Watching the replay

[WreckRod]

What do you adjust when you're ahead 35-10? One gripe I had was with the play calling in the 3rd quarter. The 3 and outs killed our defense and allowed GS to build momentum.

You adjust everything!! Especially on defense. 35-10 at half time means the other team is going to go in the locker room and wipe the slate clean and start over. You make an educated guess about what they're going to do differently because what you've been doing is killing them. You have a decent idea because you've scouted them and you know they aren't going to do the same thing from first half. You adjust to THAT. You come out showing the same look as the first half but with something entirely different up your sleeve. Not adjusting anything is a sure fire way to get come-backed in a hurry.

 

[WreckRod]

I don't know what it is about out passing game and it's obviously the way our QB's are coached but I just still don't understand it. It looks like they almost get their feet tangled up every time they drop back because they are turned the wrong way and have to turn back the other way. I have seen no advantage in this yet and it seems to hinder our QB's more than help.

Agreed, I'm pretty confident it hurts our QBs more than it freezes any LBers or Safeties.

 

[TechSBP]

Was wondering where Nealy was this game after last week so watched some of the replays. Their line was intent on taking Nealy out of the plays. One replay showed their left guard submarine out from the LOS then tackle Nealy by the ankles, right in front of the ref, their QB scored on the play. Lot of holding that was not being called too.

The refs were virtually absent the entire game. This screwed both sides.

They should have flagged 40 near the end of the first half, because he kept jawing off, every freaking play, he kept shoving people, etc.

I was shocked it took them that long to do it.

 

[TechSBP]

chop block call that was a bad call, but if you're going to be cutting on the line you have to be able to overcome an occasional bad chop block call.

This struck me as a correct call. The vertical blocker was still engaged---he had his hands in the middle against the guy and wasn't executing a move to get to the next level when the cut block came in.

Then again, this crew was really bad, so don't take this as a defense of them. I just didn't think it was a bad call.

 

[JJacket]

I remember for a few years it seemed we would get a chop block call early in the game against VT. I think it was done to placate Beamer's crying about them in the week leading up to the game. He knew it was good to kill one GT series so he played it up to get a call.

 

[TechSBP]

What do you adjust when you're ahead 35-10? One gripe I had was with the play calling in the 3rd quarter. The 3 and outs killed our defense and allowed GS to build momentum.

The offensive playcalling was fine. In fact, I thought it was really good.

And only one defensive series seemed to have questionable playcalling.

We lack depth. When the offense doesn't keep the ball, we are going to see this happen against any opponent, particularly when that opponent executes everything right, like GS did. their passes were pitch perfect. Until they made one mistake in the second half.

 

[TechSBP]

I remember for a few years it seemed we would get a chop block call early in the game against VT. I think it was done to placate Beamer's crying about them in the week leading up to the game. He knew it was good to kill one GT series so he played it up to get a call.

Yes. In general, VT gets a freebie when the DL is the only reason for vertical engagement. But the one against Southern was the correct call in that situation. The blocker was engaged with the target. His hands had not come free when the cut block began.

 

[GoGATech]

Agreed, I'm pretty confident it hurts our QBs more than it freezes any LBers or Safeties.

Yeah, I knew I had read somewhere before that there was a reason for it, just couldn't remember exactly what. It may freeze LB's and safeties, and it would probably work a lot better if we had better pass blocking. Freezing the defense doesn't do any good though when that extra second of hesitation puts our QB under pressure before he can even get turned around the right way to see who's open.

 

[AlaGold]

Go read my summaries above and tell me which series you question the play calling.

I don't like the results of the play calling, but it's not like CPJ just went out there and tried to kill clock. The reason we stalled was we stayed committed to the pass.

Read it. Read it again. Watch the replay closely. We didn't go conservative.

First drive was 3 and out, and we passed twice in it. We came out of the gate passing, and didn't execute.

Second drive of the half was Laskey for 4, Laskey for 8, Laskey for 3, counter option got stuffed, completed an out pass short of the sticks. What, do you want more Laskey?

bee,
the worst call PJ made was the FIRST play of 2nd haf.We passed-poorly.Should have rollout JT in power play to establish hitting AGAIN.Played soft.

 

[gpburdell]

Yeah, see, this is entirely Fan Hindsight.

We've been critical for two years of CPJ for going simple and trying to burn clock with big leads, and now you're critical of him for doing the exact opposite.

