I couldn’t wait to write this post, as that was one of the most fun games I’ve ever seen. I can get used to games with some really fun playcalling by Bobo and the defense getting stops when they need to. Now, many of us may die of a heart attack before the end of the season, but at least it will be a fun ride. It’s not enough to say that this Georgia team just refuses to lay down. They don’t even consider the option. They know they’re going to win. We certainly don’t as fans, but they don’t consider that either. I think this game brought more people into the Believers category, and this team just owns the 4th quarter. I’m also happy Lane Kiffin gets to go home with an L before his next hot yoga session. On to the bullets!
- Nice drive to start out the game, and you could tell right away that Bobo was feeling out what would work best on Saturday. And although Gunner was again off the mark early, it was clear there were yards to be gained against this defense and that Gunner would later put on quite a show.
- Loved the flea flicker to Colbie Young, but unfortunately the injury on that play appears to have ended his season. Such a bummer for a kid that was really coming on and raising his draft profile, who also seemed to love being at Georgia. That’s also now 2 WRs out for the year. Thankfully, we’ve got a lot of depth at that spot, and Noah Thomas will have to take over, with help from CJ Wiley.
- Woodring continues to be nails from anywhere on the field, but his kickoffs out of bounds essentially cost the Dawgs two first downs. Not that it really mattered, since Chambliss could have scored from the goal line in the first half, but still.
- Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but CJ Allen and Raylen Wilson had poor eye discipline and looked slow to react in the first half. And then balled out when the Dawgs needed it most in the 4th quarter.
- Kiffin had our defense on skates for most of the game, mostly throwing within 2 seconds of the snap which prevented any pressure from reaching Chambliss. When Georgia stopped rushing, Chambliss just sat back and picked the secondary apart.
- How about the grit from Christen Miller and Oscar Delp refusing to stay out of the game after their own injuries? Rest up and heal for the Cocktail Party, fellas. Well earned.
- Going into the game, I expected the Georgia OL to dominate Ole Maid’s smaller guys but knew they’re edge guys would get past our tackles on some speed rushes. That checked out (224 yard rushing, 4.9 ypc, 1 sack and several pressures). Because of that though, I expected Bobo to run way more. However, in the end the offense moved the ball at will, and you take that result anyway you can get it.
- Loved the play design of the second TD to Luckie with him faking the block and leaking out to the end zone. Very much against tendency there.
- Another first half full of underneath routes by Ole Maid that were very reminiscent of the entire game in Oxford last year. Speaking of underneath routes, Joenel Aguero has got to tackle better and improve his own eye discipline or else we need a new Star. So many mistakes in the game that could have lost it.
- The fourth offensive drive was fun to watch, as Gunner was clearly told to rip the ball. Although he missed an open man, he threw 3 absolute missiles for completions and his read on the RPO, followed by the juke of the pass rusher and running away from the defense for the TD, was badass.
- We see you, Demello Jones. Keep it up.
- We see you too, other DBs. Please stop playing 12 yards off your man and committing DPI penalties that cost the team chances to stop the opposing offense.
- I was really disappointed with the DL, as I thought Ole Maid’s OL was weak in the middle, but they bludgeoned the Dawgs at times. Maybe it’s time for more Elijah Griffin? That said, I didn’t understand Schumann having only 2 DL in on two different goal-to-go drives. Made for easy TDs.
- Lost the Middle 8 and won the game. Guess that stat is not 100%.
- Did anyone else see Kiffin joking with the sideline ref after he took a timeout to try to ice Woodring that he was clapping like Kirby last week? That was some funny shit.
- I personally thought the 2-pt conversion choice in the 3rd was too early and would cost us later. Specifically, given the fact that Frazier and Bowens were at the time averaging 5 yards per carry, why bring in Cash cold for that play? He ended up running out of bounds instead of back to Gunner to help him when under pressure. This did almost cost Georgia, as Ole Maid had an opportunity to tie at the end of the game, but thankfully they didn’t.
- Fourth quarter adjustments on defense were simple and overdue. Pressure the QB and play press man more. Along with a raucous crowd, it worked like a charm. Chambliss finally wilted.
- I wondered if the presence of a 5-star TE recruit named Brock (really) at the game would lead to more TE usage and by golly, it did. Luckie was elite, Delp was a warrior and Elyiss Williams drew a useful penalty. This offense can be unstoppable when you spread the ball around.
- When the Dawgs went up 40-35, there was a lot of time left but they had the play script advantage in that, even if they scored, Georgia likely would have gotten it back again.
- Bobo was masterful. Even though this was not a great defense, Ole Maid has good LBs and speed on defense. Bobo created busts all over their secondary and used Gunner’s legs at the right times. And the WRs and TEs had no drops, unlike last year’s game in Oxford. Nice when that happens, eh?
