I Wouldn't Worry about the Play Calling

[SUbear]

the point is that we were running cutesy BS plays against a fcs defense rather than lining it up and running over them. you want vanilla? run the ball, not this perimeter passing nonsense

It is worse than that even, these screens are not even designed or run properly, 1) never should be designed for a lateral throw that can allow for fumbles if not caught, 2) never should be run inside our own 30 yard line, 3) rarely should be run more than once in any series unless the opposing defense can not defend them at all. I could go on but it is too tiresome describing every thing that is wrong with tonights play calling and scheme.

We can not afford to keep appointing coaches to positions where they require additional training to be functional.

 

[kcsu]

It was simply one of the worst called games i can remember. I posted prior to the game that i hoped Cool Kid wouldnt get too cute. Throwing 25 yard "laterals" from inside your own 20 has to go down as one of the dumbest calls i have ever seen in a football game. Lets follow that up by taken a 5 step shot gun drop to hand off to a back at the 10 yard line when the ball is placed on the 2. If he doesnt have a play that places the QB under center in that situation he should be shown the door. Last year Lester saved his butt by basically taken things over. Lester would in my opinion be a much better play caller than Mcd. Let him keep the title much like Doug in New Orleans but take the controls away unless he improves significantly in the next two games. He was pathetic

 

[rocklloyd]

There were worst games called in the Rob spence era

 

[rocklloyd]

I also think we had 4 or 5 first down because of a nova penalty. We don't get those calls and the game swings the other way for sure

 

[Dmcnabbrules]

The most frustrating thing is our formations give away the play call. Where are the wrinkles? We never play actioned out of the tank...Three wides right meant a roll out to the right and a pass...I could call the plays about 75% of the time. I'd rather go slow and do some interesting things then go fast and be predictable. McDonald is in over his head with the headset.

Thank you. You put into words what has been in my head all night. This is the best/most disappointing post in the last 12 hours.

 

[HtownOrange]

can we beat the next team playing like we did on offense tonight? I don't think so and we will probably have Wilson under center for that entire game. I hope a lot changes from now until then

Changes probably will occur. This was Wilson's first game, probably the most experience he's had with the 1's, the 1's were not used to him, HCSS and OC probably went conservative in play calling to build confidence and keep his head from spinning. This was also an highly motivated FCS team that is a play off contender and better than many FBS teams.

Wilson will get the attention and will be playing with the 1's. Confidence in each other will grow and Mac will likely throw in more plays to utilize Wilson's strengths and remove the designed QB runs.

The staff was new last season and made changes. Why would I expect anything less that that now?

 

[HtownOrange]

You mean lucky

Luck is created by teams not falling apart. This team held it together through a tough blow, the loss of their starting QB. The coaches did not fall apart. Nobody lost their confidence and all were willing to work through the adversity. If you want to call it luck, so be it. I see it more as determination to overcome the problem and figure a way to win.

HCSS' call to fake the field goal showed his kids that he has full confidence in them. The kids responded, putting the full load of pressure on Nova. Nova's kids already had full confidence in their coach and vice versa, he lead them to a touchdown. He then called two-point conversion and the Orange rose to the occasion and stuffed the QB run.

I'll take an ugly W over a beautiful L every day of the week and twice on Sunday (or Friday in this case).

 

[HtownOrange]

this is exactly right. We had no counter for the obvious play our formation signaled. It was as if Villanova was in the huddle getting the plays.

Hell, he even had Austin Wilson run the zone read twice, and almost get killed.

The offense had a bunch of success throwing the ball on intermediate routes over the middle - slants, square ins. Wilson's best attribute is his strong arm, and the receivers are large, but not burners. Yet, there is little working the ball over the middle All the east/west bubble screen stuff and then the occasional long ball. Maddening.

I agree on the East/West stuff, use a little to keep teams honest but it should not be a feature in the offense. Wilson was having success with the middle stuff and I thought they would have built off that which would have enhanced the running game. Not a perfect game on McD's part but he is and will improve.

