Will be a tough tough game for sure. That damn option offense works at this level- CPJ is just the only coach stubborn enough to run it in the P5- but it is a damn good offense no matter the level. CPJ could not care less about recruiting, putting players in the pro's or the modern passing game... so its perfect for him. GT is in an area where there are a million decent 2-3 star running backs that he can plug in down there and rush the ball on anyone. I hope our offense shows up for once against GT this year. Of all divisions that the triple option offense could be in, of course it's in ours.. wish we could swap them to the Atlantic. We would face them once every 6 years
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at GT...you can do that!
Benson looked like the best B-Back, since Dwyer. I'm hoping that it's more about UT being horrible in run D, than GT is that good on O.
Agree- I think facing them early is not the advantage people think... yes, you get "all summer" to prepare, but you also get them fresh and you are never ready for the speed of that option. I would much rather play them later in the year after their tiny QB gets hit 20 times a game for 8 weeks.
This.
I think it's also bears mentioning that within the ACC, GT may not have the same success on offense as we saw them have last night...familiarity with defensive strategies and what not. But regardless of if that assessment is accurate, they still look tough this year.
20 times? Hell, the dude ran 40+ times last night alone
But he only got hit 20.
sorry guys. my bad.
UT lost their starting MLB who was expected to anchor their defense a week before the game. That certainly could have had an effect.
In Bud I trust, not matter the offense!
44 carries for a QB is a lot, PJ?
We'll see if that kid is still standing by November. He was impressive, but he's 170 lbs.
I never under-estimate GT.
Example: last year, a sub par GT team came in and punched us in the mouth at home.
Their style of play is very unforgiving to the opposing team. If we can keep the 3 and outs to a minimum, I think we're ok.
That same "sub-par" Georgia Tech team finished 9-4, dominated their bowl game, and went 3-0 against SEC teams in the process.
We were far from their only victims.
I thought that last night GT was the best they've looked. UT had no answer for them for most the game and I believe that their DL is supposed to be really good.
We'll have our work cut out for us. Hopefully our defense will be ready to go. We're going to need some big time stops by the defense in that game, and we have to get GT behind early. GT being down 2-3 TDs and getting them to 3rd and long is key.
GT QB and OL looked good last night. The pushed around an SEC 'D' the announcers kept saying. They beat themselves, though and really should have won the game. On the other hand, UT's receivers (#1) and RB (#4) also looked good.
The secret to beating GT is no secret: make them play from behind. That's something we have never consistently done since CPJ took over. Hopefully Fuente, Breaker of Curses, finds a way.
GT isn't even really a curse for us, we have gotten the best of CPJ even in the down years. 2014 was a fluke and last year was the only year where they just whipped us.
1) If our offense didn't shit the bed until the end of the 3rd quarter, we could have built a lead and had GT playing from behind all last game, and their offense is never as good playing from behind. I'm not worried about our defense unless the offense goes on a 3 and out fest to start the game and tire them out like last year.
2) I'm not confident Taquon Marshall makes it through this season healthy after how much run he got last night, especially with that frame.
GT defense was less than stellar in the 4th quarter. And thats with 3 quarters of rest. Dropped passes in the first half did as much to stop Tennessee as GT's defense.
Tennessee's offense looked terrible by the third QTR, when I went to bed.
We can't have so many 3 and outs when we play GT. We have to force them to play from behind.
They have to play Pitt, Miami, and Clemson before we get them...that QB could take a pounding before we come to Atlanta.
Clemson's DL has mollywhopped GT for two straight years, I expect to see much of the same this year. Venables doesn't even have to get creative with how his DL has been obliterating GT's line the last two years. I expect them to have a few guys banged up after that game.
It will be interesting to see GT and UT over the next few weeks. I only watched the first half, so some of these comments may have been answered by play in the second half:
1) Butch Jones seems like a good guy and can obviously recruit. Actually coaching? Not great. The first few drives when GT went 3 and out, all I was thinking was how PJ would adjust and UT wouldn't have an answer on D. That seemed to play out for the rest of the first half when GT didn't make a mistake. Bud and Fuente aren't Butch Jones.
2) UT's qb looked lost in the first half. It's his first start and apparently the second half went better so he deserves a pass, but if he would have played better in the first and scored early it would have been a completely different game. I think when we meet GT our offense will be better prepared to score points immediately and make GT press.
3) As was mentioned above frequently, good luck running your little qb 40+ times a game and him making it through the season. Not to mention I think he got lucky with his throws in the first half. They connected and that's all that matters, but he throws about the ugliest ball I've ever seen.
GT is always a scary game whether they're having a good season or not, but I don't think them taking UT to the wire in a season opener means they are more dangerous than usual.
He obviously only threw the ball like 6 or 7 times all game, but even I noticed that he throws the ball weirder than anything I've ever seen. Some guys make a throw look like it took no effort, he seemed to put every ounce of effort he had into every throw.
Just when you think Chinballs might be on the hotseat. Damn his illegal chop blocking, punchable face
And let's not have us fumble it twice and throw two picks like last year.
I thought the UT defense did itself no favors last night. They were very reactive to what GT was doing, and had to think about what to do. That takes too long against GT, and by the time you figure out what to do, the B back has 5-7 yards or the QB is sprinting to the second level around the DE. This was very apparent on one of the GT TD's. I'd put the gif up, but I forgot where I saw it. UT's LB's waiting at the goal line for the back to come to them, instead of attacking through the hole and taking down the back. French has gone through this in his reviews a ton. You have to take the fight to them, not sit back and wait for them, because by the time they get there, they already have five yards. As we've seen before, Bud has the D attack and penetrate, not react.
UT's LBs were playing very soft. Not aggressive at all.
I'm more concerned about their offensive line. That was a dominating performance by their oline, they had the Tenn defensive line on skates the entire night.