- Gunner is developing quite a “Clutch Gene.” I know he still misses 1/4 of the open receivers, but he rarely creates negative plays or turnovers, he’s a really good runner, the team rallies around him, and he elevates their games. I’ll take that for now while he continues to learn the offense.
- The ballsiest call of the game was Bobo’s, when Gunner threw that ball to Bell on 2nd and 12. And the rest of that drive was a Kirby road-grading special.
- Interesting presser by Lane turning almost every potentially critical question into a contextual compliment of his team and how well they’ve played this year. Lane has become a narrative builder. Who knew the Mississippi press was so difficult?
There is no other way to describe this win other than enormous. The gaps in the conference standings are going to be razor thin. I expect half the conference to have 1-2 losses, so we should again have a tiebreaker scenario on our hands for the SECCG. Beating Tennessee and Ole Maid will come in handy. Also, in case you didn’t notice, Sun Belt Billy saved his job again, so we’ll get to see him one more time in Jacksonville. Time to rest up the wounded and get a gameplan for that distasteful bunch. Only 3 more conference games left, and there’s a chance that’s the toughest one. Enjoy the off week, Refugees. We’ve got some handbags to make soon. Go Dawgs!
Do you mean fun like repeatedly hitting yourself in the head because it feels so good when you stop?
Were you not entertained? 😅
I was definitely entertained by the first punt.
Kiffin is a doosh and he did doosh things. Glad to hand him a loss. There offense was basically perfect for three quarters. I kept thinking sooner or later they would have to commit a penalty or something and shoot themselves innthe foot.
Georgia’s defense is not good. Yeah it’s great that they never quit and all that but that wouldn’t be necessary if they could cover anybody at all, didn’t miss so many tackles etc. During the watch along show Jim Donnan was going crazy about how far off the ball our dbs were playing.
I don’t get the nit picking about Gunner. Without him this team has at least one more loss and probably two more. Whatever picayune criticisms there for him not being perfect seem like they could used onnthe defense. More than enough to criticize there.
Whether our defense was good or bad yesterday is subjective I would point out something for perspective.
We held aole Miss below its average going into the game of yards per play on offensive. We held it to below it’s average points per game going into the game. No matter what grade you wish to give the defense it would be the best grades Ole Miss’s opponents have had.
That is a damn good offense the Laner has. Those guys are an ESPN Invitational team.
I dont think we run a lot of man blitz, because our guys in the secondary arent good enough to do it. Especially when you run man blitz and hardly ever get there.
My thoughts on the defense are this, Both Saban and Kirby are at their best when they have a monster at the nose. We havent had that and the results show. The rules cater to more offense as well.
So unless we have a generational defense with multiple 1st round picks every year (we wont), the offense has to be better.
I’ve never heard the expression “monster at the nose”, and I’m wondering what it means.
Use your context clues.
Agreed, Jordan Davis, Mount Kody and that is when Smart’s D works best.
Those types are almost impossible to find. It’s why people can only come up with a couple of examples.
Maybe I should have said d line men period. Williams, All of the Paynes, Smith. Hes had a few.
A really good nose tackle. Sorry, I didn’t know I was going to get graded.
You could have been talking about Scott Cochran and his cocaine habit lol
There are lots of things going wrong on d.
None of the front 4 guys are whipping the guy across from them on pass plays. Of course, a lot of the teams that are having success are getting the ball out so quick, it wouldn’t matter.
When you add rushers AND we don’t get there OR they get it out fast, you just have fewer guys to defend the pass or tackle the receiver.
The biggest fixable problem I see is poor tackling and leveraging. 6 should NEVER let that guy get past him. If you use the leverage of the sideline, he doesn’t. Its a big gainer. Not a td.
Also, why does Cole not breakdown and make the tackle on the qb instead of giving up 6? If the guys eyes downfield maybe you attack like that. But clearly the qb had tucked it and was looking to run. Breakdown, use leverage and grab something rather than fucking air.
The biggest bright spot?
We’re still stopping the run. All a Jordan Davis would do is add to that success. Now a Jalen Carter would do a whole lotta good because he fucks up your opponent’s whole program.
If we can rdtb and stop the run, we’ll be in every game and I like our chances in the 4th with this bunch.
We just can’t have the big mistakes that we had vs bama.
Tackling and eye discipline are at least half the problem, and I’d be fine if just those two were improved.
Yep. We may not be dominant at that point but we may not be as frustrating.
Not just my opinion but the opinion also of all the broadcast this year.
