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Does extra time matter when facing Tech’s offense?

10:00 am November 22, 2010, by Doug Roberson

Georgia will be the sixth opponent this season that has had extra time to prepare for Georgia Tech’s option offense. The Bulldogs last played on Nov. 13, when they were beaten by Auburn and its version of the option, 49-31.

The extra time is something that opposing coaches have played up when asked about facing Paul Johnson’s unique system. However, having extra time helps to prepare for any type of offense…or defense, as Johnson points out.

“I’m glad we had an extra week to begin to prepare for it,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “Hopefully it will make us better than it would on a week’s notice.”

Johnson also says that having an extra week is fine, but you still have to go out and play. Once the ball is kicked off, the game boils down to diagnosing and figuring out ways to beat strategies and tendencies.

Some of the teams this season have had extra time because of a bye the previous week. Others have had two days because they played on Thursdays, giving them Friday and Saturday to break down film or go over schemes. When teams play on Saturdays, most coaching staffs break down film on Sunday, so that’s a wash when counting extra days. Duke is included because it faced the option offenses of Army and Navy earlier in the season.

So, how have the teams that have had an extra week to prepare done against the Yellow Jackets?

Team Result Extra Rushing Passing Total Tech’s Difference Opponent’s Difference
time allowed allowed Yards average average
S.C. State W, 41-10 Opener 372 12 384 405.6 -21.6 196.7 187.3
UNC W, 30-24 Week 372 76 448 405.6 42.4 344.3 103.7
N.C. State L, 45-28 2 days 247 116 363 405.6 -42.6 334.4 28.6
MTSU W, 42-14 4 days 329 86 415 405.6 9.4 394.3 20.7
Va. Tech L, 28-21 5 days 346 80 426 405.6 20.4 354.1 71.9
Duke* W, 30-20 Played 320 90 410 405.6 4.4 443.8 -33.8
Army and 12.4 378.4
Navy

So the extra week doesn’t really seem to matter. Tech’s offense actually averages about 2 more yards per game and the opposing defenses are giving up 63 more yards per game.

Of course, points are what really matters:

Team Result Extra Tech’s average Difference Opp. average Difference
time points points allowed
S.C. State W, 41-10 Opener 27 14 13 28
UNC W, 30-24 Week 27 3 23.3 6.7
N.C. State L, 45-28 2 days 27 1 21.1 6.9
MTSU W, 42-14 4 days 27 15 28.9 13.1
Va. Tech L, 28-21 5 days 27 -6 18.9 2.1
Duke* W, 30-20 Played 27 3 36.5 -6.5
Army and 30 50.3

Again, the extra time or preparation doesn’t seem to matter. Tech averaged 5 more points than it did against teams that had a week to prepare, and defenses allowed 8.4 more points than they did against other teams.

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158 comments Add your comment

Gtfan11

November 22nd, 2010
6:37 pm

@ dawginlex. I appreciate your honesty. It is rare to see a dawg fan on the Tech blog with any sense of class. With that said, Tech has struggled against the weakest of foes ALL year. As bad as I hate to say it, GA will have a field day on our defense and special teams. Our offense has sputtered all year especially in the red zone. So I don’t think you will need a nose guard. Give him a night off. Maybe then we might be able to stay within the spread.
Paul Johnson hasn’t gotten this team up most of the year and then blames the players on not executing. There is a point where the coaches have to take some of the responsibility.

Paul has a small Johnson

November 22nd, 2010
6:45 pm

GT gave up 400 yards to Duke,DUKE.The bugs are toast.Get ready for your yearly loss to UGA bugs.4 free hotdogs + 4 free Cokes = the joke by Coke.
HAHAHA

Brad

November 22nd, 2010
6:45 pm

It does matter, because the play in the weak ACC!

Viva GwinneXico

November 22nd, 2010
7:05 pm

Here’s the real issue guys;

Here we live in the state that’s in 3rd place nation wide when it comes to producing D-1 talent.

Its a shame that we’re going into the rivalry game and the home team records are shameful.

GT (6-5) vs. UGA (5-6). Say what you want about Tech’s offense but they should get their fair share of instate talent. UGA actually gets some pretty good talent but they have D-2 calibre coaching.

Both fanbases should take a real good look at their respective teams and look at just how pathetic the teams have performed. A rebuilding year should consist of 3 to 4 losses at a MAXIMUM, anything beyond that should get your azz FIRED!

Bob

November 22nd, 2010
7:19 pm

Is this a joke? Comparing UGA to the loser pansies Tech usually plays is laughable.

Sheesh Jackson

November 23rd, 2010
4:56 am

IMO, the stats that you have here are pointless. The only way to truly tell if having extra time to prepare is to have one team play GT with extra time then erase all that preparation from their minds and have that same team play GT again with a normal amount of time to prepare. We have to be able to know what the same team what have done with a different amount of time to prepare to truly know. jmo

Yellow Britches

November 23rd, 2010
8:32 am

38-10 UGA. I don’t like it but how can it turn out otherwise. We have no defense. Georgia can run up the middle like they did last year. We have no pass defense, put no pressure on the quarterback and are vulnerable at the corners. If UGA turns the ball over three times, and we run some clock it could be closer but can how can we win this one?

damngooddawg!

November 23rd, 2010
6:58 pm

It’s been a heck of a season, but maybe we can find a way to keep it close against you guys and possibly win it late…with some luck, of course. To hell with Auburn!

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