Coach V: How the better team on Saturday won

By Mike Venable: The better football team won the game last night. Most might find some fault with both teams. Mistakes were a dime a dozen and the officiating led the pack. The good news is we were treated to a heavyweight slugfest featuring quality play from a variety of players. The bad news is we were also treated to some inferior fundamental decisions and actions. One of these coaches often says it’s adapt or die. Well, one team certainly adapted better than the other. The result was a decisive victory for the road team. We may get the chance to see the same twosome tee it up down the road. Hope so.

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I wish to begin with the defensive effort. Watching the replay this morning I feel even stronger about how well we played last night. With the exception of a few missed tackles and a blown coverage or two, we hammered as well as we absorbed. We didn’t lose the LOS near as much as it appeared. We still didn’t always set the edge but that was scheme instead of player error. Pete Kwiatkowski often neglects the comfort of being sound but then I guess that’s today football. Doesn’t make me like it but there must be a tradeoff somewhere in there.

I felt Georgia did a much better job reacting and tackling the dump-offs which resulted in them moving the chains. It’s only fair to mention they brought a next level RB to the game and he is a good one. I believe two plays back to back broke our spirit once we pulled to within one score. The first we brought six on a third and ten and they hit a deep curl minus any pressure from our blitz. The next play they hit a flea-flicker for around thirty yards that set up their final score. Remove these two efforts and we made them blood and guts earn every inch of real estate they won.

We supplied three interceptions that kept us in the game. Forcing them to punt wasn’t necessarily the fun it should have been. They boomed long and high missiles that stalled our return game to naught. We hit short line drives that produced good results for them. We also lost a terrific kickoff return from Matthew Golden with a holding call. We definitely lost the special teams contest but the defensive effort was about as even as it gets.

We had our worst offensive game this year. We lost the LOS period. We lost way too many individual battles in both passing and running game plays. We certainly didn’t help our cause with four turnovers. We need to re-teach our QB to escape climbing the pocket instead of the side or back door—he certainly isn’t helping out OT’s with his escape routes where they can’t protect. It appeared they had a good read on our play calls from scouting report because they played percentages to the hilt and made busy when they mis-guessed. We need some serious self-appraisal on our offensive personnel and their strengths and shortcomings.

The good, bad, and ugly from the cheap seats:

Collins (95) was our best defender with his best game this year.

(0) Hill had another quality game with several physical tackles to his credit.

(3) Guilbeau was solid except for one passing play where he got lost in coverage and failed to hustle for the tackle.

(4) Mukuba was consistent but might have injured a knee in the second half—outstanding interception.

(5) Muhammad had good tackles mixed with solid coverage.

(7) Barron had two interceptions and several quality tackles—great game.

(11) Simmons was very active—he will be very good soon.

(15) Norton offered good reps in rotation.

(16) Taaffe had tackle high numbers but missed at least two in open field.

(18) Lefau has several good plugs but lost too many physical battles and run fits.

(25) McDonald played well in the rotation—we might have safety number problems for two deep reps.

(33) Gbenda had one tackle but one misread also.

(37) Blackwell had a terrific kickoff tackle but also had a misread fit.

(45) Broughton was steady at the LOS but didn’t have a wow play.

(88) Sorrell is a really good player. Two big plays plus steady leadership once again.

(99) Lole is a big play waiting to happen. Good player.

On offense…

(0) Moore was pretty quiet—decent blocking.

(2) Golden another good game—dangerous return man.

(3) Ewers had a tough go—antsy feet and poor mechanics. Last two games lack of confidence and positive reinforcement missing.

(5) Wingo had another good run on reverse. Need to get him more touches period. Find a way.

(7) Bond had good game with a TD and extra point catch.

(16) Manning supplied a good energy in his two series.

(23) Blue ran with determination and scored on a good route.

(26) Wisner gave a good effort had three good plays.

(52) Campbell had his worst game. Several missed blocks (two whiffs) and no movement.

(54) Hutson had a good game in a few rotations—hustle and want-to evident.

(56) Williams had his worst game. Beat on both run and pass efforts—penalty.

(65) Majors had a few problems with good sized DL’s.

(76) Connor had his best game. Good run good pass block

(78) Banks wasn’t as effective as normal–QB no help with bad escape angles.

(81) Davis had one catch plus a few good blocks.

(85) Helm once again played well.

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We are still a good football team but sadly found out we aren’t good enough to win with a mistake filled performance.