If I gave you some hope with some of today’s posts, let Matt Hinton spread a little gloom.
We know he can run: he once again ranks among the top 10 rushers in the SEC this year in yards per game (77.6) and per carry (6.2). He’s also tied for first in the conference in rushing touchdowns.
But he’s not doing too shabby in the passing department, either.
Still, within the context of a system that always strives to set up the pass with the run, Marshall is probably underappreciated as a passer: In conference games this year, he’s the most efficient passer in the SEC, ahead of Dak Prescott, Blake Sims, et al. His arm strength is above average — 50-yard bomb to Sammie Coates is a weekly staple of the offense, regardless of the coverage — and Marshall is capable of fitting passes into tight windows if necessary. Most frustrating for opposing defenses, though, is Marshall’s ability to extend plays under pressure, keep his head, and find something downfield where initially there was nothing. The play below, an ad-libbed, third-and-11 conversion at Ole Miss on November 1, was the turning point in a must-win game that Auburn trailed by 10 points in the second half.
I think we’d all agree Ole Miss sports a better defense than Georgia does.
If you really want to get depressed, here’s a tough stat: Nick Marshall’s passer ratings over the last three games are 192.68, 186.07 and 174.74. Auburn may have struggled in all three games, but it sure wasn’t because of Marshall’s passing.
If you’re looking for a straw to grasp, the one game this season in which he struggled throwing the ball was against Mississippi State, when the Tigers got down early, scrambled to stay in the game and had Marshall attempt 35 passes. That’s not something Malzahn wants to do Saturday night, obviously. Again, Mike Bobo, your defense could use your help.
Get The Picture 
Yes, he can.
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Yes. We’re at a point now where it doesn’t matter how good ANY defense is. A talented, well balanced offense is going to be tough to stop. Our offense can help them out, though, by sustaining some drives and helping us get the early lead. Also by converting any turnovers we may get into points. That’s where we’re at in the game now. Can’t just expect the D to be the only phase of your game to slow these offenses down. It’s part of the reason the all mighty Saban struggled and has made some changes.
I’ll never complain about scoring but this has been a source of my frustrations when a team grinds out a long 12 play drive on our D and we turn around and score in 3-4 plays and put the D right back on the field.
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A lot of pressure on our O to match and also to carry the D. Not much room for error. Premium on taking advantage of any turnovers.
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Agreed.
The good news is that it cuts both ways.
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I still contend that Auburn will have 3 players who rush for over 100 yards
each & Marshall will throw at least 2 TD Passes. Can the Dawgs match that .I hope that they can.
The Dawgs Offense & Special Teams have their work cut out for them
The Defense has its problems but the Dawgs will not be outcoached.I
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I can see Artis-Payne getting 100 yards. He’s averaging 132 per game this year. Marshall is averaging 78, but I can see him breaking contain and getting some long runs. But for Grant or Thomas to triple, or quadruple, their season averages and break 100 yards against us will take a Florida-style break down defensively.
I don’t think Pruitt can work miracles and shut Auburn down. But, I doubt we’re going to collapse, either.
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Some link earlier said Artis-Payne was probably the most disrespected back in cfb, and looking at his stats I tend to agree. I think he’s going to come into Sanford with a chip on his shoulder to show the national media he’s just as good as the anointed one. We’d better be ready.
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He’s good, but watching him run, I’m not overly impressed. Seems like the featured back in that offense is good for a hundred a game no matter who e is. Artis-Payne certainly isn’t as good as Mason.
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By Mason I mean Tre Mason, not Hutson, obviously.
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Ah, see – wat frustrates me is when we use the offense to protect our defense. So we stop passing, get one dimensional, and wind up with a neutered, inefficient offense trying to accomplish something other than moving the chains.
So we fail to move the chains, fail to score, and STILL put our tired D back on the field quickly. Except without the points.
It is less of an issue with Gurley and our other talented tailbacks, but even Gurley gets stopped occasionally when they realize we’re playing prevent offense.
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It matters a little that Jeremy Pruitt has an idea of what’s coming and has adjusted his play calling successfully against Auburn once before.
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The same could be said for Malzahn against Pruitt.
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If there’s a more determined, stubborn offensive play calling entity than Richt/Bobo, it’s Malzahn.
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That’s because Top Gun’s attack only has three basic plays giving them extra time to work this week on the Art of Recovering Fumbles
http://www.thewareaglereader.com/2014/11/top-gun-military-tenets-of-the-gus-malzahn-offense-part-i/
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Fifty-yard passes are a flick of the wrist for this kid. The miracle last year was probably the worst ball he threw all night.
It is astonishing the number of experts who blabbered all off-season about Marshall not being able to throw the ball.
To carry through Jaboo’s thinking above, I’d say we have an almost nonexistent margin for error on both sides of the ball. Something that Cory worries is not a good omen for our defense.
We have a shot, but its a long one.
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He’s got an arm, but no where near the accuracy (or size) to stay as a QB at the next level. But when you have giant humans like Coates and Williams to throw to, alongside that run game, you’re going to have some open, or single-covered WRs a lot.
Secondary needs to win most of those jump ball arm punt pass attempts, without getting flagged. Sadly that second part is really dependent on who we get as Ref.
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Will I ain’t worried about the next level, its the next game that troubles me.
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Screw that…take the flag on the 50 yard bomb. In the Clemson gave, it saved us a few times enough that I think Pruitt teaches it.
