UGA Postgame

[stingyoa$$]

I agree, but we also did not get the production out of any position on the offensive side of the ball that we needed. That's why we only won 3 games. We just weren't a good football team. I think part of the lack of production from the back spot was due to the limited touches that MM got. It was obvious that Skov was not the what we'd hope he would be coming in, yet we continued to give him the ball. I appreciate the effort and everything he did for us, but he should not have been getting as many carries as he did. He finished with the most touches out of that spot. The scary thing is that if he hadn't gotten hurt, I think he would have gotten even more and we wouldn't have gotten to see as much of MM and Allen. I think Allen has some good potential there as well, he just can't seem to stay healthy.

Like you said, MM will need to greatly improve his blocking among other things leading up to next season. The fact that he did as well as he did as a true freshman, with the incompetence in O that we had out there this year is still very impressive. He is the first true freshman to come in and play that spot in the PJ era. I think he did more than hold his own along with many of the other true freshman which gives me hope heading into the offseason.

If we held our own we wouldn't be 3-9. JMHO.

 

[stingyoa$$]

Really makes the loss that much more painful. I feel like almost any other offense unit in the CPJ era could have pulled out a win here or at least put us in a better position to attempt a win than a 25 sec full field drive. We really missed out a chance to string together victories against uga

I agree 100%. Any other PJ offense and we are riding a 2 game winning streak against the Mutts.

 

[takethepoints]

I'm just glad this season is over.

All year, we can't get one, two, three yards on third OR fourth down. We are just flat out bad.

You can point to injuries all you want, but we've looked much better than this with less talent at B back and O line. We flat out can't get any push in the middle and it killed us this year. We are going to live and die by that, and this year we died.

Where, pray, is this "much better" talent of which you speak?

Rhetorical question; we all know it's sitting on the bench. Some of the younger players have developed a lit with the on the job training they got this year, but Coach was right last week: just because a freshman has been playing for 7 - 8 games doesn't mean he isn't a freshman. We played many players this year who may be redshirted next year as the injured players with a couple of years in the system come back on line.

 

[takethepoints]

If it weren't for MM "dancing" we wouldn't have gotten anything on the dive today. There were several times where he side stepped a defender only to get up field to pick up 5+ yards. Would you prefer him to go straight north and south like Skov and run into the back of one of our lineman? The kid averaged 5 yards a pop today with all of his runs up the middle where there was little to no running room.

Yes, he did ok today. But I was watching him carefully and - yep - he does dance up to the hole. On one run he got to the mesh and gave the DT a head fake! I simply couldn't believe my eyes. You run past the DLs as a BB; you do not, under any circumstances, try to juke them. He got decent yards on that run, but it is that kind of shenanigans that deprive him of speed getting to the mesh and impact when he gets there. I'll take fewer long runs and getting us a first on 3rd and one any day of the week, thank you very much.

 

[Lee]

Under this scenario, you are comparing 2 players while I said the "position" has failed miserably this year. In 2012 BB production 1391...2013 (1475) ....2014 (1892) ....2015 (1209). So you can see that the position had the least production over the last 4 years with arguably the best QB and Oline (experience) during that time. Compounding the problems this year were fumbles and lack of blocking from the position. This position is vital to the success of the offense and just failed to perform IMO. We have had the least amount of production from the position the last 4 years this year and consequently we had the worse record. Also, during these years the offense was led by Tevin in 2012, Vad in 2013 and JT in 2014 and 2015. In theory this should have been the year that the offense shined because of JT. He just didn't have the skill guys around him doing enough of the things that are required to win games. We can agree to disagree on this. Bottom line most think (me included) that this is the 2nd most important position in the offense and it didn't perform well this year.

This whole conversation was started because you said MM "doesn't look like what we need at bback" and "he's a dancer." You then lamented that we needed a "north south" runner.

I gave you statistics comparing MM to our best "north south" runner at the position since PJ has been here and you completely dodge the evidence.

My response to Whiskey gave some insight as to why the production overall at that spot was down as well. A big reason is that our best guy only got 86 carries. He averaged 7.6 YPC in a putrid offense. Dwyer in his best year didn't average that. I'm not comparing the 2 either. Again just trying to open your eyes so that you might be able to acknowledge that what he did as a true freshman on a bad offense is actually quite impressive.

