First and Goal from the 9

[Rickman]

First off, proud of this team. Very disappointed in the end result, but we were toe to toe w UGA and arguably should have won. Team has come a long way.

Second, I hate first and goal from the 9 - such a tough spot.

Third, I see many arm chair OCs complaining of the "conservative" playcalling and I just do not get it. What was our main issue on O? Inconsistent play from QB and some killer mistakes from WRs. How had we driven 66 yards to that point? Mostly due to hard nose running from Benny and the OL.

I guess if we had SJ drop back to pass on first and goal and he threw a pick or fumbled, we'd be applauding the brave play calling. No one on here would say anything like "those idiotic coaches, you run the ball all the way down the field and then get cute and try to pass!!"

Our passing game is limited. Period. Nothing against SJ, he is what he is and is doing his best.

I understand the frustration of losing what could have been a huge game. But some of the vitriol I do not get - at all. We have improved immensely since week 1 and 2.

Btw, generally I hate fade patterns except when I have Dez Bryant, but a 1 on 1 w Baker v a smaller DB is a great matchup. SJ just threw a bad pass.

 

[EliteBlue]

The 2 things that stood out to me that I hated was Stoops screaming "don't kick it" after the penalty when our guy can hit a 54 yarder. Secondly, when we are running it down their throat and the TD would have put us up 4; I hated Stoops running over after 2nd down and getting in Grans face motioning and screaming to throw it. It was 3rd and about 5. I live with another power run and if you get stuffed you kick the field goal. If you get 4 yards you consider going for it to win. Or you just get in on 3rd. They hadn't really stopped it consistently all day.

 

[bthaunert]

Great post OP. Hindsight is always 20/20. If Benny runs it in on 2nd down, people would be praising the play calling and sticking with the run while it worked.

The reality is we are making strides, but we still have a long way to go. We took advantage of the East being down and had a shot last night. This thing is a marathon, not a sprint and I feel like the product on the field and the coaching has improved since last year.

My biggest worry going into yesterday's game is we would lose all momentum if we closed the season out going 1-3. This UT game is huge for us.

 

[Burly]

First off, proud of this team. Very disappointed in the end result, but we were toe to toe w UGA and arguably should have won. Team has come a long way.

Second, I hate first and goal from the 9 - such a tough spot.

Third, I see many arm chair OCs complaining of the "conservative" playcalling and I just do not get it. What was our main issue on O? Inconsistent play from QB and some killer mistakes from WRs. How had we driven 66 yards to that point? Mostly due to hard nose running from Benny and the OL.

I guess if we had SJ drop back to pass on first and goal and he threw a pick or fumbled, we'd be applauding the brave play calling. No one on here would say anything like "those idiotic coaches, you run the ball all the way down the field and then get cute and try to pass!!"

Our passing game is limited. Period. Nothing against SJ, he is what he is and is doing his best.

I understand the frustration of losing what could have been a huge game. But some of the vitriol I do not get - at all. We have improved immensely since week 1 and 2.

Btw, generally I hate fade patterns except when I have Dez Bryant, but a 1 on 1 w Baker v a smaller DB is a great matchup. SJ just threw a bad pass.

Great post...Gran would really be getting killed if we threw on first down and UGA picked it off

You really need to go read option there and trust your QB to make good decisions and not fumble either than handoff or running with ball. Our staff does not trust SJ to do either and rightfully so.

 

[reflaine]

Great post...Gran would really be getting killed if we threw on first down and UGA picked it off

You really need to go read option there and trust your QB to make good decisions and not fumble either than handoff or running with ball. Our staff does not trust SJ to do either and rightfully so.

When we went what everyone thought was read option against state in a very similiar situation with benny pounding it down the field he was criticized for not giving it to snell after Johnson fumbled for a scoop and score. Hindsight coaching is way to easy

 

[bigbluewildcat84]

The biggest issue of the game for me was field position. Our punter doesn't seem to be able to punt for more than 30-40 yards. When we get forced to punt we always gave UGA the field position advantage. Just the opposite was for us. We were pinned deep into our own territory a lot.

