A View from Big Ben : Arkansas

[London Vol]

Another Sunday and another football hangover. As I started to process what I made of last night I realised that instead of discussing in detail individual performances etc last night confirmed, without a shadow of a doubt we should be looking at the bigger picture. Football has changed and we haven’t. It is the equivalent of fighting World War 2 with World War 1 tactics, trench warfare is useless against Blitzkrieg.


FOOTBALL HAS CHANGED
I was always told running the ball and good defense wins championships, well over the last 10 years the National Championship winner has averaged over 35 points in the final. Fast forward to this season, I watched the Georgia defense start the season as the best defense in the country (maybe the best for a few years) here was the template to justify the Pruitt game managing mantra of run the ball and good defense. Then I watched with shock (and I must say a lot of satisfaction), Alabama throw 417 yards on the Bulldogs and then Florida, having gone down 14 points early on (the perfect base for the game managing approach) torch them with 474 yards and 38 points before half time. Here is empirical evidence that you HAVE to be able to throw the ball to win.

Last night was the final proof that Pruitt’s strategy is flawed in todays game. Last night the first half was almost perfect, solid long drives, even against 8 and 9 man defenses. A 20 min to 10 min possession time ratio and a 13-0 lead. I remember saying at half time that we are so in charge that we will probably force Arkansas to start throwing the ball and then we will be in trouble very quickly. In no time we were behind. All that careful building, swept away in minutes. This is the modern game

Now Pruitt will say “we missed assignments” “we did not execute” “they fumbled 4 times and we never came up with ball” “a terrible call of pass interference on Hyatt on 4th down at the end” Now all of those are true but all they really do is mask the bigger picture. The real story is, NO match you play perfectly and that due to our game plan there is NO margin for error, which meets another defeat. Even the master game manager Nick Saban has modernized his game plan, he understands to beat Clemson, Ohio State or last years LSU you need to score 40 + points and the old ways are exactly that, OLD.

MESSAGE TO JEREMY PRUITT
We know you are here for 2020 and 2021 and that not all things have gone wrong during your time, there is more talent and depth than before and it still looks that you have not “lost” the dressing room. But my message to you is to be brave and incorporate the modern way the game which has evolved beyond your beliefs; nobody is asking you to give up on the run and become Texas Tech (just look how Miss St are doing!!) but you need to develop a proper passing game to compliment the run game (Najee Harris still gets 100 yards a game). Last night Guarantano, in 3 quarters threw for a total of 42 yards and he didn’t even make a mistake, its on you and maybe Chaney. I think Georgia would lose 3 of our next 4 games if they playing them now, so we only have probably 1 more win this season, so go with Harrison Bailey now, let him develop this season (unlike Guarantano, Bailey has a good O line to protect him) there will be good moments and growing pain moments but at least we can all have hope that next season we will be better. A brave person admits when he is wrong and that he is brave enough to change direction.

Einstein once said “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Finally please not make me insert your name on the last line of this classic poem.

Who is in charge of the clattering train?
The axles creak and the couplings strain.
For the pace is hot and the points are near,
And Sleep hath deadened the Drivers ear;
And signals flash through the night in vain
WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE CLATTERING TRAIN


GO VOLS

 

[Special Ed]

Ask not for whom the (Big Ben) bell tolls.
It tolls for thee, Jeremy.

 

[London Vol]

A great quote from John Donne

 

[VolBricks]

I keep expecting to see a thread with the title "All Team Meeting Called" It has never come. This is part of the issue with this team, there is no leadership on the team, at least no alpha dog willing to call his teammates out. Pruitt is a great "coach" not a great motivator. Arky came out motivated in the second half and walked over TN, it is as simple as that. We came out flat. I expect next season to look much like this season with unexplainable losses until the team finally does quit on Pruitt.

 

[savannahfan]

Another Sunday and another football hangover. As I started to process what I made of last night I realised that instead of discussing in detail individual performances etc last night confirmed, without a shadow of a doubt we should be looking at the bigger picture. Football has changed and we haven’t. It is the equivalent of fighting World War 2 with World War 1 tactics, trench warfare is useless against Blitzkrieg.


