Tech vs. highly ranked run defenses
BYU is ranked eighth against the run, at 93.1 yards per game, along with 2.9 yards per carry. Georgia Tech has three games in a row against teams with highly-rated run defenses, as Maryland (sixth at 87.6 yards per game) and North Carolina (25th at 116.5) follow the Cougars.
How has Tech fared against top 25 run defenses?
Year Team Rank Avg. Total GT avg. Result
2011 Utah 20 113.5 326 316.5 L, 30-27 OT
2011 UGA 11 101.2 264 316.5 L, 31-17
2011 VT 14 104.1 281 316.5 L, 37-26
2010 NCSU 14 114.3 282 323.3 L, 45-28
2010 UNC 22 125.6 393 323.3 W, 30-24
2009 UNC 10 95.6 346 295.4 W, 24-7
2008 LSU 17 110.2 180 273.2 L, 38-3
2008 VT 14 104.4 289 273.2 L, 20-17
2008 BC 7 91.2 200 273.2 W, 19-16
A few things – One, the 3-6 record isn’t inspiring, though I’d attribute only a couple to an inability to run the ball. Two, Tech’s total in all instances but one (LSU) at least doubled the average. In some instances, particularly when Butch Davis was involved, Tech surpassed its own average.
Three, Tech’s poorest rushing games haven’t always been against top-ranked defenses. In 2011, Miami’s 68th-ranked run defense held Tech to 150 yards. Same deal in 2009, when the Hurricanes limited Tech to 159. That defense was 32nd against the run.
In 2008, Al Groh-coached Virginia held Tech to 196 rushing yards with a defense that finished the season ranked 72nd at 149.6 yards per game. (I’ve wondered if that game planted seeds in Paul Johnson’s head about Groh’s defensive ability. As I recall it, Tech had all manner of trouble moving the ball after the first quarter.)
That same year, Tech ran for 121 yards against Gardner-Webb, which finished 30th in FCS in rushing defense. The infamous Gardner-Webb game. If you’re wondering, and I’m sure you aren’t, the Bulldogs finished 5-6 that season. The Tech game was their best in terms of points (10) and yards allowed (199). The very next week, Presbyterian hit up Gardner-Webb for 492 yards in a 47-21 loss.
2. In the all-telling (that’s sarcasm) “How has Tech’s opponent done vs. similar offenses” category…
BYU played Air Force in 2010, losing 35-14. The Falcons rolled up 477 yards of offense, including 409 on the ground (nine of them supplied by Darius Jones, Roddy’s brother). Air Force was aided by three Cougars turnovers and held the ball for 36:59. That same Air Force team, you may recall, also defeated Tech in the Independence Bowl. BYU finished the season ranked 45th against the run.
Coincidentally, BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall fired his defensive coordinator midway through that season. Mendenhall acts as the team’s defensive coordinator.
3. I read the Salt Lake Tribune game story from BYU’s loss to Notre Dame and was particularly amused by reader comments about quarterback Riley Nelson (who missed a pass that would have appeared to be a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter) and backup James Lark. Perhaps you’ll notice something familiar about them.
Thanks for reading.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
132 comments Add your comment
CPJ's Offense Breakdown
October 22nd, 2012
10:26 pm
@TechApp and @fuzzybee78 – great explanation of the TO run out of CPJ’s base formation can be found here:
http://thebirddog.wordpress.com/2007/10/05/reading-is-fundamental/
It will give you an idea of how the QB makes his pre-snap and in play reads. Keep in mind, this is just one play run out of one formation, CPJ’s O can get extremely complex depending on the experience level of the players (not just the QB). And yes, there are pre-determined runs (including the fullback dive) in this offense. Everything in this scheme depends on what the defense gives you and sometimes that takes a few series to figure out.
William Casey
October 22nd, 2012
11:16 pm
Statistics are useful tools but football is an emotional game that often defie statistical analysis. I suspect that BYU is marginally the better team. However, I suspect that the oddsmakers feel (as I do) that BYU got “up” for ND last week and will be naturally “down” this week without the comforts of home. I suspect that if this game were in Provo, the oddsmakers would have BYU a 3-4 point favorite.