 

[Aike]

The 2 things that stood out to me that I hated was Stoops screaming "don't kick it" after the penalty when our guy can hit a 54 yarder. Secondly, when we are running it down their throat and the TD would have put us up 4; I hated Stoops running over after 2nd down and getting in Grans face motioning and screaming to throw it. It was 3rd and about 5. I live with another power run and if you get stuffed you kick the field goal. If you get 4 yards you consider going for it to win. Or you just get in on 3rd. They hadn't really stopped it consistently all day.

Agree on both of these, especially on the second one.

If Stoops trusts Gran to call the plays, he has to give him leeway to make that call.

As Head Coach, of course it's his right to overrule. But he has to live with the consequences. If the Head Coach is going to take that decision away from his assistant, better get it right.

Last night gave me the feel of the UT game when Randall Cobb ran it down their throats on that final drive, only to have the ball taken away from him at the end.

No way to ever know if the decision was right. We don't know if Cobb would have scored. But we know we lost.

So last night's game will haunt in much the same way. We can only speculate how it might have turned out if Stoops hadn't tinkered with it.

 

[reflaine]

But we didn't take the ball out of Benny's hand. We gave him two chances inside the ten and he gained a yard. 3 goal from the 8th is not a power run situation. That is aplay every coach will throw on 99 percent of the time.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Bring back in SJ go four wide and the ball goes to the end zone every down and if not it opens up the middle for Benny...coaches should have schemed a play in practice that Ga had not seen on tape from them. Fade a horrible call.

 

[carl]

Baker already made one great catch on third down in that drive so I certainly understand the call. I also knew no matter what we called there if it didn't work the haters were coming back out.

 

[jc2010]

When we kicked the tying fg, I knew we had lost the game. I'm sure that everyone else felt the same. We all knew Ga. was gonna march down the field and score.

 

[Real Deal 2]

Well baker could catch it but you can't throw it 3 yards out of bounds. Much rather do right back shoulder throw or baker running the skinny post and beating his man inside or beating the the face of corner.

 

[Aike]

But we didn't take the ball out of Benny's hand. We gave him two chances inside the ten and he gained a yard. 3 goal from the 8th is not a power run situation. That is aplay every coach will throw on 99 percent of the time.

My point was that Stoops seemed to take the play call out of Gran's hands.

When the head coach does that, he's either the hero or the goat. Comes with making the big bucks.

 

[louisvillesux]

only so much we can do offensively. i have nothing bad to say about johnson, but his limited abilities hamstring the offense. we have ZERO short passing game. we cant throw short across the middle, screen passes are imposible. we got what we got. a gimmick offense only works so much

 

[K_TIME]

Tough decision. I was fine with first down run but the same play on second down was lame imo. I wish we had a jump pass play for Benny would have been a great idea or something to catch them off guard

I think we are forgetting Benny had to break off a crazy run to convert a third down to even get to the nine yard line to begin with. The likelihood of that play working two times inside the nine was slim at best

 

[Chuckinden]

The 2 things that stood out to me that I hated was Stoops screaming "don't kick it" after the penalty when our guy can hit a 54 yarder. Secondly, when we are running it down their throat and the TD would have put us up 4; I hated Stoops running over after 2nd down and getting in Grans face motioning and screaming to throw it. It was 3rd and about 5. I live with another power run and if you get stuffed you kick the field goal. If you get 4 yards you consider going for it to win. Or you just get in on 3rd. They hadn't really stopped it consistently all day.

Agree with pretty much all this post.

I didn't agree with Stoops telling Gran what to do. I don't know what Gran was planning on that play, but I was hoping for a fake to Snell and Johnson running the edge to a TD. However, I hate the fade too. It has to be a perfect throw to the perfect place and then the receiver has to out jump the defender. If you have to pass, I would've liked to have seen something that used Conrad as a decoy and slip a back out of the backfield just across the goal line.

Just not creative enough in that situation.

 

[Aike]

Agree with pretty much all this post.

