Now that it’s Monday and the outrage has subsided (just a little bit), let’s take a look inside the numbers. I’ve gathered some random stats from around the Internet that, after the Tennessee debacle, show just how bad Georgia has been defensively the last few years.
The numbers also show how the Dawgs are quickly becoming a mediocre football team. I conducted most of the research, but some of the numbers were pulled from David Hale’s Bulldogs Blog and UGASports.com.
A couple of positives: Georgia leads the nation in net punting with 44.0 yards per game thanks to Drew Butler. A.J. Green is tied for 31st (1st in the SEC) with 6.33 receptions per game. Green is also ranked 19th overall and leads the SEC in receiving yards per game (97.83). Rennie Curran leads the SEC in tackles with 10.67 per game, which also leads the SEC.
Team Numbers:
- From 2001 through 2005, Georgia was 52-14 (.788 winning %).
- From 2006 through 09/12/2009, Georgia is 33-12 (.733 winning %).
- Over the past 11 games, the Bulldogs are 6-5.
- Georgia has only scored 1 offensive touchdown in the past 11 quarters.
- Georgia has 20 three-and-outs and 16 turnovers (47% of the Bulldogs’ offensive drives in 2009 have ended with a turnover or a three-and-out).
- 2009 total time of possession – Georgia 166:30, Opponents 193:30
- Georgia has allowed 37 points or more in 7 of the past 12 games.
- From 2007 to present, the Bulldog defense is allowing an average of 24.5 points per game.
- In 2009, the Bulldogs are allowing an average of 30.67 points per game.
- Under defensive coordinator Brian Van Gorder (2001-04), the Dawgs surrendered 30+ points 1 time.
- Under defensive coordinator Willie Martinez (2005-P), the Dawgs have surrendered 30+ points 14 times.
- In 2009, Georgia is averaging 97.2 yards rushing per game (opponents averaging 128.2).
- In 2008, Georgia averaged 148.3 yards rushing per game (opponents averaged 122.3).
Team Rankings (out of 120 FBS teams):
- Turnover Margin – 118th (5 TO’s gained, 16 lost)
- Fewest Penalties Per Game – 116th (57 penalties for 452 yards)
- Rushing Offense – 104th (172 for 583 yards)
- Passing Offense – 51st (105-for-185 for 1,361 yards)
- Scoring Offense – 74th (155 points)
- Pass Defense – 97th (111-for-200 for 1,494 yards)
- Total Defense – 75th (410 plays – 2,263 yards)
- Scoring Defense – 100th (184 points; 30.67 per game)
- Punt Return Yardage Defense – 86th (11 returns for 128 yards)
- Kickoff Return Yardage Defense – 115th (22 returns for 595 yards)
So what do you think of these numbers? Which stat is the most important to you?
View Comments (16)
I think the defensive comparisons of Willies D to Brians D are most important to me, I think we didnt worry about him when he had van gorders athletes but the last 2 years when they were his players the D has been terrible, also turnover margin is terrible giving the ball back to the the best teams in the country isnt going to help us win.
Hopefully this offseason Richt will do what is right and make some changes I think we should fire Willie and try to hire Van gorder even though i doubt he will leave Atlanta or promote someone and i think bobo should go back to just QBs coach and Richt should call the plays until we can find a creative, unpredictable play calling offensive coordinator from another school. Go Dawgs!
Lets not ask Richt to call plays again. He was more predictable than Bobo. I said when BVG left that the run was over and unfortunately I was right. My reasons for believing that then were:
- Richt's offense got bailed out by BVG's defense. Back then, when UGA scored 18 points we won every game! All we had to do was score 18 points and we won. Heck, we can't score enough points now to make up for WM's defense. Just look at last years close calls. We had to out score several teams to win. The defense could not make the stops. Now our offense stinks and WM is even more exposed. It's about time UGA fans woke up on this guy, because he is Coach Richt's Quincy Carter (See Jim Donnan).
- BVG filled the emotion void that Richt didn't provide. Players respected BGV and were scared to mess up. Did you ever watch a D player mess up and try to get off the field and hide from BVG? I remember it often and I miss it. Our team does not have an aggressive attitude. They have no attitude, no swagger. Not to mention, they do not hit or tackle like BVG's D did.
Oh, I know there is more, but what's the point. BVG is gone and never coming back and I don't think Richt will make any tough decisions out of loyalaty to his coaches and we will be firing all of them in 2010. Yeah, sounds like fun.
Hold on to something because it is going to get ugly!
-
Defensive stats comparing Van Gorder and Martinez says a lot. Especially the 30+ points 14 times. I hate to get on the fire somebody bandwagon, but Martinez has to go! Bobo needs to be demoted to just QB coach. Richt needs to get back to coaching. The Bobby Bowden formula of figure-head coaching is not working anymore.