William Casey
October 22nd, 2012
11:16 pm
“defy”… I’m tired.
1 4 GT
October 22nd, 2012
11:17 pm
CPJ’s Offense Breakdown….that is a very good, understandable example of just one play in CPJ’s 3 option offense. Anyone that reads it should be able to understand how complex a scheme it truly is. It takes time to learn it. Each position has a definite job to carry out and it must be executed with exquisite timing. Thanks for providing the link to it.
fuzzybee78
October 22nd, 2012
11:42 pm
@CPJ’s offense—now I know how Vad feels!
yeller bug
October 23rd, 2012
12:30 am
You need Academy or smart people to run this—great link CPJ.
If Vad is not up to speed on the reads, then he shouldn’t run the TO often. Doesn’t mean he shouldn’t play. I think you have Vad prep about 25 plays—mostly passes and mostly from the pistol and thus if BYU does stuff our run, then we bring in a passing attack. We need to mix it up on offense and play wide open. Make our opposing Ds wonder what they will see. You can run the TO from the pistol—different blocking scheme—less emphasis on the dive and more on direction—motion one way, yet QB can go the other way. Need good pass blocking which hasn’t happened yet.
What’s the injury report Ken? Laskey, and we had two lineman leave the game. Are they going to be back?
We can win this game and that will give us a little MO to go on the road. Hope everyone shows up to suppport the team.
GT
October 23rd, 2012
8:19 am
BYU always clever. There is something about that clean living that brings whatever they got to the field with them.
They don’t get much pub, part of the reason is they are out west and part of the reason is they are so clean cut. They were the team TCU always had to overcome to get to their national recognition. I am glad they are doing this national tour they are on this year. They need some exposure. They are the exact team that beats Tech. They are very disciplined, smart and have some clever stuff up their sleeve exactly like Johnson. This will be a real test for Tech.
Jacket '62
October 23rd, 2012
9:07 am
BYU needs to get ready to meet some guys that really know how to block……Go Tech
WnE
October 23rd, 2012
10:42 am
CPJ is supposed to be an Offensive Genius, yet when he has played Top-25 run defenses he is only 3-6 and those 3 wins came from within the very weak ACC.
CPJ is 0-6 vs. top-25 run defenses OUTSIDE the ACC!
2 of those wins came in 08 & 09 with Chan’s RECRUITS, in 2010 & beyond he is 1- 4 with his own recruits.
So much for the BLTs claim that he “can do more with less”!
I haven’t kept up , but the last time I checked CPJ was something like 1-13 vs. Top-50 Defenses since the 2010 season thru this season’s 7 games.
It seems like our Offensive genius has earned his fat contract from DRad by scamming him & the GTAA in paying him a ton of money for getting fat off of weak competition.
He can only get away with that at GT, at other schools the fanbases & the ADs are too smart to fall for that.
CPJ was really smart to pick “an easy mark” like GT to try his gimmicks on.
The overwhelming majority fell for it, but not WnE, I have had him pegged accurately since before he was hired back in Dec. 2007.
WnE hath spoken; so let it be written, so let it be said!
robodawg
October 23rd, 2012
10:55 am
Ken, really interesting chart. Those are some really high rushing yard totals even in the losses. One stat I’d like to see you add is yards per carry compared to the avg yards per carry allowed by those teams. Tech is going to beat most team’s avg total rushing yards allowed simply b/c Tech is going to run the ball more often than any other opponent those teams face.
Points scored v. best scoring defenses would also be telling.
Ben
October 23rd, 2012
11:51 am
Hey guys coming up from florida to the BYU game. Need some suggestions for a spot to tailgate. Visitor or GT section doesnt matter to me. The way I see it we are all college football fans so you guys are all good in my book. Any help would be appreciated. Pay for parking okay just not to pricey. Let me know. Thanks!!!!
