Not all wins over Tech are created equal
The best thing about this season for UGA: The development of Aaron Murray at quarterback. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
Some more thoughts on Georgia’s 42-34 victory over Georgia Tech …
As anyone in red and black knows, any win over the trade school is a good win, but judging from the postgame conversations and chatter on the radio and online, Dogs fans left Saturday’s game without nearly as positive an attitude as after last year’s “I run this state” victory in Atlanta.
Part of that likely is tied to the overall frustration with a 6-6 season and the graphic evidence provided on the field Saturday that Georgia’s defense has a long way to go before it gets back to respectability. Any team running any semblance of an option running attack piled up the yards this year, with Tech being just the most notable example.
Also a factor in the postgame quibbling was the way Mike “Balance for the Sake of Balance” Bobo once again seemed to take his foot off the pedal once the Dogs got up a couple of scores. I realize that the play-action passing game is somewhat dependent on the defense thinking there’s a possibility of a run, but, really, was there any need for that pretense Saturday night? Al Groh’s defense had sold out against the run and doubled-up A.J. Green (which even then wasn’t enough to slow him down), meaning the pass was open nearly every play.
And yet Bobo insisted on trying those runs up the middle too many times, the worst case being when the Dogs got the ball back with 9:35 on the clock and a slim 35-28 lead and started off with two one-yard runs by Washaun Ealey before Aaron Murray got sacked, necessitating giving the ball back to a Tech offense that Georgia clearly couldn’t stop at that point. After the first play of that Georgia drive, you could hear the anguished cries of fans throughout the stadium, “Throw the ball!”
Thus was the game a lot closer than it needed to be. Had Georgia put Murray back in the shotgun and let him sling it downfield all night long, it’s doubtful Tech’s defense could have done anything to stop the onslaught. Why must it always be so difficult?
On the plus side, Murray again showed what a special quarterback he’s becoming. Aside from the fumbled snap on that last fourth-and-1, he put on an impressive display all evening long, scrambling out of trouble, completing 76 percent of his passes and making few mistakes. Kudos to Bobo and Mark Richt for another superior job of quarterback development. …
The most heads-up play of the night came in the fourth quarter when Brandon Boykin fumbled on a kickoff return and Marlon Brown picked up the ball without missing a beat. Give Marlon credit for his fair catch of a short kick to the 30-yard-line, too. Speaking of which. …
Brain fart of the night: Shaun Chapas letting a pooch kickoff bounce off the ground before trying to catch it, resulting in a fumble to open the game. Even rec league kids know better. …
Nice snag by Bruce Figgins in the end zone on the Dogs’ third score. I think we threw to him twice all year and both were TDs. And full credit to Murray there for finding the open man. …
What a strange experience it is for a longtime Georgia fan seeing a Dogs offense that can’t pick up the first down on fourth-and-inches. …
Good thing the Dogs didn’t need a timeout in the fourth quarter since they used them all up in the third, two of them while grinding out the final three yards for that fourth touchdown. …
For a rivalry game, the Sanford Stadium crowd was pretty dead for much of the game, no doubt because fans were stunned by Georgia’s inability to stop Tech on the ground. Finally, on the Jackets’ next-to-last possession, the crowd came to life on third and fourth down with 17 yards to go. I still say moving the Redcoats to the end zone, where they could be heard better throughout the stadium, would help keep fans in the game.
And while we’re on the subject of managing gameday Between the Hedges, how hard would it be for the folks in the booth and Richt to get on the same page so the Dogs actually take the field when they’re introduced? …
I have no idea what Samuel L. Jackson was doing on the field in UGA garb, but it was cool seeing him up on the big screen. …
Lastly, a shout out to Malinda Erwin of Oglethorpe County, who normally sits in front of me in Section 104 but missed Saturday’s game because of hip surgery. She usually is there at the games beside Mac Colvin, her best friend of 50 years. We missed you, Malinda!
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280 comments Add your comment
Saint Simon and God & Greyhound
November 28th, 2010
8:57 pm
MURRAY IS A BAD MOFO…….JUST ASK TO SEE HIS LEATHER WALLET!!
