Sept 9 | Georgia

[Irish#1]

Sander returned both Kickoff, one for 30 yds the other for 18 yds.

Boykin and McKinley weren't listed among the 58 players ND used in the game. ND only attempted 30 passes with 44 runs and were heavy with multiple TE sets. Might have simply been a matter of numbers. Position coaches tell the OC who's ready to play. OC picks the personnel for his scheme. ND also had the ball for 7 minutes less than Temple.

Sander was close to popping that one. Hope he gets a big one this week. We didn't see a lot of passing or pass formations, because we didn't have to. Keep it in the war chest until you need it. No reason to let UofG study all of our plays. Wouldn't be surprised if we used more receivers in a jumbo set then shift out of it to a spread to create confusion and mismatches.

 

[koonja]

Sander was close to popping that one. Hope he gets a big one this week. We didn't see a lot of passing or pass formations, because we didn't have to. Keep it in the war chest until you need it. No reason to let UofG study all of our plays. Wouldn't be surprised if we used more receivers in a jumbo set then shift out of it to a spread to create confusion and mismatches.

Yeah, I'm going back and forth on this. Georgia's front 7 is awesome, and if anywhere, they're unproven in the secondary. So do we go 3-4 wide to get some of their front 7 out of the game and put pressure where they're weakest?

Do we trust Wimbush to do everything right in a spread already? Or do we stick to our guns, knowing full well we're going right into the teeth of their defense. I'm leaning towards sticking with the 2 TE sets and pounding the ball, but it's tempting to get them in space and make their LBs either come off the field, or cover our WRs.

 

[arrowryan]

Yeah, I'm going back and forth on this. Georgia's front 7 is awesome, and if anywhere, they're unproven in the secondary. So do we go 3-4 wide to get some of their front 7 out of the game and put pressure where they're weakest?

Do we trust Wimbush to do everything right in a spread already? Or do we stick to our guns, knowing full well we're going right into the teeth of their defense. I'm leaning towards sticking with the 2 TE sets and pounding the ball, but it's tempting to get them in space and make their LBs either come off the field, or cover our WRs.

They're opening up the playbook for this game; there is no doubt in my mind.

I would do a few things if I'm Chip Long...

1.) Show Georgia's defense jumbo sets. Make them put 8-9 in the box. At first, run the ball; if you only get 2 yards, thats okay because you're sucking them in. Then, as those linebackers start biting, run both tight ends up the seams. Thats a guaranteed 10-15 yards.

2.) I believe there is a reason Long and Kelly didn't dial up the long ball against Temple. If you can beat a team without using it, then don't show your hand for the future. I do recall them dialing it up once and hit the outstretched arms of ESB but fell incomplete. I believe the long ball is there and it'll be used on Saturday.

3.) Run the ball out of the spread formation. Take the tight ends off the field and roll with 4 wide receivers. Force Georgia to spread their defense out and that should loosen up their front 7. I think that will give Adams and Co. plenty of chances to get 5-6 yards a pop.

Kelly and Long held a lot back last weekend, IMO. There was zero reason to dial up the long ball or run any exotic formations/routes. The offensive tape the Georgia is watching might be 30-40% of what they'll run this weekend.

 

[IrishLion]

Yeah, I'm going back and forth on this. Georgia's front 7 is awesome, and if anywhere, they're unproven in the secondary. So do we go 3-4 wide to get some of their front 7 out of the game and put pressure where they're weakest?

Do we trust Wimbush to do everything right in a spread already? Or do we stick to our guns, knowing full well we're going right into the teeth of their defense. I'm leaning towards sticking with the 2 TE sets and pounding the ball, but it's tempting to get them in space and make their LBs either come off the field, or cover our WRs.

BK has his issues, but he's still one of (if not THE) best in the business in scripting the first offensive drive of the game. I say open it up appropriately on the first drive with a script that Wimbush is comfortable with, and then adjust accordingly after that.

If UGA is on their heals, let Wimbush keep taking shots. If Wimbush is shaky or UGA's secondary looks up to the task, then grind Adams into the front 7 for three yards at a time, and wait for the appropriate times to try for a homerun based on what BK/Long see in film study.

 

[woolybug25]

Yeah, I'm going back and forth on this. Georgia's front 7 is awesome, and if anywhere, they're unproven in the secondary. So do we go 3-4 wide to get some of their front 7 out of the game and put pressure where they're weakest?

Do we trust Wimbush to do everything right in a spread already? Or do we stick to our guns, knowing full well we're going right into the teeth of their defense. I'm leaning towards sticking with the 2 TE sets and pounding the ball, but it's tempting to get them in space and make their LBs either come off the field, or cover our WRs.

