Georgia Tech looking for pass rush
The next move belongs to Al Groh.
Two Saturdays ago, the Georgia Tech defense harassed Virginia quarterbacks Michael Rocco and Phillip Sims, accumulating 16 pressures, by the Tech defensive coordinator’s count and two sacks. Saturday, Groh and his defense were plundered.
The Yellow Jackets gave up 609 yards in the 42-36 overtime loss. It was the most yards that Tech had given up since 1997 and the most that a Groh-coached team had surrendered in his nine years as Virginia’s head coach followed by two-plus seasons at Tech.
Wednesday, Groh didn’t address the game at length, saying that he was done talking about Miami. It was the first opportunity for news media to speak with Groh, as he is not made available following games and defensive coaches and players speak on Wednesdays.
“I haven’t thought about that in a few days, so I’m ready to move on,” he said.
What Groh did address was that Tech’s pass rush was negated by Miami’s protection scheme, in which the Hurricanes often used as many as seven players on passes to block for quarterback Stephen Morris.
“Unless you rush eight, they’ve got more than you’ve got,” he said. “The numbers game comes into effect that way. Usually where those seven-man protections get beat is if you have some awesome individual pass rushers who can win the one-on-ones.”
Without such pass rushers on the roster, perhaps with the exception of outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu, Tech can expect to see plenty more of such strategies in games to come, starting with Tech’s game Saturday against Middle Tennessee State. Future opponents may not be able to duplicate the success of the Hurricanes, who have a young but talented lineup. However, many games may not require 42 points or 609 yards of total offense, either.
“We’ve got some interesting stuff to deal with on the third-down package, and it’s shaken some guys free (in pass rush), so that causes other teams to say, ‘We’re not going to deal with this stuff,’” said Groh in explaining opponents’ opting for a “maximum protection” scheme.
Groh may have to continue to dig for more interesting stuff. Tech has six sacks in four games with a rate of one sack per 26.3 pass attempts. Even before failing to register a sack despite Miami’s 52 pass attempts, the rate was 17.7 passes per sack. Duke, which ranks third in the ACC in sacks, has managed one sack per 11 pass attempts.
Should the lack of pressure continue, Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins would appear to be a strong candidate to run wild through the Tech secondary Oct. 6. Attaochu, who led the team last year with six sacks, has one-half of a sack thus far. Through the first three games, Attaochu did have the most quarterback pressures of anyone on the team “by far,” Groh said.
Both Groh and coach Paul Johnson have acknowledged the obvious fact that it was a poor game all-around for the defense. The percentage of times that defensive players executed their assignment “went way down,” Groh said.
Groh was asked if, at the end of the season, the Miami game would be looked at as an outlier.
Replied Groh, “I think that, when you evaluate things on a whole body of work, I think what you might look back on at the end of the season is that Miami’s got a pretty good team.”
Time will tell to what degree Saturday’s game was an aberration or the trigger of a landslide. Could the game have merely been the confluence of a hot quarterback, poor pass rush, an injury-depleted defense and poor tackling – a forgettable game that bears no similarity to the defense that Tech ultimately becomes?
It would have to be a pretty big confluence.
In case you missed it…
Trials challenging Louis Young
Lee, Snoddy angling for playing time
Tech rebounding after Miami loss
The meaning of Tech giving up 609 yards
After Miami loss, Tech tries to regroup
Mark Bradley: Johnson’s approach hurting Tech
Thanks for reading.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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218 comments Add your comment
GT Fan
September 27th, 2012
2:17 pm
GTfan2012 … would loved to have been a fly on the wall in the Tuitt household when ND scrambled down and got momma to “interveen/change” her son’s decision to go to GT.
Makes one wonder what “promises” ND folks offered to momma Tuitt for her to do & say what did & said.
At any rate, GT’s gotta get some game-changers on the DL. Groh had some at UVA (Chris Long, Cam Johnson, the NG that had 20 tackles vs.GT in ‘09), but I think AG’s time is up for getting them at GT. IMO, unless Sat. turns out to be an abberration and the D plays the rest of the season like games 1-3, PJ let’s Groh go at season’s end.
