Most of us probably think, as the announcing crew certainly did, that Georgia’s fourth quarter running dominance was largely due to conditioning. Hutson Mason hinted that something else was at work.
Mason didn’t want to get too specific about the adjustments that the coaches made as the game got deep into the third quarter, but he said offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and line coach Will Friend noticed something Clemson was doing to thwart the Bulldogs’ power game and they adjusted Georgia’s blocking schemes to take advantage of it.
“Those plays were toss sweeps, but systematically they weren’t schemed up like we planned,” Mason said after Georgia’s 45-21 win Saturday night. “Coach Bobo and Coach Friend did a phenomenal job over there of seeing it and they said, ‘hey, this is what we’re going to do: We’re going to change (the blocking scheme) and declare here.’ And we gashed them. For those guys to see that over on the sideline and change that up real quick is something people don’t see and they don’t get enough credit for it.”
Georgia had scoring runs of 18 (Gurley), 47 (Nick Chubb) and 51 yards (Gurley) on toss sweeps to the right side in the fourth quarter. In each case, the Bulldogs were pulling center David Andrews into the running lane and getting fullback Taylor Maxey downfield to block the Tigers’ safety.
“We kind of figured out how they were playing it a little different and we said ‘let’s declare here compared to where we were doing, let’s put another guy on the safety and get some better angles,’” Mason said.
As I posted earlier, I don’t want to read too much into this year’s offensive philosophy based on one game. But it’s worth noting that Georgia’s coordinators did a better job with their adjustments than their Clemson counterparts did. When you consider how much more Chad Morris makes than Mike Bobo, that’s kind of embarrassing.
Get The Picture 
I was hoping they would run a couple of toss sweeps to Keith Marshall to let him get loose in space. I think he is better outside than between the tackles taking a handoff six yards deep. I think his numbers would have been better had he not been run straight into the defense. I was hoping that would have left with Carlton Thomas.
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FWIW, I still think Marshall is not himself yet. We need to be patient with him, and give him time. He’s done great, but it just takes time.
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Agreed. Kregg Lumpkin had a similar situation at the beginning of his sophomore year.
We were patient with him and he came back for a strong 2006 season in a similarly crowded backfield.
Keith is ahead of Kregg’s schedule, but he and we should not get discouraged if it takes more time for him to fully develop that second gear.
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I also wonder if that report of him tweaking his ankle early caused the staff to say, take a rest kid, we got others and you’ll be needed later when they get a ding. Having 4 amazing rushers (+ 1 pretty good one in Douglas) gives them that level of luxury.
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I’m not saying he’s done or anything. I am his biggest fan as I have had ACL reconstruction also. I just think a little toss sweep action would do wonders for his confidence. Maybe they called the inside runs to let him get hit and show him he would be fine.
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This. Also, Tarvarus McFadden (5* CB and former teammate of Michel and McKenzie) reportedly drove 10 hours to attend the game on Saturday night, so Sony Michel was going to get carries some of which might have come from Marshall. Marshall ran well overall – broke a tackle that last year he might not have and drove hard to convert a third down – the blocking just wasn’t there on his other carries, and I believe one of his series was cut short in the red zone with Bennett’s fumble that wasn’t a fumble.
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Yep . That was smart coaching. I wanted to see Douglas in the 4th .
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Speaking of Douglas..I was disappointed that we didn’t turn him loose on Clemson in the latter stages of the game and really pound along with Hicks. We should do that at USCe and wear them out early. Also, not seeing mention of Jeb B. and Rome at TE…a good job by both! And Maxey…love me some walk ons. Go Dawgs, GATA!!!
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I expected more swing passes to get speedy backs in space last week, perhaps we are saving that. It is how I expect Marshall, Michel, and McKenzie to be maximized.
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Clemson was all over the screen early, and not sure Bobo even called it again. We have other swing passes, and other ways to get balls to the backs, but either we didn’t have them in or Bobo just didn’t call them, IIRC.
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The Chubb run really shows the adjustments. Maxey exits the backfield rather than sealing the end of the line and takes-off straight for the DB/Safety. Bennett comes in from the right with a great seal block. A Clemson defender (can’s see who it was) crashed through the seam between Maxey and Chubb in the backfield as they go wide, but wiffs (methinks, perhaps, a little intentionally in not wanting to wrap-up that beast). Then Chubb breaks a shoe tackle and Andrews sees the play is going to break so takes off as fast as an Auburn ball boy down the sideline to help block downfield.