I do agree with you though that bback is one of the most important positions in the offense outside of QB. I don't think it's that simple though. What I think is more important than the position itself is establishing the dive. This takes more than just having a great bback. Your Oline, especially the GCG combo, must do their job and the QB has to make the right reads for this to happen. The last part is an area that I think Justin regressed in this year which also leads to less production from that spot.

Someone that breaks down the film can say better than me, but I do feel like Justin missed more reads this year than last.

So, to recap: Many things lead to the lack of production from the bback position this year, but that's not the point. This whole conversation began because of your comment about MM not being right for bback.

 

[Lee]

If we held our own we wouldn't be 3-9. JMHO.

Try reading what you highlighted again. I'll help... "I think HE did more than hold his own..."

Nobody said WE did. There were lots of issues with the offense this year. MM with the ball in his hands wasn't one of them. Other areas of the position, sure. I find it hard to believe you can't just admit that someone averaging 7.6 YPC from the bback spot didn't have a good year as a TRUE FRESHMAN.

 

[Lee]

Yes, he did ok today. But I was watching him carefully and - yep - he does dance up to the hole. On one run he got to the mesh and gave the DT a head fake! I simply couldn't believe my eyes. You run past the DLs as a BB; you do not, under any circumstances, try to juke them. He got decent yards on that run, but it is that kind of shenanigans that deprive him of speed getting to the mesh and impact when he gets there. I'll take fewer long runs and getting us a first on 3rd and one any day of the week, thank you very much.

He had ZERO negative yardage plays today. As for the head fake, it worked like you said it did. In fact, if it's the run I'm thinking of, he was a step from taking it to the house. Their safety made a great open field tackle. As for the "head fake," sometimes you've got to do what you've got to do. When the DT is meeting you at the mesh because a certain OL whiffed again, there's only so much you can do.

I'd be willing to bet if he was following Shaq through the hole he wouldn't need to any of that. He would save that for the guys at the second level. It would actually have been nice to see him be able to explode through a hole today, but there almost never was one. The few that I saw from my seat were when Skov was in the game. One opened up so nicely that if he would've had his head up and made a small cut to the outside, it would've gone for a big gain. Instead we got 2 yards.

So I'll agree that he needs to improve in some areas, but I still think he is the future at the position and will look even better with an improved (hopefully) Oline next year.

 

[stingyoa$$]

Try reading your complete sentence. Let me help you. You said "he along with many other true freshman". To me that's a "we". We were 3-9. That sucks. I find it hard to believe that you can't understand that it's so much more than just having the ball in your hands at that position. Did you ever think there was a reason that Skov saw the field more? Maybe you know something PJ doesn't. MM wasn't the right BB this year IMO. He failed in other areas of the position that are critical elements such as ball security, blocking and going the right way several times. I don't give a rats a$$ either that he was a freshman. I want better every year. This year was one of the worse in GT history. QB play was dismal too at times. But it's funny how JT was anointed the next Heisman winner coming off last year and now this year he simply forgot how to play the position.

 

[stingyoa$$]

This whole conversation was started because you said MM "doesn't look like what we need at bback" and "he's a dancer." You then lamented that we needed a "north south" runner.

I gave you statistics comparing MM to our best "north south" runner at the position since PJ has been here and you completely dodge the evidence.

My response to Whiskey gave some insight as to why the production overall at that spot was down as well. A big reason is that our best guy only got 86 carries. He averaged 7.6 YPC in a putrid offense. Dwyer in his best year didn't average that. I'm not comparing the 2 either. Again just trying to open your eyes so that you might be able to acknowledge that what he did as a true freshman on a bad offense is actually quite impressive.

I do agree with you though that bback is one of the most important positions in the offense outside of QB. I don't think it's that simple though. What I think is more important than the position itself is establishing the dive. This takes more than just having a great bback. Your Oline, especially the GCG combo, must do their job and the QB has to make the right reads for this to happen. The last part is an area that I think Justin regressed in this year which also leads to less production from that spot.

Someone that breaks down the film can say better than me, but I do feel like Justin missed more reads this year than last.

