Georgia recap, quarter the fourth and verdicts

Picking up where we left off, with 15 minutes left to go ...



1. When we last saw our Auburn Tigers, they had just started a drive at their own 10 and picked up a first down on a "daring" half-yard QB sneak on fourth down. (Scare quotes for "daring" since punting back to Georgia from inside's one 20 down 4 on the final play of the third quarter is a far, far stupider decision than trying to sneak for six inches.) 1st-10 on the 20, Auburn in the I. Tate heads right, and what on earth is wrong with Tyronne Green today? The DT just blows past him and wraps up Tate by the ankle a nanosecond after he takes the handoff (line -). Loss of 4.

2. Ugh--Georgia with 293 total yards through three quarters to Auburn's 128 and somehow not only is Auburn still in the game, they're a random fumble and missed FG from the lead. Spread on 2nd-14. Line (+) this time gives Burns oodles of time and he finds Billings crossing underneath a very deep zone by the Dawgs. 9 yards.

3. Spread. Free play when the Dawgs jump--w00t. Burns (+) does even better than the 5 yards, though, stepping forward to avoid the rush and then drawing the linebacker covering Rod Smith on another crossing route with what looks like a scramble. He pulls short of the LOS and hits the newly uncovered Smith for 10.

4. 1st-10, Auburn 35. Ace. Burns drops back and Tate (+) does a fantastic job stoning a blitz off the corner. This and good work by the line (+) give Burns the time to find an open McKenzie downfield near the right sideline. Gain of 21. Burns now 4-4 on this drive for 44 yards and two first downs (three if you count his sneak).

5. Aw hell, it's that ace-shotgun formation I hate and which Ensminger seemed to have wisely scrapped for the first three quarters. Aw hell, it's an option left. Burns (-) pitches way too early and to a pitchman--Tate--who's already mostly covered by a guy Dunn is struggling to block. As he's done once before, though, Tate (+) is able to stop in his tracks and reverse field, picking up enough blocks and then knifing between an LB and a pursuing DT for 9 yards out of that disaster.

6. 2nd-1, on the Georgia 36 now. Two-TE ace. This time it's Berry who gets forced backwards and this DT who's been screwing things up all day--Case Weston-- basically gets a free shot on Tate (line -). He bounces off (+) and gets back to the LOS, preserving third-and-short.

7. 3rd-1. I, twins left. Georgia shifts their LBs to the weakside just a bit and blitz two guys--one a corner--to the strong side, where Fannin takes the handoff. McKenzie makes a phenomenal block, leaning left at the snap to let the blitzing LB try to penetrate on his right, then sealing him. Davis (+) pounds the blitzing corner, Ziemba gets out on the MLB, the rest of the line stands firm, and when the weakside LB can't get over in time Fannin has bolted between Davis and McKenzie's blocks into the secondary (line ++). Smith (+) and Quindarius Carr (+) both get outstanding downfield blocks to turn 10 yards into 20, and then Fannin (++) somehow eludes both Dawg safeties in one slick cut to turn into a TOUCHDOWN! Touchdown, Mario Fannin!

8. Hull is in for the extra point ... it's good! Auburn's up 13-10, their first lead in the fourth quarter (against a D-I team) since the Arkansas game and their first offensive fourth-quarter points against a D-I team--this is absolutely true--since they played LSU. (That's five straight without a single point in the fourth, by the way, save for Arkansas's charity safety.) Speaking of LSU ...

9. ... that was also the last time this team was in this fourth-quarter-TD-yields-small-lead-in-tight-game position, and in that game the slow fade to defeat started with a horrible kickoff. Hopefully Hull will give us something good here. The kick's up ... it goes out of bounds. IT GOES OUT OF BOUNDS. $%#@! $%#@ $%#@ $%#@! (Hull -)

10. Georgia in the I on their 40. Stafford tries to find MoMass on an out; Powers is in good position (cover +) and the pass is behind Stafford's receiver. A flag apparently comes in--neither the flag nor the official who throws it ever winds up in range of the camera--and Powers is assessed what is the single worst pass interference I can ever remember. Horrible, horrible call. Tubby picks up five for arguing, which I'd usually feel a little ambivalent about, but in this case? Scream away, Tubby.

