Sorry, 44 rushing attempts to 29 is indeed being pushed around. As long as Richt continues to run the ball so seldom it won't particularly matter about the personnel. We won't win anything of consequence while running 30 or 32 times per game on average. I'll continue to push that theme, same as the necessity of premier defensive tackles and premier pass defense, which is largely enabled by premier defensive tackles. I don't rely on overreaction or short term. I have NCAA and NFL stats dating to Excel spreadsheets dating to 1978. The online sources generally retreat only to 1983. I grabbed record books from Gamblers Book Club as soon as I arrived in Las Vegas in 1984.
That pass rush won't get there on third down when the opponent has patiently created third and 4 by pounding two consecutive 3 yard runs on first and second down. Those short rushing gains are gorgeous plays, controlling plays. Meanwhile we break off one long wildcat run which inflates the yards per carry but does absolutely nothing to wear down Wisconsin. It annoys them more than anything else.
The game last night was an excellent reference point toward where we truly stand. The Notre Dame game was an inflated version of our worth. That opponent was not rated highly in preseason. Plenty of fraud and upstart qualities. Home in prime time. Clemson was not a great barometer either. As I've posted for years, when a surprise unbeaten team loses for the first time deep in the season, the next game is almost always a severe flop. Nobody wants to believe that, in preference to the bounce back high-energy nonsense. Meanwhile, the team is not that great to begin with, yet has devoted so much physical and mental energy to winning one close and/or unlikely game after another that there's simply nowhere to go but splat, unless that next opponent is simply terrible. Same thing happened several years ago when we were 7-0 before losing at Florida State. Virginia Tech as 7 point underdog kicked our rear the following week.
Let's put it this way...when the Las Vegas sharps push a pointspread from -7.5 to -13.5 among two high profile teams like Miami and Clemson, that is due to situational understanding. That's all it is. They are picking on a team they know is not likely to be anywhere near its best, even if the mainstream sports media is clueless toward the terrain.
We were athletic and eager last night. Athletes all over the field. Roster logically destined to improve. Even the supposed weak link like Feagles dominated his matchup with the opposing punter.
Wisconsin owned the superior offensive design. The Badgers seamlessly shifted between snaps from center and shotgun. Never frantically looking around wondering what to do. Power runs blended with sophisticated route trees. Versatile use of the pro style tight end. They even used sporadic snaps from empty formation, which is not ideal for a quarterback of that caliber but they were doing it in favorable down and distance instead of forcing it on third and long.
As a Canes fan I shouldn't be envious of a Wisconsin offensive approach. But it was impossible not to be there last night. Their offensive style enables the Badgers to play beyond their ability level. Meanwhile Richt obviously became mesmerized by the RPO during his final years at Georgia and was determined to abuse it once he got his hands on the play calling again. I don't like it. Too much pressure on one kid to make perfect split second decisions and execution. It's rare to have fleet feet along with ideal timing and touch.
Oh yeah, the uniforms absolutely sucked. That defeat was deserved by those uniforms. Every time I saw the red-clad celebrating Wisconsin fans in the stands I was thinking how confident they looked in their traditional garb, while the pathetic Canes were scrambling to pretend they needed an artificial boost with some type of gimmick uniforms.
That uniform choice alone showed how far away we are, and how beholden we are to fear.
I am not impressed with a comparison to 2009 Alabama. Anybody can find the most favorable outlier available. That has been a weak tendency on this forum in general. The reason I use stuff like passing defense and rushing attempts is because it holds true much more often than not. Steal a vital few percent in one category after another and we have a chance to find that elite tier again. If we betray the foundational aspects and think we can be our own example then we're destined to remain near the current level.
Once again you bring the painful truth. I remember the days at Cs you'd **** me off with these paragraphs of hurt.
I'm on board until the uniform talk , that's silly and has nothing to do with the game. Stick with the football.
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