Sunday Thoughts on Eight of the last Ten

The 56th win in this series finds Carl Lawson's picture on a milk carton.

Let's start the bullets with the defense. 

- As big as the turnover margin was, the halftime adjustments put pressure on the Auburn offense and forced enticed Malzahn to panic into using Sean White and thereby disrupting some of the rhythm they had rushing the football. What Jeremy Johnson lacks in throwing the football he makes up for in scrambling and running the football. Auburn got away from that when they probably didn't have to. Especially considering White was clearly still hobbled.

- Auburn went into the locker room at the half with 161 yards rushing. They finished the game with 231. Pruitt's defense did a much better job maintaining their discipline and managing the edge later in the game. Great game by Jenkins and Floyd, which was refreshing to see.

- And hello Mr. Carter! Couple tackles and a forced fumble, not to mention a key quarterback pressure.

- Malkom Parrish! Wow. Auburn smartly avoided running to his side, so he never got a tackle. But that interception might have been part of the reason Malzahn eventually sent White in.

- Isaiah McKenzie had a big day - 4 carries for 26 yards and a touchdown, 2 catches for 16 yards, and of course the punt return that he took back for six. He wasn't the only offense on the day, but his speed and dependable hands made a huge difference.

- Maybe Schotty should drink some of Ekeler's Red Bull.

- As much frustration as I had over the short yardage shotgun situations, I thought overall Schottenheimer mixed the wildcat formations with the traditional sets effectively in the second half. He also did a better job of utilizing his weapons than he did last month.

- It was a shame Lambert didn't connect with Mitchell on some of those deep throws. I thought those were great play calls.

- It's a shame Marshall couldn't play either. Was hoping for a big day from #4.

- The offensive line had a mostly effective day. They gave Lambert time and I think it's more than fair to say giving Wynn the task of stopping Lawson was effective. The run blocking never fully sprung Michel into wide open spaces. But it's hard to tell if that's more of a function of the blocking or the fact that everyone knows we're running Sony between the tackles.

- And the third down conversion ineffectiveness continues to be a real concern. Dodged a big bullet with the face mask penalty on the lone touchdown drive.

- Speaking of the first touchdown, Mitchell continues to prove his effectiveness as a blocker.He locked that edge and McKenzie's speed did the rest.

The Fire Em ALL narrative is now harder to hear as it is starting to get drowned out by the Georgia can still win 10 games. Regardless, lot of football left. And if ten wins is to happen, this offense is going to continue to use playmakers like it did yesterday. Against Auburn it was just enough to overcome some suspect playcalling and get yet another win on the plains.

Go Dawgs!

Auburn week - early thought on the offense

Not that I know anything about offensive strategery, but we need to get Keith Marshall and Sony Michel on the field at the same time. As I said last night, I was pleased to see the "Wild Dawg" formations and how it utilized some of our greatest offensive speed in Godwin and Michel. I would assume we might even see them throw the ball some this Saturday on the plains.

Maybe. Just a thought.

Another one is to just take Lambert out of the huddle instead of splitting him out wide. Let Michel option to Marshall. And let Godwin and Mitchell speed sweep and aid in the misdirection of the defense. We're not utilizing #4 and #26 enough and it's clear the coaches have little to no faith in our quarterbacks' ability to stretch the field vertically. So do everything we can to stretch it from sideline to sideline.

Another reason why we should give the ball to Marshall more - he's better than Michel between the tackles. Sony gets there so fast. The blocking is virtually the same as we saw for Chubb, but no back in America has the vision Chubb does. Running Sony into the line has bursts of several yards. Use Marshall more on just some of those and he'll break one open...like we've seen in Opelika before.

Kentucky, rewatched and revisited

I've had a chance to rewatch the televised version and wanted to share a couple thoughts.

First off, give the coaches and players credit for a total team effort in beating an SEC opponent soundly. I admit, the 10-3 halftime score had me a little worried even though our defense appeared in control of their depleted offense enough to control things. In what had to a monumental week of distractions, everyone focused on the task at hand and gave the fans a very welcome result for four complete quarters.

Speaking of the fans, we were definitely a subdued lot. That came through on the broadcast even more than in person. Still, the turnout was better than I expected. It was a late arriving crowd, but Sanford filled in pretty well.

