BarrelORum
Mediocre Poster
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2002
- Messages
- 16,274
I haven't been this nervous about a GT/UGA game since 1998 when the dawgs were trying to go for our record of 8 straight wins. I just can't bear the thought of losing another game to UGA. I may implode.
That said, I think the match-ups are very interesting. My keys to this game are:
1.) Our D-line has to have the best game they've played all season. The fact is, our linebackers are definitely our weak spot when it comes to our defense. With a Runningback like Moreno, that spells big time trouble. If you guys will recall, the BC runningback that got injured during the game was eating us up for big chunks of yardage. If he didn't get injured, I think BC wins that game. Our defensive line will have to play excellent gap control AND manage to put pressure on Stafford to give our linebackers a chance. This is asking a lot. Either your dline is focused on gap control or their focused on pressuring the QB and giving away gap control.
2.) And in conjunction with #1, our linebackers have to play well and Sedric Griffin is out. That hurts. Our guys have to be focused on stopping Moreno. I expect us to play the majority of the game in a nickel package with an extra DB. So the rotation of Barnes, Jefferson, and Bowen needs to have the game of their lives. They cannot get taken out of a play and they have to tackle Moreno the first time.
3.) Oline has to execute for us to have a chance. UGA has had two weeks to prepare for the Triple Option. That said Willie Martinez has had problems with similar offenses that have run some option, namely Kentucky. Kentucky doesn't run what we run, but they had success moving the ball on UGA. So did Florida. UGA's dline is pretty beaten up too. Our oline still needs to execute. If Howard and Gilbert are caught staring at our own endzone early in the game, this will be a good indication that we aren;t getting it done. If Barrick and Claytor are on their face missing the linebackers, we are screwed. I look for us to open up the game passing the ball to loosen up the defense for the TO. Look for Bebe to get some touches early in the game.
4.) We can't turn the ball over. Seriously, we put the ball on the ground in our territory especially, you can forget it. Part of this hinges on the execution by our oline. If our oline doesn't execute our potential to fumble the ball goes way up. See UNC versus Miami games. Execution. Nesbitt cannot fumble. He needs to make the first read in his sleep. The handoff to Dwyer versus him keeping it needs to be crisp.
5.) Covering Massaquoi and Green. I actually like our chances here better than usual. We've done an excellent job this year of getting coverage sacks. Meaning no one was open and that bought the dline time to make a play on the QB. Stafford is no dummy though. he's got two fast and very tall WR who can jump out the building. He'll throw it to them even when they are covered. Burnett needs to do a good job on run support and making plays on these two. Anyone on a crossing route needs to get knocked down hard.
6.) And finally tackling. Our DBs and LBs must tackle well. Any game this season they haven't tackled well, we get worked. If a their guy gets open, our guys have to make the tackle.
In summary, its going to take a perfect game. We have only had one all season against a top opponent which was last week. UGA has lost to the top two teams in the country. They are a great team. They are disappointed in their season, but they are still a great team.
I think the fire that they lacked at Kentucky and Auburn will be back for our game because these guys DO NOT want to lose to GT. They can't fathom losing to GT. They need this game. A loss to us would embaress Stafford and Moreno's legacy forever. this game is big if not bigger for them and they are going to come out on fire. Not to mention the seniors will be playing in their last game at Samford. We are foolish to expect UGA to look like they did against Auburn or Kentucky. Richt got by two squeakers and he has used that as motivation for his team to execute perfectly.
This will be a very very tough game, but we could win it. We just have to play flawlessly.
That said, I think the match-ups are very interesting. My keys to this game are:
1.) Our D-line has to have the best game they've played all season. The fact is, our linebackers are definitely our weak spot when it comes to our defense. With a Runningback like Moreno, that spells big time trouble. If you guys will recall, the BC runningback that got injured during the game was eating us up for big chunks of yardage. If he didn't get injured, I think BC wins that game. Our defensive line will have to play excellent gap control AND manage to put pressure on Stafford to give our linebackers a chance. This is asking a lot. Either your dline is focused on gap control or their focused on pressuring the QB and giving away gap control.
2.) And in conjunction with #1, our linebackers have to play well and Sedric Griffin is out. That hurts. Our guys have to be focused on stopping Moreno. I expect us to play the majority of the game in a nickel package with an extra DB. So the rotation of Barnes, Jefferson, and Bowen needs to have the game of their lives. They cannot get taken out of a play and they have to tackle Moreno the first time.
3.) Oline has to execute for us to have a chance. UGA has had two weeks to prepare for the Triple Option. That said Willie Martinez has had problems with similar offenses that have run some option, namely Kentucky. Kentucky doesn't run what we run, but they had success moving the ball on UGA. So did Florida. UGA's dline is pretty beaten up too. Our oline still needs to execute. If Howard and Gilbert are caught staring at our own endzone early in the game, this will be a good indication that we aren;t getting it done. If Barrick and Claytor are on their face missing the linebackers, we are screwed. I look for us to open up the game passing the ball to loosen up the defense for the TO. Look for Bebe to get some touches early in the game.
4.) We can't turn the ball over. Seriously, we put the ball on the ground in our territory especially, you can forget it. Part of this hinges on the execution by our oline. If our oline doesn't execute our potential to fumble the ball goes way up. See UNC versus Miami games. Execution. Nesbitt cannot fumble. He needs to make the first read in his sleep. The handoff to Dwyer versus him keeping it needs to be crisp.
5.) Covering Massaquoi and Green. I actually like our chances here better than usual. We've done an excellent job this year of getting coverage sacks. Meaning no one was open and that bought the dline time to make a play on the QB. Stafford is no dummy though. he's got two fast and very tall WR who can jump out the building. He'll throw it to them even when they are covered. Burnett needs to do a good job on run support and making plays on these two. Anyone on a crossing route needs to get knocked down hard.
6.) And finally tackling. Our DBs and LBs must tackle well. Any game this season they haven't tackled well, we get worked. If a their guy gets open, our guys have to make the tackle.
In summary, its going to take a perfect game. We have only had one all season against a top opponent which was last week. UGA has lost to the top two teams in the country. They are a great team. They are disappointed in their season, but they are still a great team.
I think the fire that they lacked at Kentucky and Auburn will be back for our game because these guys DO NOT want to lose to GT. They can't fathom losing to GT. They need this game. A loss to us would embaress Stafford and Moreno's legacy forever. this game is big if not bigger for them and they are going to come out on fire. Not to mention the seniors will be playing in their last game at Samford. We are foolish to expect UGA to look like they did against Auburn or Kentucky. Richt got by two squeakers and he has used that as motivation for his team to execute perfectly.
This will be a very very tough game, but we could win it. We just have to play flawlessly.
