For the second straight year in the SEC Championship, UGA's defense produced counter to its regular season norms. Were we less aggressive on the attack? Did we do something different with our secondary?
LSU ran 76 plays from scrimmage, including a two-point conversion.
Georgia lined up:
On LSU’s three passing TDs, Georgia had:
My theory that we were less aggressive is verified in the film study. Further, it was clear that once the game was in hand, we purposely challenged our secondary. We knew they would throw the ball, we knew they couldn’t run, and we intentionally put pressure on our secondary in a trial by fire. Understand that Tennessee, while fast, has a very simple scheme. LSU’s passing game features the kinds of complexities Ohio State will bring. Yes, this was Kirby playing 4D Underwater Chess. Yes, we will bring the chaos agains on New Year's Eve.
Further observations:
LSU ran 76 plays from scrimmage, including a two-point conversion.
Georgia lined up:
- 3 Down linemen: 32 times (22 in first half/10 in second half)
- 4 Down linemen: 26 times (15 in first half/11 in second half)
- Even when we line up with 3 Down linemen, it’s still a 4-man front because we stand up an OLB on the edge.
- 3 men: 3 times (3.9 percent overall; 2.4 percent of first-half snaps; 5.7 percent of second-half snaps)
- 4 men: 49 times (64.5 percent overall; 70.7 percent in first-half snaps and 57.1 percent of second-half snaps)
- 5 men: 15 times (19.7 percent overall; 19.5 percent of first-half snaps; 20 percent of second-half snaps)
- 6 men: 6 times (7.9 percent)
- 7 men: 1 time (1.3 percent)
- 8 men: 2 times (1.3 percent overall; Gap-8 on Goal Line)
- Matchup Zone: 42 snaps (55.3 percent overall; 25 in first half for 60.9 percent of snaps; 17 in second half for 48.6 percent of snaps)
- Cover 1 (Man Free, which is Man-to-man with a safety that is free): 14 snaps (19.2 percent overall; 15.4 percent of first-half snaps; 23.5 of second-half snaps)
- 2-Man (Cover 2 with two deep safeties and Man coverage underneath): 12 snaps (15.8 percent overall; 14.6 percent of first-half snaps; 17.1 percent of second-half snaps)
- Man: 6 snaps (8.2 percent overall; 5.1 percent of first-half snaps; 11.8 percent of second-half snaps)
On LSU’s three passing TDs, Georgia had:
- 3 Down linemen, Rushed 4, Nickel, Matchup Zone
- 4 Down linemen, Rushed 4, Nickel, 2 Man
- 4 Down linemen, Rushed 4, Dime, Matchup Zone
- It strikes me that we rushed only four or fewer men on almost 70 percent of snaps. As opposed to the chaos we sent for much of the Tennessee game, this was tame.
- It strikes me that we played Matchup Zone 55 percent of the game
My theory that we were less aggressive is verified in the film study. Further, it was clear that once the game was in hand, we purposely challenged our secondary. We knew they would throw the ball, we knew they couldn’t run, and we intentionally put pressure on our secondary in a trial by fire. Understand that Tennessee, while fast, has a very simple scheme. LSU’s passing game features the kinds of complexities Ohio State will bring. Yes, this was Kirby playing 4D Underwater Chess. Yes, we will bring the chaos agains on New Year's Eve.
Further observations:
- We stunted very little on the DL. Our attack was not technical or hard to sort at all.
- Several of our 5-man rushes were late blitzes by JDJ or Mondon
- Chaz Chambliss played his best game as a Dawg. Not only did his terrific sack (whipped the TE) stop a drive and force a field goal in the first half, but his very quick pressure (whipped a freshman OT) was directly responsible for Christopher Smith’s pick on LSU’s second-from-last series.
- It wasn’t Ringo’s best game, but it also wasn’t nearly as bad as has been characterized. At least half of what was believed to be Ringo’s failures really were the failures of a freshman safety. Starks struggled.
- Ringo’s most egregious play, to me, was the 33-yard TD pass on LSU’s next-to-last possession. Ringo had terrible eye discipline and essentially slowed and looked into the backfield on Nussmeier’s scramble. However, he also got zero help from Starks, who was lost in circles on the play. Keep in mind Beal had a sack and lost it on the play.
- Earlier, on LSU’s second TD pass, Ringo thought he had help over the top in 2-Man, but Starks took a terrible angle AND mis-timed his jump. Ringo could've given better effort, but Starks should've had an easy pick.
- Overall, ask yourself why the freshman Starks is almost always lined up on the same side as Ringo. It’s not so Starks can help Ringo, but so Ringo can help carry the burden while Starks learns.
- LSU rarely threw anywhere near Lassiter. That does say something very good.
- Last year, we concentrated on conditioning before the first playoff game. We will do so again this year. And I expect Kelee Ringo to lose 7 pounds and look like a different player.
- Brett Thorson had consecutive punts of 54 and 56 yards with no returns. He’s been awesome.
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