While I defended Cox early in season, he's not getting it done and looks like a freshman out there with his decisions. Might as well play a freshman. I'm not convinced Logan Gray is a real QB since he plays special teams instead of concentrating on being a QB. They got to figure next year's QB now, or next season will be lost like this year.
Here are the two things that stand out most to me:
# From 2001 through 2005, Georgia was 52-14 (.788 winning %).
# From 2006 through 09/12/2009, Georgia is 33-12 (.600 winning %).
AND:
# Under defensive coordinator Brian Van Gorder (2001-04), the Dawgs surrendered 30+ points 1 time.
# Under defensive coordinator Willie Martinez (2005-P), the Dawgs have surrendered 30+ points 14 times.
================
Those two comparisons show that there is a big difference between the Bulldogs of 2001->2005 and the Bulldogs of 2006->2009.
The numbers don't lie. We are looking at a long term correlation here. The 2007 run was a lot of fun but I had a bad feeling at the time that we just hit a hot streak that was covering some major flaws. Remember how Troy ran up and down the field on Georgia after the win over Florida? The defensive numbers are the worst. There is no excuse for a program that recruits at Georgia's level to be this bad defensively. You could say that RG and CMR are poor judges of talent but then you would have to say that every recruiting service out there is too.
It comes down to coaching. While there are issues with special teams and the offense, defense has to be the top priority. A great defense can help a mediocre offense. You still win championships with defense.
I wish for CMR's sake that Willie Martinez was a great (or even decent) defensive coordinator. I hate to see anyone fired. But the long term numbers are in. AA has a saying that "Insanity is to do the same thing over and over and expect different results." That's where this program is right now.
without adoubt,after watching the dawgs saturday it does not look good the rest of the season.it's not time to start calling for richt's head.this team needs discipline.there was a comment that has been made that while at fsu they did not worry about penalties.the problem there is the discipline is gone.the players don't worry about what will happen to them when they commit unnecessary penalties.that will also lead to the mental break down of the rest of the team.this team needs to get the discipline back and that falls on all the coaches.not just th head coach
Dear Lord. I knew it was bad, but I had no idea just how bad/
FIRE MARTINEZ!!!!!! WE NEED CHANGE
TELL WILLIE TO GO YAWN SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!!
WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF HIS LACK OF PLAY CALLING AND DEFENSIVE PREDICTABILITY!!!!!
Maybe Richt's heart isn't in to having to make the difficult decisions that need to happen before UGA slips into another 20 year somber between championships - maybe it is time for him to go serve that "higher calling" he has talked about on numerous occasions. Martinez, Bobo, Fabris MUST GO! UGA consistantly cannot cover kick-offs or punts. The playbook needs an overhaul - its contents are old and too well known and todays physical & fast defenses are too quick for so many slow developing plays. Bobo is in love with slow developing screens that never work. And why are Georgia's OL taking such tight sets? They need to spread the field. And why do they keeping recruiting speedy midgets for RB's - they cannot break a tackle. Why does UGA play such soft coverage including in the "red zone" and its LB's consistantly overrun plays? Richt's record the last 3+ seasons is comparible to Donnan's last 4 seasons (35-13). Richt's teams have lost 4 of 6 (& 3 0f 4) to mediocre UT teams as well as 3 of 4 to UF (probably about to be 4 of 5). There was a period over 2 seasons where UGA had lost 6 straight to SEC East teams under Richt. 90% of the penalties are inexcusable! They depict an undisciplined team with direction. That is a product of coaching - well a lack thereof. And the excessive turnovers - no discipline, no direction. Richt appears disinterested on the sidelines - and most of his players reflect the malaise of attitude. This UGA squad could be the worst since Ray Goof's 1990 team. The lack of OL talent is disturbing - it is apparent the parameters for evaluating & recuiting OL needs major revisions. In 1.5 seasons Saban has Bama on top. So Cal didn't have any drop off when they lost Leinart & Bush. Changes need to happen - if Richt cannot handle movig out Bobo, Martinez, Fabris, and any others...then Mark needs to move on as well.
I remember players FEARING BVG coming off the field after a mess up.
Remember that uber fumble recovery for a TD by Sean Jones? Do you remember how a short time before that, he had messed up, and BVG was furious? I seem to recall BVG SPANKING HIS ASS like he was a little boy.
But when Jones redeemed himself he ran right back to BVG and it was all hugs. He was desperate to prove himself to BVG and redeem himself.
Richt is a great head coach (aside from handling his own coaching personnel). Honestly, he should cede that role to someone like Evans, with Richt's input. He desperately needs a fire-in-the-belly guy like BVG to be Richt's opposite.