 

[Nick44]

The # of bubble screens called was atrocious. I don't care what the QB situation was, at this level you better be able to make a simple throw 10-15 yards down the field.

On a different note, would it kill them to have a simple I-formation package?!?! Do we really need to be handing to our RB OUT OF THE SHOTGUN AT THE 2 YARD LINE???

 

[GoSU96]

Wasn't expecting SU to open up the playbook for Nova. I think they wanted to try and use some of the size and strength on the outside and try to open up the inside running game. Hand it to Nova's DL, they did a nice job save for PTG's long TD run. Wilson found some gaps, Hunt found a few and threw a nice deep ball. Offense looked very vanilla; seemed like they only ran 12 different plays the entire time. Give it to SS for having the cojones to go for it on 4th down. But, I think George was trying to save 50% of the playbook for Maryland.

Crazy talk.

You run your offense.

 

[AZOrange]

Luck is created by teams not falling apart. This team held it together through a tough blow, the loss of their starting QB. The coaches did not fall apart. Nobody lost their confidence and all were willing to work through the adversity. If you want to call it luck, so be it. I see it more as determination to overcome the problem and figure a way to win.

HCSS' call to fake the field goal showed his kids that he has full confidence in them. The kids responded, putting the full load of pressure on Nova. Nova's kids already had full confidence in their coach and vice versa, he lead them to a touchdown. He then called two-point conversion and the Orange rose to the occasion and stuffed the QB run.

I'll take an ugly W over a beautiful L every day of the week and twice on Sunday (or Friday in this case).

A 25 yard fg miss from the middle of the field was all luck.

 

[Madbiker]

McD's play calling leaves a lot to be desired. But in fairness to him, our offensive line was totally outplayed by Nova defensive front. They controlled the line of scrimmage most of the game. We couldn't run the ball at all except for that one big burst by PTG. Doesn't bode well for when we play better teams.

 

[OrangeMaNPD]

McDonald didn't call a great game. Were you guys watching our o-line though? Tough to get anything going when we were getting dominated at the line of scrimmage. Lasker had a rough one. Whiffed on his guy on a screen to PTG - just dove at him and didn't even make contact.

 

[HtownOrange]

A 25 yard fg miss from the middle of the field was all luck.

If you say so. Would Nova's coach have called the offense they way he did if he had a decent kicker? Who knows. Each team plays the kids they have and to the their strengths. Nova has no kicking game which forces changes in their offensive play calling. The Orange defense forced Nova to kick a FG and the odds were he would miss. In the grand scheme, it really isn't luck. We can disagree, not really worth sidetracking a thread.

 

[HtownOrange]

McDonald didn't call a great game. Were you guys watching our o-line though? Tough to get anything going when we were getting dominated at the line of scrimmage. Lasker had a rough one. Whiffed on his guy on a screen to PTG - just dove at him and didn't even make contact.

Weren't two starters and the sixth man out? That makes a huge difference, recall the difference between Pugh being in and being out.

 

[SUskibum]

I think most any coach would love a situation where you get guys like Broyld, Estime out in space with two blockers in front of them against a 1AA squad. Thought a lot of the blocking on the outside was pretty good. Much improved from years past. But that's just me. The run game just didn't explode the way it should have by trying to spread Nova out. The OL underperformed and the Nova DL played fantastic football.

I completely agree with u except 1 thing... 3 of our top playmakers estime/morris/McFarlane got a grand total of 8 touches. I love having AAM and West on the squad but for them to have 15 touches compared to 8 for the above trio makes me scratch my head a bit.

 

[OrangeMaNPD]

Weren't two starters and the sixth man out? That makes a huge difference, recall the difference between Pugh being in and being out.

What's funny as well is that our pass blocking seemed decent. Both QBs had decent time but could never get in a rhythm.

 

[OrangeMaNPD]

http://ow.ly/ATxkg

McDonald and Lester say unconventional 3-3 defense coupled Hunt ejection changed game plan especially in the red zone. With a week to prep I'd feel a little better but they had the whole off-season to scheme their D for our running game.

