Seth Emerson ($$) looks at Georgia’s running back stats, next to last in the conference in yards-after-contact per rush, coupled with a higher yards per rush than last season and then topped with double digit averages on yards after catch to conclude thusly: “These tailbacks are good in space and not good between the tackles, or they’re not getting a push from the interior linemen.” Or both, I might add.
While Smart counters with the valid point that it hasn’t stopped the offense from racking up tons of yardage this season, even he is a little concerned about one aspect of this.
He would like to see his team’s run game produce better when closer to the goal line.
“It goes back to the run game. When the field tightens up and shrinks, that’s where the run game is more glaring because the boxes are tighter,” Smart said. “They’re tighter to the box. There are less people in parts of the field, and they are in your front yard. You have to block them and run through them. Some of them are just misses.”
But it’s not just the run game that’s failing in the red zone, Smart noted.
“You go back to the Samford game where we struggled, and there were a couple times that we had guys open, and we just missed them. We have to do a better job. We’ve looked at it really hard. First down run percentage, second down run percentage,” Smart said. “Third down conversions in the red area are critical because they get you a new set of downs. We’ve been there a lot, but we haven’t converted as much as we need to. If it all had to boil down to one thing, I would say accuracy in the passing game, and then being effective at running the ball at the heavy boxes.”
Maybe it’s just me, but that sure seems like something that might justify trying a little 13-formation playcalling to see if it opens things up in both the running and passing games down by the goal line.
Get The Picture 
Seems like I recall running the ball pretty good last year. Just playing devils advocate here, but could Searles not be what we need at OL coach? I wasn’t a fan of the hire in the first place so I may be jaded.
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Tackle play and center play has been fine. But maybe Searles isn’t coaching them.
/sarcasm
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“These tailbacks are good in space and not good between the tackles, or they’re not getting a push from the interior linemen.”
It’s no secret that guards haven’t been as effective as they were last year. Maybe Ratledge isn’t fully recovered. Maybe Willock & Truss aren’t grasping completely what Searles is laying out. Or maybe they haven’t jelled. I see a lot of combinations on game day, so perhaps he hasn’t settled on a formula. But at the end of the day, and we are not running inside as well as we did last year.
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Living in Floyd County, I see Tate’s dad around town a fair bit. He’s maybe 85% healthy at best.
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I have heard a lisfranc injury is different.
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True dat.
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The lack of Washington in the red zone has been a bit baffling to me. I mean you can throw the ball higher than most 5-10 defenders can jump and Big O just snags the ball from the air. I guess it’s not as easy as it seems but I thought it would be a great idea. Maybe we’re saving it for someone special!
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He has been blocking for Bowers consistently, even in the red zone. Big O not always the best option in the end zone frequently. Too bad though, but Brock is 1st pick…if available.
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I hope we can ratchet up our TD success rate in the red zone to north of 80%.
Honestly, I think the lack of running success is because the offense is making last second reads at the line for rpos and we have shifted away from imposing our will on 1st and 2nd downs. That slight delay in keeping the ball or handing it off impacts a successful run.
I’ll take 500 yds of offense and not having to punt.
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They’ll fix it.
Some of this is scheme. Some of it is mindset.
If you want to run between the tackles, then you have to prioritize running between the tackles.
Monken’s system pull’s the guard ‘a lot’, which usually means you are attacking one side and loading up to that side, which usually means to the outside.
We fixed this ‘around the goal line stuff last year by bringing in Carter and Davis. David is gone; doesn’t have to be Carter – but pick to guys and load it up – hand the ball of to the tail back and run over them. And you happen to have aa 6’7″ tight end that can release and will promise you that he will be open more than not – even if he isn’t – throw where only he catches it or nobody catches it.
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Exactamundo…I’d love to see big Mr. Washington going up for jump balls in the end zone
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He doesn’t need to jump.
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He will “Displace”…GO DAWGS!
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Running…speaking of Carter, he played a down at halfback last week. Great position for short yardage or occasional breakaway runs. Wear down those opposing offensive lines. What are they planning there?
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This team has yet to be in a must score in the red zone position. It would be great if they never did. I doubt that happens I expect we’ll get our wish and see 13 personal. Never thought I would see a Kirby Smart led team without a difference or two maker at RB. My untrained eye does not see that take over a game guy.
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The two starting running backs go down too easy. That’s not the O line’s fault.
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KM2 isn’t running the same as last year. Not sure why. I have a lot of confidence in him and think he may just blow up one Saturday.
Edwards looks good. And I think if Robinson gets his pass pro down, he will be a beast.
Am I wrong? Serious question
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KM2 isn’t 100% and hasn’t been all season.
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Big Mo, you ain’t wrong.
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Watch out for Robinson. We were also unlucky, the late addition to last year’s class (stole him from Clemson), Andrew Paul was actually out playing Robinson before he had a ACL tear.
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Can they change the RB shortage this year? Can they heal injuries faster? Control what you can is Kirby’s mantra. O line punching a crease and good run blocking, and runners finding the hole is. I’m sure this has not escaped their notice. Otherwise it may be a jet sweep to Bowers. They will find working bodies somewhere.
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2 = Richard Samuel
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Loved Richard, good dude and a DGD. I worked with his wife for a while and have had the chance to meet him a couple of times.
I think KM2 has had a few more opportunities running the ball. He looked like he was about to break out a couple of times last year but always seemed like he was hurt or recovering .
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Maybe we’re just waiting on 7 to “help us” in that formation….maybe we can summon Obi Wan instead. He surely can…or maybe just use Oscar?
Regardless, need to stick it in the zone…. maybe just go back to trying to in force the big ugly will on ppl for 4 downs? Lol never mind…
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Red zone stats
Oregon 7-7 with 7 TDs
Samford 7-8 with 3 TDs, 4 FGs and 1 missed FG (due to the deep sack and 2 FG attempts were due to penalties that put us behind schedule and the other 2 were caused by multiple incomplete passes)
South Carolina 5-5 with 4 TDs and a FG (in garbage time)
Kent 6-6 with 3 TDs and 3 FG (1 caused by a 15 yard penalty and 1 by a sack)
Bottom line – we have made mistakes in the red zone more than it’s been anything about the running game. Those mistakes get magnified in the red zone and take points off the board (either 4 or 7).
In the 2 games against P5 competition, we’ve been brutally efficient in the red zone. 100% scoring with only 1 garbage time FG against 11 TDs.
Just my $.02, but the woes of the offensive line may be a tad overblown. Can they get better? Yep.
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Yup.
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Milton is way too too heavy. Always reminded me of Samuel (Florida game doesn’t count).
Branson Robinson needs a lot more carries. Dude is easily our best traditional back. I don’t care about where he is in pass pro. Give him the inside the tackle carries.
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*top heavy
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I’ve seen him go down in situations where I think even I could stay on my feet. I was never particularly sold on him, but his regression is really kind of unbelievable.
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The farting noise from the coaches box is Todd Monken. He has the backs efficient in space because that’s how he wants to attack. Kirby’s talking to the media and challenging the players to execute, but Monken’s doing his job…scoring points.
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It would be so “Georgia” to have this wealth of TE talent, struggle in the red zone, and NOT use the 13 formation.
I thought my inner Munson was buried but I guess it’s back.
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Do we have that premier running back recruit or 3? No, you say? Then, per Monken, we will not see as much 13 formation as all us armchair coaches would like to see.
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