Time to Start the Season...

[TheTaxJacket]

It wasn't the season start I expected. I thought GT would handle ND and I never expected to lose to Duke again.

However, I have to, and I implore all other GT fans, remember last year. We lost to unranked Duke and UNC. This year it's top 10 ND and Duke. The jackets have had two tough assignments on D. We were unranked this time last year too and look where we ended up.

It's ugly right now. It's ugly in the exact spot we didn't expect it to be ugly in. We all believed the offense would pick up where it left off last year. At least I did to some degree. I thought we were plug and play at AB and BB.

Atlanta sports radio and everyone has "welcomed GT to irrelevancy" and our season is over because we lost to Duke according to Rick and Jamie on 92.9. Well we lost to Duke last year too and look where we ended up.

Its just blocking on offense. It's fixable. The leaves are turning. Time to get that option churning. Go Jackets.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I don't like trying to draw parallels to last year. This is a different team. That said, much of what we're doing wrong is immediately fixable. Unfortunately, some if it is not (lack of experience), it'll take time. I just hope we can fix enough of the easy things so that the stuff that takes more time doesn't do us in.

 

[TheTaxJacket]

Totally agree. GT has a stronger defense, JT and an experienced OLine. There are pieces there this year to put it together. I don't care if it's the defense keeping us in games or the offense. GT just needs to offense to execute just a little better and start progressing each game. Definitely a different team. Need some leaders on offense to step up. I think they are close.

I just refuse to accept that our season is over 4 games in. It is not over.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Totally agree. GT has a stronger defense, JT and an experienced OLine. There are pieces there this year to put it together. I don't care if it's the defense keeping us in games or the offense. GT just needs to offense to execute just a little better and start progressing each game. Definitely a different team. Need some leaders on offense to step up. I think they are close.

I just refuse to accept that our season is over 4 games in. It is not over.

Heck, I'll just take ST's not imploding.

 

[TheTaxJacket]

So true. Man. That is frustrating. Take away the two gaffes last week and GT likely wins. Field position not getting flipped in the ND game didn't help either. Or missed FGs.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

So true. Man. That is frustrating. Take away the two gaffes last week and GT likely wins. Field position not getting flipped in the ND game didn't help either. Or missed FGs.

3 gaffes, you must have forgotten the ball snapped over the head of the punter.

 

[SidewalkJacket]

I want to believe we are about to turn the corner on offense. I really do. And we may. My number one concern now is that our skill position losses are getting ridiculous. Preseason losses aside, we are now down our best WR, and what I believed after game 2 were our most dynamic ABs (QS and TM). Compound this with MA limping off again, and I just don't know how much further down the expected depth we can go and be effective. There's talent in these kids, but oh what I wouldn't give for one of last year's AB team of DH, TZ, BB, CP (all guys who we wrote off in some form or fashion along the way!!!)

 

[Frenchise]

I want to believe we are about to turn the corner on offense. I really do. And we may. My number one concern now is that our skill position losses are getting ridiculous. Preseason losses aside, we are now down our best WR, and what I believed after game 2 were our most dynamic ABs (QS and TM). Compound this with MA limping off again, and I just don't know how much further down the expected depth we can go and be effective. There's talent in these kids, but oh what I wouldn't give for one of last year's AB team of DH, TZ, BB, CP (all guys who we wrote off in some form or fashion along the way!!!)

The sad thing is that I expect the injuries to continue. We may be starting MJ + Walkons by the end of year. The young guys just don't have the time in the weightroom to build the bodies that can survive at this level and in our case, when plays are getting blown up.

 

[33jacket]

I don't like trying to draw parallels to last year. This is a different team. That said, much of what we're doing wrong is immediately fixable. Unfortunately, some if it is not (lack of experience), it'll take time. I just hope we can fix enough of the easy things so that the stuff that takes more time doesn't do us in.

if it is, it should have been fixed after tulane. It wasn't. Then after ND, it wasn't. Now after duke? I am starting to think you can notice something on tape that appears fixable....and address it...but the players simply don't or can't....its really easy to say...why didn't you take the Mike. But when you are too slow, or he is too good...you can't take the mike.

I am simply pointing out that we have had over 3 weeks to fix alot....and don't seem to have....and I am not talking young guys.

Paul said himself yesterday...its not necessarily the young guys...its the experienced ones....that is a big wow to me.

I am not as optimistic as some on fixing these issues...it appears we have way too many....its not a light switch fix. I think we have big problems we can't overcome

Last year we started out ok...but weren't totally inept. We look totally inept on O right now....I don't know...i guess we will see...but man my hope is lower than last year for sure.

 

[IronJacket7]

I don't like trying to draw parallels to last year. This is a different team. That said, much of what we're doing wrong is immediately fixable. Unfortunately, some if it is not (lack of experience), it'll take time. I just hope we can fix enough of the easy things so that the stuff that takes more time doesn't do us in.

