This Dawg Post piece compares the Alabama and Georgia offenses in garbage time (defined as when a team is leading by more than 38 points in the 2nd quarter, 28 points in the 3rd quarter or 22 points in the 4th quarter) last season. I don’t think it’s any real surprise that ‘Bama kept its foot on the gas longer than did Georgia.
In 2021, in the 12 games that Stetson Bennett started, approximately 33% of the game time was played in garbage time. Not surprisingly, during this “throttle down” time, Bennett threw only 2 of his 29 touchdowns, while throwing another 2 touchdowns late in games when Georgia was leading by more than two scores, but not yet in garbage time.
In contrast, Young’s Alabama team played in garbage time for less than 20% of its season. Those forgetting (conveniently or otherwise) are reminded that Alabama struggled in wins over Florida, LSU, Arkansas and Auburn and lost to Texas A&M. Moreover, in 2021 Alabama was much slower to throttle down its offense when a game was in garbage time or approaching garbage time. This is not an opinion.
Alabama and Young often continued firing the ball down field in garbage time. In fact, Young threw nearly a quarter of his touchdown passes (11 of 47) when his team was either in garbage time (6 TDs) or nearly in garbage time, where he threw 5 touchdowns while Alabama was up by three or more scores. Simply put, Georgia played significantly more of its 2021 Season in garbage time than Alabama. And when Georgia went into garbage time, it was less likely than Alabama to have its starters in the game and to continue passing the ball.
This is proposed as an argument that the gap between Bennett and Young isn’t as large as many people argue, something I don’t care much about. What I do think it’s an argument of interest for, though, is it being a good reason why Jermaine Burton left Athens for Tuscaloosa. Pad those stats, young man!
Get The Picture 
It is an interesting point — that keeping one’s foot on the gas can be used as a recruiting tool — and it makes me wonder why Kirby doesn’t employ it more….
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The starters not being in during a blowout is a different recruiting strategy.
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Excellent point.
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Because Kirby is a coach’s son who understands the need not to rub another team’s nose in it while also developing depth.
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I think there are 3 reasons not to run up the score. Number one is if you are out recruiting and out coaching the opponent why get the opposing coach fired, you know you can beat him.
Number two play as many players as you can just to see what they can do. The non-starters are all graded in practice, but every now and then some guy plays better that they practice.
Number three. as Mr. EE stated, develop talent and use playing time as a recruiting tool.
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But moving aside the specific QB questions, the larger question is what do you do when your backups are in the game ? With defensive reserves it’s not an issue— but WR and QB reserves are the most affected by a throttle down.
I don’t disagree with Kirby’s approach one bit, but I do think it’s not nearly as rude of an offense if your backup skill players are “running up” the score. They are here to play football too. I also think “throttling back” and “getting your backups” reps can’t really fit together offensively.
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Yes, I’d like to see our backups run the entire offense if they are capable. Of course, you also run the risk of backup mistakes like the pick six Beck threw and watched.
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You need to run the offense, but taking big shots down the field as first option is really off limits (frankly, it’s a jerk thing to do just like running double reverse passes – looking at you, Ole Ball Sack). Keep the pedal to the metal regardless of personnel through 3 quarters. When you’re in the 4th quarter garbage time, shorten the game and get the hell on the bus home.
What Stoops did when we had called off the Dawgs was just as big of a jerk move as continuing to attack down the field when up big.
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I would also add that when your starters aren’t on the field in garbage time they can’t get dinged up, or worse, sustain a season ending injury.
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Exactly
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Explosive “Manball” is where CKS would live, if he could…GO DAWGS!
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That’s what I love.
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What insight do you have to say that he doesn’t?
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Alabama didn’t have the luxury of three or four running backs. They couldn’t risk injury to really the only one running back they had.
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Cool. Now do their receiving corps. 😉
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The book says if Metchie and Williams weren’t in then the game didn’t count.
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Brian “Washaun Ealey” Robinson
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I would love to see the # of over-all snaps for both teams on both sides of the ball and the # of snaps each player received. Guessing that Georgia has many more players find the field than Alabama did.
1). Georgia was deeper and played in less close games.
2). I think Saban believes in it – Kirby embraces it -which paid off as the season went on.
And believe that it will pay off even more so this year.
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Number of snaps, as well…Alabama averaged 75 plays run per game vs. us at 63.
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Yeah, there’s not much of a gap between the kid who will be taken 1st or 2nd overall next spring and the kid who won’t get a free agent contract.
Burton’s move makes sense for Burton. You can’t really argue the point.
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Pro scouts know what a player is, regardless of how padded his stats are. Burton is a good receiver but he isn’t a first round receiver no matter where he plays.
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Due to his size and lack of elite speed you’re probably right.
I do think STATS! could move him into the third round tho. That’s why I think he made a smart move. George can just show up and wow the scouts. Burton will need production and tape. He is a very polished player. He could put up big numbers this fall and that will help him greatly.
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Concur – also, what were Pickens stats last year – still got a second round pick, with an ACL. Burton shows Diva signs, teams will shy away from a less than round one diva – maybe third, or fourth round.