I didn't agree with Stoops telling Gran what to do. I don't know what Gran was planning on that play, but I was hoping for a fake to Snell and Johnson running the edge to a TD. However, I hate the fade too. It has to be a perfect throw to the perfect place and then the receiver has to out jump the defender. If you have to pass, I would've liked to have seen something that used Conrad as a decoy and slip a back out of the backfield just across the goal line.

Just not creative enough in that situation.

I was visualizing the pass to Boom for a score last week.

Would have liked to have seen if Gran had any tricks up his sleeve. One play to take first place in your division, those are the moments you pull out the stops (understanding that you have to take the turnover out of play).

 

[Tapemaster8]

First off, proud of this team. Very disappointed in the end result, but we were toe to toe w UGA and arguably should have won. Team has come a long way.

Second, I hate first and goal from the 9 - such a tough spot.

Third, I see many arm chair OCs complaining of the "conservative" playcalling and I just do not get it. What was our main issue on O? Inconsistent play from QB and some killer mistakes from WRs. How had we driven 66 yards to that point? Mostly due to hard nose running from Benny and the OL.

I guess if we had SJ drop back to pass on first and goal and he threw a pick or fumbled, we'd be applauding the brave play calling. No one on here would say anything like "those idiotic coaches, you run the ball all the way down the field and then get cute and try to pass!!"

Our passing game is limited. Period. Nothing against SJ, he is what he is and is doing his best.

I understand the frustration of losing what could have been a huge game. But some of the vitriol I do not get - at all. We have improved immensely since week 1 and 2.

Btw, generally I hate fade patterns except when I have Dez Bryant, but a 1 on 1 w Baker v a smaller DB is a great matchup. SJ just threw a bad pass.

Excellent post!

 

[ArtSmass]

I agree with not letting S. Johnson carry on a zone read near goalline after disaster vs. Miss St., but why not LOOK like it's zone read (fake to Snell would commit most of defense to left), have Johnson on what appears to be a Zone Read QKeep, but bring Conrad from his H-back spot on the left ACROSS the back of the OL to the flat the way Johnson keeps. If the run is there, keep, if not flip an easy pass to a wide open Conrad.

 

[brianpoe]

I agree with not letting S. Johnson carry on a zone read near goalline after disaster vs. Miss St., but why not LOOK like it's zone read (fake to Snell would commit most of defense to left), have Johnson on what appears to be a Zone Read QKeep, but bring Conrad from his H-back spot on the left ACROSS the back of the OL to the flat the way Johnson keeps. If the run is there, keep, if not flip an easy pass to a wide open Conrad.

We haven't completed many easy passes to Conrad...

 

[51stFan]

I was fine with keeping it with Snell. Just wish we might of tried it outside. UGA was getting initial hits in the backfield for a number of plays on that drive and success was due to mostly hard running. After the TO and a butt chewing from Smart you just knew they would start wrapping up.

 

[JasonRDunn]

Agree with pretty much all this post.

I didn't agree with Stoops telling Gran what to do. I don't know what Gran was planning on that play, but I was hoping for a fake to Snell and Johnson running the edge to a TD. However, I hate the fade too. It has to be a perfect throw to the perfect place and then the receiver has to out jump the defender. If you have to pass, I would've liked to have seen something that used Conrad as a decoy and slip a back out of the backfield just across the goal line.

Just not creative enough in that situation.

This. I would have liked to have been a little more creative on all three goal line plays. Two more of the same (which, in Gran's defense, has worked in the past). Agree with another post that bemoaned the 1st and goal at the nine. Tough situation. Do not like the corner fade but Baker was motivated and taller than the DB. Still, UGA was proving tough to run into the middle for the whole drive and would have preferred not to use two of the three plays confirming that point.

 

[crazyqx83_rivals88013]

I would have liked to see an off tackle run from the wildcat when we got inside the 10. I think with the way we kept running up the middle for 60 yards (4 yards at a time) we could have gotten in with that mixup. I just know kirby was telling his guys during the timeout he called on 1st and goal that if they gave up a td running up the middle that he was going to have them running bleachers. Gran didn't mix it up at all and the rest is history.

