Upcoming schedule both helps and hinders Atlanta-bound Georgia defense
There are two ways you can look at the scheduling quirk that has Mark Richt’s Bulldogs facing the triple-option offense on consecutive Saturdays to wind up the regular season before heading to the SEC Championship game in Atlanta.
On the one hand, playing FCS power Georgia Southern this week will give Todd Grantham’s defense an edge in preparing for in-state rival Georgia Tech since both of those schools use a run-heavy triple option. The Eagles might be from the lower level of Division 1 but they managed to run for 302 yards and score 21 points in a losing effort against Alabama last season and they’ll give the Dogs a much better look at that rarely seen offense than Georgia’s scout team could hope to replicate in practice.
Of course, UGA sees Tech’s triple-option running attack every year and did a pretty good job containing it last year. But the extra experience against that scheme is bound to help.
As Richt noted Sunday, “We’re going to play defense so completely different than how we’ve been playing all year long” against Georgia Southern. “Everything changes. The alignments change, the assignments change, the type of block you’re dealing with changes, and it’s very, very difficult to simulate in practice. You just can’t do it. You just have to be disciplined in what your assignments are. This offense tends to have a lot of fumbles. A lot of balls get on the ground when you run that type of system. Sometimes the only way you can stop one of their possessions is with a turnover.”
So you can credit having Southern and Tech back-to-back as smart scheduling.
But looking ahead to the big game at the Georgia Dome, the downside to the schedule is this: Two weeks of concentration on the triple option will take the Georgia defense out of its usual rhythm, and they’ll then have just a week to reboot before taking on the SEC West opponent, most likely Alabama, which runs a pro-style offense more like Georgia’s.
In the meantime, the Crimson Tide has games against lowly Western Carolina and a free-falling Auburn, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Nick Saban had his team spending a bit of time over the next two weeks getting ready for Georgia.
The Dogs, unfortunately, won’t have that luxury.
Now, a few more thoughts and observations from the win over Auburn …
Tavarres King and the other Georgia receivers stepped up big against Auburn. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
The ESPN crew covering the game indicated Tavarres King’s ballet-like move keeping a toe in-bounds on that 17-yard second-quarter touchdown strike from Aaron Murray was likely to show up on “SportsCenter,” and that was indeed the case Saturday night. It was a tremendous effort on TK’s part.
But what was especially encouraging was that it was the kind of play that is par for the course this season for Georgia’s athletic receiving corps. Even with Michael Bennett and Marlon Brown out, the Dogs’ passing attack didn’t appear to miss a beat, with Murray throwing TD passes to three different receivers — Chris Conley and Malcolm Mitchell in addition to King. Special kudos are due to Conley, who was making his first career start against the Tigers. …
Murray continued to spread the ball around, completing passes to six different players, with tight ends Artie Lynch and Jay Rome getting much more attention as receivers. For the most part, they did well, with Lynch catching three balls and Rome making two receptions.
But while it was good to see the tight ends becoming a bigger part of the passing attack, there’s room for improvement: Lynch did have a conspicuous drop on what would have been a first-down pass late in the first half, and Murray had to do some sideline tutoring with Rome after the redshirt freshman muffed a route in the end zone in the third quarter. …
A couple more notes on Murray, who got more than his share of bashing earlier in the season: A week after executing the Rooskie play flawlessly against Ole Miss, he had another really nice play-action fake on the touchdown pass to Mitchell. And after getting the wind knocked out of him on one of the many hits he took from Auburn defenders Saturday night, the tough quarterback came back in to make that perfectly thrown scoring pass to King. …
The Georgia defense gave up some yards in the short-passing game early on (mainly to Emory Blake), but overall played a superb game. And when Auburn was threatening to score in the second half, Shawn Williams helped maintain the shutout by stripping the ball away from Blake in a fumble that Georgia recovered. …
Christian Robinson gets the big-hit-of-the-game award for the way he ran over an Auburn receiver on a failed third-down conversion attempt. …
One quibble: Mike Bobo pulled his starters in the fourth quarter but Grantham didn’t. I fully understand why the fiery defensive coordinator wanted so badly to keep that goose egg on the scoreboard for the Tigers; it’s a tremendous confidence-builder for a defense that took a while to get back in sync this season.
