The new UGA defensive approach: Attack, attack, attack
Justin Houston meets the media, admits an admiration for DeMarcus Ware. (Photo by M. Bradley)
Athens — Meaning no offense, it’s fair to call Mark Richt an offensive man. He’s the kind of guy who thinks a fast-food napkin — he’s fond of Wendy’s and Chick-fil-A — is best used for sketching a play. But he admitted Monday he’s spicy-chicken hot to see his new D.
“We’re all intrigued by it,” Richt said, speaking at Media Day. “Fans want to see it. I want to see it. Even the offensive players want to see it.”
Some unscientific data: In a quickie poll in this space earlier Monday, 80 percent of 1,350 respondents named Georgia’s newfangled defense as a more pressing topic than new Bulldog quarterback Aaron Murray.
In nine seasons as Georgia’s coach, Richt’s teams have used the same basic defense — a vanilla 4-3 that became less filling over time. In 2010 the Bulldogs will position themselves in a 3-4, and with its four linebackers the new scheme offers more angles and much more possibility.
Said DeAngelo Tyson, a defensive tackle in the 4-3 but a nose tackle in the 3-4: “We’ll really be attacking more and having more fun — as soon as we learn what to do and how to do it.”
Todd Grantham is the defensive coordinator, and we all know why’s he here: Because Willie Martinez’s bend-but-don’t-break defensive approach had become utterly inoffensive. Georgia took the ball from its opponents 12 times in 13 games last season, which ranked the Bulldogs next-to-next-to-last nationally in turnover margin.
Said Darryl Gamble, who was primarily a middle linebacker in 2009 but who is learning all four linebacker posts now: “It’s good to change. It seems like we’re going to be a more aggressive defense. That’s something we’ve needed here.”
Well … yeah. There was never an excuse for a defense staffed by such big and fast men playing so passively, and now the passive is past.
An example, courtesy of Tyson: “Last year I was supposed to control a gap. This year I’m supposed to be more physical. It’s more about attacking and getting upfield.”
In 2010 Justin Houston was a defensive end, which means, in football argot, that he aligned himself by sticking his hand in the dirt. Now he’s an outside linebacker, and not just any old OLB — he’s the weakside backer, which was Lawrence Taylor’s position and is DeMarcus Ware’s.
Ware has had 64 1/2 sacks over five NFL seasons. Not coincidentally, he plays for the Dallas Cowboys, where Grantham was previously employed as the defensive line coach. Not surprisingly, he has become Justin Houston’s model.
“I watch DeMarcus Ware almost every night,” Houston said. “I’ve got my own personal cut-up [a DVD that isolates Ware].” Then this: “If I could be half as good … ”
There’s a chance Houston, who had 7 1/2 sacks as a down lineman in 2009, will double that number in 2010. If the 3-4 is built for anyone, it’s for big men who can come hard off the corner. Asked how often he figures to blitz this season, Houston said: “It all depends on the game plan.”
Were he designing the game plan, how often would he have himself blitz? Said Houston, laughing: “One hundred percent of the time.”
It must be emphasized that Grantham’s defense is a work in the earliest stages of implementation. Spring practice was mostly spent showing guys where to line up and teaching them terminology. August will offer more teaching, not all of it from coaches. Said Tyson: “I’ve been able to show other people what to do because people showed me what to do. This is a team; we don’t have secrets.”
Not every Saturday is apt to be sunny, D-wise. Games 2 and 3 offer tests against Steve Spurrier’s and Bobby Petrino’s teams, and nobody knows how Grantham’s men will respond. Said Richt: “That’s part of the reason there’s a little more energy and anticipation. There’s something you’re not sure of.”
This much, however, is a given: If Georgia’s D fails, it won’t be for lack of effort. You’ll see Bulldogs running hither and yon, and they figure to be happy Dogs.
Said Tyson: “People who look to attack have more fun.”
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102 comments Add your comment
DawgGirl32
August 2nd, 2010
3:56 pm
Sounds exciting!
I just hope dawg fans will be patient and accept the fact that there will be growing pains along the way. These guys are not only learning a new system, they’re relearning some basics, like how to tackle. We’re no doubt going to hit a few road bumps but we’ll be better off in the end for it.
1980
August 2nd, 2010
4:00 pm
Maybe we can get that country singer to do us a theme song called “the next thirty years” without a title. Tim McGraw wasn’t it?
