This is really more a question for the naysayers, but in evaluating Bobo’s performance as an offensive coordinator this season, does context matter?
This truly is a defensive league (five teams rank in the top 10 nationally). SEC offenses didn’t end the regular season well, with five teams — Florida, Tennessee, Auburn, Ole Miss and Kentucky — finishing with offenses that ranked higher than 100th nationally. Only three teams — Arkansas, Alabama and Georgia — ranked in the top 50, and were the only SEC teams to average more than 400 yards of total offense per game. [Emphasis added.]
His point about the SEC being a defensive conference could be made even more strongly. The top four teams nationally in total defense were all from the SEC, and only two SEC teams were in the lower half of all D-1 teams in that statistical category.
So how much credit should Bobo get for Georgia’s offensive performance in that setting?
Get The Picture 
Well, obviously they need to FIRE him along with…you guessed it, MARK RICHT!!!!1!
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My playstation runs a better offense! FIRE HIM!!!!111!!!!111
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Note the coincidence that those three teams don’t run the spread or any variant.
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Post well taken, but it suggests a chicken-egg argument: were the defenses so good because some of the aforementioned offenses were so bad, or were the O’s bad because the D’s were good?
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3 comments. Well done.
Oregon, a paragon of great offense, had 335 total yards for the game, and only managed 13 points through three quarters against LSU (and 27 total). WVU threw the ball 65 times to amass 463 yards against them, but still lost by 26.
There aren’t any show-stopping offenses in the SEC, but there isn’t a single offense in the ACC I would take over the top four or five offenses in the SEC. Yet, the ACC doesn’t have the top defenses in the country…
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I think one of the answers is in Arkansas’ performances this year. 14 points against Alabama and 17 against LSU; 44 versus South Carolina, 49 versus Tennessee, 42 versus aTm.
I’d like to see how SEC offenses did against the top 4 defenses versus against everyone else. And I’d like to see how all the offenses did against non-conference competition.
It’s a league where the defenses stop ALL comers–and I’m confident the evidence backs that up.
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We will know a lot more about SEC offenses after the bowl games. I look for some bigger numbers than we’ve seen during the season.
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I certainly don’t have the time to delve into the stats of their out of conference games that they didn’t have to pay for, but I’d guess the stats were pretty in line with their conference stats judging that those top 4 defenses also had good overall records.
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Good point but how can the difference between the play calling in the 1st half and 2nd half of the LSU game be explained?
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They couldn’t run the ball, which meant that Chavis played deep coverage with his safeties, limiting the passing game. Add in the receiver drops and Murray’s turnovers – what would your game plan have been by then?
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I think it’s interesting how the drops by the receivers are universally accepted as a reason to stop throwing the ball to them – even though they were getting open. Yet, running the ball for nothing over and over isn’t considered a good enough reason to stop trying to run the ball.
I get that the drops meant that those plays weren’t productive. But I don’t think it makes sense to assume they would continue to drop the ball. It’s like a good 3 point shooting team missing all their 3’s in the first half. You don’t stop shooting them – they’ll start to fall eventually. And we knew we didn’t have any reliable running backs. But we DID have reliable receivers. We should have kept giving them shots. That’s where we were having success. And I think a throw to a wide open guy who drops it is a better play than a rush for nothing. That guy probably won’t keep dropping it. But, if we’re getting dominated up front and facing a loaded box… The tailbacks aren’t very likely to suddenly break one.
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They did keep giving them shots. Georgia threw the ball 51 damned times in the game. Murray was 16 of 40. In the third quarter, out of sixteen plays, Murray threw eight times and got sacked once.
You must have been watching a different third quarter than I saw, because there weren’t a lot of “wide open guys” for Georgia by then.
And they weren’t facing a loaded box – LSU was stuffing Georgia’s run game with its front seven. That’s why the Tigers were able to shut down the intermediate and deep passing game in the second and third quarters by dropping their safeties back.
There’s a reason that team is playing for the MNC.
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Do not argue logic with the Bobo haters. For they do not understand, you have to at least have the pretext of a run against a good defense. There is a reason that NE has not won a super bowl in a few years. They are a spread team that does not run the ball enough or well against good teams, well lets just say, I do not see NE winning a SB this year either. And there is also a reason that Pro-Offenses exist in the first place, you have to run the damned ball.
GA lost line of scrimmage war against LSU. No amount of play calling can correct that.
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I’m not being illogical (even if you disagree with me). Nor am I really a Bobo hater per se. Just think we could do better. That’s not to say that he’s the source of all of our woes (improving the OL would help, for example, but ANY OC should be successful with a good OL and all the other weapons we’ve assembled on offense).
I don’t think the offense is the problem for the Patriots. They’re last in Pass D. But anyway, I think the “you have to run the ball to be successful” thing is a myth.
