Tim Lester's Comments

[OttoinGrotto]

I don't. I want a balanced offense. I want to be able to pass when it's appropriate and cram it down the other teams throat between the tackles when appropriate. I don't think we build our teams just for the Dome. Half of our games are played elsewhere.

If we played anywhere else, sure.

But, as we have the Dome, and no one else does, and we play many of our road games in decent conditions, let's just put the ball in the air. A lot. Over and over.

 

[HeaterCuse22]

Don't think Hunt was too great at doing that either.

agree. Hence why he will be in booth IMO

 

[sufandu]

If we played anywhere else, sure.

But, as we have the Dome, and no one else does, and we play many of our road games in decent conditions, let's just put the ball in the air. A lot. Over and over.

My opinion is certainly swayed by what I like to watch. I like a good running game. I actually find it more entertaining than a good passing game. I do think balance is important though. A one dimensional team will have that day where their one dimension is off. It's then that they wish they had balance.

 

[sufandu]

unfortunately we have to factor in NYC but good programs play more than half at home. the cupcakes play lots of road games for the money

we're playing teams in florida, georgia, and north carolina all the time too

It does rain in those states, especially early in the season.

 

[AZOrange]

i bet that if it happens on all levels of football at least once a game...it never happens again or the guy gets fired. id also be EXTREMELY surpised if it happens in D1 football...at all levels...FCS and non-P5 being the ones where it may happen, but id bet rarely. and no way in GD hell is the OC blabbing that point to the press. what a Fn maroon. seriously, why is he telling us this?? so when it happens and he costs the stupidblue a game and/or a bowl eligibility he can go...'why are you all surprised at this? i already told you i dont understand the playbook. forget it and move on.'

Couldn't agree more. Better to be silent and look the fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt

 

[sufandu]

Couldn't agree more. Better to be silent and look the fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt

Or maybe it's better to lower expectations and surprise the doubters.

Nothing he said in an interview is going to affect how well he performs his job. The only thing it affects is our anticipation of how well we think he'll do his job.

 

[Crusty]

I am just so confused. We are the only P5 team that plays in a Dome. There has to be somebody out there salivating at the chance to run a pass based offense in that environment.

When baseball teams have a short porch in one of the fields they get hitters that can pull the ball to that side. When basketball teams play their home games at higher elevations they look to fast break. NFL teams that play in controlled conditions prioritize the passing game (everyone prioritizes the passing game in the pros, but still).

For some reason, we are so special that people look at where we play and say "*** it. Power run."

Oh Lord:bat:Oh LordOh Lord:bang::bang::bang::blah::blah:Oh LordOh LordOh LordOh LordOh LordOh LordOh LordOh LordOh Lordcouchburn:bat::bat::bat::bang::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy:

Haven't I warned you about using logic before?!

 

[SUskibum]

If we played anywhere else, sure.

But, as we have the Dome, and no one else does, and we play many of our road games in decent conditions, let's just put the ball in the air. A lot. Over and over.

Yes, can we be like that Hawaii offense back when they had that quarterback that was supposed to come here but didn't come here (cant remember why)?

You know why Calipari gets so many NBA level recruits? Because they know if they go there, he will put them in a position via playing time and style to help their stats and overall performance look as if they are oozing with talent.

Imagine if we had an offense that averaged over 350yds/game in the air every single year. Do you think our QBs/Receivers would be drafted higher than they would be if we stuck with a 225/225 approach? NFL scouts are not morons but make no mistake, they start with numbers and when you have more yards and more touchdowns than most of your peers in the draft, that is sure to help your cause.

You know what happens after that? High school players start seeing all of our QBs and WR getting drafted favorably and that makes us more appealing to an even more talented group of players. Those players go on to score more TDs and get more yards and wins and thus be drafted even more favorably. This happens over and over again until you're a destination school, at least for the WR/QB, arguably two of the most important positions to recruit elite talent. (remember that the super talented WR that you recruited that don't crack your offense 2 deep, end up giving you depth in the secondary (tebucky jones and richard sherman I am looking at you)

We have a dome, its unique, leverage it. It will work.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Yes, can we be like that Hawaii offense back when they had that quarterback that was supposed to come here but didn't come here (cant remember why)?

You know why Calipari gets so many NBA level recruits? Because they know if they go there, he will put them in a position via playing time and style to help their stats and overall performance look as if they are oozing with talent.