So, to recap: Many things lead to the lack of production from the bback position this year, but that's not the point. This whole conversation began because of your comment about MM not being right for bback.

Let me give you this as evidence, 2014, 11-3. 2015 3-9. Last year we had 2 of the best N/S runners in the game IMO. This year....

 

[TheTaxJacket]

Justin Thomas needs to be an aback. He can't throw.

 

[upwgdrb]

Let me give you this as evidence, 2014, 11-3. 2015 3-9. Last year we had 2 of the best N/S runners in the game IMO. This year....

I do not remember and bback plays where Skov or Marshall went to the wrong place. It has happened in other games especially with Skov, the senior.
Ok we know you like Marcus Allen. That does not mean other people cannot be productive in the slot. Unfortunately MA has been moved around quite a bit in his career at Tech. If he had been groomed to be a bback the entire time we would have had our experienced guy ready to go this year but he wasn't. Unfortunately he reminds of Synjyn Days who I think CPJ wasted until he had to play because Laskey got hurt. If you think he was playing before then, check the carries he had in the early games last year. One of the reason Days made a difference when he got to play was he could get to the second level like MM can. We can use both guys next year and have a very good duo. Both will have game experience under their belt and be better, if Leggett is as good as advertised and can recover we will be super deep.

I find it interesting that CPJ says some won't be playing that played this year. My guess is the experience of playing time will show up majorly in spring practice and the guys who have that experience will shine. This particular statement reeks of coach speak and telling players there will be competition which there should always be. The one back I expect to break through would be AJ Green. I believe Cottrell only practiced two weeks before he went down, so right now he is another GT practice phenom. The spring will tell more.

 

[upwgdrb]

Justin Thomas needs to be an aback. He can't throw.

Justin needs to do what VL got ridiculed for this summer and go to one of the qb camps. He has to improve his mechanics. It has been an issue since he started here.

 

[Bogey]

Justin Thomas needs to be an aback. He can't throw.

Wrong. He does throw, he can't pass.

 

[SteamWhistle]

I hope to see Tech beat ugag one more time at home before I die. Wish we could've got Lynch the ball a few more times cause it looked as if he might break one eventually. This game was our season in a nutshell. Move the ball then turn it over or a costly penalty. So close to sending Mark packing in Athens today. Proud for the most part how the Dline played today. We better make it a priority to block this offseason. Let's get the ball to Brad Stewart more than a couple times all year next season. I bet AJ Gray will be all ACC next year.

Atleast you've seen them win at home since you've been alive.

 

[bke1984]

Where, pray, is this "much better" talent of which you speak?

Rhetorical question; we all know it's sitting on the bench. Some of the younger players have developed a lit with the on the job training they got this year, but Coach was right last week: just because a freshman has been playing for 7 - 8 games doesn't mean he isn't a freshman. We played many players this year who may be redshirted next year as the injured players with a couple of years in the system come back on line.

Read it again. I said we've looked better running up he middle with worse talent at B back and O line. Those guys aren't really the ones that are injured, are they? I guess you could point to CJ Leggett, but since we've never seen the guy take a snap it'd be hard to argue that he's more capable of playing the position.

I can't for the life of me understand why we couldn't get any push in the middle of the line this year.

I'm honestly just not sure how much better ZL would have looked when he would be running right into the back of his linemen every time.

 

[bke1984]

Just want to offer one thing that I think is getting lost in here, a point CPJ made postgame.

Our defense has been maybe average at best, including its performance today. Some are talking about holding a team to 6.8 yards per play as good. And that's ignoring the fact that UGA's offense is, well, not good.

I hate doing hypotheticals to try and prove a point but here it goes... Does anyone else think UGA got intentionally more conservative as the game went on, knowing how inept we were on offense? I mean they passed up a 4th and 1 to take a safe FG and a 13-0 lead. Now that can be interpreted by some as a stop. To me it was a sign they knew we couldn't get 2 TDs. If they needed a 1st down, I think odds were in their favor.

Similarly, I don't know how much stock I put in "stopping" their last drive of the game. Frankly it looked more like a knife-to-the-heart type of drive when our defense most needed a stop, and UGA was successful in running out the clock.