Yellow
November 28th, 2010
8:57 pm
Enter your comments here
the genius PJ
November 28th, 2010
8:57 pm
Why is Pj not a candidate for any of the head coaching vacancies? never hear his name mentioned.
AltamahaDawg
November 28th, 2010
9:01 pm
Excellent point Dawg 39. Another way to state that is this: switching OC in the offseason and going through that transition next year while the defense is still trying to adjust, is foolish for Richt if he is in fact worried about his job next year. His best chance of having a better record next year is to keep his staff in place and just improve the team to win a few more of the close game. That’s really all he will HAVE to do. Might not be championship (which ain’t happening anyway till he recruits some championship classes) but it wouldn’t be suicide either. All he HAS to do next year is have a better record. I see him making some minor changes, but no way is he going to make major changes. Some might argue that hiring a new OC, even transforming the scheme would be best for the long run, but history has shown that it’s a tough first year, I don;t care who that OC is. Maybe as some point, but it’s not going to be this one. Look at all the comments about how Grantham is “obviously not the answer” after just one year, not even his players. Not to mention his first year working with the entire defensive staff, some of whom haven’t even coached the 3-4 before. Imagine next year the offense going through transition pains……..think the restless fans are going to understand that? No way! Ironically, it’s the most vocal fan’s and thier ultimatums, that probably offer the best argument NOT to change the staff right now. Not that I think that decision makers are even listening to that. Aware as always, but not factoring it in.
KeepDreaming
November 28th, 2010
9:02 pm
Hey J @ 7:06 PM
Your correct, you play the game to win. And we did! Thanks for the pointer captain obvious.
Glad it hurts so bad!
NERD!
Rick
November 28th, 2010
9:08 pm
Guess what? That genius at GT let UGA score and he still lost. That makes the genius a loser.
John
November 28th, 2010
9:08 pm
Georgia’s defense faced 4 of the top 30 scoring offenses in the country.
#7 Auburn, #17 Ark, etc.
Georgia’s Offense faced 2 of the top 30 scoring defenses in the country.
#25 Miss St., #26 SC
still a dawg fan
November 28th, 2010
9:10 pm
Does anyone know if CMR has answered the question about why we ran the ball at the end of the game instead of taking a knee & running out the clock?
dog forever
November 28th, 2010
9:21 pm
PHIL 7:07pm who gets credit when the players block and tackle …….. or who gets credit for cam newton the coach …….
take a lesson from SABAN he said it was his fault ALA lost …… thats what good coaches do Richt needs to learn that …..
ALSO WHO MAKES GREAT ADJUSTMENT AT HALF TIME …. ONLY COACHES THAT WIN …..
PostMan
November 28th, 2010
9:22 pm
I think the final score accurately reflects the two teams. UGA is probably 7 points better than Tech (let’s give em the missed PAT). Not a huge difference, but hey, a win is a win.
PHIL
November 28th, 2010
9:22 pm
Altamaha Dawg you are no longer allowed to post here, too smart.
dog forever
November 28th, 2010
9:24 pm
GREAT PLAYERS MAKE GREAT COACHES ……….. ASK PHIL JACKSON AND THE LIKES
PHIL
November 28th, 2010
9:26 pm
Dog forever I never heard anyone give coaches credit for making a tackle or a block EVER. The only coach I have ever heard given credit for anything Cam Newton did was Trooper who brokered the deal, I mean signed him to play at Auburn.
And Dog forever tell me just exactly what adjustment YOU would have made at half time? tell them to tackle the guy instead of not? You are allowed to continue to post as you fit the mold.
willdawg
November 28th, 2010
9:29 pm
So let me get this right…”small” johnson is a genius for letting us score? I guess he forgot that the backup QB throws like a 12 year old girl. A win is win and all that guff last yr about shrieveport. Karma SUX for you. 16 of 20, 9 of 10, we run this state!!!
katherine
November 28th, 2010
9:29 pm
blah blah blah….tech was practically given the game by all of the turnovers georgia made. Tech didn’t lose the game…georgia somehow managed to win it…even with all the mistakes. It was a very sloppy game on both sides…and much work has to be done with the dawgs…like they don’t already know it. But, in the end, a win is a win and it is a sweet one.