Supersize loves Obama
September 27th, 2012
2:21 pm
@GtFan….Tuitt is a game changer no doubt. However, what we are missing is overall team speed. Thoughts?
billyBobjacket
September 27th, 2012
2:23 pm
I guess the reason we all want to see Vad play is that deep down we have been hoping that he is our salvation. We have been sold on him being the “next great thing”, but the longer he sits on the sideline the more the terrible thought starts to creep in that maybe he is not “all that”. This season is toast, lets work on next year. I see lots of other true and redshirt freshmen getting starts at QB at more successful programs than ours, and it seems to pay off down the road.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 27th, 2012
2:24 pm
How many times do I have to ask you to get rid of that damn name?
billyBobjacket
September 27th, 2012
2:28 pm
The rest of us are pretty tired of BOTH supersize names.
Supersize loves Obama
September 27th, 2012
2:29 pm
@BillyBob….Vad will be the answer because of his passing ability. Imagine if Tebow didn’t throw the ball at UF?
Supersize that order, mutt
September 27th, 2012
2:38 pm
@ billyBobjacket……sorry if I have offended you by calling you out on some of your posts. But as far as “the rest of us” being tired of me, I’m happy to say you stand pretty much alone with the trolls on that assessment. Many of the guys who post regularly on these blogs are personal friends, and they have no problem with me, my name, or my posts at all. Would love to have you on board too, but it is what it is.
Born2Buzz
September 27th, 2012
2:39 pm
Jmonty, you got that right, regarding the Miami QB. He missed a lot of open passes early in that game. I even said “thank goodness their QB stinks for we would be getting killed”. I guess when you throw it 52 times eventually you are going to connect.
GT Fan
September 27th, 2012
2:39 pm
SS L Obama …. IMO, team speed is fine. I think it all boils down to “the trenches” for the D. It’s been this way since the last dominant DLman left (DMorgan).
GT’s 2010, 2011, and in the Miami (dang, I hope UM was the abberration) DL have just been flat-out dismal.
On O, IMO, it’s Bback. Bback hasn’t been a threat to opposing Ds since AA left after 2010 season. Stopping the dive has been too easy for GT’s opponents. In 2012 though it looks like a little better passing to the backs is helping keep Ds honest.
The Truth
September 27th, 2012
2:43 pm
I feel like a broken record, but as long as we play a 3-4, our pass rush will suffer. We do not have the talent. A 4-3 or some variation is the answer.
Gorilla Biscuit
September 27th, 2012
2:48 pm
“I feel like a broken record, but as long as we play a 3-4, our pass rush will suffer. We do not have the talent. A 4-3 or some variation is the answer.”
The Truth is ya’ll need to recruit better defensive players.
Supersize loves Obama
September 27th, 2012
2:50 pm
@Gt Fan….in the base 3-4 you need to be aggressive to stop the run. However, especially up the middle, we cant match team speed with the big boys. That’s when you get Miami, etc rushing for 300 plus yards. We have to be able to meet the blockers at the line of scrimmage. Right know we cant do that.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 27th, 2012
3:01 pm
What channel is Honey Boo Boo on?
DOC 51
September 27th, 2012
3:15 pm
Overall team speed is lacking ,as well as good gang tackling.GT tackling is artrocious in many big games.If the guys aren’t doing it at this point,defense won’t improve in the last 8 games.
Burdell
September 27th, 2012
3:20 pm
“That’s when you get Miami, etc rushing for 300 plus yards.”
Huh?
PLAYMAKER
September 27th, 2012
3:37 pm
Groh gets mad at people because they ask him why teams march down the field with less then 2 minutes left. Are you kidding me? We are the ones who should be mad! He hides behind excuses, “we don’t have players to lay 3-4, it takes 3 years, well a great coach adapts. He has be DC why has he not recruited players.He takes the 5th, “I’m not talking about it no more.” He chuckles about GT less then average recruiting. Looks like this is one guy CPJ is scared of. Groh just may be too set in his ways
crackbaby
September 27th, 2012
3:43 pm
“Neither CPJ nor CAG recognize what their fans can do.
