries; Howard 2 carries; Lynch 1 carry. This was no Option, was not a legit offense at any level and was pathetic at every level.

This is how I have felt for most of this season. I have wanted PJ and the flexbone option gone for several seasons, but this season in particular, we didn't really run much triple option or anything else. We did not run a legit offense this season. Even when it was successful (Louisville and VT), it was almost mind numbing to watch, and made the beat downs like this one and the ugag game that much more infuriating because they were so predictable. This season was not necessarily an indictment of PJ's flexbone option offense because we didn't really run much of it all, but this season was an indictment of PJ as the head coach at GT.

 

[bobongo]

How long before the Swarm faithful start predicting a 9 - 10 win season next year?

The problem with focusing on the fact that the team wasn't prepared by the coaching staff, or motivated, is that it takes our attention away from the most glaring problem we have, which is that we are too small, slow, and weak. The biggest problem with this team is its lack of beef on the OL and DL. Our starting QB is small and cannot break tackles. Our linebackers are slow and small. The reason we cannot tackle has much more to do with strength and size than technique. Going forward, recruiting should be job one. Not our only problem, but certainly our biggest problem in this game was that we just got run over by a bigger and stronger team. We have to improve strength and conditioning and recruit size and strength. No amount of coaching genius is going to make up for deficiencies in size and strength. Looking at how we were mauled by Minnesota, it's amazing to me that we won as many as we did this year.

 

[MikeJacket1967]

The problem with focusing on the fact that the team wasn't prepared by the coaching staff, or motivated, is that it takes our attention to the most glaring problem we have, which is that we are too small, slow, and weak. The biggest problem with this team is its lack of beef on the OL and DL. Our starting QB is small and cannot break tackles. Our linebackers are slow and small. The reason we cannot tackle has much more to do with strength and size than technique. Going forward, recruiting should be job one. Not our only problem, but certainly our biggest problem in this game was that we just got run over by a bigger and stronger team. We have to improve strength and conditioning and recruit size and strength. No amount of coaching genius is going to make up for deficiencies in size and strength. Looking at how we were mauled by Minnesota, it's amazing to me that we won as many as we did this year.

I think another 7-5 season with a 4-4 finish in the ACC is possible in 2019

 

[GTJake]

Although I am more than ready to move-on from CPJ, I am sorry to see him go out this way ...

 

[SOWEGA Jacket]

I like Johnson and the offense and I am extremely frustrated with his lack of diversity and flexibility. After studying the offense when he was hired, the uniqueness and key to the show were the A backs - half running backs / half receivers. On any play the defense didn’t know if the A backs were gonna block, run the ball, or go deep for a pass. It seemed like the first 6 years the A backs were involved and true dual threat options (Allen, Orwin, Zenon, Godhigh, etc). The last half of his tenure the A backs became a non factor and the QB became the focus (Thomas/Marshall). I think Qua and Lynch were totally misused by Johnson. Those guys were athletes yet rarely got the ball in a position to make a play. Contrast the Qua leap play with the end of the Tennessee game. Johnson is a good coach but like other successful coaches (Bobby Knight), Johnson didn’t grow when it was obvious he needed to. Johnson’s offense can work and has worked but you gotta add wrinkles. The no play sheet thing only made it worse. It seemed like the last time we ran a reverse was against UNC when Smelter scored too fast and we lost. I think we ran it one time this year. I knew after the 1st play yesterday when they had half their defense in position to tackle Qua that if he didn’t adjust we were toast. And he never adjusted nor put in Oliver. He definitely made the transition easier for all of us.

 

[GT05]

No one was happy how last night went. I feel for the kids and fans. I’m not a cpj hater, I believe he let the team and fans down last night. Maybe the press got to him even more than he let on. It comes with the territory. I’ll support whoever is on our sideline. I’ll also call it as I see it. Look back, I don’t post much and have never blasted a player or cpj for that matter- until last night - but I’ve bit my tongue for awhile with the coach. It’s over, time to move on. It was a wild ride for sure.

 

[MySouthernJacket]

Football comes down to 2 things: Blocking and Tackling and we suck at both.

 

[CuseJacket]

 

[WreckinGT]

The problem with focusing on the fact that the team wasn't prepared by the coaching staff, or motivated, is that it takes our attention away from the most glaring problem we have, which is that we are too small, slow, and weak. The biggest problem with this team is its lack of beef on the OL and DL. Our starting QB is small and cannot break tackles. Our linebackers are slow and small. The reason we cannot tackle has much more to do with strength and size than technique. Going forward, recruiting should be job one. Not our only problem, but certainly our biggest problem in this game was that we just got run over by a bigger and stronger team. We have to improve strength and conditioning and recruit size and strength. No amount of coaching genius is going to make up for deficiencies in size and strength. Looking at how we were mauled by Minnesota, it's amazing to me that we won as many as we did this year.

We aren't nearly as undersized, slow or talentless as some on here like to pretend we are. That is how we won as many games as we did. If you truly believe that out current players are that bad then you may want to take at least the next two years off because Collins has no chance in competing with such awful talent trying to run a traditional offense.