11. 1st-5 at the Auburn 40. Why Powers is playing 15 yards off the line on 1st-5 I don't know, but it's another one of these simple pitch-and-catch outs for Stafford. The Dawgs pick up 10.

12. Stafford drops back again--the Dawgs are only down 3, why have they suddenly forgotten about Moreno? McFadden (+) is step for step with Green on the fly down the right sideline and Green doesn't really have a chance (cover +). The Auburn sideline goes nuts looking for an offensive PI flag, and while I wouldn't usually expect it to be called on a play like this, when it comes two plays after the call on Powers, yeah, I don't blame anyone in orange-and-blue for being steamed.

13. The Dawgs finally remember they have one of the best backs in the country on their team and Moreno follows Southerland through the same massive hole the Dawgs have plowed open every time they've run this lead draw. Coleman breaks loose from his guy and tackles Moreno from behind by his ankles, but not before the Dawgs get an easy 6 out of it.

14. 3rd-4, Auburn 25. The corners are all up at the LOS; no easy outs this time. Good coverage downfield (+), but Moreno comes open on a circle route in the middle of the field; Stafford squeezes it in, Bynes (-) sees it coming but can't get the angle right for a tackle, and by the time Johnson wraps up Moreno's got the first down. I can't believe we've gotta play this guy again next year.

15. 1st-10 on the Auburn 18. Counter to Moreno over the right side, and boy, give Auburn's linebackers some credit here: Bynes (+) stands up a guard and Evans (+) stuffs Southerland's block, meaning Moreno has to try and power his way through a roadblock to reach open space. He nearly manages it, but Etheridge is on hand just in time to hold on for dear life and get him to ground. Gain of 1.

16. Stafford drops back, fires over the middle ... and ah HELL it's a TD to Green. There's not really a thing I think Auburn can do about this: McNeil is right with Green and Powers has him bracketed in front. Stafford throws a rising fastball just high enough to get over Powers but with the kind of speed that McNeil can't react in time. Maybe a little bit quicker rush would have helped, but this isn't poor coverage so much as two future NFL stars making an NFL future stars play.

17. Kickoff ... out of bounds! Everybody sucks today.

18. Two-TE ace, Tate over the left side. Ziemba gets physically thrown to the turf (line -) and Tate unfortunately has one of his 2008 Tate runs where he sort of pauses for a moment to see if maybe something big will open up instead of just trying to plunge for a yard. McKenzie and Bosley are also mostly beaten, so nothing does; no gain.

19. Ziemba, perhaps still reeling from the manhandling he got on the last play, flas starts. (line -)

20. 2nd-15 on the Auburn 35. Spread. Good pocket (line +) and Burns (+) steps up and fires a stunningly accurate rope to a bracketed Billings on a corner-type route; after a brief juggling routine Billings hauls it in for 25 yards. Probably the best throw Burns has made all season.

21. Ace. Waggle; Burns (-) has loads of room in which to operate and McKenzie well open--he throws it behind him, incomplete. McKenzie's got a play on it and really ought to make the catch, but there's no excuse for Burns missing this badly on a six-yard route that uncovered.

22. Spread. Again Burns has time (line +) and chooses to fire deep to Smith down the left sideline; it's not close (Burns -) and Smith was blanketed anyway.

23. 3rd-10 on the Georgia 40. Spread. Tate picks up a blitzer and the line (+) holds, giving Burns (+) the chance to find a curiously open Billings just beyond the sticks on a deep out. This play looks like the sort of play competent offenses run. Who knew they had it in them?

24. 1st-10, Georgia 28. I. Handoff to Tate heading right; Pugh continues the festival of Dawg DTs shoving Auburn linemen all over the damn place by shoving Pugh all over the damn place. Tate has to swing well wide and it's only through two very good blocks from Davis and McKenzie on the edge that he makes the corner. Gain of 3.

