The Next Level

We've had the deficient o line discussion on here before... there are lots of ways to still be productive... and you mentioned most of therm... get the ball to your playmakers... if the line can't open holes, get them the ball on sweeps or swings or bubble screens... get the ball to Nauta on quick passes... but somebody on that staff should be able to figure out why the supposed greatest line coach in history can't figure out how to get these guys to be able to block their way out of a shithouse.

I just watched the game again and this is what I saw. The O line had prettty damn good pass protection for the most part besides a missed block or two, one of those that resulted in a sack. They are going to have to open up the lanes better if we are going to get any production out of Chubb. Michel hits the hole faster no doubt but Chubb just seems to stall if there is no crease where he used to bounce it outside and make something out of nothing. I will say we looked better with Kindley lined up next to Thomas. Fromm was off on several throws which would have been big, but he also made a few good throws to keep the drive alive. He will only get better with more time with the ones. We are just a bit off on O but really not by far!

Not letting Chaney off the hook because his play calling is as off as well. Yup he maybe limited but when the end around with Hardman works go back to it when ya need 4-6 yards instead of calling the Wild Dawg. Fromm looked good on quick passes, so call more for him. The run will open up play action, play action was there but wasn't called when it should have been. These are all just my opinions from what I see. Hell I'm not on the practice field with these kids so I have no idea what Chaney's limitations are as far as what he can call. But what I do know that is if something is working you run it dry and if it (Wild Dawg) hasn't worked in 4-5 years you don't keep calling it in hopes that this time it may...

Who knows what's going to happen when Eason is ready but either way I think we maybe onto something pretty special if we can iron out some wrinkles on O.

(Edit) I hope we see more of Swift! Dude is a highlight reel waiting to happen!

sflanagan21 wrote: I hope we see more of Swift! Dude is a highlight reel waiting to happen!

We had the Human joystick....now we've got the Human highlight reel !!

So lets be real SouthernDawg...

You said to drop the fire Chaney stuff, but really I don't think anyone has ever thought that Chaney would be fired in the middle of a season.

Then you talked about the real issues which mainly consisted of a bunch of offensive problems (Not enoigh carries for C&M, Where is the TE, why do we keep running the Milddawg) all of which can largely be attributed to Chaney.

Seems to me that a lot of what you said was Chaney without saying "Chaney".

Outside of our erratic and uninventive play calling, I think we could be fine if our offensive line could run block, but as of now... they can't. Nor could they last year. In a level of football where your complete roster turns over every 3-4 years, something has to give here soon. If it doesn't and then you add in the oft noted comment that we had to hire "he who should not be mentioned" in order to get Pittman, then it will be pretty sad.... because as of now, that give and take isn't adding up in our favor.

Hey WD,

You're absolutely right, and I perhaps worded my original post poorly. We can justifiably point to Chaney, all I was trying to avoid was the "I think we should fire Chaney to get to the next level" talk. This is why I posted my commentary on the offense, so I apologize if it was worded wrong. I'm not insinuating that anyone has been on the 'fire Chaney' kick, although I think sadlerdawg might volunteer to chair that committee.

In my post, I suppose I was pointing to the things we should do in spite of Chaney, not because of him. I'm willing to give him a little more leeway, not much, but a very little, because the o-line is really hampering what he can do. I agree with sflanigan that the o-line is definitely performing "better" (and I even add air quotes to that), but they're definitely not performing at a level that gives the OC a wide berth to call plays. That said, I think a GOOD offensive coordinator knows how to work with the hand he's dealt, regardless of deficiencies and Chaney certainly isn't doing that. To say the o-line is doing "better," it basically means that rather than being the raging dumpster fire that they were last season, they're a smoldering dumpster fire this season.

Couldn't agree more about us being fine if we could just run block. Honestly, that would propel UGA into the top 5 if we could run block because as I've said before, we have an embarrassment of riches at tailback. Chaney's play calling in the ND game wasn't absolutely horrific, but it was mediocre at best and that's certainly not taking us to the next level. Being a football realist and understanding that he has to work with the o-line he has and a freshman QB under center, I know the play calling is going to be conservative but even at that, he should be innovating and figure out ways to work around our weaknesses and I'm simply not seeing it.

It starts at the top. Kirby runs this offense and it shows.