Solely blaming the Defense/Coach Martinez is almost impossible to do right now. The special teams play (not swapping the field or at least getting three, out of bounds kickoffs, several HORENDOUS punts , we didnt stop an obvious fake against LSU and have a blocked punt ourselves, and what – a pair of blocked FGs?), league and almost national leading penalites (allowing drive/momentum to stay alive for an opponent and just destroying the mentality of our team), turnover margin (you are never going to the elite level if you aren’t doing well here), injuries (you can’t solely blame injuries, ever, it’s part of the game, but UGA’s injury list is large enough to garnish some of the problem), the CONTINUAL play action bomb (that works 1 in 10 and looks great, but the other 9 times gives us 2nd/3rd and long) the lack of using of the TE, FB, out play, and other classic 5 yard gainers. And finally, as I am often saying – a team that is not a team, the team’s seniors and captains have seemed more concerned about a blackout than actually getting down to business, and have responded poorly to adversity and actually having to step up.

Given all those things as part of the pie – I don’t see how you can make an honest assesment of the defense as the largest shortfall. If special teams play was solid it woudl be easier to make that assessment, but we are controlling the game, the ball, the clock and flipping the field effectively nor effeciently. The one thing I do see is that the D just seems flat footed an un-energic at times. Perhaps this because they feel dumped on by what the O and Special Teams continually hands them.