Some General Thoughts on the Georgia Game

[bamaga]

"A package for JM?" To be used instead of using BY, the Heisman frontrunner? IMO, if Jalen Milroe enters the game at QB either BY is hurt OR we are leading or getting beat by 3 or 4 TDS. Again, JMO. If a package for JM helps us win, I'm all for it! But I just don't see it happening.

BY may be on the field as well, but JM will see the field at some point.JMO

 

[AlexD]

At

BY may be on the field as well, but JM will see the field at some point.JMO

what point this year did the offense use creative packages for you to think this and also when has the offense executed normal ones for coach to trust doing this? I get needing to pull out everything but if the oline if the problem it is hard to.

 

[crimsonaudio]

Your reply is out of context of the discussion. If someone can use the 11 sacks and flushed out of pockets by BY as called runs, I can certainly use one rush attempt on a called run. If your premise is Bama needs to turn into Miss St and completely ignore running the ball, you are wrong as well. As it was , there were 26 called runs out of 89 plays. The question wasn’t was the running game effective, it was why did BOB call so many running plays when averaging 1.9 yds/carry. To which my reply was he didn’t call that many(29% of plays) , they didn’t average 1.9 yards . And you have to call some run plays. So your reply was out of context. Look, I hate having to defend CBoB. But untrue statements shouldn’t be used against him.

Nowhere have I suggested we should just run the Air Raid, I'm simply suggesting the running game WILL NOT open up the passing game. Perhaps the opposite is true, but unless Bama's OL performs vastly better than last Saturday, there will be no running game to speak of - not enough to force the LBs or safeties to cheat up, which is precisely how the run game opens passing lanes.

Again, any suggestion that the running game was effective in any way in the IB is asinine.

Does Bama abandon the run? No, one dimensional teams don't beat good defenses.

Does Bama desperately need to alter their approach, both in how and why the running game is utilized? Without question, and the stats I posted show this clearly.

 

[bamaga]

Nowhere have I suggested we should just run the Air Raid, I'm simply suggesting the running game WILL NOT open up the passing game. Perhaps the opposite is true, but unless Bama's OL performs vastly better than last Saturday, there will be no running game to speak of - not enough to force the LBs or safeties to cheat up, which is precisely how the run game opens passing lanes.

Again, any suggestion that the running game was effective in any way in the IB is asinine.

Does Bama abandon the run? No, one dimensional teams don't beat good defenses.

Does Bama desperately need to alter their approach, both in how and why the running game is utilized? Without question, and the stats I posted show this clearly.

But you are arguing the wrong point

 

[BamaMoon]

But you are arguing the wrong point

I guess I'm confused about your point. I understand what CA is saying, and agree with him, but what are you arguing?

 

[CrimsonEyeshade]

I wonder how much of Georgia’s defensive success can be attributed to Muschamp? He did work for Bill Oliver and CNS.

I think more of the success comes down to recruiting. UGA wound up with several linemen and linebackers that we really wanted.

 

[bamaga]

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I guess I'm confused about your point. I understand what CA is saying, and agree with him, but what are you arguing?

I) you have to run the ball some
2) CBoB did not call 37 runs against Auburn for a 1.9 yards per carry avg. PERIOD.

Saying CBoB called run plays that were actually pass plays that were credited as runs on the stat sheet due to scrambles is unfair to CBoB. .

 

[crimsonaudio]

I) you have to run the ball some
2) CBoB did not call 37 runs against Auburn for a 1.9 yards per carry avg. PERIOD.

Saying CBoB called plays that were actually pass plays that were credited to the run game is an untrue statement. Period.

No where did I say that. In fact, I ONLY included called running plays, and didn't include sacks and QB scrambles for the sole purpose of showing how poor the running game performed last Saturday.

I've also never once suggested Bama not run the ball.

Perhaps read more closely instead of knee-jerk reactions when someone disagrees?

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

Regardless on your position I think we can all agree that running the ball on 4th & 1 with the game on the line was idiotic. Dumbest play call of the year arguably.

I think running the ball is probably necessary some of the time vs Georgia but running it up the middle remotely often would be insane.

 

[crimsonaudio]

Regardless on your position I think we can all agree that running the ball on 4th & 1 with the game on the line was idiotic. Dumbest play call of the year arguably.

Agreed.

But how sad is that?

 

[10Bama54]

How about passing the ball on 1st down instead of running on 1st and 2nd down then passing it on 3rd down when everyone knows a pass is coming. Do something out of our usual plan.

 

[trenda]

Bama played 5 teams ranked in the top 50 run defenses this season.

Yards per carry against those 5 teams was 3.06, a full yard lower than the average for all games; so no surprise that we struggle somewhat against better run defenses. Makes sense.

Over the past 3 games (not counting NM State), that average drops to 1.73 ypc (vs 4.0 for the entire season). Granted, two of the three were against top 50 run defenses. However, this is a significant decline.

Injuries to the OL and RBs no doubt have played a part in this. At the same time, opposing teams have had an opportunity to see the tendencies in how our new OC is calling plays.

We're down to our 4th string RB (no offense to Sanders), the right side of our OL is extremely porous and the UGA front is the real deal. Add to that, our OC seems to be stubborn in his play calling tendencies.

Unless BoB completely flips the script in his play calling tendencies, the Tide is facing a really uphill battle on Saturday. Simplistically, he HAS to use the pass to set up the run this week. There's just no way around it.

We have the players to do it.