SB Winner in 2010 – Packers – 5th in Passing, 24th in Rushing
SB Winner in 2009 – Saints – 4th in Passing, 6th in Rushing
SB Winner in 2008 – Steelers – 17th in Passing, 23rd in Rushing
SB Winner in 2007 – Giants – 21st in Passing, 4th in Rushing (and beat the undefeated Pats who were 1st in Passing, and 13th in Rushing)
SB Winner in 2006 – Colts- 2nd in Passing, 18th in Rushing
SB Winner in 2005 – Steelers – 24thin Passing, 5th in Rushing
SB Winner in 2004 – Patriots – 11th in Passing, 7th in Rushing
SB Winner in 2003 – Patriots – 9th in Passing, 27th in Rushing
SB Winner in 2002 – Bucs – 15th in Passing, 27th in Rushing
SB Winner in 2001 – Patriots – 22nd in Passing, 13th in Rushing
Just like with college, the road to a championship is with a really great defense and (usually) to be reallllly good at something on offense. Some of those teams were balanced but many of them (2010 Packers, 2007 Giants, 2006 Colts, 2005 Steelers. 2003 Pats) were only reallllllly good at one thing. In fact, several Super Bowl winners were NOT good at running the ball.
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Pro football sucks
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The college numbers bear it out as well.
But, since he brought up the Pats and how you “have to be able to run the ball”, I decided to go with the NFL.
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I enjoy how nobody seems to understand that LSU had 2 first team AP All Americans at CB. Bobo (rightfully) knew that the more he had Murray put it up there, the more likely it was that eventually those guys would make a play on the ball and make a game changing play. Once it became clear our receivers weren’t catching the ball, the smart move (with the lead) was to stop going to the air, since it wasn’t working anyways, and limit your chances for big-play mistakes.
Yes, that in turn means we’re limiting our chances to score, but when your defense pitches a complete shutout in the 1st half, and you’re up against the #1 team in the country, what would you do? There’s a reason we didn’t see the Mad Hatter in the LSU/Alabama game: Les knew that the more crazy plays he ran, the more likely they were to make a mistake. In a tight game, you don’t want to make it easier for your opponent to beat you because of your own mistakes. Bobo did the same thing, and got crucified for it.
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Will, they were using the same DBs in the first half that they used in the second…
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I’m sure you don’t think the coverages stayed the same. Chavis is one of the best in the biz, and after getting lit up in the first quarter, you think he sat on his clipboard?
Just because passing “worked” in one quarter does not mean you can keep doing the same thing and expect it to keep working. The defense clearly adjusted and we had no answers. This is not surprising given how damn good their defense is. It’s more surprising Bobo had a plan that worked at any time against that defense.
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To be fair… Richt has said many times that he’s “heavily involved in the game planning” but that Bobo calls all the plays.
And while I’m sure their defense adjusted… We had a lot of success playing matchups (like NFL teams do) and it looked like we stopped exploiting that. Plus… There are ways to attack a defense no matter how they adjust.
Though, I do agree with the Senator that our OL started to let us down later in the game. Really hope that’s something we’ve started to fix with this recruiting class.
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Agree with you on the OL front and recruiting.
I’m not sure if by saying “Richt has said many times that he’s ‘heavily involved in the game planning’ but that Bobo calls all the plays” you’re trying to say Richt deserves the credit for the 1st quarter but Bobo deserves the blame for quarters 2-4. If you are, then I think I’m going to call crazy on you. Absolutely bat shit unfair anti-Bobo glasses dogshit crazy.
Bobo frustrates us all sometimes. I don’t think you’ll find a fan that says otherwise. But an objective comparison of Bobo to any OC in the league will suggest he’s done a pretty good job over the years.
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No worries.
I meant that he and Richt TOGETHER came up with a good gameplan. Within that, Bobo did a good job calling plays early in the game. They both failed to adjust the gameplan and Bobo failed to adjust the play calling. They both deserve the credit and the blame (though I am willing to give Bobo more blame for in-game failures since he calls the plays). I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that our first 3 possessions were scripted. Whoever picked those plays (Bobo or Bobo and Richt together) deserves praise. Whoever let us down after that (Bobo or Bobo and Richt) deserves plenty of blame.
I’m opinionated, but not insane.
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I guess I really meant to imply that the gameplan was good and maybe he and Bobo should work together more during the game to figure out how to attack the defense. Wasn’t trying to take away Bobo’s praise or deflect Richt’s blame. The offense as a whole let us down there and that’s not all on Bobo.