25. Two-TE ace. Remember our old pal Vance "Not a Blocking Tight End, the Second" Smith from all those missed blocks in the WVU game? Well, he's back, he's lined up on the left side, and he's more than willing to blow another block, failing miserably to seal off the charging DE as Tate carries up the middle (line -). I'm not sure what Ziemba's doing here, either, as he seems to help Green double-team the guy Green already had well-blocked instead of going after the unblocked linebacker who's standing right in the hole. Full credit to Tate (+) here: he mostly runs through the DE's arm tackle and spins off of the LB's body blow, somehow turning this cruddy play into four yards.

25. 3rd-3. I. Georgia has eight guys in the box and both corners pulled up all the way at the LOS, but in the end this play--Tate going left for nothing--isn't about how many guys there are in the box, it's about Bosley getting his ass planted in the backfield (line -). Davis can't even get to the hole, much less block in it; he has to help Bosley to keep the guy from tackling for a loss. So Tate has to step past that mess and what's waiting for him but Ziemba getting his ass handed to him as well. Disaster.

26. So, 4th-and-3 on the 21. Hull comes out initially; Tubby then calls timeout and makes the (correct) decision to go for it. The odds of 1) your walk-on sophomore kicking his first-ever FG 2) holding Georgia 3) driving into range again 4) said walk-on connecting again are basically nil. Spread. Burns (-) wastes no time trying to find Billings on the fade; he's got half-a-step (maybe a quarter-step) but the pass is just a foot or two overthrown. Don't like Burns's read here; he doesn't even look at the short slant on the other side of the field (which is covered) or wait to see if Tate can slip uncovered out of the backfield (which he does). Also not sure about having the third wideout run another deep route when you just need three yards. For all of that, the biggest problem is the throw. It's not an easy one, but Burns had enough time to make it and if he puts it on the money, it's six points.

27. Georgia takes over. They run that same silly-looking lead draw where Stafford fakes to Moreno who then becomes the lead blocker; it never looks like a big gainer and Evans and Bynes tackle after a gain of 2.

28. Bad flashback to the way the game started: toss right, and a huge gap opens up between the blown-back Coleman (-) and Doolitte, with the FB and a pulling guard cleanly taking out Bynes and Evans. Moreno picks up 10 before anyone touches him.

29. 1st-10, 34. Auburn will have to use their timeouts soon. Dawgs run the exact same play; this time Bynes drifts outside and avoids the guard. He's not in great position to tackle but he can at least slow Moreno up enough so Stevens can arrive and the two of them can bring him down for a gain of 4.

30. 2nd-6 ... BALL BALL BALL! The Dawgs fumble the snap; Stafford barely recovers. Damn! All right!

31. 1:59 left, Auburn just burned their first of two remaining timeouts. If the Dawgs convert this 3rd-8, the game's over. Nifty play here--they fake the long handoff left before flipping a screen to Moreno going right. And for the first time all freaking game, I think Moreno makes a mistake; rather than wait for his several beefy blockers to arrive, he bolts out in front of them, tries to make a move on Thorpe, and falls down all of his own. Whew.

32. Georgia does a bunch of wacky, wild stuff on the punt team to try and draw Auburn off, but ends up committing a false start as Auburn sort of jumps. Scary. For maybe the first time all day, Dunn makes a decent play; he tracks down the ball as it plummets towards the sideline and fair catches. If it gets past him, it's trouble.

33. So, Auburn's at their own 20, no timeouts, 1:44 left, needing a touchdown. Spread from this point on unless otherwise noted. Burns (-) gets a tiny bit of heat on 1st down and fires well wide on a cross-field out.

34. 2nd-10. Billings on a little slip route over the middle; Burns finds him and Billings (+) does a good job to hang onto the ball after getting popped. Gain of 5.

35. 3rd-5. QB draw, and the line (+) and a thumping block from Tate (+) give Burns all kinds of room on the left side. Gain of 14.

36. 1st-10, Auburn 39. Georgia is still discussing their secondary alignment at the snap; it's a good thing, because on a three-man rush Bosley gets bull rushed smack into Burns's lap yet again (line -) and the throw to Billings on an out is both a bit wobbly and all the way across the field. But the confused Dawgs are in no position to do anything about it and Billings steps out after a quick-n-easy six-yard gain.

