AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2007 > September > 28
Friday, September 28, 2007
Writing about what matters
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
What matters today?
It doesn’t matter that Clemson is ranked #13 and Tech has fallen out of the rankings.
It doesn’t matter that Clemson has played three of their first four games at home, against crappy competition that has gone a collective 3-9.
It doesn’t matter that GT’s last two opponents (BC and UVA) are both better teams than anyone Clemson has yet faced and that they individually each have more wins than all of Clemson’s opponents combined.
It doesn’t matter that GT will bring a blitzing scheme and pass rush unlike anything Cullen Harper has seen.
It doesn’t matter that GT has a habit of upsetting ranked teams when their backs are pressed against a wall.
It all comes down one thing…FIRST DOWN PRODUCTION.
Georgia Tech’s third down conversion woes are well documented. And its primarily the result of poor productivity on first down. Taylor Bennett has been repeatedly placed in third and long situations, where the odds of success drop greatly.
Clemson’s offensive explosion this season is largely attributed to James Davis and CJ Spiller. But the fact of the matter is that Cullen Harper is being put into high percentage situations where the Clemson offense has many options.
You may ask why…
Its because Clemson has performed extremely well on first downs this season. I read somewhere that they are getting upwards of 8 yards per play on first down…on average. That means that they find themselves in 2nd and relatively short pretty much every series of downs. Think about that…any quarterback that plays on an offense that gets an average of 8+ yards on first down is going to put up HUGE numbers. Why? Because the defense has to commit more resources to stopping the run on a short yardage down and the offense can do pretty much anything it wants on 2nd down, knowing full well they’ll get another shot at 3rd and short.
How well do you think Taylor Bennett would have performed up until this point if he was consistently playing in 2nd and short situations? The answer is easy…”much better”!
So…this game all comes down to first down productivity for both teams.
Can Georgia Tech muscle up and get some yardage on first down so that Bond and Bennett have more options? Can the offensive line open some holes for the backs. Can the wide receivers catch the balls. Can we avoid stupid prodecure and holding penalties?
And…can the Georgia Tech defense hold Clemson on first down and force them into long yardage situations where Cullen Harper is under more pressure and can be forced into making some mistakes or rushed passes?
Its really simple.
If Clemson has 2nd and short all night the Tigers will roll.
And if Georgia Tech has 3rd and long all night…we’ll lose and fall to 2-3.
Beyond these relatively elementary observations, I need to clarify something. I don’t have anything in common with the Chan Gailey bashers who insist on infesting the AJC blogs like … fleas on Hairy Dawg.
I try to see both the good and the bad in situations and I hope this will be reflected in my blogs over time. You’re going to hear me gripe when things go bad and boast and cheer when things go well. I’m a fan…pure and simple. I’m here to support the team…our program…and ultimately my Institute.
But one thing that you won’t see from me ever, unlike the worst of the Gailey bashers out there with their petty little message boards and blog postings, is cowardice.
I’m not going to shut down my message board and hide behind my little electronic door when Georgia Tech wins a big game.
And I’m not going to disappear from the blog when Georgia Tech is winning, only to gleefully return after a loss.
I’m going to be here all season…win or lose…wearing white and gold…and cheering the Jackets on…for as long as there are games on the schedule and time on the clock.
Go Jackets!
THWG
