Fair warning: after this, you better watch what you say about Todd Grantham around here.
… Asked about Spurrier’s crack after Tuesday’s practice, Grantham grinned.
“It was kind of an out-of-left-field comment,” Grantham said. “I kind of took it more as a shot at the NFL. I wasn’t really sure if it was because of his lack of success there or not.”
Spurrier went 12-20 in two seasons with the NFL’s Washington Redskins, in 2001 and 2002.
Grantham said someone texted Spurrier’s comment to him after Saturday’s game.
“I appreciate his assistance,” Grantham said, with a wide grin. “But we actually knew what plays they were running. They actually run that play in pro ball. Our offense actually runs that play too. We’re kind of on top of our game. We kind of knew what was happening. So I read it.”
Oh, yeah, he’s good.
Get The Picture 
Bloody Fantastic!
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I like what I’ve seen so far from him but I continue to hope that he can back it up, that remains to be seen. But I absolutely love his attitude and approach.
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Maybe should have left out the part about, “we knew what plays they were running” , sounds like we knew Lattimore was going to run it and where, but yet he still steamrolled us. Other than that, its nice to see one of our coaches not take any crap. Hope CMR doesn’t put a muzzle on him.
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If you look at the tape, unfortunately, I think that’s a pretty accurate description of what happened on defense Saturday.
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True dat, but how does that differ from GT in 2008? We had players in position to make the stops, but they didn’t execute. We lost to GT because of two offensive plays and two tackles along the sideline where a punter could have takent he runner down/out of bounds. Same with SC, the “scheme” wasn’t lacking, it was the players not finishing the drill.
I like CTG a lot, but UGA fans typically put way too much on the coaches and give the players a pass (both on and off the field.)
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You must have watched a different second half from the one I saw. Ellerbe was out of position frequently throughout the game. Evans played like Evans. If you look, there are a number of plays where it appears as if Georgia is trying to defend eleven with ten. (And, no, that’s not all on the triple option.)
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At least one Tech TD (Reshad and his shoulder rub sideline “tackle”) we had a player in position that didn’t perform.
Dannel was apparently injured much (most) of ’08. I seem to recall him crashing through the line and bouncing off Nesbit or Dwyer on another score.
(shiver)
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Reshad’s play, while unfortunate in its execution, was one of recovery. Had the guys up front been in position to make the play, his gaffe wouldn’t have occurred in the first place.
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Guess so. For all the legit questions about WM, I don’t see including the 2008 GT game nor the horrible home losses against TN 2006, and Kentucky 2009. The last two games were much more on the offense.
I think these just get caught up in the totality of the hating. But that’s just my opinion. You can make a case for defenses needing to stand up and make great stops following turnovers, but when you constantly provide short fields and keep your defense on the field, every team will have a swollen point total against us. The most helpless I ever felt about our defense was last year in Knoxville. No adjustments/answers against a very questionable offense.
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In 2008, our offense scored 42 points against GT. 42 points is a better than acceptable level of offensive production. Our defense allowed 45. 45 points, even accounting for short fields and turnovers (including a pick six by Stafford) is an unacceptable level of effectiveness for a defense facing a one-dimensional offense.
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True, but this smacks a little bit of Peyton Manning blaming his o-line. Not what I would think you want the leader of your team doing…and certainly not what you want a coach to do.
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Didn’t everyone in the stadium and at home KNOW what play was coming next with Lattimore on fire?
Knowing and stopping really are two different things. For a refresher, See: Walker, Herschel
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and Spurrier’s come-back will be (imagine his voice)…”well if they knew what we were running then they should have stopped it”.
I couldn’t argue with him either.
But still, I like the Grantham’s backbone. We needed some of that.
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Spurrier’s offense put up three points in the second half. Grantham must have done some stopping, right?
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the damage had been done. lattimore cost us the game. he and our offense/their defense.
they were the better team.
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Are you daying the damage was done by halftime? That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. I would really argue the damage was only fatal on sc’s last drive. Up until that point, we were within 1 td and a 2 pt conversion of a tied game.
It’s not grantham’s fault the offense did nothing all day.
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Plus, while I am not blaming the kid, had Ealey not fumbled the second half is totally different. SC would have pulled their usual El Foldo if UGA tied or got within 3. I easily can see a scenario where the Dawgs either score a TD on that drive and make the 2 pointer (or fail to convert) then win the game with a field goal at the end.
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Another good comeback. Grantham could have pointed out that if Spurrier had ran that play more in the NFL he might still have a job there.
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“I wasn’t really sure if it was because of his lack of success there or not.”
Well played, Coach.
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If the guy “knew what plays they were running” and still could adjust the defense to stop them, I am not sure I would claim him as my hero. That admission might even make me doubt his bonafides.