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Oh yeah we didnt want to turn the ball over so we just ran the ball three straight times and punted it to the honey badger. How did that work out
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We started throwing a lot late in the game because that’s what you do when you’re way behind…
but if you wanna get specific i can do that.
in the first quarter we looked like this…
1st possession – 5 passes (one drop in the endzone), no runs. FG
2nd poss – incomplete pass, rush for – 2, pass for 13, rush for 1, pass for 19, rush for -1, incomplete, incomplete (mitchells dropped TD), missed FG
3rd poss – Crowell rush for 11, CT for 4, Inc, Inc, Punt
4th – CT for 1, CT for 16, Inc screen, crowell for 4, pass for 11, pass for 12 TD
2nd Q
1st poss – pass for 9 to MM, Crowell for nothing, Zander for 3, Sack, thomas rush and fumble recovered by Ben Jones, incomplete screen, punt
2nd poss – Crowell for 0, Crowell for 1, Sack, Punt returned for TD. Terrible possession.
3rd poss – inc, pass for 8 + 15 yard PF on LSU, inc to CT, crowell for 0, inc, punt
4th poss – Inc to crowell, crowell for -1, inc, punt. That’s 2 possessions in a row killed by a pass to a TB, a rush for nothing or less, and an incomplete on 3rd and long.
3rd Q
1st poss – CT for 0, CT for 1, Murray for 9, fumble
2nd poss – inc, inc, murray rush for 7, punt
3rd poss – CT for 1, Murray for 2, Pass to TK for 7, First and bomb intercepted (where murray has most of his INTs and where LSU has most of theirs)
4th poss – (now down 28-10) Pass to Conley for 7, Inc to MM, Pass to Orson for 5, inc to Conley, Crowell for 1, sack, punt. I think that crowell run was a waste of a down. That’s the kind of thing I’ve been talking about.
So… 4 passes and a sack came in that last possession (while down 28-10). The other pass play calls were on 3rd and long (3, one leading to a scramble and a fumble, the other just a scramble for 7, and one leading to a FD), first and bomb (INT), and just two regular ol’ incompletions. Aside from that second possession, the pass plays were pretty much all out of desperation.
4th Q – (19 of our passes came in this quarter)
1st – Complete to MM for 6, Murray rush for 9, Inc (but PI), PF on Georgia, complete to Orson for 7, complete to Malcolme for 17, inc, sack, inc, punt
2nd – Malcolme for 7, inc, malcolme for 8, inc, malcolme for 9, pick 6
3rd – (mason comes in) malcolme for 8, complete to conley for 12, mason for 2, inc to malcolme, complete to mcgowan for 10, complete to conley for 21, inc, inc, malcolme rush for 5, complete to mcgowan for 12, inc, inc, inc, inc
I didn’t say there were a lot of “wide open” guys in the second half. But it looked (from our seats) like we got away from a lot of the plays and play-calling that was working in the first half. I actually felt like the 2nd quarter was the beginning of the end for our offense.
Re: guys in the box, there were safeties coming up sometimes and #7 blitzing out of the nickel spot quite a bit. Their LBs lived up on the LOS and blitzed all the time. In the first quarter we made those guys cover TEs and won that matchup repeatedly. What changed? I’m willing to say I’m not 100% sure. Maybe LSU did more to take that away than I could see. But in the first quarter we often had 2 TEs in and flexed them out or put them on the line and beat LSU with matchups. I loved it. It was a brilliant plan. Did they just find a personnel grouping that shut that down or what? Because it looked to me like we just stopped trying those kinds of plays and groupings. The deep passing game was never there. LSU doesn’t give that to anyone, really. The intermediate game WAS there and the short game wasn’t very productive for us (outside of Malcolme’s one reception).
I’m really not trying to be unreasonable, but man… that game was some top-notch frustration.
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Chavis stopped sending the safeties when it became clear they controlled Georgia’s running game with their front seven… coincidently, that occurred during the 2nd quarter.
The reason Georgia had traction early was because the o-linemen were playing lights out. They wore down as the game progressed. That allowed Chavis to play more press coverage.
I’m not saying I wasn’t frustrated at the game, too. I was. But when you watch the replay, you can see how LSU locked everything down as the game wore on. Bobo just didn’t have a lot of options available.
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I guess the shortest way to explain my frustration would be that I thought Bobo anticipated their adjustments and stopped what was working before LSU had the chance to stop it for us.
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I thought he had Chavis back on his heels a bit early on… but some of that was because the o-line play was giving Murray time and letting a few runs up the middle work. Once the run defense locked down, there wasn’t much Bobo could do to counter.
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Senator, As Usual, You are correct in your analysis of the Offensive Game Plan & In the Play Calling. I continue to think that Richt & Bobo have done & are doing a very good job with their Game Plans & with their Play Calling.
The results are just better now with the improvement in the defense. That also gives more options with the play calling. Everything is getting better now .Go Dawgs.
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Football. It’s a complex game.