 

[Tideflyer]

How about passing the ball on 1st down instead of running on 1st and 2nd down then passing it on 3rd down when everyone knows a pass is coming. Do something out of our usual plan.

Thank you!! I would like to know the percentage of first downs we had a pass called.... 1% ? 2% maybe. At least it sure seemed that way. Varying things up like this, while basic, would be a great place to start. All teams self-scout. Surely the staff knows all this.

 

[BamaMoon]

Bama played 5 teams ranked in the top 50 run defenses this season.

Yards per carry against those 5 teams was 3.06, a full yard lower than the average for all games; so no surprise that we struggle somewhat against better run defenses. Makes sense.

Over the past 3 games (not counting NM State), that average drops to 1.73 ypc (vs 4.0 for the entire season). Granted, two of the three were against top 50 run defenses. However, this is a significant decline.

Injuries to the OL and RBs no doubt have played a part in this. At the same time, opposing teams have had an opportunity to see the tendencies in how our new OC is calling plays.

We're down to our 4th string RB (no offense to Sanders), the right side of our OL is extremely porous and the UGA front is the real deal. Add to that, our OC seems to be stubborn in his play calling tendencies.

Unless BoB completely flips the script in his play calling tendencies, the Tide is facing a really uphill battle on Saturday. Simplistically, he HAS to use the pass to set up the run this week. There's just no way around it.

We have the players to do it.

Yes!

It's been a rough year. I've said several times I love the fact BRob has stayed with the program and got his chance this year, but something trouble me all year long even when he was healthy: BRob seemed to get tackled by his shoe laces in traffic a lot. There were so many times it seemed he was a "half a step" from breaking loose and then he go down by what looked like a shoe string tackle. Just another layer in our struggles this year, but it made me realize why we see RBs running those drills through the ropes they have to step over.

 

[crimsonaudio]

Thank you!! I would like to know the percentage of first downs we had a pass called.... 1% ? 2% maybe. At least it sure seemed that way. Varying things up like this, while basic, would be a great place to start. All teams self-scout. Surely the staff knows all this.

Against Abruun Bama:
- passed the ball 20 times on first down, and
- ran the ball 14 times on first down (two runs were by BY).

So including the BY runs (runs or scrambles, we'll call them runs) Bama passed on 58.8% of first downs against AU.

 

[Cruloc]

I would imagine, to generate a sense of a run game, we will run screens and short passes. Do I trust BoB to do this though....no, I expect to see Trey running up the middle and getting wrapped up by Jordan Davis and being stubborn about it. Calling pass plays expecting more blocking...and Bryce to get rid of the ball quicker....knowing neither has been happening all season.

A big issue I see......Alabama has beaten Georgia 6 straight times. Georgia will come into this game with the attitude of exorcising their Bama demons.

They don't have to commit extra people to stop the run which is going to gum up the passing lanes. That can lead to some very bad outcomes for us.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Yes!

It's been a rough year. I've said several times I love the fact BRob has stayed with the program and got his chance this year, but something trouble me all year long even when he was healthy: BRob seemed to get tackled by his shoe laces in traffic a lot. There were so many times it seemed he was a "half a step" from breaking loose and then he go down by what looked like a shoe string tackle. Just another layer in our struggles this year, but it made me realize why we see RBs running those drills through the drops they have to step over.

I've noticed the same. Henry had the same problem in college. However, he seems to have largely defeated it in the pros...

 

[CoolBreeze]

FWIW, this game is entirely different than any other one we have had on the schedule this year. We really have not had to tweak anything to take advantage of any scheme an opposing team presented on O or D. Suddenly, we are an underdog going into the SEC Championship against the #1 team. It is a one game season. I believe we are going to see significant wrinkles on both sides of the ball, contributions from new players and, most importantly, inspired play by the entire team. We may not throttle UGA but that is what we are expecting to do and are are more that capable of doing so despite popular belief.

 

[BamaMoon]

FWIW, this game is entirely different than any other one we have had on the schedule this year. We really have not had to tweak anything to take advantage of any scheme an opposing team presented on O or D. Suddenly, we are an underdog going into the SEC Championship against the #1 team. It is a one game season. I believe we are going to see significant wrinkles on both sides of the ball, contributions from new players and, most importantly, inspired play by the entire team. We may not throttle UGA but that is what we are expecting to do and are are more that capable of doing so despite popular belief.

Again, from your post in the prediction thread I'M HOPING you are right!

What you are saying is you think maybe BOB will surprise us with some wrinkles we've held back in other games. Have we been vanilla at the expense of struggling, even losing to TAMU? Sometimes I've felt that way. I don't think the plan was to lose to TAMU, but that they surprised us that day and we didn't adjust very well on the fly.

Again, Hope you are right!

 

[trenda]

I also think we'd be better served to get the ball snapped faster. Waiting until the play clock hits :00 helps the defense out a lot. Maybe it makes our line think too much the more time they have at the LOS.

The last drive in regulation at Auburn and when the ball was snapped:
:12 - incomplete pass
:11 - incomplete pass
:10 - 22 yd pass completion
:29 - scramble for 9 yds
:21 - 21 yd pass completion
:25 - scramble for 3 yds
:13 - incomplete pass
:11 - incomplete pass
:07 - 14 yd pass completion
:09 - incomplete pass
:00 - incomplete pass
:11 - 28 yd pass completion for TD

I'm just not sure that waiting to snap the ball at :00 is benefitting us more than the defense. Tempo plays where the D doesn't get a long look at our formation seem to execute better for us. Obviously, sometimes you run the clock down making adjustments; but we get ridiculous at times. JMO.