I feel like we test them in the trenches first. They may be good in the front seven, but we have two first round lineman on the left side. Let's grind them first to soften them up and then open it up.

 

[Blaise]

BK has his issues, but he's still one of (if not THE) best in the business in scripting the first offensive drive of the game. I say open it up appropriately on the first drive with a script that Wimbush is comfortable with, and then adjust accordingly after that.

If UGA is on their heals, let Wimbush keep taking shots. If Wimbush is shaky or UGA's secondary looks up to the task, then grind Adams into the front 7 for three yards at a time, and wait for the appropriate times to try for a homerun based on what BK/Long see in film study.

I am curious how hands on BK will be this week with the offense. Last week was the first time since Kelly was here that I didn't feel like this was "A Kelly offense".

Curious if this changes this week with some different schemes or if Long is given full power to run it as he sees fit..

 

[greyhammer90]

I feel like we test them in the trenches first. They may be good in the front seven, but we have two first round lineman on the left side. Let's grind them first to soften them up and then open it up.

I like this strategy, I just hope our defense can keep us on that schedule. It's way harder to invest a quarter into grinding them down if our defense is giving away points early.

 

[NorthDakota]

I feel like we test them in the trenches first. They may be good in the front seven, but we have two first round lineman on the left side. Let's grind them first to soften them up and then open it up.

For sure, I love exploiting weaknesses as much as the next guy but I'd be much more comfortable with trying to impose our will on them. Do what you do well... if that doesn't work, explore other options.

 

[D-BOE34]

I feel like we test them in the trenches first. They may be good in the front seven, but we have two first round lineman on the left side. Let's grind them first to soften them up and then open it up.

I would LOVE this! Beat them at where they think they are strongest right out of the gates. As Georgia said, "Punish them from the start."

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Was thinking about this last night. It will be our strength (O) against their strength (D) and our weakness (D) against their weakness (O). I think the strengths cancel each other out. This will be won by the team whose weakness plays the best.

Why do you think our strengths are canceled out and not our weaknesses? Why isn't the other way around? Our weaknesses cancel each other out and the winner is dictated by who plays to their strengths?

I feel like we test them in the trenches first. They may be good in the front seven, but we have two first round lineman on the left side. Let's grind them first to soften them up and then open it up.

This is my thought. I think it's the safer play but I don't know if Kelly and Long agree. They may be willing to roll the dice a little. If Stepherson were on the field, all my money would go on a deep ball out of the gate.

I trust they'll accurately assess Georgia's strengths/weaknesses and game plan appropriately. We'll see how accurate Wimbush really is, and if he's capable of going through progressions.

 

[ACamp1900]

You have to think they are going to try and make Wimbush beat them...

 

[snoopdog]

Crazy that a college coach who is limited in how much time he can spend with kids wouldn't go buck wild in recruiting the best

When I was an ass't coach back in the 90's, there was a saying....

if you want to be a good coach, recruit good players.........if you want to be a great coach, recruit great players......


I always thought BVG missed that message

 

[Irish#1]

Why do you think our strengths are canceled out and not our weaknesses? Why isn't the other way around? Our weaknesses cancel each other out and the winner is dictated by who plays to their strengths?

There's more room for improvement in a weakness then a strength. JMO

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

There's more room for improvement in a weakness then a strength. JMO

Is there? Or is that just a good sound bite? If you are strong in an area but still not fully developed to potential, you can continue to see growth. If you are weak/deficient in an area but have worked on it a great deal. You might have to accept your weakness in that area and move on to perfecting strengths.

An argument can be made either way and see no logical reason to make declarative statements for either. There are so many variables at play that it's almost assuredly impossible to capture what will produce a winner by throwing out a blanket statement.

Of course, we can always use flowery language to fit the defined narrative post facto.

We just need to play football good

 

[Luckylucci]

I think we were pretty vanilla on offense last weekend. I'd bet that we come out and see what we can do on the ground but get fairly aggressive with RPO's this week. Allow Wimbush to beat them, not neccesarily with his legs, but his arm if they are getting too aggressive. Get some short and intermediate routes open using the RPO with some juiced up tempo and see what happens. Didn't see much of it last week, because we didn't have to.

There was certainly some big plays in the passing game that were left on the field last week. ESB and Wimbush couldn't connect on a long pass. Alize had a drop on another. I'm not worried about the downfield passing game. Those get ironed out with timing and reps. They were there.

 

[GowerND11]

I'm not sure if Long has this RPO in his repertoire, but I would love to see that zone read where the QB keeps the ball, going to the sideline, the inside WR stocks the CB for a simple quick screen, then bolts on a go route. While we've seen stock and goes on quick screens before, this one is that one where the QB holds on for a longer time, already outside the tackle box before he slings it downfield. I think that could hurt an aggressive D.

