UGA Game Analysis - THE plays

[Plainsman94]

First, just a heart breaker last night. I thought the guys really played their guts out. A classic Auburn vs. Georgia game.
I told a guy at work that I felt that this was a 'players game' and that the outcome would be determined by who made more plays. Also, that both offenses would score points and it may come down to who had the ball last.
Of course, you could pick out any number of plays, but to me the entire game came was decided by 3 plays:

1. First play of the 4th Quarter - UGA has the ball on its on 42, it's 3rd down and 16 to go, and Cox connects to T. King for 47 yards down to the Auburn 11. We are in what appears to be our standard Cover 2 defense, UGA lines up in a one back shotgun with 2wr to the right and 1wr to the left. Thorpe has about a 7 yard cushion in front of King at the snap. There is no play fake, READ straight pass, AU rushes four and drops everyone else into coverage - ZONE. From the TV coverage you cannot see the routes run by all of the WR but they show us King's on the replay, it's a stutter step and go, kinda faking the 15 yard square in, then going vertical. Thorpe kinda bites a little on the stutter step and looks into the backfield. BUSTED when Thorpe looks back King runs by him and has him beat. BUT the play still should not have worked - why we are in 2 deep zone. Bates is on that side of the field - his #1 responsibility is not to let anyone get behind him. But where is he? Bates was looking at the QB the whole time, in worse position than Thorpe when the ball was thrown. The announcers said Thorpe got beat, but IMHO this one's on Bates. The correct defense was called - this play should never have worked. Of course, UGA goes on to score a TD off of this - that's 7 points. I think a more experienced Safety stops this play cold.

2. 8:05 left in the 3rd quarter, UGA has the ball on their own 19, it's 3rd down and 8 to go. UGA lines up in a shotgun one back, 2WR to the left and 1WR to the right, with a TE on the left side of the LOS. Auburn is in a Nickle defense, they are showing single safety(25 Bates) / man under at the snap, then immediately run to a 2 deep zone under at the snap. No play fake, READ straight pass. The RB doesn't stay in, immediately gets into the pass pattern underneath the LB's. Auburn rushes only the front 4, gets good push and is collapsing the pocket in less than 2 seconds, but Cox gets the ball off clean. He throws it deep down the middle, a good decision against this coverage. But Bynes has dropped quicker than you think and is in the deep middle zone at the Georgia 43. Cox has just thrown it right to him...but he doesn't catch the ball or knock it down...he plays tip drill with UGA's Orson Charles. Completion for 34 yards to the Auburn 46. While Bynes could have made this play - it would have been a spectacular effort and you cannot really blame him for NOT coming down with the ball. He did a great job just getting a hand on it. And you've got to give UGA credit, #1 for getting the ball out so quick (under 2 seconds) or else it would have been a sack and #2 it took advantage of our guys hustling to the 2 deep locations before they could set back up - it think they snapped the ball before our safeties were really ready. BUT what should have stopped this play? #22 T'Sharvan Bell was playing the other safety opposite Bates on this play. Was too deep behind Charles to make a play on the ball, but in position to stop the TD, he could've played closer and probably broken it up - a big TE like Charles shouldn't be able to run past a guy like bell, but he was probably scared of getting beat deep. Judging by his reaction after the play you would think Bell thought he should've made this play as well. Coleman let Charles off the LOS without even touching him. He was probably excited to get after the QB after having to battle double teams with Charles and the OT on that side all night. This is probably why we had such good push on the pocket, but if Coleman hits #7 at the snap, then rushes, he wouldn't have been in the pattern so deep so quickly and the pass would have had to be shorter and it would've hit Bynes in the numbers. Even as called and played this play should have been stopped by the defense. Again, they were in the right defense for the situation - actually a great defensive call. Players have to make plays - Coleman and/or Bynes could have stopped this play. But all in all I think a more experience Safety in place of T Bell stops this play 9 out of 10 times. Again, UGA goes on to score a TD on this possession - that should have been stopped.

