N-Zone- did we have the right offense and just the wrong OC? | Syracusefan.com

N-Zone- did we have the right offense and just the wrong OC?

Crusty

Living Legend
Joined
May 21, 2012
Messages
13,388
Like
18,563
This year's total offense is worse than 2013. In passing, rushing and total offense, McDonald's 2013 was better than this year. True the team is better in the red zone and at the moment scores a few more points per game.However, that may even change by the end of the season.

Could it be that the system was a good one and that McDonald just wasn't very good at running it? UCLA is 18th in the nation in total offense.
 
Oh man, this is not going to be a popular line of thinking, my friend.
 
McDonald seemed lost when calling plays, never could get into a rhythm. System might have be correct, OC was 100% wrong.
 
Lol. Yes, but needs to be said. We can't allow the distinction to be lost. We have guys seriously pushing the Navy coach and willing to watch the triple option. Can't fall into that trap.
I agree completely. It's not going to be long before people start looking to revitalizing the fullback as a solution to all of our ills.

We need to get less meatheady, not more.
 
Just to play devils advocate, with Dungey at QB (who can actually throw accurate passes) bubble screens might work.
 
Just to play devils advocate, with Dungey at QB (who can actually throw accurate passes) bubble screens might work.
Our receivers also seem to have improved as blockers. Bubble screen might be pretty effective now under the right circumstances.
 
Clemson best FSU on a tunnel screen to the blitz side. Screen passes should be a staple of any dome offence.
 
Clemson best FSU on a tunnel screen to the blitz side. Screen passes should be a staple of any dome offence.
I was going to make a joke about Dungey being concussed and thus not being able to count the number of defenders accurately, but thought it would be in poor taste.
 
By the time the season is over there may not be any offensive metric this year that is better than 2013. Amazing.
 
This year's total offense is worse than 2013. In passing, rushing and total offense, McDonald's 2013 was better than this year. True the team is better in the red zone and at the moment scores a few more points per game.However, that may even change by the end of the season.

Could it be that the system was a good one and that McDonald just wasn't very good at running it? UCLA is 18th in the nation in total offense.

Thanks to McDonald, the NFL fan who also watches SU and only SU is left thinking that everything about that offense was terrible when it was just the playcaller
 
Last edited:
OttoinGrotto said:
Our receivers also seem to have improved as blockers. Bubble screen might be pretty effective now under the right circumstances.

Bubble screens are not a viable play in a college offense. Just like using or even having h-backs also is bad.
 
Bubble screens are not a viable play in a college offense. Just like using or even having h-backs also is bad.

I guess you just eliminated our last two offenses!

ND threw about 20 of them against us and we couldn't stop it. I think every pass pattern has a value if only to protect other routes in the passing tree.
 
1. It wasn't straight N-zone. It was that plus random NFL system that he saw the summer before.

2. The main reason he was let go was managerial. Not scheme.

3. He couldn't call plays well under pressure and froze in the box.

4. He didn't understand snap counts.

5. He didn't understand his own system well enough to teach it to the staff or his players.

6. Unorganized and confused players suck at football.

So - yeah - it makes no sense to throw out the baby with the bath water. But make no mistake that bath water stunk and needed to be tossed. Now that we have a lot more tape of Lester's system, I think we can say it's not the answer either.

I have zero problem going with a system that works like N-zone, provided we have someone who understands it, can teach it, can build off of it in an innovative way, and can call games correctly.
 
1. It wasn't straight N-zone. It was that plus random NFL system that he saw the summer before.

2. The main reason he was let go was managerial. Not scheme.

3. He couldn't call plays well under pressure and froze in the box.

4. He didn't understand snap counts.

5. He didn't understand his own system well enough to teach it to the staff or his players.

6. Unorganized and confused players suck at football.

So - yeah - it makes no sense to throw out the baby with the bath water. But make no mistake that bath water stunk and needed to be tossed. Now that we have a lot more tape of Lester's system, I think we can say it's not the answer either.

I have zero problem going with a system that works like N-zone, provided we have someone who understands it, can teach it, can build off of it in an innovative way, and can call games correctly.
We bought the N-zone system from Noel Malzone and McDonald was tutored on it. You can't learn a system or even see the playbook when visiting NFL camps. McDonald may have added or modified some plays but that is about all he could have done.

You are probably right about his understanding and lack of ability to teach it. It goes without saying he couldn't call plays of game plan.
 
Have to have bubbles in every offense. Especially if you have better athletes on the edge. How often and the timing of bubble screens is what matters. If the numbers are right you bubble them to take defenders out of the box.
 
1. It wasn't straight N-zone. It was that plus random NFL system that he saw the summer before.

2. The main reason he was let go was managerial. Not scheme.

3. He couldn't call plays well under pressure and froze in the box.

4. He didn't understand snap counts.

5. He didn't understand his own system well enough to teach it to the staff or his players.

6. Unorganized and confused players suck at football.
good synopsis!
 
We bought the N-zone system from Noel Malzone and McDonald was tutored on it. You can't learn a system or even see the playbook when visiting NFL camps. McDonald may have added or modified some plays but that is about all he could have done.

You are probably right about his understanding and lack of ability to teach it. It goes without saying he couldn't call plays of game plan.

Yeah - that's fine. What I'm saying is that he tinkered with something he didn't understand in the first place.
 
An offense that protects Dungey and utilizes his athletic ability.

That's what I want.
 
Crusty said:
I guess you just eliminated our last two offenses! ND threw about 20 of them against us and we couldn't stop it. I think every pass pattern has a value if only to protect other routes in the passing tree.

It's not my opinion, I'm just restating what others have said.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
167,872
Messages
4,734,175
Members
5,930
Latest member
CuseGuy44

Online statistics

Members online
54
Guests online
1,530
Total visitors
1,584


Top Bottom