Observations from the armchair, “you’re not in until you’re in” edition.

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First of all, yes Virginia, it was a fumble. Don’t @ me, Auburn bro. I was watching this game from my phone while attending a work event at the Reagan Library in California, but I rewatched the play from a big screen at a friend’s house yesterday and again on the late plane ride home last night as well. (This is also meant to explain why this review post is so late.) On the Zapruder film (my Gawd does ESPN have the worst production quality in CFB?), CJ Allen’s wrist tape can be seen at the front of the goal line, which means his hand was past that invisible wall punching loose the ball, before Raylen’s final fumble-inducing punch even came. Which means Auburn’s (hopefully forever) QB Jackson Arnold did not have possession when the ball crossed the plane. How Sean McDonut (who clearly had the Auburn moneyline Saturday night) and former well-below average SEC official-turned broadcaster Matt Austin couldn’t figure that out is beyond me. It felt like Greg McElroy – of all people – was the only one trying to be reasonable, but McDonut pressured him and everyone into seeing things his way before they even had a look at the ball. What an embarrassing and agonizing 35 minute sequence that was. Anyway, since this was not the only play of the game, let’s get on to the rest of the bullets:

  • The Dawgs were back to their old, familiar, painful, slow start ways. This one might have been the most painful since Kentucky last year, which is saying something. I just don’t understand why these guys don’t turn it on until the second half of games. You can see that they run harder, hit harder and execute better after they’re down multiple scores. I’ve said this before, but it reminds me of how USC played in the early 2000s when they had the best teams in CFB. Do the Dawgs believe they have that? Maybe, maybe not. But first halves are bringing out some of the most constipated offensive and listless defensive efforts they’ve shown since 2016.
  • Auburn was the worst third down team in the conference until Saturday and Georgia made them look like the best that’s ever played. Jackson Arnold is one of the worst QBs in the conference and our defense (for a half) gave him more confidence than he’s had in his career. Terrible edge setting by Gabe Harris and Quintavius Johnson, really poor assignment football by CJ and Raylen, who as usual (and thankfully) later showed out as the All-Americans they are in the second half. But just overall poor tackling on at least half the plays. They made me want to listen to the speeches at the event, it was so bad at times.
  • The Barn crowd was nuts as always, but at least they aren’t as classless as the Texas fans from last year. I kept waiting for dip-filled water bottles to cascade down from the hillbilly toilet paper bandits, but they never came.
  • In general, although the refs were castigated by the broadcast booth, I actually thought almost all the calls were correct. That’s hard to say for a SEC referee team, too. Now, was the replay booth both way too aggressive and way too slow to make decisions? Absolutely. Was Georgia fortunate to get a lot of calls on the road? No question. But Auburn also played with such little discipline, the calls were well earned.
  • Speaking of penalties, Kirby said at a recent press conference that he wants his DBs to get their hands on people more. Well, maybe the guys went a little too far in the other direction on Saturday. I’m all for tackling dudes when you’re the last man left, but we had DBs yanking guys to the turf 5 yards past the line of scrimmage, or in the middle of the field, even when they were running with them. Let’s find that happy middle, please.
  • Following THE PLAY, the blocking by the OL for McRae on second down was maybe the most important blocking of the game. Otherwise, Thorson is punting from the back of the end zone with 10 rushers breathing down his neck and a highly motivated Auburn offense with a frothy crowd likely comes down and scores. Instead, the Dawgs get chunk plays helped by more Auburn penalties and get the points needed to close to within a score. The amount of momentum gained from that one demoralizing execution of blocking cannot be overstated. From that moment on, I realized the Dawgs were back and would win the game.
  • Speaking of that drive, after Gunner got hit in the mouth on the targeting play, he missed a few throws and I wondered if he was concussed. He also kept rolling to the right side and into the arms of an Auburn LB. The kid was getting harassed and brutalized the entire first half by Durkin’s blitz schemes, so maybe he was seeing ghosts for a while too. I can’t blame him for that, but glad he calmed down in the second half.
  • Also, anyone else notice that Georgia won the middle 8 and also won the game?
  • Colbie Young is such a beast. I loved watching him take a LB, a safety and a nickel for a ride for five yards on one play.
  • Another game, another over-pursuit by a UGA pass rusher on a QB to miss a sack. Actually, there were three of them in this game. Lather, rinse, repeat. Have to finish better.
  • Tough, tough running from Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens. The yards were just not there to be had on Saturday between the tackles, as Auburn flooded the box with LBs and safeties, but they ran hard in an effort to keep the Barn defense honest.
  • Gunner threw 2-3 nice back-shoulder fades I thought could have been caught and led to an even faster comeback. I’ll bet we start to see more of those going forward.
  • Also, his ability to keep coming back from all those hits he took is so impressive. Most QBs would have tapped out. Auburn’s front seven is the best we’ve played. They’re big, fast and were clearly motivated to punish Gunner on Saturday. This was easily the hardest hitting game of the year. Gunner didn’t care. He was too busy taking their souls.
  • Nice PBUs from Ellis Robinson against Cam Coleman, a top 5 WR. Keep it up, kid. We need you on that wall.
  • Christen Miller remains the only guy on the DL who regularly beats his man.
  • OK, let’s talk about the timeout that allegedly was not called by Smart. First of all, I would humbly suggest not telling the media to “look at the tape” when you clearly were seen on camera asking for a timeout before telling them they need to penalize Auburn for clapping (which was occurring, to be fair). Still can’t believe they gave it back to him, but we’ll take any conference help when we can get it.
  • Cash, that block was legal and awesome. That is all.
  • Have to say, the late offensive substitutions are going to cost us a game. Everyone knows now that if you sub after 20 seconds left on the play clock, the defense is going to also sub even if they don’t need to, and since they’ll jog their subs in, you’ll get a delay of game or lose a timeout. The offensive coaches need to get their shit together on that. It’s ok to leave guys in for more than 2 plays at a time. They won’t transfer for that.
  • Felt bad for Woodring having his streak ended on a conventional 43-yarder, but we all knew it wouldn’t last forever and at least it made no difference in the outcome.
  • I thought another underrated sequence was the enormous 3-and-out by the defense in the 4th quarter that was followed by that 16-play, 78-yard drive to ice the game. The defense was on fire, the LBs were heat-seeking missiles, and everyone tackled!
  • Speaking of that final drive by the Georgia offense, what a rocket from Gunner to Humphreys into tight coverage on 3rd and 9, after they had been 1/10 on third down, and then again on 4th and 2. Massive conversions. And a hell of a dive for the pilon, even if Kirby wanted him to slide. Come on, Kirbs. Live a little. It’s Auburn.

