I Can't Believe It's Not Better: Is Georgia's Lack Of "Spread" a Disadvantage?

I'm currently in the process of producing write ups that will get all of these unhappy, needy, wacko Georgia fans to stop calling out Georgia's program, and the people involved in it. I will succeed in convincing the 'Dawg nation that the program is heading in a wonderfully positive direction. But, for now I want to write an article that could spur a pretty good debate. If any knowledgeable football fans would like to join and leave your ten cents, please feel free to do so, as long as you don't call for the head of Mark Richt or Mike Bobo.

So, an interesting point was brought up the other day, by a friend of mine, that got the football sharks swimming in my head. He was discussing how South Carolina "spread" Georgia out and immediately had an advantage in their 17-6 win in Columbia this past Saturday.

Why? Look at the Gamecocks' personnel. Stephen Garcia is a large quarterback known for great mobility and a cannon arm. Alshon Jeffery, the Gamecocks soon to be reckoned with superstar receiver, stands 6'4" and uses a tall, long, and insanely physical frame to dominate on the outside. Tori Gurley isn't a bad option on the other side either. As a matter of fact, just as an ESPN graphic during last weekend's broadcast showed, all of South Carolina's receivers stand at least 6'3".

Sounds like a nice set to have for an NFL team right? Possibly, but put that personnel into a spread system; a wide open system like the one Steve Spurrier has run for years—with success. Then, add a bruising tailback like Marcus Lattimore to the mix, but keep it a secret.

Do that, and you get one heck of a game plan for a football game, especially at home. That is how the Gamecocks beat Georgia on Saturday. Georgia game planned against the traditional wide open offense of Steve Spurrier. They were so conscious of those big bodied wide receivers on the outside.

If you were in charge of the defensive game plan for that game, you would have done the same right? I know all Georgia fans would have if they really had the chance. Huge receivers. Huge quarterback. Spread offense. People always talk about how Steve Spurrier would be upset if his team ran for 200 yards, because the quarterback could never get the passing game going. We've all been taught the running is the last thing on the Ol'e Ball Coache's mind.

The gameplan would be to spread out that defense. Get those corners at the line of scrimmage. Have the safeties eying the outside passes. And bring the blitz to Stephen Garcia.

What's the perfect counter? Running up the middle all day long. That is exactly what South Carolina did. Had they not have had such an incredible young tailback Georgia might not have gotten run over so hard.

And people, let us be real. Georgia still played one heck of a defensive game. The first drive from South Carolina, and the fumble by Washaun Ealey really were the entire game. Everything else that happened was an evenly well executed effort by both teams on both sides of the football. Georgia's defense, eventually, adjusted accordingly. It was a great game to watch, even on the losing end, because of that hard nosed SEC intensity that we love so much. I'm feeling really good about the direction this defense is going in. I was also, as stated in my last write up, very pleased with the performance of Aaron Murray.

But let me take a step back, put my mind in neutral, and bring up a question to you readers.

Is Georgia's style a disadvantage in the evolving world we call College Football? Think about it.

Georgia runs a pro-style offense, relying on compact pass plays of seven yards and a smash mouth running game. Just about every pass play is playaction. Rarely is there a gadget play, or a risky play in the mix. It's all about execution and beating men one-on-one.

Defensively, they have brought in a 3-4 scheme under the leadership of Todd Grantham, who has been coaching against NFL offenses like Georgia's for the past five years.

Steve Spurrier proudly said that his game plan, mainly the running up the middle by Lattimore, was an extra tidbit intended to break open the NFL style defense of Georgia.

Touche Mr. Spurrier, touche. (I promise I will never refer to Spurrier as mister ever again. Sorry to any Georgia fans I have offended). If you look around the SEC, most teams are running a spread offense.

Florida, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, LSU, Auburn, and Arkansas all run some form of the spread attack.

Florida took it all the way to a couple of national championships. Interesting. You almost feel like that whenever a team gets to play against a compacted offense like Georgia's; one that really is all about being physical, that it is relieving for players who have been getting their minds boggled trying to game plan for misdirection offenses all year.

Or is this the case? I thought hard and then realized, "Wait a minute. The unanimous number one team in the country...

...is built just like Georgia's." Duh! Alabama. A pro style offense. A 3-4 scheme. I even wrote, last year when the two defenses were different, that the two teams were carbon copies (this of course in preseason, before I realized the teams would be five losses apart from one another).

So what does Alabama have that we don't? If these teams are so similar in scheme, why has Georgia looked so " lethargic", as a recent writer put it, while Alabama looks so crisp.

Now we go back to the physicality. Now we go back to the one-on-one success that I said dictates the effectiveness of an NFL style team.

Does Georgia have the personnel? Trent Richardson is a bruising, intimidating tailback. Julio Jones is a bruising, intimidating wide receiver. The Alabama defense is full of bruising, scary, knock-your-head off type defenders.

They have the physicality, and the swagger (I can't believe I just used that term). Alabama has the intensity week in and week out to scare the living day light out of their opponent—thus rendering any spread offense they go against helpless.

With this said, I realize, Georgia doesn't need a spread offense and defense to catch up with the SEC and the college football universe. They need the players to turn it up a notch. Washaun Ealey needs to hold onto that football, and break some tackles.

Big, physical wide receivers like Kris Durham, Marlon Brown, and eventually A.J. Green should help Georgia keep defenses honest. Tight ends Orson Charles and Aron White have both been labeled finesse tight ends. Maybe these guys need to become a bit nastier?

Maybe Georgia's offense needs to trade execution and methodical game plans for attacking ones?

And defensively, Georgia simply needs to have confidence. They need to be ready to fly around and hit people. We saw it in the second half of the South Carolina game, and the players and coaches have assured us they won't be overwhelmed by the game planning of a spread offense like South Carolina's again. They won't be so "timid", hopefully.

To me, I feel like there is no need for unrest with Georgia fans. The defense showed against a dangerous offense, on the road. Aaron Murray showed, on the road, which is incredible for a young guy of 19 years of age.

What Georgia needs is to get back in that home environment against Arkansas and "GATA". They need to build that physical reputation that goes so well with the NFL style schemes—and they will. This is a transitioning defense and offense.

But Aaron Murray and the defense, both young either way you look at it, showed us some signs of  brilliance against a good Gamecock team. You need to realize in a tough SEC that the record might not always be pretty, but a good brand of football can keep any fan happy.

And Georgia will have a good brand. A brand we can appreciate. Give the Bulldogs this season to grow into that defense. Give them a season for Aaron Murray and the youngsters to grow into this offense. And in the end, whether we go 9-4 or 11-2, or 12-1(?) this year, we will be able to enjoy the brand of Georgia football for the years to come.

And here is my segway into my next article, pertaining to all of the grumbling. This team needs to grow. It's too early in the young season to complain. And if you aren't excited for what the next two or three years are going to bring, you really just need to crawl back into your hole. It is too early in an obvious transitioning period to bash a capable coaching staff and roster like like the ones the Georgia program will have for the next few years.

But getting back on topic, what do you readers think? Would Georgia's offense be suitable for a spread? Are spread teams getting the best of the defenses, while the Georgia offense never has the counter punch?

Some recent UGA-UF games really indicated that. But Bama's success in the same scheme, along with the success Georgia had in the pro style offense (Stafford and Moreno days), shows maybe all Georgia needs is some time to develop.

Tell me what you think. And take this article as a reminder to get your wagging tails over to Sanford Stadium this weekend, so we can shut up Ryan Mallett and that spread offense.

Hunker down for Saturday, and Go Dawgs!