If you haven’t seen the G-Day broadcast on ESPN, you missed a rather stunning graphic comparing the performance of last year’s defense in the wins and losses. Courtesy of cfbstats.com, here’s what I’m talking about:
- Wins: 10 games, 24 TDs, 184 total points, 18.4 ppg
- Losses: 3 games, 18 TDs, 135 total points, 45.0 ppg
- Wins: 10 games, 4.6 ypp, 292.1 ypg
- Losses: 3 games, 6.4 ypp, 378.3 ypg
The scoring numbers in particular are staggering. And before you argue that the numbers in losses are always going to be much worse, the spread in offensive yardage was less than 30 ypg (the 403.3 ypg in the losses would have been good enough to rank 33rd nationally) and the offensive scoring spread was less than 5 ppg (the average of 27.3 ppg in the losses would still have been enough for a top fifty finish in the country last year).
Get The Picture 
Yea, I saw that. They also talked about how we had to outscore some teams (LSU and UK) in some of our wins. I wasn’t shocked but it did make me shake my head and pinch the area of skin between my eyes. It makes my head hurt to think about it.
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Well, since defensive performance seems to be positively correlated with winning (while offensive stats have virtually no bearing), we should probably be ecstatic at a low-scoring spring game!
I’m actually serious here: The offense will find its feet and score enough to beat most teams … provided the defense does its part.
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Tell UT 2008 about how offense has no bearing. Seriously.
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Well considering the short field we consistently gave Bama, UF, and Tech, this isn’t surprising at all.
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Pardon me. We played 3 teams who in fact were Final AP Poll Top 25 teams who beat a Final AP Poll Top 25 team.
In those 3 games, we handed the football off to Knowshon Moreno a grand total of 14 times per game, and allowed the quarterback to keep the football every play instead.
Against Alabama, Matthew Stafford threw the football 42 times and ran the football 6 times himself instead of giving it to Knowshon Moreno.
Against Georgia Tech, Matthew Stafford threw the football 40 times and ran the football himself another 4 times.
Against Florida, Matthew Stafford threw the football 33 times and ran the football himself instead of Knowshon his obligatory 4 more times.
Matthew Stafford, for his 14 carries had zero touchdowns. Matthew Stafford had Five (5) interceptions in just these 3 games.
You mean, duh, we LOST the 3 games ? Can’t imagine.
We gave up a Record 29, 31 and 46 unanswered points.
Unanswered consecutive points.
That’s Special Teams, Defense and OFFENSE.
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Let’s see. Tech we passed for 5 Tds and over 400 yards. Yeah, throwing the football was a big problem there. Not to mention we got Knowshon well over 150 yards from scrimmage.
Alabama, he did carry the ball in the first half, but didn’t do much. I don’t know many teams who run it when they are down by 30.
UF, similar situation. And remember that our offense is predicated on taking what the defense gives. Especially with an OL that’s in diapers.
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And, I cannot let it slide neither that now we have a clear understanding of how bad our Defense is against the pass with no pressure and no one covering all these open walk-on wide-outs.
And, were it not for calling the stream of consecutive time-outs to end the G-Day Game when Carlton Thomas willed himself into the end zone, we scored nothing all day long on 85 consecutive plays.
So, with what is known about our Defense, what in the name of Blazes does that say about our Offense, Pray Tell ?
Duh.
About the same as our Special Teams kicking off and returning kick-offs.
And, about the same as our Defense.
Which brings us full circle to the facts that our Recruiting for 9 Consecutive Classes has been ranked every year by every recruiting ranking in the Top 6 in the Nation.
Do you think, that just maybe, there is something amiss in the “staff” coaching these guys ?
What we do against NOT GOOD FOOTBALL TEAMS, doesn’t matter, unless you Lose.
ESPN Kirk Herbstreit could not name 1 single player who made 1 single play all game long.
All ESPN Kirk Herbstreit et al can do is to tell us how HYPED up the Big XII is with Quarterbacks playing in a league of not 1 single solitary defense in the entire 12 teams. They did not do well in the Bowl Games. They tell us of this, instead of who it is who just made that play.
And, they call them announcers.
And, we come in here and you are quoting them.
They read everyone say we have no defense and fire Wille Martinez.
So, again, I ask what does that say about our “offense” and “special teams” that this is what this “staff” of Coach Richt can show for his Top 6 Recruiting Class every single year 9 years running ?