The highlight was certainly Marshall's touchdown reception. For a coordinator that has struggled mightily with red zone play calling, that screen pass was the perfect selection. The blocking was perfect, especially on the edge where Malcolm Mitchell not only locked on his man long enough to set him up for THE STIFFARM OF THE CENTURY, but he also kept his position enough to force a difficult angle on another Kentucky defender.

From there Marshall took care of the rest. Great speed to turn the corner and powered through towards the pylon with nimble footwork and perfect product placement of the football (all the way down to the Georgia G showing on the endzone replay camera) for the replay officials to correct the call on the field.

The only nit to pick on the defense was some poor tackling at times. That needs to be emphasized and cleaned up the next three games especially.

Special teams. Until pooch kicks are outlawed, we will not rest easy my friend.

Lastly, the reason this post is over 24 hours late is because of this - how in the world did we not have that gamplan for Florida? I can't wrap my head around that level of egregiousness and inept game planning. Faton Bauta has taken a lot of criticism since Jacksonville, some of it carefully and appropriately worded, some of it out of Fran's mouth. However, if we utilize those simple read options with Bauta at quarterback, and allow Godwin and Michel to stretch the field laterally, the 2015 edition of the WLOCP is a different game altogether.

I'm bewildered. And I'd be lying if I didn't admit that took much of the shine off of what was otherwise a great day to be a Dawg.

Converting third downs for bowl eligibility

Schottenheimer's offense is coming off a season low in converting third downs after managing just 16% against Florida. Georgia is now next to last in the SEC - 31%. Kentucky is 12th in the conference in opponents' third down conversion rate - 42%.

Something has to give. I mean, right?

We haven't scored a touchdown in nearly six handles of bourbon (that's like my metric system). Most of you that are reading this are here for some commentary on a millionaire's job security. Perhaps find a different blog to read for about a month. 

This is a young team that needs the extra practices. How do you get practices in December? You become bowl eligible. How do you become bowl eligible? You score touchdowns. How do you score touchdowns? You convert third downs. How do you convert third downs? 

Glad you asked.

- You run the damn ball. If the legs of Sony or Douglas or Marshall or our new punter or our old punter get you down the field, don't throw the ball. Run it. RUN IT!! The fans will thank you. The offensive line and the quarterback will thank you. Most importantly, the scoreboard will thank you!

- Speaking of Keith Marshall, he's not his old self. Sure. But you know what, lemme throw this number at you - 5.33. That's his YPC against Florida. That's awesome! Sad part is he only had three carries. He's got fresh legs. Use them.

- Speaking of using them, here's an actual drive chart for one possession (the only possession of the game that saw #4) in the second quarter - Marshall rush for 9 yards, Marshall rush for 5 yards, screen pass to Marshall for 5 yards, Marshall rush for 2 yards...then on third and two, after #4 had gashed them for 14 yards on Theus' hip, Bauta is sacked on a pass play for -3 yards.

- Run the ball. RUN IT!!

- Utilize 26 too. Malcolm Mitchell is better than anybody Kentucky has. Seems like a no brainer, but then again he was better than Florida's defense too. There's not a rule that a receiver can only run routes. Especially when he's your biggest weapon.

Go back and look at the number of passes called on third down, regardless of distance. Schottenheimer's lack of confidence in the running game is staggering.

Every game is gonna be a struggle from here on out. Pruitt's defense will have it's hands full against Georgia Southern and Tech, but should match up well against Kentucky and Auburn. However, they can't be asked to be on the field every couple minutes of game clock. 

And you avoid that by...(say it with me)...converting third downs.

"Schottenheimer went out and picked Lambert."

This dissertation by Legge is both wordy and on point. Since it's an off week at the height of the new offensive coordinator's disapproval ratings, it comes in swinging. Hard.

For me, it does two things: 1) marries Schottenheimer to Richt's hip, and 2) suggests that we shouldn't expect too much change, even given the "October spring ball" backdrop to this week.

I think Lambert can be what we need, but if that day comes in late November it's about a month too late. So the question really becomes, can Schottenheimer swallow his pride and gameplan his ass off? Can he coach up Bauta or Ramsey in time to make hay? If not, can he reinvent Lambert into an SEC quarterback?