I like the play call. It just didn't work. If we went into that Miami fiasco two years ago with this attitude I think we pull it out. This game seemed to me like CPJ was trying to relearn aggression while ahead, to learn from his mistakes in Miami two years ago. I credit him.

I'm with you; I like that he is mixing it up some with passing. My problem is that we usually go for the big pass plays. I'd like to see more of the quick/short routes and let the WRs make yards after the catch.

 

[DressCheeseSideSeaboard]

You adjust everything!! Especially on defense. 35-10 at half time means the other team is going to go in the locker room and wipe the slate clean and start over. You make an educated guess about what they're going to do differently because what you've been doing is killing them. You have a decent idea because you've scouted them and you know they aren't going to do the same thing from first half. You adjust to THAT. You come out showing the same look as the first half but with something entirely different up your sleeve. Not adjusting anything is a sure fire way to get come-backed in a hurry.

Not sure I follow you. If you were the head coach, you'd say, "Based on our success the first half, we need to change everything we're doing."

Is that right?

 

[gtrower]

Yes. In general, VT gets a freebie when the DL is the only reason for vertical engagement. But the one against Southern was the correct call in that situation. The blocker was engaged with the target. His hands had not come free when the cut block began.

I also have read that DCs coach their DL to engage OL releasing to the second level in anticipation of "drawing" a chop call. Of course who knows if it's true considering it's endangering the player if he's not paying attention to the cut, but I've seen plays in the last 5 years called chops for this very reason (DL grabbed an OL releasing).

 

[WreckRod]

Not sure I follow you. If you were the head coach, you'd say, "Based on our success the first half, we need to change everything we're doing."

Is that right?

Cmon, seriously? More like, let's anticipate how the other team is going to respond and act accordingly. It's one thing if the other team makes no adjustments, but, you have to assume they are going to adjust and take away what was working for you. So, you adjust to what you are guessing their adjustment is. If nothing else just have some things drawn up as options and then be ready/able to counter whatever they end up doing.

 

[eclong]

Great write-up and thanks.

From what I could tell from watching some replay - and I didn't watch it as thoroughly as you did - there were several times 42 went for the dive play and 35 went for the pitch man leaving the Qb wide open to run. Somebody has to take the QB - either 42 or 35 and leave the pitch man for cornerback and safety. Making them run wide should help on pursuit.

Also agreed on first TD of 2nd half the safety - 4 - took a terrible angle. #1 did the same thing on TD in 1st half. Safeties are called safeties for a reason. Although in defense of #4 that is a tough play to make when the blocker has an angle block on you and you are trying to get him at the line. Appeared to me at times our scheme wasn't right and safeties playing a bit to aggressively. On TD passes - we just got beat - what else can you say.

 

[G776T]

Cmon, seriously? More like, let's anticipate how the other team is going to respond and act accordingly. It's one thing if the other team makes no adjustments, but, you have to assume they are going to adjust and take away what was working for you. So, you adjust to what you are guessing their adjustment is. If nothing else just have some things drawn up as options and then be ready/able to counter whatever they end up doing.

but then the other team thinks, "hey they are gonna make adjustments to our adjustments, so maybe we just continue doing the same thing and now it will work."

 

[beej67]

Yes. In general, VT gets a freebie when the DL is the only reason for vertical engagement. But the one against Southern was the correct call in that situation. The blocker was engaged with the target. His hands had not come free when the cut block began.

Disagree. Read the rule. If the OL is trying to not engage, and the DL is trying to engage, and then gets cut, then it's a no call. That's spelled out. There's not supposed to be any grey area. That's what happened vs Southern.

VT coaches their players to try and engage to draw the chop block call, while endangering their own bodies in the process. It's the ugliest thing about the entire VT program. Beamer intentionally risks his players careers to draw fouls.

 

[Architorture23]

Watching the replay now. Southern's 1st TD: such a horrible angle taken by Isaiah Johnson. Ugh...

And I know we've all been saying it, but Justin Thomas is the most exciting thing I've seen on the Flats since Dwyer and Bebe left. He is going to win a lot of games in this offense.