Running the ball makes the d-line play run first. The d-line playing run first gives the qb time to find a receiver and the receiver time to get open. Conversely, not running the ball allows their 4 beasts if the apocalypse to kill your qb before he can find an open receiver. For this reason you ALWAYS try to run the ball vs. a good pass rushing front. This is true even when it isn’t working. And unfortunately the run game not working is about as effective as not trying. However, it not working us no excuse fir not trying unless you want your qb dead.
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But you can also run more screens, back shoulder throws, slants, hots, flats, etc.
We ran a few screens to TBs (like all but one of which was a drop) and one to a wide open FB (for a drop), but I don’t remember seeing much else.
Also, I’m really not a troll. I just think that the “I Blame Bobo” thing is kind of mocking the people who think he’s not so great. I love this blog and (like many others) read it every day. But I do think that much of the criticism that Bobo receives is valid. I also think that this was his best year as OC. I also think that he still did lots of dumb, frustrating stuff that cost us games or nearly cost us games.
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Exactly.
He’s certainly got room for improvement, but he’s not the crayon dude he’s portrayed as elsewhere either.
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I just think that’s a little unfair. He’s not the crayon-toting moron that he’s made out to be all over the place. I agree with you there.
But… that doesn’t mean that everyone who dislikes Bobo as the OC is short-sighted or foolish. I’m pretty sure there are plenty of valid reasons to dislike the guy as an OC. Hopefully he goes to some seminars, meets with some coaches, etc. this offseason and can improve his planning and play calling. A good OC maximizes his offense’s potential. I do think that this was Bobo’s best year, but we still had some mindbogglingly unproductive games. He deserves credit for his successes, but he also deserves blame for his shortcomings.
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Mindbogglingly? Hmm… sounds like fodder for a blog post.
Here’s the game log for Georgia’s offense this season. I’d call Mississippi State, Florida and Kentucky disappointing (all were more than a yard under the season’s yards per play average), but I’m not sure how much of the blame for that should get laid at Bobo’s feet. Some? Certainly. To some extent, though, players have to make plays (or in the case of MSU, avoid making bad ones). But mindbogglingly unproductive? Eh.
Ironically, the 2011 game of his I disliked the most – Boise State – showed a healthy ypp of 6.22. They just didn’t run enough plays to keep up with the Broncos.
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What I meant was that we had games where the offense let us down for no obvious reason. Florida, Mississippi State, and Kentucky were 3 that immediately come to mind. Florida you may be able to say was some of that classic Jacksonville voodoo, but Kentucky and Miss. St. were just bad showings.
Boise was also pretty damn disappointing. But I also really was troubled by our inability to seal the deal against Ole Miss and Vandy. A first down and the Vandy game is over. But we didn’t get it and almost lost the game. So, “mindbogglingly unproductive” may have been hyperbole, but I was referencing times when we were let down by the offense’s failed production. I really think (obviously) that the offense failed us in the SECCG too. Mistakes against USC cost us that game.
So, we’ve played 13 games. The defense had issues in 2 games for sure – Boise and the second half of the LSU game. South Carolina looks bad but the offense gave USC so many points that I have trouble blaming the d for that one. I suppose Vandy was pretty disappointing for our defense as well – though STs deserve some of the blame. So, defense had issues in 2/13 games maybe 4/13, depending on how you look at it.
Where did the offense give us trouble this year? Boise, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Vandy, Ole Miss, Florida, and LSU. 8 games out of 13. Or… If you want to give them a pass for USC (because we scored plenty of points despite our mistakes), LSU (for the 1st quarter), and Vandy (for points again), then 5/13. Grantham got all the pieces he needed and got people executing in 2 years. Bobo has had 5.
I just want the offense to contribute as much as the defense. Maybe the infusion of OL talent and RB talent will cure all of our woes next year. But still… Does a good offense have to have allll the pieces in place to succeed?
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No question the offense played in fits and spurts throughout the year. And some of that Bobo clearly bears responsibility for. But I suspect Richt does, too.
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Yes, against SC the O had bad turnovers, but the O still scored 42 points against the number 4 defense in the land. You can not fault Bobo for the whiff of a block and fumble by AM. The Fumble that was returned to the 5, the fake punt. If any of those do not happen GA wins that game. So to say that production was bad against SC is wrong.
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Maybe we’re approaching difference of opinion/perspective/agree to disagree territory.
I think you and I have pretty strong opinions about this and we’re not going to make any real headway like this.
Love the blog. Hope you haven’t grown to hate when I comment haha.
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No worries, mon. 😉
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Last word.
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I actually would’ve gladly conceded the last word and regretted not having apologized in lieu of arguing my last point. But there was nothing I could do at that point.
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Anything but running Thomas up the middle. Don’t I remember your blog after the game being perplexed at the 2nd half play calling? I’m not a fire Bobo guy just wondering why his play calls changed so much.
