BGP Postgame: UGA - Dawg Bite

[APPARJ]

We didn't like the final score but what did we learn about this Mountaineer team tonight?

[NewApp]

We didn't like the final score but what did we learn about this Mountaineer team tonight?

That it's a good thing we don't play in the SEC.

[AppNation85]

Nice podcast, I do think our defense played relatively well with a few mistakes. Our offense on the other hand was simply unable to get anything going at all. Our only points were off short fields from defensive turnovers. In reality we should have been shut out. We are too one dimensional on running the ball. That being said I think we will still win the Sun Belt especially with our schedule. However, I no longer consider us favored against Wake Forest (not to say we can't beat them).

[hapapp]

Generally agree with the analysis but there so much we don't know about this team. The defense generally played well but some concern with secondary play. Not sure what we have offensively. No running game and certainly lost the line of scrimmage but it was against a stout defense. Did show a lack of discipline/focus that concerns me. I don't think this is an 11-1 team.

[iambhooper]

We didn't like the final score but what did we learn about this Mountaineer team tonight?

That running the same offensive plays every series against an SEC team isn't going to get you anywhere?

[Goapps15]

The discipline was a concern for me. The first two TDs you could argue came from a lack of discipline with penalties. The offensive line also struggled on the interior but that can be attributed to playing an SEC team. Play calling at times was worrisome as well.

Time to regroup and let's get to 1-1. All you can do with that game is flush it.

[MAD Doctor]

1) We better get ready for 8 in the box. If you shut down our run, we are in trouble.

2) The secondary is suspect, Duck included.

3) Losing still sucks.

[appst89]

I learned this: If we are to ever be taken seriously as a program we are eventually going to have to be competitive in these games.

[luvyosef]

I learned this: If we are to ever be taken seriously as a program we are eventually going to have to be competitive in these games.

Exactly. Maybe the UM game was a once in a lifetime thing that we'll never sniff again. We haven't beaten a P5 team since then. Regroup, regroup, regroup.

[WataugaMan]

I learned this: If we are to ever be taken seriously as a program we are eventually going to have to be competitive in these games.

Agreed, we get another shot at a P5 team 3 weeks. It would be nice to win that one, however, given our repeated history I don't see us getting it done.

[bigdaddyg]

I think the Wake game will really give us an idea of where we are at as a team. We all know we haven't beaten a P5 since UM but honestly I think we should first discount any of the games we played as FCS- those type wins are complete outliers. We really haven't played a bottom feeder or even a real mid tier P5 other than Tennessee and we know that was the one we had for the taking. In that game we have a freshman kicker in his first game playing in a hostile SEC stadium on national television. No excuses but I believe if we schedule teams like Illinois, Ole Miss, Kansas, etc the possibility of wins shoots way up. I was very disappointed in the outcome and more specifically in the conservative play calling and inopportune stupid penalties. Georgia may not win the east but I can't see them falling out of the top 20 especially with that run game.

[AppinVA]

If I were a struggling P5 school, I'd put us on the schedule. For some reason, every P5 we play has "their best team in years," when time rolls around to play that game. Hell, Baylor, which lost to Liberty last night, and could wish for the death penalty by the time the NCAA is through with them, could put us on the schedule for 2021, and instantly be back in the top 15 by then. It's just our luck, it seems.

[Yosef84]

I agree with Big Daddy. The vast majority of our P5 games have been against elite programs. Even Miami, although they have been down, was on the rise when we finally played. App will no longer sneak up on anyone. Everyone knew that the Tennessee game last year would have Georgia's attention. Regarding Wake, that game has never been more than a "pick em" and nothing has changed. Wake will not be able to stop our running game without putting 8 in the box and hopefully we have our best (most experienced) receivers back on the field by that time. If App had played games against the bottom half of the ACC, SEC, Big 12, Big Ten, we would have seen more competitive games and even some wins.

We are a solid G5 program but when we play an elite program we are going to be underdogs. There is nobody on the rest of our schedule that has talent even close to what we saw last night. Let's learn our lessons and move forward.

[WASU 93]

I agree with Big Daddy. The vast majority of our P5 games have been against elite programs. Even Miami, although they have been down, was on the rise when we finally played. App will no longer sneak up on anyone. Everyone knew that the Tennessee game last year would have Georgia's attention. Regarding Wake, that game has never been more than a "pick em" and nothing has changed. Wake will not be able to stop our running game without putting 8 in the box and hopefully we have our best (most experienced) receivers back on the field by that time. If App had played games against the bottom half of the ACC, SEC, Big 12, Big Ten, we would have seen more competitive games and even some wins.