 

[bigblueinsanity_rivals250340]

Don't really have a problem throwing the ball on that 3rd down. Just hate the fade in a do or die situation. Should've been a slant, or a rollout with rpo.

Although, I'd much rather lined up and given it to Snell 4 times and lived with the result. I'd bet good money he gains 9 yards on 4 tries. Anything other than a td was almost a guaranteed loss. Too much time left after the incompletion

 

[Mr Schwump]

Don't really have a problem throwing the ball on that 3rd down. Just hate the fade in a do or die situation. Should've been a slant, or a rollout with rpo.

Although, I'd much rather lined up and given it to Snell 4 times and lived with the result. I'd bet good money he gains 9 yards on 4 tries. Anything other than a td was almost a guaranteed loss. Too much time left after the incompletion

Would've liked the rollout w/rpo on 2d down. But I think after the Miss St fiasco they have no confidence in that play.

 

[jackcarlson]

that was the DUMBEST UK coaching move since our refusal to give the ball to Randall Cobb in the Tennessee game! We absolutely had to get a touchdown there if we could not run out the clock. What were they thinking??? I believe they were not thinking at all. There were variations on the Wildcat they could have tried, but they did not even do that! UK once again, lived up to its reputation of inventing new, different, and unique ways to always LOSE close games! Call me disgusted.

 

[frost1]

When are at the 9 First & goal with Snell, maybe a run sweep might have got the touchdown. Georgia knew he was running up the middle. Hard for anyone to score with the box loaded. Snell is 1 great running back.

 

[Rickman]

For those "disgusted", if we have SJ drop back and attempt to find a WR or TE and he throws a pick, I'm sure you'd have been ok w that play call.

Not a chance the b*tching on here isn't "why go away from the run? Snell got us all the way down there and then we get cute!!"

So damn easy to say what the right call is after the fact.

 

[Rickman]

Agree w Frost - my second guess would be to do the sweep from the WC w a WR. Get it down inside the 5 and then power it in.

But again, damn easy afterwards. Even for me!

 

[Deeeefense]

The 2 things that stood out to me that I hated was Stoops screaming "don't kick it" after the penalty when our guy can hit a 54 yarder. Secondly, when we are running it down their throat and the TD would have put us up 4; I hated Stoops running over after 2nd down and getting in Grans face motioning and screaming to throw it. It was 3rd and about 5. I live with another power run and if you get stuffed you kick the field goal. If you get 4 yards you consider going for it to win. Or you just get in on 3rd. They hadn't really stopped it consistently all day.

The problem is the closer you are to the goal line the closer the defenders are to the LOS and the easier it is to stop those run plays we were running. IMO once we had the ball inside the 20 I would have taken 3 shots into the end zone and then kicked the field goal. I think that was what Stoops wanted but Gran felt like Snell might break one - against Mizzou I think the chances would be good but not Georgia, they're much better.

Hind sight is 20/20 you can make a case for a lot of different approaches but I really hated to see that drive wilt that way at the end.

 

[EliteBlue]

The problem is the closer you are to the goal line the closer the defenders are to the LOS and the easier it is to stop those run plays we were running. IMO once we had the ball inside the 20 I would have taken 3 shots into the end zone and then kicked the field goal. I think that was what Stoops wanted but Gran felt like Snell might break one - against Mizzou I think the chances would be good but not Georgia, they're much better.

Hind sight is 20/20 you can make a case for a lot of different approaches but I really hated to see that drive wilt that way at the end.

Yeah. I see that side of it as well. I just would had liked to see on 2nd or 3rd out of the wildcat to actually hand it to the sweep guy and try to get to the edge at least once.

 

[rmattox]

But we didn't take the ball out of Benny's hand. We gave him two chances inside the ten and he gained a yard. 3 goal from the 8th is not a power run situation. That is aplay every coach will throw on 99 percent of the time.

The problem is that the fade is a very low percentage play period. Watching both college and pro football for years, I'd bet that pass is completed no more than 30% of the time.

