Hear me out...

[Crusty]

While it wasn't quite 30 screen passes, it sure felt that way, and it was to many given how poorly they work. Our east/west offense needs to be scraped. It may work for very quick and athletic teams like Oregon but it seems to lose us as many yards as it gains overall.

You do realize that without those plays teams would stack the box cheat the LB's and kill the run game? Almost all of them are run based on what Hunt sees pre-snap. What would you run instead?

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Just a great post.

So much of the criticism of the offensive gameplan seems chicken v. egg.

Several years ago, Marrone made the decision to customize the offense around the talent on hand, to give the team the best chance to win in the short-term. That meant running the ball a ton to capitalize on Delone Carter's capabilities, shortening the game, playing conservatively, etc. This approach enabled us to contend for .500 record [after years of abject futility], win a few games that we otherwise might not have, land us in a minor bowl, etc. Despite these low hanging fruit "wins," there were numerous posters who criticized the approach of tailoring the offense to the players' capabilities, instead suggesting that Marrone was selling out for the short term, and that it would be better to implement whatever the "true" offensive system was, so that the younger players could get immersed in it. Some even suggested that they'd be willing to accept short term setbacks in order to further the long term objective of having a better offense.

Fast forward to the new coaching staff. The OC has installed the new system, despite limited personnel and a lack of explosive playmakers... and they are getting criticized for not installing a customized offense tailored to the players' strengths.

Can't have it both ways.

This is precisely why I'm supportive of McDonald. It's clear there's a structure. People might not like it, but there's no mistake we're working towards having a particular type of offense.

 

[Crusty]

This is precisely why I'm supportive of McDonald. It's clear there's a structure. People might not like it, but there's no mistake we're working towards having a particular type of offense.

As you have said before, we play in a Dome - what kind of offense should we play?!!

 

[OttoinGrotto]

As you have said before, we play in a Dome - what kind of offense should we play?!!

Amen, brother.

 

[Millhouse]

This is precisely why I'm supportive of McDonald. It's clear there's a structure. People might not like it, but there's no mistake we're working towards having a particular type of offense.

He is not the only guy who can line up four wide in the shotgun.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

He is not the only guy who can line up four wide in the shotgun.

He appears to be the only one we've ever had, incredible as that is, so I'm going to give him some time.

 

[Millhouse]

He appears to be the only one we've ever had, incredible as that is, so I'm going to give him some time.

That is dumb

 

[OttoinGrotto]

That is dumb

Agreed. It is dumb that McDonald is the first spread o guy our program has ever had.

 

[Millhouse]

Agreed. It is dumb that McDonald is the first spread o guy our program has ever had.

It is dumb to not move on to the second. We could have an offensive coordinator calling plays making fart noises with his hands and you'd be fine with it if they don't huddle while he does it

 

[OttoinGrotto]

It is dumb to not move on to the second. We could have an offensive coordinator calling plays making fart noises with his hands and you'd be fine with it if they don't huddle while he does it

Whoa, whoa. That's just over the line. Fart noises with his arm pits maybe, but hands? I do have some standards.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

I agree with Otto, I see a semblance and something taking form. Just stay the course and see what we have at the end of the year. Too many agendas here, our offense has sucked 11 of 12 years mine as well wait and see

 

[PhatOrange]

That's because the Irish have the talent to successfully run those plays. What kills me is we don't play within our means, we try fitting round pegs into square holes. It's frustrating watching this because I look at teams like NC State and I'm jealous. Talent wise, I don't see NC state being any better then us but they came in and played a competitive, entertaining, 60 mins of ball. Is that so much to ask for? With that said, I think George McDonald is still growing as a coordinator, I'm hopeful he pulls it together but he's gonna really need to look at what he's doing (objectively as possible) and change some things.

At the end of the day NC State lost by the same margin that we did except they scored 40 points in losing. Florida State had 4 turnovers. Some of which were deep in their own territory. If we had several possessions start inside the 30 yard line the outcome may have been different.

After the first salvo, FSU outscored them 49-17. That's not very competitive at all.

 

[Millhouse]

At the end of the day NC State lost by the same margin that we did except they scored 40 points in losing. Florida State had 4 turnovers. Some of which were deep in their own territory. If we had several possessions start inside the 30 yard line the outcome may have been different.

After the first salvo, FSU outscored them 49-17. That's not very competitive at all.

it's worth noting that FSU would clobber ND

 

[Pyle]

While it wasn't quite 30 screen passes, it sure felt that way, and it was to many given how poorly they work. Our east/west offense needs to be scraped. It may work for very quick and athletic teams like Oregon but it seems to lose us as many yards as it gains overall.