3. Score is 24 all - Auburn defense has just stopped UGA on the possession after the Washington Kickoff Return TD - Auburn's defense is gassed and the offense needs to at least hold the ball for a while and give them some rest - the possession starts at 10:55 left in the game on Auburn's 12 yard line - bad field position. Auburn has moved the ball up to the UGA 48 on 5 plays using every part of the playbook, runs, deep throws, short throws, and wildcat and the UGA defense seems a little off balance. It's 1st and 10, 9:02 left in the game, Auburn lines up in shotgun one back, with Fannin in the short slot to the left, 2WR left and 1WR right, UGA is in a typical 2 deep zone under. Presnap, Fannin motions to the short slot left, but not in the typical alignment for our base run play and opposite Tate in the backfield. This SCREAMS "PASS!!!" to the defense. Sure enough, a half-hearted ball fake to Tate and Todd quickly loads up to throw downfield. Less than 3 seconds and the ball is out. Good thing because Isom's man totally whipped him and is bearing down on Todd's grill. The WR to the right side (Adams) has run an 18 yard Post Corner route which starts out at an angle from his alignment outside toward the goal post then he turns to run 90 degrees across the field to the side line at about the 30 yard line. HE IS WIDE OPEN!!!! This should be a HUGE gainer for the Tigers...unfortunately Todd throws the ball to the Skinny Post at 23 yards which means that the WR should start out again going to the goal post then straighten up down the field on the hash marks. And of course Reshad Jones for UGA is right there for the pick. This looked to me like Todd threw the wrong route, I put this one on him. Maybe it was an option route for Adams due to the defense alignment and Todd didn't make the same read, and it could have been influenced by the amount of pressure on Todd. This was actually a very good play call. Had this play been executed properly Adams would have had the ball on the UGA 30 with room to run and Auburn would have been in great position to take the lead. I think this is one of those plays that in pressure situations one player makes one decision and another makes a different one. If they had run this play 250 times in practice over a 4 year span together they don't make this mistake (they both make the same decision), but it's the first year in this system and with these reads, this kind of mistake is going to happen until ALL of the players have the reads and decisions committed, not just to memory, but to instinct. The solution to this is consistency in the offense and more practice by the players.


I think it is worth noting that ALL of these plays are "deep" passes (more than 15 yards). Any one of them turning out differently could have turned the outcome of the game.

I'm sure others can pick out different plays that made / lost the game, but to me these 3 are it.

[nolimitracing]

Good Job Plainsman,you put some time in on this thread..
Plenty of other chance's Auburn had to win this game or tie it up...
The ball fannion caught and then knocked it out with his knee at the goal line was in my opinion the PLAY....Fannion could\should have caught and tucked the ball,but understand he had 2 db's on him and IF the injury would have not happened,could\would have been different also.The Ga defense was gassed...up till that point.Then the sack and back to back penalty's..
Todd could have put it away but under threw 3 times..
Tate could have done alot better and kept some drives alive,but 4 some reason wanted to run east to west all night..
The OL was manhandled,could\should have done better..
The offense and defense had their chances but could not get it done...
BUT the 2 Turnovers and more penalty's yards than points was AGAIN our downfall...

STILL been a good season compared to last years..Easily could be 9-2 and still got a legit shot at beating Bama and winning a bowl game..IF we dont beat ourself's with turnovers and penalty's..

Rest up ALL,we finally got a well needed week off...
WAR Eagle...still hangin on to the 9 in 09 hopes...

[AUguy]

I'd sure love 9 wins and finishing the season strong. I'm afraid though we will lose to Bama and lose to a lackluster team in a low end bowl. This could hurt recruiting finishing the season this way. I hope it doesn't go down like this.

[SWBgHz]

Defense is just getting gashed, plain and simple - I agree with the analysis there.

On offense though I think the problem is different than what you point out though certainly we did miss plays that with a good throw or catch could have been big.

I see our 'problem' on offense as ill timed shots down the field, lack of patience or unwillingness to stick with high percentage plays and take things in small bits rather than big chunks.

AU 1st drive, third quarter:
A 1-10 A37 AUBURN drive start at 10:57.
A 1-10 A37 Ben Tate rush for 6 yards to the AU43 (Bryan Evans;Darryl Gamble).
A 2-4 A43 Chris Todd pass incomplete to Terrell Zachery (Bryan Evans).
A 3-4 A43 Chris Todd sacked for loss of 6 yards to the AU37 (Justin Houston).
A 4-10 A37 Clinton Durst punt 48 yards to the GA15, Prince Miller return 3 yards to the GA18 (Emory Blake)

This drive is so symbolic of many drives this year. So many times this game and this year we have been in good position after a high percentage first down play only to squander it with ill advised 2nd and/or 3rd down plays.

