Is Babers trying too hard to be balanced?

[HRE Otto IV]

Every game this year we have come out aggressive, throwing the ball down the field resulting in points on the board. Then we have gotten conservative on O and struggle in the middle of the game. We see lots of runs and shorter passes. At some point we fall too far behind and start throwing it down the field again. It is frustrating as hell especially with the pass game working, while the run game is the worst it has been since 2007.

With QB sacks and scrambles it is hard to say if a play was a designed run or pass. So this might not be entirely fair. Under Babers:

38.6 rushes per game in 2016
48.0 passes
86.6 total plays

38.7 rushes in 2015 (Bowling Green)
42.4 passes
81.1 total

39.7 rushes in 2014 (Bowling Green)
39.1 passes
78.8 total

43.6 rushes in 2013 (Eastern Illinois)
43.4 passes
87.0 total

38.1 rushes in 2012 (Eastern Illinois)
46.2 passes
84.2 total


That has been pretty balanced his entire career. Despite my feelings we haven't been all that balanced. In fact it is the least balanced Babers has been. It is also interesting to see that we have the highest plays per game, even though the O is not clicking.

Looking at Baylor for comparison you see more runs than passes. In fact they have been Top 15 in rushes per game nationally the last 4 years. Yet in passing attempts they have been 81st, 14th, 36th, and 30th. So this system is more of a running system than a passing system. Which certainly doesn't fit our personnel.

Whether it is the RBs, the OL, or both we aren't going to run it well this year. Slinging it around will give us the best chance at winning games. So what is more important: Force feeding the RBs and staying true to the system? Or getting to 6 Ws within the framework of the system but not being pure to its nature? You also have to take into account how bad the D is. The O needs to outscore teams, which isn't happening with runs.

I still like our chances of getting to a Bowl this year. But if we stay 100% true to the system I see 4 Ws tops.

 

[bevosu]

Seemed that when we went long early the offense actually scored. The second half we seemed to go away from the longer verticals and threw a lot of short/medium passes.

That's the way I remember this game...and my memory is as reliable as a 1972 Pinto.

 

[sdhall01]

I think there is a really obvious answer. We are taking our foot off the gas because our offensive players do not have the stamina to play at that level past a quarter and a half. This is a product of having players that were not recruited to play this system and having a defense that gives up too many quick scores.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Let's stop throwing screen passes

 

[Ish88888]

I think there is a really obvious answer. We are taking our foot off the gas because our offensive players do not have the stamina to play at that level past a quarter and a half. This is a product of having players that were not recruited to play this system and having a defense that gives up too many quick scores.

Thats BS!!! All we heard about all spring and camp was the transformation and conditioning of the team. They are 18-22 yo kids. They dont get tired after a quarter. What? Are we gonna recruit better conditioned players??? Its the play calling that fatigues, not the kids. Give me a break.

 

[KaiserUEO]

the problem is scott shafer sucked.

you try to cook with grass clippings and rotten tomatoes.

 

[DoctorBombay]

Let's stop throwing screen passes

I got a fever, and the only prescription is more...

 

[Czar]

Thats BS!!! All we heard about all spring and camp was the transformation and conditioning of the team. They are 18-22 yo kids. They dont get tired after a quarter. What? Are we gonna recruit better conditioned players??? Its the play calling that fatigues, not the kids. Give me a break.

Please take that crap logic back to the basketball board please.

 

[sdhall01]

Thats BS!!! All we heard about all spring and camp was the transformation and conditioning of the team. They are 18-22 yo kids. They dont get tired after a quarter. What? Are we gonna recruit better conditioned players??? Its the play calling that fatigues, not the kids. Give me a break.

Yeah, they completely transformed . . . over one off-season.

Also, we are going to recruit better athletes, and better athletes will have the ability to be better conditioned. Also, with any luck, we're going to have more depth, so we won't have to rely on the same three players all game. All of this will translate into not looking gassed after a quarter and a half. Still, feel free to pout.

 

[NineOneSeven]

I got a fever, and the only prescription is more...

bubble is okay. the other screens we tried today were horrible to watch. failures.

 

[Briancuse]

Let's stop throwing screen passes

I have never been a bubble screen fan, especially the way we run it, I would be very happy to never see it again.

 

[Don]

No, they simply must be able to run the football for a lot of reasons but I think the progression of Eric Dungey from a good college qb to a really good qb depends on it. These teams are pressing the passing game by dropping 8 guys into coverage or by blitzing a lot or by just having superior dB that are better than our wr. He right now is not a good enough or patient enough qb to go through his reads and find someone who may be open so he tucks the ball and runs. A good running game that can run up the middle will force teams to play that honestly and give the passing game more lanes to throw the ball. If you look at all these high flying offenses like Baylor and Oregon they could run the ball effectively when they wanted to. To make this offensive more effective and to give Dungey a chance to be an elite qb, a good running game that can average around 150 yards a game is not a luxury it's needed.for this offense to take the next step

 

[TheCusian]

I think there is a really obvious answer. We are taking our foot off the gas because our offensive players do not have the stamina to play at that level past a quarter and a half. This is a product of having players that were not recruited to play this system and having a defense that gives up too many quick scores.

