Offensive Line Play

[Melanie1]

is certainly offensive this year. We have had what feels like an unprecedented set of injuries this year, particularly on offense. While I understand there is a lack of experience, I am disconcerted by the fact that they aren't playing BETTER at this point in the season. I'm not sure Tom Brady could bail us out behind this line. JT5 is running for his LIFE back there. NO TIME to make any reads. From a layman's perspective, in the UNC, Pitt and UVA games, it seemed like CPJ started the game with a good plan, but once the defense adjusts at halftime, we can't counter... which has been a rare occurrence over the past 8 years. Usually, we are the ones who make the offensive adjustments and start wearing out the other team's defense in the 2nd half. At first I thought it was mainly youth on the perimeter allowing DC's to stack the box because we can't make them pay for it on the edge or on play action, but in the UVA game, it looked like bad line play.

I also think losing Tim Byerly early hurts us not only in games in short yardage or for a change of pace, but in practice. Having a senior QB who is very efficient running the 2nd huddle allows for the 2 deep to get some quality reps. Instead we have a young guy who had been moved to another position altogether and who is learning the offense himself running plays. I have no idea if that is a significant factor, but just my humble opinion, it ain't a big help.

 

[GTJT622]

When it comes to the passing game, there are several things that I think are not helping matters from a scheme perspective. For instance...

1. A screen pass is a very effective way to slow down an oncoming onslaught of blitzes and pass rushers. We either do not have this in our playbook, are reluctant to call it, or our stubborn play caller would rather run yet another dive up the middle instead.

2. We do not set the QB back in the shotgun or pistol formation so he can see what's coming with his face towards the defense upon receipt of the snap. Hence, he is running backwards and/or sideways while trying to find someone downfield.

3. Back to screens, this not only includes not running any to RB's, but also none to WR's on a bubble screen. If we have such smart kids (and I think we do), why are we incapable of designing and executing something different like this which would confuse the 8+ guys they are putting in the box? Even if not successful plays, it will slow down the defensive attack and pressure because they will have to respect the screens and their big play potential. I mean, if we aren't going to block anybody, then run a screen by letting the pass rushers go (which is what we are doing anyway) and get our "blockers" to the next level to hit somebody downfield...that assumes they will hit somebody of course.

Instead, we will get the SOS.

 

[stech81]

Melanie I wish you could meet my daughter other than her you my be the only women that can talk football.
Injuries are a part of football , I don't like to blame injuries on having a bad season.
This is my guess, We have an unbalanced number off scholarships each year Last year we signed about (28 players) this year we will only have about (15 my guess) so in 2017 and 2018 we will have a good number of players with experience like last year . But then what start the the next phase with younger players again. Not sure how to work it out to have the same number of upper class man each year. I kind of remember this happening at WF 2 or 3 bad years and then 1 good year.
As for Tim Byerly it hurt , you had a player who was able to play at A back and had to move him back to QB and all he can do is watch now, That can be demoralizing to that player.

 

[Melanie1]

Truth! I say we go for it every 4th down too. Pull out all the stops. Trick plays, shot gun, wildcat, pistol, five wide.... I'm not joking. What we're doing isn't working, so let's throw the kitchen sink at them and pray we confuse them more than we seem to confuse ourselves. My first really abysmal season as an adult Tech fan. I knew the schedule was tough this year, the offense might take a step back, hoping the defense would take a step up (and honestly, I think they ARE better than last year.... don't know why we play zone at all, since the guys seem to be able to play better in man-to-man, they are on the field too much and wear out), but I didn't see this coming.

 

[stech81]

Not going to say I agree going for it on all 4th downs I would once we cross the 50.
Don't know what is wrong with defense. But would like to see the CB play up on their man and not play 10 yards off them. In order to play 10 yards off you better be a great open field tackler which we are not. I want to throw the kitchen sink at them on defense and blitz more.

 

[Buzzforlife]

The screen pass is in the playbook, JT5 has a height problem according to one of the Offensive Coaches. The few times we've run it turned into disaster this season. I agree that if we could hold blocks for five seconds before releasing, the delay could be set up to get to the second wave and one or two bumps on the edge equals a big play to cash in.

