Patrick Garbin notes that this year’s Georgia team pretty much stinks on ice when it comes to defensive yards per point.
Although defensive YPP primarily and obviously concerns defensive play, as I’ve mentioned before, the ratio is a reflection of the entire team: the offense giving opponents good field position, unfavorable turnover and penalty margins, poor special teams play, bad coaching calls, etc. Simply put, it’s a measurement of how hard a team makes its opposition “work” to score points. The lower the defensive YPP, the worse. The worse of the worse in the country entering this week:114. California- 11.86
115. Georgia- 11.851
116. New Mexico St.- 11.846
117. UNLV- 11.80
118. Western Michigan- 11.69
119. Eastern Michigan- 11.58
120. Purdue- 11.03
121. Florida Int’l- 10.54
122. SMU- 10.32
123. Southern Miss- 10.21
That shouldn’t be a surprise. And it’s truly been a team effort, as these stats show.
- Georgia is 85th in opponent plays of 20 or more yards.
- Georgia is 90th in opponent kickoff returns of 30 or more yards.
- Georgia is 106th in turnover margin.
- Georgia is 98th in blocked kicks allowed.
- Georgia is 120th in blocked punts allowed.
- Georgia is 104th in kickoff return defense.
Add it all up and you’ve got a team that’s giving its opponents better field position, more opportunities to score on special teams and defense and too many big plays.
It’s almost remarkable with the schedule and the injuries that Georgia sits 4-2 right now. Seriously.
Of all 123 FBS schools, the Bulldogs are eighth from the bottom in defensive YPP, or one of the most generous in the nation this season in just giving away points to their opponents. Besides being charitable, what else do the 10 teams above have in common? For the most part, they’re big losers. Excluding Georgia, the nine others have combined to win just 9 of 53 games.
Notably, the FBS teams currently with the highest defensive YPP: in order, Louisville, Alabama, Oregon, Florida State, and Clemson — all with defensive YPPs of greater than 21.3. What they have in common is that they’re big winners. In fact, they’re such winners, they haven’t lost a single game combined, recording a perfect 29-0 record…
What that tells you is how potent the offense has been through the first six games. And that it’s a little scary to consider where things go if the offense can’t keep carrying the load because of the injuries and things don’t get straightened out elsewhere.
Get The Picture 
An oldie but still worthy:
They should quit writing “GEORGIA” in the end zones at Sanford Stadium and write “WELCOME” instead.
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“Statistics are for losers” – Mark Richt
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Anyone else starting to feel like this is a 2006 redux? Granted, the situation is different-we’re not breaking in Stafford as a FR QB, and the 2013 defense has never looked good, unlike the 2006 mirage. But I thought back then that there was “something,” about the team, in spite of the objective evidence to the contrary, and that we could win the East. I think we started 5-0 or 6-0, then collapsed, but managed to beat Auburn and Tech and win the Peach-Fil-A Bowl.
After seeing all these injuries on offense, the bad special teams play, and the poor defensive play, I am wondering how this season is going to turn out.
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I get more of a 2008 feeling. Lots of talent on offense is covering for horrendous defense and special teams. Just wait till Murray leaves and we have everyone’s favorite backup and “team player” Joe Cox / Hutson Mason throwing the ball around.
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I was thinking ’08 before Mizzou but now ’09/’10 due to the absence of an elite RB.
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2006 could’ve finished in the Top 10 had they figured out how to finish games. There was no excuse for shrugging down the stretch against freaking Vanderbilt and Kentucky, and even the Florida game was in reach in the waning minutes. (Until they turned on the jets at the end of the year, I swear ’06 Florida beat every team it played by 6.) Only UT was a loss through and through. That defense was flawed and rolled out the red carpet for game-winning drives by Vandy and UK, but they weren’t overall terrible. It was probably the Matt Stafford Freshman Experience that kept things crazy for a while. (To Richt’s discredit as OC, I never figured out why he didn’t limit the absolute hell out of Stafford passing. TB went down midseason, but we still had Lumpkin and Ware to tote the rock while Stafford dealt with all the gremlins in his brain.) Also, Inman was good for two or three false starts/holds a quarter.
2008 smells sort of right. Atrocious D and a lack of give-a-sh*t on special teams occasionally masked by a dynamite offense. Except- That team wilted against elite competition, while ’13 UGA’s already beaten LSU and USC and gave Clemson a good game on the road. That LSU win in particular looks better and better.
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I think AM has more heart than Stafford. I know Stafford has sick tangibles , but he looked like Colt Brennan ala Sugar Bowl in the 2nd half of that 2008 game against Flarduh.
