Louisville Football: How to slow down the Georgia Tech offense

Brian VanGorder and the Louisville Cardinals defense will have the responsibility to limit the Georgia Tech run offense tonight. Here are some keys to slowing down the Yellow Jackets.

Last week Brian VanGorder’s Louisville defense held the talented and productive run game of the Florida State Seminoles to just 76 yards on the ground, which was hands down their best effort of the season. This week’s opponent, the Rambling Wreck of Georgia Tech offer another challenge in the run game.

Currently ranked #1 in the nation in total rushing offense, Louisville will be forced with stopping what is one of the trickiest offenses in all of football.

Many try, but few are successful in totally neutralizing the Flexbone Option offense (or what many call, the triple option) of Paul Johnson.

Here are some keys to slowing down the Rambling Wreck.

Take away the dive play

HC Paul Johnson’s Flexbone Option offense ran by the Georgia Tech Rambling Wreck like many option offenses is built upon the simple “Veer Option.” Like all option offenses, it is critical to keep the defense honest and respectful of the diving running back lined up behind the QB pre-snap. By doing so, the offense maintains the upper hand as the defense can’t cheat and only cover the option to the outside. The diving running back holds the defensive ends accountable as they have to pinch in.

Louisville defensive coordinator, Brian VanGorder, has primarily played 5 guys at the two defensive tackle spots in the first 5 games. Jared Goldwire and G.G. Robinson have been the starting DT’s with Mike Boykin, Henry Famurewa and Dez Dumervil-Jean backing them up. It’s important these guys in the middle win at the point of attack.

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The beefy guys in the middle will need to control the line of scrimmage and stay disciplined in their gap assignments. They have to use their superior size and athleticism to control the interior. Georgia Tech hasn’t been able to consistently win the battle in the trenches against teams with equal or greater talent than themselves this season.

The big guys up front on the defensive line for Louisville must impose their will. If they can do so in tandem with the DE’s, should be able to primarily negate the dive play making the Rambling Wreck offense more one dimensional.

Defensive ends & linebackers must play smart & down hill

Louisville defensive end, Tabarious Peterson, is having a breakout year just as I predicted he would before the start of the season. He’s got a good first step, uses leverage well, plays with a high motor and has been disruptive. He, Amonte Caban, Jarrett Jackson and Derek Dorsey at the DE position will have a hard task tonight against Georgia Tech.

They’ll ultimately be responsible for helping turn the diving RB in and forcing the Quarterback to his second option. At the same time of reading the dive, they’ll need to win the battle against the tackle across from them and come down hill to force the QB to make a play. At this point the QB must either decide to keep it, or pitch it to a trailing running back. This RB comes in motion pre snap lined up outside the tackle on the opposite side of the direction of the play.

This is where the linebackers come in. Dorian Etheridge ought to have a HUGE GAME! He’s very physical and really plays downhill. He’s a big hitter and one of the more sure tacklers on the team, which makes him great against the run.

His job will be to watch the offensive center and primarily the guards at the snap. If he notices them trapping, he and the other LB’s must flow with the play. The LB’s will need to follow the trapping OG and meet them wherever they pull to as that’s where the pigskin will be going.

Ideally you want your LB’s to stay clean on the initial dive. They need to sprawl out to avoid cut blocking offensive guards getting to the second level and attack the interior A gaps if the ball is handed off on the dive. If the QB pulls the ball and kicks the play outside, the LBs follow the trapping/pulling OG and take on the block while trying to make a play on the ball carrier.

It’s without a doubt a difficult job for the linebacker group. They will have to play fast while under control and play smart while being physical at the point of attack. The DE’s and LB’s arguably have the hardest jobs and most responsibility playing against an offense like Paul Johnson’s. It’s a physical brand of football and difficult to defend because it makes defenders make plays in space in 1-on-1 situations. The good thing is while the defense is kind of young, I love the personnel we have at DE and LB. Guys like Robert Hicks, PJ Blue, Jarrett Jackson, Tabarious Peterson and Nick Okeke should do well Friday night due to their speed and athleticism.

Keep your defense fresh/offense sustain drives

While the Cards didn’t come away with the win last weekend vs. FSU, there were certainly things on the offensive side of the ball that you could look to and see noticeable improvement. For the first time this season, the offensive line in conjunction with the tight ends were able to open up some large running lanes. Behind the “Slash & Dash” running combo of Trey Smith and Hassan Hall, the Cards actually found their feet (pun intended) for the first time this season.

They’ll need to do it again Friday night against GT’s defense. In the 3 losses GT has suffered this season, they’ve given up at least 130 yards rushing and allowed their opponent to average over 4.5 yards/rush. Against USF and Clemson, they each ran for over 200 total rushing yards and averaged over 5 yards/rush. This helped them control tempo, wear out the GT defense and secure a victory.

Nobody is going to mistake Georgia Tech’s QB TaQuon Marshall for Tom Brady, or Lamar Jackson, but he’s getting better and improving each week. This GT offense and their style of play can bust you up. They’re good about wearing you down come 4th quarter and defensive stops in the redzone late in the game might be difficult, so you don’t want to be in a shootout with these guys.

I bring all this up because sometimes the best defense is a good offense and you can actually take a page out of Paul Johnson’s play book. The style of offense GT runs is intended to eat up clock and shorten the game. It’s a means to equalize the talent gap they generally face by limiting the time of possession of the other team’s offense.

Ideally if I’m writing the winning script for the Cards Friday night, you want to see the offense start fast and get out to an early lead. Preferably 2 scores to separate us from Georgia Tech. Then start to eat the clock by effectively running the ball and converting 3rd Downs. We’ll need to still take some shots down the field and capitalize on some big plays, but this will help keep the Cards defense stay fresh.

Next. 3 keys to defeating Georgia Tech. dark

I see this being a tough, physical, hard fought game. I think we see the team continue to make positive strides on the offensive side of the ball and the Cards come away with the W. I think the atmosphere will be fun and while the crowd not at capacity will be loud for a Friday Night BlackOut!

Go Cards!

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