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But don’t forget, NO Williams this game!
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Duke Williams is out from what I hear.
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How did they get Duke out of D’haquille? The same way they got Jerden out of Jordan?
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Heck if I know. I guess because no one wanted to spell his actual name.
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Malzahn’s quite the QB coach. I was worried NM would come back this year as a significantly improved passer
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I call Bullshit. The difference in their passing efficiency is less than a point and Mason’s numbers look better overall to me. And I’m being objective! Sorta. 😉
It just feels like we are overlooking something…
1.Bobo and Richt aren’t too shabby coaching quarterbacks.
Mr. 5 finger discount:In conference games this year, he’s the most efficient passer in the SEC, ahead of Dak Prescott, Blake Sims, et al.
2.Doesn’t Georgia also have a qb that is ahead of Dak Prescott, Blake Sims, et al?
There is a bigger margin between Georgia’s pass defense and Auburn’s. than both teams rush D with Auburn getting the edge.
Take the brakes off Mason and throw the ball to everyone… Gurley and Michael too!!! Mix slash and dash with ground and pound. A hybrid of sorts.
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“The difference in their passing efficiency is less than a point and Mason’s numbers look better overall to me”
Nick Marshall was 6th in the SEC last year at 149.6 (7th and 145.6 vs conference), and he’s now first with 162.9 (1st and 169.7 vs conference). Hutson Mason is third with 157.3 (2nd and 161.5 vs conference). NM’s also averaging more passing yards per game than Hutson (all games and conference only). They are tied at 17 touchdown passes, but Hutson has 14 vs conference compared to NM’s 10. Hutson has played in 7 conference games to NM’s 6, though.
All of this is per cfbstats.com. With this in mind, I’m not sure what you meant by this part of your post.
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My cfbstats.com disagrees with yours.
NM is 6th in the conference with a rating of 152.19. He’s right behind HM at 5th with 153.08. In conference games, NM is first with 156.63. HM is just behind at 2nd with 156.04.
Mason is averaging 4 yards per game more than Marshall in conference play. Overall, Marshall is averaging 7 yards per game more than Mason.
And, UGA is first in the conference in scoring in both all games, and conference games, with Auburn just behind us.
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Fair enough. I was looking at team passing statistics instead of individual players: http://www.cfbstats.com/2014/leader/911/team/offense/split01/category02/sort02.html
I didn’t realize there’d be such a discrepancy between Auburn’s passer rating and Nick Marshall’s.
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I can’t believe this kid’s sticky fingers have put us in this position
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ditto
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Plus or minus 1 FTD®
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Pussies!
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Marshall’s good fortune has been a microcosm of Auburn’s.
Over half of Marshall’s deep passing success has been the amazing ability of Coates to get to and pull in any ball. If Coates has an off night, Auburn will miss him greatly. But Auburn’s offense won’t be stopped much.
..IF Georgia finds a way to slow it down significantly, we’ll all be happy after the game
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That’s what I thought about Manziel last year. He was amazing at scrambling but he would just throw up a ball for anyone and it always seemed to fall into his receiver’s hands.
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Not sure, but I think it was the Ole Miss game where it was clear they kept a ILB spy on Marshall (as I’m sure others have) and seemed pretty effective in bottling him up when they did it. Probably really important for us, as I can’t think of a more motivated player after Gurley than Marshall in this game.
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I don’t know that our secondary is good enough to afford us the ability to put a spy on him. I’ve away felt like we’re playing with only 9 or 10 on D at times this year.
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He can’t exploit the defense at all when he’s not on the field. Lookin at you Bobo…
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Without Williams, you bracket Coates all over the field and force Marshall to throw to others. What troubles me more than anything else is jet/fly sweep and the dive. If Marshall is throwing the ball a lot, I like our chances.
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So, if we score 45 points and lose, it will still be Bobo’s fault. Got it.
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Seriously, that’s what you took away?
Oy.
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On another note, has anyone heard how Mitchell is doing? I’m really surprised he kept playing with a pulled groin and especially since the game was in hand. Must not have been as bad as his facial expressions and body language lead me to believe. That’s usually not an injury you keep going on.
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Oh, but wasn’t that a dreadfully awful play? But not to worry, he was at book club today and looked fresh as a daisy, the dear.
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what did our defense do at the end of last years game that allowed us to get back in the game in the last 9 mins and actually go ahead? Because some of our fans at the game were convinced it was over at the beginning of the 4th quarter,and you know who you are, but we got what two or three stops in a row. Do what we did in the last three drives plus bat down the f…ing ball and we win. Get ahead early and we win.Remember that Marshall is both short and short his second favorite receiver. Keep our hands up ,tip some balls and we win.
Nick Marshall must go down this weekend and he must go down hard.
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Let’s hope it’s Down goes Marshall instead of Hutson we have a problem
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Actualy they were convinced at half time it was over.
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Whatever else the kid might be (and I’m not sorry about him being kicked off the team) the kid is a great athlete.
Nobody knew that better than Richt and our coaches when we were recruiting him. His success at Auburn, and the things he can do, are no surprise, and never have been.
But I sure hope Saturday brings a little payback for us, in terms of winning the game.
~~~
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Another golden opportunity for Richt & Bobo et al to prove they’re relevant. What will the future hold? Hopefully, different from Carolina and the fiasco in Florida.
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