BYE Week: Five Areas of improvement for the Georgia Football team
We've seen a variety of responses from the Georgia faithful lately, and there seem to be two sides of the fanbase currently. The kind that still believes this team has a chance to win out, and those who after the last two weeks, have essentially written off this team's national title hopes.
Wherever you fall along those lines, you can agree that this Georgia football team has some areas to improve upon if they have any shot of winning out and playing in the College Football playoff.
With the 3rd toughest strength of schedule remaining in all of college football according to ESPN Football power index, it's vital that Georgia capitalize on their final by week before their final 5 regular-season games.
Here are five areas of improvement for Georgia's team:
RS Fr, Azeez Ojulari leads the team in sacks
1.) Get Azeez Ojulari some help
After Azeez Ojulari's season-high 2.0 sacks against Tennesse, Ojulari has been rendered sackless in the last two matchups. The reasoning behind that is a simple one, offenses are beginning to scheme against Ojulari. With no secondary pass-rushing threat, Georgia has become relatively easy to pass block against.
Georgia is tied 59th in the country for sacks with just 16.0. If Georgia happens to have a wingman for Ojulari emerge, things for him could get a lot easier.
2.) Continue to design man beaters
Georgia's offensive gameplan is well known and discussed. Kirby Smart and staff like to run the ball. A lot. This means opposing defenses are required to stack the box with oftentimes 8 defenders to load up against a strong rushing attack. Georgia rushing attack ranks 14th in YPG.
So, when Georgia is forced to throw the ball, more often times than not, they are throwing into man-to-man coverage on the back end. Therefore, James Coley & Co. will need to continue to design plays to put their young receiving corp into positions to win. That does not mean simply running back shoulder fades. But rather rub routes and double moves out of bunch formations.
3.) 3rd down efficiency
Georgia is 12 of 30 on third down over their last two games, and though 40% conversation rate on third down isn't abysmal, for an offense designed to stay on the field and convert third and shorts to protect your defense, that's just not going to cut it.
Even more frightening for an offense that hangs it's hat on their run game, Georgia is 2 of 6 on 4th down this season.
Tyler Simmons returns a punt versus Tennessee
4.) Find a way to make a special teams play
Georgia hasn't had a kickoff returned for a touchdown since November 8th, 2014 when Isaiah McKenzie took the opening kick to the house against Kentucky. They haven't had a punt return longer than 42 yards all season.
If the offense happens to remain stagnant, someone will have to make a play on special teams during a pivotal moment this season.
5.) Get off to better starts
If you want to run the ball and inflict your physical will on your opponent, then you'd best be ahead in majority of your football games, and the best way to ensure that happens is to get off to a good start. Secure the lead and then begin to play that controversial brand of conservative football that Coach Smart loves so much.
Over the last four games, Georgia has averaged just over 14 points in the first half of contests. That's left them either trailing or tied at the half in three of those four games.
