Thacker out at DC, now Safeties coach

[BuzzStone]

Unlike TFG, I bear no ill will towards Thacker. I wish him the best. I think TFG threw him in the deep end and have him no help. He got screwed like many others by TFG’s decisions.

I agree with this, I think Thacker did his best he was just put into a bad situation when he wasn't ready for it. I hope he enjoys a year at UGA, hope he takes all the money he can, then moves on to a program where he can develop players.

 

[iceeater1969]

What does it say about our program when the most successful team in the last 4 years hires one of our guys? Kirby "I wanna go fast" Smart is trying to get inside information on us.

Efford in his talk said our new D will have players kept fresh and schemes up so they are "Sitting on Go" . I have hope that could get out if control if we shutdown lousiville.


As to thacker - he was too extreme- yea, we sent lb into make plays but we also we had free safety 35 yds of Los against uva. He didn't have a ton of talented players.
I like the guy and think he will

 

[57jacket]

Thacker's main problem was TFG's soft practices. Also concentrating on ripping the ball away rather than getting the player on the ground. Pass coverage was really pretty good as I remember.

 

[g0lftime]

It wouldn’t be scheme—we flipped the defensive staff.

There’s a lot to like about Thacker. He wasn’t ready for the DC spot yet, but that doesn’t mean he’s not talented. I’m surprised he didn’t find a good landing spot last year—this should give him time to find a new home

That's what I always felt. He did not have enough experience a day needed to be around a few other programs first.

 

[WreckinGT]

Thacker lead a top 40 defense in 2022. Then the horses (mainly White, Thomas, and Eley) left the stable. He is probably better than his results this year but I don't think he was ever going to get the most out of average to below average talent. At UGA where talent is never an issue, he may be more useful.

 

[slugboy]

Thacker lead a top 40 defense in 2022. Then the horses (mainly White, Thomas, and Eley) left the stable. He is probably better than his results this year but I don't think he was ever going to get the most out of average to below average talent. At UGA where talent is never an issue, he may be more useful.

I’ll go back and look—and, yes, I was one of the people giving that rating.

if I remember correctly, the 2022 defense was top 40 in FEI—and some other advanced composite rankings. They were somewhere around 80th in SP+ (a different composite rating). A big reason why was turnovers—FEI weighted that more heavily in the end. Thomas created a couple of them, and Eley too.

We also lost some other key players to other schools (cough, cough Ole Miss).

I’d say the 2022 defense was looking good, but a little lucky and lacking depth, and that bit us. Thacker did have a chance to adapt, and didn’t do it. Maybe he was lucky too.

 

[Buzztheirazz]

Thacker's main problem was TFG's soft practices. Also concentrating on ripping the ball away rather than getting the player on the ground. Pass coverage was really pretty good as I remember.

The first guy should stop the guy and/or get him to the ground. If the guys stays up the second guy should come in and rip at the ball.

 

[slugboy]

The first guy should stop the guy and/or get him to the ground. If the guys stays up the second guy should come in and rip at the ball.

If you look at some of the defenses of the offense-heavy AAC and Big12 of the last decade, they were more concerned about getting turnovers than controlling yards or points. Forget the little plays, and make it up with more big plays. The defense might concede first downs, if they give the offense another “stolen” turn with the ball. It can work if your strategy is to win 49-42. It worked for us (a bit) in 2022.

I’m not a fan of it, but I understand why you go for the ball over a tackle—especially if you don’t trust the rest of your team to make plays.

 

[Bogey]

Though Thacker is probably a nice guy, he has never proven he was a successful P5 (or P4 if you prefer) DC. Way too soft, his players never taught to tackle properly while coaching 4-1/2 years at Tech. UGA got him on the cheap to milk him on our secrets and Thacker gets one season at a factory to help his image. That is all this is, in my opinion.