But keeping the first string in the game in garbage time just to maintain a shutout was a questionable decision, as one of Georgia’s star defenders easily could have gone down with an injury well after the outcome of the game was already decided. Fortunately, that didn’t happen, but was maintaining a shutout really worth the risk?
JUNKYARD MAIL CALL
Got something you want to discuss concerning the win over Auburn or the upcoming game against Georgia Southern? Thoughts looking ahead to the SEC Championship game? Or maybe a question you want the Junkyard Blawg to tackle? Send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
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139 comments Add your comment
Steve Superior
November 12th, 2012
2:52 pm
Don’t forget who your daddy is.
Patched Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
November 12th, 2012
3:16 pm
Admiral Kirk…. Captain of the SS Kool-aid
Ignorant rants???
I have blinders on cause we have gotten better the last 2 years
Seriously the only one who needs help is you..
No one respects UGA why because we didnt beat a ranked team last year and lost to every good team we played except 1 the last 4 yrs
Its not negativity Uncle Kool-aid its facts; beating teams like KY and horrible teams like Tenn and Aub do not constitute a turn around
Stiffneck
November 12th, 2012
3:18 pm
“Questionable decision, as one of Georgia’s star defenders easily could have gone down with an injury well after the outcome of the game was already decided.”
Bill, c’mon man. Mitchell got hurt in a simple walk-though earlier this season. No promises either way.
17-9
November 12th, 2012
3:29 pm
SSIGator
Like when the mighty Gators celebrated like they just won the SEC East by returning a blocked punt against a 5-4 Sun Belt conference team after trailing by 7 with less than 2 minutes left in the game.
The Dawgs won the SEC East this season by beating the Gators for the 2nd straight season and forcing he swamp lizards into 6 turnovers.
Patched Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
November 12th, 2012
3:32 pm
Uncle Kool-aid
Wait I forget getting better to you means beating the Vandy’s Buffalo’s and Ky’s
AltamahaDawg
November 12th, 2012
3:33 pm
As it turns out we could have easily beat Auburn with quite a few second string guys in the line-up, and that was pretty clear before halftime. So why not pull the starters out of the lockerroom, if injuries were the issue.
I think we are missing the point of using the shut out as a “goal”. sure, there is some bragging rights, or statement to be had there………but I imagine what Grantham was really doing was using that as a simulation, a training tool, to have his squad accomplish something, so that down the road when it really matters, they are better prepared. (holding a lead where it is, or getting the ball back for the offense when its down)
7576DAWG
November 12th, 2012
3:58 pm
Grantham should have kept his first string in the whole game so they will have a feel for what will be expected against Alabama. If they get tire with 10 minutes left against Alabama if the game was in doubt until then , it won’t be after they get tired. In order to beat Alabama we better be able to play for 60 minutes and the Defense better be able to get a few stops in the fourth quarter and make Alabama punt.
ARdawg
November 12th, 2012
4:01 pm
Altamaha
There is also the idea that TG may be preparing the defense to playing lights out for 4 quarters as a preparation measure for the championship game in Atlanta. With two option teams in the next two weeks it does make a modicum of sense
AltamahaDawg
November 12th, 2012
4:08 pm
dis is what I’m sayin.
35-7
November 12th, 2012
4:49 pm
Lemay and Ray Drew are bust.
Mobile Dawg
November 12th, 2012
4:57 pm
Proof will be in the pudding Patch, lighten up a little and enjoy the success for now. I have questioned the wisdom of extending and keeping Richt for at least a couple of years now. No gurantees he keeps the Dawgs focused, or from getting blown out in the SECCG.
I’m not close to ready to declare a turnaround has been achieved, but I’m not going to let the concern for the future overshadow the “joy” and “fun” of beating the Gators twice, watching the OBC seething with envy, or seeing a bunch of young guys enjoying their success.
Watching Bama is evidence that on any given day even a great team can come not prepared to play. I think the Bama players have been paying a little to much attention to the media, and not enough to their coach. I imagine they will be loaded for bear when we get our chance on the “National Stage” again. Hopefully we represent ourselves well. If Richt, and company, underestimates Bama it could get ugly quick.
35-7
November 12th, 2012
5:05 pm
Beating the Gators twice is Great but losing to South Carolina for the third straight time is embarrassing.