If not, I'd just assume Richt pretend it's 2002 and tell the guys in the neon yellow caps that he's taking over and they can go ahead and burn that goddamn picture chart.

Whatever it takes to beat florida I'm fully onboard with.

Go Dawgs!

Sunday's thoughts on overworked uprights

via UGA Paint Line

This is going to begin where it should - the defense.

You're going to hear (and already have most likely) a lot of "well buts" in terms of how anemic Missouri's offense is as an excuse for why the defense looked good last night. Don't know about you but I find those fans' vision extremely near-sighted. We lost to Tennessee because we couldn't tackle. We beat Missouri because we did. Very well.

And that three down stop that began inside the one yard line to start the game was as big as keys to the game get. They score there and we're likely still in bed with a pillow over our heads right now.

Some other important notes on the defense:
- Couldn't help but notice that Jonathan Ledbetter and Natrez Patrick were on the field early.
- Came into the game worried a lot about the Tigers' defensive front spending the night in our offensive backfield. But Pruitt's guys were the more aggressive unit as they racked up nine tackles for loss, including four sacks.
- 42 yards rushing allowed. That's just plain sexy right there.
- My favorite play might have been Sterling Bailey's sack. Just blew up his blocker and devoured Lock for a seven yard loss.
- The only downside to the defense last night was losing Dominick Sanders for the first half of the Florida game. I thought it looked like a bad call, but heard Richt say it was the right one. I'll see if I agree when I rewatch the television version.

The offense is going to continue to take a local, regional, and national pounding for all of the inefficiency before they play again. Schottenheimer and his squad need to have some serious soul searching as they prepare for the final stretch of games. So glad we have an off week. Because although I did find the offense hard to watch at times, I think there's still some tweaks that can make this offense into what we need it to be - ground/clock control that sets up the play action game.

Look, you can't lose a playmaker like Chubb and not have to adjust. That's going to take some time. Yes, we can't afford for it to take longer than the next game on the schedule. But unless you have a second Nick Chubb on the roster (which we don't by the way, I checked) you're going to have some growing pains.
- Especially when you don't have a quarterback that can shoulder the load.
- You're going to be able to find all kinds of really hot takes about Greyson Lambert and the Georgia quarterback play today. I'm not going to beat a dead horse. I've summarized my feelings before with the fact that this is what you get when you don't recruit the position to the level that we need.
- Greyson Lambert is the quarterback at Georgia. I've wanted to see Bauta play since last season ended, but for whatever reason, that's not going to happen. So it's really time for the offensive coordinator to earn that scratch we're paying him.
- Like any quarterback, Lambert works best when he's able to set his feet. That's not always happening in the pocket. He moved outside the pocket a lot more earlier in the season. It seems like now he's being told to step in and make a throw instead of extending the play when he can.
- We saw that last night on the interception to start the game and the almost interception towards the end. The first one was tipped, but it was still a bad throw to make there.
- We have playmakers in Malcolm Mitchell and Terry Godwin that can wreak havoc in the secondary with just a couple more seconds.
- Plus, if Lambert were to roll out just a few times it would open up some of the intermediate routes that he's forcing balls into.
- You say all that and then realize that the guy still completed 72% of his passes. Which is why I think that even though most of the fingers are pointing at the guy wearing the jersey, most of the blame lies at the guy with the playchart.
- That screen pass to the stacked receivers is cute, once. Maybe twice. How long does it take to realize that we're not able to block those guys? Lucky their defensive backs didn't jump one and house it.
- Maybe Schotty was using those quick screens to slow down their edge rushers. But we have other screen passes in the playbook. I know. I've seen them.
- Sony is everything we need in a starting running back. I'm impressed with the way he runs between the tackles and gets into space. With some extra time the next two weeks I think he'll have more space to run as the line adjusts to his style and speed and he adjusts to what he's seeing.
- And that last point is key. Chubb's vision is what makes him elite. And his vision made him patient enough to let things develop. Sony's getting to the action a lot quicker. That should be something they work on a lot before Jacksonville.
- Robert suggested the key may be to have Sony split out into the slot and Keith Marshall in the backfield. I tend to agree, but mostly as a way to avoid rushing Michel to the point of exhaustion by mid-November. #1 needs 20-30 touches a game, but 70% of them can't be runs between the tackles. He's just not built for that.
- I'm sure the offensive line is banged up after these last few games. I think they're still trying to find themselves again after what Bama was able to do. And that was a great, great defense they played last night and held mostly in check. Yes, they gave up several tackles for loss (which is something we talked about leading up to the game). But only two sacks allowed is impressive against that front.

