Georgia Tech running backs diagnosed with fumble-itis!

by BirdGT on Oct 5, 2010 8:00 AM EDT in Georgia Tech Football

In 2009, our starting backfield fumbled 28 snaps, handoffs, and pitches. That's a rate of exactly two fumbles per game (total fumbles not fumbles lost). In 2010, we've fumbled 14 times, which is a rate of 2.8 fumbles per game. This is a 40% increase in fumbles per game. Now, a lot of people may think this is the trigger man, Josh Nesbitt, delivering bad pitches or making poor reads. I kinda think it's a little bit more than that. Here's a comparison of the 2009 A-Back, B-Back, and Quarterback fumbling rates:

Nesbitt's fumble rate has actually decreased by about 2%. The A-Back fumble rate has increased by 124%... while the B-Back fumble rate for 2010 has increased by 180%!!! We are putting the ball on the ground at a pretty astounding rate. In 5 games, Anthony Allen has fumbled as many times as Jonathan Dwyer did in all of 2009. The A-Backs are one short of tying last season's mark. The receivers aren't the only players on the field who have problems securing the football.

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It's all just sloppy play

Nobody wants to hang onto the ball, be them backs or receivers. Our O-Line doesn’t block well (jury’s still out on whether they can or not….). There are a few minimal fixes that would result in us being 4-1 or 5-0 right now. Honestly, if we hadn’t looked absolutely miserable against Kansas and had taken care of the ball better against NC State we would absolutely be 5-0 right now. But no. I’m just preparing myself for a long season with whiskey and Bayer aspirin (said to prevent heart attacks…)

by LilBroey700 on Oct 5, 2010 9:37 AM EDT reply actions

This trend certainly goes into the 'disappointing surprise' category

Great breakdown and definitely a little under the radar with other reasons why we aren’t performing up to expectations. Great strides in ball security were made from 08 to 09. You would have thought the same improvement or at least staying on par would have happened this year with one more year of running the offense.

by shakenbake11 on Oct 5, 2010 9:40 AM EDT reply actions

Questions:

how many new starters at A and B Back did the offense have in 2009 vs 2008 compared to 2010 v 2009. I’m thinking we have more new position players in new roles this year compared to 2009 than when comparing 2009 to 2008. As mentioned in other responses, I wonder if CPJ would switch Allen back to his position last year, and allow Lyons to start in Allen’s place?

by twojackets on Oct 5, 2010 11:00 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

That's my thought

Last year I was pretty high on what Preston Lyons did but was always thwarted by comments about how good AA was going to be..

Better to have died a small boy than to drop this football - John HeismanFromTheRumbleSeat

by Winfield Featherston on Oct 5, 2010 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions

Who Counted towards the stats above...

2010 – QB (Nesbitt), AB (Smith, Bostic, Peeples, Jones), BB (Lyons, Allen)
2009 – QB (Nesbitt, Jaybo), AB (Allen, Jones, Wright, Peeples), BB (Lyons, Dwyer)

I may look at 2008, too. Here’s who I would count…

2008 – QB (Nesbitt, Jaybo), AB (Jones, Cox, G. Smith, Peeples), BB (Dwyer, Kelly)

I write stuff From the Rumble Seat.

by BirdGT on Oct 5, 2010 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions