Lost in all of yesterday’s craziness was the fact that Georgia ran for 238 yards, its highest output both in terms of total yardage and yards per carry of the season, without Gurley and mostly without Marshall. And while Danielson (and I’m sure large parts of Dawgnation) were openly asking why Bobo wasn’t having Murray air it out, Georgia’s offensive coordinator had his reasons.
When asked if he ever had experienced such a stretch of injuries during a game, Richt said, “Not like that.”
Green rushed 17 times for 129 yards, with a long of 32. Douglas had just 25 yards on 10 rushing attempts but provided the 32-yard reception on the late tying drive.
“We stayed committed to the run, and those guys did a nice job of pressing the zone tracks and finding the cutback,” Bobo said. “We missed a couple, which is natural, and we missed a couple of checks at the line when they started bringing a little pressure, but I felt like that’s what we had to do.
“I felt like if we started slinging it, they were going to play more of a two-shell and play zone match underneath and challenge our X [receiver] to make plays.”
It wasn’t a perfect day, by any means – I bet Bobo would have liked to have that third-and-one back when the Vols loaded the box with ten – but given the conditions and what he had to work with on the fly, Mike Bobo did okay.
Get The Picture 
My only problem with the play calling yesterday was the first possession of the 2nd half where we flew down the field and then went to double TEs on 1st down, went backwards, and missed the FG. We had a chance to step on their neck and didn’t do it.
LikeLike
Yes, a critical time to not put them away, or at least make them predictable because they were down so much. At the time they only had about 160 yards of offense, mostly coming on one drive. It would have disheartened the fans in the stadium. I believe part of Bobo’s strategy coming back from halftime was to run the clock as much as possible because the playbook was shrinking with each series. No other explanation for not letting Murray exploit their secondary, at least with the short throws (perhaps even use a TE occasionally?)
Given the circumstances, the offense was phenomenal in the last three quarters. Tip of the cap to the OL, the young players forced into larger roles, and most of all to the best damned QB UGA has ever had. Makes me embarrassed to recall all the cheap shots he has taken from UGA fans. You expect that from talking heads who have to use stats, relevant or not, but for the Georgia fans to not stand beside this warrior is just awful.
Sadly, I don’t think the new limitations the offense faces will allow them to overcome the anemic defensive product we are putting on the field. We had all expected to have to win a few shootouts this season but had expected to see improvement as the year went along. The run defense has stepped up, but the confusion in setting up and our inability to cover anyone (regardless of talent) is more than troubling. I will be with them through every battle, but my predictions have to be reset at this point. If we were going to shut anyone down, it should have been the TN offense.
LikeLike
Last week I gave my view of why Aaron had the end zone interception (blocked view at the moment he threw and things changed as the ball was in the air, a no-fault on his part). The pronouncement was clearly qualified as an anomaly, but Bluto reminded me of Murray’s % (a figure I had earlier bragged to a neighbor about when touting Murray to him) as if I was criticizing Murray. Not so, but it occurred to me that we sometimes read in a false accounting to bloggers’s words. Not excusing the a-holes who shoot at him, but sometimes we may read too much negative into a snarky comment or just an honest observation . Those who detract or assail Murray can eat my shorts.
As always, nice to read your observations.
LikeLike
True observation about Murray’s vision problems against large defensive linemen and issues with tips/trajectory. If I could give any man, other than myself, another 2-3 inches it would be Aaron Murray.
LikeLike
I’m sure he’s doing fine with the ladies already. 😉
LikeLike
As soon as i read the original comment, I just knew someone was going to take it there. lol
LikeLike
I was confident he would use his differently than I would mine. Either way, you would be provided for the rest of your life.
LikeLike
I don’t think this offense will be hampered by “new limitations”. Murray is still qb, the o-line remains in tact, Gurley should be back from his ankle sprain this week and Green and Douglass both showed they can step into the back up role quite nicely. It stinks to lose Marshall and Scott-Wesley, but we are so deep at receiver I don’t even think that is an issue. We also should get back two players on defense this week that will help with some added depth.
Once again this game was only close because of poor special teams play, a missed field goal and a blocked punt really hurt us. We have to fix special teams play.
In the end I will take a win on the road at a division rival that made this game their signature game of the season. Lets get some guys healthy the next couple of weeks and be ready for Florida.
LikeLike
Add to that ..horrible officiating and a phoney touchdown and you’re even more correct.
LikeLike
Funny how things work out….JJ had 129 yards…in what? three quarters?…sounds like the offensive line has begun to find its feet, and that is a damn good thing…we may be back to the I formation and pounding the rock real soon.
LikeLike
I do think our Oline is impacted by road crowds. They seem to miss blocking audibles or checks. Not saying they played badly, but they do work together much better at home.
LikeLike
I wonder if Ken “Boo” Malcome is feeling some regret about leaving the program… Would be nice to have him going forward. Oh well.
LikeLike
His loss. JT Green’s gain.
LikeLike
But if they start playing you different when you “sling it around” can’t you go back to running it then? That’s what I don’t get. We ran well yesterday. I know that. But we also took the ball out of our best playmakers hands in some important situations. It’s funny how when the chips were down we went back to him and scored twice. Why couldn’t we just do that from the beginning?
LikeLike
Very good point. The true advantage of being a “balanced” offense, is the ability to run or pass as the defense, talent imbalance, mismatches, game circumstances dictate. Slogging it up the middle against 8 and 9 man fronts on first and second down b/c we’re fearful of a D scheme change that they might make…doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. Regardless of what fans or coaches might want or hope, Georgia is not a power running team that can afford to be predictable.
