I think up and down is a fair characterization of Jacob Eason’s one season at the helm of Georgia’s offense. It’s what we should have expected from the combination of a new staff, a talented but inexperienced true freshman quarterback and a patchwork offensive line. When Eason went down in last year’s opener, it was also fair to expect a case of déjà vu. At that point, what else was there to expect? All the ingredients from 2016 appeared to be there for the 2017 recipe.
The first and most obvious guess about where things were headed was that the reliance on the running game would hardly subside — with a healthier Nick Chubb and a talented addition in Swift, it would have been malpractice for Chaney not to have given Fromm a chance to get his sea legs by emphasizing the run. And that is in fact what happened.
During the 2016 season, Georgia had 193.5 passing yards per game, good for No. 97 overall and tenth in the Southeastern Conference. In the 2017 season, Georgia had 176.9 passing yards per game, good for No. 105 overall in the country and 12th in the SEC.
Fromm attempted less than twenty passes in seven of Georgia’s twelve regular season games. He never attempted more than thirty in a game until the national championship. He averaged 19.4 attempts per game all season.
Funny thing, though. In the course of limiting the number of passes, Chaney’s passing attack grew dramatically more efficient.
Team Passing Efficiency
During the 2016 season, Georgia had a 118.67 passing efficiency rating, good for No. 98 overall in the country and 13th in the SEC. In the 2017 season, Georgia had a 154.12 passing efficiency rating, good for No. 11 overall in the country and fourth in the Southeastern Conference.
Passing Yards Per Completion
During the 2016 season, Georgia had 11.86 yards per completion, good for No. 80 overall in the country and 10th in the Southeastern Conference. In the 2017 season, Georgia had 14.26 yards per completion, good for No. 14 in the country and third in the Southeastern Conference.
As a true freshman, Jake Fromm finished eighth nationally in passer rating. (The next highest rated freshman quarterback was 55th.)
It’s impressive to see how that all worked out, considering where everyone started. Fast forward to 2018, with a rapidly improving offensive line, depth at running back and wide receiver and, most importantly, another year under the belts of Fromm and Chaney, add to that Kirby’s old friend, competition, pushing Fromm in the form of Fields, and it’s hard not to get a little excited about what may be coming.
Get The Picture 
Making chicken salad out of chicken guano.
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Serving chicken Guano. Calling it ‘deluxe’ chicken salad. Then the deluded Auburn fans liking it and asking for another double scoop…..and a toothpick and Wet Ones…… because, you know, Nick is going to retire this year and work on boats. Describes the $50 mil Gus Bus Contract Impulse Buy (AKA how Arkansas clean-picked Auburn with one Jimmy Sexton city-street scam call)…
AND after infesting the Auburn frame lumber with chemical-resistant, money-sucking Ethiopian termites, Jay Jacobs (now bragging to be a native of Jacksonville) starts his new job at FU university.
There is an undiscovered central nervous system chemical that Auburn faithful can suddenly and willfully release that bathes the brain with prion like invasiveness and results in the complete ability to overlook evidence and suspend logic. Each cranial nerve only selectively works and the 5 senses are combined into a new superpower called ultimate denial, Auburn subtype. There is no treatment other than showing videos of people who denied a moving chainsaw was dangerous and tried to stop it with their hand, fingers or mouth. This rehab can last forever but in true ultimate denial syndrome it always takes longer than 12 months outpatient and 6 months inpatient.
Auburn: where the students collect the debris from the vacuum cleaner bag, glue it together and claim it is a 5 star running back called Power Off.
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Like, wow man, what are you smoking? 😉
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Still… he’s not wrong.
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The field mouse is fast but the owl sees at night dudes
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Somebody help please! I am really struggling with the Tagovailoa live fest.
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Wish we would have RTDB after the baker pick…
Even with the run support and the fact that they limited his attempts, Fromm’s performance as a true freshman was outstanding. Best from a qb one year removed from HS in college football history. I was especially impressed with how he did on third and distance. That’s not just coaching btw. Most of that is what Jake brings with him.
If I had a complaint it would be that he misses too many of the easy ones. If he cleans that up, he can get that comp. % up around 70 and really put defenses in a bind.