Special teams were good. No touchbacks unfortunately. But the angles and assignments on the coverage were maybe the best this season, as evidenced by Missouri's fumbled punt and that last kickoff.
- Great call putting Mitchell in as a gunner. He and Michel are our most dynamic players. He's a senior and is really leading by example on offense for a young receiving corps. Letting him do the same on special teams was something I was happy to see.
- So we know if a game later in the season comes down to a field goal, set Morgan up (if possible) in the middle where he's money. That left hash must be where I tee off every time Mrs. Bernie lets me play golf.
- Barber's punts won't stand out on the stat line, but he had three inside the 20. In a game that relies so heavily on field position, that was so important.
- Godwin looks as comfortable returning punts as Steve Spurrier does quitting on his team. Easy, smooth, and as fast as a lightning strike!

Whew. That was a lot. I know I've missed some things. We'll hit on them later in the week. I could use a nap. Go Dawgs!

Schotty calling out Lambert?

From the file "two pennies for your time"...

To some degree it's easy to read too much into this -

"He's got to know, hey, this is third down. This is a pretty important play," – Schottenheimer on Greyson Lambert

— Sarah K. Spencer (@sarah_k_spence) October 14, 2015

But from my view outside the arena, it might help Lambert perform better on third down if you perform better on first and second.

Now more than ever this needs has to be a run-oriented offense, even without its star running back. Lambert has shown he can make all the throws when he's comfortable. Third and long ain't doing anybody any favors. So do more to get Sony and Marshall into space on the early downs.

Jancek vs. Schotty, what gives?

It's hard to find a strength from the defense that ranks last in the conference, but Jake Rowe hits on something with Tennessee's secondary that I noticed in their game against Florida.

The safeties, Kelly and Randolph, both have the ability to be effective close to the line of scrimmage. Many teams have that one player who can roll down and become the extra defender, but Tennessee has the luxury of two. That allows John Jancek to flip his pressures and his coverages without being concerned about whether or not he has the right defender in the box.

I'm sure Schottenheimer has stressed this point over the past week especially. One way to counteract that and help Lambert out is to check down to a receiver out of the backfield. Of course, as Rowe also points out, if you gain yards on first down you take away this Tennessee defense's aggressiveness.

We should be able to run the ball well on Saturday. But I wouldn't mind seeing Sony or Quayvon catch some balls out of the backfield either.

Bama week - a battle of the minds and the muscle

Most of the commentary I've seen and heard this week gives Georgia the edge in having multiple game changers. Personally, it's probably closer to even except for one guy - Sony Michel. I agree that the Dawgs may have better talent at receiver, but it's largely untested in the scope of a game of this magnitude.

Still, the Tide lost one of their best receivers in Robert Foster a couple weeks ago. To fill some of that void, Saban hinted that they may use Cyrus Jones in a receiving role Saturday against the Dawgs. Jones is a senior defensive back and one of Alabama's more explosive players. He's their leading punt returner and is a guy that can find space quickly.

Saban said using cornerback Cyrus Jones some at wide receiver is "something that we've discussed and certainly, probably have to consider in the future." Starting wide receiver Robert Foster suffered a season-ending injury against Ole Miss Sept. 19. Tide wide receivers had six dropped passes last week.

Still, OJ Howard remains the big target that Pruitt's defense must focus on stopping. Or at least minimizing his impact.

Howard leads the team in receiving yards despite not catching a touchdown this season. At 6-foot-6 242 pounds with wide receiver skills, the Alabama native creates matchup problems for every team The Crimson Tide faces. He’s quick and athletic enough to gain clean releases at the line of scrimmage. He’s too big and physical for defensive backs to cover him but too athletic for linebackers. It’ll take a strong game plan and proper execution to throw him off his game.

