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Final grades for Georgia football spring game effort
System
Posts: 11,457 admin
Final grades for Georgia football spring game effort
ATHENS — G-Day is over and done with and the Bulldogs have now wrapped up all 15 spring practices. A number of players had standout performances on Saturday, while some position groups showed they’ll need to use the offseason to continue to develop.
Comments
So Conner, exactly how can Gunner learn from his interception yesterday? Hits the guy on his numbers, through his hands, kicks straight up and into a defender’s arms. Never throw to the guy again? Gunner did NOTHING wrong on the play. Idiotic statistic…
And...that is why I don't put much stock in CFB "player" statistics. They don't tell the whole story, with regard to individual performance...and they rarely define a player. Statistics are a valuable tool to evaluate team concepts. That is all...IMO.
"So Conner, exactly how can Gunner learn from his interception yesterday? Hits the guy on his numbers, through his hands, kicks straight up and into a defender’s arms. Never throw to the guy again? Gunner did NOTHING wrong on the play. Idiotic statistic…"
IDK maybe take something off those shorter passes? There is always something to learn. CBeck throws a very catchable ball. BVG and GS still working on that.
It was the 1st real scrimmage and there were a lot of guys missing. 1st team OL looked midseason form. Makes you wonder what CBeck will do when he is forced to move off his spot. He will get a couple of games to get acclimated. But you have to ask yourself, if it takes guys 4 years to learn how to execute this O is it the right offense? Watched the TN spring game. Their offense was clicking with all new players. Iamaleava looked like a 5*. Even Joe Milton looked good.
Tykee Smith looked mid season form. The CB's didn't. Really expected multiple CB's to be all over the wr's. Didn't see that a very vanilla O. Still early but this isn't a new D for most of them. DL needs to step up. They just became THE key room on the team (after QB). With one transfer the pass rush now shifts to OLB and DE (primarily MWilliams). Talent there but they need to grow up fast. Expect a lot of blitzing this year.
Luckie looked better than Delp. Gonna need to find some TE blocking from someone other than BB's. How/where do you find playing time for Mews? Same with Sorey. He looks like a player but there are so many players at ILB. Gotta wonder if he sticks. Puzzling how a LB can be in the UGA program 3(?) yrs and still weigh 214 lbs?
So sounds like Kirby is concerned that at least part of Mews success on those punt and kick returns was a break down by the defenders. Kirby knows light years more about the game than I do, so that’s probably the case. And he and coaching staff will get it fixed.
But I’m hoping and it sure would be nice and of help, that Mews is a legitimate threat at those duties.
I don’t know which had the better stats but the Dawgs haven’t Seemed to have a threat to take it to the house on nearly every kick since Mike Henderson or the Human Joystick.
I remember ( what a laugh I struggle to Remember anything these days, I’m not even sure I have the names right, I can’t even remember the Joysticks name, Isaiah somebody) that teams used to fear kicking to Henderson.
If my terrible memory serves he could either take it for a TD or get deep into rival territory on the majority of kick and punt returns. Now I’m sure the guys blocking for him were a big part of that to. Blocking very effectively and making sure not to get a penalty at the same time.
To conclude this novel it’d be nice to have that as yet another weapon in the arsenal. It’s not a “trick” play as rival teams will know its coming, it’s just having a very elusive guy with blazing speed supported by excellent blocking.
But you don’t see it much especially in the SEC these days. If you have a real close score game with little time left on the clock it could prove to be an extremely valuable asset though. Mews certainly looked the part in the glorified scrimmage that G Day is !! Go Dawgs !!
"But you have to ask yourself, if it "takes guys 4 years to learn how to execute this O is it the right offense?"______@UGADad20, @MikeGriffith
Dude...that's a brilliant question. Lol...or, at least, I didn't consider it. In today's College game, you can only count on getting 3 years out of a great football player. Less than that, with the TP and NIL situation.
You know...that was "the hit" on Todd Grantham's defense when he was at UGA. His schematics, with all their intricate nuances that had to be communicated on the field, were too complicated to learn in 1 or 2 years. He had to simplify some things, but, it was still a complicated scheme, that required a massive amount of repetition and mental-gym, to learn.
I've never heard anybody ask that question, with regard to the offense. Good question.
Mike, next time you interview those guys, how 'bout askin' that one? I'm curious of what they think...Lol...and what they would say, if you like to read between the lines.
Zirkle only missed the EP because of an awful snap the holder couldn't wrangle. Not on the kicker at all.
Isaiah McKenzie
@BigDawg61@navydawg
Isaiah McKenzie is probably the guy that you are thinking of. Was Kirby Smart's first draft pick (5th round to Denver). Spent the last few years in Buffalo and is now in Indianapolis.
@BigDawg61
Can't really blame "the offense" per se as it has been in constant flux. 2020 was a mess because it was Monken's first, the pandemic eliminated the offseason program and UGA had no viable returning QB. 2021 UGA began with a pro-style vertical offense for JT Daniels then shifted to a very conservative offense with Stetson Bennett IV. 2022 opened things up, but with a very unusual spread scheme designed around SB IV and the 2 TEs. In 2023 UGA looks to be returning to what the original plan was for 2021, as that is what Bobo prefers to run anyway.