AU 2nd drive, third quarter: A 1-10 A24 AUBURN drive start at 04:45.
A 1-10 A24 O. McCalebb rush for 13 yards to the AU37, 1ST DOWN AU, out-of-bounds
(Prince Miller).
A 1-10 A37 O. McCalebb rush for 5 yards to the AU42 (Darryl Gamble).
A 2-5 A42 Chris Todd pass complete to Tommy Trott for 34 yards to the GA24, 1ST
DOWN AU (Darryl Gamble).
A 1-10 G24 Ben Tate rush for 6 yards to the GA18 (Bryan Evans).
A 2-4 G18 Ben Tate rush for 1 yard to the GA17 (Rennie Curran;Jeff Owens).
A 3-3 G17 Chris Todd pass complete to Lee Ziemba for loss of 3 yards to the GA20 (Kade
Weston;Akeem Dent), PENALTY AU illegal touching declined.
A 4-6 G20 Wes Byrum field goal attempt from 37 GOOD, clock 02:08.

Here is one where the shot paid off, to Trott deep middle. But the pattern repeats after that first down with good run on first down, small gain on second, and another cutsie who knows what on third down for a loss. No idea what was going on here but the second they lined up in that wacky formation I knew we where not going to get the first down, for crying out loud it is 3rd and 3 and you are trying to trick who for what?

AU 1st drive, fourth quarter:
A 1-10 A12 AUBURN drive start at 10:55.
A 1-10 A12 Ben Tate rush for 4 yards to the AU16 (Bacarri Rambo).
A 2-6 A16 Chris Todd pass incomplete to Quindarius Carr (Bacarri Rambo).
A 3-6 A16 Chris Todd pass complete to Darvin Adams for 20 yards to the AU36, 1ST
DOWN AU (Branden Smith).
A 1-10 A36 Chris Todd pass complete to Emory Blake for 8 yards to the AU44 (Prince
Miller;Akeem Dent).
A 2-2 A44 Kodi Burns rush for 8 yards to the GA48, 1ST DOWN AU (Demarcus
Dobbs).
A 1-10 G48 Chris Todd pass intercepted by Reshad Jones at the GA25, Reshad Jones return
21 yards to the GA46 (Ben Tate), PENALTY AU face mask (Tommy Trott) 15
yards to the AU39, 1st and 10, GA ball on AU39

Another rinse and repeat of the same formula - good first down high percentage plays followed by shots down the field. One pays off and the next doesn't but this time instead of just giving us a 2nd or 3rd and long we lose possession.

AU 2nd drive, fourth quarter:
A 1-10 A25 AUBURN drive start at 06:45.
A 1-10 A25 O. McCalebb rush for 5 yards to the AU30 (Demarcus Dobbs).
A 2-5 A30 Ben Tate rush for 10 yards to the AU40, 1ST DOWN AU, out-of-bounds
(Prince Miller).
A 1-10 A40 Ben Tate rush for 9 yards to the AU49 (Rennie Curran).
A 2-1 A49 Ben Tate rush for 1 yard to the 50 yardline, 1ST DOWN AU (Rennie
Curran;Jeff Owens).
A 1-10 A50 Kodi Burns pass complete to Terrell Zachery for 26 yards to the GA24,
out-of-bounds (Bacarri Rambo), PENALTY AU illegal motion 5 yards to the
AU45, NO PLAY.
A 1-15 A45 O. McCalebb rush for 1 yard to the AU46 (Brandon Boykin).
A 2-14 A46 O. McCalebb rush for 20 yards to the GA34, 1ST DOWN AU, out-of-bounds
(Rennie Curran).
A 1-10 G34 Ben Tate rush for 2 yards to the GA32 (Rennie Curran).
A 2-8 G32 Chris Todd pass complete to Mario Fannin for 7 yards to the GA25,
out-of-bounds (Prince Miller).
A 3-1 G25 Ben Tate rush for no gain to the GA25 (C. Washington;Demarcus Dobbs).
A 4-1 G25 O. McCalebb rush for 3 yards to the GA22, 1ST DOWN AU (Akeem Dent).
A 1-10 G22 Ben Tate rush for loss of 1 yard to the GA23 (C. Robinson;Brandon Boykin).
A 2-11 G23 Chris Todd pass incomplete to Mario Fannin (Bacarri Rambo).
A 3-11 G23 Chris Todd sacked for loss of 7 yards to the GA30 (C. Washington).
A 4-18 G30 Timeout Auburn, clock 01:07.
A 4-18 G30 Timeout Auburn, clock 01:07.
A 4-18 G30 PENALTY AU false start (Lee Ziemba) 5 yards to the GA35.
A 4-23 G35 Chris Todd pass incomplete to Darvin Adams (Brandon Boykin).