CPJ does not like the gun or pistol and is certainly not going to implement it late in the year. Just like using a TE( which might make a Bud Foster or a Jeremy Pruitt wet their pants), he is against putting that in "his set".

 

[GTJT622]

Thanks for your inputs and not directed at you of course, but I'm not buying the height being a root cause as to why we shouldn't and can't run screen passes. Russell Wilson and countless other "shorter" QB's run screen passes all the time effectively. Seems like yet another lame excuse. Not killing you the messenger, btw.

I know he won't run the gun or pistol and certainly won't implement it this late in the year. He will go with the SOS of "we can't even run the base stuff" as his rationale for why we shouldn't try anything new.

 

[GTJT622]

CPJ more than ever before (perhaps to his credit, I dunno) has taken responsibility for the poor results. I've read him say things like "I've [or we've] done a poor job coaching".

Good for him. I think Melanie may be on to something that the gods don't like us.

Instead, I call it the Georgia Tech Head Coach Contract Extension Disease. Seems like every time we give a hot and sexy HC coming off a strong season a raise and extension, the results following are awful to at best mediocre...certainly, underachieving.

We did it with CPJ in 2008-2009 time frame and look what we got soon thereafter. We did it last winter coming off an awesome 2014 and here we are with streak-ending poor results in 2015. There's of course the pitiful standard of them all in Paul Hewitt. What's bizarre is CBG getting what he got and he isn't even hot, sexy, nor coming off a strong season. LOL!

I guess it is the world we live in these days with coaches contracts. Beat Georgia right after Turkey Day and I guess we'll give CPJ another raise and extension. Works for me at this point.

 

[BornAJacket]

Much of the problem this year from an oline is due to the defenses not needing to spread out as much to cover the edges. The inexperience of the A-backs has made it easier for the inside players, LBs especially to get to the edges and cover the pitches and sweeps. This has left them tight during passing situations as well, sometimes just a few steps can make all the difference in get a pass off and being flushed from the pocket.

This is a team game and when one aspect of the team suffers it affects the other players as well.

However, I will say that this issue doesn't explain all the lapses of the line. There have been times when the defenses have been able to fool the olinemen with stunts and movement they were not expecting, often leaving players unblocked.

We have seen many times this year when defenses would line up differently as the game go along, I think D-coordinators have discovered something. Coach Johnson is very good at adjusting his blocking to take advantage of your tendencies, either inside or out. I think one thing that is different this year is more DCs are using multiple fronts, looks during the game and switching them before the snap.

This is one reason why the team is not huddling and getting confirmation of the play before the play is snapped. Coach Johnson wants to try to adjust to these changes on the fly.

 

[GTJT622]

The Maryland DL who whipped us as good as we've ever been a few years ago (Vellano?) was faking out our QB. He was reading the reading of the read. (how's that for a confusing sentence?)

Duke has done this successfully too as has Va Tech in the past. I think D-Coord's who scheme thinking they'll just run their "assignments" (what a stupid reference) and play us straight up are going to get burned. I think the ones who run stunts, set the tone, keep our OL's and QB off balance, show one thing and do another, etc., are going to be far more successful than not.

 

[Texwood]

The offensive line play this season is a complete mystery to me, you, and the coaching staff. CPJ and Sewak are both dumbfounded. Quotes from those guys in the wake of the UVA game:

CPJ: "Our pass protection was awful. I mean it's the same basic gap protection, we're trying to run two man routes, it's ridiculous."

Sewak: "It's very confounding, because even guys that have played let guys run right through their gap...I mean where are your eyes, what are you looking at, what do you see? Sometimes it defies explanation."

This is a unit that returned 9 of 10 from the two deep that destroyed the front seven of both Miss St. and UGA last season. This is the sort of stuff that elicits a WTF from coaches and fans alike.

 

[BornAJacket]

Surely these guys are not letting these pass rushers through? that's the only other explanation that has not yet been discussed.