I know it was confusing given that our uniforms looked like something out of the now defunct World League, but we weren't the team in white. They ran 30 screens, screen left, screen right, screen left, etc. We wore the gray uniforms and were the ones who couldn't get off their blocks. We lack talent, not play calling. ND had superior talent at every position and it showed, their WRs gobbled up our DBs all night on those screens. When Bullough finally made an adjustment they started hammering us up the middle. Outcoached? When you don't have the horses to run the race, it doesn't matter how well you pace your horse, you still gonna lose and we did. To win a game like that you need the other team to come out flat, ND didn't and pushed us around day, literally. If you want the XBOX QB version of what happened, go start a dynasty with a pre-fab 'cupcake' team on Heisman difficulty. You'll start to notice it doesn't matter what play you call because the DL is in your face as soon as the ball is snapped.

 

[Millhouse]

When Bullough finally made an adjustment they started hammering us up the middle. Outcoached?

this is not the ideal adjustment. this looks like a video game bug.

 

[NineOneSeven]

I know it was confusing given that our uniforms looked like something out of the now defunct World League, but we weren't the team in white. They ran 30 screens, screen left, screen right, screen left, etc. We wore the gray uniforms and were the ones who couldn't get off their blocks. We lack talent, not play calling. ND had superior talent at every position and it showed, their WRs gobbled up our DBs all night on those screens. When Bullough finally made an adjustment they started hammering us up the middle. Outcoached? When you don't have the horses to run the race, it doesn't matter how well you pace your horse, you still gonna lose and we did. To win a game like that you need the other team to come out flat, ND didn't and pushed us around day, literally. If you want the XBOX QB version of what happened, go start a dynasty with a pre-fab 'cupcake' team on Heisman difficulty. You'll start to notice it doesn't matter what play you call because the DL is in your face as soon as the ball is snapped.

They did come out flat, though, is the thing.

It didn't last long.

ND is simply a better team. They came out flat, they turned the ball over, and still won handily. They have better players (I'm in agreement with you here).

 

[NineOneSeven]

this is not the ideal adjustment. this looks like a video game bug.

Wow. The WR screen set up their run.

For the love of God, if you don't audible to a run there...

 

[Pyle]

this is not the ideal adjustment. this looks like a video game bug.

There was no ideal adjustment, we didn't win the 1 on 1 battles all day so you start to overload and they took advantage. We didn't just get beat on the outside, we got dominated. What would you have done differently?

 

[TheCusian]

There was no ideal adjustment, we didn't win the 1 on 1 battles all day so you start to overload and they took advantage. We didn't just get beat on the outside, we got dominated. What would you have done differently?

Shafer said they knew they'd have to get into those screen plays. They thought there would be an opportunity to hit their playmakers in space - something we are capable of doing well.

 

[Millhouse]

There was no ideal adjustment, we didn't win the 1 on 1 battles all day so you start to overload and they took advantage. We didn't just get beat on the outside, we got dominated. What would you have done differently?

not give them the easiest third and 5 conversion in history for starters

if our DBs get beat, so be it. you have no chance at all year. you're depending on the ND offense being as stupid as our offense is when it comes to counting players.

maybe they've tried this look in practice and thought it works when the articulate George McDonald throws a bubble screen

 

[eddie in nc]

I still say coaching is keeping us in games more than people want to think. the talent is getting better but still not one dynamic player on the team at any spot

Are we coaching to just stay in the game or to win the game? Big difference.

 

[tep624]

KCSU, I have to agree with you and it's unfortunate that you have to become the target of ad hominem attacks simply because you love the program and are passionate about it. People shouldn't become targets when they critique an aspect of the program that they are at odds with. At the very least, the responsibility of the O coaching staff is to provide your players with a strategy which if carried out effectively will put you in a position to succeed. I think many are frustrated because they don't see that being done.

The problem isn't the opinion, it's the broken record agenda.

 

[Pyle]

if our DBs get beat, so be it.

There was no 'if', only 'when' and every single time was for more than 5 yds.

 

[Pyle]

Are we coaching to just stay in the game or to win the game? Big difference.

Well that depends on your philosophy doesn't it? Most coaches, when facing a superior opponent will do the first in an effort to achieve the second. The idea is you do your best to hang around until that 4th quarter when anything can happen. Take too many chances too early and the game is over by the third. It's not often than an underdog will jump on a powerhouse early and hold on, but the ones who hang around and get in the heads of the other team a little are the ones who pull the upsets.

 

[eddie in nc]

Well that depends on your philosophy doesn't it? Most coaches, when facing a superior opponent will do the first in an effort to achieve the second. The idea is you do your best to hang around until that 4th quarter when anything can happen. Take too many chances too early and the game is over by the third. It's not often than an underdog will jump on a powerhouse early and hold on, but the ones who hang around and get in the heads of the other team a little are the ones who pull the upsets.

At this point we have to jump on every chance we get. I haven't seen a lot of creativity to give our kids an advantage. ND tried to hand us the game in the first half and we didn't really seize the opportunity to score points.