This is the drive that really irked me. We move down the field with some good strong runs and short passing. We get to the edge of the redzone and Tate gets stuffed, 2nd and 11. Then comes the pass to Fanin, an aggressive call but not a terrible one and save a great defensive hit it is 1st and goal. But now it is 3rd and 11, after a looong break due to the injury so the defense has caught its breath, and we take another shot down the field (seemingly to the endzone) instead of a high percentage quick short throw or even a screen or draw that would get us a chunk of the 11 needed and with a broken tackle maybe more. So now instead of 4th and 3 or 5 or maybe even 1st down inside the 20 it is 4th and worse - game over.

That 3rd and 11 call sums up this offense and its troubles this year, all or nothing. Go back to the first two drives of the game, the difference there verse the other 3 quarters of flat offense and no points - in that first quarter we made the all or nothing 3rd and long plays (couple times with screens). Once we stop hitting the low percentage, high risk plays though the entire offense stalls because CGM is unable or unwilling to just stick to the underneath stuff and runs.

[sec38row34]

Here's the same theme that I saw. Todd gets sacked because McCain gets beat. Third and long because Ziemba gets a false start penalty. It's been repeated time and time again. What was Ziemba doing in the area where he caught that pass? Shouldn't he have been blocking someone?

[Plainsman94]

SWB - one thing I think you continue to overlook is one of the primary reason that Tate and some others are having success running is BECAUSE CGM keeps throwing it deep and keeping the defense honest and off balance.

When they KNOW Auburn is going to run - the RB gets STUFFED about all the time.

I've actually been reading your stuff, but I'm having a hard time determining what you think are proper plays. You don't like outside runs (what you call East/WEst runs) and you don't like pass more than 15 yards downfield.

What exactly do you think is a good series of plays?

Has Auburn run ONE series you thought was acceptable this year?

[SWBgHz]

Originally Posted by Plainsman94

SWB - one thing I think you continue to overlook is one of the primary reason that Tate and some others are having success running is BECAUSE CGM keeps throwing it deep and keeping the defense honest and off balance.

This is just a bunch of crap. Not all teams frequently challenge down the field, in fact many teams do not. Furthermore, it isn't about taking shots it is about when you take them and how you take them. It is also about whether you are capable of recovering from the missed shots and on that mark this offense is really struggling with most of the shots being drive killers. That play detailing shows that the run and short to intermediate passing game was working just fine, fairly consistent and productive. I am all for taking shots down the field but it must be done judiciously and with the game situation and player capability taken in to account. Taking shots like you are throwing stuff against the wall to see what sticks does more harm than good.

Originally Posted by Plainsman94

When they KNOW Auburn is going to run - the RB gets STUFFED about all the time.

Look again at the play by play - over and over we had high percentage runs or underneath passing being successful only to have ill advised shots turn a 2nd and short in to 3rd and long or 3rd and short in to a punt. Nobody was stuffing the higher percentage stuff and we where not consistently hitting the high risk stuff.

Originally Posted by Plainsman94

I've actually been reading your stuff, but I'm having a hard time determining what you think are proper plays. You don't like outside runs (what you call East/WEst runs) and you don't like pass more than 15 yards downfield.

I don't like excessive East/West running, I think we are better at North/South with a great back like Tate. But again, it is about timing - you don't dial up a slow to develop run outside on a critical 3rd and short. It is all about timing, our plays are fine it is when we call what that is the issue. Read the play by play again - you will see a consistent thread of low percentage deep passes stalling drives.

Originally Posted by Plainsman94

What exactly do you think is a good series of plays?

Has Auburn run ONE series you thought was acceptable this year?

I thought the final drive for Auburn was excellent save the idiocy after Fanin's drop. They drove down the field with a good mix of run (N/S and E/W) and underneath high percentage passing. The when they got to the 23 or so a run got stuffed, and outside run that was kind slow developing but otherwise not a bad call in and of itself. So that left 2nd and 11 and the shot at the goaline to Fanin, a valiant and gutsy call that almost paid off - such is football. Where CGM lost it was on the next call, on 3rd and 11. Instead of realizing he took his shot and missed and focusing on the first down (time was not a factor) he had to dial up another shot and not only a shot at all of the 11 yards at the goal line, and we get sacked before Todd even reaches the apex of his drop - game over. The smart call would have been a quick pass, even a screen or maybe even a draw - try to get half the 11 so you got a manageable 4th down or if you break a tackle or make a good play you get the first down on that play. But either way, on 3rd and 11 you go high percentage and don't risk the whole game on one play.