 

[BuzzCzar]

You adjust everything!! Especially on defense. 35-10 at half time means the other team is going to go in the locker room and wipe the slate clean and start over. You make an educated guess about what they're going to do differently because what you've been doing is killing them. You have a decent idea because you've scouted them and you know they aren't going to do the same thing from first half. You adjust to THAT. You come out showing the same look as the first half but with something entirely different up your sleeve. Not adjusting anything is a sure fire way to get come-backed in a hurry.

thats what he did on O. we came out throwing

on D you dont change anything until they do. unless youre a moron. then you "change everything"

no matter how many times a coach says, "it isnt over. there is still a half to play" it takes the players to make that happen

they relaxed and it showed. once you give the other team hope, which we did with that stupid penalty which gave them a first down instead of a 3 and out, it is very very hard to get your intensity back.

i hope the team learned a valuable lesson.
we were too smart for our own good, and our domination in the first half was so complete they did not take it seriously.

that long run in the first half, as least, should have shown then that a blown assignment could lead to really bad results, but apparently they didnt take it seriously

its on the players, not the coaches, imo

to suggest changing everything when what you are doing is working, seems pretty dumb to me.

 

[gte490v]

I watched the replay today, Beej saved me a lot of typing.

A few things.

1. Laskey had a very good game. His blocks were key to spring a half dozen JT gains. He had zero carries for a loss. He bounced outside on a few (or we added an off-tackle b-back dive). The catch to convert on 2nd and 20 was HUGE to overcome the chop block call. He had one 2 yard gain and it was for a first down, all others were 3+ yards - not bad considering how they defended us. To contrast, Days ran by two defenders and blocked no one on the play when JT was horsecollared and did not really participate in Byerly's TD QB dive.

2. JT has thrown some of the best passes by a GT QB. The pump and go TD was awesome. His runs are impressive: speed, agility, first step quickness, etc. He needs to get better at pitching / fake pitching - lots of stutter steps. I did see some the before-mentioned staring down the receiver, but he drops back looking one way, then locks on the primary who is one-on-one... So, I'm not really sweating it since there is no safety to impact the play. There were several passes where he went through progressions / checkdown. I'd say he's light years ahead of any RS-Sophomore QB that I've seen play at Tech.

3. The defense started the game swarming to the ball, no celebrating. Looked good. I agree that Gostis was playing high and Green looked much better. If Gotsis can improve his pad level, he could be as good against the run as the pass.

4. I thought most of the big passes that Southern completed were perfect throws into decent coverage.

5. I thought that the timeout after the sack just before the half was a catalyst for their resurgence in the second half. I know that if they are going to try to get back in the game, CPJ is going to try to put them away, but that really came back to bite us. I thought it changed our approach from "grind it out" to "keep pouring it on" and it changed their approach from "we're screwed" to "screw this, we're going to win this thing".

6. On their go-ahead drive, Nealy was not good. Allowing them to move the ball from their 6 yard line to the 26 in a single play that was sniffed out because he missed the tackle. Their QB scrambled for a 1st down on 3rd and 5 when Nealy is on as a spy. That was the drive where the defense was gassed and P. Davis got burned on the slow developing wheel route. Should have never happened.

7. In the last drive, the entire offense looked focused. Blocks were there, execution was crisp, things were clicking. Smelter trips and would have been open for a likely TD and I think we would have lost the game when they hit the field with 2 minutes left instead of 20 seconds.

8. Glad DJ White got some redemption by batting down that pass on the last drive - big play.

 

[WreckRod]

thats what he did on O. we came out throwing

on D you dont change anything until they do. unless youre a moron. then you "change everything"

no matter how many times a coach says, "it isnt over. there is still a half to play" it takes the players to make that happen

they relaxed and it showed. once you give the other team hope, which we did with that stupid penalty which gave them a first down instead of a 3 and out, it is very very hard to get your intensity back.

i hope the team learned a valuable lesson.
we were too smart for our own good, and our domination in the first half was so complete they did not take it seriously.

that long run in the first half, as least, should have shown then that a blown assignment could lead to really bad results, but apparently they didnt take it seriously

its on the players, not the coaches, imo

to suggest changing everything when what you are doing is working, seems pretty dumb to me.

You guys make me tired sometimes. I was just answering the other poster about "What do you change if it's working at halftime?" The point was you don't come out expecting them to do nothing different. So you anticipate their changes. Obviously if they pull a Syracuse and don't change anything on O or D then you keep doing the same thing and win 56-0, I'm not advocating change for no reason. Just anticipation of the other team's reaction.