Saw this pop up on Twix this week, and it made me sad.
To think we had two absolute specimens at the tight end position…Brock and Darnell. Of the two, obviously, Brock got most of the accolades, as he should. But not to be underscored is how valuable it is to have two on the field at the same time, both with unique skillsets, yet both as reliable with the ability catch – and run, sometimes, as in Bowers – and block, which presents headaches to opposing defenses. Case in point, from an older article:
“It seems to me, in the last four or five years, that they’re looking for that hybrid guy that they can flex out and get into different personnel looks,” Texas defensive coordinator Todd Orlando said. If they’re big and athletic, then the guys that they’re running up the field on — which are normally safeties — they can get into them and create separation or they can just box them out and that becomes a pain in the butt.”
If a coach finds the right guy — basically someone like former Alabama tight end O.J. Howard or the New England Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski, few of which exist — it’s a headache. But even lacking that kind of ability, players at the position can still create issues for defenses. A versatile tight end can allow an up-tempo offense to change formations without switching personnel, creating communication problems for defenses that aren’t ready for it.
“There’s different things we would call vs. four-receiver sets than we would three-receiver sets, Orlando said. “So when you make it either/or [with a tight end], it’s kind of a crapshoot for us. That’s why I think offenses do it all the time.”
In situations where Washington and Bowers were on the field at the same time in a 12 or 13 personnel siuation, which would likely have been a run-first look on offense, defenses had to really roll the dice and wager on whether Georgia would really power the ball or if a tight running situation wouldn’t explode into an immediate four-receiver passing play. Add to it you had to honor the off chance for a misdirection from Bowers. It’s one part the beauty of who you have on the field as a playmaker, and another part making quality defenses wonder what the hell is going on from the jump. I have to wonder, too, given that our running backs have been walking wounded and somewhat thin over the past years, if the threats presented by the TEs, along with their blocking acumen, didn’t give the running backs more room to operate.
Flash forward to 2024. While there have been some moments, the position group – which was once thought of as the epitome of elite at Georgia – has withered some. Delp was supposed to be the favorite, but right now has been targeted only 9 times and has hauled in only 3 of those catches. Luckie has 8 targets and has caught 6, and has many calling for Luckie to get the TE1 designation for this weekend against Auburn. Yurosek has one target and has largely been seen practicing tumbling during live action, spending more time replicating a fish that’s just been yanked from the water and landed on the bank for the first time. He’s been targeted one time after much ballyhooing about what he was showing in spring practice…in what I’m assuming was passing trees and not in any live action against an adult male human being. More concerning is that is seems Etienne is having to fight for his life to gain forward momentum, even with the offensive line doing a good job with blocking, but it seems opposing defenses aren’t hesitating to come downfield more so than they have in years past. It was glaringly apparent against Kentucky, at least from where I was watching.
So what makes for the downturn in production? Is it the lack of two solid TEs on the field at the same time? Is it that Bowers and Washington were “those guys” and can’t be duplicated? Are defenses no longer fearing the options of the look because those guys are gone along with some other receiver talent, so they’re selling out and making Beck dance while taking away the run?
Hard to say, I don’t have insight into the defensive playcallers’ minds, but until these guys – along with Beck and his receiving corps – can step up and show that they can consistently move the ball through the air and make the defense second guess, it’s going to continue to be tough sledding, especially for Etienne and Robinson as the weeks go on.
Let me take you back to those days of yesteryear, those guys that could change the course of mighty linebackers, bend footballs with their bare hands and who disguised as mild mannered UGA football student-athletes, would change the course of UGA football….#19 and the “Displacer” made the job/play calling of the “O.C.” a pure joy, our current TE room is good and am pretty confident, giving #7 more targets won’t be regretted in the long term, when the “Displacer” moved on so did that third tackle at the LOS, a spot that can’t be adequately/dimensionally replaced, having #19 on the field elevated that UGA football receiver room for more receptions, plus QB decisions easier…not comparing, just saying, as with #34, who should have won the Heisman award 3 years running, # 19 should have been the Mackey Award recipient 3 years running…GO DAWGS!!
We were most certainly spoiled with having those two unicorns at the same time. Unlikely to see a pairing like that again any time soon.
Texas Dawg, did you ever get your $20.00 discount from DirecTV? Just saw my upcoming bill and it was reduced by that amount. I was trying to respond to you about this back when the outage happened, but unfortunately that’s when the website started going crazy and my answer to your question about it got deleted, never appeared, or was eaten by goblins. Also, their new prices didn’t show up yet, but they’re coming. 🤬
Fear not Dawg fans, that next Unicorn is on our commit list in the current ’25 class. Out of Camden County is 5* Elyiss Williams, and at 6’7″, 240 lbs., he’s gonna be a PROBLEM for opposing teams. Todd Hartley has been and is still on the mutha.
HBTFD
I believe that there is little question that having a 6’8” uber-strong TE with good hands and a 4.5 speed 245-lb TE with elite hands on the field at the same time made the offense near impossible to stop. So many options and parts of the field for the defense to have to defend.
The step back in the TE room is definitely one of the reasons for the inconsistent offense. I like the idea of Luckie getting more snaps, and Redell has promise too. We need Mama Delp to kick Oscar in the pants and apply some stick-em to the gloves or else he’s going to lose snaps. As for Yurosek, he got to Athens 3 months ago so he’s got more rope from me.
But (stating the obvious) Bobo’s got to figure out who are his best players and which plays they execute best and then out-scheme better in the first half of games. TEs, RBs, WRs. We aren’t bereft of talent. If the vets can’t do it, replace them with some younguns for a series or two and see what you get.
Dammit Bobo! Why can’t you script plays that work to non-existent unicorns 🦄
In all seriousness you’ve hit on a big problem with the offense right now. Beck doesn’t have the safety net of Bowers and one guy as elusive as Ladd. No Granddaddy to pancake defenders. Smith drops easy catches…what is a QB and his coordinator to do? Keep plugging away. Where was Fraiser in the Bama game? We have got to have speed in the backfield. I think we may see Bell back there again for a few snaps. Bobo haterz bitch about the jet sweeps and WR screens but we’ve got to move these defenses side to side to open up the middle. Beck needs to find his rhythm early in games and find those tight windows downfield to our receivers. In other words it’s a total team effort to replace Bowers, McConkey and Washington. We have no one who we can just plug and play for them sorry to say.
I think Frazier was missing because of pass protection needs in a comeback effort. It was Etienne and then Cash Jones was in a good bit because he’s better at picking up blitzes and also catches the ball out of the backfield well. When the game went on I wondered why in the hell was Cash in there in a late game scenario but that is his skillset, from what I’ve heard.
Darnell Grandaddy Washington is one of my all time favorite Dawgs.