Current Offensive Philosophy?

[RoofBeam]

With all the rumored changes in SU's offensive direction it has occurred to me that the program would feel a lot more stable if the head coach had an offensive philosophy he wanted to build toward rather than seemingly allow his OC to determine this direction...So in two years if Lester isn't working out does this change again and again subject the program to another shift in offensive philosophy?

 

[JackBauer44]

With all the rumored changes in SU's offensive direction it has occurred to me that the program would feel a lot more stable if the head coach had an offensive philosophy he wanted to build toward rather than seemingly allow his OC to determine this direction...So in two years if Lester isn't working out does this change again and again subject the program to another shift in offensive philosophy?

If Lester isn't working out in two years, we'll be bringing in another coach and talking about a different coaching philosophy.

 

[RoofBeam]

Fair enough, I guess, but the real question is whether the head coach should allow himself more input into the offensive philosophy than perhaps Shafer is doing.

If Lester isn't working out in two years, we'll be bringing in another coach and talking about a different coaching philosophy.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Throw rocks, punt.

 

[OrangeAl]

Fair enough, I guess, but the real question is whether the head coach should allow himself more input into the offensive philosophy than perhaps Shafer is doing.

Good point. Ironic that an ex-QB would be so hands off on that side of the ball.

 

[TheCusian]

Fair enough, I guess, but the real question is whether the head coach should allow himself more input into the offensive philosophy than perhaps Shafer is doing.

I think it's impossible to tell just how much input he's had. We'd need a real honest interview something.

 

[tipphill]

offense never had an identity--just like our uniforms--need to get back to basics. they try tried to put the glitz on everything and ended up with nothing. get rid of the no huddle as well. this is a team that needs to communicate and focus and cannot operate without a huddle. shafer needs to lead and stop trying to be everyman.

 

[RF2044]

Good point. Ironic that an ex-QB would be so hands off on that side of the ball.

That's the thing that gets me--he's a former QB. I'm not saying that he has to be as much of a specialist on offense as he is on defense, since that's where he's crafted his coaching expertise, but you'd at least think that there would be some kind of offensive concept that he'd be behind.

I see no evidence that he's got that foundational concept in mind.

 

[orangeinjersey]

"What is, we don't have one?"

 

[FAL]

offense never had an identity--just like our uniforms--need to get back to basics. they try tried to put the glitz on everything and ended up with nothing. get rid of the no huddle as well. this is a team that needs to communicate and focus and cannot operate without a huddle. shafer needs to lead and stop trying to be everyman.

That sounds a lot more "hard-nosed" than some of the BS we've had to suffer through this past season. Great analysis in just a few sentences. Good job!

 

[TheCusian]

offense never had an identity--just like our uniforms--need to get back to basics. they try tried to put the glitz on everything and ended up with nothing. get rid of the no huddle as well. this is a team that needs to communicate and focus and cannot operate without a huddle. shafer needs to lead and stop trying to be everyman.

Have you watched football this year? When was the last time you saw an honest to goodness huddle? Most everyone is running a no-huddle, get your plays from the sideline offense - unless they are up big and running clock.

It's not been communication - it's execution and injuries (and having a new OC running the old OC's playbook and a little freshman QB issue).

 

[Millhouse]

Have you watched football this year? When was the last time you saw an honest to goodness huddle? Most everyone is running a no-huddle, get your plays from the sideline offense - unless they are up big and running clock.

It's not been communication - it's execution and injuries (and having a new OC running the old OC's playbook and a little freshman QB issue).

eventually, huddles just going to go away. they're totally unneccessary. even if you want to go slow, you still have the option of snapping fast which limits what a defense can do.

 

[O-pulse]

The truth is that none of us knows what our offense will be next year.
We see a change in recruiting of TE that would seem to indicate more TE use in the mix.
It's difficult to be saddled with someone else s plan, in mid-season, and to be able to get a true look at what we will be doing in Fall 2015.

 

[Millhouse]

That's the thing that gets me--he's a former QB. I'm not saying that he has to be as much of a specialist on offense as he is on defense, since that's where he's crafted his coaching expertise, but you'd at least think that there would be some kind of offensive concept that he'd be behind.

I see no evidence that he's got that foundational concept in mind.

i don't know why people buy this nonsense about whether it's his playbook or not

he was the damn QB coach for a year and a half. if the players can learn that playbook, so can he.

that excuse is a crock. if that playbook is so terrible, why are so many teams running something similar to it?

his offense stunk, he's trying to buy time, and he wants everyone to think that his playbook is something special compared to the n zone which anyone off the street can buy

 

[RF2044]

i don't know why people buy this nonsense about whether it's his playbook or not

he was the damn QB coach for a year and a half. if the players can learn that playbook, so can he.

that excuse is a crock. if that playbook is so terrible, why are so many teams running something similar to it?

his offense stunk, he's trying to buy time, and he wants everyone to think that his playbook is something special compared to the n zone which anyone off the street can buy

What does any of that rant have to do with my post about Shafer?