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Diva. That’s a nice way of saying Burton is a self centered bitch with no school or team loyalty. He can take that shitty attitude to Gumpville.
Buh bye.
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When the sport is professionalized and society’s attitude is “fuck you, hooray for me” what do you expect? I’m far too jaded and cynical to complain about it.
Burton is a bammer, and that is a tragedy. But he is a bammer because he has no code. He is a bammer because he has no honor.
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Last season Bama was forced into many late game struggles pushing up offensive stats.
I’ll take grinding opponents into submission early every time.
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24 inch pythons for the win
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Maybe Saban should have utilized that 20% to get Metchie and Williams’ backups some reps.
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If there’s one thing I’d change, it would be this.
I’m of the Steve Spurrier school of thought that it makes no sense to stop yourself on offense, make the other team stop you. I know some here like the old school, “dominate on the ground” way Kirby closes out games, but not me.
I’d rather Monken just continue to run his offense the same in the fourth quarter the way he did in the first quarter regardless of the score. I think that prepares you for different situations later in the year say, when you’re down in a SEC Title Game and your QB doesn’t panic-throw two late back-breaking INTs.
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Eh, I don’t know. Keeping the foot on the gas all game no matter the score even when late in the 2nd half? All that does is increase the amount of plays which also raises the probability of injuries to occur. I have no issue putting in 2nd and 3rd string personnel to get some game time experience. But even when that is done, the playbook changes completely when the starters are out of the game so I’m not sure how much that helps with late season games that can come down to the wire.
When you have a sizeable lead, treating the last part of the game like radiation is a good thing. Minimize your exposure to injuries by limiting plays/milking the clock and move on.
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I have no problem with the “keep your foot on the gas” in a blowout WITH THE BACKUPS IN. Let them run the whole playbook so they are ready for primetime. Don’t risk your starters for window dressing.
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Yes, run your offense, use the backups. The bone-crusher drive should be the last one for the starters…they earned the rest.
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I seriously doubt the backups get enough reps to “ run the entire playbook”.
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Let the backups run the offense.
That’s what Spurrier did. Sure, he’d keep his starters in against us, because he hates Georgia.
But he’d let his backups get real reps against the Sakerlinas and Kentuckys of the world.
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Yeeeeeeah, I believe you could get the point across better not using SOS as your example. Hitler made the trains run on time…
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Just because ones hates him as a person doesn’t mean that one cannot respect him as a coach. He was a great coach. It sticks in my craw to say it, but hating him doesn’t change what’s true. I don’t buy into the post-modern bullshit that “your truth” is reality. Reality is reality.
I would say a healthy respect for your enemies is more important than respect your allie’s, otherwise you make the mistake of underestimating them.
I think maybe that was Richt’s team’s biggest fault. They didn’t take those Sakerlina teams seriously, and lost in 2007 to cost Richt his best chance at a national title and lost three in a row to those teams led by Connor Shaw.
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*allies
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F Spurrier, Kirby has already accomplished more than what that joker did in much less time. I’ll defer to Kirby.
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Umm… no, that is in no way true. In his sixth year coaching Floriduh, which is comparable to Kirby coaching Georgia so don’t bring up Duke, I’m comparing apples to apples not apples to oranges, Spurrier had four SEC titles. In his seventh season he would win his fifth SEC title and his national title.
Again, you can hate the man, but you can’t say he wasn’t a great coach because that’s delusional.
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As usual..clueless
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I just deal in reality. You want to allow your personal biases to try to tear down Spurrier the coach (as opposed to the man who is fair game I say), well congrats, now you’re just like all those ‘turds who spent most of 6 seasons tearing Kirby down for the same reason.
You’re just a half step away from “house of cards.”
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Respect Spurrier as a coach? Bullshit. Fuck that guy. Any redeeming qualities he had as an offensive mind are more than canceled by his poor sportsmanship and smart fuckn mouth. He’s a miserable piece of shit and if I see him in the latrine I’m pissing on his shoes.
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Again… hating the person and respecting the coach even if you hate him and what he did to us are separate things.
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How the fuck you can respect such a despicable sleazebag is beyond my comprehension. Low standards I reckon.
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I respect the coach, not the man. The man is a grade a d-bag that makes even Eric with a K appear to be a well-adjusted human being.
The coach is one of the all-time greats, who took a program that had been mediocre for about 90 years and elevated them to heights they had never known. His six SEC Titles in 11 years is insane production. He equaled Dooley in less than half the time.
That’s the truth about the coach and the man right there. Great coach. Asshole person.
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Well, you’re half correct. Spurrier is an asshole person. Great coaches don’t get their ass handed to them 52-20 and then quit during the middle of the season. Silly, self centered, sorry sumbitch quitters do that. The fuckn loser.
Now, I got to shake my old ass to the punk Stones…
🎵 She’s so respectable, she’s so respectable!
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And I am the LAST person to criticize a filtered statical analysis- but I am sick of “garbage time”
Make Garbage Time Count again
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Serious question, what do you mean – that gt and non gt should be considered in the same way?