LikeLike
Other than the wiff by Beard on the Murray sack, the oline gets the game ball this week. Like last week, their protection of Murray was stellar and the running lanes were good all day. They are what is allowing our offense to be elite. Congrats to Friend an the boys. Lets hope it continues b/c we will need them to play well given the attrition we saw yesterday at the skill positions
LikeLike
Was it a 4th down and short or 3rd down and short were UGA telegraphed the run up the middle and got stuffed? I think it was Douglas who got the carry on that play.
Other than that, I think the running game was a mild success. I’m not sure what else we could have expected given that we were in total shell shock given the nature of the injuries sustained.
UT would have been thumped without the blood letting that ensued on our end. It would have been ugly. That UGA pulled out the win without half a dozen 4-5 star impact players is remarkable.
LikeLike
Bobo brought back the goddamned sprint-draw on that play.
The horror…
LikeLike
I think I would have slung it around instead of handing it off to Douglas for no gain or a loss.
I got the feeling there was something up with Murray and the coaches didn’t want to throw a lot. Maybe a sore elbow or something.
LikeLike
One more thing. I would have liked to have seen Murray on a naked bootleg when we were trying to score the tying TD. Murray could throw, run it himself, or throw it away.
LikeLike
I have to think that being down to third string receivers, the TEs dropped everything thrown there way and the thing the third and fourth TB do the worst is pass protect led CMB to stay balanced. The run game was working and sadly, we needed to keep our D off the field.
LikeLike
any word on jonathan rumph
LikeLike
No longer a big fan of jumbo packages inside of red zone. Due to time on clock and personnel, OC spread it out, used the 53 yards wide and 12 deep even though UT had started playing more man coverage. Thanks Martinez! Some things just do not change. Go ahead Georgia high school recruits and go to UT. Saw what happened yesterday.
LikeLike
And Murray busts it up the gut for 53 yards and almost a TD. Yes sir we saw that when Jancek and Martinez was on staff. Damn Bobo you could have been kinder to them Did the Georgia coaches get in the UT coaches head in the last 3 minutes. Think they did.
LikeLike
Could all everything coach Butch Jones not have used the clock on their last regulation drive. Got a lesson about leaving too much time on the clock for Bobo against Jancek and Martinez. We all yelling let them score and give us 2 minutes. Thanks TG, MB, and CMR. Just damn brillant!!!
LikeLike
Yesterday was a classic example of a coaching staff and a fan base wanting a game too damn much. They thought they had it on the “board”. Pigskin could not get to the corner quick enough, D made them stretch and it cost them a touchback. Just a damn poor run on a more or less jet sweep. They had all the time in the world. And that is their super bowl OC’s call And no team in SEC came into 2013 with more varsity experience on their Oline than UT. Good job D..
LikeLike
I don’t have many complaints about the runs. Many of them were surprisingly effective. But the ‘horizontal’ passing game drove me nuts.
LikeLike
“Slinging it” is not what I wanted. Mixing in a little high percentage short pass in with the play action, particularly early in the second half when we could have put it away would have been nice, though.
LikeLike
Don’t give Bobo a pass. I believe that was the worst game he’s called in a year and a half. With all the injuries, do you want the burden on JJ Green (who did great) to set up the pass, or on AM to set up the run? It was a no-brainer especially when they loaded up the box.
LikeLike
Agreed re: Bobo, A10. We still had JSW in that first drive of 3dQ, not to mention 2 great un-utilized Tight Ends, so I’m not buying the personnel depletion thing at that point. Could not believe my eyes when Douglas was sent up the middle. Still think Bobo’s a very good OC, but I think they let off the gas much too soon. Not to take anything away from the defensive failings, but offensively, looks like we’ll need to be damn near perfect for the MO game.
LikeLike
I think Bobo’s a great OC. But yesterday wasn’t his best day. I’m hopeful that Gurley will be back for MO, that would add a lot to our margin for error.
LikeLike
53 yards wide, spread the field, create not only more running lanes but passing lanes. Inside the red zone, speed, angles, and number of players to the lane of attack changes. Put more players there to clog it up. Not always so easy to push it in. Simply great play calling by Bobo and execution by the players on that last drive. That was brillant! Some of us who see the players in 1-6A know Green can play. He is quick to the outside and to the inside, plus he is a lot stronger than fans think. Think Green has proved he can play in the SEC. And less than 10 months ago he was on the HS turf. Those who competed against him had aIot of praise, worthy of it…no doubt the UGA coaches. Smart not to put Murray under center in that last drive inside the red zone, compounded the D calls for Janek and Martinez. I’ve critized Bobo many times but that was brillant play calling for his offense, and those guys executed…with one timeout in the pocket, 75 yards on the line, hositle crowd noise, young skill and depleted players, on the road after playing an emotional game at home against easilty one of the top 7 teams in the country. Congrats Dawgs, damn good job. Keep it up when the world is against you and you are snake bit alot with injuries.
LikeLike
Who is smiling today. Yes sir, Barbara and Vince Dooley. Pop a top on Rocky top, chug a lug, chug a lug, grape wine in a Mason jar. Maybe a little Kentucky bourbon. Could have gone to UT, b ut damn glad I did not.
LikeLike
My recent pacemaker implant got a workout over the past two weeks!! Kudos to the OL, WR, and RBs…and that Murray, fantastic. Now about reserves: how about Turman, Terry, KK? New strategy for fullbacks? Someone wake up the defensive coaches!! Gators are coming, folks!! And where are the TEs in our attack? Great job, Dawgs!!
LikeLike