Tackles for loss: a defensive total that apparently is a meaningful statistic to Georgia football. In fact, according to Bulldogs’ head coach Kirby Smart, tackles for loss is one of the most important stats.
“Absolutely it is—one of the most important stats we look at, and to have it rank its ability to cause negative plays and put people behind the sticks,” Smart said Tuesday regarding the importance of tackles for loss. “Early on [this season], we actually thought we were doing pretty well at that, and the last couple games, we haven't done as well.”
For Georgia to have not done as well making tackles for loss is an understatement. Although ranking a respectable 55th in the FBS in fewest yards allowed per rush (3.83), the Bulldogs rank tied for 122nd, or fifth from the bottom, averaging only 3.25 tackles for loss per game (13 in four games). Of course, according to Smart, there could be a good reason why Georgia has struggled to generate tackles for loss.
“I think when you look at the SEC defenses, they're traditionally not a lot of those teams up there for tackles for a loss,” Smart said regarding off-season studies conducted by the staff in the past to see who led the country in tackles for loss. “When we did the study, Clemson was one that popped up, Miami was one that popped up, Michigan was one that popped up. You didn't see SEC teams popping up. Why is that?"
To answer the head coach’s question of why: The analysis conducted by his staff must have been a one-season study, considering eight of the last nine seasons, at least one SEC team, and as many as four, have annually ranked in the top 10 in the FBS in tackles for loss per game. This includes the current season, whereby Mississippi State currently ranks second with 10.75 per contest.
Nevertheless, perhaps a more fitting statistic is tackles for loss per play, or the percentage of the opposition’s plays resulting in a tackle for loss. Similar to before, Georgia’s 4.80 tackles-for-loss percentage (TFL%) is currently the sixth-lowest in the FBS. As a whole, the entire 130-member subdivision has an average TFL% of essentially right at 9.00%. Likewise, since the Bulldogs began keeping official tackles-for-loss figures in 1981, Georgia’s TFL% for the entire 38-season period is just below 10.00%. This time period includes this season, to which a 4.80 TFL% at year’s end would mark a program-low—and by two full percentage points.
For the past 38 years, Georgia’s top seven (higher than 11.00%) and bottom seven (lower than 8.00%) seasons in tackles-for-loss percentage:
For what it’s worth, whether FBS teams this season or Georgia historically, although there is a relationship between TFL% and yards allowed per rush, which is to be expected, the positive correlation equates to only a weak to moderate relationship. More so, when it comes to TFL% and the most important football statistic of them all—winning percentage—there is zero correlation, positive or negative, for the Bulldogs historically.
In other words, whether Georgia annually has succeeded or failed to “put people behind the sticks,” there’s been no parallel between that figure and the season outcome. And, this is perhaps a good thing for the latest edition of Bulldogs, as it will be tough going for them to completely turnaround this season’s sudden loss of tackles for loss.