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My playcalling observation was in regards to the second quarter series that led to the Mathieu punt return for a TD.
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You are correct sir.
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Thomas had a 16 yard gain up the gut on second down and ten the series before the one the senator complains about below. So of course it was totally dumb to try running the ball on the next series. The truth is that we ran the ball fairly effectively for the first quarter. That allowed the passing game to work. Then they stuffed it and everything fell apart. But I don’t see how it’s bobo’s fault for running what had been working to that point.
Also I would argue that if Crowell had been healthy I’d be getting ready to go to new Orleans. Not bad for a team that lost to UCF a year ago.
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The turnovers, just can’t have those. I realize Murray is only a sophomore. Despite having a record breaking year, he had a lower QB rating than last year. He has to solve the fumble and INT problems.
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Damn I need to wake up earlier because I wanted to be the first to say I Blame Bobo that the SEC is a defensive minded conference. A truly talented OC could arrange to change that. Hell if we can get Georgia people at UF and Tenn shouldn’t we be able to get the SEC to run defenses that look more like the ACC’s or the Big East’s? Than we can run Houston’s,SMU’s or Hawaii’s offense and the idiots would shut up……for a minute.
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The SEC being a strong defensive league (on the whole) doesn’t explain all of our struggles on offense. We looked bad against some pretty bad defenses. Or at least did that weird offensive disappearing act (for a half, a quarter, a few key possessions, whatever).
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Adam, your proposal of perfection for Bobo can be placed on every O coordinator in the country. To single him out for your not wanting to admit that he runs a good offense simply strikes me as being buttheaded. That perception takes away from your contention that somehow, there’s something wrong or inadequate about Bobo’s game calling and planning. No more than any other O coordinator. Many of us may hold him in high esteem for his consistency (I know, that isn’t perfect either), but are not about to look elsewhere just because you can’t see his positive attributes. One of those attributes has to be the patience of Job he has to read the horseshit spewed his way, laugh and walk away. I have a low regard for Monday Morn. QBing since it defines poor qualities in that person’s makeup. But that’s just me. Similar to how you are about Bobo and your inability to see the good. Too bad.
More and more you sound like Buck Belue looking to take Bobo’s place.
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It’s so absurd that you question my character because I think Bobo isn’t all that great. I never said I expected perfection. I’m not “singling him out” for any reason other than he is the OC for my school. That in no way discredits my belief that he’s not a great OC. And if you (foolishly) think that my alleged character deficiency devalues my argument, then you’ve fallen victim to a common logical fallacy (ad hominem).
Complaining about his issues is not “refusing to see the good.” I acknowledged that this was his best year. I’ve said so many time that he is definitely not the worst out there. I have never insisted that he was terrible nor have I suggested he was the worst OC in UGA history (or the worst OC in the SEC). I don’t have an inability to see the good. I don’t know why you feel so defensive when anyone talks about him, but, hey, whatever. I won’t make any ignorant, sweeping accusations about your character deficiencies nor will I question your “makeup”.
What I HAVE said is that I don’t think that Bobo is the best OC we could have at Georgia. I don’t think he’s a great OC – though I would say he’s somewhere in the neighbourhood of a “good” OC. I’ve even brought up that he’s clearly a good QB coach (especially combined with Richt). Those are opinions. I argue them because I have quantifiable and qualifiable support for my opinions. I would gladly debate these things with you. But every time you disagree with me you say (often explicitly) that I’m deficient in character, not a real fan, hurting the team, ignorant, stupid, immature, short-sighted, etc. That’s baseless and ridiculous. Please get over it and either actually debate with me or leave me alone.
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If “buttheaded” is perceived as an attack on your character, I profusely apologize. My point was that I share that quality ,but to the opposite extreme. I think Bobo has proven over time he is not befitting of disparaging remarks and I defend him blindly without regard to the criticisms voiced that may have validity. By the same token you are unwilling to see him as a good coach who has produced points sufficient to not lose games, I see nothing missing from his overall scope of work that says he is a failure as an O coordinator or that he should not continue at the helm. I further believe that continuous attacks cripples him some in fans minds where and when it is unnecessaty and works against the team. That is the reason for my attacks on your attacks.
Once again, I held my powder well into a your continuous rant against Bobo using stats that I didn’t agree with anymore than when it was being done toward Richt. I would attack your character no more than your attacks are toward Bobo’s character. I have no idea about your character; why would I attack it? We are just two Dawgs arguing over an old bone that was buried and keeps getting dug up. That’s all. For all I know, you are a Baptist minister. Apologies are offered for anything I have written that is perceived as against your character. I reserve those remarks for FU and Tech fans.
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MSU is ranked 5th and averaged only 4 yards more per game. The bowl is going to be interesting.
