The Film Don't Lie

Every week, Dayne Young and Brent Rollins will collaborate to show you nuances of Georgia's technique and tendencies. This recap focuses on Georgia's 30-6 victory over Vanderbilt.

Brent: Given UGA’s heavy zone run percentage over the previous seasons—and Jake Fromm rarely being a threat to keep off that action—the 3-play sequence in the game’s second drive should give Bulldog fans early confidence in their new offensive coordinator. After carving up the Vandy defense on the first drive, and getting chunk play after chunk play, the Dawgs faced a second and 1 midway through the 1st quarter.

Teams are much more successful running in short yardage from spread formations and controlling the number of players in the box.

Even though it's just second down, Coach Coley runs a 2 x 2 formation (two players out wide on each side) from 11 personnel (1 running back, 1 tight end, 3 receivers) after Brian Herrien motions into the backfield, leaving only five players in the box.

Next, you’ll notice on the snap how the offensive line take zone steps to the left and leave the backside DE unblocked. Given UGA’s heavy zone run percentage over the previous seasons, the backside DE comes down following the offensive line, however Herrien is going right, and Jake’s steps/action also causes the defensive end to slightly hesitate. In addition, Isaiah Wilson shows his high level athleticism, releasing opposite the rest of the line and quickly getting out on the lone linebacker and engaging. Leaving the backside DE unblocked and going opposite the line steps, while also getting their athletic tackle in space, is a big tendency buster and added wrinkle to the run game.

This play illustrates a running game variation/wrinkle brought by new offensive coordinator James Coley.

Brent: Coley used his added run game wrinkle to create an explosive play for D’Andre Swift as well . You’ll notice all the offensive linemen taking their zone scheme steps to the right, even though Swift is coming back to the left, leaving the backside DE unblocked, hopefully to be read by Jake Fromm (it might be called as a give, but in both instances it appears Fromm read the DE properly). Andrew Thomas (71) releases and gets downfield quickly to block a defender. Add great blocking in space from Charlie Woerner and Matt Landers and they have an explosive play. Again, these concepts were not something we’ve seen under the previous coordinator.

Dayne: Andrew Thomas is an athletic freak. There is no way a guy of his stature and strength should be able to move like he did down field on this play. There isn't a safety or linebacker in the country able to match up against that force chugging down the field.

Dayne: The timing on this rush attempt is off from the get go. Tyler Simmons fakes receiving the ball on the sweep well before a possible snap can occur. Trey Hill struggles to get off the ball before being undercut by Vanderbilt. Hill simply did not get low enough and allowed the defender to stop Herrien short of the line to gain. This play call gives Herrien very few options with so little room between him and his blockers.