Our DBs are giving WAY too big of a cushion
The don’t tackle well
They don’t seem to be in phase with the receiver
They rarely get their head around to find the ball
If they look back at the ball and are fighting for the ball, then a lot of those PI penalties go away since they have just as much right to the ball.
Is it talent? It is it coaching?
Bottom line is Kirby somehow finds a way to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. I’m just afraid I’m going to run out of bourbon before this season is over the way they are driving me to drink.
You listen to those two morons? Why?
If it was just them yesterday, I might agree, but EVERY broadcast has called out the same things. Just because you are a moron doesn’t mean you can’t be right once in a while. I work with people who prove that every day.
Every broadcast team is made up of two idiots who have been saying the same shit for near 50 years.
And they’ve left behind a legacy where football fans everywhere “think” that if you just play man and blitz on every down you’ll never give up a point. Ever.
The game tends to be a little more of a chess match than just that.
Funny, I don’t recall them saying they needed to play man and blitz a single time. Maybe you were watching an alternate feed from the rest of the world.
It seems like it would easier to find better dbs than it would to find some Jalen Carters. Our dbs are are just bad. I understand how lack of pass rush plays into that but I think it would be easier to find a few guys who don’t commit a PI every time the ball comes their way than it would to find generational players up front.
It’s really frustrating, given how highly rated they were and how historically good Kirby’s DBs have always been.
Apparently they are being coached to not turn their heads and find the ball. It happens too consistently for it to not be that. But I can’t imagine why they are being told to do that. None of the dbs brought in though the portal are playing. Lotta things have to get fixed on that side of the ball. This season we just are what we are. But between now and next season a lot of stuff has to happen but that is one thing Im confident about when it comes to Kirby and changes. He ain’t gonna stand pat and let his defense be like this.
Kirby actually answered a question about this earlier in the year and said they’re coached to turn around but aren’t doing it.
Not sure why anyone thinks this is new. We saw Tyson Campbell struggle with it too. It seems like ever since Kirby has been here we have the elder statesman cb who plays man well and the young guy opposite who panics with the ball in the air.
I think Kirby needs to get 5 star nose tackles and 3 star dbs. Well at least that worked before lol
The lack of development at DT and DE this year is a big concern. A-portaling we go!
There are no more Jalen Carters out there. Probably no Travons either. They were freaks.
Keep in mind that we did lose a starting safety before the game.
I think we can be a little patient with 20 and 15 and even 1.
1 may not play the ball the way we like, but he keeps taking his swings. Those guys will be ok in coverage over time.
The main thing I want to fix is tackling in space. That’s not really a talent or experience thing. Its a physical and mental toughness thing and it ain’t where it needs to be.
I’ve got patience for 1 and 15, but not 20. He’s been in the program for 4 years now.
Then there’s probably a reason we haven’t seen a lot of him.
Exactly. Kirby has talked about his struggles with understanding the defensive concepts and being consistent. It sucks that they don’t have anyone better, even after bringing in 3 experienced safeties from elsewhere. The portal really did a number on that group, and the edge rushers.
Looks like the young pups at DB just aren’t ready to play press the whole game so we save it for the end when we have to have it. I guess whatever works and everyone wishes the front 4 and especially our edge guys could do a lot more. If the OL keeps healing and improving (big if on the healing part) then we can use the offense to chew up clock more and help the D. We are who we are. No one in the SEC looks much better and I’m guessing like most it’s another rematch with bama in the SECCG. Run the table, roll the dice, see what happens. This is the playoff world now anyway.
I watched extended highlights late last night and again this morning. The defense – particularly the DBs – didn’t look any better on repeat viewings. Sure, the DL wasn’t getting much of a push – as noted, in large part because of how quickly Ole Missy’s plays developed – but that doesn’t account for the DBs’ lousy technique and piss poor tackling. (And the LBs weren’t exactly stellar either.) They did just enough in just enough time to help squeak out the win but it’d be much cooler if they could figure things out before the last eight minutes of the game.
On the other hand, the O was genuinely enjoyable to watch from start to finish.
I think that was probably the best game Bobo has called this season. I complain about him a lot so I’ll give credit when it is due. Our defense? Well, they got the last three stops to seal the win. I still hope Schumann is not our defensive coordinator next year. I’m glad I don’t have a weak heart. It can be exhausting watching this team play. They never give up though. And that’s coaching. Good for Kirby and his staff. They don’t let this team quit.
It so happened to be the first full half of football where Stockton was accurate. Crazy how bobo seems smart when the qb hits his targets.
CJ Allen came in as a true freshman and essentially pushed Jamon Dumas Johnson to transfer because he was gonna be so good. He’s in his 3rd year now and what has happened?btw Schumann is the ILB coach.
I’ll take 11 CJ Allens. Best player we put out there on D.
