Georgia Should Rethink Its Offense

I write this as a USC fan who thinks they should also rethink their offense. Georgia rolled up 425 yards of offense today, including 230 on the ground at nearly six yards a rush. Yet, until under a minute left they led Vanderbilt just 21-14 before a late field goal ended the game at 24-14.

In four conference games Georgia has yet to go above 30 points with one of the most talented offenses in the country. They're winning games (well, except for that Alabama debacle), but seemingly cutting things way too close. There's no reason to go down to the wire with South Carolina (a 14-point outing) and Vanderbilt like they have.

Mark Richt was hired in part because of his offensive prowess, but he's since ceded play-calling duties and maybe should reconsider his offensive philosophy altogether. No. 1 teams don't grow on trees for Georgia, and unless a few miracles happen, this season is already a golden opportunity squandered. With biggies against LSU and Florida remaining, Georgia's defense could use a bit more offensive help. I'm not sure they'll get it.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

10-18-2008 @ 4:46PM

SBJ said...

I'm not trying to insult you here - but did you even watch today's game Vandy or last week's game against UT, or did you just look at the scoreboard and make these comments? If you didn't watch the games, please do us all a favor and actually watch them. If you did watch the games, then your assesment is simply wrong. Rethinking the offense has nothin to do with it. Georgia is piling up yards like I pile up speeding tickets. Georgia's players, specifically on offense, for 2 weeks in a row now have flat out failed to make plays or execute when given the opportunity to put games away. If you watched last week's game against Tennesee, I don't even have to explain that one - dropped pass by AJ Green for a TD, 2 INT's inside the Tennsee 10 yard line as were going in for the score. That game should have been 40+ to 7 - had nothing to do with the offensive game plan or system. Maybe the screen pass call in the red zone was questionable, but outside of that the coaching was fine that game.

Then today, not sure if you watched that game - Stafford's grossly underthrown ball when our WR had 3 steps on the defender should have been a TD. That would have made 31 points for us. 2 missed FG's well within Walsh's range would have made 37 points for us. An INT in our own territory giving Vandy a 30 yard field to work with resulted in 7 of Vandy's 14 points today. And a complete bs pass int call resulted in their other 7. Hell, forget the bad Pass INT call - give Vandy that 7, and this score should have been blow out city and another close to or above 40 point game. This offense was close to unstoppable most of the 2nd half of the year last year - Georgia just needs guys to make plays and when given the opportunity. If that starts happening, you will see this team put together a complete game on offense and very, very hard to beat.

I don't see how the offensive game plan has much to do with the offense not putting teams away and lightiing up the scoreboard. Rethinking the offense makes absolutley no sense as a statement. Sorry - not trying to be a d*ck, but you either don't watch the games and only watch the scoreboard afterwards, or me and you are watching two different teams play. Are you maybe referring to the Georgia Force, not the Georgia Bulldogs?

10-18-2008 @ 5:10PM

Brian Grummell said...

Yards aren't points.

10-19-2008 @ 12:16PM

I understand that. And my point is that the resason the scoreboard doesn't reflect the yards is because of dropped passes, turnovers, and missed FG's - not play calling or offensive philosophy, which you were suggesting was the problem. Watch the games and I think you'd agree with me.

10-18-2008 @ 8:00PM

Spoonman said...

I think Georgia's problem is a lack of any solid go to guy at wide receiver. Green looks great, but he is a freshman (I think), and can't be expected to help the offense the way they need. Massaqoui (sp?) has been pretty average to me. He drops plenty of balls, and isn't an amazing WR you would expect . Tripp Chandler loves to drop balls too. It makes sense why they throw to Moreno so often, there just aren't any real targets that can be relied on.

Or at least that is what I think. If Stafford stays till next year, I would expect Green to be that guy, and with Moreno at RB, they could contend with that USC offense.

10-19-2008 @ 9:56AM

Ryan Ferguson said...

Actually, SBJ, I agree fully with Brian Grummell. Georgia's offense hasn't been anything more than above average, or "solid" at best this season despite players like Matthew Stafford, Knowshon Moreno and A.J. Green. This offense should be much more explosive and I think it's going to come back to haunt them in their difficult stretch ahead.

10-19-2008 @ 12:21PM

Ok, well Ferguson, when Bobo and Richt start dropping passes and making bonehead throws, and missing FG's - I'll agree with you. Until then, players have to make plays. The coaching staff has put them in plenty of scoring opportunities that the players have not taken advantage of. ANybody who watches the games realizes that this offense has had plenty of opportunities to blow games wide open -

10-22-2008 @ 9:56AM

D said...

SBJ is EXACTLY right! Watch the games! And Spoonman - come on - no Wide Outs? Seriously? Green is leading the SEC as a true freshman. MoMass, while he has had dropping problems in previous years is having a breakout year. We are also very deep at receiver, especially with Durham returning. Tavarres King has also shown playmaking ability as a true freshman. But... I'll give you the Tripp Chandler point. He has dropped a few key passes this year.

10-21-2008 @ 12:29PM

Ferguson - Skill players cannot be fully effective without winning the battle in the trenches. Our O Line/TE/FB injuries have limited our skill position players a bit.