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Georgia’s Offense in 39 in total offense……MState is 60. Edge on O goes to Georgia.
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And that 60 is even less impressive when you consider that it occurred in the Big ? while the 39 was put up against the SEC with a pretty good Boise State defense added in just for kicks.
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Coming into the season I definitely wasn’t on the Bobo bandwagon. Heck, I thought he absolutely needed to go after last year. That being said I had no problems with his playcalling this year. Sure, there are still some things that confuse me. For instance there was one stretch this year where there were ~10 consecutive 2nd down & 2 or shorter and UGA runs it up the gut every time. If they didn’t convert they’d throw deep on 3rd and short a lot of the time. All of that said, by and large I had no problem with his playcalling this year.
The one thing that still bothers me though, what seems to be a lack of a killer instinct. SB has alluded to this and I agree with him in that I don’t know if it’s Bobo or Richt who pulls in the reigns at certain times. For instance the SCU game. UGA gets inside the 30 three times in a row and comes away with 6 points (and 1 missed fg). They were dominating a SCU team that hadn’t been acrss the 50 yet, but refused to try to go ahead and step on SCU’s throat. They left the door open and sure enough, SCU hits one big play and all of the sudden SCU is leading. There are other examples, but that is one that jumps out at me.
All in all though, Bobo did a good job this year.
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“For instance the SCU game. UGA gets inside the 30 three times in a row and comes away with 6 points (and 1 missed fg).”
….against the 4th best defense in the country.
All due respect, I have never understood that “we don’t have a killer instinct” argument. I’m pretty sure Bobo is trying to score a touchdown EVERY single series (other than the the end of the games when we’re up big).
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Are you saying there’s no such thing as going conservative?
Of course their goal is always to score a touchdown. That goes without being said. But acting as if trying to score conservatively and trying to score unconservatively (for lack of a better term) are the same thing is simply not the case.
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+1
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I guess I’m saying that I didn’t see any conservative play-calling during the drives you reference. I feel like Bobo was finally starting to strike a balance between sticking with what works and keeping the opposing D’s off balance this year.
As far as your fake punt comment below, can you imagine how much hell there would have been to pay if Richt tried that, failed, and let momentum get away? Would we all be sitting here saying, “Well at least he tried”?
We stepped on Auburn’s throat because we COULD. Their defense was bad. SC’s defense was good.
I understand what you’re saying overall, I just don’t think it’s always as easy for an OC to say, “let’s keep our foot on the gas”.
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“…but refused to try to go ahead and step on SCU”s throat.”
As if their lack of TDs was a strategy.
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I shouldn’t have used the term refuse. You got me there. That was a bad choice of words on my part, but now I realize everything is technical.
They had a chance to step on SCU’s throat early and didn’t take advantage of their opportunity.
Of course their strategy was to score a touchdown. I didn’t realize that actually had to be said. But acting as if trying to score by taking chances and trying to score while being conservative are the same thing is simply not the case. Look at Spurrier’s call for the fake punt in that game. Do you think he does that if SCU is controling the game? Chances are probably not. He did that b/c the game was slipping away from SCU. He saw that he was going to have to do something different to stay in the game so he did.
It was the same for UGA except they would have been putting their foot on SCU’s throat as opposed to trying to stay in the game. Did the staff “refuse”, no. But did they capitalize on their opportunity, no. And that’s my point. The opportunity was they and UGA failed to capitalize.
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Yes, Georgia should have been up more than six when Spurrier faked the punt, and he did it for exactly the reason you state. However, I don’t think it’s fair to criticize Bobo. For whatever reason, early in that game Murray couldn’t find an open receiver. The fact that they went on to score 42 despite a few killer turnovers speaks to a well called game if you ask me.
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And if everyone would take a look at last year, it can be said that Bobo’s offense was not the problem. Grantham’s D allowed more points than this year while Bobo’s O has continued to put points on the board. The bowl game defined Bobo’s year in the naysayers’s minds and they refused to look at O production for the last 3 years. Cox did his share and didn’t get credit for production along with Bobo not getting credit for his QB training.
Senator, you may have proposed this as a cathartic blog for some, but I fear that it is lost on a few who just don’t act nor comport themselves as Dawg fans. Dawg critics, yeah. Sensitivity toward coming together at a good time, not so much. And one can be critical and have a critical debate about our Dawgs, but to not listen to any good points put forward by you and others and to continue with the cacophony of the negative is not insightful nor helpful. Some need to go where O coordinators are perfect and enjoy their college football…wherever the hell that is.
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I have never understood the Bobo bashers, especially this season. Our offense never had a stable running back, the offensive line was in a constant state of flux, we had young receivers who weren’t battle tested. Doing what we did this year, I would’ve thought that the complainers would shut up. I thought Bobo did one hell of a job, considering all of the above!