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We were losing, so Stafford had to sling it around, which led to turnovers, which led to Florida points, which led to Stafford having to sling it around, which led to turnovers, which led to Florida points….
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Some truth there but he was a young true Fr. against a respectable if not good Charlie Strong Defense. The ’06 team showed promise but killed itself with turnovers, everything clicked at the Auburn game.
UGA had 6 turnovers in Jax 4 were fumbles to 2 INTs. I was at that game very frustrating to know that the error cost so much
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Kinda like AM versus Auburn 2010.
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This year’s squad has way more intestinal fortitude than the ’08 team could ever dream of having. I still have nightmares about that year’s Tech game.
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Any statistical neighborhood where you’re rubbing shoulders with NM St. & Purdue & the directional MIs is tuff stuff. As an aside, this FSU-CU game is going to be some outstanding battle of wills.
And I know this is a pro-Murray blog and all, but for my money Boyd vs. Winston will be the best QB duel anywhere this season.
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Actually, Murray-vs.-Any QB Georgia’s defense plays against is guaranteed to be a shootout for the ages.
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What blog isn’t “pro Murray”? Even our enemies and the media acknowledge how brilliant he has played and carried us, it would take some pretty weird UGA fans to dispute that.
I agree the FSU/Clemson game is an interesting QB duel, but that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been more than this one, or Murray/Boyd. There are so many good QBs nationally that it seems every week sets up another shootout of quality gunslingers. Johnny Cash and Aj wasn’t bad, and Murray/Mett was the best I have seen this year. But if you watch the West Coast teams there is talent there too. Big umbrella this year to cover all the QB battles worth seeing.
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And yet the interception AM tossed in that telling 4th quarter turned the contest back to Missouri. But I like Murray OK.
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Because no decent qb would ever throw an interception, right? Good call, I need to raise my standards and not tolerate blemishes. You are right though, he is pretty ok.
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This is a complete failure by the defensive coaching staff. I don’t see how anyone can argue otherwise.
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The D is a complete failure. No argument there. However, this squad has other shortcomings as well. Major shortcomings. The O-line at times looks like a train wreck at times (specifically the tackles and at times David Andrews). Special teams is yet again a total mess. From game to game we hold our collective breath in hopes a complete game from the special teams unit as a whole. All of this points to a terribly flawed team. With two thirds of this team falling below standards, and zero signs of improvement insight, further despair and heartache are just around the corner.
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It is heartwarming to see that you are back to your old ways. For a while there you were sounding like a Disney Dawg. We can rest easy now knowing all is right with the world once again.
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“further despair and heartache are just around the corner.”
Can I get an Amen for gloom, despair and agony. Gone forever are the days of Anti-Skeptic Dawg and Antiseptic Dawg. Initial reports of him being cleansed with the solution were not well founded. He has now been rinsed with only with a Big Game Bob “You figure it out” tsunami of doubt and wonderment
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I have not thrown the baby out with the bath water…yet. There are just so many issues with this team that Vandy troubles me. I do not expect the Dawgs to lose to Vandy, but an L would not shock me. I would love to be wrong here. Do you see things differently?
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Unfortunately, I too fear the Commodes.
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If the Dawgs register pressure with the DEs prospects are good. If not, Matthews can do damage as well as their backs coming out of the backfield. I don’t see Vandy generating much with the run on obvious rushing downs. But then again, out around the corners…?
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That we are 4-2 is a miracle, pure and simple.
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Was just about to post the same thing. Given the schedule Georgia has played and the stats the defense and special teams have put up, it’s remarkable to be 4-2 and ranked. It’s a tribute to what the offense was before we walked onto the chewed up pasture that is Neyland Stadium. Without the offensive injuries suffered in the past three weeks, I firmly believe Georgia would be standing at 5-1.
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That they beat LSU and South Carolina and only lost by 3 to Clemson with a D this bad is the miracle. I am really concerned about the rest of the season. That said, if they can get Gurley and Bennett back they still might run the table the rest of the regular season and win the East. Mizzou won’t. Weird year.
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And, of course, without the Pig/skin thing, we would not be 4-2…
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So we would have lost if TN had scored in OT? Why would you make that assumption? TN was/is not as good a team as UGA, even with our injuries and defense. That was their “statement” game, and if Marshall hadn’t gone down it could have been a rout.
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Mac, did you watch the end of that game? If Howard doesn’t lose control of the football UT scores a TD on that play. We already know how the Dawgs O did when it was their turn–lucky to still be in FG range. Georgia won that game because Howard fumbled through the end zone for a touchback and no points for UT, opening the door for the winning UGA FG. If the Dawgs had to score a TD it would have been game over the other way.