Tears on the Plains haven’t been this salty in a long time, but they may have never tasted so sweet. The Barn took their best shot and it wasn’t enough against a B- effort from the Dawgs. That kind of says it all about Hugh Freeze’s program, amirite? (You know what’s coming.)

Meanwhile, our battered and bruised team comes back home to face an Ole Maid bunch that has looked really good of late. I don’t put much into the Wazzou game result, because they played super vanilla and unmotivated against one of the worst teams on the west coast, which is saying something. Kiffin will have his offense in high gear from the jump at Sanford. Can the Dawgs keep them within one score in the first half, or will they have to mount a 3-score comeback next week? Let’s hope they find a way to play hard and execute for all 4 quarters on Saturday. They’re due for it. Go Dawgs!

52 thoughts on “Observations from the armchair, “you’re not in until you’re in” edition.”

  1. Maybe our defense looks lost due to bad looks from the scout team all week in practice? I dunno. Anyone got anything otherwise to explain how they made Auburn look like 90’s Nebraska in the 1st half? I saw some saying Auburn was running “new plays” but teams put in new plays that fit their scheme each week. You always get some fresh plays.

    • I said to my wife during the game that I have been wondering all year who is communicating to Schumann and Kirby from the box because its almost like Schumann and Kirby go into the locker room at halftime and watch the all-22 and are like, “Oh, ok, now I see it. That is an easy fix.”

    • Allegedly, according to Brooks Austin, Auburn ran completely new plays for about the first 25 plays of the game and had not shown any of it on film before and after that Freeze went back to there vanilla offense of about 7 plays. No clue if that is accurate or not. Would make sense if it is and they should did have to work hard for those 10 points needing almost 30 plays.

    • How to explain it? We’ve been doing this for two years now. We need new coordinators. The problem is 100% coaching. Our players are clearly capable of executing. Hence the furious comebacks against Auburn, Alabama and pretty much every decent team we’ve played the last two seasons. If we’re not doing it in the first half it’s because the coaches have not properly prepared the team to do so. I know Kirby just extended them both. He can keep them on staff but they cannot continue to be our coordinators. Maybe we’ll get lucky and one or both will get hired away after seasons end. Until then I’ll keep holding my breath. We still have several difficult games coming up. I don’t want to be in an hole against Ole Miss, Texas or, heck, even Georgia Tech.

  2. DawginAustin, great catch on the middle 8. Also, thanks to Gunner’s Superman keeping me from going 4-8 instead of 5-7 in the Fabris Pool.

  3. First 28 minutes could be described as the worst coaching/execution we’ve had in years. Second half could be described as as the best coaching/execution we’ve had in years.

      • As film study goes, laner is an offensive minded kinda’ guy, he may or may not use some or all of the very successful bammer/barner 1st half attack plan vs UGA football, UGA football got embarrassed last trip to piss on the goal post stadium, CKS will remind everyone within a megaphone hearing distance of that crappy experience, this one will be a 60 minute event that only the Mickey paid announcers can and will fuck up, I say mute the broadcast and let those dick wads choke on their own BullSheoot….GO DAWGS!!

