Major reason Kirby’s scheme has been successful

#1
wmcovol

wmcovol

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#1
I think Smart is a great coach & a huge factor in Saban’s success at Alabama. He left a loaded Def roster for Peabrain Pruitt to look like a genius. After the Smart recruits left, Alabama suddenly stopped being the defensive monster & went to outscoring people. That opened them up to upsets by Tennessee, Texas, LSU, etc cause those schools were now scoring 30+ points against them.

The major reason Kirby’s “scheme” has been successful vs Heupel is he’s had the best team & talent of any program in CFB over the last 4 years. Their roster has outnumbered Tennessee’s in NFL draft picks by 3-1 with a large number of their picks being 1st, 2nd & 3rd. Give any great coach that degree of talent advantage & he’s gonna be successful almost 100% of the time. Smart has also controlled the ball heavily in the 2nd half in both games in Athens eliminating any opportunity for the Vols to do much in the 2nd half of those games. Nobody in their right mind gave Tennessee a chance in 2021 (Ga was NC that year) or 2023 (Ga should have won the NC than year except for an injury to Bowers cost them the SECCG)
 
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#3
#3
wmcovol said:
The major reason Kirby’s “scheme” has been successful vs Heupel is he’s had the best team & talent of any program in CFB over the last 4 years.
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No, Kirby is an elite defensive coach. In 2022 for example, he shut us down when Saban and Alabama, who on paper had as much or more talent didn't. Yes, they've had great players, but great players do not GUARANTEE performance. It's like Michael Jordan had tremendous talent, but what made Jordan what he became, was having not only that talent, but also the highest level of work ethic and competitive spirit. He had both. Defensively UGA has had both under Kirby, they have had great talent, but also great schemes, motivation. Kirby needs someone to handle the offense though, having Todd Monken was gold for him. I think Bobo is better than most people give him credit for, but he's not Monken, that's where they have took a step back.
 
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#4
#4
It’s the significant advantage in talent.

A coach can win a play, a series or even a game with superior scheming…but over the course of a long season, the best talent tends to rise to the top.
 
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#5
#5
unfrozencvmanvol said:
No, Kirby is an elite defensive coach. In 2022 for example, he shut us down when Saban and Alabama, who on paper had as much or more talent didn't. Yes, they've had great players, but great players do not GUARANTEE performance. It's like Michael Jordan had tremendous talent, but what made Jordan what he became, was having not only that talent, but also the highest level of work ethic and competitive spirit. He had both. Defensively UGA has had both under Kirby, they have had great talent, but also great schemes, motivation. Kirby needs someone to handle the offense though, having Todd Monken was gold for him. I think Bobo is better than most people give him credit for, but he's not Monken, that's where they have took a step back.
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100%
 
#6
#6
wmcovol said:
I think Smart is a great coach & a huge factor in Saban’s success at Alabama. He left a loaded Def roster for Peabrain Pruitt to look like a genius. After the Smart recruits left, Alabama suddenly stopped being the defensive monster & went to outscoring people. That opened them up to upsets by Tennessee, Texas, LSU, etc cause those schools were now scoring 30+ points against them.

The major reason Kirby’s “scheme” has been successful vs Heupel is he’s had the best team & talent of any program in CFB over the last 4 years. Their roster has outnumbered Tennessee’s in NFL draft picks by 3-1 with a large number of their picks being 1st, 2nd & 3rd. Give any great coach that degree of talent advantage & he’s gonna be successful almost 100% of the time. Smart has also controlled the ball heavily in the 2nd half in both games in Athens eliminating any opportunity for the Vols to do much in the 2nd half of those games. Nobody in their right mind gave Tennessee a chance in 2021 (Ga was NC that year) or 2023 (Ga should have won the NC than year except for an injury to Bowers cost them the SECCG)
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So his "scheme" is the Jimmy's and Joe's?
 