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Hutson has really turned out to be a good interview. He’s one of the most open guys, player or coach, that we’ve had in a while. I mean he was the one who broke the news about Merritt Hall (tho I still wonder if the coaches weren’t too happy about that), gives very open and honest feedback/critiques about other players, and now discussing some of the tactics without revealing too much. You just don’t see guys get that deep into it very often. Conley goes deep in his interviews, but often not about specific things with the team, more about general issues facing the game, and life issues.
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Three touchdowns on consecutive offensive plays. I watched again last night and confirmed it. Touchdown, touchdown, touchdown. When’s the last time anyone did that, particularly staying on the ground?
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He’s growing up so fast.
/tear
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When you consider how much more Chad Morris makes than Mike Bobo, that’s kind of embarrassing.
Morris is over paid. Clemson should be embarrassed. Who do think they are NY Yankees?????
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Except their paycheck isn’t solely attributable to their abilities as OC. Having to work under Dabo vs. Richt, and in the town you’ve known for decades vs. some upstate farm field also makes a difference in how much either would demand from their employer to not work elsewhere.
But y’all all already know that.
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Bobo suuuxxxxxx, wait what?
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We need to do a kickstarter campaign to raise ol’ Bobo’s salary. Pretty embarrassing. If you take it on a salary divided by number of children basis, he’s on an offensive coordinator poverty level.
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Considering his first 5-6 years he basically should have been coaching at a I-AA or III school to learn the ropes, I’d say his lifetime pay is still way above his performance.
That could chance in the next year or so if he becomes an elite OC. He needs to do some innovating first before he has that label.
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chance = change
SENATOR: How about some edit functionality up in here? 😛
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Wrong as ever. While Bobo has gotten better over time as all competent professionals do, most of the flack Bobo has caught is unfair and arose from a lot of morons just misdiagnosing our problems either that or Bobo banged their wives during school and its personal.
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I’m sorry you don’t remember, but his first 4-6 seasons were terrible. I don’t derive pleasure from silly internet arguments from people who forget the past, so I’ll just leave it there.
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I’ll stack my past comments on here for accuracy up against anybody especially you Fuckmeast.
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Muckbeast, I have disagreedwith many of your opinions and yyourapproach over the years but I apologize for being ppersonal. It has been a long day for me and to the extent I have taken any of that out on you I am sorry.
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I’ll accept your apology on the condition that you pay more attention to what I post (or have) posted here. You’ve incorrectly characterized me as someone who is only negative about our program.
Just because there are a few things over the years I disliked doesn’t mean I trash the entire program. My main problem is not an uncommon one: I think there have been many times we were “too loyal” and kept people on jobs they didn’t deserve and were failing at.
I’ve never trashed players. I always give credit where credit is due. I am always happy for our success, even if it means something I predicted was wrong.
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I apologized for calling you “Fuckmeast” and I did that well before any of your follow up posts, however I stand by my assertions that you have been consistently wrong in the last 6-7 years about many things on here and that you primarily show up to post after losses.
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That makes you wrong on the facts – as usual.
I show up here during the season win or lose. If I post more after a loss (I’m not saying I do) that would only be because there’s more to discuss.
When we roflstomp someone, there are only so many ways you can post “WOO HOO!!!!!!!! YAY!” even though I’m more than happy to post that also.
I’ve been consistently right on diagnosing problems. Or are you going to tell me that our program does not have a problem letting people hang around longer than they deserve?
Willie Martinez. Dave Van Halanger. Rodney Garner. Fabris. The list goes on.
Are you going to tell me Bobo has not had a serious problem in the past taking his foot off the gas, believing he can sit on small leads, and having that bite us in the ass?
Are you going to tell me we haven’t had a problem having one or two major shit the bed games/halves that have spoiled seasons that otherwise would have been epic.
2002 vs Florida. The “humper” game.
2004 vs Tenn.
2005 vs Auburn (and to a lesser extent Florida, though I cut some slack there due to DJ’s injury)
2007 vs SC (horrendously embarrassing)
2007 vs Tenn (possibly even worse)
If either of those 2007 games had been a win (as they should have been) we play for (and possibly win) a MNC.
2008 first half vs Alabama in Blackout game
2008 second half vs Tech (giving up 16 pt lead)
2009 vs Tenn and KY. Both horrendous.
2010 vs Colorado. sigh
2010 bowl game vs UCF resulting in losing season.
2012 first half schelacking at the hands of SC
2013 Vandy
The evidence is there. Maybe a few of those you chalk up to bad luck. But the consistency of at least one shit the bed loss every year is brutal.
That’s the weakness in our program. That’s the lack of killer instinct. That’s our big hurdle we’ve never overcome.
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Your post is awesome because it makes me the “winner” of this “argument” instantly.
Stay classy.
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I guess you are saying he should not have been coaching at a D-II school.