Our stadium is small but we’re a pretty rabid and loud group at times.” – Jacket Detective
Strongly disagree there, JD. Tech fans are meek and mild mannered – not necessarily a bad thing as CFB fans generally behave like idiots. LSU fans by far are the loudest. Nebraska fans are the most polite.
Tech fans can’t even do a “white out” for national TV. WTF – You don’t have a white shirt / jacket / sweatshirt?
Woofy One
September 27th, 2012
3:44 pm
CPJ and Groh take the team to victory next game. No worries.
BLT
September 27th, 2012
4:23 pm
It’s the color of the garments fault!
Jason
September 27th, 2012
4:37 pm
Groh is looking for what? Groh needs to teach technique. Carl Eller couldn’t get to the QB if he has been trained to run around all blockers. Groh needs to teach his folks to work off and fight through blocks.
Jason
September 27th, 2012
4:38 pm
“well a great coach adapts”
well said- even a good coach adapts-
GT Lee
September 27th, 2012
4:48 pm
@BLT
as the “most interesting interesting man in the world” would say:
“Stay feisty my friend”.
GT Lee
September 27th, 2012
4:49 pm
should only be 1 interesting, dammit…..
WnE
September 27th, 2012
5:01 pm
re:
What Groh did address was that Tech’s pass rush was negated by Miami’s protection scheme, in which the Hurricanes often used as many as seven players on passes to block for quarterback Stephen Morris.
“Unless you rush eight, they’ve got more than you’ve got,” he said. “The numbers game comes into effect that way. Usually where those seven-man protections get beat is if you have some awesome individual pass rushers who can win the one-on-ones.”
__________________
I think CAG flat-out lied about Miami using 7 guys to pass block, there were SOME instances (very few) where Miami was in Max protection, but most of the times that Miami dropped back to pass they sent a TE into the pass pattern, and they also had a RB in the pass pattern almost all the time.
With 5-OLs and a RB & a TE in the pass pattern, plus 2 or 3 WRs it is mathematically impossible to max-Protect with 7.
I think CAG came up with a handy lie to cover up for the fact that his players on D are terrible pass-rushers, even Attachou has taken a huge step backwards this season.
The 2 plays that I remember that were max-Protect were when Miami got the ball on the 9-yd line on that game-tying Drive, those first 2 plays they were in max-Protect, other than those 2 plays Miami did NOT use Max-Protection as often as CAG would lead you to believe.
Coach-speak is one thing, but intentional deception in another, this leads me to believe that CAG looked at the film and saw SUB-STANDARD TALENT on our Defensive side of the ball and instead of being honest with the fans that it isn’t likely to get better, he simply conjures up the excuse that Miami was in max-protection schemes.
But then again I told many of you guys back during the summer that we were in trouble on the DL with guys like Dieke, Cumming, Crenshw, Cross, & TJ Barnes.
You don’t show mediocrity for 3-4 years as a DL then have a “breakout yr” just because the CPJ BLTs dream it up on Ken’s Blogs.
Learn to listen to the CFB-Genius that is WnE and you’ll be less disappointed when the season arrives.
All Hail WnE!
GT fan Alumni for 56 years
September 27th, 2012
7:32 pm
I am tired of excuses. Tired of losing big games. Tired of firing good coaches. Tired of poor recruiting classes, tired of no support from the Hill, tired of limited Majors, tired of Elite Engineers saying more Majors are bad, tired of being an ‘Institute’, tired of spending Saturdays at GField and going home after losing or beating a creampuff, tired of Board of Regents protecting UGA football., GT football has been put on the back burner for me although I love GT and football in general.
ole yeller
September 27th, 2012
8:22 pm
GT fan for 56 years, I am with you on every point. As for the fake Supersize/Obama’s last comment about when was the last time a tight end caught a pass at GT. Here’s the answer dummy. G.T. runs a spread offense and does not even have a tight end. So it must have been before Paul Johnson came into play, right?
