Georgia away games

[McDawg]

I have always had huge respect for Georgia. Georgia has usually played the toughest schedule of the top SEC teams. The Dawgs are a great team. The opening win versus Oregon was beautiful.

My questions are

1. I have read that the pass defense isn't great this season compared to last. Is that true?

2. The Georgia offense has struggled some games. What happened in those games?

3. Which team is better: 2021 or 2022?

You may have asked the wrong guy
I’ll try
1) the pass defense is as good, but not better. Maybe in a different mold. It’s been all about affecting the QB more; make him move off his spot. Best example would be to watch the Tennessee game. Put the other team in obvious passing situations, and get pressure with four & make the QB move.

2) Wouldn’t say the offense has “struggled” but I know you’re referring to Kent & Mizzou.
All I can say is those were off games. The OC Todd Monken, will say he “takes what they give.” And it’s been like this the last two years. Overall the offense is a bit more efficient than last year. Kirby likes to get a lead and then go on sustained drives of short passes and pounding the ball. The sustained drives didn’t seem to happen vs Mizzou. Kent was never really a worry. Kentucky? They just played decent defense.
We’re averaging 40ppg ( TCU 42ppg) so I think the the over 62 is about right.

 

[McDawg]

Haha. Nice try Coach Smart!

Yeah.
I’ll buy you a drink.
Bourbon. It’s the UGA drink of choice.
WL Weller Reserve work?

 

[BoZD]

I have always had huge respect for Georgia. Georgia has usually played the toughest schedule of the top SEC teams. The Dawgs are a great team. The opening win versus Oregon was beautiful.

My questions are

1. I have read that the pass defense isn't great this season compared to last. Is that true?

2. The Georgia offense has struggled some games. What happened in those games?

3. Which team is better: 2021 or 2022?

1. Think the corners get a bit of a bad rap cuz they are put on islands a lot and can be a bit boom or bust. Last night for instance they could cover for 4-5 secs but not for 10 in scramble drill when we got no pressure up front. One safety and corner are freshman and can have busted assignments occasionally. Freaking talented athletes though. Our LBs are not as good in coverage as last year.
2. Sometimes it’s just a matter of a very conservative game plan. In cold and windy weather at UK Kirby was happy to take his 16 points and get TF out of there. We throttled down and barely threw the ball in second half of UT. Kent state was never a threat but offense was clunky. Don’t recall why. Missouri was an outlier and an actual struggle. They blitzed constantly. That was the only game that felt scary.
3. Defense better last year. Play a bit more bend but don’t break this year it seems. Have had more key injuries. Offense better this year. First year Stet has had benefit of full reps from spring on. Todd Monken is magic.

 

[McDawg]

1. Think the corners get a bit of a bad rap cuz they are put on islands a lot and can be a bit boom or bust. Last night for instance they could cover for 4-5 secs but not for 10 in scramble drill when we got no pressure up front. One safety and corner are freshman and can have busted assignments occasionally. Freaking talented athletes though. Our LBs are not as good in coverage as last year.
2. Sometimes it’s just a matter of a very conservative game plan. In cold and windy weather at UK Kirby was happy to take his 16 points and get TF out of there. We throttled down and barely threw the ball in second half of UT. Kent state was never a threat but offense was clunky. Don’t recall why. Missouri was an outlier and an actual struggle. They blitzed constantly. That was the only game that felt scary.
3. Defense better last year. Play a bit more bend but do t break this year it seems. Have had more key injuries. Offense better this year. First year Stet has had benefit of full reps from spring on. Todd Monken is magic.

Yeah. What he said.
Side note:
We’ve had a lot of folks hurt all dang season. The two true deep threats in Smith & Mitchell missed most of the season, only getting back at the SEC championship

 

[JogginFrog]

Ok, you can count that in the advantage TCU column if you really want to.

We'll take whatever we can get.

Tell me about this years TCU team.

Duggan has our massive respect.
He’s a warrior. But I don’t know much more about the Frogs. I’ll listen.

How does a team go from 5-7 to 13-1 in one season with new schemes and a coach known for November collapses in a G5 conference? Surprised almost all of us, including a bunch who considered Sonny Dykes a mediocre hire. I'd point to 4 things:

1. Veteran talent that was poorly used in recent years. Someone posted that TCU has something like 30 guys in the 2-deep who are juniors & seniors. Most of those were from recruiting classes ranked 3rd in the Big 12; good at skill positions and fast; non-elite talent on both lines.

