All true, but the same can be said for the teams we play. I don’t think predictability is our issue. I think technique, and execution is huge problem. If we watch the Tulsa, and Tulane games, I bet you misfires were more abundant than playing into their defenses hands. That’s my understanding. The team needs to fix the glaring weaknesses before the start of next season, and IMO it’s technique and execution. We don’t score 40 points one game and 21 the next with being predicable. That’s a will-power, technique, and execution problem.
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I agree. I share your frustration and its reason I posted Tulane clips of our defense blowing 3rd down stops on QB scrambles…failure to execute by just one player can doom a play. In cases I showed…a LB blitzing wrong gap and DE losing contain…however many here still believe that coordinators are responsible for everything that happens between the lines. They blame dropped passes on receiver coach instead the receiver, holding penalties on OL coach etc. I don’t get it.
There are times I would blame a OC or DC…play calling based on situation…here’s one I don’t understand.
Temple game UH is up 20-13 in 4th qtr with1:43 left after just holding Temple on downs, the offense needs run out clock…here is play by play of series…
1st and 10 at TEM 42
(1:37 - 4th) Duke Catalon run for 9 yds to the Temp 33
(1:28 - 4th) Timeout TEMPLE, clock 01:28
2nd and 1 at TEM 33
(1:28 - 4th) Duke Catalon run for a loss of 5 yards to the Temp 38
(1:24 - 4th) Timeout TEMPLE, clock 01:24
Offense gets 9 yards on 1st down…we have 2 downs to get a yard and run out clock.
2nd and 1 Johnson calls a "counter"to right…he has C and RG, RT block down and pulls LG and LT around to lead counter run to right. The issue? Temple is desperate to get ball back so they are attacking and not in read and react mode…so Temple DC run blitzes from wide side(where pulling OL are coming from) and we get a 5 yard loss and eventually have to punt and D has go into prevent and everybody sweat it out. Make sense?
That is inexcusably a bad call. We paid for it, no doubt. I think sometimes we get carried away, and he put too much relish on that play call. Why would you pull a Guard in any 2nd and 1 situation? Get the first down.
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These are the play calls that frustrate me about Johnson. His game situation awareness isn’t always where it needs to be.
That’s applicable to all coaches, no?
This is a situation where maybe CMA hears this call on headset and says “NO”…why running counter? I think Johnson might have over thought some short yardage calls because he didn’t have faith in O line ability to get a yard. So instead power play, he ran a counter hoping fool D because he doesn’t think can block them. Also using hurry up short yardage plays where we try and out “tempo” D line rather than lining up and driving them for a yard.
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I don’t have too much of an issue with our lining up run plays they work or don’t. Sometimes the call is bad as pointed out on the counter, these happen too and they are infuriating.
My biggest issue is our terrible use of tempo to run up the middle. There D doesn’t have to be really set they all know it’s the inside hand off it’s stacked up constantly and was stacked up from Game 1 to 11 consistently wasting a down and write often killing drives.
Always seems like we run this when we get a big play. Use the up tempo and run up the middle to get a couple of yard gain.
He probably was expecting Temple to load up against an inside run, and, if you don’t believe your interior linemen can open a hole, you try something else. But pulling two backside linemen on 2nd and 1 is not smart especially when your run plays take a long time to develop. Should have just called a QB sneak. Oh, wait, I forgot.
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Didn’t the Cowboys put Staubach under center and in shotgun?
Yep. I remember watching the game in which Landry debuted the formation. Roger started the play under center and then shifted to the shotgun.
Be cool it we did the reverse!
Even now, pro QBs like Big Ben, Brady and others go under center sometimes.
I am commenting on the vibe that it seems that some people would be happier with a wide open offense like the Air Raid more than wins. Some people consistently pine for Jenkins and conveniently forget he was 4-7 his last two season. 7 wins is obviously not enough. The Air Raid might win the NC this year.
Point is, winning is the most important thing. Winning over stats any day over long bombs and 30 second drives. If we have those AND win. Fantastic.
We won 21 games using the Applewhite / Herman over two seasons and won the peach bowl with this offense.
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We also won a ton of games with the Briles O and the Sumlin/Kingsbury O.
There are advantages to the Herman/Applewhite O.
- You burn a ton more clock leaving your D fresher…so your D typically looks much better.
- I got nothing…really…less Interceptions?
The Air Raid/Spread Passing Game has advantages as well
- You can put your opponent in a hole that is difficult to overcome with a run style O
- You can recruit smaller, FAST receivers. This is big because tall and fast end up going to money programs to get paid. Small fast guys create all kinds of LB and S mismathces you can exploit.
- You do not need road grader OLinemen to make the running game work. They do need to be good sound pass blockers
- Don’t need giant bruising RBs…though nice to have.
- You can actually come back from 3 scores down in the fourth quarter
- It’s entertaining, and we have won with it in the past.
We are getting better talent these days, we have better facilities, so it makes sense.
When Case was our QB we still had 1000 yard rushers. Same for Kolb. Same for Tulsa two years ago. Memphis this year. These spread passing games are mores balanced than you think. They are effective and entertaining if executed properly.
I watched Helton and Dimel so I will be there on game day regardless. But I really enjoyed the CK years the best. But second was probably the magical GW Jr.
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We won a lot of games running Yeoman’s Veer, too.
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I just don’t see why can’t put King under center? Tom Brady uses QB sneak all the time. They know we are running up middle…might as well start closer to line.
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Makes sense to me. It would give opposing DC another look to worry about.
All plays and offenses are designed to work. It’s about execution.
I just read a bunch different articles on the option.
One said that we live in a copycat world…so if somebody shuts down Navy or Army …team playing them next thinks they can watch tape and do same thing but doesn’t work like that. It’s a lot about how those teams execute from week to week. Obviously defensive schemes contribute to the result as well.
Example …in 2016 Air Force limited Navy to 60 some yards rushing…2017 Navy got 400 plus versus AF.
Agreed
So is everyone else. It’s scary to think that SMU, and Tulsa aren’t automatic wins anymore.