Seth Emerson ($$) logs in 23 amazing items about Georgia’s defense this morning, but for my money, this one’s the winner:
After the emphasis on havoc the past few years, Georgia is creating it without forcing it: The blitz rate is down to 22.8 percent of dropbacks, 86th at the FBS level. That’s down from 27 percent last year and 31 percent in 2019. And yet the Bulldogs still rank in the top 5 nationally in sacks and turnovers forced, while also pressuring the QB at a higher rate than the last few years.
Geez. There’s your recipe for leading the nation with a 78.20 (!) defensive passer rating. Dan Lanning is a bad man.
Get The Picture 
Recruiting matters and then coaching up elite players gets you this. Ask Lanning why he can afford to blitz less while increasing pressure on opposing QB’s.
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Lanning has the same luxury as Bobby Cox did in the 90s.
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Bobby Cox had a dominant nose guard? 😁
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IDK about a nose guard, but is Stetston Bennett our Mark Lemke?
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I’ll pass on that. Hate asking stupid questions!!!!!!!
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When opposition qb’s see #99 & #95 coming on, then #88 is coming on, they freeze, then # 44 comes up behind them…next thing they know their o-line is helping them to their feet…3rd and 18 is not a good plan vs UGA football “D”…
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It’s hard to imagine a better formula for Nix. Cover everyone, make him run wild, then get an INT.
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One thing to keep in mind is that defense is less likely to have a bad day than offense. That may come in handy in a game or two.
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Lanning probably leaves after this season right? I’m trying to figure out which potential opening might lure him away. A lot of the most appealing jobs just switched coaches last year.
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You’re probably right but, I sure would like to see him become Kirby’s Bud Foster or Venables.
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Lanning and Monken may get head coach opportunities, but they can be choosy. Both can make a ton of coin playing with the best toys in the box.
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OK, standard reply, and never say never, but Monken does not expect to get another head coaching shot. And Mrs. Monken is tired of moving. Obviously they would for a huge gig, but he ain’t going to East Carolina or anything like that, imo.
I personally know someone who spoke with Lanning about going back to Memphis, and was basically told that he wasn’t becoming a head coach at anything less than a P5.
this triumvirate might stay together a bit longer than we think.
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I totally agree especially about Monken. He would have to get a big Power 5 gig, and I just don’t see it at this point. As long as Kirby pays market and continues to get him blue-chip players, I don’t see Monken moving. Lanning can absolutely be picky about the head coaching gig he takes … sort of like Kirby was.
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Kirby’s story should help keep Lanning around for a while. I suspect a lot of teams made runs at Kirby with sweet offers before he came to UGA. He was given the best play toys while at Bama, did not have the pressure of a HC and his value increased with every NC appearance. He was paid well, so other than ego there was not reason to leave Bama until THE job came open. You often don’t get but one bite at the apple so make it count. It may be a power 5 job, but you would have to be desperate or crazy to leave the OC or DC job at Georgia to take over as HC of a Kansas, Vandy etc. They may be P5 jobs but you are going to sink into oblivion. Conversely, jobs like Texas, USC may be high profile, but they come with so much Booster and Admin disfunction/interference that all those zeros on the paycheck might not be worth it. Staying put until THE job comes available can serve you well.
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Wherever (if) Lanning goes he will not have the benefit of the best DCnowHC in college football assisting him. Perhaps he realizes that and has enough self awareness and common sense to see the hole he in which he could find himself. If Lanning does leave for the spotlight the Dawgs could could do much worse than Boom as a DC, the schmuck.
Monken has earned a financial offer he can’t refuse. Highest paid OC would be appropriate when the Dawgs win simply for the continuity.
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Keep your eye on LSU. If they tell Coach O to take his gumbo somewhere else my guess is they’ll come after Lanning or Monken.
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LSU would be a good move in the sense that there is a lot of tradition, you can own the local recruits, and there is a strong fan base. But, it’s a dang mess right now in many ways that have little to do with football. I hope if one of them takes that job they do some due diligence on various legal issues and how it might affect their work.
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Agreed. Seems disturbingly like Baylor.
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I agree with that (I won’t “like” it because it is disgusting – and illegal). Question is, will LSU address it with heads rolling like Baylor did?)
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It’s the defensive linemen. Bama’s DL feasted on opponents for years and has shown us the way to the natty.