The issue with CGM and this offense is the frequency with which they take drive ending (or in the case of last night) game ending chances. It is all high risk, low percentage stuff even in spite of the fact that the low risk, high percentage stuff is working just fine and ignoring the fact that for 3 quarters or all day in some games, the high risk, low percentage stuff hasn't hit at all. The result is an offense that is, too often, all or nothing. Either we are balls to the wall lights out down the field for the score or we are flat and 3 and out, and the worst is with no low gear or a reluctance to grind in low gear it is hard for the offense to work out of those flat funks. Go back and look at those first two drives where we did score - in each drive we had multiple third and longs from excessive low percentage plays.

Here is the first half of plays, notice in every series except the first we have tons of no gains or losses. So much high risk, low percentage plays we are always killing our own drives by getting in bad situations.

1st series (TD):
A 1-10 A26
A 2-7 A29
A 1-10 A43
A 2-5 A48
A 1-10 G45
A 1-10 G27
A 2-10 G27
A 1-G G10
A 2-G G10
A 2-G G05

2nd series (TD):
A 1-10 A18
A 2-13 A15
A 3-7 A21
A 3-12 A16
A 1-10 A32
A 2-8 A34
A 3-8 A34
A 1-10 A47
A 2-19 A38
A 3-10 A47
A 1-10 G31
A 2-10 G31

3rd series:
A 1-10 G44
A 2-10 G44
A 3-12 G46
A 4-21 A45

4th series:
A 1-10 A39
A 1-10 A39
A 2-8 A41
A 3-8 A41
A 1-10 G40
A 2-8 G38
A 3-6 G36
A 4-6 G36

5th series:
A 1-10 A42
A 1-10 G34
A 2-8 G32
A 3-8 G32
A 3-16 G40

6th series:
A 1-10 A39
A 2-12 A37
A 3-4 A45
A 4-1 A48
A 4-6 A43

This offense excels at taking risks that only sometimes payoff while they often leave us in a hole, that leads to more risks and worse consequences - and so on and so on.

[xaff]

SWB you think that if we don't throw downfield once a while the opposing defenses will still not stack the box?

And what happened to the 3rd and 1 / 4th and 1 againt Ole Miss? You didn't see the LBs getting closer to the LOS on most of those pass plays? You didn't notice how sometimes he even tried to run the ball against a stacked box (-1 to tate on last carry... 1 to tate on the carry before ). Do you watch the game or hear it on the radio?

You think Malzahn is just a dumbass on the field, and You must be smarter than Malzahn, that everyone calls a genius. It doesn't matter that he won the coordinator of the year his first year in SEC, had consistent top 5 offenses since then, and took his team to SECCG.... a feat Arky didn't repeat even with McFadden and Jones as seniors.

If he only hand over the ball to Ben Tate and told him to run into the opposing box, all will be well in the world.

[xaff]

LOL the drive he likes, the one he claims to have 'good mix of run and underneath passing' had ALL (TEN) RUSHES and ONE LATERAL PASS. uh. no thanks, I think Auburn will pass.

And once the opposing defenses stacked the box (Tate for 2. Tate for 0. McCalebb for 3. Tate for -1 ) he thinks Malzahn was an idiot for taking the shot downfield.

[SWBgHz]

Originally Posted by xaff

SWB you think that if we don't throw downfield once a while the opposing defenses will still not stack the box?

And what happened to the 3rd and 1 / 4th and 1 againt Ole Miss? You didn't see the LBs getting closer to the LOS on most of those pass plays? You didn't notice how sometimes he even tried to run the ball against a stacked box (-1 to tate on last carry... 1 to tate on the carry before ). Do you watch the game or hear it on the radio?

You think Malzahn is just a dumbass on the field, and You must be smarter than Malzahn, that everyone calls a genius. It doesn't matter that he won the coordinator of the year his first year in SEC, had consistent top 5 offenses since then, and took his team to SECCG.... a feat Arky didn't repeat even with McFadden and Jones as seniors.

If he only hand over the ball to Ben Tate and told him to run into the opposing box, all will be well in the world.