Imagine if we had an offense that averaged over 350yds/game in the air every single year. Do you think our QBs/Receivers would be drafted higher than they would be if we stuck with a 2225/225 approach? NFL scouts are not morons but make no mistake, they start with numbers and when you have more yards and more touchdowns than most of your peers in the draft, that is sure to help your cause.

You know what happens after that? High school players start seeing all of our QBs and WR getting drafted favorably and that makes us more appealing to an even more talented group of players. Those players go on to score more TDs and get more yards and wins and thus be drafted even more favorably. This happens over and over again until you destination school, at least for the WR/QB, arguably two of the most important positions to recruit elite talent. (remember that super talented WR that you recruited that didnt crack your offenses 2 deep, end up giving you dept in the secondary (tebucky jones and richard sherman I am looking at you)

We have a dome, its unique, leverage it. It will work.

It really is that simple.

 

[Crusty]

Yes, can we be like that Hawaii offense back when they had that quarterback that was supposed to come here but didn't come here (cant remember why)?

You know why Calipari gets so many NBA level recruits? Because they know if they go there, he will put them in a position via playing time and style to help their stats and overall performance look as if they are oozing with talent.

Imagine if we had an offense that averaged over 350yds/game in the air every single year. Do you think our QBs/Receivers would be drafted higher than they would be if we stuck with a 225/225 approach? NFL scouts are not morons but make no mistake, they start with numbers and when you have more yards and more touchdowns than most of your peers in the draft, that is sure to help your cause.

You know what happens after that? High school players start seeing all of our QBs and WR getting drafted favorably and that makes us more appealing to an even more talented group of players. Those players go on to score more TDs and get more yards and wins and thus be drafted even more favorably. This happens over and over again until you're a destination school, at least for the WR/QB, arguably two of the most important positions to recruit elite talent. (remember that the super talented WR that you recruited that don't crack your offense 2 deep, end up giving you depth in the secondary (tebucky jones and richard sherman I am looking at you)

We have a dome, its unique, leverage it. It will work.

We have a BINGO!

 

[timkay99]

I think you're holding these guys on too high a pedestal - mistakes happen all over the place for all teams. Even Manning gets it wrong from time to time (Peyton - not Eli - he's good for 3-5 a game amiright?) ...

I agree that he needs to not share that to the media - but the guy is so open and honest. Man, it's refreshing. He'll learn to be a media-coach-auto-tron quickly. Wouldn't want fans to get the wrong idea and think they are infallible

Mistakes are made on reads, not on the play-calls...

Any mistake made by the coach calling the play is inexcusable and really never does happen for quality run football programs.

The fact Lester doesn't know the terminology like the back of his hand is a huge red flag to me from an overall offensive perspective. He wasn't just called in off the street to run this offense, he has been a part of it for 2 years and coaching the position responsible for calling the plays to everyone else on the field. Part of that is on McDonald, but could we be having these types of communication issues in other phases that exasperated the problem?

And yes, fans loved the openness of our previous OC so much... So refreshing!

 

[Crusty]

Mistakes are made on reads, not on the play-calls...

Any mistake made by the coach calling the play is inexcusable and really never does happen for quality run football programs.

The fact Lester doesn't know the terminology like the back of his hand is a huge red flag to me from an overall offensive perspective. He wasn't just called in off the street to run this offense, he has been a part of it for 2 years and coaching the position responsible for calling the plays to everyone else on the field. Part of that is on McDonald, but could we be having these types of communication issues in other phases that exasperated the problem?

And yes, fans loved the openness of our previous OC so much... So refreshing!

Maybe I am mistaken, but I thought Lester was simply saying that he needed to get faster at it - not that he didn't know it. This is not a stupid man.

 

[KaiserUEO]

We have a BINGO!

Yeah, bingo for today.

I'd say that had been suggested on here at least 365x a year since al gore invented this board.

 

[Crusty]

Yeah, bingo for today.

I'd say that had been suggested on here at least 365x a year since al gore invented this board.

And never implemented. Some day.

 

[TheCusian]

Mistakes are made on reads, not on the play-calls... Any mistake made by the coach calling the play is inexcusable and really never does happen for quality run football programs. The fact Lester doesn't know the terminology like the back of his hand is a huge red flag to me from an overall offensive perspective. He wasn't just called in off the street to run this offense, he has been a part of it for 2 years and coaching the position responsible for calling the plays to everyone else on the field. Part of that is on McDonald, but could we be having these types of communication issues in other phases that exasperated the problem? And yes, fans loved the openness of our previous OC so much... So refreshing!