 

[Millhouse]

What does any of that rant have to do with my post about Shafer?

absolutely nothing - clicked the wrong post

 

[OrangeTarheel]

I imagine that sticking to a particular offensive philosophy hamstrings coaches in two ways:

* less flexible to changes in the way the game is played -- innovations in either offense or defense can force teams to do something different -- injuries to key personnel can have the same effect

* when there is a need to replace offensive coaching personnel you are restricted not to the best of what's available but the best of what's available that does the thing that you do well

 

[TheCusian]

i don't know why people buy this nonsense about whether it's his playbook or not

he was the damn QB coach for a year and a half. if the players can learn that playbook, so can he.

that excuse is a crock. if that playbook is so terrible, why are so many teams running something similar to it?

his offense stunk, he's trying to buy time, and he wants everyone to think that his playbook is something special compared to the n zone which anyone off the street can buy

You're mixing it up. It's not that he didn't know the playbook - it's that it wasn't his system. You don't know if it's special or not - but we can be assured that what we were running this season is not what he wanted to run given the other 5 years of his coaching career.

Maybe it will suck. But injuries + not his system = a real thing drag on efficiency, execution, etc.

 

[Orangello]

I would use one word to describe our offensive identity. Inept.

 

[Finwad32]

eventually, huddles just going to go away. they're totally unneccessary. even if you want to go slow, you still have the option of snapping fast which limits what a defense can do.

Completely agreed, huddles no longer necessary with innovations in communication and technology. It's just not something that's going to be around in the future. Half the high school teams on our schedule didn't huddle this year.

I'm not saying there's nothing to the huddle, namely the bond between teammates and the chance to regroup quickly, football's just headed in a different direction.

 

[Millhouse]

You're mixing it up. It's not that he didn't know the playbook - it's that it wasn't his system. You don't know if it's special or not - but we can be assured that what we were running this season is not what he wanted to run given the other 5 years of his coaching career.

Maybe it will suck. But injuries + not his system = a real thing drag on efficiency, execution, etc.

i don't care whether it's his or not. he voluntarily took a job working under that system and he failed miserably taking it over. he shouldn't have taken either job in the first place if he didn't like the offense

 

[Scooch]

You're mixing it up. It's not that he didn't know the playbook - it's that it wasn't his system. You don't know if it's special or not - but we can be assured that what we were running this season is not what he wanted to run given the other 5 years of his coaching career.

Maybe it will suck. But injuries + not his system = a real thing drag on efficiency, execution, etc.

The system stuff makes me insane. Figuratively insane.

How in the holy hell can our head coach be party to changing an offensive system EIGHTEEN MONTHS after the prior one was installed?!?!

It's idiotic and a colossal failure of leadership and vision.

 

[TheCusian]

i don't care whether it's his or not. he voluntarily took a job working under that system and he failed miserably taking it over. he shouldn't have taken either job in the first place if he didn't like the offense

Ha!

This is fun.

1. When he was hired to be QB coach, he and one of his best friends probably talked about and maybe he decided that it would be fun to learn a new system? Didn't he say that recently? That he learned and liked some of the principles of McDonalds system? Shafer hired him in a step up into a d1, p5 conference job and work with his friend McDonald? Easiest decision ever.

2. So when Shafer called and offered him the OC promotion, he should have said no? I'm glad he thought he could make it work, his system or no - that's the exact kind of attitude I'd want him to have.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Completely agreed, huddles no longer necessary with innovations in communication and technology. It's just not something that's going to be around in the future. Half the high school teams on our schedule didn't huddle this year.

I'm not saying there's nothing to the huddle, namely the bond between teammates and the chance to regroup quickly, football's just headed in a different direction.

You know what the no huddle really hurts? Hollywood. Football movies are going to have a really hard time maintaining their narratives without the opportunity for teams to huddle up.

Think of all of the great football movies. The huddle was essential.

 

[Scooch]

Ha!


2. So when Shafer called and offered him the OC promotion, he should have said no?

If we had a head coach with a competent offensive vision that conversation would have gone like...


SS: "Tim, I'm going to make a change. George just isn't implementing my offensive system the way I want. I'd like you to do it"

TL: "Absolutely, Scott. Your system is exciting and will lead to great things for this program, I'd be honored to implement it better for you."

SS: "Great, Tim, you have my full confidence to better run my system."


Instead we probably got...

SS: "Tim, I'm going to make a change. I'd like you to be OC."

TL: "Absolutely, Scott. I'm excited to get through the rest of this season and then implement my system for next year."

SS: "Great, Tim. If you need me I'll be in Bullough's office. Good luck. #hardnosed"