Xs and Os: Good and back from Georgia’s win over South Carolina
Georgia got one heck of a scare in the first half of its SEC opener. South Carolina jumped out to a 14-3 lead in the second quarter and took that advantage into half time. But once the game restarted, it was all Bulldogs. DawgsHQ is taking a closer look at what went down and we’re using some video to break it do for you.
Settle the feet, find the man…
I can’t pretend to be aware of what Carson Beck‘s progressions are and where he’s supposed to go with the football, but he moved to the running back way too quickly on this play. He also never gave himself a chance to make the throw because he didn’t stop giving ground.
This is third and three and Beck has a couple of options and a clean pocket. The latter is important here because his footwork indicates that he’s not protected. He never stops giving ground. Where he goes with the ball here wouldn’t be a big deal if he had just settled in and made the throw before getting so much depth.
Then there’s the fact that he takes a short peek to the middle of the field before looking to and settling on the throw to Daijun Edwards. Again, Edwards has a step and likely picks up the first down but the easier throw with the easier angle seems to be Brock Bowers in the middle of the field.
I would like to give the left side of the offensive line a pat on the back here for handling the simulated pressure and the interior defender looping around. Well done.
Great but could be better…
Edwards’ return was really good for the Georgia run game but the offensive line blocked the run better than it had in previous weeks, too. This is an example of Georgia doing an excellent job of getting a hat on a hat and Edwards making more of it than what the Bulldogs were getting in the first two games.
I like the design of this run. Earnest Greene works hard to get inside of the end, influencing him on the zone read fake. The linebacker is removed from the box by Bowers because this is an RPO and he has to take him. Beck makes the right read.
The Bulldogs do a great job of covering everyone else up and either getting movement or body position. The only issue, and it’s one that could have sprung this play for much more, is that Greene doesn’t block anybody. If he keeps his eyes downfield and picks off the safety, Edwards has more.
Bowers draws a crowd…
This is another strong short-yardage design and it illustrates what South Carolina things of Bowers. When you watch this clip for the first time, focus on No. 19. It’s fourth and one and South Carolina makes sure it has bodies on the Georgia tight end. The Gamecocks send two men with him as he gets vertical.
It opens things up for Edwards in the flat and Oscar Delp, who sells the block really quickly before leaking out for the wide-open look. Beck has Edwards quick but he trusts the play design and gets it to Delp. This is a tough one to defend in short yardage.
Red-zone execution and impressive timing…
Xavier Truss moved out to right tackle in the second quarter of this game and he really played well at that spot. Considering how few reps he has gotten at this spot, I was blown away at the perfect combo-block timing and chemistry on this play.
You see the defensive end to the offense’s right freeze on this play? That’s by design. Georgia uses a hard down-block to freeze him because that indicates that a counter or kick-out block is coming. Edwards footwork is even flat, indicating that the play is coming right at him.
But instead of taking the ball off right guard or tackle, Edwards gets it and goes straight downhill. Truss comes off the down block to pick up the linebacker and create an alley for Edwards. Easy touchdown.
Improved perimeter blocking…
After pointing out a couple of poor blocks from Arian Smith last week, I’m going to give him his flowers this week. He picks up his assignment really well on this third-quarter bubble screen to Dominick Lovett. I’m not even 100 percent positive that he’s intending to block this guy initially but he abides by his rule and picks up the first thing that crosses his face.
Rara Thomas sees the pickup and quickly gets his head around to pick up a second block. Lovett plays this with great vision and weaves through traffic for the big gain.
One thing I find interesting about this play is that the offensive line is blocking it like a run but Beck doesn’t really put the ball in the running back’s belly. Dillon Bell‘s movements indicate that he’s expecting the handoff but when no one goes with Lovett, Beck bails out of it and hits his receiver in the flat. Good decision.
Again, settle in and find the guy…
Beck was much better in the second half against South Carolina but he wasn’t perfect. Here is another instance of unnecessary movement and not seeing the open receiver despite having his eyes in that direction at one point.
He looks left to start and Lovett is running and inside whip route. Those take time and that makes me believe that Beck bails on the left read way too quickly in favor of the check down to the running back. Had he stayed on that left side for just a half second longer, he sees Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint working across the middle on the slant for what would have been a pretty easy first down.
There’s more to this than the Georgia signal caller bailing on the routes to the left too quickly. Why is he fading to the right? That’s where the penetration is. That’s where the trouble is. The best place for him to escape on this play, if he needs to, is to the left. It doesn’t make much sense. These are the kinds of plays he really needs to clean up. Beck can’t control who gets open and how quickly but he can control his pocket movement.
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