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I want to see who will be the first fool that says we don’t have a problem on defense.
Come on idiots, I know you’re out there.
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Does LSU have problems on defense? Does South Carolina? Clemson?
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Yes, yes and yes.
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I guess we’ll find out if SC can slow down that cagey world beater QB for UT this weekend.
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I guess I am going to stop complaining about Georgia’s bad luck. Go Vols.
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LSU have given up 30 points four times since start of 2010. UGA has given up 30 eighteen times. So stop equating LSU’s defensive woes with UGA. We are a complete joke compared to LSU defensively.
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I liked it better when you handed out Kool-aid.
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this stat pretty much sums up why I thought a game(s) like Mizzou was inevitable. I had a feeling after the LSU game and it was confirmed big time after the Tennessee game. We’re 4-2 because the offense when it was healthy was lights out and was so potent it could overcome a defense and special teams which gave away points like it was their job.
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Then we are officially a Big 12 team.
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And if that offense is not 100% the rest of the season, how confident should we be about any of our remaining games? We should fully expect Vanderbilt, in their stadium, against our defense and our special teams to score 30+ points. Can we match that? I don’t think it’s a lock, considering how beat up we are on offense.
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If Gurley can play, yes. If not, maybe? Vandy’s defense has been pretty bad this year.
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Bear Bryant said stats are for losers and assistant coaches, but these amply demonstrate our D and special teams suck.
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I prefer to be dismissive of Stats but when they’re right they’re right. Blitz on every down from one angle or another and get some turnovers to balance out the long plays it will allow…..hell we’re giving up long plays regardless…Go for it Todd.
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Every once in a while, I look back at that 2008 roster and wonder, “Seriously, how in the hell did this team ever lose?”
For 2013, I’ll look back at the statistics on offense and again wonder, “Seriously, how in the hell did this team ever lose?”
And the answer to both is the same.
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Defense and injuries? I can see that. However, the glaring difference is that we weren’t playing a bunch of true freshmen in 2008. That defense had plenty of experience and there was no excuse. Also, the 2008 team had maybe half the heart/desire that this team has. Complete meltdowns to Bama, Florida and Tech come to mind. This team has beaten 2 top 10 teams already, something the 2008 squad couldn’t have dreamed of doing.
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Losing your best OL, esp at LT weeks before the season can hurt.
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Agree 100%. We got who we got.
And we got a group of young players who are still learning but have shown the heart and desire to get us key stops against South Carolina and LSU.
Can they learn fast enough to beat Vanderbilt and learn enough in the extra week to beat Florida?
We don’t know yet, but we’ve got a ton of people
Who knows? I do know we have a ton of people pulling for them.
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And I know I’ve got to stop using this phone browser to post on this forum.
😉
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Thinking that the bright side was that we could use the Charlie Weis recruiting theory for defensive players (but knowing we wouldn’t because we don’t use the word, “pile”), I wondered how Charlie stacked up to us in the rankings:
Georgia is 85th in opponent plays of 20 or more yards. (Kansas 25th)
Georgia is 90th in opponent kickoff returns of 30 or more yards. (Kansas 13th)
Georgia is 106th in turnover margin. (Kansas 13th)
Georgia is 98th in blocked kicks allowed. (Kansas 59th)
Georgia is 120th in blocked punts allowed. (Kansas 97th)
Georgia is 104th in kickoff return defense. (Kansas 73rd)
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Soooo….CMR is a thinner Charlie Weis? 🙂
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Thinner sure but aren’t we all (even collectively) and nowhere close to the jolly get in my belly tradition that Kansas coaches have established
http://www.kansascity.com/2013/07/22/4359841/ku-coach-charlie-weis-pitch-to.html
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Just imagine how good this team could be if it had an average defense.
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Defense is average and no injuries, then this team would be undefeated.
I don’t like see Georgia being out coached.
I think what we are seeing is how damn good Murray, Gurley, with a mix of good(not elite WRs) really were. Gurley made the O line look better than they were. Murray and Co. were so good that the defense could be on Kevin Ramsey levels and still win.
Poor or inconsistent O-line play and a non dominant defense has been Georgia for how long now? That is why Georgia has struggled against ranked teams. Pre-carnage, this offense was incredible.
On defense, these safeties need to buy tickets as much as they sit back and watch the play happen. Hell, they aren’t in coverage so you might as well blitz them every play.
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If Georgia had Florida’s D the Dawgs would win the SEC Championship and the BCSNCG. I just don’t understand why we don’t have a D equivalent to FU’s. It has to be coaching.
