[su_spacer size=”20″] Brian Schottenheimer has a problem. In the picture above Greyson Lambert (11) has just turned to hand the ball to Brendan Douglas. As Douglas approaches the line of scrimmage, there are nine Missouri Tigers ready to make the play. Schottenheimer has to find a way to defeat “heavy boxes.” 
[su_spacer size=”40″] Let’s see how those numbers work:

• Douglas has the ball. He is not a blocker, obviously
• Lambert can not block, and he is not a threat to fake to Douglas and run. Missouri defensive back (25) is in perfect position to tackle Lambert should he fake to Douglas.
• Eliminating Douglas and Lambert leaves nine potential UGA blockers to take on 11 Tigers. Those odds are not unusual but when the geography is reduced to the tackle-to-tackle box the task of blocking the play is exponentially more difficult.
• Any formation (1, 2 or 3 wide receivers) splits only moves one-on-one coverage away from the box, but the odds remain for the defense at the point of attack along the interior line of scrimmage.

[su_spacer size=”40″] To defeat these tactics, Georgia must make teams respect the passing game. What the Dawgs have failed to do consistently is get the ball to receivers or backs in space. That is, when opponents are concentrated tightly in the tackle-to-tackle box, there is a lot of wide open space that defensive backs must protect.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Until UGA can make teams respect the ability to move the football over and around a ‘heavy box”, the Dawgs will have to continue to insist that the offensive line defeat superior numbers…good luck with that.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Here is what offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said about “heavy boxes” recently:
[su_spacer size=”40″] Brian Schottenheimer: “we are getting some heavy boxes”
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