Hyosub Shin / AJC
Jake Fromm had a helluva game last night. He notched a 217.75 passer rating and, more importantly, directed an offense that got on a serious roll.
After punting on their first possession, the Bulldogs went on to score on seven of the next eight. Included therein were TD drives that took 15 seconds, 1:04, 1:30, 2:46 and 3:15. If not for the need to prolong some drives just to rest their weary defense, Georgia probably could have kept scoring in a hurry. As it was, the Bulldogs possessed the ball for half the time of their visitors in the first half. They ended up as a 3-minute differential in the game.
And yet… and yet, the head coach didn’t sound totally happy about a 560-yard offensive game, or at least, as Seth Emerson relates ($$), some aspects of it.
That began with a six-play drive in which Georgia went 75 yards entirely through the air. Look, the Bulldogs might cling to the culture of being a run-oriented team, but when they’ve really needed it, they’ve put the game on Fromm and his speedy receivers. Of course, Smart said that came with an asterisk.
“Everyone always says, ‘Why don’t you do that all the time?’ ” Smart said. “Well, they don’t play the defense all the time. It was a two-minute drive. If it was that easy, we’d be able to do it all the time. Jake does well for pace of play and being able to get the ball out. I also think it helps when the defense is a little worn down and you’ve been chopping wood for two quarters, as opposed to starting the game like that.”
Look, I get the point about wood chopping, will imposition and all the other catchy metaphors Smart likes to utilize, but when your offense demonstrates that it can crank out 90-second or less scoring drives almost at will against an SEC defense, that carries its own form of demoralization. Jim Chaney sent a message to every defensive coordinator left on the schedule that if you sell out to stop the run, you do so at your own risk.
Now that I think about it, “pick your poison” kind of has a nice clichéd ring to it, doesn’t it? Maybe Kirby shouldn’t look so grim.
Get The Picture 
This is what I’ve been waiting on all year. If this o-line can keep Fromm upright anything is possible with our personnel.
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My nipples are erect.
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Oooo La La….
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Kirby is a grumpy young man but it would seem he has a few reasons. We can’t keep having 100+ yards in penalties. We can’t let them drive the ball on us and just let them switch the field position. After watching the LSU/UF game and the A&M/Kentucky game I think our season is going to get a lot harder. If we had them at home it would be better but on the road will be tough. LSU looked beatable against a fast defense that can pressure the QB. The Gayturds have got their swagger back. Granthams (sp) going to bring the house on runs and passes, like he always tried to do but now he has some play makers. Of the next 3 UF at Jax looks to be the hardest. They now believe they can win and they do have a good defense.
Kentucky has two players, the running QB and the RB. If we start slow against any of these teams it could be a long day. Munson would be beside himself for all three of these. Kirby’s biggest problem is he has to convince a young team that they can’t just show up and win. So here’s to the Grump. let’s hope he can get the guys to focus.
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Joe Burrow’s passer rating is 125.33. Fromm’s is 192.46.
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UF’s edge rushers looked good and fast and Grantham has gone blitz crazy to cover for his DB’s I guess. We need to work on our blitz killers Swift and TEs.
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Depth, 69, is our hole card. There were two teams in the swamp yesterday that played each other tough until fatigue set in. UF was a bit more rested on defense in the second half and hung on. Neither of those two have the depth to absorb four quarters of Holyfield, Swift, Harrien, Cook and then Ridley, Mecole, Godwin, Nauta, Jackson, Holloman and DRob. Then they have the task of guessing when and how much Fields they will see. Can we lose? Of course. Ask Coach O or Mullin which roster of the three they wish was theirs.
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I completely agree Senator. That 2 minute offense touchdown before half had to be completely demoralizing for Vandy. They had played us pretty good to that point and were still very much in the game. Then we come flying down the field, seemingly with little effort, and score right before half. Watching that drive, changed the whole feel of the game. I thought to myself: “Vandy’s done and they know it.”
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Yep. And then we ran it pretty much at will. Pass to set up the run vs. run to set up the 4th quarter seems to be our biggest offensive dilemma.
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That whole game plan last night was to give LSU’s DC nightmares. Did anyone notice how little we ran the ball in the first half? It was a Jake Fromm show put on for the benefit of those who would think it wise to sell out to stop Georgia’s fabled running game. This is a complete offense and will be well focused from here on out. It’s the middle of the D that worries me..but it is the only glaring weakness on the team. ..(well..penalties are a worry).