  4. Worth noting auburn was on a bye the week before and had an extra week to heal and prepare. The first half showed how they prepared.
    Coming up later in the schedule, Sankey granted Texas a week off before coming to Athens.

    • We had a bye week before Alabama. I wonder what we did with it? Apparently, preparing for Alabama wasn’t on the list. We looked almost as bad in the first half as we did against Auburn. Hmm, I’m sensing a pattern. Whose job is it to get the team ready to go at the opening whistle?

      • Its the player’s job to get themselves ready. If a player is counting on a coach to motivate the player, then the player has already lost. The great ones get themselves ready. UGA coaches don’t forget what to do in the first quarter then suddenly figure it out at halftime.

        • I don’t think it is as much they are not fired up enough as they are being put in the wrong alignments/play calls for the situation.

  5. The donktastic first 28 minutes, really takes away from a historic shutout in the 2nd half.

    I’m going to ga a different way: I hate the replay video, I wanted the Auburn fans (especially, the ones from Georgia that think being traitors to the Dawgs will get them somewhere in life) to never see any video of it and go to their toilet paper lined graves always wondering.

  6. From the first replay someone scored a touchdown. I never did hear a whistle stopping the play. The correct score after the fumble was 10-6 pending the extra point attempt.

    How does Karma taste coach Freeze Sleazebag.

    • Yeah, the next Auburn fan that yells at me “That was a touchdown!” I’m going to agree with them. Then I’ll say “the whistle never blew and he was standing all alone in the endzone with the ball. Touchdown!”

  7. Brooks Austin has a good take on the game. As Kirby said in the presser, we hadn’t prepped for what they were doing on offense and we’re getting in lots of 3rd and shorts. They took the off week and developed some new things we hadn’t seen

    But because they weren’t explosive and so plodding, they ran out of plays. The coaches sorted it out and shut them down.

    Brooks also has a good breakdown on the punch out.

    • For sure, McElroy talked about that during the game too. They went against type, which is what everyone does (or should do) after an off week. I’m more concerned with the FPE on defense in the first half. I knew the injured OL would struggle against Auburn’s front seven and the Dawgs would have to grind that one out. But the lack of adjustments in almost any game until halftime is just curious to me, because historically Kirby’s staff has figured things out or motivated the team earlier. I’ll check Brooks’ video out on my flight today, thanks for the tip.

  8. I was at the game so I didn’t get to watch the replay until yesterday on the plane. In the stadium, I had the same reaction as everyone else, we were getting run out of the stadium. Watching the replay, it was a little different. I saw a young team that was on their heels (both sides of the ball), but then started to steady it a bit later in the 2nd quarter. The fumble really flipped the momentum and the offense put on a great drive. Yeah, Auburn gave us 35 yards of penalties, but we had already driven from our 1 inch line to midfield in a crazy environment.

    Second half was completely different. Auburn was waiting for something to happen to them and the fumble was their excuse. Dawgs were there to pounce on them and both sides just smothered Auburn from there on out. Defense played faster and took away the quick throws. When they tried longer passes, the defense finally got pressure causing bad throws. Stockton took hit after hit and continued to throw good passes, including later in the game to help put Auburn away.

    The slow starts are killing us, but I think if this team can keep it together, they can be pretty good this season. If we keep the core together, next season should be awesome. I love the grit and fight from this team.

    Oh, and I didn’t realize how badly Auburn wants to BE us. They literally copy everything we do, from our fight song, to our kickoff cheer, to our calling the Dawgs. Then they celebrate a piece of shit like Fairley on their pre-game piece, cheering each cheap shot. And then $cam being there (or was it Flav-o-Flav?) was the cherry on top. I love the fact that the Auburn fans feel like they got screwed.

    • They’re so gross. I’m sure you had to shower twice after attending the game.

    • Auburn has been copying us back to my days in the 80’s. Even Bo was just a Herschel knockoff! 🤣

  9. The penalty on Cash was a make up call for Kirby’s time out that wasn’t a time out.

  10. It is funny reading post after post every game as if we don’t all know exactly what the problem is.

    I understand the desire to hope it is something more complicated that is fixable mid season. But we all know it isn’t.

    Until Kirby holds his assistant coaches to the same standard as his players, this is what we will have to deal with.

    Let’s hope he learns the lesson and makes the final leap to his full potential as one of the greatest coaches of all time, and bringing us a 10-15 period that will rival all cfb dynasties.

    • We did bring pressure in the 1st half but Arnold was getting the ball out immediately which negated the pressure and then put our defense on their heels a bit.

