Five Keys to Beating the Scare

So last year we clearly weren't prepared to beat South Carolina. This year, there are several keys to winning this game.

1) Play like you're away. Mark Richt-coached teams have ALWAYS done better on the road than your average team. Richt is an amazing 25-4 on opponents' home turf, including never having been beaten in Williams-Brice Stadium. We have to remember that.

2) Go around, not through. Last year we were able to gain yardage when we ran an as-yet-unknown back named Knowshon Moreno around the end, particularly the left end, of the SCarolina D-line. Every time we ran Thomas Brown up the middle, we got stuffed. This is a rush-heavy, 17-in-the-box defense, and so we have to keep that box in one place while Knowshon runs around it.

3) Make a catch, Tripp! I know that, starting with the Vandy game last year, Tripp has been lights-out, and I know that his primary duty is as a blocker. But good lord, against SCarolina last year he dropped two sure-fire first downs and what would have been the game-winning touchdown. Which leads me to...

4) Make a catch, everybody! We had TONS of dropped passes last year, and not just against SCarolina. If the GSU and CMU games are any indication, our frisbee-catching Dawgs have grown glue on their hands, but it wasn't just Tripp dropping passes last year. I remember Sean Bailey dropping a big one, and Kenneth Harris dropping them all over the place. MoMass was almost utterly ineffective. So we have to continue this trend of catching balls, because...

5) Chicks dig the long ball. If we have both MoMass and A.J. Green as deep threats, and Kris Durham keeps his speed up, and Tripp Chandler and Michael Moore can catch the dinks and dunks to keep the defense honest and close to home, that deep ball is always going to be a threat as long as Matthew Stafford's arm remains attached to his body. Last year we had several balls dropped that would have been touchdowns; MoMass finally started catching in the Florida game and never stopped. But we have to have that weapon as a reliable tool in order to beat SCarolina, whose smashmouth defense is going to discourage short-yardage gains.

And No. 6:
Play some D.
The SEC team rankings came out and we are second to last.
We've been touting the defense preseason. Let's go guys.
GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I always worry about the D. I hope we just haven't had to bring the A game so we haven't showed the A game.

I only wish we were more aggressive. I was a little surprised we only used a 3 man rush vs. CMU. Did we really respect their pass that much? Miami showed against UF that bringing the heat constantly can work. Too bad Miami had no offense. Oh well, what do I know? I guess that is why I am here talking trash on a message board instead of coaching.

I agree with bringing the heat but Tebow DID throw for 250 yards and 2 TDs. I think we need the front 4 to apply the heat but if they can't then we need to be selective with our blitzes. They aren't very explosive (especially if McKinley is out), so we just need to \"control\" their offense and don't give up the big play that would give them any confidence on offense.

I think the offense is going to be fine. The last two games have shown we have the balance necessary to bring the rush or the pass, where needed. And talent? Oh, baby, we've got the talent.
As far as the D? Scar has a terrible offense. Seriously, they've struggled more than they should have in the last two games. I remember last year when we were banging the \"fire WM\" gong all the way through the Vandy game, then all of a sudden, the D gels and we get lights out play for the rest of the year. I still think this year's D is ahead of the game versus last year's, and a worthy opponent is all that's necessary to bring the heat. Don't forget, we have damned fine talent there too. They just need the proper incentive, and I can't think of too much more inspirational than seeing the OBC toss his visor to the ground in disgust. Dawgs by 17 (at least).

I don't want to take anything away from SC but I just don't see Beecher or Smelly lighting us up with the deep ball or even the medium routes.

The key to this game is going to be our offense. We should have won last year if our offense would have been marginally productive. Instead, we settled for 4 FGs and ended up taking the loss at home.