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#7
#7
First of all Kirby is a great defensive mind. And yes he has a lot of talent as well. He also adjusts his guys to the way the refs are calling the game. He starts out physical AF at corner and if the refs allow the DBs to mug the WRs that’s the way Georgia will play it. This allows early hits on the QB and frustrates our WRs
 
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#8
#8
Talent is a lot of it, for sure. But I also think that Smart adapts scheme to his talent to let his team play fast.

By having talented DL and ILB, he’s comfortable playing -1 and sometimes -2 in the box against the run. It hasn’t been perfect: UT has scored on a couple of huge runs over the years, but that’s the risk he’s been willing to take. Everybody in the box is playing run fits first on standard downs.

He plays conservative against the pass, starting out manned up on each WR and a safety on either side over the top. Everybody in the secondary is playing pass first. The throws are there, but they are deep and along the sidelines. Those are really tough throws to make. Safeties can help against the run, but not initially.

In obvious passing downs, he has a couple blitzes that take advantage of Tennessee’s route rules and protection schemes. Specifically, he’ll put two possible rushers on the line in A gap, signaling an overload inside pressure. At the snap, they sprint deep to cover the seams and in-breaking routes. The pressure comes from outside: NB and OLB. These rushers have to get picked up by TEs and RBs, holding them in the protection. The outside WRs are getting “go deep” reads from the defenses leverage, so they aren’t looking for anything quick, and there is inside help anyway. The QB has to hold the ball too long.

I think UT’s new bunch formations and especially its outside-in screen plays will challenge or limit these blitzes.
 
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#9
#9
Part of it has been when the plays are there, which isn't often, UT hasn't had the QB make the play. Even in '22 Hooker missed the few chances he had to make plays.
 
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#10
#10
unfrozencvmanvol said:
No, Kirby is an elite defensive coach. In 2022 for example, he shut us down when Saban and Alabama, who on paper had as much or more talent didn't. Yes, they've had great players, but great players do not GUARANTEE performance. It's like Michael Jordan had tremendous talent, but what made Jordan what he became, was having not only that talent, but also the highest level of work ethic and competitive spirit. He had both. Defensively UGA has had both under Kirby, they have had great talent, but also great schemes, motivation. Kirby needs someone to handle the offense though, having Todd Monken was gold for him. I think Bobo is better than most people give him credit for, but he's not Monken, that's where they have took a step back.
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I agree Kirby is a great defensive coach, but imo he is average to below average as an offensive coach.
 
#12
#12
It’s the “Jimmy’s and Joe’s” How do I know you ask?

“You can’t out-coach recruiting.” – Kirby Smart



That all said, this is the first year, in a very long time, that I feel like we are catching the top-tier SEC programs in talent. Still, we have 2.5 years to go on probation…should be smooth sailing after that. GBO!
 
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#13
#13
Kirby wins because of his linebackers. They are the underneath coverage link to his deep safeties. They @ll play the run like men, and blitz, and drop back in coverage. They're 4 deep with NFL starters. At least. It's insane. Lazy or late throws across the middle get knocked down or picked.

And Pruitt was a winning defensive coordinator at FSU & Bama and a good defensive coach elsewhere. He also played a role in NIL rule/law passing. Always taking potshots at folks is kinda lame..
 
#14
#14
BLUTickbusdriver said:
It’s the “Jimmy’s and Joe’s” How do I know you ask?

“You can’t out-coach recruiting.” – Kirby Smart



That all said, this is the first year, in a very long time, that I feel like we are catching the top-tier SEC programs in talent. Still, we have 2.5 year to go on probation…should be smooth sailing after that. GBO!
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Exactly, Kirby has had the best talent in the SEC by a long shot last 4 years except for 3 other teams that were close. Josh has had sanctions hanging over the Vols since he's been here and Heupel inherited a 3 win team the worst in Vol history. Next year all sanctions are gone for the Vols.
 
#15
#15
wmcovol said:
I think Smart is a great coach & a huge factor in Saban’s success at Alabama. He left a loaded Def roster for Peabrain Pruitt to look like a genius. After the Smart recruits left, Alabama suddenly stopped being the defensive monster & went to outscoring people. That opened them up to upsets by Tennessee, Texas, LSU, etc cause those schools were now scoring 30+ points against them.