1 4 GT
October 23rd, 2012
11:55 am
For those of you that take the time to read & absorb the link near the top of this page about the offensive scheme CPJ uses……………it illustrates very well why Vad Lee or anyone else has not taken over from Tevin yet. Vad is getting there, but not just yet. No matter how much some of us want CPJ to hand it to him, Vad has to earn it by learning, maybe not all of it, but enough to be effective in the offense. Vad will get more & more playing time & may well be the starter before season’s end. That would suit me just fine, in spite of what Joe thinks. In spite of what Joe thinks, the 3 option is not so easy to run, and while Tevin is far from perfect, he does run the offense pretty good. Tevin has made mistakes & errors on the field. But, Tevin has played good enough (talking about this year only) that GT should have lost no more than one game with a just average defense. The lack of a cohesive defense has hurt Tech more than Tevin’s miscues. With an average defense, some of those miscues would not have had a chance of being played out. This is what Joe refuses to see & acknowledge. I will not acknowledge Joe again. I know he could care less.
1 4 GT
October 23rd, 2012
12:14 pm
Ben………there are several of us Tech guys that gather in a parking lot at the corner of W Peachtree & 2nd st/Ponce de Leon Ave. We will be in the southeastern corner (or very near the corner) around a white/cream colored Honda P/Up. One of us will be in a wheelchair. We will begin gathering around 12:00 Noon. Everyone will be wearing Tech gear. I imagine everyone else will be glad to have you join us. The more the merrier. That lot is a season long pass. I park in a parking garage on 3rd st. You will likely be going north on I75/85. Get off on the Spring St/W Peachtree St exit (1st exit south of the Varsity). Get in the far left lane. Come to the 2nd light (W P’tree). Turn left. You will see the season pass lot on the left after crossing North Ave. Come to the second intersection & turn left. Go one block to Spring St. Turn Left. Go one block & turn left. Entrance to the parking garage where I park is the first place on the left ($20). Park & walk out the entrance, turn left to the corner of W P’tree, turn right & walk one block & there we are. C’mon up!!!
WnE
October 23rd, 2012
1:37 pm
re:
1 4 GT
October 23rd, 2012
12:14 pm
Ben………there are several of us Tech guys that gather in a parking lot at the corner of W Peachtree & 2nd st/Ponce de Leon Ave. We will be in the southeastern corner (or very near the corner) around a white/cream colored Honda P/Up. One of us will be in a wheelchair. We will begin gathering around 12:00 Noon. Everyone will be wearing Tech gear. I imagine everyone else will be glad to have you join us. The more the merrier. That lot is a season long pass. I park in a parking garage on 3rd st. You will likely be going north on I75/85. Get off on the Spring St/W Peachtree St exit (1st exit south of the Varsity). Get in the far left lane. Come to the 2nd light (W P’tree). Turn left. You will see the season pass lot on the left after crossing North Ave. Come to the second intersection & turn left. Go one block to Spring St. Turn Left. Go one block & turn left. Entrance to the parking garage where I park is the first place on the left ($20). Park & walk out the entrance, turn left to the corner of W P’tree, turn right & walk one block & there we are. C’mon up!!!
______________
Thanks for the invite!
Al Bundy
October 23rd, 2012
1:40 pm
WnE, Thanks for your words of wisdom. I was beginning to think you had been taken out by the Blog Mob or something! Like I’ve said before and I’ll say it again, I agree with you on some of things you post but your delivery could use some work.
GT4Life
October 23rd, 2012
1:59 pm
GTJoe – you continously ask for Vad Lee to start. But if you understood the game, you’d see that he still needs time to develop and understand the system. Tevin for now, is a better all around quarter back.
Einstein
October 23rd, 2012
2:26 pm
GTJoe is right. It’s time for Vad Lee. Let Tevin start, but you’ve got to start playing Vad more and more. Like in 2009, with our porous defense our best chance to win games is for the O to step up and score every time it touches the ball. Vad brings energy to the offense and with his strong arm and passing accuracy will keep opponents’ defenses on the lookout for the pass, i.e., this will open up the ground game. Yes, without the experience running the O he will make mistakes, however, he will over the long run give us the better chance to win.