I would much rather be Georgia’s DC scheming for LSU, UF and KY than one of those team’s DC trying to figure out how to stop Georgia.
This is a multi-weaponded war machine that displays some fearful and awesome abilities that, when you start to adjust to defending it, will laugh at you and deploy the next death ray. We saw what happened when Fields came in and then slipped the ball to Holyfield on a little counter. It was really something great to watch, IF you aren’t a defensive scout for the coming opposition.
And if we make it to a game against Alabama this year, there is a growing problem for Tua. Georgia isn’t going to let his receivers be quite as open as he’s used to. This defensive secondary is getting more and more special as they learn to play skin-tight coverage.
While Alabama is playing at it’s highest level..Georgia hasn’t discovered it’s highest level yet, but it’s high…”Death Star” high.
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That long, long shot that Fields took last night looked like an artillery shell streaking down over the field. He overthrew by just a couple of feet, but what a cannon!
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Yeah, when he let go of that throw I instantly thought “wow, that’s a flat arc, way too far too, dang, that was a 40 yard dart”.
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How bout the rocket that Fields threw on the Stanley overthrow… just a little more air.
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Vandy looked frustrated, tired and pissed off by the fourth quarter. You could see their QB getting punchy with our third stringers. We have come so far.
BTW Adam Anderson is a freaking beast. IMHO he should be getting more reps earlier.
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I didn’t think it was too smart leaving Shurmur in so long. The game was long over and he almost got hurt.
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Agree, he is off the ball and into the backfield quick. Not sure about the few of his game though. Hope he has put on some weight.
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The secret to stopping Georgia is to bait them into a penalty after the play.
It’s easy.
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They gained 560 yards yesterday. When were they “stopped”, exactly?
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Forget it, Senator. It’s Vanderbilt.
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When the third string QB couldn’t field high snaps, more or less.
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I know it was garbage time but did anyone catch the speed and quickness of Nate McBride (22 I think)? Geez!
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He’s got serious track speed, but I am starting to doubt he will be anything more than a reserve here. He hasn’t broken into ILB rotation this year and he’s in danger of being passed by the freshmen Walker and Tindall.
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hate it too ….don’t know what the prob is …instincts? … physicality?
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Here is some perspective about how destructive our penalties are. Last year’s team was the 4th most penalized SEC team. This year’s team is tied for 6th most penalized SEC team. This team’s “penalties per game ” is almost exactly the same as last year’s team.
I would love to have zero penalties per game, but our younger team is not more undisciplined than last year’s senior laden team.
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Don’t you know by now that’s Kirby’s shtick and he ain’t changing?I’m glad he’s never satisfied .Keep choppin’ out there!
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Been waiting for the team to show this side of the game. My theory has been from day one that they would play a ‘high school’ offense until they needed to show something else. I thought they would wait until the LSU game; but I can only figure they felt they needed a ‘live’ appointment before turning it lose. LSU’s two big wins have been Auburn and Miami (Rosier as the QB). Auburn has proven to be closer to a .500 level team verses a Conference (much less National) contender. And while Miami hasn’t lost yet; they have also not played one mediocre (much less good team). In other words, I think the Tigers are over-rated and that’s going to come out on Saturday.
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LSU will certainly need more than 19pts to beat UGA…and UF will need more than 27.
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We had been “chopping wood” for two quarters? I’m not exactly sure what “chopping wood” means anymore….but if it’s a euphemism for keep pounding the rock in the teeth of a defense…Well, I beg to differ with Kirby’s assessment of that first half or why that final drive was successful.
We ran the ball a total of seven times in the first half (we threw 18 times). Vandy defense might have been worn down. But it wasn’t from our pounding the rock repeatedly….or time of possession (Vandy topped us almost 2 to 1 in the first half). Maybe, just maybe….our hurry-up DOES just work better.
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Three of the best things about this team are great pass blocking, great receivers, and a great QB who sees the field, gets the ball out fast and is accurate. Is it a big surprise that our passing game is effective? Imposing your will is fine, but if the offense get ahead by 21 points quickly by passing, it sure makes the job of the defense a lot easier. I just don’t see scoring a lot of points quickly as a problem.
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Kirby can talk about chopping wood all he wants, but the strength of this offense is throwing the football right. We need to take advantage of our personnel more than we need to rigidly stick to a system.
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