I also don't like to draw parallels. You are exactly correct this is a different team.
However , comparing the two "seasons" I would say the losses to Duke, UNC, and FSU in 2014 we never struggled moving the football per say.
2014 Duke loss was largely due to unforced turnovers not inability to get positive yardage. UNC and FSU we got outscored and our defense could not stop their O.
Fast forward to 2015 the two losses have had some turnovers, yes. But the offense has struggled to move the football, period. The defense has been more than serviceable.
Again, jmo.
I also agree that the inexperience is a factor at AB, BB, and WR. However I feel the area we need to tweek immediately is the OL. That should stop some of the bleeding.

 

[GTJake]

The OL issue is a head scratcher, we lost one guy off of an OL that steam rolled Clemson-UGA-FSU-MSU less than a year ago ??

IMO, All those defenses from last year would at least equal (if not exceed) ND and Duke defenses this year.

So whatever the problem is, this would lead me to believe that the talent is there ... so it should be fixable ??

OL = dial back in and focus
RB's = more experience for the young guys and Skov in this offense

I think Skov would have been great if we had him for a few years.

 

[txsting]

It ain't over till it's over. That being said, our AB play is atrocious and going the wrong way with injuries. I don't see what the coaches can really do. The OL can and will get it fixed.

 

[iceeater1969]

Team is running like the Wankel engine (rotary Mazda) engine we were running a speed torque curve on for mechanical engineering class in 66. Our lab groups engine was skating and rattling compared to the other groups. The speed torque curve we graphed was not right - we got it to 7000 max rpm however the grad assistant was very concerned. Then one of the team noticed the fuel line was kinked and we straightened it out. RPM - 12,000!!! (Grad ast loved it as we got reading they had never seen since it exceeded the max allowed rpm by 4000).

This weekend we straighten out the kinks and GIVE THE RAMBLING WREK THE GAS!!

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I am not as optimistic as some on fixing these issues...it appears we have way too many....its not a light switch fix. I think we have big problems we can't overcome

You may be right, I may be crazy. But these are essentially the same guys who paved the way last year. CPJ suggested maybe we gave them too much credit last year, that our skills guys were more the reason for our success. That would be a very tough pill to swallow because our skill guys this year just don't measure up right now.

UNC will tell us a lot and then Clemson will tell us even more. We'd better get on track this week because UNC has the ability to score in bunches.

 

[AE 87]

You may be right, I may be crazy. But these are essentially the same guys who paved the way last year. CPJ suggested maybe we gave them too much credit last year, that our skills guys were more the reason for our success. That would be a very tough pill to swallow because our skill guys this year just don't measure up right now.

UNC will tell us a lot and then Clemson will tell us even more. We'd better get on track this week because UNC has the ability to score in bunches.

As I think I said in another thread, he seemed to clarify in the Press Conference that he meant "at this point last year" and that they got better. Now, should the same guys have fallen back so far? Probably not, but it seems it comes from them pressing and thinking too much, trying to go beyond the system rather than working within it. If it continues to be a problem next week, it'll be hard to see how it gets better, imo (but I said that last week too).

 

[DC Bee]

You may be right, I may be crazy. (Whoa!) But these are essentially the same guys who paved the way last year.

These lyrics don't really fit when I plug them into the song.

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

It wasn't the season start I expected. I thought GT would handle ND and I never expected to lose to Duke again.

However, I have to, and I implore all other GT fans, remember last year. We lost to unranked Duke and UNC. This year it's top 10 ND and Duke. The jackets have had two tough assignments on D. We were unranked this time last year too and look where we ended up.

It's ugly right now. It's ugly in the exact spot we didn't expect it to be ugly in. We all believed the offense would pick up where it left off last year. At least I did to some degree. I thought we were plug and play at AB and BB.

Atlanta sports radio and everyone has "welcomed GT to irrelevancy" and our season is over because we lost to Duke according to Rick and Jamie on 92.9. Well we lost to Duke last year too and look where we ended up.

Its just blocking on offense. It's fixable. The leaves are turning. Time to get that option churning. Go Jackets.

You are imploring the wrong people, my friend. It is the players that need to play better. Some might say it is the players that should begin to give a flip. We are irrelevant, what else could you call it. By Saturday night we will know where we will spend the holidays. I look for Carolina to play a complete game and pound us. Hope I am wrong, but these last two weeks have been unfathomable.

 

[DC Bee]

I just hope the team is happy to be back home on Saturday with supportive fans, and they pull a dramatic, focus-filled turn-around.

 

[JDjacket]

I mean... it could always be worse. We could be one of these teams.

http://www.rollbamaroll.com/2015/9/...-vols-auburn-malzahn-muschamp-texas-longhorns

 

[yellojello]

What follows is purely conjecture. Read at your own peril.

I think there are a few things at play here. The skill guys are inexperienced. This means our perimeter blocking is not as good. As a result, CPJ is hesitant to run perimeter plays like the rocket toss on a regular basis even when they seem to work. On the other hand, our OL is experienced and he expects them to bear the load and rightly so. Unfortunately, if opposing teams don't respect the perimeter, that puts tremendous pressure on our OL.