Throw in a little of what 1 can do and we’re giving people problems. Btw: did anyone notice the acceleration that fields has? Holy shit! When that kid decides to go, he’s full speed immediately. He’s gonna straight terrorize people.
If they can get 1 five to ten plays a game, it’s gonna really pressure that 20 hour work week for everyone on our schedule.
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In fairness and if my memory is correct, what he did on third and distance was to hand the ball off. Some big 3rd and long’s were made by Sony and Nick.
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Don’t know if you are referring to the championship game or not, but I believe his comment was on 3rd down efficiency for the total season, I thing Fromm was in the Top 3 nationally in that category. Kid was money in big situations all year. But with football always being the ultimate team game, he certainly benefited from having the threat of two stud RBs to keep the defense honest. And 2018 should not be any different.
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Fewer not less.
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PASS THE DAMN BALL CHANEY!
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To the TE’s!!!
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Fromm isn’t going to win the Heisman because he isn’t going to have the eye-popping stats or the ridiculous SportsCenter highlights the voters want to see. I imagine he’ll take a couple of trophies over the most overhyped individual award in sports.
It’s going to be tempting for Kirby to use his offense to protect the defense early by controlling the clock … I think that’s a recipe for a potential upset in Columbia. Score, score and score some more!
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Worked last year. A 7 and a half minute drive in the 2nd half in addition to 2 drives of 5 and half and 2 more of 4 and a half minutes.
http://www.espn.com/college-football/playbyplay?gameId=400933906
I look for the same grind it out game this year and in the South Carolina heat it will pay to have a defense that has had some to catch their breath.
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Because he knew he had a defense that was controlling the game … at this point, we don’t know if we’re going to have a defense that will suffocate the USCe offense. We also won that game by 2 TDs with a fumble in the red zone and a questionable decision to onside kick at the beginning of the game.
If you control the clock but don’t score (or only kick FGs), all you do is give the other team a chance to stay in the game.
Time of possession is truly the most overrated statistic in the game.
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Nah, if we control the clock in Columbia and Boom’s new HUNH offense throws in a few 30 second 3-and-outs, we will grind them into the turf the second half.
Our defense will be fine. We have lots of defensive players that played lots of minutes last year. It’s not like it’s a team of scrubs and 3* freshmen.
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Agreed, let them try to run their HUNH against the UGA D, UGA controls the ball and clock. Red Zone offense was solid last year, and Smart knew he had that. If it were not for a red zone fumble, it goes from 2 TD win to 3.
I also just don’t see Boom’s D being conditioned to stand up against the pounding of Pittman’s OL for 4 Qtrs with 4min+ drives.
My expectation is a 24-10 type game that does not impress the bobbleheads which is never fully put away until mid to late in the 4th quarter.
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I think that’s what will happen as well. I just don’t want to see us fart around with them and let them hang around with a chance to win in the 2nd half.
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Agreed, I think the most likely way that happens is the younger RBs turn the ball over.
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I was impressed with Fromm as a passer in high school, particularly with intermediate throws. I don’t believe he’d be a liability if we needed to rely on a heavier passing attack. But he really excells as a game manager. Fromm is the biggest reason I expect 2018 to be another very good year.
Also doesn’t hurt to have Chaney, Pittman, Coley and McGee returning for their 3rd year together.
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We need to go into Columbia and beat them like they stole something.
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Before the legacy cementing playoff, I kinda thought D’Andre Swift was our best tailback in 2017. Not a knock on anyone, just a raw observation.
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I’m looking for him to step up big time this year.
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That dude is a monster. If he has the intangibles of Nick and Sony he is going to terrorize defenses.
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I have to learn to read these type posts before I shower in the morning. 😉
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I’ll take results over stats all day long.
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PPG allowed, rushing yards per game allowed and TO margin are about the only stats that have anything to do with winning football games.
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Here’s a look at Bill Connelly’s five factors. TO margin is one of them.
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Good stuff, but if you score points than the other team, you win 100% of the time….that trumps all.
Joking aside, turnovers are huge….
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If we score, we may win.
If they never score, we’ll never lose.
Erk Russell
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That’s a pretty darn good list of indicators of winning football.
Make big plays
Generate first downs when down and distance are favorable
Score TDs over FGs
Manage field position
Limit turnovers especially when they occur in the scoring zone or create scoring opportunities for the opponent
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