Georgia football: 3 primary problems with the Bulldogs' passing game
If there’s one thing Georgia can be thankful for, it’s that it left Auburn with a win Saturday to clinch the SEC East for the 3rd consecutive year.
We’ve long known what the defense, 4th quarter notwithstanding against the Tigers, is capable of doing. But what about the offense? Nine 3-and-outs and 11 punts later, there’s more than a little concern that needs to be addressed on that side of the ball — particularly in the passing game.
You basically know what you’re going to get from Jake Fromm on a weekly basis. But at the end of the day, there are some things that he and the coaching staff need to come to terms with before it costs them a win.
A much-too conservative approach
When Fromm hit Dominick Blaylock with a 51-yard touchdown pass in the 1st quarter, it looked like it would be the first of several big plays over the top of the Auburn defense. And while Fromm tried another long pass later in the game, it ended up incomplete.
Take away Fromm’s lone big play and he was 12-of-27 for 59 yards on everything else.
The vast majority of his passes lacked aggression. A 1st quarter screen pass to D’Andre Swift went for a loss of 3 yards. A 2nd one, this coming in the 2nd quarter to Blaylock, ended with a loss of 1 yard. To his credit, Fromm did throw several passes into the flats and along the sideline that did gain yardage. But the fear is that it might be starting to become a little predictable, and while you can’t pass the ball if there’s no one to throw to, Fromm must do a better job of relying on his speedier receivers to stretch the field along the sideline and test the opposing cornerbacks.
The health of Lawrence Cager
I was really hoping to see what Lawrence Cager could do against the Auburn defense.
Cager had broken out with a 7-catch, 132-yard, 1-touchdown performance against Florida and followed that with a 6-catch, 93-yard night against Missouri before being forced to leave due to injury. He played against Auburn, but made 1 catch for 6 yards and had to exit after a hit he sustained in the first half caused a flare-up of his injury.
Although it’s not anyone’s fault, that’s certainly a key problem with the passing game. Cager was developing into a genuine top-level receiving threat while seeing his targets increase each week. The last thing the Dawgs need is having the grad transfer unable to play for an extended period. It might not matter as much in the final 2 games of the regular season, but it certainly will beyond that.
A dip in production from Jake Fromm
Fromm has never put up monster passing numbers. But while he’s thrown for 7 touchdowns in his past 3 games, his yardage totals and completion percentage have dropped.
Fromm’s high for the year in yardage is 295, set against South Carolina in October and his 4th game of 279 yards or more. He’s completing 64.8% of his passes this season but has been below 50% in each of his past 2 games.
A couple of things changed in the past 2 outings: In the win against Missouri on Nov. 9, Fromm was 13-of-29, a career-worst 44.8 percent. On Saturday against Auburn, he completed the same number of passes but with 1 fewer attempt, giving him a 46.4 percent mark. His 110 yards Saturday were his 2nd-lowest total of the season and the 5th-lowest yardage total of his career.
It’s important to note a few things.
First, Fromm was 9-of-12 for just 35 yards against Kentucky, but that’s an outlier because the conditions were so poor. Second, the 4 other games where he finished with fewer than 110 yards were in 2018 against UMass and in 2017 against Vanderbilt, Florida and Tennessee. He split duties with Justin Fields in that UMass game, threw 11 times against Vanderbilt, had just 7 attempts against Florida as the Dawgs ran right through the Gators, and just 15 times against Tennessee as, again, the Dawgs running game did the majority of the work.
Against the Tigers on Saturday, outside of the Blaylock touchdown, Fromm didn’t have another completion longer than 13 yards. Only 4 completions all day covered more than 10 yards. That continued a season-long lack of explosive games. Fromm has completed just 23 passes covering 20+ yards. Kyle Trask and Bo Nix have 36 and 31, respectively.
While part of Saturday’s issues were due in part to Auburn’s defense, the Bulldogs’ offensive staff simply couldn’t find a way for the passing game to get going. And with a Texas A&M defense looming that’s given up just over 195 yards through the air, they’ll face another challenge.
alabama won nattys with similar Qb production. cager is a monster. if they keep him healthy he may end up being one of or even the best to play at UGA. Congrats to UGA for the threepeat in the east. Good Luck vs LSU. Im afraid you may need some luck to beat them in Atlanta. Hoping you will be unseated next season but it wont be easy for anyone else in the east.
Luck won’t play a factor unfortunately but thanks. I feel playing LSU in the benz on fake turf that our defensive speed will take us home victorious. Don’t know that I’ve ever seen a defensive squad this fast. However if there’s anyone who could prove me wrong it’s Heisman winner Macaulay Culkin Burrows…dude’s incredible…
the biggest problem for this offense is that they don’t make the defense play past 10 yards. They’ll run a receiver out there every now and then but Fromm is always reluctant to make that pass because “You can’t go broke taking a profit”. Well they went broke 9 times because he took what they gave and that’s what they wanted. Sometimes you gotta grow a pair and take what they don’t want you to have. That way they respect that you could go deep at any time and it’s always in their mind. The defenders that play UGA right now can lineup within 5 yards of the ball and still be in position to play the run or the pass.