DawgGirl32.5
August 2nd, 2010
4:01 pm
Dream on dawgs, the vols will rebound and get back to the sec title before you will.
You got that right!
1980
August 2nd, 2010
4:01 pm
DawgGirl32, bwahahahaha, learning how to tackle again? bwahahahaha! How them young pups get schollies without knowing how to tackle?
DawgGirl1980
August 2nd, 2010
4:03 pm
Where has the time gone?
Where art though lindsay scott, buck and hershell?
Athens > Hotlanta
August 2nd, 2010
4:05 pm
Good comeback Rennie!
DawgGirl32
August 2nd, 2010
4:06 pm
Wow. Didn’t realize I was so popular.
BugKiller
August 2nd, 2010
4:06 pm
Wow. I’m shocked – SHOCKED – to read Altamaha poor mouth CTG and the new, more aggressive defensive scheme.
I mean, you know, since he spent so much time and effort last year defending the indefensible Soft Willie Martinez.
74 Dawg
August 2nd, 2010
4:06 pm
Belinda, where did you go to school, Tech, where they have to hire mercenaries for the homecoming court? Ah, those days of studying on the lawn by Memorial hall.
Ter
August 2nd, 2010
4:09 pm
Jan Kemp, Jim Harrick and son, 47 arrests, a drunken whoring AD, and the world’s biggest drunk tank.
It’s time to shut down the cesspool for good. It’s become an abomination and a laughingstock.
Did I mention the red panties?
dunwoody dawg
August 2nd, 2010
4:09 pm
I could not agree more with the earlier post that complained about that BS soft zone that Willie always ran. There are times to play a cover 2 or cover 3 but when you give the other guys’ wideouts a 12 yard cushion on every frigging play the it’s just pitch and catch for the other team. Any new scheme will be an improvement and I’m not really too worried about the learning curve. Good God how many times did our opponents score due to a blown coverage in our secondary? (Bryan Evans, stand up please.) If we just get after some people and stop looking like we’re on Thorazine when we play we’ll be fine. O-line, I’m talking to you too.
George
August 2nd, 2010
4:13 pm
Our running game and play action along with great kicking game will give us a chance-like the aggressive approach on defense just not sure based on his lack of success to date that Grantham can compete on game day versus SEC offensive attacks-couldn’t cut it in pros because of inability to adjust during games-DB coach will have to give lots of help
Rick
August 2nd, 2010
4:17 pm
I’d rather see the Dawgs defense fail attacking the other team’s offense than to play another down of defense the ol’ “bend but don’t break” way. I have no idea if they are going to be more successful or less successful than last year, but at least Richt is trying something different.
My question is: assuming the defense is moderately better than last year (could it get worse??), what will the lunatic fringe set their sights on this year? Is it Richt? Bobo? Lack of indoor practice facility? There always has to be something!
Joke of the Year 2010
August 2nd, 2010
4:18 pm
answer: the dawgs have a chance!
PT
August 2nd, 2010
4:18 pm
Bradley – I know UGA has a great following, but how about a little PUB for a first year team at GA STATE. They will need to fill some seats this year and I think they are going to be fairly decent all thing concidered.
SSIgator
August 2nd, 2010
4:27 pm
“You’ll see Bulldogs running hither and yon, and they figure to be happy Dogs.”
Mark – they are running to the bar for happy hour.
GT Alum
August 2nd, 2010
4:29 pm
We’ll have to wait and see if it’s more successful, but, at the very least, it should be more fun to watch. It might take a while for it to show dividends – a good bit of their success will depend on how well they can balance attacking with being disciplined and staying on their assignment and not overrunning plays.
15 wins in 50 years
August 2nd, 2010
4:31 pm
Rolf,
You post the same tired post on almost every UGA blog.
gdawginkalamazoo
August 2nd, 2010
4:32 pm
An example, courtesy of Tyson: “Last year I was supposed to control a gap. This year I’m supposed to be more physical. It’s more about attacking and getting upfield.”
No more gap control? Dang.
Got a man in the corner !
August 2nd, 2010
4:39 pm
I mean we still need to get up field with gap control too.
SSIgator
August 2nd, 2010
4:47 pm
“You’ll see Bulldogs running hither and yon, and they figure to be happy Dogs.”
I take that to mean that with extra conditioning the players will be able to out run the police.
Tech Alum 97
August 2nd, 2010
4:49 pm
Hey ROLF meet on World of Warcarft, I just obtained Goblin armor.