JRW7
November 28th, 2010
9:41 pm
I know the DAWGS scored the most points last night, BUT did we really win? It looked real ugly to me! CMR needs to go!!!!
JRW7
November 28th, 2010
9:48 pm
CMR does have problems. UGA is at a crossroad with CMR, If he stays, we might get 9 to 10 win seasons every now and then, but UGA will never never win the college football NC with CMR!
Bob
November 28th, 2010
9:48 pm
Paul Johnson is dumber than he looks if thought he could let Georgia score and then expect his team and QB to orchestrate a Joe Montana type drive and then go for two to tie. How dumb is that?
Blackberry Cobbler
November 28th, 2010
9:58 pm
400+ yards rushing by Tech………….
Good thing Grantham and the defense had 2 weeks to prepare……………
The defense is lousy and, apparantly so is the coaching. Two weeks to figure out how to defense Tech and still can’t handle it.
Pathetic.
UGA Season Ticket Holder since 1986
November 28th, 2010
10:03 pm
still a dog fan – Because there was too much time on the clock to take a knee twice. Georgia would have had to have tried a field goal (risking a fumble or a blocked kick or a miss) or given the ball back to Tech with about 20 seconds left on the clock. Georgia ran the ball because they needed to eat up a few more seconds in order to run out the clock.. Now that we know that Tech’s theory was to simply quit and try a theory that has NEVER worked a single time in Division IA college ball EVER, Ealey could have just turned around and ran toward the Georgia goal for about twenty seconds and then they could have taken a knee and run out the clock (if you remember James Jackson against South Carolina, you know that is risky as well). The best alternative, knowing now that Tech would quit, would have been for Ealey to have gotten the first down and taken a knee there. But to answer your question, taking a knee two times would not have run out the clock.
Gordon – I’ve given numerous examples where alternate actions have won football games in the past. I’m still waiting for an example where giving up points and hoping for a touchdown plus two won a game.
Gordon? Gordon? Bueller? Anyone? Anyone?
I thought not.
Jay
November 28th, 2010
10:06 pm
Richts team finished #2 in 2007, two years after Van Gorder left. Also, Tech started the season
ranked higher than UGA, so which team had the worse season ?
mcgdawg
November 28th, 2010
10:43 pm
90+ offensive plays / 512 total yards/ 411 rushing/ 32 first downs/ 2 weeks to prepare…..ENOUGH SAID!
mcgdawg
November 28th, 2010
10:45 pm
THE DEFENSE SUCKS….PERIOD!
JaxDawg
November 28th, 2010
10:55 pm
How does PJ fit his fat head in that tiny techie stadium? Enquiring minds want to know!
John
November 28th, 2010
10:57 pm
Defense held 8 out of 12 teams to UNDER scoring average and faced 4 of the top 30 scoring offenses in the country. WOW!
OFFENSE? Faced just 2 top 30 scoring defenses, and bomed against both, didn’t score a point against South Carolina and scored 1 td against Miss St.
Nutty
November 28th, 2010
10:59 pm
If the offense could have gotten a 3rd down conversion in the 2nd, 3rd or 4th quarter, Georgia Tech might not have had 90+ plays.
mcgdawg
November 28th, 2010
11:00 pm
Thank you John….Still doesn’t make it feel any better.
Nutty
November 28th, 2010
11:01 pm
Really dissapointed with the offense ranking #71 in rush offense. With this experienced O-Line and Washaun Ealey & Caleb King, should have been a great year, just didn’t happen.
Rush offense gets worse each year under Bobo, #5 in SEC in 08, #7 in SEC in 09′, and now #10 in SEC in 10′.
mcgdawg
November 28th, 2010
11:02 pm
I’m with you Nutty!
Nutty
November 28th, 2010
11:05 pm
All 6 of Georgia’s wins were against opponents scoring defenses ranked #60 or worse.
Nutty
November 28th, 2010
11:06 pm
What happended to the run game this year? Can’t crack it.
