Post-game position grades and a few individual grades

For starters, defensively, I give our effort an "A". Not an A+ as there were still some minor errors here and there but save for a missed tackle on what was an busted MSU offensive play, they answered the call most of the game and that goal line stand was one for the ages!

Offensively: D

Passing offense gets a B+. Jefferson had a career game and looked good throwing the intermediate-deep routes. LaFell had his typical "A-game" at receiver.

Rushing offense and OLine get a BIG, FAT, "F". Before this game, I lashed out at those that thought 160 yards rushing per game was low (and I still feel that the case), but today, the running game gets not support from me. That was awful. Period.

Keiland and Scott both get "Incomplete". When you're gang tackled every time you touch a ball, you're gonna lose that battle every time.

Special teams:

Coverage teams get an "A"

We have excellent kick coverage units.

Punter: D
While Helton did have nice hang-time and a few good "coverage kicks", he did shank a few down the stretch that were really worrisome for our defense. Plus, he DID "aide" in that botched snap that gave MSU the ball 1st and goal from the 1 (it was high, but Helton DID get his hands on it).

Deep snapper: F

Bad snap on the missed PAT that almost cost us the game as well as the high snap that was previously mentioned.

Punt return: C

"C"??? While Chad Jones' punt return was the play of the game and an awesome thing to watch, his success leads to his own downfall. For every punt return that works perfectly for him, it leads him to have WAY too much confidence into thinking he can do it EVERY time. He should have NEVER fielded that punt inside the 5 to begin with.

Kick return: B

Nothing great...nothing bad

Player of the Game: Chad Jones

He was simply put, "Dreadlocks of Doom" all game long.

Best coaching decision of the game: Taking the safety and kicking off. It's subtle but it forced MSU to have to drive the entire field with no TO's left. And since a TD and PAT would have won the game for MSU before giving up that safety, being up 4 didn't matter.

Looking towards next week, I feel more comfortable in some areas but less confident in others.

Defense is giving me more confidence (even though I know there are a lot of you that are unimpressed...and that's fine).

Our passing game improved this week so that's also a plus.

But our running game took MAJOR steps backwards.

UGA has a good offense, but for those that aren't living around the Atlanta area, I can tell you that the fans here are NOT happy with the Bulldog defense. They have problems of their own on that side of the ball so we'll see.

I never expected us to go undefeated this season and that out-look hasn't changed. We're were I thought we'd be after 4 games.

 

I've got to agree with just about everything you posted with the exception of a B- for kickoff coverage, I didn't notice much that was exceptional there, just guys doing their job pretty well, not perfectly. And the O line must get an F-. And why didn't you give the D line their D+ as well? Not nearly enough QB pressure and horrible at stopping the inside run. The goal line stand was an amazing thing of beauty, but ask yourself why did the game come down to a goal line stand with 2 minutes left against Mississippi Freaking State???!!! Because they were getting gashed in the run game for the first 58 minutes is why! Inside and outside. Raheem Alem was playing by himself today. EDIT: I stand corrected my LSUMASTERMIND's post, Nevis did play well too. The unit still failed as a whole at stopping the run.

 

I like our punter. The punt before the high botched one, he also had to jump up to catch it in the rain. The long snapper has not done well for 2 games now and got replaced.

 

And I'm not unhappy with our d'line. They ran trick plays and misdirection all day and we stopped it most of the time. Save the gift TD and the lucky QB roll out both directions for a TD, their offense didn't score very much.