Vince Dooley's Son
August 2nd, 2010
4:50 pm
Keep drinking the red kool-aid boys…..the Big Orange Train will roll into Athens on October 9th and wreak havoc on the defenseless pups. Just remember, that which does not kill you will make you stronger. After the azzkickin Dooley will put on the pups there will be many tears shed between the hedges.
Charlie Kelly
August 2nd, 2010
4:55 pm
However Bradley, we must remind you, that no matter what, it’s always sunny in philly….
Bob Horner loves the dawgs
August 2nd, 2010
5:15 pm
I think our D will be okay…I’m in the 20% that voted the QB as the biggest concern…..I think CWM was really horrible….he didn’t “coach the kids up..” nobody was scared of getting chewed out..or benched…there is different attitude now….our D will be fine…if Murray gets hurt we’re screwed…I’m in the 20% that is worried about the QB position….
Bob Horner loves the dawgs@ the Dooley boy
August 2nd, 2010
5:31 pm
@Vince Dooley’s Son …that’s not funny my daddy drank the kool-aid in 1978 in Jonestown, Guyana…I haven’t seen him since then…..it could have been worse…I could have been born to father that graduated from Tennessee….GO DAWGS!!!!
Paul has a small Johnson…..I hope you’re wrong…man boobs and a small package….that aint fair….
1eyedJack
August 2nd, 2010
5:32 pm
Trolling to try to get a rise is immature. Trolling while posing as the fan of another team trying to get a rise is not only immature but down right dishonest, which makes you a LIAR, and someone with lowwwwwww character who’s word is not to be trusted….on ANYTHING.
Oh, by the way, get some new material. Nobody’s reading it anymore.
Go Dawgs!!
superDawg
August 2nd, 2010
5:38 pm
“GET THE PICTURE”TIME TO HUNKERDOWN!
AltamahaDawg
August 2nd, 2010
5:40 pm
ah Bugkiller, I wondered how long it would be before you would come in here and live down your whole “sniff, I’m so mad I’m shaking now, ashamed to even call myself a Bulldawg” little nancy hissy fit.
Sorry sport, those that can read, realize that pointing out that the 3-4 does not look radically different on the field as the 4-3 all the time, is hardly running something down. Nice try. And you must have your head in the sand if you thihnk this is the collection of players that Grantham would stop right now and take if he is really going to let his worth be known.
As far as defending anyone, I do beleive it was I and several others trying to get you to calm down and realize that when Richt decided it was the proper time for a change he would make it. (but not in the middle of the season) You do rememebr that don’t you? Or didnt you read it when you were claiming that he would never fire WM becasue he cared more about his freind that the rest of his freind , or family, or the program, or his job. “Never” I believe was your words. And please, nobody really buys that wholoe crap about if you dont scream about somebody getting fired every day it’s the same as defending them. Please post where I ever argued about Willies coaching skills with you. Please. You know what MY issue was with your comments. The whole pretending game that it was something else got old a long time ago.
hey BTW, Richt didn’t play Logan Gray for at least half of the SC game, Still officially on the Fire Richt bandwagon from that? or was that another hissy fit at the time?
superDawg
August 2nd, 2010
5:45 pm
AltamahaDawg they don’t know what a fish fry is,but 30-24 is warming the pot.
superDawg
August 2nd, 2010
5:48 pm
Hell the nerds still bake carp on a 2 by four except for reggie ball.
Coach Hewitt..
August 2nd, 2010
5:51 pm
LOL… I saw Joe Hamilton & Ruben Huston on Northside Dr. today…. Picking up trash….. Community service I guess…..
….
Hey… my good friend Dave Braine & my UGA Law Grad agent said to tell y’all hi….
I just returned from two weeks in Arachova, Greece… It is an extraordinary and charming town on Mt. Parnassos… Stayed in a fabulous mountain retreat rental home overlooking the Mediterranean Sea…. $ 2700.00 a nite… LMMFAO, THANKS for my perpetual rollover contract GT… I Run This School…. $7.1million or STFU…. Sucks to be you… Paul…
Benjamin
August 2nd, 2010
9:21 pm
Rolf:
Ole Miss fans?