 

[LargeFO]

Though Thacker is probably a nice guy, he has never proven he was a successful P5 (or P4 if you prefer) DC. Way too soft, his players never taught to tackle properly while coaching 4-1/2 years at Tech. UGA got him on the cheap to milk him on our secrets and Thacker gets one season at a factory to help his image. That is all this is, in my opinion.

I think he maybe made his schemes too complex for his own good.

 

[Vespidae]

Though Thacker is probably a nice guy, he has never proven he was a successful P5 (or P4 if you prefer) DC. Way too soft, his players never taught to tackle properly while coaching 4-1/2 years at Tech. UGA got him on the cheap to milk him on our secrets and Thacker gets one season at a factory to help his image. That is all this is, in my opinion.

If he was never successful, what kind of secrets can he have that anyone would want? The Dawgs, tbh, don’t really care what Tech does any more than Tennessee worries about Vandy.

 

[Bogey]

If he was never successful, what kind of secrets can he have that anyone would want? The Dawgs, tbh, don’t really care what Tech does any more than Tennessee worries about Vandy.

Lol. Your comment was probably true before the Brent Key/Buster Faulkner/Chris Weinke era showed out last year.

 

[slugboy]

Lol. Your comment was probably true before the Brent Key/Buster Faulkner/Chris Weinke era showed out last year.

UGA knows who Faulkner is—better than Thacker, even.

 

[Techster]

UGA knows who Faulkner is—better than Thacker, even.

Didn't really look like it when we played them...LOL. I know what you're saying though.

I think we put up more rushing yards against UGA than any of their opponents up to that point in the season, and scored the most points up to that game. 'Bama ended up with 27 points (we scored 23) in the SEC CG.

I remember Kirby saying we were just running a different form of the "triple option" when they interviewed him during the game. In a sense he's correct. The beauty of Faulkner's offense is how the QB has various options depending on the read, and with a QB with King's skillset, this offense is a beast to defend. That play towards the end of the game where King scored on a keeper was beautifully designed play. King had several options on that play, and each of them would have scored.

This will be fun offense to watch this season with all the skill players returning, and what is supposedly is one of the best OLs in the country. I'm excited to see the wrinkles and new concepts Faulkner and the staff has installed.

 

[Bogey]

UGA knows who Faulkner is—better than Thacker, even.

Sure they know Faulkner but it wasn't Faulkner's offense that was run while he was at UGA, it was the OC's offense. And that offense wasn't designed to run with the caliber of players we have.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Sure they know Faulkner but it wasn't Faulkner's offense that was run while he was at UGA, it was the OC's offense. And that offense wasn't designed to run with the caliber of players we have.

And it's not gonna be Thackers D we are running this year at GT.

I am not sure there is any real value to uga in the terms of GT prep by having Thacker on their staff TBH.

 

[Techster]

And it's not gonna be Thackers D we are running this year at GT.

I am not sure there is any real value to uga in the terms of GT prep by having Thacker on their staff TBH.

I've heard coaches say that the biggest benefit of having a coach from another's team staff is tendencies of players. With all the player movement due to the portal, even that advantage quickly disappears after a couple of seasons.

 

[Bogey]

And it's not gonna be Thackers D we are running this year at GT.

I am not sure there is any real value to uga in the terms of GT prep by having Thacker on their staff TBH.

I don't think they hired Thacker for his defense. They hired him for any insight he has in to our offense and Faulkner's way of thinking and planning which he possibly learned from practicing against Faulkner's offense and in coaches' meetings. UGA had a difficult time with our offense last year and with Thacker on board, they have cheap access to any information he may know.
Stick me with a fork, I'm done!

 

[UgaBlows]

I don't think they hired Thacker for his defense. They hired him for any insight he has in to our offense and Faulkner's way of thinking and planning which he possibly learned from practicing against Faulkner's offense and in coaches' meetings. UGA had a difficult time with our offense last year and with Thacker on board, they have cheap access to any information he may know.
Stick me with a fork, I'm done!

Maybe he stole a copy of Faulkner’s playbook

 

[bobongo]

Maybe he stole a copy of Faulkner’s playbook