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Marshall is gonna be alright. I think the little ankle tweak helps him mental wise. He was probably a little gun shy about the knee going into the heat of a real game. He got a little hurt, but it wasn’t his knee. He has found out the knee is sound. I see some long TD runs coming from him this season. On both carries and catches.
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+1 … pretty please.
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I have never been a huge fan of Bobo and I feel like he was given an OC position at Georgia long before he had earned it. He honestly should have been an OC or even head coach at a smaller school first.
We are now in what, year 8 of Bobo as OC? That’s a long time and thankfully it seems like he has indeed “learned on the job” and “grown into the position.”
There are still things he does that boggle my mind. He still lets his foot off the gas. He still seems to be so enamored with “tricking” the opponent that he doesn’t always pound away with what is already working.
But if this is true that he is really becoming an eltie OC, that would absolutely please me in the extreme. We have an 8 year investment in this guy. Frankly, he sucked for at least 4-6 of those years and probably should have been fired in there somewhere. But we stuck with him, so if that pays dividends we deserve it!
Furthermore, I’ve always felt he was a DGD and a good person, so if there’s someone in the world worth giving 90,000 mulligans to eventually result in him growing into the job, Mike Bobo is a good candidate for that. 🙂
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Where ya been?;-)
Yeah Bobo got in early. You probably won’t see that’ll type of hire and development in today’s semipro era. I enjoyed watching him grow up. Good OC.
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I check in every few weeks in the off season, but usually the threads I would post in are old by the time I read them, so there’s no point jumping in. I’m always back for the season though! 🙂
I think you are right. Personally, I still think we should have let him do his on the job learning elsewhere first, but that is water under the bridge now.
It would be so awesome for Bobo to really come into his own now and become an elite OC. I’m not saying he’s there yet. He needs to start innovating before I’d give him that label. But considering he is a homegrown talent that would be amazing.
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Replace Bobo with someone who actually was as bad as many of you claim Bobo is and we might not have won half a dozen games combined in 2009-10.
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Mike, I loved you in the Outback Bowl, but it is beneath you to be posting under a fake name here.
Good luck this season!
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I’m surprised to see you posting this week you usually only hover around and take cheap shots on people after losses.
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See comment above.
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You must not read this blog very seriously if you think that.
I guess this is just another example of you being ignorant of actual history.
Also, considering the ad hominem insults in your previous post, your hypocrisy is astounding.
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I’ve been away for a bit now, back to share wit yall my fat take on da dawgs. Yo.
Here;s what wuz at werk, lt me solv day mstery for ya Bro:
Our top 3 pass catchers wuz all injred, so we reluctantly ran the ball and found out, damn, Nikky Savban might be on to somethin with this run thang.
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Muckbeast, since you read everything here, take a crack at John Pennington’s remarks about some Dawg fans still howling at the moon about Bobo. I know it won’t change you, but sometimes you ought to let your ego feed on some outside perceptions. It might break your trance.
The challenge sometime back was that you uber chrystal ball unemployed SEC coaches should give your game plan for an upcoming game, to wit, SC. After the game we can all compare your Troutmaster Whizzinator calls to what Bobo called and tell you why you should grow into some kind of job other than Monday morning QB. But Pennington is correct; you will always be out there.
I’ll bet that sometimes some of you anti-Bobos just want to pull your hair out when he makes a play call. And Bobo with so little true experience with his players to even know as much as some outside the stadium. Man, when those egos ride so high that you can’t possibly fail your perfect self by admitting you were wrong, the fall from on high will be long enough for you to change your mind several times and for Bobo to be in his tenth season as Dawgs HC.
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It sounds like you didn’t read my post. Maybe you should go back and read it before you say nothing will change me.
Nothing is going to change the fact that for 4-6 years, Bobo sucked and did not deserve to be OC of a program of UGA’s caliber. He should have spent those years as OC (or even HC) of a smaller program and earned his way here.
We suffered for his many years of on the job training.
I sincerely hope that we are NOW going to start reaping the rewards. My concern is that a few of his bad habits (see previous post) are lingering.
I realize you have trouble understanding people with nuanced opinions, but that’s my second post saying almost the exact same thing. If you still don’t understand what I am saying, I can’t help you.
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Cojones: I just re-read your post. Most of it makes no sense and the grammar is so bad it offends me as an educated man. I did my best to respond, nonetheless.
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Cojones and muckbeast, get a room, seriously Bro, yo drivel is driving us nuts.
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Watching the game again last night I think the subtle change may have been a response to Clemson overplaying and having their commitment create huge cutback lanes / forcing their dead tired defenders to change directions. that’s how we gashed them on several of those runs. you’ll notice we ran right but the first step the back took was to the left, or the fullback went left and we ran right.
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