Nutty
November 28th, 2010
11:09 pm
Only thing I can figure is, teams put 8 in the box, against a Freshman QB, to stuff the run and force the inexperienced QB to beat him with his arm. Maybe Cox was more seasoned on audibles knowing which play to call, since Cox was a Senior.
Either that, or the O-Line coach and RB coach need to be fired.
Ted Striker
November 28th, 2010
11:20 pm
Agree with you that moving the position of the redcoat band would be beneficial. Excellent suggestion.
icedawg
November 28th, 2010
11:24 pm
The Dawgs did what they had to do to win the game and had some help along the way. As Shultz wrote or quoted someone else, “It wasn’t pretty but it was a win.” The jury is still out on the 3-4 defense configuration. If it is the right personnel that we are lacking to utilize that kind of a defense what makes us think that we are going to have that kind for next year? Maybe it can be a pro configuration but in college? Looks like way to many lanes for the backs to romp through. We got eaten alive this year on the ground. What makes us think that it will be much different defensively next year? Having said all of that, I am surprised that across the conferences there did not seem to be an outstanding defensive team. Think about the huge score posted against even most of the “top” teams. You hardly heard of someone being shut out. The Dawgs were a decent team offensively this year. We scored enough points to win most of our games. Hopefully next year we will be able to do the same, maybe not quite as much if we’re missing AJ. But we have some good receivers in addition to him. The special teams, well, they need a lot more work. Next year will be a huge challenge for the coaching staff, especially defensive. Another year like this year defensively would make you wonder if the old Junkyard Dawg ethos has been lost for good.
My Dawg Has Fleas
November 28th, 2010
11:29 pm
Just think how many more wins the Dawgs would have if Cam Newton was playing tight end for us this season. If only the boosters could have raised the 200k Daddy Newton was asking to sign Cam, the Dawgs could have another TE that only catches TD passes .Of course Bobo only calls one or two passes to the tight ends each game.
DawgVoiceofReason
November 28th, 2010
11:39 pm
UGA season ticket holder since 1986,
I don’t have an example of where this strategy has won the game, although I have not taken the time to look for one. I do know, however, that the result of Tech’s action did in fact give them the ball back with what should have been sufficient time for them to drive down the field, score a touchdown and score the game tying two point conversion. Therefore it (the play itself) worked as designed. Was it likely that they would ultimately win with their pathetic passing game? No. Was it possible? Certainly. There are hundreds of examples of teams driving the length of the field and scoring with over a minute to go in the game. They drove to midfield with plenty of time still on the clock. They made the gutsy, smart decision to do what they did. Whether or not they won they game, it gave them the best chance to win given the circumstances. There was 1 minute 35 seconds on the clock. Allowing three seconds per kneel down, and using the 40 second clock, they would have had only about 6 seconds on the clock to go about 80 to 85 yards to score a touchdown to win. How many examples do you have of that occurring?
ca dawg
November 28th, 2010
11:53 pm
@altamaha dawg: thank you for calling bill out for that “runs up the middle” comment. i was about to do the same when i saw your comment. i also think it’s odd that it’s bobo’s fault for “taking his foot off the gas” when we get a two score lead but he gets no credit for calling the plays and developing the gameplan that got us a two score lead in the first place. stupid.
@icedawg: i hear you about the defense. i was disappointed by our performance last night and the last month. we just haven’t developed in the system the way i had hoped. while i’m pleased that our tackling and discipline (with penalties) has improved a great deal this year, obviously we are not anywhere close to where we need to be.
imo, it’s a personnel issue rather than a coaching issue: we don’t have a true nose guard, and until we do we’re going to struggle to stop the run consistently. CMR was right on in his postgame comments, saying that a top recruiting priority was getting a few big boys that can clog up the middle on defense. we’ve just offered a JC nose guard (his name escapes me), and signed a kid from spalding (chris mayes, i think) with a huge frame and a big upside. the continued development of kwame geathers and bean anderson (and adding jarvis jones at ILB) will hopefully help us get bigger and stronger up the middle.
btw, a couple of bones for rambo. he’s had a tough year but played a very good game last night–some good, hard tackling and two forced fumbles. hoping he can build on that, b/c we’ve got to get a lot better in the secondary.