Ken, please do something about this clown!
Supersize that order, mutt
September 27th, 2012
8:25 pm
@GT fan Alumni…..maybe you should go to bed if you are so tired. Sounds like you are a fair weather fan.
Delbert D.
September 27th, 2012
8:32 pm
Sacks. Everybody loves them, 3-4 defensive linemen, especially. I did some very simple research on the 2nd-most effective 3-4 defense in America the last 2 years, the University of Georgia. Here are the results for Georgia defensive lineman sacks for the first 4 games this year, and by comparison, the first four last year.
2012 – 2 sacks
2011 – 1.5 sacks
ole yeller
September 27th, 2012
8:42 pm
Super, are you saying that you are not tired of the Board of Regents protecting UGA football and putting the institute on the back burner for so many years? I don’t know what the firing of good coaches is all about, I did not read close enough, I am a diehard GT fan and suffer with each Tech loss and will never turn my back on the team.. However GT fan made some good points.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 27th, 2012
8:44 pm
Wow Delbert. That was hard hitting.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 27th, 2012
8:47 pm
@ole yeller….I too am a diehard fan. But what does the BOR have to do with anything. At some point it boils down to good players and good coaching.
Delbert D.
September 27th, 2012
8:51 pm
That shows the scheme of the 3-4, which is supposed to feature the linebackers (particularly, the OLB) in the pass rush. Here are the total for the LB sacks for the 1st 4 games this year for Georgia and Tech:
Georgia – 6 (4.5 by J. Jones)
Tech – 0.5 (0.5 by J. Attaochu)
George P. Burdell
September 27th, 2012
8:54 pm
@ gt fan Alumni Being a tech fan is not for everybody ,its kinda hard sometimes.I cant speak for everyone ,but in my case its something i was born into ,and with.The perfect sat. is when we win ,and everyone else loses.T.H.W.G
ole yeller
September 27th, 2012
8:55 pm
Maybe I am confused, but does the BOR not control the curriculum that these schools are allowed to offer as well as funding? If not GT would be offering basket weaving as is allowed at the university. Not to say I want thugs at the GT, but its still not a level playing field. Good players with the academic smarts are not as prevalent as those recruited by Bama, UGA, LSU, etc. Not saying lower the standards but put all on the same playing field. Maybe raise some of the standards for the football factory’s? You know as well as I that we recruit from a much smaller base that UGA.
ole yeller
September 27th, 2012
8:56 pm
Should read “than”.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 27th, 2012
8:57 pm
@ Delbert…..I was a little confused by your first post. I think J.A. would obviously do better if he had the athlete’s Jarvis Jones has around him, maybe even better. CPJ is a genious but its hard to coach up with marginal talent.
K
September 27th, 2012
8:57 pm
After seeing the results of our Defensive coach and Special Teams coach, it is glaringly apparent Paul Johnson is not very good at hiring assistant coaches.
Not to mention the recruiting.
So, what do you do??????
ole yeller
September 27th, 2012
8:59 pm
By the way Super, you and I have had this discussion before and you said that the BOR would never allow Tech to be on a level playing field with UGA.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 27th, 2012
9:00 pm
@old yeller…..the BOR approves the curriculum that each University /Institute sends them. Tech has the right to set its own course.
BLT
September 27th, 2012
9:08 pm
Super, ole yeller is saying in a nutshell “the best Tech will get is Management Major”. Nothing else, and as far as I’m concerned I’m glad we have one of the best ENGINEERING schools in the country. It’s not a crutch (wrexster) it’s the damn facts. We will get recruits that want the degree from The Georgia Institute of Technology! Notice I did not type “University”. If the GD BOR decides to allow “Humanities” at Tech then GT will be cheapened. Let the other state schools take that route. The BOR are a bunch of worthless POS anyway. AND yes, they protect UGA at all cost. Sorry for the rant and it’s the uniforms fault.
