So, this is where we’re at now.
Georgia’s defense kept Vanderbilt to 236 total yards. The Commodores totaled only 64 of those yards on the ground.
Statistically, the Bulldogs did what they’ve done all year. Opposing teams have yet to total 300 total yards. No one has scored 20 points, including Vanderbilt, which was defeated 45-14 Saturday. Yet after the game, there were areas head coach Kirby Smart pointed to that didn’t have him pleased…
“We didn’t strike up front, we didn’t tackle well,” Smart said. “We didn’t get off the field on third down. But you know what? Our defense needed that because everybody, and (the media), has told them they’re the greatest thing ever. Vanderbilt came out with a good quarterback, executed well, converted third downs, and we didn’t play to the standard we’re supposed to play to. That’s the most disappointing thing.”
He said that and nobody rolled their eyes. Expectations have changed that much and that fast. Crazy stuff.
Along those lines, this is the greatest mash tape of 2017.
All Kirby’s missing is the Coke bottle. LOL.
Get The Picture 
Is Georgia’s defense so good because they’ve played the bottom of the barrel offensively or are Tenn, Vandy and Miss St’s passing game, so poor because they played Georgia?
And wouldn’t it be great for Kirby to start trolling Sabah by having a Coke bottle and his press sessions?
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For the quality of the defense, I look no further than the Notre Dame game. The Irish are running through people … except this defense. These guys are playing at an elite level.
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True, our rush defense is for real. We have not been tested by a combo of a solid passer with quality receivers yet, that comes this weekend, imo. But ND and TN had good enough running games to measure ourselves against and we passed that test (still need TT and at least one those LBs back though.)
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Notre dame is 6th in the country in rushing offense (better than us and Bama) and that is after we held them to 55 yards on 26 carries.
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Wouldn’t say they are better than either but they do have more yards. The real strength of that ND team to me is the defense.
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Kirby, Schmirby. Everybody knows the domination started once we got an indoor practice facility. 😉
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Made us “soft”, imo. ):
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I’ve said for a few weeks that Kirby is the nice version of Nick Saban, and that mashup demonstrates it pretty well.
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My takeaway here is that Kirby is not making the same mistakes other Sabanites have made with their mouths. I remember him talking about working hard at media relations to prepare for when he became a head coach and it really shows when he’s contrasted with Muschamp, McIlvane, Dooley, and others who jumped from Saban to a HC job. Perhaps the one exception is Dantonio, but he had some gaffs when he started. About the only thing you can critique Kirby on was his pretty annoying use of “we” when talking about Alabama in his first year. He still does it, but not as much.
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He’s right though, he’s not making it up. Our defense is great but he’s trying to warn them that for all the media talk, they need to improve, because they might run into a great offense at some point and the way they played in the first half Saturday, they’d have been vulnerable to a team with all the pieces on offense like the late 2012-early 2013 UGA offense (pre-injury plague). Having a defense that is an asset might be a new experience for most UGA fans but it’s not for Kirby, he knows they’ve got to keep getting better because given the right circumstances: turnovers, breakdowns in execution, and/or equal or greater talent on the opposing offense, even a great defense CAN be had. See Texas AM-Bama (the year of Manuel’s coming out party); the Kick 6 game; UGA 2012 Aaron Murray, Todd Gurley , et al.
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With the exception of ND for the most part this season has been an escalation in facing offenses. Each week it seems the opponent has been incrementally better on O and the Junkyard Dawgs D has absolutely risen to the challenge each time. This has been a good thing as it brings along the D forcing improvement. I hate it that we have had injuries and the Patrick situation but in a way that has become a positive too because it allows backups to play and gain experience which will be extremely useful late in the season (e.g. The SECCG and I hope the playoffs).
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People are probably gonna poopoo me for bringing it up but I also think we somehow have to have more success passing because every remaining game isn’t gonna be a 4 touchdown, 300 yards rushing cakewalk. Fromm has made some big passes, though only a few, and he’s thrown several passes that the better defenses will likely pick. Damn near every time he throws is to his first option. Obviously, this is likely good enough to get us to Atlanta but, imo, we need some more to actually be competitive. Definitely need to limit turnovers and penalties if our offense is gonna be what it is. History says we’re eventually gonna have to lean on our QB and passing game, though. Fortunately, our HC and his staff seem to be of the mind and on top of this.
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I agree about the passing game. Fromm made the same “out” throw to Nauta as he did at ND. Locked on from the start, an obvious 3rd and long passing down and if he does that against FU (and hopefully Bama in the SECC), it’s a pick again.
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This is why I’m hoping Eason can make his way back. He made many of the same mistakes his freshmen season but I still think he’s our best passer.
Actually, something that been on my mind is if we could somehow play both. It’s never easy to do but they have different attributes that could really compliment one another. Anyway, I expect FU to give our offense is biggest test.
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While I disagree about Eason being the best passing option, I also would like to see Fromm given more opportunities to run the passing offense (especially the 2 minute drill) before we are in a “have to” situation. Confident they do that in practice, and realize they have not needed more passing to succeed, but doing it in live action is different. This weekend at home would be an excellent opportunity to give Fromm more reign, as well as get Eason a chance to build his confidence.
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” Fromm made the same “out” throw to Nauta as he did at ND. Locked on from the start, an obvious 3rd and long passing down and if he does that against FU (and hopefully Bama in the SECC), it’s a pick again.”
That’s why Kirby pulled Fromm while we were only up 45-7. Fromm really needed to sit the bench and think about that one bad throw (despite the fact that Nauta may not have run the route properly). 🙄
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Whether Nauta runs a route correct has nothing to do with locking on from the snap and not going through progressions. It’s fine that his freshman mistakes haven’t hurt us yet. I just hope they don’t the rest of the season.
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Ya gotta love how the D has shaped up. Talent, depth, good fundamentals, and good coaching. Solid all around.
That Monty Rice absolutely vaporizes ball carriers! I mean he drives right through ’em.
It was already said on this blog yesterday, but I’ll repeat our tackling is considerably better than what I’m seeing in most other cfb games.
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The best thing about Kirby is he knows exactly what a Whip Yo Ass defense is. The talent, depth and scheme that he has to have. We are close, not quite there yet. What I’m about pee my pants about is when Pitman gets his 6-4 to 6-6 330lbs tackle to tackle Online wooooooaaahhhh!!!!!!
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In the past few years, when we played bad teams we made them look pretty good. We seldom had a blow out even in cupcake games. This year we have made bad teams look like what they are….BAD. The team from top to bottom seems to have finally gotten that “when the other team is down it is time to pour it on and bury them, not let up mentality.” That is a very refreshing change. It has lowered my Zantac bill for heart burn considerably.
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Is everyone missing this or am I overstating how good of a QB Vandy has? The guy made throws that were just hard to cover. Without that one caveat to an otherwise bad team, Vandy doesn’t get a first down. (well maybe one or two)
I don’t know if we’ll face another team as one dimensional at the ‘dores are. And kudos to the tight, tight pass defense to keep it in check.
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I feel like someone has given me full canteen of ice water after having been lost in the desert for several days.
Finally, we mean business. This is awesome.
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As someone who stays in awe of Saban’s coaching ability but can’t stand him as a human being, it has been great to see Kirby actually enjoying himself on the field this year. I think the joylessness from Saban, even after he’s won national titles, really rubs me the wrong way.
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Kirby is cut from the same cloth as Saban. Both piss excellence. I love it!!!
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