And Ty Flournoy-Smith has a couple catches on the season too. Remember him?

I said early in the week that this is one of those games that will be won in the trenches, and I still believe that. Both teams have been in games like this before, even against each other. In the fourth quarter, when the game is in the balance and there is a critical third down, someone is either going to win or lose right there at the line of scrimmage.

That being said, the offense that does the better job stretching the defense from sideline to sideline as well as down the field will have a tremendous edge in winning the line of scrimmage. Kiffin will want to get Drake, Henry, Stewart, and Ridley into space with the ball, just as Schottenheimer will try to with Chubb, Michel, Mitchell, Blazevich, and McKenzie.

I think both teams will want to do that without getting cute. Imposing one's will on the other will be the order of the day for at least the first half. Who pulls out the reverse pass or other trickerations out of the playbook first?

This game is why Richt went out in January and got Brian Schottenheimer. This game is why we got an offensive line coach with a hard edge in Rob Sale. This game is what makes Tracy Rocker so pissed off at the entire world.

In short, tighten those chin straps boys. Rammer Jammer Yeller Hammer. Hunker it down one more time!

Schotty gon' shoppin'?

The ink isn't even dry on Lambert's new NCAA record and the AJC is already shopping off our new offensive coordinator to a head coach gig somewhere (program TBD).

This will be the point when the two connecting stories finally part ways. Lambert will have found a home in Athens, and Schottenheimer will be free to start looking for one again. The longtime assistant that has already interviewed for at least two head coaching jobs and was rumored to have interest in at least two more over the last decade will be an attractive name on the market once again because of the newest line on his resume. And this time he will probably get one of those head coaching positions he covets so much because he would be able to say, “Did you see what I did with Greyson Lambert?”

Schotty, we hardly knew ya!

What happens when his quarterback throws a pick against Southern this Saturday? Or lines up under right guard in a couple weeks to Uncle Verne's chuckles? Or steps on Chubb's ankle in a clumsy backfield exchange?

In other words, Saturday night was tons of fun. but we're three games into a long season. Let's not get too carried away, shall we?

The Gamecock rewatch

Some final notes and observations after watching the televised version yesterday. Let's start the only place you can after that game, with Greyson Lambert.

The only blemish for Lambert on what really was about a perfect a day as a quarterback can have was a few wide open receivers downfield that were missed somehow. I wouldn't even mention it considered the day that Lambert had throwing the ball, except that there have been a few of these a game that he's either not seen or checked into a closer option. My analysis is that he is set on one option pre-snap most of the time (remember, he's only been on campus a couple months).

Otherwise, Lambert was a a machine. Seriously, he never made a questionable throw. Even the one incompletion was a ball thrown where the defender could not make a play on it. The Jay Rome completion was a dart that set up the first touchdown nicely. The back shoulder fade to Mitchell was reminiscent of another #11's signature throw in recent memory. And when Lambert's checks allowed some measure of a pass rush to develop, he appropriately extended the play or tucked it and ran.

In short, Lambert unequivocally shut up the doubters. I think the progressions downfield is something worth keeping an eye on as he continues to mature under quality coaching. But how can you argue against him being the starter on a team that doesn't need a world-beater? Just a smart guy that can make the throws and the handoffs alike.

