Abandoning the game plan

[SWC75]

Coach Shafer has made a point, both in his news conference and on his radio show that if the other team jumps out to a lead we are at a disadvantage because we have to go to the pass and we don't do that well. But is that really true? Is this team better off going to the pass when behind? I realize it's conventional wisdom that when you are behind you have to score quickly and the pass is the only way to do that. But if you aren't good at it, it's not a way to score at all. All through the Georgia Tech game I felt that even as the score mounted against us, we were better off running the ball. It's what we do best. it would set up some passing plays. It would take time off the clock and thus hold the score down, (which became the real issue after a while). It would give the defense some rest against those long, grinding Tech drives. And, if we could score with it, we could mount some semblance of a comeback and maybe even get the game turned around before it was too late.

I just don't see the point of abandoning your game plan if it's what you do best.

 

[statsgrad]

You also should not attempt to run a fast paced or no huddle offense when the strength of your team is your defense and run game. Alabama and LSU are just about at the bottom of the FBS in plays run per game. 113th and 105th I think. Syracuse is 83rd and the only reason we are that low is that we are having so many 3 and outs -- which in turn leaves our defense on the field all the time. If you struggle to score you want to run as few plays as possible. Our mediocre offense going in high gear just assures that we're going to get slaughtered in time of possession and tire out our defense against any decent team.

 

[bevosu]

When I watched that game, late in the first quarter, the first simple observation that popped into my head was...our offense is killing our defense by leaving them out on the field.

Our D was getting manhandled. I kept hoping that the offense would rack up some consistent first downs just to keep the defense off the field. That was frustrating to watch.

 

[chakka3421]

When I watched that game, late in the first quarter, the first simple observation that popped into my head was...our offense is killing our defense by leaving them out on the field.

Our D was getting manhandled. I kept hoping that the offense would rack up some consistent first downs just to keep the defense off the field. That was frustrating to watch.

Spot on. My real concern is if both the coaching staff & players can recover from the GT smack down. This next game will tell us a lot if they learned anything or not.

 

[ImperialOrange]

So we had a gameplan that didnt work on defense and we stuck with it... and we had a gameplan on offense that we knew probably wouldnt work and we switched to it. Ummmmm yeah about that, why? There just isnt a lot (any) of sound reasoning behind last weeks game. Luckily I will be able to somewhat repress it with a win vs Wake next week!

 

[SoBristol]

Have to give Shafer (or any coach) some slack about what he says post-game, or in his radio show, after taking a lop-sided loss. What can a coach say that would make fans happy?

If he sticks with the run game, holds the score to 42-0, you can be sure fans would not like that either.

 

[SWC75]

Have to give Shafer (or any coach) some slack about what he says post-game, or in his radio show, after taking a lop-sided loss. What can a coach say that would make fans happy?

If he sticks with the run game, holds the score to 42-0, you can be sure fans would not like that either.

Nonetheless I spent the whole game hoping he would stick with the run game to at least take time and hold the score down. I thought they were going to beat us by 70. And I think if we'd pounded away with the run game we would eventually have scored a couple of times.

 

[SoBristol]

Nonetheless I spent the whole game hoping he would stick with the run game to at least take time and hold the score down. I thought they were going to beat us by 70. And I think if we'd pounded away with the run game we would eventually have scored a couple of times.

Probably better to just move on. Bad game, overmatched.

But the best drive of the day was led by Allen, in the 3rd quarter. Only time we showed much of anything. Of course, it ended with an interception.