One minor quibble with the offense….

[Jake]

Maybe it’s my impatience, maybe it was the beer, but I was frustrated with so many quick slant screens Friday night. I kept waiting for Nixon to go over the top - never did.

As efficient as this offense is, I’d like 2-3,deep shots a game, and we don’t take them. Maybe we’re saving it…

 

[SanDiegoCuse]

Maybe it’s my impatience, maybe it was the beer, but I was frustrated with so many quick slant screens Friday night. I kept waiting for Nixon to go over the top - never did.

As efficient as this offense is, I’d like 2-3,deep shots a game, and we don’t take them. Maybe we’re saving it…

I agree wholeheartedly. I also think Zeed Haynes and Justus Ross Simmons were going to be the main outside deep threats and with them not available much, Nixon has had to pivot.

 

[DomeHolmes]

Hatcher has been the guy, but don’t even think he was targeted Friday.

 

[SanDiegoCuse]

Hatcher has been the guy, but don’t even think he was targeted Friday.

He was targeted once but that was the only play I noticed him on the field all game long.

 

[FireballPhil]

Maybe it’s my impatience, maybe it was the beer, but I was frustrated with so many quick slant screens Friday night. I kept waiting for Nixon to go over the top - never did.

As efficient as this offense is, I’d like 2-3,deep shots a game, and we don’t take them. Maybe we’re saving it…

It wasn't just you nor the beer...

 

[sutomcat]

Maybe it’s my impatience, maybe it was the beer, but I was frustrated with so many quick slant screens Friday night. I kept waiting for Nixon to go over the top - never did.

As efficient as this offense is, I’d like 2-3,deep shots a game, and we don’t take them. Maybe we’re saving it…

Agree we went to those screens too many times and didn't use them to set up other plays the way Nixon normally does things. UNLV saw them enough that they started to anticipate them and either blow them up for no gain or knock the ball away for an incomplete.

I think Jeff was reluctant to throw deep because he was afraid of sacks and especially interceptions. Our OL did a better job of pass blocking UNLV (their DL was probably the weakest unit they had, mostly smaller, quicker types). I think our OTs learned something from the Holy Cross game and were able to handle speed rushes from the outside better. But we still had to roll Kyle out of the pocket most of the time we threw anything that took a little while to develop.

The biggest issue though was the UNLV had very good DBs. Their CBs were solid. Tony Grimes has played in the ACC and been around a long time. Very good athlete. And someone who I believe was originally from NYS.

But I think Jalen Catalon was the guy we were most afraid of challenging though. He is really fast and a great ball hawk. Was all over the field on Friday making great plays Friday night. Had 4 interceptions coming into the game. Has been a fine player in the SEC and B12 before coming to UNLV. Pretty sure he will be an early draft choice and a star in the NFL.

Jalen Catalon - UNLV Rebels Defensive Back - ESPN

View the profile of UNLV Rebels Defensive Back Jalen Catalon on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.

www.espn.com

 

[CIL]

A lot of those short passes / screens were part of the RPO game. McCord usually makes the right read but he definitely threw a few that should have been handed off.

 

[shu 49]

Sa

Maybe it’s my impatience, maybe it was the beer, but I was frustrated with so many quick slant screens Friday night. I kept waiting for Nixon to go over the top - never did.

As efficient as this offense is, I’d like 2-3,deep shots a game, and we don’t take them. Maybe we’re saving it…

said same thing earlier somewhere

 

[mark79]

I agree wholeheartedly. I also think Zeed Haynes and Justus Ross Simmons were going to be the main outside deep threats and with them not available much, Nixon has had to pivot.

Hmm. That’s a good point.

 

[kcsu]

A lot of those short passes / screens were part of the RPO game. McCord usually makes the right read but he definitely threw a few that should have been handed off.

His issues typically come over the middle in tight situations. If I'm Nixon I get rid of the 7-yard button hook or whatever it is called today. Kyle does well on outs slants and if it's going middle it needs to be down the seams or OG sitting in the zone.

 

[Dcuse]

His issues typically come over the middle in tight situations. If I'm Nixon I get rid of the 7-yard button hook or whatever it is called today. Kyle does well on outs slants and if it's going middle it needs to be down the seams or OG sitting in the zone.

Have to admit, I'm amazed at any critique at all of play calling and design. That 7 yard button hook has gotten us into more 2nd and 3's than I can remember in my history of being a fan. I love our offensive approach in every way. If I'm Nixon, I don't get rid of anything.

 

[upperdeck]

I dont think we have seen deep throws to wide open WRs all year, we have completed some contested throws and a few seem rts work. We dont have a ton of speed outside that just flat out beat anyone.

 

[Chip]

Yeah, Hatcher was invisible. Was that by design, or something UNLV took away? Maybe he got the Vegas flu? Or did we want to keep their offense off the field?

Regardless, how nice is it to know that we can still throw for 350 and score 44 points without the deep ball?

 

[NineOneSeven]

I think one of the wideouts is going to get hurt catching a quick screen with the back to the Defense.