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I agree with your general points. For me, there is a overall feeling with this offensive staff (Richt included, of course) that they are too frequently content with field goals once they get inside an opponents’ 35-30, such that it seems to dictate the type of plays that we call in such situations. Regardless of what has gotten us into that position on the field, it seems we get into a more risk-averse mode of playcalling, which typically means fewer throws down field and more running the ball up the gut more. It’s my feeling that this contributes to fewer TDs and settling for FGs (the NCAA leader in attempts, I think).
Ironically, Walsh’s kicking struggles might have actually improved Georgia’s offensive TD efficiency by requiring them to play a little more aggressively in those circumstances. Because Richt/Bobo could no longer rely on those 3 points being in the bank inside the 30, they had to keep the playbook open a little longer and the result, from my perspective, was quite successful (UF, AU, GT games as evidence). You think that we’d be talking about those 4th down TD passes against UF (and possibly that win) if Walsh had been nailing his FGs?
I think frustration with Richt/Bobo’s offense is not their inability to move the ball or have offensive successes–but rather it relates to the feeling of squandered opportunities through a particular risk-averse philosophy (exhibited through questionable playcalling or offensive approach at various points in a game).
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Well put.
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Your second sentence is generalized incorrectly and applies to all college coaches except perhaps Leach. All of them will go for 3 pts when they don’t get 7. That old philosophy worked for UGA 7-9 years ago when OSU dubbed is Field Goal U, but has been dead for some time. Trying to label Richt or Bobo with that now suggests you don’t watch the games. Perhaps you have been lost in time and space.
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Oh really. Field Goal U is dead and gone? Right…except that we led the SEC again in field goal attempts and were number 2 in the nation in field goal attempts IN 2011. We likely would have had a lot more attempts if not for the more aggressive philosophy in offensive playcalling and 4th down decisions to go for it in the last third of the season, which probably resulted from Richt’s inability to count on Walsh’s accuracy.
I really enjoy your little digs at anyone who doesn’t see things exactly as you do (with red-blinders with lips puckered against against the coaches’ asses). Not to get to personal, Ms. Jones, but I think 75% full of shit. Do you still answer to the name of “Blowhard” amongst your family and associates?
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Only to the Republicans in the family. Otherwise, it’s Mr Blowhard.
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I also blame Bobo for being a damn good recruiter and QB coach.
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Plus, he’s got like 9 kids between the ages of 3-5. So he’s obviously got time for hobbies.
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Or at least one hobby.
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Yeah, Richt needs to “supplement” Bobo’s salary with a TV for the master bedroom.
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How many of those top defenses did Bobo face?
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More than schools which don’t play in the SEC did.
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I’m certainly not disputing that. I think that the amount of “credit” Bobo receives is fair, both positive and negative.
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I was one of the most long term pessimistic fans after the Colorado game let alone the Boise game but for the life of me I never understood all this bitching about Bobo. The guy’s offenses score points and have for a long time therefore he is doing his job, period. I’ll need a fact check but I’m pretty sure Bobo is better in his 5 years than Richt/ Callaway in scoring offense, total offense, and redzone offense. If i recall we are also usually at least in the top half of the sec in scoring and total offense each yr under Bobo and keep in mind scoring offense under Bobo is skewed downward thanks to Willie no turnovers Martinez. What you will most likely see when Bobo leaves is fans finally realizing how good an OC and qb coach they had when he was here. Is the guy going to call a perfect game every time? no. Could he get better? absolutely. But that’s not to be confused with being a bad OC.
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I remember when Bobo took over as OC, everyone was happy because our red zone production went up significantly from when Richt was calling the plays. There’s a reason that Billy Bennett was a record-setting kicker, yet didn’t make it in the NFL. We couldn’t put the ball in the end zone, so Bennett had to kick it. A lot.
Bobo is fine as the OC. Yeah, he frustrates me sometimes too. Yeah, he gets predictable, too. But still, we score points, enough to win. Now that we have a great defense again, we’re winning again.
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Charlotte, we have to stop this meeting together on this blog. I’m falling in love.
Well said.
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The LSU game was over well before the half. Missing chances to score coupled with no available running game set the table for the inevitable. Take the fact that it was UGA out of the picture and look objectively, no team could overcome all that and beat LSU. We should have been up at least 17 to 0 at the half. Dropping passes made sure that didn’t happen. With no running game to control the clock and to keep the secondary honest, we became one dimensional real fast. Special teams killed us to. Say what you will, but the loss can’t be placed at Bobo’s feet.
I think Bobo did great this year. The team was balanced and aggressive on offense. If we get a more solid running game (and shore up special teams…but that’s for another thread), we can hurt you in a lot of ways.