 

[billoliver40]

Coach Claiborne was right...the ifn game can drive you nuts. If Benny breaks through, what a play. If you hit a short pass for about the third time all season, you're a genius. Georgia manned up and stopped us. And yeah....goal from the nine is tough when you have to rely on the run. Awfully compact field.

Just a tough play for UK and a fine stop by Georgia. There were other plays I would question more.

Tough game. UK came out on the good end against Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. Just not last night.

Learn, grow and get better.

 

[reflaine]

And not just the one fumble for the rpo on miss state. Our first possession that same game (we got upright and got no points). We ran the rpo and had baker all alone in endzone and took the sack. Johnson isn't real strong and gets careless going for the goal line and puts his body in the air to much. That is a high risk in that situation. Our MO all year has been wildcat in red zone. It has worked most of the time.

 

[JW PRPcoach]

A lot of good posts in this thread.
I was soooo mad after the game but have calmed down now and can see the big picture.
SJ is really limited - they are doing great with the tools available at this time.

The real question will be how the offense will progress going forward to 2017 when a passing game is assumingly a threat again. I really hope we still hang our hat on being a power running team with B&B, but if we had a guy that could then burn you on play action - watch out!!

 

[megablue]

Lots of good posts and thoughts here. I agree with everyone that thinks throwing the ball was required, but hated the fade. I wanted a roll out and trusting SJ to make a winning play.

I don't think SJ is a tremendous passer, but I will say that he is adequate for our team right now, given the run game that we have. There were more than a few drops in the game. I think he throws the deep ball exceptionally well and has done so all season. If the risk to injury weren't there because of his size and no back-ups, I think we'd see him run the ball more.

 

[maysvilleky]

Lots of good posts and thoughts here. I agree with everyone that thinks throwing the ball was required, but hated the fade. I wanted a roll out and trusting SJ to make a winning play.

I don't think SJ is a tremendous passer, but I will say that he is adequate for our team right now, given the run game that we have. There were more than a few drops in the game. I think he throws the deep ball exceptionally well and has done so all season. If the risk to injury weren't there because of his size and no back-ups, I think we'd see him run the ball more.

I agree that I didn't like the fade pass. Does UK ever run the "pick" play in the end zone where the out receiver crashes inside and the inside receiver uses the "pick" to get open? That pick rarely gets called on the offense and seems to me it leaves an open receiver a lot of the time.

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

The fade to a 6'2" WR being covered by a 5'9" DB is a good option for the offense, the execution wasn't there and it gave our DB a chance to get a hand in there, not sure if he would have come down in bounds either. But it was a good call with a reasonable chance of success and very unlikely to create a turnover. A skinny post or quick slant may have had greater chance for success, but it also has a great chance of being intercepted because of more bodies around.

 

[reflaine]

I agree that I didn't like the fade pass. Does UK ever run the "pick" play in the end zone where the out receiver crashes inside and the inside receiver uses the "pick" to get open? That pick rarely gets called on the offense and seems to me it leaves an open receiver a lot of the time.

It would against Kentucky. We run the official pic play. Run around and ref picks us to keep us from catching the ball. Walker fell victim to this against state. Lol

Note: totally joking on the official part but think it would got called against us.

But I think the play call had trips and two different options. First was if we got single coverage outside you throw one to our big receiver baker (what we actually got as far as coverage). And a goal line fade (hate the play but it does work as well as others if thrown in field of play unlike ours was). Is a pre snap read. He is throwing it on getting the ball and no time to look elsewhere

The other side had trips with a roll out option for Johnson. It was a pre snap read and we got what we wanted. Just throw wasn't that great!

 

[sluggercatfan]

Coach Claiborne was right...the ifn game can drive you nuts. If Benny breaks through, what a play. If you hit a short pass for about the third time all season, you're a genius. Georgia manned up and stopped us. And yeah....goal from the nine is tough when you have to rely on the run. Awfully compact field.

Just a tough play for UK and a fine stop by Georgia. There were other plays I would question more.

Tough game. UK came out on the good end against Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. Just not last night.

Learn, grow and get better.

Badet drop and int, Johnson fumble, Conrad hold and Stoops refusal to let Austin try a 54 yder game over