As someone whose memory is still scarred by the breakdowns that routinely marked the last defenses of Martinez and Grantham, I have to pinch myself more than once as I read this:
In terms of tackling, Georgia is also the best in the business thus far. Through five games, the Bulldogs have only missed 23 total tackles and only miss a tackle on 7% of opportunities, tied for the best in FBS. For comparison purposes, the average FBS team has missed 41 tackles through five weeks and misses them at a rate of 15.5% of opportunities. Our top-graded cornerback, Deandre Baker (90.4), has yet to miss a tackle and only allowed 14 yards after the catch on 12 receptions.[Emphasis added.]
It’s not just the defense that’s excelling in fundamentals. Here’s the rest of what Pro Football Focus has to say about Georgia:
While No. 2 in our overall rankings, the Bulldogs are blocking and tackling better than anyone in college football up to this point. Even with an injury to initial starting RG Ben Cleveland (83.0), the Bulldogs are getting above-average to elite play across all five offensive line positions (lowest-graded starter at 74.5 grade). The group is led by left tackle Andrew Thomas, who has only given up four total QB pressures and has the highest overall (92.9) and run-block grade (92.0) among all FBS offensive lineman with at least 150 snaps. As a group, the Bulldogs’ offensive line is 25th in pass-blocking efficiency (PBE), only giving up 17 total QB pressures (three sacks).
It’s the running game, though, where they are at their best. After finishing fourth in team run-block grade in 2017, Georgia has elevated that even more this season. Bulldog running backs have gotten slightly over half (50.2 percent) of their yards before contact. It’s not just the offensive line or tight ends helping in the running game either, as four of their five top receivers from a snap count perspective have a run-block grade of at least 71.3, led by Tyler Simmons 83.3 run-block grade.
Elite blocking and tackling? That’s like Dawg porn for Kirby Smart.
Get The Picture 
14 YAC on 12 catches. That’s crazy. 50% of yardage gained is before contact? Yeesh.
Headed back to the shower, y’all.
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This continual flood of good news is coming too rapidly for us old guys, we need more time between showers that we once did (but ‘we are as good once as we ever were’…partial credit to Toby Keith.)
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Mac, I went back out in the field Monday/ Tuesday this week to handle a concrete placement. It wasn’t all that big, so I thought I’d save a little money and do it myself. I grabbed a couple of guys off the crew to assist because, hey, I used to do this all the time right?
Two full days in 90 degree heat busting ass? No Sir, I ain’t nearly as good as I once was, not even once.:)
But those beers on the dock Tuesday evening? Some of the best I’ve ever had.
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Well, you gotta pick your spots. I was never that good in the summer heat in South Georgia. Most of my “testing” is done in air conditioned environments. 🙂
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I remember back in the days when we had a laughable S&C program, and seemingly half the team (including the entire OL) had some sort of shoulder issue. As a result, we rarely would tackle in practice, but instead almost exclusively did thud instead. WillieMart in particular didn’t like tackling in practice, and sure enough in games we were horrid, taking bad pursuit angles and bouncing off guys left and right.
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I can hear our former DC coaches now. “We didn’t tackle as well as we needed to win that game. You guys need to tackle better.” Coach turns head to the press and says, “there, I fixed it”.
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Was an absolute joke! Chip tackling with a shoulder, never wrapping up and total whiffs were common place. If you got into a UGA secondary, +10-15 yards was a given.
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Yep. Part of it was our S&C program during those years was such an embarrassment as well, yet CMR not only refused to make changes, he instead elevated cronies like Joe T instead. As a result, we were small, weak, and again had constant injury issues. One fall in particular (’11?) we had so many OL out with shoulder injuries that we had to move DL guys over just so we could scrimmage.
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I remember Tech going hog wild in the second half because we attempted shoulder tackles.
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God, to have had this O-line and defense with Stafford and Moreno here or honest to god line play in front of Gurley. sigh what could have been.
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Richt would have found a way to mess that up, maybe by dismissing a player or two. Or maybe with a timely pooch kick.
