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DawgTattoo
✭✭✭✭ Senior
When you have three straight years of top 5 recruiting and get beat this badly, then there is really only one place to lay the blame: coaching. It is time to scrap the Pro Style offense!! Hire Bobo and a new receivers coach. Start getting the most of our talent-laden offensive players. I'm tired of humming this same old tune every year; it's a continuation of the Richt era.
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DallasDawg
✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate
I'm with you @ShoottheHooch, a lot of blame on Fromm here, but he didn't just now wake up and be terrible. We SAW with our own eyes what he did as a freshman and sophomore. We didn't accidentally get to the National Championship game and it wasn't just because we had Chubb and Michel and Roquan Smith. If that was the case, then we would have won with them in 2016, Kirby's first year. Our receivers (along with the O-Line) showed absolutely ZERO improvement all year. In turn, I think that led to Fromm's regression. I think the lack of growth by the receivers, the O-Lines lack of dominance, even against average defenses, and Fromm's sudden problems with accuracy and game management, are the biggest disappointments (and mysteries) this year. Throw in Rodrigo Blankenship's inability to hit field goals in the clutch (something that's been happening since the 2018 Ga. Tech game) and it's a recipe for what we have -- an 11-2 season that somehow feels like we went 6-7.
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JoeFann
✭✭✭ Junior
Easy to overreact after a tough loss. One of the few games that played out exactly as the matchup predicted—a huge offense completely out-scheming a very good defense, and a moribund offense that couldn’t move against a good and improving, but not great, SEC defense. But we learned several important things, particularly about the offense, and can only hope Kirby learns as well. First, while five extremely large humans is helpful, it does not guarantee rushing success, particularly against six, seven or more defenders. Second, pass catchers matter, so don’t sign WRs without uncommon height, speed and glue for hands. Two of the three are minimum requirements. Third, creative play design—formations and route trees—does not exist on our offensive coaching staff and should be priority ONE for improvement. I don’t know if Bobo is the answer, either as an OC, QB coach or analyst, but his offenses set scoring records and QBs flourished. Fourth, recruiting matters, but coaching matters more. Our very good defense, while featuring only a few “elite” recruits, has clearly been well coached. Our offense, featuring many more “elite” recruits, has grossly underachieved. I understand the loss of WRs, both from last year and through injuries this year, but the lack of pass catching development from several (not freshman) WRs is unacceptable. I admit that I am not in a position to evaluate individual coaches, especially when trying to balance recruiting and coaching proficiency, but development of QBs and WRs seem particularly lacking. From my limited perspective, only Sam Pittman escapes extreme scrutiny. On defense, and NOT on offense, regardless of what we heard this week, I saw a different game plan than “normal,” which was game-planned to the opponent. And while the three-man rush did not produce enough pressure, the running game was stunted, and the QB scrambles were mostly contained, with some timely exceptions. At least there was acknowledgement that “normal” wouldn’t be good enough and some things needed to be different. While results were mixed, I give at least some points for creativity. On offense, I saw very little different, other than a bit more effort at throwing toward the middle and some slants and trying to get Cook involved, when Swift was obviously limited. Clearly, we are VERY predictable and not difficult to game-plan for. I didn’t expect us to win this game, but I expected at least a bit more of offensive success. Give LSU credit. That’s an elite, Heisman-worthy QB, and very good WRs. The pass game coordinator is a savant. It’s a great blueprint for offensive success. I hope Kirby sees it that way and uses it to improve the future of the UGA program. Go Dawgs!
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Tripp
✭✭✭✭ Senior
My thoughts are not based on just this game but for the season as a whole. I understand we were playing one of the top teams in the country tonight and they were healthy and we were not. Our chances were not good from the start. Cager and Pickens out, Swift definitely not anywhere close to 100% and then the pleather of injuries sustained during the game. Realistically our chances were low. I’ve tried to put my finger on the decline in Fromm all year and this is what I think, Jake Fromm is not comfortable with James Coley. When Coley moved from receivers to qb coach last year it had a negative effect on Fromm and this year has seen a huge decline. Coley’s offense sucks plain and simple. Kirby has to get an OC he is comfortable enough with to remove his hands from the offensive side of the ball. Cortez Hankton is not developing anybody at receiver. Sloppy routes and not giving it 100% seems to be ok with Cortez. Smart needs to open the check book to get Bobo in here and turn the offense completely over to him. I know Coley is this South Florida ace recruiter but you still have to coach and developer or it don’t matter who you recruit. We have to be able to score points against the top tier SEC teams.
