Bama/Georgia Thoughts

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/georgia-football/georgia-football-todd-monken-pulls-another-lever-to-jolt-the-offense/

@jwheels86

 L

@GamblinDAWG

 L

@stakkibotris

 O-line came to play. Bama by 17

Looking back at all of these posts, it seems to be a lot of comments referencing the UGA team to Saban teams of past and how that set them up to win and possibly win big.  I agreed with those comments.  

Hindsight is always 20/20, but reconsidering now after the fact it makes more sense.  UGA is big and strong on defense, much like older great Alabama teams.  But looking at what used to get those great Alabama teams: 1) A great QB 2) a Great WR or 2 .  I'm thinking Deshawn Watson, Trevor Lawrence, Cam Newton, and other QBs that may not be considered great, but had great games like Johnny Manziel, Stephen Garcia, Cardale Jones, Chad Kelly.

Alabama was equipped to beat UGA with Young, Metchie, and Williams.  UGA did not have the QB to keep up with them.  It did not seem like much of a chance leading up to Saturday, but now, it makes more sense to me.

@bamaontop

 I'll take my L... 

The one thing UGA couldn't do was let Bryce be comfortable. Bryce just won the Heisman but his OL were the MVPs of that game. Smart and Lanning got owned, Auburn showed you the blueprint for slowing down Bama (bring 6 and press behind them) and they didn't do it until the second half. Stetson Bennett had the second highest QBR going into that game but he also had maybe the easiest QB job in the country as well. Doubt Kirby makes the switch but JT opens up the entire field, sideline to sideline.

UGA matches up well with Michigan so a rematch could very well be on the horizon.

All about the SEC money, They wanted 2 teams from the sec. Gonna be a good rematch if it happens.

Who is "they"? Are you implying UGA threw the game to benefit "they"?

It was pretty widely known that with a UGA loss, both them and Bama were in.

@GamblinDAWG

 So can UGA win if JT starts?

i don't think a 2 loss bama would still be in the top 4, and were talking about millions of dollars going to the SEC conference, I actually thought being the sec champs would be more important lol so I took a loss on georgia. I was wrong. But watching how bad they got outplayed i just don't know lol

Ehhh... The defensive game plan has to be better as well. I mean, UGA had 449 yards of offense; 2 drives to start the second half and both made it to the Alabama 19 and neither resulted in points. Can't have that and expect to win. Auburn brought 6 rushers a large portion of the game and got 7 sacks. Maybe it was arrogance on Lanning/Smart's behalf to think UGA could get there with 4? You could see the difference in the second half when UGA decided to start blitzing more; only one offensive TD in the second half and UGA actually got 3 straight punts.

The killer was the sequence of Bryce recovering his own fumble on the drive right before the end of the half. UGA picks that up and you likely go to halftime 17-17 at worse, and maybe you get a shot at scoring before the half yourself. Bama gets a TD there, comes out after the half and adds another TD super fast. Game goes from 17-17 to 31-17 in about 2 minutes of actual playing time. Down 31-17, UGA had to answer to keep the pressure on and that's where Bennett threw his first pick. Even then, UGA forces a punt, drives to the Bama 19 again and fails on 4th down. ONCE MORE Georgia forced a punt and AGAIN didn't capitalize. Bennett throws the pick six and now it's 38-17 and out of reach.

I do think JT makes better decisions, obviously has the better arm which opens up the entire field and route tree. What is baffling to me, and most UGA fans, is that JT was declared the starter back in Spring. He was better than Stetson for the last 4 games of 2020. They practiced all summer and JT was still the starter in the Fall. If he's truly the better QB (which most think he is), then you do whatever you can to get him back as the starter. I understand he was hurt after, and maybe before, the Clemson game but most people believe he was healthy enough to play around November. So why zero snaps against Tennessee? Zero passes thrown vs Ga Tech? If JT is truly, 100% healthy, there has been little to no effort to get him back as the starting QB. One of the biggest mismatches UGA has to exploit is the TEs against Bama LBs. We saw on the very first score that Darnell Washington is basically a cheat code. I'm not sure Brock Bowers is human. I would like to think JT would have the elite ball placement to really take advantage of their size in the redzone. This time off also gives George Pickens 3 more weeks to rehab. He needs 10+ targets if he's 100% as well.

If they play again, how much does losing Metchie hurt Bama? Talent is there, but I think Cincy and then (hopefully) UGA could focus more on Williams. I'd like to think we get a rematch given that Michigan just doesn't match up well with UGA but them Dawgs better have that chinstrap buckled tight or UM will run over them as well.

you bama fans are funny, because you would pick alabama to win against an NFL team so you guys predicting a team to win that loses once a year is comedy..

Like in EVERY thread i made clear all week, the ONLY way georgia not only doesn't dominate but loses is one person, their coach.. and that's exactly what happened yet again.. I truly don't think everyone realizes the level of choke that took place saturday to a very average alabama team. 

@jwheels86

 if you think the only way Georgia loses is because of their coach you don't deserve to be giving out any opinions on ANY threads bud.

I'd love to hear you explain some football chalk talk to me on how they lost, in fact i'd love to see it from anyone on these forums these days. 

@jwheels86

 Why did Kirby lose that game?

Daniels b gone. Four losses in a row, all blowing double digit leads, being outscored 86-21 in second halves. Obvious tremendous ingame halftime adjustments, schemes as such.  If thats not stellar coaching frankly I dont know what is.