BigTenChamp
November 29th, 2010
12:27 am
Contrary to what I have read here, I think UGA was very lucky to get out of that game with a win. GT absolutely ran them out of the stadium, and it it weren’t for the turnovers in their territory, GT would have won by 2-3 touchdowns. 500 + yards total offense! I am still trying to see what UGA did that was good. Tech dominated that game on the ground, but had no passing game. UGA had no ground game, and did OK in the air. UGA defense had their a@@ handed to them all night, while GT defense had more sacks in the game then they had in the last 3-4 games combined.
Coastal D
November 29th, 2010
12:42 am
The following comment was listed because Mark Bradley’s blog will not accept it:
Mark,
Interesting spin you place on the game After reading the article I had to go back and make sure we won the game I attended last night.
Give credit to Tech’s O line and RB Allen. They did a great job of blowing us off the line and Allen would get 4 yards just by twisting and falling.
Our Defense is a couple of players away. The efforts of the players was great and ultimately was the reason we prevailed. They refused to give when their backs were against the wall. I am extremely proud of the players but the coaches must do a better job of recognizing our shortfalls and correcting them.
Tech could not stop AJ, Durham, Charles, Figgins, and Murray, but our offensive coaches could and did. In crucial situations we ran 1st and 2nd downs into the middle of the line where we had made nothing. The passing game was going. Is that arrogance or ignorance?
Finally we ran outside and it worked. It’s been there all year but we have refused to run it. Not only mixing run and pass changes it up but different types of runs does it also. We have the speed to run outside but never used it until late last night.
When something is working ride it until they prove they can stop it. Tech sure rode the dive to Allen.
As far as outsmarting us…Richt was just being diplomatic and not putting down Johnson. He was probably thinking what an idiot. Genius had just used his timeouts and you are going to tell us he was going down the field in a minute on the ground with no timeouts AND get the 2 pt conversion…or he was going to use the nation’s worst passing offense to go the distance?
C’mon Mark, you are smarter than that. You are just trying to stir the pot or make Tech fans feel better about their situation. If they left the game feeling good about that aspect, then so much for the myth of their intelligence.
Oh, and BTW, why would a highly ranked receiver such as Stephen Hill or current recruits consider playing in that offense where the best they get to do is run the every 3rd play in to the QB and get 1-2 pass attempts per game?
9 of 10….Go Dawgs!
Coastal D
November 29th, 2010
12:44 am
Big Ten…Georgia somehow managed 42 points which was enough to win.
Go Dawgs!
DodgerDAWG
November 29th, 2010
1:30 am
Bottom Line…UGA needs an SEC quality Offensive Coordinator. Bobo may be OK as a QB coah, but for play calling it has shown throughout the year he does not have the qualities to be an SEC offensive coordinator. CUT HIM RICHT
UGA Season Ticket Holder since 1986
November 29th, 2010
1:35 am
Dawg Voice of Reason : Since you’re not like that idiot Gordon, I’ll give you a response. Bluegrass Miracle is one that pops to mind immediatel without any research at all. Accordingly, that’s already one better that Tech’s brilliant strategy which has no record of ever having worked. Additionally, plenty of history, already cited, about fumbling the ball. I remember the Tennessee game where Jabari Davis fumbled on the goal line with seconds before half time and Sean Jones returned it for a touchdown. Admittedly that was half time but it could have just as easily applied to the end of a game. Again. There is NO recorded success for what Tech did. Accordingly, there is no reason AT ALL for people to be pounding on Ealey for scoring. Sure, it got Tech a few plays but with no record of success, it would have been playing the odds to try and strip the ball rather than give up points. Again, Georgia was running out the clock on Purdue in a Bowl Game and Purdue stripped the ball and recovered and sent the game to overtime. Example after example of other strategies working. NO example of Tech’s strategy ever having worked in Division IA (BCS) college football.
UGA Season Ticket Holder since 1986
November 29th, 2010
1:41 am
Big Ten Champ – Without seeming too obvious, outscoring their opponent by 8 points was something that Georgia did that was good. Other things that Georgia did that were good: stopping Tech without any points at all after the muffed kickoff, stripping the ball and recovering inside the ten, taking a 14-0 lead when by any and all rights, they should have been down 0-14, intercepting a pass on the final possession, stripping a pitch and taking it in for a touchdown. A lot of good things indeed.