I was just thinking this morning about Joe Cox (whose good service earned him the right to start) and the UVA transfer whose name I don’t care to remember or even look up. What are the chances that we’ll find ourselves with starting QBs with their level of talent under Kirby?
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Be still my heart. Something we can all get behind.
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Why doesn’t the o-line play seem that good to me? It seems good, but not that elite good as borne out by those stats. Are my expectations just that off the charts high? Unreasonably high? Could be.
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I was thinking about that a while back. I wonder if part of it is other teams really loading the box and bringing more than we can block? I know that was the case a few times at Missouri. Other coaches know Kirby wants to run the ball and they want to take it away
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Honestly, as much as people will hate to hear it, I think it’s because Holyfield just isn’t that good and Swift isn’t at 100%. Holyfield has been great but there’s a reason Swift flew past him on the depth chart last year. One of the keys for the rest of the season will be getting Swift back to 100% and giving him at least 60% of the carries and splitting the remaining 40% between Holyfield & Herrien.
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Agree on Swift, although he seems to have recovered his burst. Disagree on Holyfield, seems to be a great blend of power and speed. We will find out next week at LSU for sure.
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If tackling #1 or 27 was like tackling a bowling ball, tackling 13 must be like tackling a concrete block falling off a speeding truck.
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I think our backs in a general sense are just making wrong cuts behind the line. There have been many cases this season where the back cuts around the blocking just at the wrong time. I’m sure it’s far more difficult than it looks so I may be wrong, but I really do think the runs have suffered this season just a bit.
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Tight ends have also whiffed on some blocks of defenders coming off the edge.
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Those cuts by Nick and Sony were what made them so special. Great vision and instincts.
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Except the numbers don’t bear that out. We have more rushing AND passing yards this year than we had at the same point last year. I agree we don’t look smooth, but that has to be expectations or something else, because reality says otherwise.
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While it’s wise to live in the present..this is a team on the cusp of being great..but it’s just fun to imagine 2019.
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Does anyone know when Big Ben is expected back?
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CST = cold shower time.
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I like our running backs by committee, but can you imagine how many yards a featured back would get behind this line? I’m thinking Gurley goes for 2000 behind them in a 15 game season.
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Kirbys response: “2nd ? Well, if you ain’t first, you’re last.”
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I agree – we were spoiled by Nick and Sony last year. Those 10-15 yard runs last year are 5-7 this year, and as a result we are thinking something is wrong. IMO, we really miss Zamir White, as I think he’d be getting a lot of touches right now.
With that said, our pass protect definitely needs some work.
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True that. If Nick and Sony keep ripping off 30+ yd TD runs as pros, we’ll better understand that we might not ever replicate having those two and Roquan on the same team.
It hasn’t been talked about much here (and maybe here is not the place to talk about it) but have you ever seen Nick look faster than he did on his 60-yd TD last week?!?
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Chubb made an NFL DB look like a high school player. And the 40 yarder was more impressive as he had to make cuts and break tackles before breaking it. That’s the Chubb from his FR and SO years. Looks like he is fully back. If so, the Browns stole him in the draft.
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Really hoping he has this bad luck spell behind him, Zeus was just so special for all of his HS career. Would love to see him near 100% and UGA and get paid after that, special talent, and a fine young man.
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It’s nice to see positive reports. I think the biggest problem we have is the difference in expectations between this preseason and last preseason.
Clearly we’re better this year , but it was easier to appreciate last years gains coming off 8-5.
The dawgs look great to me. Thanks for posting this!
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This brings me great joy.
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I’m starting to think this Deandre Baker kid might be pretty good.
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“Process, Process”, get yur “Process” here, it’s fresh, it’s hot….step right over here,get yur “Process”……..GOOOOOOOOOO DAAAAWWWWGS!!!!!!!!
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Step right up and get yur “Process……Process’ right here, it’s fresh, it’s hot…..right here folks, step right up and get yur “Process”……………GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DAAAAAAWWWWWWGGGGS!!!!!
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