2. Major upgrades in culture and position coaching. Prior staff was known as Gary Patterson & his Marry Men for GP's stubborn loyalty to marginal assistants who were in his wedding party, and the Patterson coaching tree is notoriously thin. Dykes brought in guys who could really coach. Difference in tackling, catching and ball protection this year a night-and-day difference.

3. Schemes that help players be successful. O-minded Dykes brought OC Riley with him, but the genius move may have been hiring Tulsa's Gillespie to make over the D. SEC teams are more familiar than Big 10 with the 3-3-5, since originator Joe Lee Dunn used it at Ole Miss and Miss St., as did Charlie Strong at South Carolina. It does for TCU what it did for those teams--gives the Frogs a chance against superior OLs. Shooting gaps means giving up a lot of yards but getting a decent share of stops.

4. A team that doesn't blink late. TCU the first D1 team since 1975 to post 7 consecutive wins by 10 or fewer points. Close games every week have given TCU belief that it can find a way to win against anybody, while recognizing that it's vulnerable against everybody. TCU's second-half scoring margin is +99. Duggan's leadership is part of it; S&C coach Kazadi (same role on Baylor's best teams under Briles) has worked magic, too.

One analyst who predicted TCU's win last week did so on the basis of Gillespie having a month to prepare the D for Michigan. Did the Frogs spend any of that time prepping for the Dawgs? Even a month might not be enough, but I'm encouraged that a 5-back scheme (ironically the 4-2-5, TCU's D under Patterson) gave the Dawgs some trouble at Mizzou.

 

[Double V]

Did UGA play any tough back to back games this year, particularly on the road? I think that's the X-factor that the Frogs need.

 

[JogginFrog]

Did UGA play any tough back to back games this year, particularly on the road? I think that's the X-factor that the Frogs need.

@Mississippi State and @Kentucky in mid-Nov. were the only b2b road games; both opponents spent time in the top 25. Second week they won 16-6 in bad weather; got a lead and were happy to run clock from there.

 

[guardfrog]

And it was a Biblical rainstorm

I was there and had to go the ER that night. True story!

 

[BoZD]

Yeah. What he said.
Side note:
We’ve had a lot of folks hurt all dang season. The two true deep threats in Smith & Mitchell missed most of the season, only getting back at the SEC championship

 

[Prince of Purpoole II]

I was there and had to go the ER that night. True story!

I pulled that one one year in San Diego at either the Holiday or Poinsettia Bowl

 

[froginmn]

Dang I thought that was one of our guys and was going to tell you to back off.

 

[Jet Set Frog]

You came to our site. You do your own homework. Don’t be lazy and have us do it for you. Go Frogs!

Don't be an azzhat.

 

[BoZD]

Dang I thought that was one of our guys and was going to tell you to back off.

Wait, you thought what…???… why???

 

[kodiak]

Yeah.
I’ll buy you a drink.
Bourbon. It’s the UGA drink of choice.
WL Weller Reserve work?

Wish I could get in on that. Son and I cracked a bottle of Full Proof after Fiesta Bowl. Not disappointed. Weller Special Reserve one of the best bottom shelf bourbons around. My go to for mixing.

 

[McDawg]

Don't be an azzhat.

I expect some of that. Comes w the territory.
Five years of army and 30 years in sales. If I can’t handle then I probably need to seek a different form of leisure.

 

[froginmn]

Wait, you thought what…???… why???

Looked like your "I'm a girl" gif was ripping on the other UGA fan so I thought it was one of us who said that

 

[McDawg]

Looked like your "I'm a girl" gif was ripping on the other UGA fan...

Good gif. I’m saving it for UT…the Vawls.

 

[McDawg]

Wish I could get in on that. Son and I cracked a bottle of Full Proof after Fiesta Bowl. Not disappointed. Weller Special Reserve one of the best bottom shelf bourbons around. My go to for mixing.

Dude.
1) If that’s bottom shelf….you must have a cabinet full of Pappy.
2) Mixing isn’t allowed. Ever.

What’s the preferred bourbon in Ft Worth?

 

[BoZD]

Looked like your "I'm a girl" gif was ripping on the other UGA fan so I thought it was one of us who said that

Ah well I can see that actually lol. But nope, actual woman here. But don’t let that make you be nice or anything.

 

[Make CFB Great Again]

Dude.
1) If that’s bottom shelf….you must have a cabinet full of Pappy.
2) Mixing isn’t allowed. Ever.

What’s the preferred bourbon in Ft Worth?

TX Whisky is pretty popular because it’s made in town. They make a blend and then a couple varietals of bourbon.