It’s not just that Georgia saw its point production fall so precipitously from 2014 (41.3 ppg, good for 8th nationally) to 2015 (26.3 ppg, 85th nationally). It’s that it managed to do so during another season of record setting offensive production.
While you were watching (from the stands), sleeping (during another late-night Pac-12 game) or actually crunching the numbers, the most notable college football record of the modern era was set. Again.
The national scoring average increased to a record 29.65 points per team in 2015, according to official numbers compiled by the NCAA for CBS Sports. This is the fifth time since 2000 the scoring record has been set, and it shatters the previous record of 29.5 points set in 2012…
That previous scoring record in 2012 was not only broken but shattered. The three-tenths of a point increase per game is the biggest one-year increase in the record since 2001.
All-time highs were also set in yards per rush (4.51), total offense (411.56 yards), yards per pass (7.30) and yards per play (5.76). Average rushing yards (178.33) were the highest since 1980.
Interestingly, scoring production was down in the SEC, better than three points per game. Then again, Georgia had a lot to do with that, as it finished below the conference average.
There were plenty of reasons for that – Chubb’s injury, spotty quarterback play, poor production on third-down all played a part. So did Richt’s decision after the Florida game to play extremely conservatively on offense after the Florida debacle, although scoring actually ticked upwards once the Dawgs got past the three toughest defenses they faced last season.
The point here isn’t to reopen old wounds. It’s that Chaney’s job out of the gate may not be as daunting as it looks, especially if Chubb is able to return at some point this season. To get some idea of how much scoring production fell off last year, 2015 marked the first time since 2006 that Georgia didn’t manage to exceed the national scoring average. (Coincidentally, Mike Bobo wasn’t the offensive coordinator either of those seasons.)
It’s too much of a stretch to think everything that troubled Georgia’s offense last year can be fixed in one fell swoop by a new staff. But if they can get a handle on just a few of the problems, it’s not unreasonable to expect an offense that once again is on the right side of the national scoring average.
Get The Picture 
The biggest problem on the offense has been fixed. He’s now back to “coaching” in the NFL
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Amen.
Chaney has a big job in front of him but we’ve got talent. Just manage it correctly and let our defense set the tone for the game. After Eason gets settled in this season or next, then release the hounds.
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Not so sure, the cupboard may not be totally bare but there are some gaps,and significant questions: no proven performer at QB, an OL that has not performed well in many years, leading RB that may not be available for part of the season (and may not be back to form at all in 2016), and the loss of our best wide receiver with only one experienced WR back. That isn’t to say things cannot, and should not be better, but I don’t see us approaching Bobo-like production in 2016.
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Mac, I differ with you on the line especially in 2013 and 2014. In 2013, we were lighting people up until Gurley and Marshall went down. The line play was overall pretty solid. The line play in 2014 was darn good except for when Boss Andrews went out of the WLOCP (and for portions of the tech game when we kept running between the tackles as tech would run blitz on every down).
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I once worked for a very astute businessman in Fla. He bought a failed company in Daytona. When I asked him why he touched that place he said that it was easier to turn around a failed company than build on a successful concern. He said that if you fail none of your investors will blame you but turn things around and you are considered brilliant. Cheney doesn’t have far to go to be considered brilliant.
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This is ADGM and Bobo’s fault. ADGM should have paid Bobo to stay, and Bobo should never have left. And then when Bobo left, CMR should have been a little more hands on instead of letting ShitforbrainsHeimer do what he wants. But I should learn to turn the page. 😦
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I like where we are now…10 years is enough..turn the page….so said Seger..
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Coincidentally? Does anyone really believe that Bobo would have put up points with this offense last season after losing Chubb? Remember, if Bobo was still in Athens then Brice Ramsey is your starter. The same kid who was worse than Lambert in every conceivable passing category with the exception of interceptions. They both threw two picks Ramsey on 35 attempts, Lambert on 256 (HUGE DISCREPANCY).
Yes, Georgia led the SEC in scoring in 2014 with mediocre qb talent. They also had arguably the best two running backs in college football in 2014.
In my view 2014 is a statistical anomaly when you compare the production with the lack of ability to pass the football down field. It’s not that Bobo was terrible, but if you really believe that his presence would have significantly improved offensive production then I just don’t get it.
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I don’t agree that if Bobo stayed in Athens last season Lambert wouldn’t still have beaten out Ramsey. Bobo consistently as OC played the best players IMHO. Like it or not, Lambert was better than Ramsey in practice and in games.
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If Bobo was here we almost certainly would have never brought Lambert in. That was a Schottenheimer influenced decision to go out and look for another QB. Remember, Bobo brought Ramsey in, Schott had no ties to him.
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Would’ve been great to have Bobo last season. We would have definitely put up more points and turned the ball over less with Brice Ramsey running the offense. I don’t have any facts or stats to use to back that up, but I choose to ignore all the evidence to the contrary and believe what I want to believe because by god, I’m an American and that’s my God-given right.
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Would’ve been great to have Bobo last season. We would have definitely put up more points and turned the ball over less with Brice Ramsey running the offense. I don’t have any facts or stats to use to back that up, but I choose to ignore all the evidence to the contrary and believe what I want to believe because by god, I’m an American and that’s my God-given right
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I think you are right about Ramsey with Bobo.
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