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What CTG is alluding to is they weren’t out scheming us. We were in position to make the plays but failed to tackle. It is better than having gaping holes for Lattimore to run through. Hopefully CTG can fix the tackling issue and we will be fine. Even with the poor tackling we only gave up 17 points and only 3 of those in the second half.
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What he said.
Jeez…I get it that everyone is pissed about losing the to SCU and it was painful to watch….totally inept on offense and seeing the frosh run all over the field….but it is not as if CTG got pants’d and we have Willie part II…..as I pointed out in a previous post, if UGA can average 17 PPG on defense for the season, they will end with a top 15 nationally ranked defense in scoring — a huge step forward and return to early 2000s results…so a deep breath is order with respect to the defense, which by the way has been completely re-engineered scheme-wise and coaching-wise
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I, for one, love stuff like this between coaches. As much as I think they’re huge douchebags, I sorta like when guys like Spurrier and Corch Meyers take shots at us. I just wish someone on our staff would fire back from time to time. To me, this is the stuff that can take a rivalry from good to great.
Of course, it’s all gotta be backed up on the field, and we didn’t do that this past Saturday. But I really don’t think Grantham’s far off from having an outstanding defense to back him up. And this back-and-forth will be one of the main topics of discussion going into next year’s game.
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the players like a coach that has their back and isn’t afraid to show it. show some backbone – it’s called leadership.
one of my favorite sayings is “I may be an asshole but I’m your asshole”.
if you’re people know you have their back they will bleed for you.
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Spurrier owes Grantham a touche’
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I smell…..BACON!
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As much as we try, I’m afraid there isn’t much of anything to be gleaned from these early meetings with the gamechickens. I’m drawing no conclusions from that display, good or bad. I do expect the defense to play much better against arky and our other sec foes.
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How are we going to feel if Lattimore ends up being a top 1-3 rusher in the SEC by the end of the year. They say he is a beast and he played like it on Saturday. We should have done better in bringing him down but sometimes a great talent just beats you.
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In the second half, didn’t Grantham use the safeties a lot more to plug the running holes? That’s called an adjustment, and it DID work for the most part to stop the running game in the second half (until the last nail-in-the-coffin drive, but that’s often how that stuff goes). Furthermore, Spurrier clearly tried to adjust to the fact that we were choking down on the run better and were using some secondary to do it. He tried to throw the ball more, but that didn’t work, either. I think it’s Senator who pointed this out in his own obsevations, but the fact that our defensive staff was able to cheat the safeties up to provide run support, and not get burned through the air by freaking SPURRIER indicates that they know something about what they are doing. Even with our safeties helping more aggressively on the run, Garcia was confused when he tried to pass.
I wouldn’t count on that always working, but I also don’t think we’re going to have to do it again, either. I think Lattimore is unique as a bruiser-back this year.
Physics has a say, people. Sometimes the obvious scheme adjustment is the one you have to do. There is no clever ingenius way to stop a back who can run you over if he gets any momentum. It is simple arithmetic: get more weight standing in his path. That means more players in the box.
You make your money as a D coordinator, at that point, by still getting the blanket to cover the whole bed. THAT requires some skill.
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I like anyone giving it back to obc.
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As a completely biased observer, I am not sure it did him any good to comment back. Now he has a hard time taking the high road.
Isn’t that part of why you guys hate(d) Spurrier? The inability to take the high road and the need to comment/put down everything?
I mean, I get you guys like anything done to attack Spurrier. But I am not sure you want your coaches doing it anywhere but on the field.
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Everyone’s got their own style, right?
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I expect head coaches to stay above the fray and let assistants become the players’ best friend, or be the one’s who fire back about games already played. CEO’s don’t have to wallow in the mud, that is what they have staff members for when the occasion arises. HC’s should be big picture guys with eyes on the road in front of you.
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Timmy, the flip side of what you’re saying is thst Spurrier now has to lower himself to engage in repartee with Grantham. If one of your colonels gets under the skin of their general, it’s good for you.
Richt can still look above it and his bad cop assistant can do the dirty work.
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I am not so sure Grantham has “gotten under the skin of the general” since said general just pummeled the colonel.
In a similar fashion, many Georiga fans insisted that the dance got under Meyer’s skin and that would negatively impact Meyer’s coaching ability the next year. Well, they were right. It did get under Meyer’s skin. But as far as it affecting Meyer’s coaching ability, two time-outs later and a 30 point plus victory, Meyer felt much better about it.
Therefore, if I were Grantham, I don’t know that I would tweek Spurrier’s nose too much until I can demonstrate I can out-coach him.
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Right, better that he take his professional ability impugned by an asshole in silence.
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Appologies to the review board ahead of time…but I posted on the wrong thread earlier.
*****
Other things CTG should ‘know’ and avoid:
– Getting involved in a land war in Asia
– Going in against a Sicilian when death is on the line
– Engaging the OBC in a soundbite war
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