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What makes LSU a very tough team is their game plan and game management by their staff. They have the players, they are physical along the line on both sides of the ball. Their 2011 squad has to be made to go the long distance to score. You have to keep them around their 20 – 30 and not let them flip the field. They thrive on a short field.
Bobo. This is the first season I begin to feel good about him. The lack of depth at the O line and a running back hurt his schemes. Once he starts stretching the line of scrimmage across the field with more gaps for RBs [that should be Crowell, Marshall, and gang…plus the FB needs to be more physical and quicker], they will put more points on the board, control the clock, control the line of scrimmage, and the game. That is what LSU does, but they do not let down the hammer,except for the mercy rule for the Reverend Nutt.
Scoring. There are 120 teams in D1. 105 of those teams averaged 21 points a game. That is three touchdowns.
Scoring defense. The Dawgs rank 17th out of 120 in scoring defense, giving an average of 19.6. Higher than we’d expect for a top ranked total defense. But related that to these two SEC teams out of the state of Tennessee. Vandy ranks 26 by giving up 20.8 per game. 105 five average almost 3 TDs per game in scoring, and the Dawgs and Dores average almost giving up 3 TDs per game.
Both at bowl bound and the Dawgs face probably the best D in the Big Ten. Look at MSU’s numbers.
And that other Tennessee team staying home, well they rank 34 nationally in scoring defense at 22.6 per game…slightly over 3 TDs per game.
I’d like to see the Dawgs use an unbalanced line at times…a power oor jumbo package in the backfield at times, and the jet sweep at times…seems like he ran that against Boise with Smith for a TD.
Bobo…your numbers on scoring look good at the end of the season on a comparison to other teams [120], but why in hell can you not light up a nationally ranked team, especially on defense, in a big game. When you get there, I’ll sing your praises and call you the master of football offense…even if you run the fullback dive every play.
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One commentary on Bobo is that no other head coach from another school has approached him with a job offer to be his offensive coordinator. It goes without saying that he hasn’t ever been considered as head coaching material. Muschamp is now a head coach and Smart is considered by some to be about ready for a head coaching job. They are Bobo’s contemporaries. That says something about the esteem he is held in by the coaching fraternity.
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The jury’s out on whether that supports your argument. 😉
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Does the lack of head coaching offers for John Chavis, Mickey Andrews or Bud Foster make them less successful as DC’s?
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Thought at least Mickey and Bud have been offered before.
Hell, even Willie Martinez got an offer (FIU).
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How long was Richt an OC before he was offered a Job? 6-7 years?
Also, I think coordinators to HC for big time jobs has cooled. Gus took the Ark State job. Bobo is a Bulldog, with a lot of kids to uproot should he decide to take a smaller head coaching job. And how do we know he has never been asked about a job. An agent would want to mention it for leverage, does he even have an agent. But even so, maybe he always flatly refuses so his name does not get tossed out there.
Since he is a good recruiter you would think a small school might be willing to take a chance on him.
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Maybe if Bobo had been an offensive coordinator for Nick Saban with results equivalent to what he’s had with Georgia; Bobo, like Jimbo, Will, Derek and others may have had a head coaching job offer by now. AD’s used to think that because someone coaches as an assistant with Nick or Belichick (Charlie), the assistants will turn out to be just as good as their former head coaches were. Kirby could be finding out that that trend has cooled. Thus far, maybe the closest analogy to that coming true would be Mark coming to Georgia from Bobby’s staff.
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…”Smart is considered by SOME to be ABOUT ready”…. Not exactly a glowing endorsement from nebulous people to nebulous readiness. What a crock!
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BOBO or RICHT OR BOTH just do not have the BOLLS to call aggressive, high reward, high risks plays. LOL
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Let’s score more than 6 points in the bowl game.
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Well; “Turn out the lights, the partys over; they say all things should come to end”. And it really is time to put this blog to bed, tomorrow is another day, what???- it is already tomorrow; at least it is 12:19 am, put this baby to bed, if you don’t want to then get yourself a cold one of what ever you want, sit down, relax & watch a movie and don’t let it be bout ‘football’, also let Bobo & CR handle the OL as they feel best for there is not a darn thing we as posters or bloggers can do about it for them. Let them try & get prepared for the bown game. I guess we would need to keep on this blog spot a little longer unless someone knows how to start another but without all the bickering that has been done on this one.
I WILL TITLE IT UNLESS SOMEONE CAN
COME UP WITH A BETTER ONE, IF U CAN;
GIVE IT ‘THE GUN’..
WHO WILL WIN THE “NCTG”? ; WHY & HOW; LSU OR ALABAMA?
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Neither one. How’s that for starting an argument?
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Very good; but you did not say ‘why’ you thought “Neither One” would win, nor did you say who you thought would, give us some comments please!!
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