Directionless?

[GTechstar09]

Ever since Calvin declared, I have got the feeling that GT football may be lacking an identity. Even though we were not a great passing team, we had that threat which in turn openned up running lanes for TC.

The defense is great but I believe it is aided by an offense that allows Tenuta to take chances. I dont believe we have the manpower to be a truly dominant defense.

So for 2007, what is Georgia Tech football?

 

[ContactBuzz]

I dont believe we have the manpower to be a truly dominant defense.

First, we haven't been a truly dominant defense any year under Tenuta - we've had consistenly good defenses. I don't see why next year will be any different - we'll have a strong DL once again and the LB corp should be in good shape. I'm not too concerned about the safeties and depth should improve with Gaston returning.

Corner may be an issue. We'll have to see improvement from the young guys (Poppy & JWD) - they just didn't seem to be physical enough. Coverage skills appeared adequate, though. I guess that's better than having physical guys that can't cover.

 

[Techbert]

I Think There's An Identity

We should be a strong running team with a diversified passing attack. I'm not as high on Taylor as some around here, as most of his success came in one single half, but he can see the field and has the arm to make all the passes. Choice did well this last year, but next year's line should be better so Choice should be better. His backups are capable.

On defense, we will have a strong front seven and a back 4 which will need some light bulbs to go on.

Special teams still has some work to do, but this is where our special incoming recruiting class should really help.

 

[odw]

I feel that losing Ball will have more of an effect on our offense than losing CJ. I disagree that having CJ really opened up the lanes that much. We were such a non threat to pass the ball well that more and more during the year you'd see teams go man up with CJ and take their chances. With GT around the bottom 20 this year in the country in passing, teams were 90% focused on stopping our run and focusing us to win through the air, even with CJ at WR.

LBs and SS against us can no longer come hard on every play, like they could against Ball. With Ball they knew he wasn't going to go over the middle behind them. Bennett has no problem dumping one behind he sees them cheating up.

Case and point, Choice had a career high against WVU IIRC. WVU had one of top rushing defences in the nation this year. Choice usually rushes with 8 coming hard in the box since we usually have one of the weakest passing attacks in the country. The threat of the pass = career day for Choice.

So TB doesn't have to be all world for our offense to succeed. Just manage the game and take the shots when its there. Just giving us a decent passing threat, finally, will lead Choice to all american type numbers IMO, behind a veteran OL.

 

[GTCrew]

This is a great post. We had a very good running game without a good passing attack. I'm no expert, but I'd bet big bucks that experts would agree with my next sentence. Nix's offense featured a lot of bombs because that is what the defense was 'giving' GT. They were cheating up the free safety to double Calvin. They couldn't use the strong safety because Choice was too solid.

Other than JJ not really having to worry about the free safety, I believe that the team was facing pretty conventional Ds. With the critical exception that the LBs were not worried much about passing assignments since Ball didn't pass to TEs and because Ball really struggled to complete pass plays after the play broke down. Once Ball got hobbled the front seven's ability to 'tee it up' really crushed our offense.

 

[hiveredtech]

Ever since Calvin declared, I have got the feeling that GT football may be lacking an identity.

Not trying to be a smart-butt...but ever since Monday our football program has seemed to lack identity?

 

[beej67]

I just don't see our passing game getting any worse next year. As long as it stays the same or gets better, our offense improves. As long as we replace 2 key players on defense, our defense improves.

/shrug

Seems like good identity to me. Run better, pass better, defend better. Similar SOS. I'm calling next year 9 wins again.

I'm also calling a win over ND.

 

[midatlantech]

LOL Redtech! How about this one, can you interpret? "I feel that losing Ball will have more of an effect on our offense than losing CJ". I've read the post multiple times and still can't tell if he is being funny or er, not. I think it means that the change at QB will improve the offense more than the loss of CJ will hurt it, but not sure.

 

[Techbert]

I'm also calling a win over ND.

This prediction got significantly less gutsy after Darius Walker filed his papers.