Give me a break - you don't have to run a spread or go balls to the wall all or nothing downfield every 2nd or 3rd play to have a good offense. And I never said give Tate the ball over and over every play. I said go for underneath stuff, slants, screens, even MacCalebb stuff outside - high percentage stuff and selectively take shots at times you can AFFORD for them to miss or have good reason to think they will hit AND that you players can execute them.

Did it escape your attention that just yesterday one of those 'tired' and 'old fashioned' I-formation offenses out scored us 31 to 17 with absolutely no more, if even the same, talent on offense as we have? So enough with this argument that you cannot run or do short to intermediate passing unless you are running a go for broke big play spread offense. Damn, Mike Bobo managed to outscore this unquestionable CGM offensive guru - I don't know whether to laugh or cry at that.

Originally Posted by xaff

LOL the drive he likes, the one he claims to have 'good mix of run and underneath passing' had ALL (TEN) RUSHES and ONE LATERAL PASS. uh. no thanks, I think Auburn will pass.

Not true - the one I cited as a good drive the last drive, until the second shot on 3rd and 11 after the missed shot on 2nd and 11

AU 2nd (and final) drive, fourth quarter:
A 1-10 A25 AUBURN drive start at 06:45.
A 1-10 A25 O. McCalebb rush for 5 yards to the AU30 (Demarcus Dobbs).
A 2-5 A30 Ben Tate rush for 10 yards to the AU40, 1ST DOWN AU, out-of-bounds
(Prince Miller).
A 1-10 A40 Ben Tate rush for 9 yards to the AU49 (Rennie Curran).
A 2-1 A49 Ben Tate rush for 1 yard to the 50 yardline, 1ST DOWN AU (Rennie
Curran;Jeff Owens).
A 1-10 A50 Kodi Burns pass complete to Terrell Zachery for 26 yards to the GA24,
out-of-bounds (Bacarri Rambo), PENALTY AU illegal motion 5 yards to the
AU45, NO PLAY.
A 1-15 A45 O. McCalebb rush for 1 yard to the AU46 (Brandon Boykin).
A 2-14 A46 O. McCalebb rush for 20 yards to the GA34, 1ST DOWN AU, out-of-bounds
(Rennie Curran).
A 1-10 G34 Ben Tate rush for 2 yards to the GA32 (Rennie Curran).
A 2-8 G32 Chris Todd pass complete to Mario Fannin for 7 yards to the GA25,
out-of-bounds (Prince Miller).
A 3-1 G25 Ben Tate rush for no gain to the GA25 (C. Washington;Demarcus Dobbs).
A 4-1 G25 O. McCalebb rush for 3 yards to the GA22, 1ST DOWN AU (Akeem Dent).
A 1-10 G22 Ben Tate rush for loss of 1 yard to the GA23 (C. Robinson;Brandon Boykin).
A 2-11 G23 Chris Todd pass incomplete to Mario Fannin (Bacarri Rambo).
Was good drive until here - once his 'shot' to Fanin missed it was first down time with two plays to get it.
A 3-11 G23 Chris Todd sacked for loss of 7 yards to the GA30 (C. Washington).
A 4-18 G30 Timeout Auburn, clock 01:07.
A 4-18 G30 Timeout Auburn, clock 01:07.
A 4-18 G30 PENALTY AU false start (Lee Ziemba) 5 yards to the GA35.
A 4-23 G35 Chris Todd pass incomplete to Darvin Adams (Brandon Boykin).

Originally Posted by xaff

And once the opposing defenses stacked the box (Tate for 2. Tate for 0. McCalebb for 3. Tate for -1 ) he thinks Malzahn was an idiot for taking the shot downfield.

Where did this happen? Yeah - some runs get stuffed as some passes get dropped or even a sack. But if you look at the second half series the run was working quite well.

Look, the play by play doesn't lie - this offense goes no gain and backwards a ton and most drives are killed by a failure to get in to a third and manageable yardage. This offense lives and dies on the big play and even though it seems to have a great capacity to dink and dunk down the field with higher percentage plays it excessively takes high risk, low percentage plays that all to often stall drives, or worse.

And for the record - Tate, MacCalebb, and Burns combined to avg 4.4 yards per rush against UGA - hardly 'stuffed' - the one thing that was lacking is a breakout run or two and that hurt. Todd was 20-28, 238 yards, 2 TDs and 2 INT - not a Heisman performance to be sure but hardly so bad that you can hang the loss on him though the INTs obviously hurt (many a team in the SEC have done far better with less from a QB).