This is a clear regression in Fromm’s game that he didn’t have in the previous two years. I know he might not trust his weapons the same way he did last year but it’s week 11. It’s time. Pickens showed last week that he will win balls. Blaylock will win balls. Cager has already won several balls. I don’t want to see another 2 yard pass on 3rd and 11 to Woerner. It’s time for Jake to start taking what he wants.
I think a lot of that is on the coaches. I think Smart and his OC have the mentality of get a lead and then lean on your defense to keep it. Both are adverse to taking risks.
Obviously, some of this blame should roll down hill to Fromm, but if the coach isn’t putting in the plays to stretch the field, they won’t be there for Fromm to throw to.
Yeah a lot of it is play design as well. There was a 3rd and 5 play. A first down would have chewed up a lot of clock and probably ended the game at 21-7. They wend 5 wide with Swift and Herrien in the slot on either side. They ran everyone deep (Woerner, Simmons, Robertson) and the Running backs both ran out route. The DB made a play. Gary Danielson of all people mentioned how it wasn’t very smart to throw to a RB being covered by a corner.
Fromm hasn’t “regressed.” Other than Cager, he has either freshmen or previously unused receivers, most of whom cannot get separation from SEC defenders. Let OSU or LSU lose their top 5 receivers in one season, and see how great they look.
If you look at his average depth of target by year, he has actually regressed by the dictionary definition. 9.6 in 17, 10.2 in 18 and 8.2 in 19. Definitively regressed.
Not as a whole but in that regard, absolutely.
Jimbo teams tend to play pretty well in November. This may be very interesting.
Um, let’s see…WE RUN THE DANG FOOTBALL AND PLAY DEFENSE!!!
It’s old school SEC smash mouth football.
Tell us something we didn’t know already.
The issue is on 2nd down. In 2018, 36% of Fromm’s attempts were on 2nd down with 10 TD/O INT and rating of 192. In 2019, only 26% of the attempts have come on 2nd down with 3 TD/2 INT and rating of 114. In 2018, 67 attempts came on 3rd down. In 2019 already 86 attempts on 3rd down. CHANGE YOUR PLAY CALLING!!!
Come on man, you know it is a law at UGA that you MUST run the ball on first and second downs. Then, if a pass is required on 3rd down, it is allowed to throw a pass, generally in the flat, requiring the receiver to elude one or two defenders, and somehow get past the 1st down marker on his own.
@Matty
Landers, Simmons are simply inept. Wolfe dropped a good pass. Cager can’t play. Jackson and Picken are only options but both freshmen. Woerner can’t get open. He really has no one to throw to. At least they did run a couple toss sweeps that gained yardage. I don’t know why they can’t run it with pulling lineman they are supposed to be so great.
There are certain guys who just shouldn’t be depended on as much anymore. You named them. Landers and Simmons and Woerner. I disagree with the notion that Pickens, Blaylock, and Jackson can’t be trusted because they are freshmen. It’s week 11. Nobody is a freshman anymore. Coley and Fromm share equal blame but in my mind it’s almost a chicken and egg situation. Coley only dials up deep shots a few times a game and when he does, Fromm doesn’t always pull the trigger. So what incentive does he have to call it more often?
My main point is that Fromm has to just do his job and deliver the ball in places that will break the defense. If the receivers fail, that’s on them. If he doesn’t even put it there, it’s on him. I don’t need to see him throwing any more 2 yard routes when he’s got the arm to test the defense anywhere. It’s like watching a Corvette drive 30 miles an hour under the speed limit. Time to step on the gas.
Can’t figure out why we aren’t throwing to Cook.
Time to pull Landers and Simmons out of the rotation, give Bush and Blount a chance.
Bush has a groin injury. Rather than see Blunt out there, I think the receiving core needs to just run 2 deep. Cager/Pickens, Blaylock/Jackson, Robertson/Simmons(only as a blocker cause he is a dang good blocking WR). Nobody else really needs to get into the game unless it’s a blowout.
Yeah I’m done with Simmons
I hate to say this, but I’ve been saying it all along that Georgia is going to win it all. This Georgia team reminds me a lot of the Alabama teams that have won a few championships recently in that they play great defense, and I know Georgia fans don’t want to hear this, but they’ve got a great game manager QB in Fromm who doesn’t get you beat, and he usually plays pretty well in big games. It will be a great game with LSU but LSU is not going to get by Georgia and through the playoffs with that defense. With the exception of Auburn, LSU has still not been hit in the mouth yet. Auburn came close and if they’d had any kind of offense at all they would have beat LSU. I’m convinced had they played at Auburn, Auburn would have won. I’m looking at Georgia and Ohio St in the championship game with the dawgs taking the crown.
I like the way you think
How bout some inside info – does bamatime wear a pink tutu or a lavender tutu?