No.

It's the defense making adjustments, taking away the deep ball when they have the lead. Our lack of running game combined with inefficiency leads to stalled drives.

We're not able to win that way yet against better talent.

 

[sdhall01]

No.

It's the defense making adjustments, taking away the deep ball when they have the lead. Our lack of running game combined with inefficiency leads to stalled drives.

We're not able to win that way yet against better talent.

If this was the sole cause, then we would stall on offense during the first quarter based on the game film that opposing coaches have already seen. I think this is part of it, but I don't think this is the sole cause of it.

 

[Crusty]

I have never been a bubble screen fan, especially the way we run it, I would be very happy to never see it again.

They have worked very well thus year.

 

[Crusty]

Teams get a bit adjusted to our style of play and coaches adapt. Our offense is designed to take what the D gives us. If the opponent takes away the long pass there is no other choice but to go somewhere else. We aren't the only team in the field.

 

[CuseOnly]

I think there is a really obvious answer. We are taking our foot off the gas because our offensive players do not have the stamina to play at that level past a quarter and a half. This is a product of having players that were not recruited to play this system and having a defense that gives up too many quick scores.

Completely false...wow.

 

[TheCusian]

If this was the sole cause, then we would stall on offense during the first quarter based on the game film that opposing coaches have already seen. I think this is part of it, but I don't think this is the sole cause of it.

Not the sole cause for sure.

But teams with superior talent believe they can stop our WR's without rolling out the nickel coverage.

It will be interesting to see what Wake does. I bet they put a lot of guys into coverage.

 

[sdhall01]

Completely false...wow.

k

 

[CuseOnly]

k

Are you saying that we don't recruit players with good enough conditioning?

What criteria would you use to measure that when recruiting them genius, I am just curious? What video could you watch or camp exercise or drill that could tell you that info?

Or are you saying that better are athletes are inherently better conditioned?

Waiting for a response...

 

[sdhall01]

Jesus, I already said this above. With better athletes comes more depth, and the ability to become better conditioned. This is not that hard of a concept. Not only will some people be able to play at a higher level for longer, but we'll have the ability to substitute fresh people in after drives.

 

[CuseOnly]

Jesus, I already said this above. With better athletes comes more depth, and the ability to become better conditioned. This is not that hard of a concept. Not only will some people be able to play at a higher level for longer, but we'll have the ability to substitute fresh people in after drives.

So you are saying basically Better Athletes = Better depth = Better conditioning

Conditioning each individual athlete has nothing to do with either of those other things you mentioned.

That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Depth doesn't build conditioning, training does whether they are elite athletes or pretty good athletes.

So you're basically saying that in the 2 deep, the starter is going to be better conditioned because he has a kid that is pretty good behind him, is that what you are trying to say??

Do you know anything about athletics or conditioning at all?? Any strength and conditoning coach in the country/world would tell you that you need to put the stem down and back away.

 

[sdhall01]

No . . . Im saying that as guys get tired you can rotate them. We cant do that now because there is a large dropoff between our starters and their backups.

Furthermore, our elite athletes will likely have the ability to be better conditioned so you could have, say, a receiver that will not need to be substituted, but that your linemen will likely get tired and need to be substituted no matter how much you run them in the offseason. Please pull over to the side of the teenage angsty pretentiousness turnpike.

 

[CuseOnly]

No . . . I'm saying that as guys get tired you can rotate them. We cant do that now because there is a large dropoff between our starters and their backups.

Furthermore, our elite athletes will likely have the ability to be better conditioned so you could have, say, a receiver that will not need to be substituted, but that your linemen will likely get tired and need to be substituted no matter how much you run them in the offseason. Please pull over to the side of the teenage angsty pretentiousness turnpike.

Like I said, that isn't conditioning, that is substituting players to keep them fresh. So in other words it has absolutely nothing to do with conditioning, like I said.

Every athlete has the ability to be better conditioned...IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ATHLETIC ABILITY! It has to do with training.

How often do you see guys rotate in and out in this offense?? Very, Very little. We don't substitute in favor of scheme and tempo, and we don't so that the defense can't sub in and out putting them at a disadvantage. What games have you been watching?

We can sub on defense if the other team isn't going with a tempo offense. And the only Linemen on offense that are subbing at all are Lasker and McGloster so they can get game reps, other than that the only subs have been for injury.

Our own defenders will be better conditioned because they endure the same TRAINING that the rest of the team does and by practicing against our tempo offense.

Teenage angst...I am about 25 years too late for that.