37. 57 seconds left. Burns makes a nice move, buying time by stepping through the line into acres of space. Too bad he follows it by throwing his 15-yard pass to a wide-slap-open Dunn directly into the dirt (-). Opportunity missed right there.

38. 3rd-4, Auburn 45. This is better from Burns (+) -- this time he steps up and just keeps trucking, picking up 17 yards down to the Georgia 38.

39. Burns spikes it, stopping the clock with 38 seconds left. But why? In the time it takes the chain gang to get re-set, Burns can't call a play of some kind? It makes sense when the clock is running willy-nilly after first or second down, but here it's just a waste of a down Auburn might need.

40. 2nd-10. Auburn has to rush to the line after not getting the play in for entirely too long; they never look comfortable and though the line (+) gives Burns the best pocket he's had yet on this drive, he can do nothing but throw it away.

41. 3rd-10. Come on, Auburn. Again, no pressure from the Dawgs (line +), Burns fires up the fade deep to Smith down the left sideline, and the Dawg corner gives him a one-handed shove for no reason whatsoever. 15 yards, first down, we'll take it thankyouverymuch.

42. 1st-10 on the 23. Burns drops back--but first, he and Tate run the least-convincing play-action fake in the history of play-action fakes. Then Burns (-) tries to fade to Smith yet again; covered, not close.

43. This time Burns rolls right, and Curran cuts through the line to blast him; just before he arrives Burns (+) fires a dart to Billings on the sideline comeback route. This is all arm and accurate nonetheless. Good play, 9 yards.

44. 3rd-1, Georgia 19. Smith runs a slant-and-go; he stumbles coming out of his route and the play never has a chance. Little bit of contact, but not really enough to flag. Don't think this one's on Burns, since the timing was so screwed up the Smith stumble.

45. 4th-1. This is it. We could really use a good pocket; Berry soils that hope by getting bull-rushed into Burns's face. Line -. Again. Burns (-) doesn't help matters by panicking a bit; the rusher still doesn't have a grasp on him and with no other rushers nearby, Burns should probably scramble a bit. Instead he arcs a prayer towards Tate, who's somehow drifting into the corner of the end zone, that falls harmlessly out of bounds. DAMMIT. No, seriously: damn it. There's no flag here, by the way--Tate's defender face guards, but face guarding is legal in college and I'm pretty sure this pass in uncatchable anyway.

46. Georgia kneels out the single remaining second. That makes four drives inside the Georgia 25 that combined to produce zero points. Bleccccch.

Plus-minus

Offense: Tate +8, Fannin +7, Smith +2, Burns +1, Carr +1, Billings +1, Hawthorne +1, Davis +1, Trott -1, "Line" -2.

Defense: "Cover" +6, McFadden +4, Marks +4, Doolittle +3, Goggans +3, Stevens +2, Blanc +1, Ricks +1, Evans +1, Coleman +1, Carter +1, Etheridge 0, Johnson -1, Thorpe -1, Bynes -1, McNeil -1, Powers -1, Clayton -2.

Special teams: Byrum -1, Hull -2, "ST" -5.

Final verdicts

Overall, definitely a step up from the Ole Miss game, particularly on the defensive side of the ball and in the Auburn backfield. Basically, what Auburn is is a team that's going to get the ball into the red zone on offense and probably allow the ball to get into the red zone on defense; right now the D is making the necessary red zone plays and the offense isn't. If the latter can improve--and given the relative lack of turnovers, they sort of did--while the former keeps it up, this just might work.

Breaking it down by position:

Running backs: I considered making this its own separate post, but instead I'll summarize here: I don't have a huge problem with Tate getting the lion's share of snaps in the fourth quarter. Do I think Fannin is the better, more explosive all-around back? Yes. Do I wish he'd become Auburn's de facto No. 1 back with all the carries that implies? Yes, yes I do.