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There’s Lane’s ticket back to the SEC – Hire Muschamp as his DC and Bobo as his OC…
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I’m sure FU is wondering the same thing about their offense. Must be coaching.
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I agree, Ginny. FU offensive coaching is…well…offensive.
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It’s like I said before the season began, this would be an exciting team to watch every week. Well, they got that done. The rash of injuries has simply added extra spice to the brew.
I refer back to the wise Chinese prophetic warning: “May you live in interesting times.”
Indeed.
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And yet I just saw us ranked 32 in Def. S&P. Well ahead of LSU, near SCar, and behind Missouri’s 22nd ranked unit. What they’re looking at I do not know (the yardage maybe? Statistically based on passes defended we should have more than one INT too, but here we are.)
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you saw us ranked 32 in Def? is that your rankings? a buddy down the street?
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Anchor up they damn ass.
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Who can help our D? There’s a guy who was a ST leader, has coached NFL players, worldly recruiter, been on a Heisman winning BCSNC team as coach, and is available. Ladies and gentlemen I give you….Trooper Taylor!
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2013 defense is giving up about 33pts a gm to date or #105th in the nation. Went back to 2012 just for kicks in Sept/Oct its right at 20pts a gm. In Nov of 2012 we were tops in the nation giving up 8.5 a gm. Mind you we have 8 guys on NFL rosters from last yrs defense. Do we miss Garner that much? Erk is rolling over in his grave every Saturday.
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We do not miss Garner. The Dline is the only bit of the D that’s playing well/not horribly at all.
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Amen to that
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We let a kid from UT run for 150yds and 2TD’s thats on the DL and the LB’s. Then gave up 3 more rushing TD’s against Mizzou. I agree the DL is stout with Drew getting a good push but we have slipped some since the LSU gm. Struggled against USC as well against the run.
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Try and keep blaming the defense, I don’t for this loss.
Offense turned it over 4 times.
Murray alone had 3 turnovers. Inexcusable for a Qb with his experience.
Sure, we all expected the yound defense to struggle, but who expected Murray to turn the ball over 3 times v Miss?
Rarely win games when QB commits 3 to’s
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You certainly never win them when your defense forces none. Sure, the offense turning it over contributed to the loss Saturday. The offense is also the only reason they’re 4-2 instead of 1-5, because the defense sure isn’t winning them any games. It’s fascinating to me that some people expect the offense to play flawlessly every week but don’t expect the defense to be even average.
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that’s because CTG yells alot and looks mean so he must be a great coach…and he had that fake interview with the Saints.
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Don’t forget the towel.
He wouldn’t be a good coach if he didn’t have a guy holding a towel.
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Rarely win games when the opponent scores over 30 points.
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Remarkable that we are 4-2? Not to those that are consistent in blaming Bobo. I for one am glad he has a serviceable line to do what he does. Too bad it took a decade to get one. Lots of bad defensive teams win games. I figure more of them than bad offensive teams. But I don’t do stats so I may be wrong.
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Is there anyone who can explain to me (1) why we won’t need at least 29 points to beat Vandy; (2) how our offense will score those points on Vandy, assuming no Gurley?
This has gone beyond the Vince Dooley-ish Dawg tendency to predict doom while secretly expecting a win. This defense is hopeless–something out of the later Goff years. I’m typically a “it’s not as bad as it looks” and “it’s not as good as you think” guy, but right now, seems to me this defense is every bit as bad as it looks, and the offense is not as good as we thought–or at least, as good as it was at fuller strength.
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I have to agree with most of y’all. This stat line sums up my observations almost perfectly. The first 3 games this season were oh so much fun but alas, we are in for a rough ride on our way to jan. 1. You know what they say, it’s the Georgia way….
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If Aaron Murray had gone pro last year, we would be 1-5 right now.
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0-6
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Sure, but ’14 would look all the brighter. Kidding!
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More on how little help the offense has gotten this season: Georgia has started exactly four possessions in their opponents’ territory this season. Twice against North Texas and twice against LSU. Two of those were turnovers on downs on desperation drives in the 4th quarter. The other two were the punt just before halftime by North Texas and the muffed punt by LSU. I couldn’t find an average starting field position number, but from my cursory inspection of the starting yard line I’d say Georgia’s is probably around their own 22, which has to be in the bottom third of the country.
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Thinking more about the average yard line, it may be closer to the 28 or something with the number being skewed by the late turnovers on downs and the muffed punt. But when you look at every possession it’s like a neverending string of 25s or worse.
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All of this just makes the ’12 SECCG that much more painful.
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