Our Approach in the First Half of Games

[Trueblue25]

What really bothers me is we do not seem to care to set the tone in games. If our offensive approach is about seizing control of the run game to open up the downfield pass, and controlling the tempo, why does it seem like we’re measuring the defenses strength for our first few drives every game?

We are not good enough to be this passive, very few programs are.The two runs up the middle followed by a pass short of the chains is not only predictable, but essentially a forfeit of downs.

Why do we do this? Is there a thought behind this? Any coaches on the board? We haven’t the line to wear down the trenches and we don’t utilize our running backs in a way to manipulate the linebackers. It’s like we don’t gameplan for the week of practice then make adjustments at half when the games gone.

Officiating’s a bigger problem when the clocks against you and you’re down.

So what is it? Our playcalling? Lack of development? Shortage of talent? Poor preparation?

 

[Cuse12]

Hate to say this obvious answer.

Currently it is a combo of every single thing you mentioned.

Poor preparation - 10%
Play calling - 40% (we do not call plays away from our crippling weakness)
Shortage of talent - 20% (lack of talent in OL room)
Lack of development - 30% (OL development)

 

[Trueblue25]

Hate to say this obvious answer.

Currently it is a combo of every single thing you mentioned.

Poor preparation - 10%
Play calling - 40% (we do not call plays away from our crippling weakness)
Shortage of talent - 20% (lack of talent in OL room)
Lack of development - 30% (OL development)

Likely, yeah. I really hesitate to point at talent because 80% of the O has seen significant success at this level before.

 

[PAcuse]

It seems like they are out thinking themselves with the play calling at the start of the game.
Go back to what we won with in the bast and what we saw late in the last game.

 

[djorange1989]

just like the dude on the Nationals the other night, do a George Costanza: the exact opposite offensively of everything they have been doing. it got George that Yankees job, maybe it can get us 3 more wins.

 

[Trueblue25]

It seems like they are out thinking themselves with the play calling at the start of the game.
Go back to what we won with in the bast and what we saw late in the last game.

I just think of road atmospheres, why in gods name do we choose to keep the crowd in the game by allowing the defense off easy on the first few drives? You’d think we’d walk out and try to punch them in the face to take the momentum.

i’m pretty sure every fan at the Clemson game knew the entire flow of the game would change if we held clemson’s first drive or let them score.

Had Taj Harris got that first down it could have been entirely different.

I only bring this up because it just seems we do ourselves no favors at all with our approach in the first quarter/half

 

[upperdeck]

we call plays, but we also go by what the D is giving us..

when 5-6 in the box we need to be able to run. we should be able to run. we cant run..

 

[Cuse12]

we call plays, but we also go by what the D is giving us..

when 5-6 in the box we need to be able to run. we should be able to run. we cant run..

It’s not working, so I hate to say it, no we shouldn’t run with 5-6 in the box sometimes. It would be more effective trying to carve the middle up with our TEs/Slots/receivers if they have 5-6 in the box at this point. This is just based on what I have seen in 6 weeks. It’s very sad and I have to think our pretty talented backs are frustrated as all hell.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

we call plays, but we also go by what the D is giving us..

when 5-6 in the box we need to be able to run. we should be able to run. we cant run..

When there are 5-6 in the box and you only run inside runs and the other team knows this, you will be overmatched more often than not. Now if the DEs and LBs have to worry about contain, then yes you have a mismatch to exploit.

 

[upperdeck]

I agree what we should be able to do and what we can are vastly different.. when the QB also shouldnt be running then the read goes away and the D doesnt care.

We might be better going under center, at least get the runs going downhill a bit more.

 

[PhatOrange]

I'm not fact checking this but I believe we've been 3 and out on every opening drive this season - cept maybe liberty. 2 of those games we had WR's drop easy passes. Harris dropped the 15 yarder for a 1st down vs Clemson and Riley dropped the easy WR screen I think at Maryland. There could be another dropped ball that killed an opening drive to I'm not sure.

We're not getting any first downs in our early drives and that's pretty much setting the tone. We have to do more to generate an early first down or two or at least 3rd and short. I feel like we're 3rd and long too much early on.

 

[Dmcnabbrules]

I'm not fact checking this but I believe we've been 3 and out on every opening drive this season - cept maybe liberty. 2 of those games we had WR's drop easy passes. Harris dropped the 15 yarder for a 1st down vs Clemson and Riley dropped the easy WR screen I think at Maryland. There could be another dropped ball that killed an opening drive to I'm not sure.

We're not getting any first downs in our early drives and that's pretty much setting the tone. We have to do more to generate an early first down or two or at least 3rd and short. I feel like we're 3rd and long too much early on.

And yet we chose to receive the kick in the first half. Gave NC State good field position and 3 points.