 

[two3zone]

Maybe it’s my impatience, maybe it was the beer, but I was frustrated with so many quick slant screens Friday night. I kept waiting for Nixon to go over the top - never did.

As efficient as this offense is, I’d like 2-3,deep shots a game, and we don’t take them. Maybe we’re saving it…

I mentioned this during the game thread. UNLV seemed to be ready for it every single time.

 

[Orangello]

Agree we went to those screens too many times and didn't use them to set up other plays the way Nixon normally does things. UNLV saw them enough that they started to anticipate them and either blow them up for no gain or knock the ball away for an incomplete.

I think Jeff was reluctant to throw deep because he was afraid of sacks and especially interceptions. Our OL did a better job of pass blocking UNLV (their DL was probably the weakest unit they had, mostly smaller, quicker types). I think our OTs learned something from the Holy Cross game and were able to handle speed rushes from the outside better. But we still had to roll Kyle out of the pocket most of the time we threw anything that took a little while to develop.

The biggest issue though was the UNLV had very good DBs. Their CBs were solid. Tony Grimes has played in the ACC and been around a long time. Very good athlete. And someone who I believe was originally from NYS.

But I think Jalen Catalon was the guy we were most afraid of challenging though. He is really fast and a great ball hawk. Was all over the field on Friday making great plays Friday night. Had 4 interceptions coming into the game. Has been a fine player in the SEC and B12 before coming to UNLV. Pretty sure he will be an early draft choice and a star in the NFL.

Jalen Catalon - UNLV Rebels Defensive Back - ESPN

View the profile of UNLV Rebels Defensive Back Jalen Catalon on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.

www.espn.com

This /\/\

I'm convinced that Nixon did not like the match ups at corner unlike HC where Meeks abused his match up and was targeted early and often. I also felt like Kyle did not have a lot of time to throw and we were trying to get the ball out fast. That said, I noticed in the second half that the corner assigned to Meeks started playing 7-8 yds off and I said to the guy next to me, that's a mistake and sure enough, bingo TD (with a fantastic grab by Meeks).

 

[Chip]

McCord is 2nd in the country in passing yards per game. He is 59th in yards per attempt. And has a 64% competion %.

 

[NJneer12]

He was targeted once but that was the only play I noticed him on the field all game long.

Had a couple good blocks as well. Always impressed when I see WRs blocking.

 

[tep624]

Maybe it’s my impatience, maybe it was the beer, but I was frustrated with so many quick slant screens Friday night. I kept waiting for Nixon to go over the top - never did.

As efficient as this offense is, I’d like 2-3,deep shots a game, and we don’t take them. Maybe we’re saving it…

So I was at the game and had a Non Syracuse fan with me and that was his main comment about our offense - why did they keep throwing screens that weren't going anywhere? So you weren't alone.

And it's funny, my response was, well I'm equally surprised we haven't gone over the top at all.

LOL.

 

[tep624]

This /\/\

I'm convinced that Nixon did not like the match ups at corner unlike HC where Meeks abused his match up and was targeted early and often. I also felt like Kyle did not have a lot of time to throw and we were trying to get the ball out fast. That said, I noticed in the second half that the corner assigned to Meeks started playing 7-8 yds off and I said to the guy next to me, that's a mistake and sure enough, bingo TD (with a fantastic grab by Meeks).

That's the only thing that made sense to me was the CB matchups on our WR's. I suspect if Zeed was available maybe we would have gone over the top.

 

[tep624]

A lot of those short passes / screens were part of the RPO game. McCord usually makes the right read but he definitely threw a few that should have been handed off.

Yeah that is a good point - we use short passes as if they were runs.

 

[two3zone]

So I was at the game and had a Non Syracuse fan with me and that was his main comment about our offense - why did they keep throwing screens that weren't going anywhere? So you weren't alone.

And it's funny, my response was, well I'm equally surprised we haven't gone over the top at all.

LOL.

I was surprised as well, it seemed to work really well.

But we dropped 44 on them, so what do I know?

 

[AZOrange]

Maybe it’s my impatience, maybe it was the beer, but I was frustrated with so many quick slant screens Friday night. I kept waiting for Nixon to go over the top - never did.

As efficient as this offense is, I’d like 2-3,deep shots a game, and we don’t take them. Maybe we’re saving it…

You take what the defense gives. We hit a deep cross to OG I think in the 4th. But with gill and Hatcher you don’t have guys that can separate from defenders. It’s not just speed, it’s route running too.

 

[tep624]

I was surprised as well, it seemed to work really well.

But we dropped 44 on them, so what do I know?

Yeah definitely - perspective is key.

 

[upperdeck]

A few of those passes though I am sure on Film it was the place to make throw. A couple the D just jumped the route real early and a couple the WR missed the block.

Of course, had we done a pump and go on those it was probably wide open and may have slowed them down a touch on how downhill they were coming on them. The key is, was the pass blocking going to hold up on it to make those types of plays.