That this nothing defense (It does have a senior-laden Defensive Tackle Position.) held this G-Day Game to calling consecutive time-outs at the very end on the last 2 plays, or there would have been ZERO Touchdowns on 85 plays.
If you play 13 games.
And, 3 of them are the only games aganst teams who in fact ended in the Final AP Poll Top 25 who beat a Final AP Poll Top 25 team.
And, 10 games against others not 1 of whom was ranked in the Final AP Poll Top 25 and beat a Final AP Poll Top 25 team.
The stats are always going to look like 1 thing when in fact, we gave up 29 31 and 46 unanswered points.
That’s not the fault of the Defense by itself. Because once they gave up a TD. The Special Teams and the Offense each have their go.
29
31
46
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Well, since the other teams were starting at mid-field, it doesn’t shock me that good teams took advantage of it
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BuLLdawg,
Are you serious, man? Do you really understand where our program is at right now? First of all, you’re wrong about the recruiting classes all be top 6, but definitely top 10…and, during the last 7 years, we’ve consistently been a top 10 program, so that seems about right.
In the last 7 years, 3 teams have won 2 SEC titles, UGA, LSU, and Florida. UGA won SEC titles in years that Miami & Ohio St (2002) and Texas & USC (2005) went undefeated. It is what it is. Exactly which staff would you rather have? Geez, give it a rest and get behind the team. Yeah, we were disappointed w/ 2008, but it’s over and 2009 is here. If you don’t think that CMR and the staff/team are trying to turn things around then you haven’t read a single article about Spring Practice.
Besides the magical short runs of 1941-1946 and 1980-1983, these last 7 years have been the glory years of Georgia Football. Those other runs have some common themes: Heisman Trophy winners, a little luck, and national titles. Sinkwich and Walker sure did make Butts and Dooley look smart. Tebow sure does make Meyer look smart. We’re getting great players, we’re hanging around the cream of the crop of the top 25, we’re winning SEC titles and going to Sugar Bowls. One year soon, we’ll have that special player and the ball will bounce right. But…if you don’t think this staff is coaching them up right…well, then you know more than me. Because I’m pleased as punch that we are all “utterly disappointed” after a 10-3 season. I remember in the ’90s when we immortalized players/coaches for such feats.
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Dear sUGArdaddy,
Finally, another voice with historical perspective.
Herschel, like Tebow, gave his team a shot at back to back MNC’s…and maybe back-to-back-to-back, although Clemmons would have had to lose in the Orange bowl.
It takes A: that very special player, B: luck, C:good coaching and recruiting to win the SEC and the MNC.
We are not USC, or Oklahoma, we play in the SEC.
Which makes Florida’s run even more amazing.
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10-3 this year ?
You think We are going to be 10-3 this year ?
at Oklahoma State
South Carolina
at Arkansas
Arizona State
LSU
at Tennessee
at Vandy
open
at Florida
finally week 10 easy Tennessee Tech
Auburn
Kentucky
at Tech
meaningless bowl game
I don’t know. Maybe you are right that all We can hope for is 10-3. But, for a team who CONSISTENTLY has recruited a Top Half a Dozen Recruiting Ranking Class every year for 9 consecutive years, all the assistant coaches at UGA can show for all this is a dull boring G-Day Game exposing us as a team who cannot kick-off, cannot return kick-offs, cannot defend the pass, cannot complete a pass, and cannot run the football.
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I’m so glad that you are satisfied. That is my life’s ambition : for you to be satisfied.
What I witness is a football program which is not living up to its hype of recruiting.
I blame the assistant coaches.
And, you are giddy from all the success. We were not ranked in any poll except the Final AP Poll 2006-2007 and in that one Number 23. 2007-2008 we Lost to the first 2 teams we played in the SEC East we are in, scoring 13 points per game and ended the season ranked the Number 83 Passing Offense in the nation. Then, last season 2008-2009, we got blown out by the only 3 opponents who ended the season in the Final AP Poll who beat a Final AP Poll Top 25 team giving up consecutive points of 29, 31 and 46 unanswered points. Had we not started Number 1, we would not have been ranked last year either.
That’s 2 of the last 3 years we have done NOTHING.
And, you have to come in here and tell me, how great we are.
B.S.
We have instead suspended 104 players in the first 8 years of this Coach Richt Era.
We will not challenge for anything and cannot achieve 10-3.
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I can’t take it any more, your right I will sell my season tickets. BuLLDawg is so full of S his breath must stink. Will some one please tell this Tech a’hole to post somewhere else.
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