      • If you watch Read and React on the SEC Network, they explain the defensive scheme that we started with and show what adjustments were made to correct that. Why it took an entire half to figure it out is hard to understand, but sounds like more of coaching issue than a player issue to me.

  12. Here’s my concern. I am not in the arena, but my understanding is that first drives and third downs are typically scripted and planned for. Considering the clear pattern of slow starts and poor third down conversion rates, I think we have a game planning issue on the offensive side – and I’ve never been a “Fire Bobo” guy. It’s just a pattern that’s hard to ignore at this point.

    When you compare what Bama did to us – great success on their initial two drives and amazing third down conversions – versus our performance, you have to think we got out schemed. And that happened again vs. Auburn. In fact, it’s happened a lot the last year and a half. Not good. It’s feeling very elephant in the room-ish to me.

    • Couldn’t agree more. Same could be said of game planning on the defensive side of the ball. The result is what we watched before halftime on Saturday night. Auburn had a 237-78 advantage in total offense and a 21:48-8:12 advantage in time of possession at the half. Dawgs can get away with that, just barely, vs. a team as mediocre and undisciplined as Auburn. Bama was and Ole Miss will be different.

    • > I’ve never been a “Fire Bobo” guy.

      Given the overwhelming evidence of his TWO stints as OC, and the exact same problems plaguing our offense consistently during both, how is ANYONE not a “Fire Bobo” guy?

      • I understand your point, but these are not the primary issues that people criticized Bobo for in the first stint. If you look back to 2014, Bobo’s last year as OC under Richt, we were much more successful on first drives and third down conversions. You could make other arguments, like the decision not to RTDB at times – particularly with Gurley against South Carolina – but first drives and third downs weren’t the primary issue.

        • Set the school record for yards and points with Hutson Mason at QB. But he’s never won anything.

          By that standard, we’ve only had 3 decent coordinators in 130 years of UGA football.

      • In 2014, Georgia’s offense ranked 10th nationally in third-down conversion rate at 48.70%. Also look at their first drive charts; they scored on the majority of them. So this is a new issue in the second tenure.

        • The overall problem is the same: lack of aggressiveness and tenacity on offense. Slow starts. Poor first halves. Then additionally, sitting on small leads. Being overly conservative. Not showing up for big games. And yet always managing to pad stats. A variety of things that all point to poor leadership and a non-elite OC.

          • I’m not sure why you’re choosing to argue over this point when my primary issue is that Bobo Pt. II shows new layers of weakness that were not fully apparent in Pt. I. It’s hard to argue that we have a game planning issue when you have repeated issues with first drives, first halves overall, and third down conversions. I do not agree that these were hallmarks of Bobo Pt. I. Inconsistency, lack of aggressiveness, failure to run the ball, conservative playcalling – YES, those are all fair criticisms of Bobo’s first tenure. This, however, is a new level of poor performance in game planning specifically. And as someone who historically has not been a Bobo hater, I am saying that it’s hard to deny. That’s when you should choose to support this argument rather than disagree with the person making it.

      • Because I look at his first stint and this one and see other problems besides the offensive playcalling.

        He definitely had some stinkers in his first run as OC (losing 35-7 to SC in 2012 comes to mind), but there were just as many examples (if not more) where the offense did its part and the defense let us down.

        In his current tenure, I look at the banged up running back room from last year, and all the dropped passes, and it’s hard for me to blame Bobo for all that.

        I’m not saying he’s perfect, or even the best we could get, but I don’t think he’s as bad as many people make him out to be, so I probably come across as a “Bobo defender”. And a lot of those same people who rake him over the coals every Saturday have (until recently) turned a blind eye to the defensive failings. If you want to fire Bobo, that’s fine, but you should want to see the defensive coordinator held accountable too.

    • Didn’t we make 2 first downs on our first drive? We were near midfield. Then we followed it up by a complete whiff by the OL as Stockton got destroyed for a 12 yard loss. That put the squash on that drive.

      Then we didn’t get the ball back for a while and immediately went 3 and out.

  13. I would like an explanation of the Cash block. If that block is illegal they need to play flag football.

    • I do believe that the refs should be suspended. That was a typical SEC make up call. The game was full of them.

      • SEC-Best league in all of college football
        SEC Worst officials in all of football including
        PEE WEE football

    • (Make up) Penalty or not, you know Cash was smiling from ear to ear after laying that MF out like that without cheap shotting him. When they took him off the field, I’m not sure if the dude knew where he was.

      • We need to make that part of our highlight video to fire up the crowd when Auburn comes to Athens next year.

  14. Why does the SEC not spend a little of it’s money for an ACC like command center. They (ACC) take like 1 or 2 minutes to get it right. The SEC takes 5 minutes on even the easy ones. The final two minutes took 32 minutes.

    • I think it was the UVA-FSU game that I was watching and you could hear them discuss the play and what their thought process was.

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