I look forward to Jon Tenuta breaking in a new ND quarterback. Beyond words, I look forward to it.

 

[hiveredtech]

LOL Redtech! How about this one, can you interpret? "I feel that losing Ball will have more of an effect on our offense than losing CJ". I've read the post multiple times and still can't tell if he is being funny or er, not. I think it means that the change at QB will improve the offense more than the loss of CJ will hurt it, but not sure.

that is a good one.

regrettably it may have some validity to it.

 

[JTS]

On defense, I think that Anoai and Scott will be difficult to replace. Richard is solid, but who is going to step up at the other DT spot. If none of the CBs step up to replace Scott, I think we might see Lewis moved back to the position. We lose Hall at LB, but Barnes will be eligible next year and he is a beast. If Johnson gets strong enough to be an every down DE, it will have a huge impact.

On offense, I can't imagine that our QB play could be worse. We need our WRs to step up and fill the void left by CJ. I think that Grant should become a fulltime WR that we use at RB occasionally. He hasn't been very effective inside tackles and we will have a lot of talent at RB. I will be interested to see how the loss of CJ will effect the running game, but the good news is we return most of the OL. We lose our top 2 TEs, but Peek and Barrick looked pretty solid in the fall. I think Mike Matthews was underappreciated and underused while we had him. Cox is back and hopefully his shoulder will be 100% so we can use him more in the running and passing game. The past 4 years we have really been a big 3 type of offense with Calvin, Reggie, and a RB (Choice or Daniels) getting virtually 100% of the offense. I would really like see us going with a more multi-dimensional offense.

 

[LongforDodd]

On defense, I think that Anoai and Scott will be difficult to replace. Richard is solid, but who is going to step up at the other DT spot. If none of the CBs step up to replace Scott, I think we might see Lewis moved back to the position. We lose Hall at LB, but Barnes will be eligible next year and he is a beast. If Johnson gets strong enough to be an every down DE, it will have a huge impact.

On offense, I can't imagine that our QB play could be worse. We need our WRs to step up and fill the void left by CJ. I think that Grant should become a fulltime WR that we use at RB occasionally. He hasn't been very effective inside tackles and we will have a lot of talent at RB. I will be interested to see how the loss of CJ will effect the running game, but the good news is we return most of the OL. We lose our top 2 TEs, but Peek and Barrick looked pretty solid in the fall. I think Mike Matthews was underappreciated and underused while we had him. Cox is back and hopefully his shoulder will be 100% so we can use him more in the running and passing game. The past 4 years we have really been a big 3 type of offense with Calvin, Reggie, and a RB (Choice or Daniels) getting virtually 100% of the offense. I would really like see us going with a more multi-dimensional offense.

I've got a feeling that at least of our freshmen will be starting in the defensive backfield. I saw very little competition that a skilled incoming would have to beat. All he needs to do is tackle and, voila, he starts.

 

[kirbee]

You're not paying attention.

Choice. Cox. 4 OL starters. M. Johnson. Roberson. Wheeler. Guyton. Lewis. Jones. ETC.

Looks like a very physical team to me. And that always wins games.

 

[non-gineer]

Not trying to be a smart-butt...but ever since Monday our football program has seemed to lack identity?

I was about to say the same thing, hivered, but I jumped in late in this string. How can a team 'lose its identity' in a week, during the offseason?

 

[PreventOffense]

that is a good one.

regrettably it may have some validity to it.

THe other thing is that we actually will be able to use the Tight Ends b/c of Bennett. The line should be better so although we lose Calvin we gain plays and Tight Ends going out over the middle- We should actually be less predictable next year which should also help.

 

[pocket_watch]

THe other thing is that we actually will be able to use the Tight Ends b/c of Bennett.

I liked Bennett in Jax, no doubt and think he should have the reigns next year. That said, it had nothing to do with sight lines or lack of sight lines for RB.
Taylor just happened to know who was in the pattern, and where they would be. What a fascinating concept.

Troy Smith won a John Heisman trophy as a short quarterback.