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ReddenBlaque
✭ Freshman
If you can't say that Jake Fromm's stock is down, you really need to give this job to someone else.
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OfRayRay
✭ Freshman
Wasn’t the unstated, but generally considered the reason Fromm beat out Fields was because of Fromm’s superior ability to manage the game and do what was necessary to win, albeit not with some top ten team offensive numbers across the board? Unless I’m imagining the whole thing, Fromm has been generally lauded for his game management more so than his arm, legs, or accuracy, right? He really hasn’t shown, to me or anyone in the wide wide world of NCAAF, an amazing pro-like arm like that of Trevor or Tua, no less Burrow, Hurts, Big Skinny, and now Fields. The thing is, one doesn’t need to “game manage” when their arm or legs are lighting up the scoreboard. Sure, maybe in a close game such a comparable skill set would be beneficial, but those guys I listed, with the exception of Eason, hasn’t had to manage a thing because they aren’t in close games. Oh, wait, Hurts and Tua have been in close games in back to back years where game management was being done by their opponent’s QB. The only thing Hurts and Tua managed, using arms and legs, was a comeback victory at the Dawgs expense.
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MacroDawg
✭✭ Sophomore
The way Kirby likes Fromm I doubt Fields would get any chance regardless. Plus some fans would go crazy once he makes a mistake. Either way, that’s in the past. Georgia needs to rethink its offense this postseason
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RealityBasedDawgFan
✭✭✭ Junior
No it is not the most idiotic question, it is the 800lb silverback in the room that everyone knows to be the truth. All they can do now is pray that Justin Fields does not win the Heisman or a Natty, or both!!!
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Bigred
✭ Freshman
Not sayin this is why we lost but our equipment mgr is apparently awful at the cleat selection for the turf. Unreal the number of injuries caused by them. Lsu had zero injuries to our ten or more
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ShoottheHooch
✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate
Could it be that our offense is hamstrung, at least partially, because of our "huge" OL? They seem to be so big and devoid of ability to move horizontally that their only blocking ability is solely straight ahead which makes it easy for DL to fill the gaps and stuff the runs between the tackles.
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ShoottheHooch
✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate
Obviously, Kirby needs to recruit a 10* dual threat QB; one that can make all the throws AND run downfield to catch it. Jake's accuracy has not been a problem until the receivers became questionable at best. Fromm is taking a lot of heat for Hankton and his obvious instability to develop our receivers.
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nycdawg
✭✭✭ Junior
Totally agree- Kirby has NO excuses. This man got all the top recruits, fan base, Top salary, facilities, private helicopter/
IMHO- Next year is do or die for Kirby.
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Jimmy
✭✭ Sophomore
Until Kirby changes his offense philosophy this will continue to happen. Another year of wasted talent.
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rastamanrusty
✭ Freshman
Rushing 3 against this QB is insane. Stick with the defense that got you this far. No amount of talent can overcome bad coaching.
Also, Kirby is running a leather helmet offense. The Vince Dooley era is over. You have to score to win. You might need to spread the offense. Have a mobile QB.
At least it was an early blowout and not a last minute collapse.
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Tom1111
✭✭✭ Junior
Two changes would change UGA into a championship contender. A top notch OC and a top notch QB. You can’t win the Kentucky Derby with a donkey. Kirby has tried. Ala has beaten us 2 years in a row and now LSU has beaten us two years in a row. The defeats were because of a lack of offense.
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zonadawg61
✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate
When Kirby said after the National Championship game 2 years ago, "we're not going anywhere," I had no idea this is what he meant. Turns out those words were prophetic.