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I mean that, sure running for 259 yards in second half of games of a blowout should be noted, but I would argue that snaps up 10 on New Mexico State have less value than up 21 with 8 minutes in 4th Q on road at Neyland.
I just maybe think the quantitive data shouldn’t be qualified all the time.
Especially if we are making a case discounting BY to the point that SB is better QB
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BY may have more talent than SB,
But BY is a pussy and SB is a tough lil’ pine knot.
That BY doesn’t function well under pressure was ‘Bama’s kryptonite last year. Auburn showed the world how to handle BY.
The Dawgs play in the SECCG remains a mystery to me.
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PFF stats
Bryce faced pressure on 36% of dropbacks.
47.6% completion
17 TDs 3 INTs
7.9 YPA
Bennett faced pressure on 27.2% of dropbacks
35% comp
5 TDs
3 INTs
7.1 YPA
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But BY had Metchie and Williams to throw to.
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Yes. Yes he did
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“This is proposed as an argument that the gap between Bennett and Young isn’t as large as many people argue, something I don’t care much about.”
Dead nuts on Bluto…I just want UGA as a team to come out on top…Go Dawgs
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Re: Stet v Bryce
Anyone else notice when the 2 QBs were shaking hands postgame, which one was 1-2” taller?
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Or the weenie arm Bryce displayed late in the game…
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Bryce had been compacted because he was sacked so much. 😉
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Could that “pad the stats” mentality have a correlation to the GUMPS not being ready for next man up when needed? Enquiring minds want to know.
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I’m curious to see if “garbage time” is used differently this year. Stetson is the starter, for sure, but who is next? Letting Beck/Vandagriff run the full offense, and get live reps could set yourself up for the future. Interested on how they are handled this year
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Quick crunch, v P5 and score differential <13 points.
3rd Down Passing
Young: 8.0 YPA 48% Success Rate 884 yards
Bennett 4.0 YPA 30% Success Rate 162 yards
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If you are up 3 TD’s with 10 min, to go and your second or third team QB throws a pick-six, all of a sudden you are up only 2 TD’s with 9 min. to go. The other team is pumped and you have to get your starters back in the game READY to play. I don’t know if it is worth the gamble.
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whb, when that happens imagine the GTP commentators who will hitch that we didn’t salt the game away by pounding the ball in the last quarter.
To many fans the smart strategy is the opposite of what their coach is doing.
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Exactly, pound the rock, make them want to quit.
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Agreed, WHB209, especially when the backup is a known lollygagger.
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Like everything, you use common sense. When you are playing glorified Jr. College teams like Samford, Kent State, Vanderbilt, and GT you let them have at it. The chance for the 2nd team to get meaningful reps while maintaining a VERY low risk is there. Against real teams, you salt it away with manball.
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After further deep dive analysis & number crunching, the conclusion is this:
F THE TIDE, JUST F ‘EM, THEY CAN JUST ENJOY LIFE IN OUR G-DAMN REAR VIEW MIRROR.
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Absolutely gotdam right!
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This gentleman universally applied both the scientific method and the Socratic method to arrive at the same conclusion…Bama is wrought with Ftards…I concur 🧐
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Last year was Young’s first. He needed reps. That offensive line definitely needed reps. At some point, games become scrimmages, and the question becomes how you best use those snaps productively. Different teams are going to have different needs.
Daniels had 64 non-Clemson pass attempts. Beck added 10 more. Alabama’s backups had all of 23 on the season.
I would suspect Kirby really works his back-up QBs this season, which will mean more garbage time work on the passing game. And I would guess we’ll see less Young and more Milroe when Bama games get out of hand. Alwsy be developing that QB spot.
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Garbage time: When you actually go to the concession area during the game.
Garbage team: Gators Eat Boogers.
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Garbage recycled: What Junior and Lulu do when the refs piss them off.
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Kirby recruits and coaches to win and develop – he has little interest in accolades and pleasing the pundits. I’m good with that approach.
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This is an important point.
Unlike Mullllen, who listened to the fans too much, and particularly concerning his QB situation; Kirby is deaf to popular pressure and plays his game his way.
And unlike Donnan, who couldn’t hide his disdain for criticism and popular pressure, Kirby just shrugs (our…if we will be honest..) crap off.
Count your blessings Dawg fans. Other big time programs like Bama, Florida ,Tennessee and Auburn have spent a lot more time wandering in the coaching wilderness than we have. FSU too. And others (GT has been in the wilderness for so long that they’re on the cusp of just calling it home).
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keep throwing it with a large lead folks – i would like to show you the tape of the atlanta falcons last super bowl… it still hurts to just think about that shit show.
c’est malade et incroyable
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George Pickens proved that you can be drafted by the NFL without padding your stats or even without having any at all, but I guess he made up for his stats with guts. Not sure Mr. Burton can rely on those as much, so go get those numbers.
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Unfortunately for Burton, Saban will not make the same mistake this year. Nobody corrects his own mistakes more quickly.
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