“To me, it’s easier to defend the RPO when a team runs a zone play than it is when they run – what I call a ‘hat’ play – which is a lead play, or power or counter.”
“Because now, the linebackers are taught to step up and jump over, or jump over because somebody pulled. But now, you pull the ball and throw an RPO and now you’ve really displaced ’em.”
“That’s the way we do it. I think you’ve got to change it up, and disguise it, it’s even the way we play our Fire Zone coverage. Then we’ve got a chance to stop the RPOs.”
Last season’s stats back that up. (But check out who was better defending RPOs.)
Get The Picture 
I do wonder if at some point the NCAA tries to get this under control. The linemen down field has gotten ridiculous.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Offense gets eyes on the TV and butts in the stands. The NCAA rules committee isn’t going back. I agree with you – 2 rule changes that would at least give defenses a chance would be ineligible downfield and requiring 2 feet down for a catch.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I suspect you’re correct.
LikeLike
I love watching good defense. It’s fast becoming a lost art. Disciplined, fundamentally sound defense is a pleasure to watch. The casual fan probably didn’t like the 9-6 Bama/LSU game in 2011, but I thought it was awesome. I don’t watch a lot of non-Georgia games from start to finish. I watched the full 60 minutes plus that night.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Field position and game management becomes so important. Go or not go can decide a game.
LikeLike
Yeah, you can’t lose serve. I do suspect the coaches will eventually figure out a way to deal with the RPOs. They always do, but I don’t know what it could be. Much like the key to stopping the triple cold is to not defend it but attack it, I think it’s probably going be in making the QBs decision for him.
But idk how you get there.
LikeLiked by 2 people
We, As Georgia fans get ripped for being “sky is falling” all the time. Sometimes I wonder if we are just exceptional at feeling when the worm turns during a game. I know that many times late in the 2nd quarter I tell my wife “we gon lose this game”. There is a way to just feel it happening. Too many times over the last 20 years and really 2017 was the only year where it never crossed my mind. We all thought ND was going to win in 2018 about halfway through that game. The rest was gravy. The SEC game was a hoot but late game was kind of obvious.
LikeLike
I am not sure that offense gets eyes on TV and butts in the stands — I am entirely sure that Scoring Offense makes TV execs happy. Score points fast, commercial break. Do it a lot — get a lot of commercial breaks. Grinding drives use a lot of clock and it’s hard to find commercial breaks in there.
LikeLiked by 6 people
Considering they will go to a TV timeout for an injury if they haven’t gotten their allotment of commercials in for a quarter, I don’t think it really matters to them how they get the allotment in.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Appearances lead me to believe (heaven forbid) that the Alabamia HC enjoys this zoom room thing vs taking questions about the taliban…
LikeLike
You have to give the man his due. Not many coaches are at the cutting edge of change on both sides of the ball. At his age and level of success he stands alone with work ethic. I see no signs he is ready to ride off into the sunset.
He is going to need a little help like the Ole Back Sack got from his Florida fans when just winning your division or SEC championship was not enough.
I have complete confidence in Bama fans that if he goes 3 years without a Natty there will be a call for change. At some point Saban will tire of the reporters and fans not his job wave to them all a friendly Take this job and shove it goodbye.
LikeLiked by 4 people
We can all have hope I guess. Let’s just hope we hold on to our recruiting machine long enough to take advantage of a post-Saban era.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Inside linebacker and strong safety are about impossible to play anymore. A great player there isn’t dominating anymore. They’re just containing the damage.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s what makes R’s season in 2017 so unbelievable. He wasn’t just containing the damage. He was absolutely dominant.
LikeLiked by 4 people
I know he didn’t, but it sure seemed like he made every tackle in the Tech game that year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Without looking, i think he had like 9 tackles though.
LikeLike
Wow! 9 tackles 8 solo, 1 sack, 3 for loss
LikeLiked by 1 person
That I formation defense against the TO was a thing to watch.
LikeLiked by 1 person