Wow…would never expect this from anyone other than a Dawg homer. I hope you are right, but I’m not convinced. I think our combination of Fromm’s regression, conservative play calling and experience at WR might be too much for our defense to overcome. Not trying to pile on Fromm but he does seem a bit off past few weeks. Go Dawgs!
I like the way you think…
You guys just better hope thet Burrows doesn’t get hurt and you have to face another back up QB! But seriously, I think Georgia can run the ball, play great defense and keep Burrows off the field. Auburn did a pretty good job of that. Good lord, Ole Miss had over 600 yards of offense against LSU. Old smash mouth SEC football is what gets it done for Georgia, and you’ve got the defense to play that way, LSU doesn’t!
I’ve already asked several of my LSU golf buds who their dammmd backup qb is, lol! As long as he’s not a bama transfer we’re golden!
You make compelling points and I want to believe you’re right, but I just don’t think UGA is a championship caliber team top to bottom. They’re a great team and have won some great games. Whatever happens, I just want a strong finish unlike 2018.
If the offense that played in Jax shows up, that game in ATL will be wild..
LSU’s defense is bad enough to make our offense look way better that it actually is.
I’m certainly concerned with Coley’s coordination but this was evident well before this game. Can we maybe give credit to Auburn for having a solid defense? There was some pretty tight coverage and frequently only enough time for good passes that we’re short. We played field position and won because of it. I just hope we have a better card to pay in ATL to shred that soft LSU squad!
I can’t disagree, Auburn certainly was the best defense we’ve seen to date, but then we knew that going into the game. Must admit tho, just love hearing Marlon cry about how they were cheated out of the victory by the refs, especially after all that pregame smack he was talking on SEC nation about disrespect and owing Leghumpers payback for the fake fg attempt last year…guess he ain’t gonna get that payback after all, bummer!
Right? Injures a player on a horse collar then whines that he called penalized for it. Nick Fairley DL thought.
(Smiles)
finally someone besides me woke up that simmons who has never been in good health cannot catch and landers should never be on the field until next year
no more runs up the middle with cook there are girls bigger than him ——–he is great only on the outside
fromm is decent qb but more like those qbs at bama that were game managers not throwers
the real problem is smart is stubborn and not willing to change strategy
some of the people in this chat told me to stop rooting for the dogs
my family has been 100% for the dogs since 1930
don leebern used to visit my dad when he played high school ball before he was all SEC for the dogs and later the head of the trustee dept for georgia
What is Alabama’s National Championship record since they gave up defense and went for the Oklahoma look? Unless a miracle happens they are going to be oh for two by my count…
In 2017, Fromm was criticized for throwing so many slants. What happened? Rarely do we use such an effective pattern. Play action? We don’t do that nearly enough. The offense seems like random squiggly lines on a chalkboard instead of routes that are actually designed to get people open. People rag on the Air Raid but there is a method to the madness. There’s a point for having each receiver at any particular point on the field. The Ga offense tells it’s receivers to run a route and hope someone throws you the ball. A well designed play pulls defenders to the location you want them to go to. The offense should control the path of the defenders with the timing and location of the routes. Coley plays backyard football with cousin Joey running past the chicken coop ten yards and cutting by the hay bale while little Timmy runs a curl in front of Fat Frank. They need someone to run the offense who craves offensive football the way Dan Lanning craves defensive football.
Actually the backyard stuff sounds better than what we are doing.
I’m hopeful Fromm is going to play some of his best ball this Saturday against TA&M, experiment some against the Nerds in midtown the week after that and then, take care of business on 7Dec19. After all, LSU gave up 38 to Texas and Vandy, Florida hung 28 on them and Mississippi’s run game torched LSU’s D. Auburn’s loss by 3 to LSU tells all. In other words, their O can be slowed and their D is highly vulnerable. Hey bayou tiger, I’m smiling too. Geaux Dawgs!
Bronco…..nobody wants you to stop rooting for dawgs. But when you are a downer and write long drawn out essays about Bill King and influencing Kirby Smart….then it is hard to take. We all have our reasons for being fans. I grew up during 70’s and listening to Munson about Junkyard Dogs and then the early 80’s. But I actually graduated from Georgia State but I was always UGA fan. No need for resume on here. Just chill on the law reviews.
Speaking of Junkyard Dawgs….this defense is for real. Man they are fast.
Kirby should offer Mike Bobo 3 million
to come back to Athens as Assistant Head Coach and OC, and leave him alone. Can you imagine 50 PPG along with this defense?
My dream team has always been
Kirby HC
Bobo OC
Muschamp DC
That’s the dream
I saw a lot of plays Saturday against Auburn that came out of Bobo’s playbook(toss sweeps, play action with Fromm under center, shotgun pitches to backs, etc.). Thank you Coley for finally using some of the better play calls. I kept saying “great play call Coley!!” throughout the Auburn game. Please keep it up.
Go Dawgs!
What’s all this about Bobo? I haven’t heard slightest indicator he won’t be at Colorado State next year.
Also, the toss sweep has been there for ages. Even Chaney used it. For some reason Coley decided to go against 50 years of success and not use it.