Dog4Life
November 12th, 2012
5:15 pm
DRC Band–It is difficult to truly evaluate LeMay. He lost his senior year because of an indiscretion with some female student on school grounds. To come into the SEC with senior yr experience is difficult enough, but to not have played–we will wait on this guy and see. BoBo said in Savannah last year that LeMay has the poitential to be a true dual threat QB–it will just take time. As far as Bama, The thing that I see different this year than last year against LSU is our running attack. Gurley and Marshall are quality backs–if we don’t blow up the game plan in the first 3 minutes as we did against carolina (everybody, the O and the D panicked in columbia and we never recovered), We should be able to hold our own–how does that translate–I don’t know–that is why we play the game. I was there for the LSU beat down and I will be there for the Bama game. Go Dawgs!!!!
Patched Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
November 12th, 2012
5:18 pm
Mobile
I agree; frankly if we beat FL every year I would be happy with 9-10 win seasons as long we are more respectable beating ranked teams and having the occasional upset every and fielding a team that the opposing teams know not to take us lightly like Dooley did
The problem Ive had for years on this blog is the idea of price gouging the fanbase for season tickets when the product on the field hasnt warranted the cost.
also the morons who come on this blog talking about pre-season national championship and mid season national championship;
and the ones who when you make a statement about play calling or anything else they pull the get off this blog your not a true fan garbage
but of course I get blamed for only wanting nothing more than a National Championship but that isnt the case
3-15 against the top 25 and 1 victory over a top 20 in the last 4 years is not respectable football with the amount of talent weve had
Thats been my issue
Mobile Dawg
November 12th, 2012
6:42 pm
I agree with you Patched Tire on just about every point you made. I hope the performance can be sustained consistently. Mark Richt has to realize that he has to give it 100% all the time. No rest, no satisfaction, he’s paid and his job requires absolute committment.
Mark (another one)
November 12th, 2012
7:09 pm
Grantham plays a lot of players to keep the team fresh. This also means the depth has meaningful snaps, not just mop up time. I don’t see an issue. Also, these guys practice all year to play 12 games. Are we saying they don’t get to play late in a game that they’ve spent all that time preparing for?
Richt, Grantham and Bobo will always get some criticism. Some want us to pour it on and others want us to play the backups. It is always a balancing act and our opinions don’t count in the equation.
DawginLex
November 12th, 2012
9:07 pm
How many games has this entire starting defense been together?
Six.
Our opponent in the SECCG has a defense that has been together 10 games.
That’s why the starters didn’t get pulled. You idiots can’t be pleased. If he pulled the starters and it ended up 38-21 you would gripe about Richt being soft
Some of you are too stupid to even live in society without someone with a brain to guide you around
DawginLex
November 12th, 2012
9:15 pm
SSI idiot
Funny thing about Murray.
2-1 versus the gators
Muschamp would give his right testicle to have him on his team
You remain a pathetic moron ma’am
Love
Nancy
jocrazy
November 12th, 2012
11:24 pm
please leave qb alone.name one better than murray in sec.how many better in nation.just look around.every sec team would love to have him.he is great.
Fair n Balanced
November 13th, 2012
1:31 am
The biggest problem for GA going into these last two reg season games is injuries from a different blocking scheme. Then comes the fact that we will have to revert back to normal defensive set up to play Bama.
Lonnie
November 13th, 2012
5:35 am
Great year dawgs let’s finish the drill!!!!!
Pulpwud Smiff
November 13th, 2012
7:19 am
Frankly, I’m pretty fed up with all of the Richt apologists with their lame whining that all schools have the same problems with their athletes. That’s utter tripe. UGA has so many athletes arrested and suspended or dismissed outright because Mark Richt recruits low class dummies with no moral compass, no sense of teamwork, and a “me first” attitude that’s like a cancer to the team.
Don’t tell me that Ealey, King, Crowell, Sanks, and all the other punks like them weren’t already bad when Richt recruited them.
Bulldogs for Muschamp Lifetime Contract
November 13th, 2012
7:40 am
pulpwood you moron. If there was no discipline, then the kids that mess up wouldn’t get in trouble and you wouldn’t know about it. The reason you don’t hear it from most other schools is because they have rules not as strict and/or just sweep it under the rug.
ugab
November 13th, 2012
10:09 am
There was plenty of backups on Defense in the game. I had a Ray Drew sighting. Auburn played dirty a couple of years ago. It was nice to see the goose egg0. lol The dirty GT blocks are coming. I hope no one gets hurt.