The major reason Kirby’s “scheme” has been successful vs Heupel is he’s had the best team & talent of any program in CFB over the last 4 years. Their roster has outnumbered Tennessee’s in NFL draft picks by 3-1 with a large number of their picks being 1st, 2nd & 3rd. Give any great coach that degree of talent advantage & he’s gonna be successful almost 100% of the time. Smart has also controlled the ball heavily in the 2nd half in both games in Athens eliminating any opportunity for the Vols to do much in the 2nd half of those games. Nobody in their right mind gave Tennessee a chance in 2021 (Ga was NC that year) or 2023 (Ga should have won the NC than year except for an injury to Bowers cost them the SECCG)
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I agree about the talent edge. It's still an issue, too. To date Heupel and his staff have been unable to come up with answers to what the UGA staff have thrown at them. I don't know if it's just that talent edge or if we are being out schemed. My hope is that a semicompetent QB will help us stay competitive longer. As for their offense vs our defense, I got no answers there. Maybe Banks has some this year? If not, we're gonna watch their TEs exploit our LB corp again this year I suspect.
 
#17
#17
B81 said:
Specifically being able to stop our run game with his front 4 defensive lineman. This allows the safeties to play free and help out in the passing game.

Lets hope that our o line can change this narrative.
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agreed. this will be the most important factor. can we run on a 4 man box. they have been the one team to consistently stop our running with just 4.

Joey should help out too, even just a couple short scrambles that keep the sticks moving will be key against a defense like Georgias.
 
#18
#18
unfrozencvmanvol said:
No, Kirby is an elite defensive coach. In 2022 for example, he shut us down when Saban and Alabama, who on paper had as much or more talent didn't. Yes, they've had great players, but great players do not GUARANTEE performance. It's like Michael Jordan had tremendous talent, but what made Jordan what he became, was having not only that talent, but also the highest level of work ethic and competitive spirit. He had both. Defensively UGA has had both under Kirby, they have had great talent, but also great schemes, motivation. Kirby needs someone to handle the offense though, having Todd Monken was gold for him. I think Bobo is better than most people give him credit for, but he's not Monken, that's where they have took a step back.
Click to expand...
He's great at defensive coaching, but his offense is okay.
 
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#19
#19
If the Vols can establish the run, this will be a game in the 4th quarter, even if UGA is having success on 3rd down.

IMO, the key to this game is UT getting the first 1st down on any drive. Tempo + '3 & out' = disaster for UT's defense.
 
#20
#20
Tennessee actually ran the ball decent against them last year. It was the splash plays that are missing. You're not going to nickel and dime them down the field for 12-14 play drives. That favors Kirby and his defense. Meanwhile they've brutalized Tennessee on offense with the stuff over the middle and not getting off the field on 3rd down.. You get them in 3rd and long you got to get off the field. With that type of ball control you're not going to get a lot of possessions anyway.
 
#21
#21
Two specific areas that I have seen a trend where Georgia has done well against Tennessee is quick-to-mid passes against Tennessee's secondary to take advantage of WR/TE speed and misalignments as well as Georgia having the ability to play their DBs against our WRs 1-on-1.

Tennessee will need to have an answer to both to beat Georgia.
 
#24
#24
cgrish said:
I agree Kirby is a great defensive coach, but imo he is average to below average as an offensive coach.
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He's not an offensive coach at all, I don't think he claims to be, he has to have somebody else run that side of the ball for him. Most HC's are like that.
 
#25
#25
preacherrandy said:
To summarize my thoughts on what Georgia's (Kirby's) philosophy is, I'm reminded of what a famous general supposedly once said, " Get there the fastest with the mostest."
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And if there's a team that has a claim to the mostest, it's UGA. Will be interesting to see if our staff can out scheme them or if UGA will give us some gifts and cheap scores. Highly doubtful either takes place. UGA is too well coached and talented. Nice to dream tho.
 
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