Just like the team, I’m thinking that Georgia’s emphasis on slimming down the defense will pay dividends this season in terms of being better able to play with high tempo spread attacks, but there is a price to pay for that, as Brandon Kublanow notes.
“They’re a lot quicker than they were in the spring, not as powerful but more speed and quick, but they’ve definitely been a lot better,” Kublanow said. “It’s almost like a new D-line.” [Emphasis added.]
You go to war against the offenses you have, I know, and it’s a good thing that Georgia will face very few power attacks this season (at least if we take Boom’s word about Roper’s offense). But when that day comes – I’m thinking Arkansas – I hope Pruitt’s got enough scheme to work around having less power.
Then, again, remembering how exhausted Jenkins and Geathers got being overworked, maybe it’ll be enough in the fourth quarter that they keep rotating fresh bodies in on the line.
Get The Picture 
I’ll take our chances with guys that are fit. I think Eddie Lacy is still running against that great big 2012 defense.
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That great big 2012 defense never rotated any defensive linemen, especially in the SECCG. Of course, that was when we were down to about 60 recruited scholarship players. Richt’s self imposed scholarship reduction on the 2011 class is still haunting us today. It would be nice to have those 6 redshirt sophomores or juniors on the team today. A few of them might have been defensive backs.
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+1. The real flaw in Grantham’s tenure at Georgia was failure to substitute players. I don’t care if a D-lineman is all world, if he’s totally gassed he isn’t worth a flip. Also, not having enough players really hurt the Dawgs in the 2012 SECCG. That probably was the real difference between winning and losing that game, not the screw-up at the end..
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Not substituting ie: not recruiting and developing depth. I think that was his ultimate flaw. It may of been a big picture thing, or an NFL thing. The next year we start with a completely new, inexperienced and inadequate coached D to compliment one of the best offenses we’ve ever had. Richt was left again with a poorly balanced team with a mixture of bad luck thrown in. We’ve seen it before.
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That’s the game that comes to mind every time I hear mention of us slimming down. We got flat out man handled that game.
Also, considering that to win an SEC championship we’ll likely have to go through Bama, LSU or auburn (who is spread with a power running game emphasis), I’m a bit concerned.
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It wasn’t our size, it wasn’t our conditioning or even substituting, it was NOT GETTING OFF BLOCKS that killed us. Our O lineman discussed ALA using unique techniques that caused them to not get off quick enough. Geathers was fit enough IMO, he would often be 10-15 yards down-field hustling.
The key was all our front seven being engaged and not getting off the blocks quick enough. You can be bigger than them or smaller than them, but if they engage you even .5 second longer, the RB is by you. It is that simple.
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Great point about getting off blocks. We haven’t been good at it for a long time.
FWIW, I think the overall effect of being in shape could have helped us with that. Some players were talking about it this week, and relating it our physical changes. Not sure whether it’s physical or technique, but I know we are getting off blocks much better than we were last year, and even in the Spring. I suspect it has something to do with being quicker.
Whatever, that’s great, because it’s a critical thing, as you pointed out.
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Yeah, and that ‘Technique’ was league sanctioned legalized HOLDING. That was the year of Bama’s immaculate blocking – nary a holding call for the whole season.
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Smaller fast guys beat bigger slow guys but smaller fast guys get the hell beat out of them against big fast guys. I believe this was first noted by Bear Bryant after USC killed Bama. Yes and the Afro-American players also helped.
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The Afro-American players on the Southern Cal team were the “big fast guys.”
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How we’re going to hold up against a power run game is a legitimate concern, no question about it.
But I think the key thing in this is being in shape. We’ve been known around the League as a soft team for years now, and the primary reason for that, IMO, was lack of conditioning. Like Lombardi said, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” We need look no further back than the SECCG’s of 2011 & 2012, when we were very big, to see good examples of that.
I appreciate Kublanow’s remark, but I’m not sure how much strength we really lose, since most of the lost weight isn’t loss of muscle. Regardless, it’s worth the trade-off, IMO. Well worth it. Being in great shape along with being faster and quicker goes a long way.
I hope so too. You would think so. IDK how he’s going to do it, but it’s gonna be interesting.
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I guess the good thing is; it’s not like we are going to have a bunch of 240 lb defensive linemen. A 280 lb guy who is in good shape will have no problem with a 310 lb offensive lineman. The only time I can see it being any kind of issue would be on a very short yardage situation.
Pruitt’s defensive linemen didn’t seem to have much trouble with Clemson’s big offensive line last season.
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Thanks, JC. I agree. Been saying it for a long time. How could losing 25 pounds of blubber, along with being quicker and in better shape hurt your chances of being successful?
It’s an extreme example, but in 2011 we had the biggest OL in all of football, yet Boise’s 240-260 pound DL ate our lunch all day.
I do suspect our personnel will change a bit when we have opportunities in some short-yardage situations. And against power teams we may see more of Mayes and Kimbrough, for example. IDK. But like you said, Pruitt made it work at FSU and we’re every bit as big now as they were.
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That is where I am JC, 280-290 pound guys that are athletic don’t get pushed around. We are big enough, give me a little more speed and stamina and we can not only stop an offense, we can penetrate an OL enough to be disruptive. That is the best way top slow AU’s attack get to the decision point quicker and cause mistakes.
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At my age and condition I’m a statewide expert on blubber. With the exception of Wilt Chamberlain there ain’t a lot of 300 pound guys who don’t have a little blubber. If we have reduced the blubber, increased the stamina, and increased the quantity of bodies available in the 4th quarter, we might be all right.
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Erk’s Junkyard Dawgs of the mid-70s were undersized, quick, and mean. They could last 4 quarters. They shut out a Bear Bryant Alabama team. They won an SEC title. And they had a reputation for ferocity. Not a bad formula.
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That shut out was the greatest I ever witnessed. Erk’s Lean, Mean Junkyard Dawgs were the bomb! 😉
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That’s right to me football is 70% heart and 30% ability. Give me a guy who will run through a brick wall for you, then I will show you a champion.
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Pruitt runs multiple defensive sets. If they are getting killed up front then he will adjust. Unlike his predecessor.
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I am all for our guys being leaner and hopefully meaner. But I don think the SECC from 12 is a great example. I do agree that we were not getting off our blocks but I don’t think it had as much to do with being slow as it did Alabama holding every freaking play but never getting called for it. Wasn’t 12 the season where Alabama didn’t get a single holding penalty called on them the entire year? Give me a freaking break. Somebody holds every play. I understand not calling it every play but no holding penalties for the season makes me think a decision had been made.
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I’ve got a hunch that Rain man could coach a defense that would shut Arkansas down. Hope I’m right.
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Fat does make you more massive and mass actually is a major component part of Force. I’m all for being in shape but are we all forgetting what Mount Cody and Motel 6(Jenkins) use to be able to do to the middle of a line. They may not have moved well BUT they didn’t get moved. Getting in shape is great but I really would like one 340-360 lb NG.
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But also remember back when we played Wisconsin in the Outback bowl, they had that huge OLine, huge RB, etc… and we pretty much dominated them on the LOS
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I don’t know that this statement supports the line of thinking. Fat doesn’t make you more powerful.
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Just tackle better, baby!
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+1
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