The only way to combat a great DL is by having a superstar QB on the level of Burrow or Watson. And a QB of that caliber isn’t around this year (at least so far). In other words, I like our chances.
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So, we blitz less often, but get to the QB more often? LOVE IT.
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I’m trying to think about the job Lanning takes after this year, because you could almost feel it coming (that’s why it’s nice to have BOOM insurance).
Kentucky could come open, especially if Lincoln Riley finally takes an NFL job. LSU most likely will come open. He’d be a candidate there, though Joe Brady would probably be who they want though I think he wants an NFL job. Floriduh could possibly come open. I think Southern Cal wants an NFL guy. Miami and FSU are possibilities in a talent-rich state with only Sideshow Dan the Clown standing in his way recruiting-wise (LOL).
There could be some really good job come open that Lanning would want, and with Pittman and Tucker’s success, one of those school’s could want another branch off Kirby’s tree.
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It’s going to be really interesting to see what Stoops does at Kentucky. I honestly have a very serious feeling that he’s going to stay as long as they give him enough of a pay bump. I think he is enjoying what he’s building.
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One of the ESPN heads called KY the best job in the SEC. They have provided him with a good salary. He has good facilities. Winning 8-9 game a year in Lexington makes you a god. He has good recruiting grounds in southern Ohio with the SEC brand to sell. He has it good with no real pressure. Unless he just has a dream job out there, he ain’t leaving Lexington.
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I tend to think a leaf has turned a little bit in that direction (staying put) as well. It’s increasingly looking like there’s way more horror stories and regret for ditching a good thing on a total gamble…. sure, i’ve heard all the platitudes about coaches’ competitive-confidence bone. But sober eyed longevity and secure $$ has seemingly reclaimed its place in the calculus. That’s why, IMhopefulO, Dan Lanning or Monken would look at a place like FSU, see the dysfunction and stand pat with a really good situation until a great situation comes along.
By the time Kirby did what he did at Alabama for 8 years, he had the same pick of the litter as a coordinator that anybody climbing the head coaching ranks could hope for.
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Coach Lanning could move on to test those HC waters, “Madman Monken” has been around the block, could see him staying at UGA football a little longer, Pittboss leaving was surprising to me, given his experience/years as a coordinator, thought he would have stuck a toe in those HC waters a while ago..(WTF do I know)
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I have no idea if he’d even want the job, but I’ve thought for a couple of years that he’d be a great fit at Nebraska. If he could replicate what he’s done at UK, that would be worth 9-10 wins a year and an occasional division title there. The problem is after a few years of that, Nebraska people would eventually want more.
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Stoops would be an idiot to leave Kentucky. He can win 8-9 games a year average and they will build a statue of him when he retires a wealthy man.
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According to the Florida people, Georgia doesn’t know how to coach players and they don’t receive any instruction the entire time they’re in Athens. It’s just about recruiting great players and watching them languish. Well, tell that to the players on defense right now who are the nation’s best in any number of metrics despite not having a single player who was a consensus first round pick before the season. (oh, and by the way, tell that to the offense which has twice been led to victory by a midget quarterback who had no power 5 scholarship offers, and started the year with a receiver group that you need to buy a program to know by name and has run roughshod over defenses so far).
Can’t wait for JAX… can’t wait for JAX… can. not. WAIT for JAX
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Imagine how good we could be if we had real coaches *****BULLDAWG BILL SARCASM ALERT ACTIVATED*****
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So caveat that I know very little about X’s and O’s, disclaimer blah blah blah. But to me this data points to the fact that we have an extremely fast and athletic front 7 and the linebackers are all adept at both rushing the passer and dropping into coverage. I’ve noticed on a lot of our sacks while we get to the QB pretty quickly, it’s usually only 4 guys rushing so it’s technically not a “blitz”. It’s just that for opposing offenses you don’t know who’s among that 4 as it can be any combo of Dean, Anderson, Smith, Walker, tindall, Beal, and some other linebackers that I’m forgetting but I’m sure opposing qbs haven’t because they still have nightmares about them. (Not including Davis, Wyatt or Carter because they’re almost always rushing the QB). Which means effectively Georgia’s defense can and does bring pressure from anywhere among the front seven without committing more than 4 guys which as we’ve seen is extremely difficult to block as an offense.
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Pay Lanning enough to not ever leave a LA Venebles.
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