I went back and looked at the tape. DD said we didn't "set the edge" very well. Well here are the top 10 runs by uga and who was "on the edge" (the edge of the line), and how it turned out. I added quite a bit for the three longest runs.
1. 75 yard TD run - sweep to left side of uga line - Maggitt was on the edge - he went inside - there was probably a hold but the on another LB, probably Gathers, couldn't get his number, but that's immaterial. Brewer was the sole deep safety, took a horrible angle and was way slow getting there. Should have been a 7-8 yard run without the hold (Lathers(?) shirt practically came off) and maybe 15 if Brewer does a bit better.
2. 72 yard TD run - Murray goes left again, Miller is on the edge and got pushed outside, and after that no one even got close. The team did look gassed, they had been on the field quite a bit at this point. This was the most disappointing run, the one in the third quarter. I was like "really?, AGAIN? we suck and deserve to lose"
3. 51 yard TD run - No. 58, Walls was on the edge and correctly read the run as inside, but Gurley adjusted and went outside. I didn't think Marlon played it that badly actually. But this was the one where half the defensive backfield was either jogging from behind because they expected others to make the play (AJ and Brewer) or missing tackles (Moore, and no. 27). I don't think setting the edge was the problem here, it was the complete horse shizzle lack of tackling after the runner got past the line. Probably the most embarrassing play of a long, embarrassing day for the D.
4. 13 yard run by Gurley to the left. Bohanan was setting the edge and got taken completely out of the play.
5. 12 yard run on first drive to left - Miller set the edge, went inside, and no LB was in position to the outside to cover it when he did. Apparent alignment issue.
6. 8 yard run on first drive to left by Marlon Brown - Miller set the edge, went inside, and AJ was actually in position but got blocked by the FB. AJ probably could have taken a better angle.
7. 8 yard run on first drive to left, Miller went inside and no one was in position to cover - apparent alignment issue.
8. 7 yard sweep to right on first play of game. Sentimore set the edge and went inside, couldn't see much beyond that, camera angle bad.
9. 7 yard run to left by Marshall. Miller set the edge, crashed inside, and AJ was too deep to stop the play any sooner.
10. 5 yard run on first drive by Gurley left. Once again, Miller went inside and AJ was in a bad place to stop the run any sooner, but did limit it to five.
General observation...if a DL or LB "setting the edge" is going to take the inside gap, then the LB needs to be in a better position to get outside. Numerous times, our "edge" guy took the outside gap and the LB filled the inside gap just fine. I guess that's what DD meant by not setting the edge right and alignment issues.
Another observation...the 11th best run was for 5 yards, and the others were all for less including four for no gain and SEVEN for negative yards (though one of those was a kneel-down).
So it seems our D CAN play some run D if they want to, but maybe just not all the time.
It sounds pretty ridiculous to say, but if we can avoid giving up three long TD runs (or any, lol) to MSU, we might just beat them.