Moral of the story - we need to improve everywhere.

I get what you're saying, but I still have to pin this loss entirely on the offense. Tying to pin a loss on the defense that only gave up 13 points is just silly.

Going into the game I thought if we could hold them to 20 or less we'd win because you're right, their offense is bad.

Let's say they go for it on fourth and get the TD and make it 17....and maybe even kick the FG earlier in the game to get 20...we still should have been able to score three TDs throughout the game to win.

Do we need to improve on defense? Yes. Did the defense do enough where we should have won yesterday, absolutely.

If we had this year's defense in 2011 or 2012 we'd have won the ACC. Instead, since out offense has been so self destructive this year, our average defense was simply only able to keep us hanging around in the games.

 

[TechTravis]

If Justin Thomas can't pass, what happened last year? Could it be that without competent receivers and adequate blocking, he failed to get the ball out? Because if that's the case, I promise he's not the only one who would fail in that scenario...

 

[stingyoa$$]

I do not remember and bback plays where Skov or Marshall went to the wrong place. It has happened in other games especially with Skov, the senior.
Ok we know you like Marcus Allen. That does not mean other people cannot be productive in the slot. Unfortunately MA has been moved around quite a bit in his career at Tech. If he had been groomed to be a bback the entire time we would have had our experienced guy ready to go this year but he wasn't. Unfortunately he reminds of Synjyn Days who I think CPJ wasted until he had to play because Laskey got hurt. If you think he was playing before then, check the carries he had in the early games last year. One of the reason Days made a difference when he got to play was he could get to the second level like MM can. We can use both guys next year and have a very good duo. Both will have game experience under their belt and be better, if Leggett is as good as advertised and can recover we will be super deep.

I find it interesting that CPJ says some won't be playing that played this year. My guess is the experience of playing time will show up majorly in spring practice and the guys who have that experience will shine. This particular statement reeks of coach speak and telling players there will be competition which there should always be. The one back I expect to break through would be AJ Green. I believe Cottrell only practiced two weeks before he went down, so right now he is another GT practice phenom. The spring will tell more.

You don't remember but then you remember it happening in other games? It happened yesterday when the BB and the AB ran into each other at the mesh. The ball was fumbled and IIRC it bounced back up into his hands. I believe the announcer even stated that the BB went the wrong way. This offense is precision and if not run correctly, you get lots of turnovers and negative plays. PJ himself said that we needed more production from certain positions. BB was one of them along with the QB. The best running backs in the country do not "take it to the house" every game. In fact, very few runs are 30 yards or longer. Funny how our fans think our backs "can take it to the house" multiple times a game. I'll take the consistent 4 or 5 yards out of the BB position with the occasional 30 yarder over waiting for the "take it to the house" run that usually doesn't happen. Last year just happened to be the perfect example of what this offense can do when you have the right kind of players. I'm not saying that who we have can't be the right player for the position, I'm saying this year we didn't have it. Hence the 3-9 record. Here's to a much better year next year!

 

[stingyoa$$]

Read it again. I said we've looked better running up he middle with worse talent at B back and O line. Those guys aren't really the ones that are injured, are they? I guess you could point to CJ Leggett, but since we've never seen the guy take a snap it'd be hard to argue that he's more capable of playing the position.

I can't for the life of me understand why we couldn't get any push in the middle of the line this year.

I'm honestly just not sure how much better ZL would have looked when he would be running right into the back of his linemen every time.

I think that if we had him back this year we would be bowl eligible. Of course we will never know but based on what I saw of him during his career, I'd take my chances. PJ himself said BB's aren't running the right "tracks" which caused problems. Footwork is crucial in the timing of the plays. This allows a smooth transition through the mesh and the BB hitting the hole fast. ZL was a beast getting through the mesh quickly and through the hole for positive yards. When plays are blocked correctly and the back goes the wrong way...the play is dead in the water. I personally think the O line didn't perform as bad as perceived. I'm not saying they were perfect all the time and don't need to improve, but I don't think they got any help from the skill positions (QB,BB) during the running game.

 

[slugboy]

If we have a pass rush next year we'll have a top 20 Defense.

We lose our best DL after the season (actually already lost him to injury)