 

[upperdeck]

i dont care what Nc st di that last 15 min it was the first time we seem to have an idea of what to do.

Liberty run for 2, pass for 5 run for 2 punt on 4th and 1
maryland pen on maryland Inc pass, run for 1, pass complete for 2 punt on 4th and 2
clem run for 5, inc pass, inc punt on 4th and 5

WMU run for zero, Devito for 60. we end up scoring
HC inc, pass for 12 we end up scoring
NCst Run for 1, pass for 4, pass for 4 punt on 4th and 1

so its now all runs on first play.. we have been 3rd and less than 5 every drive and the 2 times we got a first down we scored. we completed the pass twice and didnt get a first down.

too many short throw checkdowns late in drives and not enough early in drives..

 

[Chip]

i dont care what Nc st di that last 15 min it was the first time we seem to have an idea of what to do.

Liberty run for 2, pass for 5 run for 2 punt on 4th and 1
maryland pen on maryland Inc pass, run for 1, pass complete for 2 punt on 4th and 2
clem run for 5, inc pass, inc punt on 4th and 5

WMU run for zero, Devito for 60. we end up scoring
HC inc, pass for 12 we end up scoring
NCst Run for 1, pass for 4, pass for 4 punt on 4th and 1

so its now all runs on first play.. we have been 3rd and less than 5 every drive and the 2 times we got a first down we scored. we completed the pass twice and didnt get a first down.

too many short throw checkdowns late in drives and not enough early in drives..

So the moral of the story is that we do much better at home.

We're at home Friday.

But I do think we need to figure out a way to run outside more. I know it's not that easy, but we also don't seem to be trying all that much.

 

[upperdeck]

we ran a bunch of plays outside vs NC st that we messed up the end block and 20 turned into zero..

 

[Cuse12]

we ran a bunch of plays outside vs NC st that we messed up the end block and 20 turned into zero..

Would love to see a frame by frame breakdown of some of these plays!

 

[PhatOrange]

i dont care what Nc st di that last 15 min it was the first time we seem to have an idea of what to do.

Liberty run for 2, pass for 5 run for 2 punt on 4th and 1
maryland pen on maryland Inc pass, run for 1, pass complete for 2 punt on 4th and 2
clem run for 5, inc pass, inc punt on 4th and 5

WMU run for zero, Devito for 60. we end up scoring
HC inc, pass for 12 we end up scoring
NCst Run for 1, pass for 4, pass for 4 punt on 4th and 1

so its now all runs on first play.. we have been 3rd and less than 5 every drive and the 2 times we got a first down we scored. we completed the pass twice and didnt get a first down.

too many short throw checkdowns late in drives and not enough early in drives..

so this is interesting and thanks for doing the leg work.

our 3 losses we were 3 and out on the first possession and 4 of 6 opening drives we're 3 and out. That's not good.

First play: run for 2, inc pass (drop), run for 5, run for zero, inc pass (drop), run for 1. bad.

 

[BVille44]

I was surprised that Dino won the toss and elected to take the ball at NC State. Would have preferred to play defense against their new starting QB and get the ball after making some halftime adjustments.

 

[blizz]

If you don't run into a 5 man box your throwing into the strength of the defense.

Those runs up the middle are read options. I dont recall Devito keeping it a single time save for the very sloppy fake and keep on 3rd and goal against Clemson. Running r-o without actually reading and optioning is self-defeating. If the end is going to crash you have to challenge. I don't see the willingness to do that.

 

[SUGIANT]

None of it, it’s injuries on the offensive line.

 

[Trueblue25]

None of it, it’s injuries on the offensive line.

Isnt it just Heckel?

 

[OttoinGrotto]

If you don't run into a 5 man box your throwing into the strength of the defense.

Those runs up the middle are read options. I dont recall Devito keeping it a single time save for the very sloppy fake and keep on 3rd and goal against Clemson. Running r-o without actually reading and optioning is self-defeating. If the end is going to crash you have to challenge. I don't see the willingness to do that.

Yeah, I mean, the dude's clearly playing hurt so I can't fault him for it.

 

[tbonezone]

did we have positive net yardage against NC ST 1st half ? seems like we went backwards every drive.

 

[qdawgg]

so this is interesting and thanks for doing the leg work.

our 3 losses we were 3 and out on the first possession and 4 of 6 opening drives we're 3 and out. That's not good.

First play: run for 2, inc pass (drop), run for 5, run for zero, inc pass (drop), run for 1. bad.

I posted this stat in another thread but we’re 101 out of all our games and 85 in fbs games on 3rd down conversion. Not good at all.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I will say this - the first three years I felt like when we had the ball we knew what we wanted to do and we're aggressive about trying it.

This season it feels like we're playing things a little too cute to probe the defense.