Onto the bullets:
- The only blemish overall was the kick coverage. I think Morgan only had one kick that wasn't either in the endzone or near it, yet still their returner had gaping holes to choose from as he jaunted toward midfield. We're lucky Morgan was there to plug it up and wrap him up a couple times. A kick return for a touchdown could've changed the mood dramatically.
- This offensive line is a joy to watch. Blackledge and Nessler made mention of their experience. But we've had experienced lines before. These guys are road graders. I guess we'll see how good they are when Alabama comes to town, but they've been a joy to watch the first three games and I think Coach Sale deserves some kudos for how clean Lambert's jersey has been.
- Sounds like the media just caught wind of Ramsey's punt last night since it happened towards the end as the clock was draining. We noticed it in the stands but tv was busy elsewhere I guess to give it much airplay. But when the timeout is called you can clearly see Ramsey mouth to the sideline "You want me to punt it?" The stories that emerged last night mostly attributed it to giving him a live rep in preparation in case he's ever needed to punt. But...you have to think it has at least an added benefit of giving opponents something else to look at.
- And what a nice punt it was!
- Malkom Parrish is a joy to watch. He has a nose for the ball and seems to embrace run defense on the edges so much I'm not sure why teams run to his side. I know I've said that before, but it deserves repeating. I won't compare him to #4, but I have a special place in my heart for defensive backs that play physical on the edges like Champ did.
- Jenkins and Floyd get a lot of the attention (and very much deserved), but Ganus and Kimbrough are earning their own mentions in the middle. The future Mrs. Ganus must've been impressed. :)
- The flags got old, did they not? I thought this crew did as good a job as they could've when the game was getting out of hand from an emotional standpoint. And the targeting call was the right call on the field, at game speed. Then the replay officials rightly overturned it. But a few other flags were excessive or questionable at best. Especially the offsides on the pooch kick.
- On the drive back the wife turned to me and asked, "So, South Carolina is really bad right?" That's a good question and my quick answer was "Yes, yes they are." So there's a word of caution there in getting too excited. I do believe Vanderbilt is better, at least defensively. And we had the added benefit of getting the Gamecocks a week after their quarterback went down. Once that Nunez kid can add some passes to his skillset, they should be much better offensively.

Still, all in all, just a masterful game. Especially for Coach Schottenheimer and his gameplan. Georgia didn't punt until late in the third and only had to face three third downs all night. I guess if you want to pick nits you could point out we only converted one of those. But really, that would be like eating a delicious steak only to complain about the steak knife needing to be sharpened.

Lambert, Ramsey, and Bauta walk into a huddle

Here are four scenarios for how the quarterback position could play out. And really, I think I'm okay with any of them. Also, feel free to provide your own if you think Leonard Floyd can throw a spiral hand it to Chubb.

Lambert takes the reins

It’s a key moment in the game. Something like it’s third and medium distance, or we’re backed up to our own goal line, or it’s fourth down at midfield, and the coaches put the ball in their starter’s hands. They send in a play that immediately tells Lambert -If you want this team, here are the keys. We need you NOW!

Big throw to Malcolm Mitchell for a big gain. And not just a tunnel screen or one of those quick outs where 26 is one on one and he beats the defensive back’s attempt at a tackle for more yards. No, this one is all 11. Deep throw that is on the money and moves the chains or adds to the scoreboard.

Ramsey finally steps up

He’s had his moments. And he’s made some big throws. But a moment arises when he’s in the huddle and he makes a play. And unlike “Lambert takes the reins”, this doesn’t necessarily have to be a key moment, but if it were it would only add to the confidence level I’m sure.

What I envision is a long drive that puts all of Ramsey's talent on display. There’s a big throw down the sideline. A quick out to move the chains. A key block when Sony suddenly reverses field. There’s a line of scrimmage audible when he sees something he doesn’t like. Then, as the clock drains towards halftime, it’s third and three at the 25 yard line. Timeout by Richt to give Schotty time to come up with a play. A field goal would extend the lead to a touchdown. Can we get more here with just a few seconds left? Sensing a handoff to Chubb one safety cheats towards the line of scrimmage just before the snap. Ramsey looks the other safety off and then fires to the slant route on the wide side of the field. Right between the 8 and the 1. Touchdown!

Bauta’s patience pays off

Lambert sustains an injury while Ramsey throws a pick. Or vice versa. Either way, Bauta enters the huddle and moves the chains, most likely with his arm and his feet. In fact, it starts with a run on a zone read play very similar to the play Lambert scored on in Nashville last week. Defense keys on a handoff to Chubb and dares Bauta to throw. But he does neither and scrambles for 15-20 yards.

On the next play we max protect and Bauta hits Mitchell on a crossing pattern right over the blitzing safety’s head. Now the defense is on its heels and Chubb gashes them with two carries for another 30 yards. Bauta hits Blazevich on a drag route that appears to be heading for six, but replay shows the tight end’s foot was out at the three.

No worries. Naked bootleg and Bauta powers over a crashing defensive back and dives forward across the line for a touchdown.