Ben
October 23rd, 2012
2:26 pm
1 4 GT:
I am a BYU fan I hope you guys are okay with that
Me and the wife are coming up but arent leaving until early morning in FL. Hope to be there around 1 just depends on the when the sitter gets to our house. Thanks for the invite and I appreciate the offer and the info!!!!
GT4Life
October 23rd, 2012
3:01 pm
Einstein = GTJoe
1 4 GT
October 23rd, 2012
4:48 pm
Today is my 30th day of sobriety.
Al Bundy
October 23rd, 2012
5:13 pm
1 4 GT
Congrats!!!! And I pray you will stay strong!
...Take The Wheel
October 23rd, 2012
6:03 pm
BIG Congratulations 1 4!! I love to hear that for you
… and btw I agree with you about the qb’s. Lee had impressive moments last week. But its obvious that he still has a little work to do learning the TO. I’m please to see PJ using all of his tools and I think he should continue to do so – without sacrificing whats left of the season. At this point we still have a chance of becoming bowl eligible – and I think we should continue to fight for that!
GOOOOOO JACKETS!!!
...Take The Wheel
October 23rd, 2012
6:07 pm
CPJ if you are reading….
I was really happy to see us try a few new things! THANKS FOR THE FLEE FLICKER I’ve been begging for all season! Its too bad the throw didn’t work out. Can we try it with Days??
I also hope we get the kicker situation ironed out this week. The might be essential on Saturday
...Take The Wheel
October 23rd, 2012
6:08 pm
*they
TechApp fan
October 23rd, 2012
8:49 pm
14, congrats! Keep up the good work!
My fun thing for today-50 years ago, I entered the US Army and Kennedy was so impressed he placed the entire army on alert and moved about half to Florida! LOL
1 4 GT
October 23rd, 2012
9:05 pm
The 1 4 GT some are congratulating for quitting drinking are congratulating a phony name thief!!!! The NAME THIEF posted under my blog handle @ 4:48 PM today the 23rd day of October.
1 4 GT
October 23rd, 2012
9:12 pm
NAME THIEF ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the post under MY blog handle @ 4:48 PM is a PHONY NAME THIEF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The AJC has prioritized the fix they have been saying was coming for over half a year, maybe as long as a year, straight to the bottom of their “to do” list. Thanks to the muckety mucks at COX MEDIA GROUP-ATLANTA & the AJC, we have to endure this crap or stay off the blogs. THANKS CMG-ATL & AJC FOR NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vad the Impaler
October 24th, 2012
9:38 am
Those of you who want Vad the starter…never coach college football…even if its offered, refuse, because you would blow at it. Vad obviously has a ton of upside, I have been excited to see him in the game and frankly doing well. However for an entire game I would prefer to have Tevin who is steady. He actually has a completion percentage worth looking at, regardless of how bad it looks in the air, he makes much better reads on the pitch. We still need to get bowl eligible, so PJ can have a shot and winning one of those and get that monkey off our backs. In addition what happens when you put your future in as starter and he gets hurt…progress lost, damage done to next years team. You get him in to get him som experience, work on some things in game speed, but you go with your best to win ball games. PJ is doing this just right, and the rest of you can just shut it…
Starrs Mill Jacket
October 24th, 2012
1:16 pm
I could die a happy man if somehow 37 could take a few snaps at A Back…. he’s faster than people think, has MUCH better field vision than people think, AND he has the heart of a warrior… CPJ would look like a genius….
Tech notes: Pocket containment key vs. BYU | Georgia Tech
October 24th, 2012
9:50 pm
[...] Tech vs. highly ranked run defenses [...]
Tech notes: Jackets prepping for BYU hurry-up | Georgia Tech
October 25th, 2012
9:40 pm
[...] Tech vs. highly ranked run defenses [...]
Penn State, Georgia State possible Tech opponents | Georgia Tech
October 25th, 2012
9:45 pm
[...] Tech vs. highly ranked run defenses [...]