Joey
November 13th, 2012
11:41 am
“…as one of Georgia’s star defenders easily could have gone down with an injury well after the outcome of the game was already decided.”
************************************
True, but as we have seen, a star WR (Bennent) can tear an ACL, blocking, on the last play of practice also.
Injury can happen anywhere anytime.
Mobile Dawg
November 13th, 2012
11:42 am
Mobile Dawg thinks that if one Dawg goes down to an illegal block Paul Johnson becomes a sideline target like a couple others that have gone down the last few years. Imagine a toss sweep with a couple of big uglys leading the way aimed right at CPJ, now that would be sweet. Hope it’s not to mean spirited for some of you warm and fuzzies.
Joey
November 13th, 2012
11:51 am
“We still owe them for the Fairly bush league play of 2010.”
*****************************************
Dang, Roswell DAWG, 83-7 since 2010 ain’t enough payback?
Ghost of Sinkwich
November 13th, 2012
11:57 am
Bill, I don’t believe they will forget everything, they have learned all year, in these net two weeks.
Alabamas’ talent and coaching are my concern.
Jon P
November 13th, 2012
12:59 pm
BigJim, I understand the facts of UGA’s non-success vs ranked teams since 2008. BUT did you prefer Jim Donnan or Ray Goff’s record’s and ZERO SEC championships or even ZERO appearances in the SEC Championship game? I prefer Richt and the way he conducts his business. We’ll get there, maybe not this year, but we will. How long did it take Tom Osborne and Bobby Bowden to win championships? Did they get fired for not winning a national title? Only 1 team can win and it’s hard to do. Richt WILL do it, it’s just a matter of when.
Rolling Stones 50
November 13th, 2012
1:42 pm
Wish we had Tech first to prepare for Southern. LOL
joe jenkins
November 13th, 2012
3:25 pm
I hope we put another beat down on tech…I hope we wear black jerseys for the seccg…i mean whats wrong with that? RED AND BLACK ARE OUR SCHOOL COLORS….Anyways i’m still waiting for jsw to step it up
Z Dawg
November 13th, 2012
3:50 pm
35-7, can you tell me who won the SEC East this year?
BMOC
November 13th, 2012
5:23 pm
Yes, it was worth it Bill.
‘0′
Ty
November 13th, 2012
7:26 pm
Trash the defense for playing the sarters???? Remember the earlier games where Murray was still in the game in mop up time and the other qbs were only in the game maybe two minutes. If the other team still has its starters in you keep your starters in except with a huge lead as the earlier games and the offense. One of these years Richt and Bobo are going to regret not having a back up qb ready to play when the starter gets hurt. Holding breath this year that Mason does not have to burn his red shirt. It will be a disaster vs GS, GT, or Bama if Murray gets hurt and he looses his red shirt and has not been in a game in two years. Besides that Welch has beat out the Blue Chipper who missed his senior year. So basically there is no game experience on the bench at QB. Welch or LeMay should have been given more time this year than they have. LeMay looks lost out there.
Jon P
November 13th, 2012
10:18 pm
Z Dawg, UGA won the east THIS YEAR and LAST YEAR. Head to Head scores only matter if the teams end up tied. IF USCe could beat a bad Auburn team at home last yeary (a team that lost to UGA 45-7), USCe would have won in 2011. IF USCe could have beaten a Florida team that UGA beat 17-9 (USCe lost 44-11), USCe would have won in 2012. SO, to answer your question, the team that had a 7-1 SEC record in 2011 & 2012 (UGA) won over a team that had a 6-2 SEC record in 2011 & 2012 (USCe). Nuff Said.
Jon P
November 13th, 2012
10:20 pm
35-7….you guys played a great game and kicked our tails, but we won the east no matter how much that pains you.
Jon P
November 13th, 2012
10:22 pm
Z Dawg, my comment was directed at 35-7, not you….just used your comment and added the stats and information for the USCe bitter fans comments that you were replying to.
Voyager Dawg
November 13th, 2012
11:52 pm
Stay focused Dawgs. Don’t look past Ga. Southern. Worry about the SECCG at the end of the season. Go Dawgs!
joe jenkins
November 14th, 2012
9:32 am
@ 35-7…..we still lead that series 46-17……