FOOTBALL HAS CHANGED
I was always told running the ball and good defense wins championships, well over the last 10 years the National Championship winner has averaged over 35 points in the final. Fast forward to this season, I watched the Georgia defense start the season as the best defense in the country (maybe the best for a few years) here was the template to justify the Pruitt game managing mantra of run the ball and good defense. Then I watched with shock (and I must say a lot of satisfaction), Alabama throw 417 yards on the Bulldogs and then Florida, having gone down 14 points early on (the perfect base for the game managing approach) torch them with 474 yards and 38 points before half time. Here is empirical evidence that you HAVE to be able to throw the ball to win.

Last night was the final proof that Pruitt’s strategy is flawed in todays game. Last night the first half was almost perfect, solid long drives, even against 8 and 9 man defenses. A 20 min to 10 min possession time ratio and a 13-0 lead. I remember saying at half time that we are so in charge that we will probably force Arkansas to start throwing the ball and then we will be in trouble very quickly. In no time we were behind. All that careful building, swept away in minutes. This is the modern game

Now Pruitt will say “we missed assignments” “we did not execute” “they fumbled 4 times and we never came up with ball” “a terrible call of pass interference on Hyatt on 4th down at the end” Now all of those are true but all they really do is mask the bigger picture. The real story is, NO match you play perfectly and that due to our game plan there is NO margin for error, which meets another defeat. Even the master game manager Nick Saban has modernized his game plan, he understands to beat Clemson, Ohio State or last years LSU you need to score 40 + points and the old ways are exactly that, OLD.

MESSAGE TO JEREMY PRUITT
We know you are here for 2020 and 2021 and that not all things have gone wrong during your time, there is more talent and depth than before and it still looks that you have not “lost” the dressing room. But my message to you is to be brave and incorporate the modern way the game which has evolved beyond your beliefs; nobody is asking you to give up on the run and become Texas Tech (just look how Miss St are doing!!) but you need to develop a proper passing game to compliment the run game (Najee Harris still gets 100 yards a game). Last night Guarantano, in 3 quarters threw for a total of 42 yards and he didn’t even make a mistake, its on you and maybe Chaney. I think Georgia would lose 3 of our next 4 games if they playing them now, so we only have probably 1 more win this season, so go with Harrison Bailey now, let him develop this season (unlike Guarantano, Bailey has a good O line to protect him) there will be good moments and growing pain moments but at least we can all have hope that next season we will be better. A brave person admits when he is wrong and that he is brave enough to change direction.

Einstein once said “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Finally please not make me insert your name on the last line of this classic poem.

Who is in charge of the clattering train?
The axles creak and the couplings strain.
For the pace is hot and the points are near,
And Sleep hath deadened the Drivers ear;
And signals flash through the night in vain
WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE CLATTERING TRAIN


GO VOLS

I am sure you like I heard this brief statement made in the 3rd qtr. after the insertion of "our no. 2 QB". It was made after a very blunt exchange by the booth announcers as to the reason for the change at QB if you weren't making a change in attack or play calling. They were wondering why you would take a QB out that was doing what you were asking of him to near perfection for over the whole game to that point and not changing attack. (they had also commented more than once on the one dimensional defensive game plan/philosophy not working in the modern football era). The statement came as a "break fadeout" started. The statement was only one word. "UGLY"

 

[London Vol]

I am sure you like I heard this brief statement made in the 3rd qtr. after the insertion of "our no. 2 QB". It was made after a very blunt exchange by the booth announcers as to the reason for the change at QB if you weren't making a change in attack or play calling. They were wondering why you would take a QB out that was doing what you were asking of him to near perfection for over the whole game to that point and not changing attack. (they had also commented more than once on the one dimensional defensive game plan/philosophy not working in the modern football era). The statement came as a "break fadeout" started. The statement was only one word. "UGLY"

Savannahfan, no I didn't hear it but obviously agree with it.

I also forgot to mention Pruitt said "he did not want to play Bailey so not to ruin his confidence by playing as a Freshman" yet sends him out with 7.:07 to go, calls 6 straight running plays then asks him to make a 4th & 4 to save the game. I would say that is hardly protecting him!!