Ugly

buzzdoc said:
By the power vested in me, by the state of Inebriation, I declare October the Month of the Ugly Win.




But I'll take it.
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The defense is good enough to give the offense time to develop. Thank goodness that we were left with such a talented defensive line.

We've seen the offense has potential. It's no longer a question of "can the offense work" but whether "will the offense work consistently" by the time our defense is not anchored by the best d-line in the country.

So far, results are positive (very).

The previous regime did a lot of things wrong. Recruiting most of the players on this defense was not one of them. Now that we have a scheme that plays to our strengths and mental preparation, things are going well.
 
hiveredtech said:
In all fairness, the OL is being asked to do something they have not done since Pop Warner. This blocking style is 180 degrees from what they have ever done...or ever expected to do for GT.

At the same time, even our skills guys do not run to the corners on offense as fast as Navy does.

This transition year was a perfect year to have such a dominant defense. Hats off to Dave Wommack on that.

Look at it this way....at least we come up with enough big plays to win. At the end of the day, the W-L columns are all that matters.
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Excellent post!

This offense needs quick blocks with a line that fires out. If you are slow to the corner with the inside fake and getting to optioning the end or OLB, the D-line will make big plays by penetration or coming from behind. When the backs are slow getting to the corner, the O-line will look terrible.

The offensive futility is a combined effort. The line is not blocking well, but the QB and RB's are also slow getting to the corner.

We are winning with defense and just enough big plays by players like BeBe, Josh, and Dwyer.
 
I guess the question is if the oline is developing in a timely manner. My answer is no.
 
BarrelORum said:
I could have sworn he was a senior. then I checked. My bad. Great I get to look forward to more miss blocks next year.
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Wow! Never seen BOR admit he was wrong!

It was ugly, and the OL needs to get a clue. OTOH, they looked great when we just let them fire out and blow off the ball on JN's QB sneaks. They can block, and they have power, it's the technique of cut blocking they are struggling with.

This leads me to a question. Why does this offense require cut blocking as opposed to straight fire-out blocking? Wishbone teams never had to cut (that I knew of). Cut blocking may be preferable, but I'd imagine ANY block would be preferable to the whif.
 
77GTFan said:
Excellent post!

This offense needs quick blocks with a line that fires out. If you are slow to the corner with the inside fake and getting to optioning the end or OLB, the D-line will make big plays by penetration or coming from behind. When the backs are slow getting to the corner, the O-line will look terrible.

The offensive futility is a combined effort. The line is not blocking well, but the QB and RB's are also slow getting to the corner.

We are winning with defense and just enough big plays by players like BeBe, Josh, and Dwyer.
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I agree with this. The O-Line has not been good, but it seems like Nesbitt is walking to the outside of the line sometime(not quite literal). The option plays are just very slow developing which allows all of these 4.5 40 running defenders to blow plays up. It just need to be more fluid and quicker, which 80% of come from just more reps, but I think CPJ needs to find out about that other 20%, because I haven't quite put my finger on it yet.
 
JoeCakeEater said:
I think that is a little inaccurate. Players such as Gardner have proven over the course of 40+ starts that they don't "stink." It is a matter of differing styles from the old regime and the current. It sucks that these guys haven't caught on to the TO 'fire out of the blocks' blocking style like we would have liked, but I don't think it is because these guys "flat out stink." We may just have to weather some ass-dragging on offense until these guys figure it out or we get some guys in here who can play this style of football. I dont blame the coaches yet and I honestly don't blame the players either. I hear a lot of people saying that our O-Line need to "grow a pair and hit somebody." It's not like this is a flipping bar fight. Our O-Line is trying to develop a new technique which is taking longer than expected, it's not like they're scared to block, they just miss defenders.........way too freaking much.
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interesting every ACC team this year has a poor OL. Hell, last year we had the best and still could not get it done ...yes yes i know Gailey -
 
stinger78 said:
This leads me to a question. Why does this offense require cut blocking as opposed to straight fire-out blocking? Wishbone teams never had to cut (that I knew of). Cut blocking may be preferable, but I'd imagine ANY block would be preferable to the whif.
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I've thought this a little bit too. The idea behind the cut block is to get the defender on the ground and by the time he gets up, the quick-hitting runner is already by him. However, if the players could just hold blocks for a little while in a more traditional scheme then this may not be necessary. I think our current blocking scheme is designed to get us a couple of yard no matter what(kind of an everyone dive forward approach), but it isn't working like that right now. I don't know what the definite answer is, but have certainly considered what a different O-Line blocking scheme coupled with the same option attack would look like. It couldn't look much worse.
 