As far as the QBs' taking a long time to learn the offense, are you sure that is what is going on here? Because based on this spring it is absolutely clear that the only think that is keeping BVG from being the starting UGA QB is Carson Beck in front of him. No, BVG isn't as comfortable in the offense as Beck, but Beck was the #2 QB all last year. He had all those practice reps and played in several games. In addition, Beck was in the mix to be the #2 QB for the 2021 season. Remember that? He played in 3 games and had 23 pass attempts. Again, imagine BVG with that practice time and game experience. When Beck starts this fall, he will be older than several NFL starters.
Now in general terms, obviously, what you say is true. It is why college coaches A. like to recruit QBs who played in a similar offense in high school as they will in college and B. prefer to recruit kids who played for "big high schools." This was a major factor in Clemson winning 2 titles. Trevor Lawrence and particularly Deshaun Watson were both spread QBs in high school and were able to step right into Dabo's scheme and keep doing the same thing. Particularly in the case of Watson, who had other college athletes on his team in Gainesville and didn't have the "I have to carry the team" mentality that a lot of dual threat QBs have. By contrast, spread or option QB from a small high school (who didn't play with or against a lot of college players) that is used to dominating at that level who has to adapt to a pro style offense at a major college is going to have the longest learning curve. It is a major reason why some colleges don't try very hard to land players like that no matter their recruiting ratings.
"So Conner, exactly how can Gunner learn from his interception yesterday? ".......Real simple, especially in Connor's case.....he's still a 5 star HS QB......He needs to continue to work on "TOUCH"....a ball that was a bit softer would have been caught. Vandagriff has the same problem but not nearly as sevier. It's something you learn with reps and knowing the receiver you target. I have no doubt that for both Stockton and Vandagriff it will come by September and we'll see both make plays in 23.
Carson Beck sits in the pocket like a dove sits on a power line all cool and calm. BVG looks like he hates the pocket and can't wait to get out of it like a racoon dog wants out of his pen to go look for racoons and roll to his right. From there you've got basically just the go route to your WR and the safety knows it too, or just the little 7 yard come backer toward the QB route. Thats a hard row to hoe.
Occasionally I've been know to get a little wood on the ball. IDK what the answer is. But it seems that UGA QB's develop more slowly. That tells me it is the system.
Beck seems to have a very good understanding of the O. Now the key for UGA this year will be how does Beck play when he faces pressure in the pocket and is forced off his spot.
WR's and QB's need to be on the same page and make the same reads. With multiple guys of varying experience levels the probability for mistakes goes up.
@thadec actually made some good points. "Constant state of flux" since pre-pandemic is not a bad take. Still these guys spend tons of time in practice and film sessions. Shouldn't it come easier?
Where @thadec lost me was attributing Clemson's success to Trevor Lawrence (Sunshine Jesus) and Deshawn Watson (DW24) playing similar HS offensive systems to what Clemson plays. Clemson's success is more a result of having 2 CFB HOF QB's. Both from GA BTW.
Grantham's and, in general, UGA's D seems difficult to master and has cost UGA at times. 2nd and 26 was due to a missed defensive assignment. But the D is still less complex than the O. The changes the UGA DC's made between the '21 SECCG and the '21 CFBCG were able to be implemented seamlessly.
As hard as the O and the D seem to be to learn it is difficult to argue with CKS's results.
As a side note. I watched some of the FU spring game. It did not look good. But new DC Austin Armstrong looked like the 29 yo version of Todd Grantham. He could be Grantham's son.
Beck looks comfortable back there. Reminds me of CJ Stroud. Cool as a cucumber.
Great analogies made me laugh.
"Clemson's success is more a result of having 2 CFB HOF QB's. Both from GA BTW."____UGADad20
And.....Great Defense! That seems to be the common denominator between all the Championship teams. The best "defense", usually wins.
Some would argue for "the best offense wins". But, if your offense is performing "at" or above peak....doesn't that mean that the opposing defense didn't play well?
Lol...pick your poison, I guess. It's all a matter of perception. Is the glass "half empty" or "half full"? I'm stickin' by defense, myself. Does that make me a pessimist, an optimist or a realist? Lol
Clemson was not w/o other talented players. Their D was good. Better than most. They put players into the NFL. They won 2 CFBC's. 1 with DW24 when they scored on an illegal pick play on the last play of the game and 1 w/ Sunshine. Doubtful they win either CFBNC w/o elite QB play.
I watched the Clemson spring game. They have some talent. What they don't have is championship level depth. I look at Clemson as a house of cards program built up on State of GA talent and to a short term elite status on the back of 2 GA QB's. They have come back down to earth after losing their coordinators and Dabo's failure to utilize the TP and NIL. The weakness of the ACC has masked their lack of championship talent.
Hopefully USCe and UGA lead the SEC in shunning Clemson when it comes to the next expansion. Clemson brings nothing to the SEC. No national following. No TV markets ($$). No significant tradition of winning. Clemson has feasted on a weak ACC only to be exposed in the CFBPO as paper tigers. I'll never forget the complete beatdown Justin Fields put on them in the playoffs.
Thankfully CKS still embraces defense. UGA sets the standard for CFB D. You can never lose if the other team doesn't score. There is no '21 CFBC w/o the UGA holding AL to FG's.
"There is no '21 CFBC w/o the UGA holding AL to FG's."
Or holding Ohio St. to a long field goal and a long field goal try.