Uga/Tiger
August 2nd, 2010
9:25 pm
Mackdaddy, I guess you and I are the only ones to figure the tackling thing out. It ain’t gona mount to a hill of beans what defense you run, a 3-4, 4-3, or the soft zone Willie, if the boys can’t tackle you ain’t got no defense. I for one am tired of seeing this bullsh-t shoulder stuff, diving at the feet, holding out an arm, hell, stick somebody even if they don’t have the ball. The next time in the hole, they will be looking for you. Get back to the core of the defense, TACKLE!
DIT
August 2nd, 2010
9:36 pm
Defense wins championships! They need to get a hold of this new scheme quickly. Offense will score. I don’t worry about that. I’m ready to get it started.
Mark Bradley
August 2nd, 2010
9:37 pm
I think y’all will like the look of Georgia’s D. (Assuming you’re UGA fans. If not, maybe not.)
Uga/Tiger
August 2nd, 2010
9:41 pm
Mark, if you are talking to me, I bleed Georgia and always have, my wife is an Auburn grad! I Know, sorry for me but it does help pay the bills.
Mike
August 2nd, 2010
9:43 pm
I graduated from grad school at The University and Love the University, however, the defense will be tested and does not have the players to make plays. The offense does not have the balls to be physical. So, realistically, I will be happy with another sub par performance from the Dawgs. Just beat Tech and I will be happy. We are a couple years away from competing.
dagnabit
August 2nd, 2010
9:55 pm
Can’t wait to see those eager LB’S.
SatillaDawg
August 3rd, 2010
12:54 am
Return of the Junkyard Dawgs!
Can’t wait for the 2010 season!
Glory, Glory to Old Georgia!
jacksonDAWG
August 3rd, 2010
1:05 am
can’t wait to see the bees get stomped!
Sports Review
August 3rd, 2010
1:35 am
[...] The new UGA defensive approach: Attack, attack, attackAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Young Murray steps into leadership roleThe Augusta ChronicleAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog) -Team Speed Kills (blog)all 187 news articles » [...]
haa
August 3rd, 2010
2:14 am
So Georgia Tech has a D coach that is apparently a College football Mastermind running a 3 -4…. while UGA has a younger not so successful coach running the 3 – 4… saying “attack attack attack”… MAN cant wait to see the triple oPTion on UGA s D this year….
HanDAWG
August 3rd, 2010
2:36 am
Even a marginal improvement on defense would translate to a huge season ‘Tween the Hedges. Our offense was not balanced last year: all AJ early season, all running game late season. We will put both together this season, have the best special teams in the nation and just need a hard/fast defense and decent performance from Murray. Read: http://www.bighairyblawg.com
“People who look to attack have more fun.” « Get The Picture
August 3rd, 2010
6:59 am
[...] to attack have more fun.” Jump to Comments Don’t hate on me for writing this, but Mark Bradley’s post about the changes on defense is a worthy read, if only for the player quotes. An example: … [...]
Dawg Trainer
August 3rd, 2010
8:11 am
2 months and 5 days before the Vols roll into Neyland South. Make sure my new turf is watered and my hedges trimmed. As far as we are concerned, does it really matter if the Dawgs attack, attack, attack? Last time I looked, you put up all of 2 field goals on us last time out on offense. So even if you take away 2 of our touchdowns and add 2 more of your own, the score is STILL 31-20.
A Dooley leading Tennessee to victory over Georgia. Who’da thunk it?
Sports Review
August 3rd, 2010
8:15 am
[...] for Georgia's offensive line this season. Photo by WES BLANKENSHIP But going into …The new UGA defensive approach: Attack, attack, attackAtlanta Journal Constitution [...]
Grantham Rules
August 3rd, 2010
9:07 am
Attack on defense! YES!!!–Grantham’s a genius! That $750,000—he’s earned it already. With an “attacking” defense, UGA may run the table.
brokebackvol
August 3rd, 2010
10:52 am
If the VOLS beat ya this year, THEN Richt will be on the hot seat, right? Losing to a Dooley with a mediocre AT BEST squad would be pretty horrible, specially at home.
GBO!!
Mark (a different one)
August 3rd, 2010
12:27 pm
Belin and Lakatos don’t get much play here but they will be making a difference. They both can coach. Belin has consistently coached people to all conference honors and several tot he NFL. UGA has the linebacker talent, so I expect the linebackers to display it on the field. Lakatos is the same way with defensive backs. Match these two with Grantham and and Garner and the dawgs have the defensive coaching.
What is needed is on the field leadership. Hold each other accountable and help each other be better. Rennie is gone, so someone needs to fill the leadership void and kick some butt.