UGH...
November 29th, 2010
1:57 am
i always watch the highlights of the game over and over again.
not for this one. most disappointing win we’ve had all season.
used to look forward to this game every year because of the confidence i had in this team.
now it’s one of the most stressful days of the year. go dawgs.
Fair and Balanced
November 29th, 2010
5:40 am
I agree with ya Bill. As a long time GA fan (since I was born 59 years ago), I am so sick and VERY tired of NOT being able to get a first down on 3rd and 2 or 4th and 1 or 4th and INCHES! Gosh how pathetic! I am sick of this single dimensional thing Richt brought here! If GA has had a running game it was only by accident when Richt finally brought out Knowshan and discovered, duh, he can run. But who can block? It appears that nobody in silver britches can!
BoWeevil
November 29th, 2010
6:11 am
We lose a lot, and have with next year’s disappointing class, 3 years in a row of poor recruiting classes – the 2009 class is poor because those players are not here any longer. We have no where near the players for next season that we had this season.
Aaron Murray was great ? That explains why he was 2 for 7 on 3rd down conversions, sacked, fumble and failed to check out of plays to plays that did something. Were it not for 4 turnovers by the jackets, and some great bounces to us when we fumbled the ball so many times, we lose this game vs a sorry lousy no good Georgia tek team.
Mark Richt doesn’t want the Miami or Colorado job. Which one will he think does look good to him during next year’s season when 2006 lost 4, 2008 lost 3, 2009 lost 5, 2010 lost 6 and next year again 4 losses.
20 losses in 5 years and more of 4-loss seasons ahead clearly losing more talent than we add
every year now 5 in a row, going on 6 in a row.
Oh, and Mike Bobo is great since his offense is NCAA Rank # 50 Total Offense with 6 losses, beat no good team again as we did not in 2007, 2008, 2009 and now 2010. The last Top 10 Final AP Poll team we actually beat was Auburn # 9 in 2006, a year in which we were a 4-loss team.
We lost to Colorado.
We don’t beat the legitimate Top 10 teams, lose 4 games a season, don’t recruit well, lose 1 game a year average all 10 years now of CMR Era vs a not ranked Top 25 Final AP Poll team, are 13-12 vs SEC East the last 5 years, won the Fulmer Cup National Championship for most arrested / suspended in the nation, and are # 2 in Fulmer Cup standings these last 5 years.
BoWeevil
November 29th, 2010
6:33 am
Aaron Murray sets all the records for all-time Bulldogs’ history this season.
He LOST 6 games where the OTHER quarterback was BETTER than he head-to-head.
“Stats” gets you nothing.
Won / Lost is NOT a stat.
CPJ is a genius- or so we thought
November 29th, 2010
6:38 am
CPJ may have made a single intelligent move on Saturday…but please explain 1-2 v. UGA oh and his great system that requires the perfect pieces is sitting at #39 and 50+ on rivals and scout for recruiting for next year. (behind Duke in both recruiting polls)
Looks like another long streak coming there bees…
AltamahaDawg
November 29th, 2010
7:19 am
Thanks Phil, and I am sure many folks would appreciate you for banning me. But not for the stated reason.
WDE
November 29th, 2010
7:47 am
Rooting for UGA in this game – but I got to tell you – UGA got beat except on the scoreboard.
Both defenses were horrible.
Both teams turned the ball over – UGA took advantage with their T/O opps – GT did not.
GT dominated the physical play – looked to be the better team in terms of holding onto the ball – and coaching.
UGA scored quickly – passed exremely well – but took advantage of Techs mistakes – the real difference in the game.
Bottom line – as bad as UGA’s defense is – GT’s was slightly worse!
- Both teams are 6-6 for a reason.
- UGA got beat by Colorado for a reason
This was not a good team this year – and I think UGA is doing well being patient to give Richt next year to get back on track.
UGA is now a bottom half SEC team – and came within an eyelash of not going to a bowl – against the weakest schedule they have had in years.