Status quo

Lambert continues to start with Ramsey coming in at designated times for a complimentary drive of TBD length/time/yards/points. The playbook eases open a little more each quarter and both the running game and the passing game benefit. During the game against Southern, all three quarterbacks get live work in and have good days. This makes the receivers especially happy.

Honestly, there’s nothing wrong with that. The only question becomes can Lambert make the throws with the weight of the game on his shoulders. Because that exact moment is coming sometime in October, if not sooner.

See y'all, we got this. Bring on the 'cocks!

Schotty's signals are Belichick proof

Reading this long piece on the tradition of cheating within the New England Patriots organization reminded me that our new offensive coordinator has crossed paths with the head coach behind Spygate and Deflategate - Bill Belichick.

Of course, the Patriots are most known for stealing (or at least going to great lengths in attempting to steal) defensive signals. But it reminded me that one change on the sideline Saturday was seeing FOUR guys sending in signals to Lambert and Ramsey. I'm sure you saw them too because they were wearing neon yellow hats and armbands. Here's a picture from Radi Nabulsi's gallery:

I'm not sure which of them sent the actual signal in and which of them had the dummy signals, but this is right after they said to hand the ball to 27.

Anyway, I hate pro sports as much as the next guy. But read that piece on the Patriots. It's like a soap opera with all the spurned alliances and covert undermining of authority. But without the makeout scenes.

ULM rewatch - the offense

Vanilla. Plain. Ho-hum.

That’s how many are describing the offensive (and defensive for that matter, which we’ll get to next) performance Saturday. For those who use those descriptions in a critical manner, I’m not really sure what they were expecting to see.

Afforded the opportunity to rewatch the play selection, line blocking, running backs’ decision, downfield blocking, and of course the quarterback play, I was looking mostly for fine details to mention and discuss. Every running play was virtually the same. And passing downs, what few there were, evolved as an exercise in caution.

But there was a lot that can be gleaned regardless. Let’s start with the line of scrimmage.

The offensive line didn’t come out of the gate with bad intentions. But Sale’s group dominated ULM’s front overall. The only concern I saw was when we moved Kublanow over to guard. He may have had a costly penalty for a chop block (I believe), but the line was better with him at center for sure. Pass protection was good. The couple times Lambert was rushed was more due to downfield coverage. And the lanes Chubb, Michel, and Marshall had were reminiscent of last season against Auburn and Louisville.

I’d forgotten how nice it is to have an experienced returning offensive line to start the season.

The running backs were as advertised of course. There really wasn’t much of a surprise here. The only exception might be that we were treated to what it looks like to have three healthy backs that would probably be starters for most other teams. Marshall ran with confidence and the kind of power we may have forgotten he had. His first touchdown wasn’t due to blocking as much as his sheer determination to get in the endzone. And Michel showed plenty of power between the tackles too, moving the pile forward a few times for extra yards.

The only disappointment may have been not getting Turman in the game before it was called. Oh well.

It might be easy to gloss over the receivers as they did not get much in the way of stats. But the truth is they got plenty of work. Mitchell was putting on a clinic blocking, and both he and Blazevich made great catches for scores. Godwin showed us how his speed and athleticism can lead to separation from defenders. He’s going to be fun to watch develop once he’s out of the doghouse for that non-fumble.

Ok, the quarterbacks. Again, to me it was clear why he was named the starter as he just looked more poised. But the main thing is the offense was just better with him out there. You’re probably pointing to the one drive Ramsey had, and you’re right. Not much to go on and Bauta didn’t even get in the game.

But, I saw something Lambert did that Ramsey didn’t, and that was change the play at the line of scrimmage. We were running so many times between the tackles that it was repeatedly an easy call for ULM to blitz up the middle. Lambert looked like he audibled into a better run on Chubb’s second score; Ramsey should have done the same on the sack he took. There were just too many defenders for the center and Keith Marshall to contain.

As I said Sunday, I hesitate to put too much on this one (almost complete) game. But there was enough there to go on, with Lambert’s day in particular, to frame what we might see going forward. And that’s that Lambert has taken better overall control of the offense. Just as I was pleased to see Ramsey make a great touch pass to Michel on the screen, I was even more pleased to see Lambert throw the ball where defenders had minimal (if any at all) chance of putting a hand on it.