We are a solid G5 program but when we play an elite program we are going to be underdogs. There is nobody on the rest of our schedule that has talent even close to what we saw last night. Let's learn our lessons and move forward.

We are playing these programs the first game of the season:
1. Georgia has been scheming for us for weeks.
2. UGA has a much better defense than Tennessee did last year. They were generally in position on 90% of their plays
3. We are playing at Neyland, Sanford and Happy Valley. There is a home field advantage as these stadiums (yes, this also exists at the big house)
4. Their playmakers made plays, ours didn't. When we had momentum, we made crucial mistakes. Late hit out of bounds, Lamb fumbling a ball that he should have dumped into the sidelines, two third and eternities in the first half. Regardless of talent level, we didn't execute.
5. Georgia was nearly perfect on Special Teams, we were average. Their punter was outstanding, ours was not. The bright spot is that Rubio's kick at the end of the game was just as solid as his second half warm-ups. He will make big kicks for us this year.
6. Last year we were ahead the whole game. Lamb is a solid game manager, but he does not have the arm strength to lead a comeback against an SEC secondary (especially, without a running game). Our play calling in the second half reflected this.

[CornCobPipes]

I learned and was very relieved to see that we have a very talented QB for the future in Zac Thomas. I was very impressed with the short glimpse of him at end of game. Wish we could have brought him in sooner for more reps.....but understand with Taylor being a Sr and from GA.

Zac looked quick and definitely has a quick release and shall I say a cannon for an arm.
With experience I think he is our man and quite possibly the best we've had talent wise since AE.

[Yosef84]

I agree with Big Daddy. The vast majority of our P5 games have been against elite programs. Even Miami, although they have been down, was on the rise when we finally played. App will no longer sneak up on anyone. Everyone knew that the Tennessee game last year would have Georgia's attention. Regarding Wake, that game has never been more than a "pick em" and nothing has changed. Wake will not be able to stop our running game without putting 8 in the box and hopefully we have our best (most experienced) receivers back on the field by that time. If App had played games against the bottom half of the ACC, SEC, Big 12, Big Ten, we would have seen more competitive games and even some wins.

We are a solid G5 program but when we play an elite program we are going to be underdogs. There is nobody on the rest of our schedule that has talent even close to what we saw last night. Let's learn our lessons and move forward.

We are playing these programs the first game of the season:
1. Georgia has been scheming for us for weeks.
2. UGA has a much better defense than Tennessee did last year. They were generally in position on 90% of their plays
3. We are playing at Neyland, Sanford and Happy Valley. There is a home field advantage as these stadiums (yes, this also exists at the big house)
4. Their playmakers made plays, ours didn't. When we had momentum, we made crucial mistakes. Late hit out of bounds, Lamb fumbling a ball that he should have dumped into the sidelines, two third and eternities in the first half. Regardless of talent level, we didn't execute.
5. Georgia was nearly perfect on Special Teams, we were average. Their punter was outstanding, ours was not. The bright spot is that Rubio's kick at the end of the game was just as solid as his second half warm-ups. He will make big kicks for us this year.
6. Last year we were ahead the whole game. Lamb is a solid game manager, but he does not have the arm strength to lead a comeback against an SEC secondary (especially, without a running game). Our play calling in the second half reflected this.

Yep. I agree on all points. Nice summary. I am disappointed in how the game played out but some are making too much of this loss.

[Saint3333]

Watching the game today, we were outmatched in the trenches and won't see another team like that the rest of the year.

UGA enjoyed holding on offense and defense.

Those two freshman WRs are going to be special.

Our secondary has taken a step back, punt game as well.

Penalties are a big problem.

We'll improve a lot from this game, still optimistic about the season.

[sixtoes9134]

What I learned is we need our top WRs to be healthy and on the field. Punting is an issue.

[hapapp]

I think our punting was average. They only averaged 3 yds per return and our coverage was pretty good. I realize that the punting wasn't up to Critcher 1's ability to turn the field but 35-40 yards net punting is not horrible. The fact that we have two guys about equal can either be a good thing. They hopefully push each other and one emerges as the guy.

Like much of what we saw last night, we really won't know what we have for a few weeks.

[Saint3333]

Average punting at App is unusual.