Had Enough

One of the reasons Georgia has been the best program of the past 5 years is right here. And they’ve had tons of success on the defensive front - recruits, wins, NFL guys. All teams pretty much attempt to win right here. You can argue that at the collegiate and pro level Georgia wins as much as anyone in that department. Oh and that have a top notch defensive guy running the show. Your LBs are toast if the Ol consistently get to them. So your DL has to win battles or command double teams. We’ve had significant success here the past 2-3 years.

What you call Nickel I call OLB. When we’re in on defense, do we not run Nickel against that same package?

Where did you get this? Looks like the Ewers sucks at the deep ball might deserve some reconsideration. Why no Dart?

As JerryHubbard said, we got #2. And #4 if you believe that is true has more experience than the other theoretical #2. In the conference slate of 8 games, we averaged more yards per rush than anyone. 4.63 to 4.38 as 2nd best. Our QB run game was non-existent. For others it was not. I rewatched a bit of the Georgia game. Think 2nd series play 1. Wisner loses 3 yards. Actually pretty well blocked. Wisner takes a false step to the right(presumably designed) so it leaves far too big a gap between pullers and the ball carrier. Maybe LBs keying guard because he doesn’t budge and shoots inside. As much as Sark problem as anyone. Refusal to have some QB run is a detriment.

What part exactly? Baylor and ISU in 2022 were finished off by running the ball down their throat. Same for Bama 2023. Arkansas got a heavy dose of run late this year. Heck maybe TCU in 2021. I am guessing we’ve rarely thrown deep on 1st and 2nd down when up in 2nd halves. First drive 2nd half that 21 OU game we ran wide and lost about 3 on first then threw nothing deep on 2nd or 3rd. Tech in 2022 was somewhat sporadic, but we tried running including 4th and 1 on opening drive 2nd half that got stuffed. No deep balls on that drive. Sark has tweaked our approach year over year to adjust for perceived weaknesses.

A lot different in what manner? We played the following inn2021: FEI in 2021. We played #5, 7, 13, 14, 15 and 16. We played 16 at a neutral site, 5 at home (think they came off a bye, 7 on the road (both teams off byes) then 14 (on the road at night). That was 4 games in a row. That’s brutal. Any strength of schedule that doesn’t consider the timing and order of when games are played falls short. Lost to a terrible KU (117) team but that was Jaylon Daniels too. If you only included his starts, they weren’t 117. Then WVU (#62) on the road. We beat #50 Louisiana by 20. Their only loss. We put up 70 on #47 Texas Tech. Rice was 118, but we beat them 58-0. Rushed for 427 and scored none in the 4th. TCU was 79. The defenses in 2021 included 2, 8, 17, 20 and 21. Like 5 or 6 in the top 30 of TFLs. The back end defenses were pretty poor but they were likely worsened by playing us. We scored 58, 70, 32, and 56 against the bottom 4. All of that in the first year of the system. As for 2023, Ok State was #39 in FEI. So at least worse than half of our 2021 opponents by 1 metric. I’m assuming the backup QBs are Bean (made a good run an NFL roster, previously started), Wyoming guy (probably didn’t matter), Hoover (retained the role the next year), Morton (retained the role the next year). Robertson (retained the role the next year). If you want to introduce that, then you need to say that we missed the starter for MSU, UF (the 3rd guy), OU and A&M. Michigan, ULM, Kentucky (OU/A&M) all benched their guy due to ineffectiveness. Beck, Pavia, Green, McCown/Fowler-Nicosi are not Penix, Gabriel, Milroe, Howard, Becht/Hoover/Bean/Jt Daniels. Even Slovis got to hang around the NFL a bit. In 2021, you had KJ Jefferson, Duggan, Rattler/Williams, Shough, Sanders, Purdy, Howard, J Daniels, Bohannon. Lots of factors in play for certain. The truth is the defense has advanced more than the offense. The relative strength of our opponents defenses rank from 45 to 29 so it hasn’t changed a ton. Year 1 you’d expect more hiccups than year 4. Also, the strength of our opponents offenses goes from 10th to 9th to 10th to 44th for 2021 thru 2024. 2024 - OFEI/ODA 31; DFEI/OOA 44 2023 - 36/10 2022 - 29/9 2021 - 45/10 There is a discussion to be had that the 2024 Texas season is the easiest in Sarks tenure. It’s the crappiest slate of offenses we’ve faced with presumably the worst QB group. I’d actually say easily the worst. And the defenses we’ve faced are on par with the other 4 seasons. i would think once we make this run that will change, but it is noteworthy based on where we stand today. Those 2024 numbers are better based on the championship game with Georgia.

I believe you are correct. Forgot about it until you mentioned it. Think Burke and Brooks bumped into each other. It’s a bit ironic in this Ewers discussion regarding blame considering last year the secondary and particularly the safeties were crucified.

22 pressures, 1 sack. Unfortunately you can get a pressure and a completion. The winning TD for example. The drive was poor LB depth/squeeze the target. Manny missed tackle the next play. 28 yarder was pass rush then discipline behind cause well he’s gonna run. Not sure then the CB blitz TD. Gbenda admitted his error but blitz cause lack of pressure. Watts was out. This was a big deal. OU was his kind of team. Manny/Holmes both had big missed tackles. Ford probably hurt. Turnovers. Brooks hitting wrong hole on goalline. Yes, defense should hold. But also offense 10 yards from leaving them no clock.

We didn’t have substantial pressure either. The big 28 yarder on the final OU drive was in part due to losing pass rush integrity. It’s pretty much always a lot of things.

And at what point did I say they should have allowed the opponent to score?

There could be another but like you said I don’t remember it. He clearly had it in his hands on it and it went to replay before being called incomplete.

We were 1 first down from finishing that OU game. The offense didn’t completely finish it. Same with Bama and Card. One more first down and we likely win. Assuming the FG is good. Fast forward to KState with Murphy. Similar. We get down and settle for a FG. There was more time left here, but it was 4Q.

Agree. Just watched it again. Also that other drop may have been the early tip. That’s inconsequential.

It looks as though PFF tagged him with 2 drops in the championship game. If that was 1, they may have given Ewers a BTT too. I don’t think either of those were the case. It was certainly catchable. Even though the defender did not hit the ball, he was a distraction and possible he could have obstructed Goldens vision for a moment. I need to watch it again but thought there was room to put it out front of Golden. A good example of a play that’s there and can win you a game.

It’s uptick in talent but more so an uptick in health and experience. Barron was taken advantage of versus TCU, UW and missed half Houston. He was a menace to opponents in 2022 and 2024 but not so much in 2023. Health was probably the first difference. Taaffe is more experienced. It is an uptick in pass rush but also pass rush contain. The LB coverage was probably more consistent as well. And our opponents offensive talent/experience is pretty weak particularly at QB but also Oline and WR. It is all those things.