Lee34102 said:
This is not the time for false pride.

We're so far ahead of where we could reasonably expect to be after everything that's happened that it's silly.
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Great point! Many of us here on this board were hoping for a 4-8 campaign. Man, its interesting we - as fans- still don't want to admit we have over achieved. We are not going to get a flawless effort each week this year..ie. from OL.
 
I predicted we would go 9-3 on the season. I honestly thought we would not dip below 8 wins.
 
Prior to this season, I fully expected us to match Gailey at 7-5, so we aren't quite to where I was expecting just yet...but we certainly will get there.
 
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BarrelORum said:
So you think we go 1-4 to end the season?
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No, I was saying the same thing you were in a previous post about pre-season expectations...even if it didn't come out that way. I was trying to say that I expected about 7-5 like we were getting under Gailey in this regime's first season. I knew the offense would struggle, but I just felt we had the TEAM to make it happen. I am now in a position to eat those expectations in favor of a much more favorable finish.
 
We need mover to comment on the offensive line. I think if we narrowed our splits, it would help us running up the middle, which appears to be the option that is run the most to Dwyer or Nesbitt. It would keep the OL from having to operate in as much space and make it more difficult to not get a piece of the defender.
 
I'm happy with the job CPJ is doing and have confidence in his competence but just exactly what did happen to the OL. Did we suck against Miss St? Did we initiate the new blocking scheme here lately? I'm missing something. It's probably just me.

And now for the most unpopular post of the day!!!!

Wasn't this "cut blocking" stuff what "the unmentionable one" was trying to do at Tech before he was dismissed? Not trying to compare apples to onions or anything.

Nice ugly win, btw, Jackets! :biggthumpup:
 
Some of these OL's may never get it...as their bodies may not allow for it. Just like you could take the line at many Top 10 teams and ask them to do what we are asking for...and they could not do it.

Most kids have been taught a heavy amount of pass protection blocking...almost standing up...using arms...and actually waiting for the DL to make the first move. You even use their own leverage (the DL) in your blocking. Even much of the run blocking is zone where you are just "directing" the DL in different spots to create gaps for the backs. I know I am over-simplifying it...and it is still physical...but that is 95% of the blocking now in college and pro football.

At GT we currently have a full slate of OL's that were recruited to do just what I described above....and they have been blocking this way for 5-10 years.

Now...we are asking a 290-300 kid that was used to using their arms...to come off the ball low with their back parallel to the ground. But wait...you also have to have your head up so you can see what you are hitting. There is more...you have to move that 300 lb. body forward quickly at the same time. While you are at it....be ready (from that incredibly low and uncomfortable position) to pick up any stunts or blitzes from players that we not there one second ago.

I am as disappointed as anybody...but I refuse to throw them under the bus because they CHOSE US....they CHOSE to be Jackets. Also...many of our beloved Yellow Jackets chose to quit on the team after this system came in (like Trey Dunmon)...but these young men did not. Gardner could have gone NFL...but he did not.

No...they are not playing that well...but these are the guys that chose to stay and fight. They are our horses...and we are 6-1.

Go Jackets.
 
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Hivred,

I understand and can appreciate your post. For the most part I agree.

However after talking to one of the coaches, per his words they stink. You know what? They know it too! The good thing about this is they are trying to get better and your right, you can't be pissed about effort.

Yesterday I was in the lower section in EZ and watched them more that I ever had, they are aweful, but they know they have a ways too go.

Those boys will keep working and things in the long run will turn out great.
 
refrigeratormover said:
Hivred,

I understand and can appreciate your post. For the most part I agree.

However after talking to one of the coaches, per his words they stink. You know what? They know it too! The good thing about this is they are trying to get better and your right, you can't be pissed about effort.

Yesterday I was in the lower section in EZ and watched them more that I ever had, they are aweful, but they know they have a ways too go.

Those boys will keep working and things in the long run will turn out great.
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I think we agree...they are not playing well. But...as long as they are working their butts off...which they appear to be...I am proud of them because they are fighting for W's...and are not quitters.
 
I think part of the problem is also that there is enough film such that the other DL now knows to dodge the cut block. Our first few opponents didn't see it coming so fell victim to it while our recent opponents have been ready for it.

This has combined to make it appear that our OL is getting worse but I think a big part of it is our opponents are doing a better job preparing against our blocking.

Since there isn't much we can do between now and next Saturday with our blocking scheme, I think we better figure out how to mask this shortcoming with the right combination of playcalling.

UVa will be well prepared for our offense. CPJ has his hands full this week.
 
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