GT leads ACC in rushing 5 yds. per carry..

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ramblin_man

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I thought that was a very interesting piece of an article in today's AJC....and I quote:
Running game leads conference
Georgia Tech leads the ACC with 5.0 yards per carry. That kind of number makes an offensive lineman smile.
"I think we've been doing very well," right tackle Mansfield Wrotto said. "Everybody's grading out average plus or better in every game. We've been handling the runs. We've been making very few mental errors."
Wrotto was a defensive lineman before this season.
"I've just gotten better every single game," Wrotto said. "I think I've made maybe two or three mental errors in the last four games, which is very good considering I've never played offensive tackle before."

So our offensive line can't be messing up too much despite the overall opinion of several people recently....CONGRATS boys keep working hard & we will continue to watch you gell together & CHEER HARD for you in the process....GGGOOO JJJAAACCKKKEEEETTTSSS!!!! BEAT VT!!!
 
It's not that they are missing blocks all together, it's that they can't drive defenders off the ball. They haven't really done a bad job...people are just still pissed about the fact that we didn't convert some very important 3rd and shorts against Notre Dame that may have cost us the game. That is where all of the criticism comes from IMHO. Also, our rushing numbers are inflated slightly because he have had some big runs of 15-20+ yards. Also, Reggie Ball doesn't get sacked much.

The offensive Line has the ultimate chance to redeem themselves this weekend for the Notre DAme game, because there is absolutely no way we can go into Blacksburg and Win without a strong performance from the Big-Uglies up front.
 
Thanks for your comments Cake- Just wanted to shine a little positive light on the OL for a bit. Their success can get lost in the midst of a debate about what they're lacking, so I just wanted to point that out....i.e. "not pushing people off the line in short yardage situations"....I too want to see improvement there as well....We really need them to come through in 3rd and 4 (or less) situations....we've got to get where we feel comfortable calling running plays "up the gut"....so Yes we've got some things to work on but there are a FEW high spots in there as well....Is nice to see some weight 300 plus lbs coming in for '07 class in Claytor...hopefully just packing on a few pounds the line will be better in those situations....I know it isn't all about weight but weight w/ technique = success....they've still got to be able to move....VT game will be BIG test...so I hope they pass/run w/ flying colors.
 
ramblin_man said:
"I think we've been doing very well,"
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Teams with good OL's usually don't line up in the shotgun on 2nd-and-short AND 3rd-and-short.
 
Not basing the OL, just clarifying a stat:

Take our reverses vs Troy out of that stat and it drops significantly. It's still not terrible, but it goes down a lot. Successful reverses aren't an indicator of good OL play as much as they are of good playcalling.

Take it FWIW.
 
I have been critical of our OC in the past, but I did say that I would reserve judgement until after we played the first 4 games. Frankly, I have been impressed with how the offense has progressed, and the variety of plays now in our play book. And this is in spite of the fact that we haven't been very good on third and short. I think that to have a chance with VPI, we will defintely need better line play on short yardage downs to have a chance. Slow developing plays won't work at all against the talent that the Hokies have unless you first prove you can blast them off the ball and make them pack the middle.
Go Jackets!
 
HighwayBuzz said:
Teams with good OL's usually don't line up in the shotgun on 2nd-and-short AND 3rd-and-short.
Click to expand...

Just for clarification..."I THINK WE HAVE BEEN DOING VERY WELL".....That is a quote by Mansfield Wrotto from the AJC article today....Those aren't my words....so if you have beef w/ that statement you'll have to go head to head w. Wrotto....so be my guest on that one.....:laugher:
 
What are our running backs averaging?
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Probably about the same, I'd guess, since Rashan is the guy who we've been running most of the reverses with.
 
The point of this offense is to hit the big play. Just watch WVU or someone like that who also runs from the shotgun. It's not a grind it out offense, it's one where you're looking for the big gain.

I don't know if we can drive people off the line or not, as we don't try. We are running delayed stuff even in short yardage most of the time. I'd like to see us run from the I occasionally and see what happens.
 
JoeCakeEater said:
It's not that they are missing blocks all together, it's that they can't drive defenders off the ball. They haven't really done a bad job...people are just still pissed about the fact that we didn't convert some very important 3rd and shorts against Notre Dame that may have cost us the game. That is where all of the criticism comes from IMHO. Also, our rushing numbers are inflated slightly because he have had some big runs of 15-20+ yards. Also, Reggie Ball doesn't get sacked much.

The offensive Line has the ultimate chance to redeem themselves this weekend for the Notre DAme game, because there is absolutely no way we can go into Blacksburg and Win without a strong performance from the Big-Uglies up front.
Click to expand...

I agree 110%. I've been saying the same things. I know I sound negative with alot of what I say but I want better things out of GT!!!
 
What we're concerned about though are things this offense is not designed to do. I'm not saying it's okay, just that we don't line up tight in short yardage and try to wedge people off the line. We line up in a shotgun and try to influence the DL and let the back find a seam. What none of us knows is whether we're doing that because we can't move the LOS or because our philosophy has changed and we don't want to try. All I know is that at the end of last year we were running the ball pretty well with the same OL.
 
JoeCakeEater said:
It's not that they are missing blocks all together, it's that they can't drive defenders off the ball. They haven't really done a bad job...people are just still pissed about the fact that we didn't convert some very important 3rd and shorts against Notre Dame that may have cost us the game. That is where all of the criticism comes from IMHO. Also, our rushing numbers are inflated slightly because he have had some big runs of 15-20+ yards. Also, Reggie Ball doesn't get sacked much.

The offensive Line has the ultimate chance to redeem themselves this weekend for the Notre DAme game, because there is absolutely no way we can go into Blacksburg and Win without a strong performance from the Big-Uglies up front.
Click to expand...

I hear what you're saying. My thought is we need to HIT THE HOLE!!!

Our RB's havn't pounded that ball up the middle like they should. Have to believe it's there before it is, which I think will come. Have to have the mindset that one yard is better than no yard. We just haven't gotten tough up the middle yet, where someone like PJ was the man.

There was a handoff issue in the first game on short, and all and all I don't think it's our O'line.

I see us getting better game to game, and I do feel we're getting push, getting off the ball.

Now the holdings and silly flags need to stop.

Like this O'line.

GO JACKETS!!!
 
ramblin_man said:
So our offensive line can't be messing up too much despite the overall opinion of several people recently....CONGRATS boys keep working hard & we will continue to watch you gell together & CHEER HARD for you in the process....GGGOOO JJJAAACCKKKEEEETTTSSS!!!! BEAT VT!!!
Click to expand...

Put them in 3rd and 2 and see how well we can gut out a first down. That's my issue.
 
I'd love to find stats over the years to see how well we've ever done. I can remember screaming at the TV for years about coming up short on short yardage plays. Remember Curry losing to UNC in Chapel Hill when we couldn't get it in the end zone. I don't know what our % success has been, but think it would be interesting to see.
 
3rd and 2 is tough if they load the box.

Witness Spurrier last night - 4th and 2 and what's he do? Throws the ball.
 
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