I love the wins, love the comebacks, love the grit. Its encouraging to see our offense develop—we really need elite play out this unit to protect what appears to be a chronically vulnerable defense. The margins in this league are so tight right now everything looks like a week-to-week deal.
Where is Boom ?
I can see why the Dawgs went ape shit when Gman came in the sec champ game last yr (& then proceeded to delivuh)… they knew that « this dude » has balls of steel and loves UGA with all his heart and soul.
G man is DGD
He was banged up after Auburn and Kirby didn’t even want him running yesterday. Gunner went to Kirby and talked him into game planning QB runs into play calling.
“”I mean, he literally couldn’t practice. His oblique, the shots he took at Auburn, he’s beat up,” Smart shared via 247sports.com. “And we’re like, okay, we won’t use you in the quarterback run game. We’ll get to you. ‘Uh-huh, coach, I want to run it. I want to run it. My team needs to see me run it.’ And he did.”
Team over ME. That’s why they love him. Contrast that with Beck throwing his receiver under the bus after Miami’s loss Friday. Makes you wonder just what the dynamics were in the locker room last year.
Ole Miss was 14th in Rush D.
So honest question, did Ole Miss’s crap rush D allow the patched up OL to do their job and the TEs to run pass routes rather than having to stay home protecting Gunner? We’ll have to wait to find out.
I have never witnessed a team where the offense and defense were so on or off. Back to back games of the D allowing the other team to score until they didn’t allow another yard.
Offense was on all afternoon yesterday, with zero turnovers. thankfuly.
Not a fan of going for 2 until the 4th quarter in tight games. If Smart took the points, UGA has a 9 point lead late for a 2 score game on Ole Miss’s last chance. Again, thankfully it didn’t matter.
The sky is the limit if the team plays in the on switch for longer but, I also feel they could give away a game on any Saturday if they leave the switch off.
They may have been 14th in rush defense (taking your word for it), but the only team they bottled up all year was a constipated LSU rush offense. Everyone else has run all over them. My point in the post was focused on their size though, not not their talent. We outweighed them by 30+ lbs on average, so I expected a significant wearing down to occur over the course of the game. That said, your question about strategy is a good one. It seems Kirby and Bobo decided to go aggressive, realizing Kiffin has their number and hoping Gunner wouldn’t get killed again by speed rushers. Worked out well, I’d say.
Were they 14th in the nation or 14th in the SEC? From the looks it was most likely the later.
I don’t know, but they are currently 99th after yesterday!
14th in the SEC
Ah ok, that gives a different context to your post!
Bottom line is that our defense has too much talent to suck this bad. 5 stars everywhere- Justin Williams, Chris Cole, Ellis Robinson, KJ Bolden, Darlene Everette, Hayley Wilson, CJ Allen. I would be shocked if Kirby does not make changes on his defensive staff.
Ugh. Autocorrect had a field day with those names.
Darlene and Hayley … lmao. (though they kind of played like that at times).
I’m waiting to hear all the Bobo-haters and what they have to say. Amazing performance by our O.
Unfortunately, at this point in the season, I suppose this is who we are on defense. I told a buddy of mine during the game that this team is reminiscent of the Richt years where we rarely seemed to be able to stop anyone when we had to and the offense just had to try and outscore everyone.
They don’t do that. They do t admit to being wrong. They just lay low and wait for another opportunity. Can’t believe you have t been accused of trolling for posting that. I got accused of it just for saying offense isnt what is wrong with this team.
I read the blog daily, but can’t post from my work computer, so my comments are few and far between.
I’ve been really pleased with the progress of the O line and that we are finally getting young guys quality reps there. This should pay off big time the rest of this season and next.
Are you fucking serious?
Do you really think one good game from the offense just eliminates all the historic problems from Bobo coached offenses that we’ve seen year after year after year?
Holy shit bro. Nobody ever said Bobo is a useless idiot who can’t do anything. He’s a decent OC. He just isn’t elite. We are a program now that deserves elite.
He will have some great games. He will have some shit the bed games. Every season. That doesn’t cut it for an elite program.
How are Bobo apologists this fucking stupid?
Holy shit bro. Even a broken clock is right twice a day, and Bobo is way better than a broken clock. He’s a pretty good OC. Cool. We deserve elite.
Understand?
Just mho, but I don’t blame Woodring for the out of bounds KOs. He can just boom them anytime he wants, but I think there are coaches that want to experiment, and he is being told make Ole Miss return so they can be stopped short of the 25. They didn’t work until the last KO, which was kind of a wobbly line drive that OM returned to the 20. It seems stupid to me but I really don’t think Woodring is just forgetting how to kick off.
Possible, but Kirby was critical of him in the presser.