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NashDawg
✭✭✭ Junior
Just remember that Coach Smart set the bar at championship or bust
Sugar bowl....worthless ending. Smart created the standard for the program this way, and when we don’t show up to play the burden is on the HC
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Dawggolfer
✭✭✭ Junior
Serious question: With the offensive line we have, how can we possibly only rush for 62 yards for the whole game?
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E_Roc
✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate
Going into this game, I was thinking that if Fromm could finally get back to playing like his old self and Swift could give something close to a 100% performance, we would probably win. Well, Fromm seemingly missed about as many open receivers as Swift had touches. Losing half our other playmakers to injury and not being able to take 3 steps without slipping down didn't help. Throw in a few drops, add it all up against a team that's probably the best in the country, and you have a game that's over halfway through the third.
I don't see this debacle as a death knell for Smart's program, but I do think next season is do-or-die time. They can't follow this with a so-so 2020; they'll need to at least make a playoff run. It's going to be a steep climb in getting from this nadir to where they want and ought to be, but I do believe it's possible.
Go Dawgs.
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nycdawg
✭✭✭ Junior
UGA Politics at its finest
On your "Stock Down" list, Mike, you forgot one glaring omission
Jake Fromm.
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joell
✭ Freshman
I kinda feel sympathy for Fromm. He's a good person & team player. For some reason he was over hyped by Coach Smart , the Justin Fields haters & many high profile media persons, when it was obvious he was not at the elite level. Consequently, he could never live up to the unrealistic expectations. Hopefully things work out for him.
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Vetdawg
✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate
Guys we were out coached and out played in every area
our vaunted O line= pimped by a barely top 25 defense
our qb= missing wide open wrs
our wrs= dropping wide open catches ( ps can we petition to get rid of Tyler Simmons and Matt landers?)
oc completey over matched by lsu’s DC
this is 2 yrs in a row LSU has fed us turf and these guys can make excuses but all of this game is on the coaching!
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E_Roc
✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate
Immediately after including yourself among those "who understand college football." Well done.
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DaReal_Ken
✭✭ Sophomore
please do not make excuses for Fromm. He missed on several occasions where we needed him most. Receivers didn’t help but not targeting Robinson and Cook more often is a huge disservice to the team. Bad in game coaching is becoming the norm in big games with Smart. Probably the best overall talent UGA has ever had and we looked like a bag of @ss...
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Spdawg
✭✭✭✭ Senior
By the way, this game was over when Kirby did not go for the first down early in the game and Blankenship missed the 50+ yarder. What message did that send?
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GaBoi69
✭✭✭✭ Senior
James Coley offense look like the offense Brian Schottenheimer brought to Georgia.
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Spdawg
✭✭✭✭ Senior
Those of us who understand college football saw this coming all year. Fromm was a fraud and should never have seen the field last year. Kirby did not want to play the new QB. I have no idea what he saw in Fromm especially after the G day game last year. Now watch recruiting drop.
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JimWallace
✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate
What we have here is a failure to execute, plus a bunch of injuries and a depleted receiver corps. We did well to win the East and arrive in the SEC Championship Game with an 11-1 record.
Our defense was not protected by our offense which was their minimal, baseline job. Mistake after mistake, dropped passes. Nothing new. We've seen it all season.
However, losing doesn't negate the massive strides our football program has made under Coach Kirby Smart. I'm sure he will continue to improve as a coach and our program will continue to improve under his leadership.
Considering all the injuries and issues with personnel we had going into and during the game, well, it could have been al lot worse, but it was bad enough.
Certainly we're all disappointed. A good bowl game win will help our program and our fans. We can not afford to fail to prepare for and show up for the post season game we end up in, which is bound to be against a quality opponent worthy of our attention. We certainly need more practice.
Go, Dawgs!
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GaBoi69
✭✭✭✭ Senior
Georgia didn't look to competitive tonight. Did not understand the game plan rushing three guys against a explosive offense with a mobile quarterback.