UGA grad who bet Ala. 

He lost the game it appears weeks before at least at QB, he never planned on changing the plan.. but that is just the usual for him, that's the main reason they lost yet again.. They have no QB play when they need it, but their plan on defense was awful against a team that was banged up and needed to be attacked from the flanks.. After all this is what these defenses are known for from the Saban guild.. Whenever he's needed to make changes or do something other than exactly what Saban expects, he's failed to do it. It looked like the many other Saban vs his assistants games, more like a Muschamp matchup again.. and now he's there on the sideline with kirby which is funny.. I don't think people truly grasp on how many levels unacceptable this was for Smart, the whole point of him having to sign so much talent is because he flat out can't coach on game day or make in game moves once something is not working. He should have finally had enough talent to just simply beat Alabama the same way they beat everyone else, kirby never out coaches anyone. They kept lining up in 4 man pressures and hell some times were even in 3, how are you playing coverage with this front 7? and if you're gonna play coverage, well then somebody better cover someone..

They were letting simple plays and scheme beat them to death, once UGA started bringing home some pressure in the 2nd half it was far too late. UGA needed to attack when it was 10-0 coming off a 97 yard drive, then on 3rd down they somehow had the safety back in sudan and gave up the easiest 12 yard dig route for a TD in history, untouched. UGA touts wanting to play man bump in your face, but they were horrified of doing it, doesn't matter how young you are when you have the level of talent they have up front, they should get pressure on a qb and force tipped passes or mistakes from the 4 man pressures with some nickel blitzes from the boundary alone. They were afraid to do the only thing they do aggressive. You don't have to play a zero or 2 shell in secondary a mile away from the wideouts, to the point that even if the QB is hurried they were just leaving guys alone in space with 3-4 guys around them but nowhere to make a play on the ball.. The Best was the first TD out of half for Bama, the corner and the Safety bracketing Williams BOTH fell for and got toasted by a double move lol.. Kirby failed all the way around, and after bama scored that 2nd TD drive, frankly it looked identical to the game last year against Trask when he was dicing them into pieces in Jville. He was doing it the same way, except more to TE's and RB's beating their man ups out of the back field. Same thing happened in that game as well, if you force UGA to score points, and throw from neccessity instead of luxury.. Bennett can't do it, JT Daniels proved he could in every game he played in last year for them. I think it's too late again for kirby to fix that bad choice again.. Defense better play up to their star level if that's what their stuck with the rest of the year 

I think that take is accurate

It was talked about before the game, that this was the first time the Georgia played a good offense. Lombardi on vsin said this is the first time the georgia secondary will deal with speed.

The average Georgia secondary couldn't cover the bama receivers after williams went for 70 yards 

They got pressure on young but he was able to avoid sacks.  Bama couldn't run the ball effectively, the entire game was about torching that Georgia secondary

Bama got a lot of breaks and important plays to go their way

When bama got up Georgia had to throw.  Bennett got visibly frustrated and was inaccurate, though he had much better protection than young.  Seems to me jt daniels the backup has quit the team and won't play because he is looking to transfer

Georgia never played anybody

I know statistically their strength of schedule was high

But the stats lie.  I don't see any great team on their schedule

They were unprepared for better competition because they didn't see it all year.  They just blew out every average team they played

Florida could have made it a game against Georgia but crucial turnovers and missed 4th downs turned it into a blowout

It amazes me the nos of UGA fans that I talk to who passionately proclaim KS is a fabulous HC.  Frankly, I'm tired of them losing, laying an egg vs Ala.  With their talent, to lose four in a row is ludicrous. While being outscored 86-21 in the second halves...blowing double digit leads in all. There appears to be some sort of pathological denial mindset among many...and arrogance. Over what? 42 years... Alabama 8 during same time period.

Except Georgia has lost one game this year, and they're playing for a national championship.  They can win it all, they can beat Bama in the championship game (assuming they both get through).

If they lose in the BCS, sure let's talk.

Like I said I thought the Alabama game was meaningless.  They were in no matter what.  Sure if they win they beat Bama stop the losing streak easier way to the championship, but if they lose in the BCS they would be known for not being able to finish what they started.

Now they have video on Bama and can prepare for a second shot.

@fts1409

Who has currently accomplished more than Kirby in their first 5 years as a head coach? 4 Division titles, 1 SEC Champ, 2 CFP appearances, 3 NY6 Wins

Lincoln Riley and Jimbo Fisher maybe? Not Saban, not Dabo, not Kelly... What those guys have built and learned takes time; someone coming in a crushing it right out of the gate is the exception, not the rule. I'm not saying Kirby will one day become what those guys have become or that UGA is 100% going to win a natty under Kirby. He' s got issues to fix as the leader of a football team, namely making tough decision at the QB spot. But to think he's not one of the best in CFB right now is ignorant.

I agree, if UGA loses to Michigan, then you can really view the 2021 Bulldogs season as a mirage

Bama is simply 5-10 years ahead of Georgia ....

Think about it - this Georgia team is basically Bama 10 years ago ha .... great D / game manager pro style O

    >> Saban always thinking ahead - saw that offenses were catching up, that they needed to open things up - esp. the additional threat of a great running QB . SABAN woulda put Justin Fields at QB

@GamblinDAWG

 I hear ya but losing four in a row is losing. How did Dabo beat him two out of three yrs with significantly less talent? Malzahn three times in eight yrs? He is a great recruiter...no argument here.  You and I could have coached those teams to success.