But Tubby wasn't lying when he said Tate 1. was running well; despite his substantially lesser average than Fannin, he'd gotten much cruddier blocking and repeatedly made something out of nothing 2. is the better pass-blocker; Tate wasn't beaten by a blitzer all day while Fannin's miserable fluff on the same assignment helped lead to one of the two third quarter three-and-outs. Fannin's TD run was sensational, but it was set up in large part by Tate three times getting yards where his blockers hadn't given him any and making the block in pass-protection that resulted in the 21-yard throw to McKenzie. There was no point in having Fannin on the field for the final drive--Tate's pass-blocking skills make hi the clear choice there. Maybe he should have been on the field for the previous one, but that drive made the Georgia 21 and its ultimate failure wasn't Tate's--it was the line's, Burns's, and some less-than-imaginative play-calling. In short: the Internet rabble are right that Fannin's the better back. But not on pass plays and it's not some clearcut, obvious decision.

The real story here is that no matter who was in the backfield, the Auburn RBs made plays. They broke tackles, they gained extra yards, they blocked blitzers, they essentially looked like what Auburn RBs are supposed to look like for the first time in weeks and weeks.

Quarterback: Burns was basically what he was against Ole Miss, trading his competence on bombs for competence on the intermediate stuff, but minus the crippling interceptions. That's a pretty big honking minus if you ask me. If he can build on that by adding some pluses or two besides his running ability, we'll be getting somewhere.

Line: A little better day in run-blocking--thanks in no small part to the arrival of McKenzie, who I would call the best offensive lineman on the field for Auburn--but a big step back in pass protection despite the general lack of sacks. Against Ole Miss, the failings of the pass game belonged to Burns and the receivers alone; here they belonged to the line as well. The RBs and the Burns showed improvement. The line--particularly in that awful third quarter, where I listed them at -6 --did not.

Receivers: As usual, nothing special. A general +1 seems about right. On the one hand, I don't hand out pluses for routine grabs, so that hurts their rating; on the other, I don't hand out minuses when Burns has all day and no one breaks open, so I figure it evens out.

D-line: This grading system is very generous to d-lineman, who get pluses when they make a play but no minus when they just sort of get stood up. So I'd take these with a grain of salt: Marks started off gangbusters, for instance, but disappeared in the second half. The pass-rush was nonexistent. What I think we can say is this: the DTs still had a pretty good day overall, Goggans was more helpful in run support than expected, and Auburn's got to get more out of Coleman. +1 for a guy of his talent is not enough.

Linebackers: Not great, but better than I was expecting, to be honest with you. Stevens was substantially better all-around and Bynes was much more active than against either WVU or Ole Miss; several of the minuses in this group came from failed tackle attempts against Knowshon Moreno, and it's not like that's an easy thing to do. Between the DTs and the improvement here, there's some hope Auburn can slow down the Tide's running game.

Secondary: Terrific performance IMO. Consider: a team with Matt Stafford throwing to A.J. Green and Mohammed Massaqoi had as their longest pass play of the day a 35-yard screen to the running back. That guys like McNeil, Powers, and Thorpe played such a small role in this recap should tell you how well they had their guys blanketed, and it left Stafford to try and test McFadden, who responded brilliantly. With Powers only going to be more healthy against the Tide, the secondary, of all things, is probably the strength of this defense. Now if they can just straighten out the occasional "oops, we just gave them a free 10 yards" alignment problems, we're golden.

Coaching: Initially, I thought the fade to Billings on 4th-and-2 was a passable call; Burns had a shot at completing it, and that's an immediate six points, right? On review, though a) it wasn't as open as I'd thought and it's not like with a well-covered slant and another deep post the play was designed to have any shot at picking up the first b) even if it wasn't an awful call, the one before it to run a standard sweep on 3rd-and-3 into a stacked front? Ewwwwww. And those weren't the worst calls pf the game: when confronted with 3rd-and-1 inside the 15 on Auburn's final drive, why not let Burns take off? The only way this fails is if he's stopped short of the first down, and after he'd already rushed for 15-plus yards twice on this drive, what were the odds of that? And even past that: do you really think Burns's odds of sticking the ball in the end zone are better by air or on the ground? Exactly.

Here's to hoping that with a bye week that won't be spent installing half a new offense, Ensminger can put together some ... you know what? Nevermind. Let's just hope Auburn can execute.