The Talent Differential

BarrelORum said:
Was extremely evident last night. Don't think I recall a Clemson team that looked that stellar versus GT ever.
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In person, I don't recall a Clemson team that looked that stellar in general, not just vs GT. Physically, I think that team is the biggest, strongest team I've ever seen take the field in Bobby Dodd Stadium. UGA and FSU teams of yore included.

I wouldn't be surprised a lick if every single defensive starter last night for them plays in the NFL.
 
Clemson was able to handle our 5 OL and the playside AB with 4 down linemen. They weren't shifting like Duke/UNC/ND.

Clemson also was firing thier OLB upfield to disrupt the pitchlane. They weren't lining up deep and running up like Miami. They played close to the LOS like LSU and Iowa did.

The corners played close because the had a safety over top.

Basically the CU DL was creating a numbers disadvantage for us. Just a huge talent/coaching gap in the trenches.
 
JJacket said:
We have no pass rush which allowed Watson to sit comfortable in the pocket. It was pitch and catch. Most of their incomplete passes were off hands or poorly thrown, not defended. Our pass plays look like a heave and a prayer. We need to just face the fact that we are mediocre. Our talent is bottom third of the league, especially on the OL and DL. There were several plays where our offensive lineman just plain missed the guy defensive tackle right in front of him. Of course, early on, those defensive tackles were just bulling their way to the backfield.

I fear what Kayaa will do to us next week. He is a better pocket passer than Watson. May be a replay of Miami 2004.

CPJ has a weak defense which somehow made him believe in this year's offense. We may be worse this year. We don't have Laskey and Days back there. No one close.
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Most of what you say is correct, except we did have some pass rush last night (as well as the game against Vandy) or it would have been even worse. We had 1 or 2 sacks and several hurries. Unfortunately with Watson back there the hurries turn into rushes for positive yardage. Watson can simply outrun a DL or blitzing LB unless you have textbook containment. I don't expect Kayaa or Eason to be near as evasive. The defensive secondary has played better than I expected this year as well. Overall, the defense played well including stopping the run.

I'm ready to see some of the Freshmen play on OL. This crop of seasoned OL just isn't showing much talent or desire, and didn't last year either. I thought Braun at least looked like he wanted to play football when he went in during the second half.

We are better than last year after all the injuries, we aren't near as good as 2014 when we had Days & Laskey; and more importantly an good offensive line.

Overall, your assessment that we are mediocre is probably pretty close. We'll look good against teams that can't physically dominate our OL, and that should put us in a mid-level bowl. We may look like a top 25 team by end of the season; but I don't see us getting into the top 20.
 
As far as CPJ goes, I'm getting pretty tired of the excuse/coach speak of blown assignments by the OL. Either simplify the assignments - like you openly criticized your DCs in the past - or be that masterful tactician that everyone lays on you and make adjustments to your scheme. Because 7 out of 8 years claiming the system is sound but the guys upfront struggle making their assignments is garbage coaching.
 
beej67 said:
Talent/Size/Strength gap. Dozens of teams have tried "stop the dive with your linemen" and failed. That's not coaching, unless you count recruiting and strength/conditioning in with coaching, in which case yeah, it's certainly that.
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They were shedding blocks with ease, which along with size/talent is coaching. They looked hyped for the game which is also coaching.

I agree that other teams have tried this scheme and failed. You have to have a dominate DL. Clemson did. Iowa did. LSU was pretty close. They played us well, because we were determined to run behind the guards on the inside. In my opinion, we should have been running behind the tackles.

As a side, the Clemson LBs were fast enough to run with our backs. They didn't have to go nickle and lose size.

I thought the playcalling last night was poor.
 
You guys could always email coach your suggestions. I hear he loves to get emails from fans..... :drink1:tanton@athletics.gatech.edu
 
it was ugly in all phases..the wire service stories had it right..we looked like a FCS school playing a FBS school (though N Dakota would take exception to that)
 
ElCidBUZZingFAN said:
As far as CPJ goes, I'm getting pretty tired of the excuse/coach speak of blown assignments by the OL.
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Did he say there were blown assignments in the post-game? I'd like to see the quotes. Didn't look like blown assignments to me, it looked like we knew who to block and Clemson beat the block. I didn't have benefit of replay though.
 
wreckem1990 said:
You guys could always email coach your suggestions. I hear he loves to get emails from fans..... :drink1:tanton@athletics.gatech.edu
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It's a sports message board. We are giving our takes. He is making millions coaching. He doesn't need my help coaching. He also knows he spent last night tossing V's salad.
 
NOVAJACKET said:
it was ugly in all phases..the wire service stories had it right..we looked like a FCS school playing a FBS school (though N Dakota would take exception to that)
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Here's what we need you to do. Go ahead and start pretending your school is Emory, not Tech, and save us the embarrassment of having to acknowledge we know you.
 
beej67 said:
Did he say there were blown assignments in the post-game? I'd like to see the quotes. Didn't look like blown assignments to me, it looked like we knew who to block and Clemson beat the block. I didn't have benefit of replay though.
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Well, he definitely acknowledged Clemson beat us up, but he still went into his usual diatribe on blown assignments or whatever.

Post game press conference is here:

http://gtathletics.libsyn.com/
 
Shamire is a bust. I was really pulling for the kid, but he's not a full game lineman. I was impressed with his replacement.

These kinds of games can either demoralize your team or show you something to build on. I hope the guys build on that 4th quarter drive. No glitz, no glamor, just a grinding it out drive. I don't know if that was possible in the first half, but I've always felt that we need to always open with that kind of strategy to wear down opposing defenses and open up other attacks in the later stage of the game.
 
Early season optimism tends to blind people a bit. A couple teams, and Clem is certainly one, have started to distance themselves from us. We are about where we have usually been talent wise, and I would argue the last few classes are swinging us in the right direction. These coaches haven't forgotten anything about football, but we don't have the talent and experience we had in 2014. This could still be a good team, honestly, but we just faced competition that has passed us by.

It's time to give credit to Clemson, they are doing it well and doing it the right way. They are exceptionally well coached. If it wasn't obvious to you before the game, maybe it is now.

What does it mean for Tech? I think we can play with everyone else in the Coastal. It's not out of reach to win the division with this team. The defense really gave us every chance and looks to be at least competitive. Mills is really talented and will improve as well. We will see how well CPJ and co can motivate the troops and get them to bring their best each game.....this is my biggest question mark in the program right now.

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk
 
Flywheel said:
I agree so much. Was thinking about it in the car today. Shaq made 2014 possible, perhaps even more than JT5. What I wouldn't give for an NFL-caliber guard right now.
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Was about to post the same. There's been a few references to us not having Days / Laskey back there this year... Marshall and Mills are more talented than both days and laskey. The difference is NO SHAQ MASON.

His impact on that team is increasingly more apparent.
 
05GTCorndog said:
Hard to ask a QB as short as JT to step up in the pocket. We roll him out or drop him deep to throw because he needs that space to see over the line.
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If the qb is able to step up in the pocket, then usually, no one will be in front of him. JT didn't have the time or space to roll out or step up.

I hate the off shoulder drop backs.
 
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