 

[Luckylucci]

I'm not sure if Long has this RPO in his repertoire, but I would love to see that zone read where the QB keeps the ball, going to the sideline, the inside WR stocks the CB for a simple quick screen, then bolts on a go route. While we've seen stock and goes on quick screens before, this one is that one where the QB holds on for a longer time, already outside the tackle box before he slings it downfield. I think that could hurt an aggressive D.

I'm not entirely sure if it was by design or Riley Ferguson was really good running it on the fly, but at Memphis Riley Ferguson was fairly aggressive running RPO's. He would attack the LOS to suck in the defenders and string them out if he needed to, to wait for players to get open. I don't want Wimbush taking to many shots so I want him to be smart about it, but I could see something like that working against an aggressive defense.

 

[GowerND11]

I'm not entirely sure if it was by design or Riley Ferguson was really good running it on the fly, but at Memphis Riley Ferguson was fairly aggressive running RPO's. He would attack the LOS to suck in the defenders and string them out if he needed to, to wait for players to get open. I don't want Wimbush taking to many shots so I want him to be smart about it, but I could see something like that working against an aggressive defense.

Agreed with limiting the hits Wimbush takes, and yes to sucking that defense up to get EQ in behind.

 

[IrishLion]

There was certainly some big plays in the passing game that were left on the field last week. ESB and Wimbush couldn't connect on a long pass. Alize had a drop on another. I'm not worried about the downfield passing game. Those get ironed out with timing and reps. They were there.

There was one camera angle on Wimbush's INT that only showed it for a split-second, but before he threw the ball, Cam Smith was running wide open down the field. If Wimbush goes long down the seam instead of trying to hit [ESB?] on a corner, Smith has a looooong TD catch.

I'd expect they saved a few other variations of the homerun ball for UGA, and not just via RPO.

 

[zelezo vlk]

There was one camera angle on Wimbush's INT that only showed it for a split-second, but before he threw the ball, Cam Smith was running wide open down the field. If Wimbush goes long down the seam instead of trying to hit [ESB?] on a corner, Smith has a looooong TD catch.

I'd expect they saved a few other variations of the homerun ball for UGA, and not just via RPO.

I remember seeing that too.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

I remember seeing that too.

x2, although it was hard to tell if the safety came down because Brandon had already released the ball. It sure looked like Cam had at least 5 yds on the nearest defender (which was the safety pursuing across the field).

 

[condoms SUCk]

There was one camera angle on Wimbush's INT that only showed it for a split-second, but before he threw the ball, Cam Smith was running wide open down the field. If Wimbush goes long down the seam instead of trying to hit [ESB?] on a corner, Smith has a looooong TD catch.

I'd expect they saved a few other variations of the homerun ball for UGA, and not just via RPO.

Yup, I expect more down the field shots and more misdirection plays, didn't see many of those last weekend either. Especially if UGA comes out aggressive to stop the run, which I'm almost sure they will be.

 

[calvegas04]

hope the game doesn't depend on Yoon making any clutch FG's

 

[Valpodoc85]

Georgia D will be like playing MSU circa 2015-2016. Feels like our OL can handle that

 

[EvilleIrish]

Am I the only one who thinks our offense really didn't show much of anything last week and was saving things for Georgia?

 

[koonja]

Can BK please call the game like he did 2015 FSU? I think BK has been average his entire career at ND at play calling.

But somehow, that was the best offensive play calling I've almost ever seen watching CFB.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

Can BK please call the game like he did 2015 FSU? I think BK has been average his entire career at ND at play calling.

But somehow, that was the best offensive play calling I've almost ever seen watching CFB.

BK isn't calling plays this year and it's debatable which seasons he actually did call plays.

 

[koonja]

BK isn't calling plays this year and it's debatable which seasons he actually did call plays.

I know he's not "calling the plays", but I bet he has quite a bit of influence on our scripted plays at least.

I guess I just wanted to reminisce about how well called that game was. It was awesome to watch, even though we lost.

 

[Blaise]

BK isn't calling plays this year and it's debatable which seasons he actually did call plays.

This...


Does he have influence? Yes... But with all the tight ends last week, it looked like a Long offense... Now if we go 5 wide 90% of time, we can question if BK is back to dictating plays but I think he is really staying hands off

 

[IrishLion]

The stadium might be 40% UGA fans, and yet:

- If UGA wins, we're going to hear nothing but "ND can't hang with the big dogs, they're irrelevant."

- If UGA loses, they'll talk about how UGA is down or how they don't care about that, because they have the SEC championship to play for still


The irony will be wonderful.