Just as it will for the season, the running game set the tone Saturday. Eventually we’ll have a game where the passing game will need to win one for us. Nothing I saw from this “vanilla” version of Schottenheimer’s first game leads me to feel uncomfortable about where this offense is heading.

Here's hoping we get to see all three quarterbacks in Nashville.

Fifteen years and only four with QB competitions

This is my last thought on Lambert being named the starter, until Sunday.

If you look back during Richt's tenure there have been few (true) competitions for the starting quarterback role. His first five seasons he had Greene and/or Shockley. In 2008 and 2009 he had Stafford entrenched as the starter. From 2011-2013 we had the height of Murray's reign. Last season there was much debate among us outside the arena, but there was never much question that Mason was the guy.

via

That leaves these years:

• 2006. Was a true competition, but one that was more about how quickly Stafford could pick up the playbook as well as the speed of the game at this level.
• 2009. Actually very similar to last August in that fans debated about how much Logan Gray might be used and whether Murray/Mett might avoid a redshirt, but it all ended with little doubt that Joe Cox was entrenched as the starter.
• 2010. A very real competition between Murray and Mett ended in a Remerton bar before it gained a full head of steam. There may have been some talk about Mason entering the mix, but Murray was the guy.

So this is just Richt's fourth August with an open battle on the QB depth chart. He said yesterday he was ready for the "zoo to be over", which to me speaks to the importance of whomever he and Schottenheimer elevated to the starter needed as few distractions as possible. Given that this topic has been running its course since December 31st, "zoo" may not have been a strong enough analogy for what might have ensued over the next few days prior to kickoff.

How this competition was handled - from spring reps, to Park leaving, to pursuing a graduate transfer, to naming said transfer the opening game starter - is a debate for another day. The key to this season, at least in terms of the quarterback, may be how Brice Ramsey and Faton Bauta handle being veterans to the campus but second fiddle to the huddle yet again.

And really, who better to empathize with that feeling than Mark Richt and Brian Schottenheimer.

"Time will tell."

As Emerson visits chuckumbia, the Ol' Ball Coach tells us what we already knew.

“You’re gonna have to find out. Time will tell. Time will tell about all that,” Spurrier said. “I wasn’t very good I guess going that way (from college to the NFL). When you’ve got a real good team and you’ve got a good running back like (Nick) Chubb you might be a pretty good play-caller. Good players make good play-callers.”

Truth. Your move Schotty.

Checking the list

I often make a list of off season topics to chew on sometime between now and August. Here's what I have so far.

1. Finish the recruiting drill. Gonna be a big class. Lots of committed talent. Now that the staff is rounded out and filled in, Richt and Co. need to finish strong.
2. Renew all driver's licenses and make sure all scooters are up to code.
3. Answer the questions on offense - QB battle for supremacy!!, who takes Boss Andrews' place??, and develop a deep rotation of wide receivers that can block downfield (as well as catch the football, of course).
4. Answer the questions on defense - second spring of Pruitt's secondary transformation should involve less attrition and more confidence, right?, the departures of Wilson and Herrera leaves both big holes at ILB and much opportunity, bolster the defensive line depth.
5. Keep Nick Chubb away from pedestrian crosswalks.

“Maten was hit by a car? Which football player was driving it?” - Jimmy Williamson, late Sunday evening #cmrhlco pedestrian crosswalks
— Bernie (@BernieDawg) January 13, 2015

6. Continue to develop the new special teams' identity. This past season saw great strides in both production from special teams as well as an improved mindset. But there's always room for improvement (ahem! Kick it deep!).
7. Build a championship culture in both attitude and practice.

That last one is pretty vague I know. But my thoughts are that while the media and fans point to Richt/Pruitt stealing personnel and ideas from Saban, what is actually taking place is a new and improved mission statement towards winning. The nearest model to emulate, by both association and proximity, is in Tuscaloosa.

I would suspect that even as early as GDay we will see that this phenomenon we refer to as The Pruitt Effect is just beginning to take root. So how soon will it truly bear fruit?