 

[retro44]

what it all boils down to is our -o-line is not athletic at all and really are not road graters either. When need to start recruiting lighter more more athletic linemen who can play in space.

our running game has also turned into a horizontal game along with our passing game. Something here needs to change big time.

we also need to hire 'nova's S&C COACH AS I WAS IMPRESSED BY THEIR CONDITIONING AND NOT AT ALL WITH OURS.

Wondering if the Fort Drum experience is starting to turn into a distraction at this point.

 

[retro44]

http://ow.ly/ATxkg

McDonald and Lester say unconventional 3-3 defense coupled Hunt ejection changed game plan especially in the red zone. With a week to prep I'd feel a little better but they had the whole off-season to scheme their D for our running game.

they stacked the box period and that is why we needed to go vertical and deep over the middle. The one time we did it Wilson threw to the covered receiver and Custis was wide open down the other hash marks.

we would have hit on them at some point and maybe more than once too.

 

[orange_in_VA]

That N-Zone offense our coaches were studying is looking piss poor against UVA right now. That's with a Heisman candidate QB/top Draft pick running it. Just putting that out there, fwiw.

 

[leftytg]

If you say so. Would Nova's coach have called the offense they way he did if he had a decent kicker? Who knows. Each team plays the kids they have and to the their strengths. Nova has no kicking game which forces changes in their offensive play calling. The Orange defense forced Nova to kick a FG and the odds were he would miss. In the grand scheme, it really isn't luck. We can disagree, not really worth sidetracking a thread.

the bolded is absurd. Under no circumstances are the odds that ANY college kicker, regardless of division, will miss a 25 yard FG. Heck, the odds are that any high school kicker from a halfway decent program makes a 25 yard kick from the middle of the field.

It was a lucky break. There's no shame in acknowledging that, and Syracuse took advantage in OT. But you simply cannot say that Syracuse's defense put themselves in position to win by allowing Villanova to march down the field to the 8 yard line and holding to a 25 yard FG. That FG is good 98% of the time.

edit: forgot the bold!

edit2: Even Cam Lynch agrees:

The game's outcome would have been different had Villanova kicker Chris Gough converted a 25-yard field goal from the middle of the field with 15 seconds left in regulation.

Sink that routine kick, and none of it — not the key goal-line stand to force the earlier field goal, and certainly not the two-point stop — would have mattered.

The ball sailed wide right.

"Luck of the draw," Lynch said. "You wipe your head, thank God and keep it pushing. But we got back out there and made some stops."

http://www.syracuse.com/orangefootb...ght_defense_hold_down_fort_in_2nd_half_a.html

 

[HtownOrange]

the bolded is absurd. Under no circumstances are the odds that ANY college kicker, regardless of division, will miss a 25 yard FG. Heck, the odds are that any high school kicker from a halfway decent program makes a 25 yard kick from the middle of the field.

It was a lucky break. There's no shame in acknowledging that, and Syracuse took advantage in OT. But you simply cannot say that Syracuse's defense put themselves in position to win by allowing Villanova to march down the field to the 8 yard line and holding to a 25 yard FG. That FG is good 98% of the time.

edit: forgot the bold!

edit2: Even Cam Lynch agrees:

The game's outcome would have been different had Villanova kicker Chris Gough converted a 25-yard field goal from the middle of the field with 15 seconds left in regulation.

Sink that routine kick, and none of it — not the key goal-line stand to force the earlier field goal, and certainly not the two-point stop — would have mattered.

The ball sailed wide right.

"Luck of the draw," Lynch said. "You wipe your head, thank God and keep it pushing. But we got back out there and made some stops."

http://www.syracuse.com/orangefootball/index.ssf/2014/08/syracuse_watches_late_field_goal_sail_right_defense_hold_down_fort_in_2nd_half_a.html

I agree, a college kicker should be able to hit this blindfolded but this kid was not good and Nova knew it coming in but he is all they have.