 

[UgaBlows]

Oliver should have come in on the 3rd series, that dude knows how to get up the field and take whats there with no dancing around sideways down the line of scrimmage.

 

[GTJake]

Pretty good zinger at the Atlanta Media at the end of CPJ post-game presser ... glad to see it !

 

[Jim Prather]

Oliver should have come in on the 3rd series, that dude knows how to get up the field and take whats there with no dancing around sideways down the line of scrimmage.

Yeah it was obvious after the second series that this would be a game better suited to TO than to TM. Of course, since we didn't stop them on defense a single time, the outcome would not have changed. The score might have looked better though...

 

[bobongo]

We aren't nearly as undersized, slow or talentless as some on here like to pretend we are. That is how we won as many games as we did. If you truly believe that out current players are that bad then you may want to take at least the next two years off because Collins has no chance in competing with such awful talent trying to run a traditional offense.

Yes, we are slow and undersized. This year's team did well to win seven games, and I give them credit for playing with heart, the last game notwithstanding. Geoff Collins is going to need support and patience through the next two years. We will not be served by pretending we have the overall size and strength that we obviously do not have.

 

[AlaJacket]

How long before the Swarm faithful start predicting a 9 - 10 win season next year?

After yesterday's game, I would think, a very, very long time.

 

[Animal02]

After yesterday's game, I would think, a very, very long time.

But but but, with the new H.C and recruiting and signing multiple 4-5* players every year and a pro offense, we will be in the running for an NC in just a couple of years.

 

[Essobee]

Worried about Parker Braun, looked pissed off.

That's a good sign and probably has a whole lot to do with Parker being such a fine football player. Everyone that played should have looked pissed off. All the coaches should have looked pissed off. Even more so, everyone should have played the game pissed off.

 

[jacketup]

Football comes down to 2 things: Blocking and Tackling and we suck at both.

 

[jacketup]

While I agree with the sentiment of many that TQM is a running back playing QB, that wasn't the main problem last night.

The option is predicated on outnumbering the other guys at the point of attack. Johnson is a master at designing blocking schemes that give the numbers advantage no matter how the defense is playing the option. Still, the players have to block.

Last night reminded me of 2015, when we didn't seem to be able to block. Oliver may have done better, but that's just saying he is better than TQM when the blocking is poor. That's an answer, but it's not the solution.

It's also why I think Friedgen was a better OC than Johnson. Friedgen was better at designing his offense to cover up talent weaknesses. There is a limit to how well you can do that when you are stuck on one approach to offense.

 

[WreckinGT]

Yes, we are slow and undersized. This year's team did well to win seven games, and I give them credit for playing with heart, the last game notwithstanding. Geoff Collins is going to need support and patience through the next two years. We will not be served by pretending we have the overall size and strength that we obviously do not have.

Did we have size and strength in 2014 and 2016 or did we just have even more heart those years?

 

[takethepoints]

I don't think the problem was a lack of effort. Minnesota is a better team then their record indicates. So why did we lose?

It was their O, especially the running game. As Ibe has been pointing out all year, our DL actually didn't get out manned except by Clemson and Ugag. And last night. And the place we got outmanned was clear as well: their OTs set the edge all night. Between the tackles they ran ok, but nothing special. Faalele was particularly difficult during the first half; he could simply move and block out either Branch or ASA. He reminded me a little of Jon Cartman (6'9", 395) when he played at Tech; not so quick, but so big that getting around him was a real problem. Then it was up to Ibrahim, who knows what to do with a set edge. Their OL also negated our pass rush - such as it was - to a large extent. We had 4 TFLs but we didn't tackle all that well - again - and that certainly didn't help. Nor, I might add, did all of a sudden having a really bad game punting the ball. No idea why that happened, but that's what gave them so many short fields in the game.

Their D also played well, but I think there it was a matter of the O not being able to get on the field. More plays would have meant more success. They did play us correctly, however; their methods told me that they had looked at our film against Duke and Clemson and decided that was the way to do it. I was also surprised that Tobias didn't get the call earlier, but, after all, TaQuon wasn't on the field long enough to show much until the 3rd quarter. Btw, I don't think this is a matter of their D overpowering our OL. They were stunting a lot, attacking open gaps, and we didn't pass block well, but we weren't overpowered. Why people think this is a problem going forward is beyond me. One more thing: I see above the old "We didn't run the TO! It was all QB keepers!" coming up again. We did, actually, and both TaQuon and Tobias made, in general, good reads. But you don't pitch the ball unless there's a good chance that it'll work. On many of the "QB keepers" we got to the edge with our pitch man covered or close to it. The first rule for TO QBs in such a situation is to keep the ball and do your best. The correct read - keep the ball - was done in most instances. What both of our guys kept missing was the initial mesh read. The BBs weren't nearly involved enough until the 3rd quarter.

Well, I'm disappointed that we didn't play better for Paul's last game. But now we move on and we'll see what transpires.