I know Missouri doesn't have a top offense, but our guys held them to the least yards (164) and fewest first downs (6) they've had all season. Most important, they ditched the matador style tackling we saw against Tenn. Tonight they squared up and laid into them. If it cost a few more targeting penalties going forward, so be it. The trade off is easily worth it.
This was a great night for the defense..
- Thread starter HeulenHund2
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The one targeting call at the end of the game that was overturned is an awful example of how to tackle. Our fundamentals are terrible.
I'll take what I saw last night from the defense. It was remarkably improved over just a week earlier. We have a superbly talented freshman class that hasn't even scratched the surface of what they'll become.
The problem with Georgia is that they are ALWAYS starting/playing a ton of freshmen but never seem to have any quality depth. Until Georgia starts building depth and redshirting incoming players, games like Alabama and Tennessee will continue to be the norm. Sure, the defense played well last night - against a freshman QB and below average running game. 9 sacks on the season with 3 first round picks at the outside backer spot is pathetic. Is Lorenzo Carter still on the team? The bottom line is that Georgia doesn't retain and coach up talent creating a lack of depth and penchant for underperforming.
I'm not sure it's fair or useful to saddle Coach Pruitt's staff with things that went on before they came aboard. The freshmen class is their first and it clearly has great potential. If they close out another great defensive class for 2016, quality depth will be there in the near future.
As for the pass rush, Lorenzo Carter and Leonard Floyd are great athletes, but neither are good at closing out sacks. They are thin and allow OLs to chip them off course too easily and they have trouble disengaging quickly. Carter also has issues with immaturity, he may well grow out of both by next season, his ceiling is huge. Floyd will probably enter the 2016 draft, but he could use another year at UGA to prepare for The NFL.
If Pruitt can get consistently high fundamental play from his players, We'll be excellent on defense in the near future.
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The D looked good against a bad qb and a horrific running game. Lets see if we have consistency a bit before we say it was a great night, might have been a great blip on the radar.
There is no excuse for not being able to tackle.
Guys we can't block or tackle, it's simple. We are poorly coached.
Guys we can't block or tackle, it's simple. We are poorly coached.
A great night is just that, a night. It isn't tied to the next game, but it's a good sign, IF you know what to look for it could be considered a very good sign. Tackling form was miles ahead of last week, the secondary did a better job of sticking to receivers, just a sound effort all around.
I wonder if you even watch the games. Tackling was excellent last night and blocking is good to excellent most games.
Horrible QB and a team that can't break any tackles. Lets see if it is a good sign versus a blip on the radar. It was a good night against a team that we should have a good night against. That said, I am hesitant to heap praise for something that should be done against a team that it should be fairly easy to do it against.
Nobody else has held Missouri's offense to the low numbers our D held them to. Also, I can see tackling technique, it was far better than it was against Tenn. I think they were averaging 4 yards a carry running the ball, we held them to under 1 yard per carry. Of course that doesn't tell you for sure what the next game will bring, that's why you play it.
They're bad offensively, but before last night they averaged 310 ypg, we held them to 164. They averaged 117.5 rushing YPG, we held them to 20 yards on 21 carries. It was a great effort and a great result.
I'd be curious to know what there stats were offensively minus the directional schools they played first two weeks. That was their two best offensive games of the year. Still had Mauk too.
You're suggesting Missouri's stats are padded by those games, I have a much better way to illustrate their effectiveness, or lack thereof.
Here are those stats I mentioned against their other SEC opponents..
UF. Total yards 257, rushing yards 106, yards per carry 2.9
UK Total yards 338, rushing yards 111, yards per carry 3.4
SC Total yards 299, rushing yards 163, yards per carry 3.9
UGA Total yards 164, rushing yards 20, yards per carry 0.9
As you can see our defense performed far better in every category against every other SEC team they've played to date.
Yet in every single one except SC, they basically all stopped there run. We had a good game, no doubt, but they haven't done squat and 3 of the 4 held them below the average. Watch what UF probably does to us. I say probably, because an upset can always occur...don't see any way it does. Just don't let the RB beat you and you beat UGA, probably handily.
There's a big difference in 20 yards at 0.9 per and 120 yards at 3.2 per, which is about the 3 game average of the other SEC teams against Missouri. I agree Lambert has to play well though, we know the ability is there, but he has to stay calm.
I'm not convinced the ability is truly there. I've seen him have one really good game, but once could be some luck involved too. Let's see what happens....I do wonder if he will be on a short leash though.
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