ole yeller
September 27th, 2012
9:10 pm
Not without approval. The BOR also has the power to strike down any curriculum that it deems not appropriate for the school. This has been done many times. I guess friends can also disagree. The bottom line is the playing field is not level. Say what you will but the double standard does affect recruiting. If its not the BOR responsibility then it must have been the leadership at our school for the past 45 years to not deem sports and winning a priory otherwise they would have submitted a curriculum that would attract more athletes.
ole yeller
September 27th, 2012
9:14 pm
Not to be misunderstood. I can do without the thugs recruited by UGA and am proud of the Tech tradition. Not saying to lower Tech’s requirements, but why not do something novel, like raising the standards for the football factory’s.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 27th, 2012
9:14 pm
@BLT…..Ha! I know I have banged on the BOR but at some point we have to look inward. I am proud of the Institute but I think its time to start having higher standards for out athletics. I never hear Nick Saban give excuses.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 27th, 2012
9:24 pm
@ all my friend on here…….all the posts made under my name since about 7:30PM tonight were FAKE. PLEASE IGNORE THEM!!!! As proof that I am the REAL Supersize…..I will simply say Tubman, Butler, ARC
Delbert D.
September 27th, 2012
9:26 pm
Super – I’ve posted here and on other blogs recently about the difference between the 3-4 and 4-3 as to defensive line responsibilities. The 3-4 that Tech uses was innovated by Bill Parcells. I say, “innovated,”, because the 3-4 is based on the 5-4 defense developed by Bud Wilkinson in the ’40s, and became known as the “Oklahoma 5-4.” That’s the defense I played in in high school.
The “premium” or “hard to find” player in the 3-4 is the NT. Not for sacks, but to tie up 2 blockers and still be able to make the tackle when blocked 1 on 1. The “premium” player in the 4-3 is the DE; the fast, medium-sized (240-265 lbs) pass rusher and backfield disruptor.
In the 3-4, the “easier-to-find-than-a 4-3 DE,” the OLB is the sack threat. Georgia has an All-American at that position, possibly a #1 draft pick, depending on whether a 3-4 or 4-3 team has that pick. If you look at the NFL sack stats for last year, 5 of the top 10 sack guys were 3-4 LBs. The nearest 3-4 D-lineman showed up at # 19. Among all 58 players that had at least 6 sacks, 5 were D-linemen.
Some people on the blogs keep ignoring the schemes and dynamics of the 3-4 and complain about the NT and DEs as *The Problem*. Their are a few problems; for example, the starter last year at NT, Logan Walls had 3 sacks. The LBs had 14. Those are not outstanding numbers, especially for the LBs, as the afore-mentioned Jarvis Jones had 14.5 alone (but he was a redshirt junior All-American, not a true sophomore first-year starter as Attaochu was last season. However, that doesn’t give Attaochu any slack for this year’s results in my book.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 27th, 2012
9:26 pm
One of you will know exactly what I meant by that. And that same person emailed me earlier tonight regarding a constitutional issue, to which I responded. I am leaving now to watch some more TV, so any further posts attributed to me are FAKE. PLEASE, all of you, email Ken and let him know.
Delbert D.
September 27th, 2012
9:29 pm
North Carolina’s chancellor is raising the criteria for athlete admissions beginning next year and cancelling some popular crip courses. The details will be announced in the spring.
1 4 GT
September 27th, 2012
9:29 pm
I doubt that is the real Supersize discussing the BOR issue with y’all. I distinctly recall him having the same attitude as ole yeller. That the BOR held GT back athletically by not allowing GT to expand the curriculum. Now this poser has taken a 180* tack on this issue. I suggest the name thief is messing with y”all. SS & I have talked about this too. The things the poser is saying are not SS’s views. Just saying.
Delbert D.
September 27th, 2012
9:37 pm
I was too involved in my posts that I didn’t catch that BOR thing. I just backtracked the blog, and now I got it. That was not Super.
ole yeller
September 27th, 2012
9:39 pm
Talked to SS, since early this evening the real Super has not been on this blog. Ken, you really do need to do something. The name theft is becoming more prevalent than ever on your blogs.
It’s real easy to fix. You are in control, just explain the rules and stick by them.