The Bulldog Offense Under Todd Monken: Year 1 vs. Year 2

Points, yards, explosive plays, and of course, two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter of the National Championship Game ensured Georgia’s 41-year title drought ended. JT Daniels and then Stetson Bennett played consistently well for the Dawgs during 2021, one of the best offensive seasons in school history.

Todd Monken had much more success in year two of his tenure in Athens. But aside from the quarterbacks playing better, what changed in year two?

Let's examine.

After a year under an offensive coordinator, you would expect improvement in these key big picture metrics. Points, yards, and yards per play all increased, but the most important (and biggest) jump was in scoring drive percentage. The Bulldogs were only behind Ohio State (62.3 percent) and Oklahoma (55.7 percent) among Power 5 teams. It is also just the second time over 50 percent in the Kirby Smart era (59 percent in 2018).

How were these improvements made? Two primary factors -- increased explosiveness and efficiency through increased use of known quarterback-friendly offensive elements (below).

It's boring, it's not explosive. Not in 2021. The Bulldogs were one of the most explosive teams in the nation, especially in the passing game off play-action. Almost one-third of play-action pass attempts (30.4 percent) resulted in an explosive play (15-plus yards).

Expected points added is an efficiency measure that, in essence, mathematically examines how a team does on a play-by-play basis compared to the expectation. As with most statistics, a higher number is better for an offense and reflects an offense that was consistently moving the ball and avoiding mistakes and/or negative plays.

Outside of the increased number of explosive plays, the first three metrics above explain the offense's production as much as anything. Over the past decade of offensive evolution and focus, we've learned certain truths. Play-action works. Screens, especially with an equal-numbers or numbers-advantage situation, increase your offense's efficiency.

The Bulldogs made significant improvement in their usage of both those areas as well as dropping their deep pass attempts (a much less efficient play). They especially did this on early downs (first and second), when Stetson Bennett specifically finished with these numbers:

- 90.4 passing grade; 80.8% adjusted completion; 2,340 yards; 21 TDs; 6 Ints; 127.9 passer rating.

While perfectly balanced in from a run/pass perspective last season, the next steps for the Bulldog offense are pushing the boundaries of their success in 2021. Keep increasing the amount of play-action passing, even on third down. Keep increasing the packaging of running and screen games together with the quarterback reading and deciding where the numbers advantage is. Keep increasing unblocked defender plays in the running game for the quarterback to read and RPO usage. Keep adding to the diversity in the running game.

When you combine increased use of those elements with the 12 and 13 tight end heavy personnel the Bulldogs primarily deploy, you get a phenomenal synergy of physical and analytically-driven efficient offensive football.