Meh. McDonald wasn't open till he got demoted.

If you don't think mistakes happen in play calling your nuts. High pressure, time sensitive and complex ALWAYS leads to a misstep. It's not if, it's when.

 

[timkay99]

Meh. McDonald wasn't open till he got demoted.

If you don't think mistakes happen in play calling your nuts. High pressure, time sensitive and complex ALWAYS leads to a misstep. It's not if, it's when.

Yea, McDonald wasn't the most active coach on Twitter from the time he got here. Selective memories are pretty astounding.

On the specific play chosen. Not the naming of a play. Most playcallers literally read from a play sheet unless they are fluent in their offense. To excuse mistakes of the playcaller in that situation, means you expect the following mistakes consistently:

QB misrelaying the play to the team
WR not hearing the play call and running wrong route
C not making the right reads

Then you get into physical mistakes. I just don't know what world you live in if you think mistakes in playcalling (calling the actual play with the correct terminology) occur on a regular basis in college football. If they do, that OC gets fired.

 

[timkay99]

Maybe I am mistaken, but I thought Lester was simply saying that he needed to get faster at it - not that he didn't know it. This is not a stupid man.

Was discussing the different terminologies and how one thing that is said under McDonald's offense meant something different in his offense.

He wants to get plays in faster and that is why he will use a playsheet with him b/c he doesn't know that offense as well as his own that he ran. Where a play that did the same thing as in McDonald's offense had a different name in his (which is what he is used to).

 

[BKCuse]

Lester strikes me as a very intelligent guy. I'm sure he knows the offense well beyond an acceptable level.

He's been an OC and a HC so he's obviously paying attention.

He was making a point that he can't run someone else's system as well as he can his own.

 

[TheCusian]

Yea, McDonald wasn't the most active coach on Twitter from the time he got here. Selective memories are pretty astounding. On the specific play chosen. Not the naming of a play. Most playcallers literally read from a play sheet unless they are fluent in their offense. To excuse mistakes of the playcaller in that situation, means you expect the following mistakes consistently: QB misrelaying the play to the team WR not hearing the play call and running wrong route C not making the right reads Then you get into physical mistakes. I just don't know what world you live in if you think mistakes in playcalling (calling the actual play with the correct terminology) occur on a regular basis in college football. If they do, that OC gets fired.

This is all moot since he was referring to knowing all the plays by heart. He said he'd like to know the verbiage enough that he wouldn't need to look at the play sheet.

If you're using someone else's offense and you don't have the verbiage memorized and you're now calling the plays suddenly - and you're used to 11 years of your system - calling the plays from memory: his comments make sense.

Also: in the heat of the moment you don't think guys looking at their plays don't get flustered and spit out the wrong verbiage in complex systems from time to time? That because they are looking at a play chart that they are now infallible?! It has to happen - they are not robots.

 

[Crusty]

Was discussing the different terminologies and how one thing that is said under McDonald's offense meant something different in his offense.

He wants to get plays in faster and that is why he will use a playsheet with him b/c he doesn't know that offense as well as his own that he ran. Where a play that did the same thing as in McDonald's offense had a different name in his (which is what he is used to).

Right, and I don't know why that is somehow controversial. I guess we ran out of things to talk about.

 

[KaiserUEO]

Right, and I don't know why that is somehow controversial. I guess we ran out of things to talk about.

then you really dont get it.

coaches, need to be infallible.

yes, they need to be perfect. they need to be robots when it comes to certain things. but most of all, they need to be certain.

players, need to be able, when the shlit is hitting the fan...and there head is all amuck, and theyre calling for their mommys and wishing they were dressed in a different color...to look at a coach and go...all is good, coach has got this under control.

and our new OC, is out there telling the press...that the offense that hes been in for 2 years, thats 2 YEARS, sometimes confuses him.

good lord man!!

and thats 2x now for him telling the press hes overwhelmed.

 

[Crusty]

then you really dont get it.

coaches, need to be infallible.

yes, they need to be perfect. they need to be robots when it comes to certain things. but most of all, they need to be certain.

players, need to be able, when the shlit is hitting the fan...and there head is all amuck, and theyre calling for their mommys and wishing they were dressed in a different color...to look at a coach and go...all is good, coach has got this under control.

and our new OC, is out there telling the press...that the offense that hes been in for 2 years, thats 2 YEARS, sometimes confuses him.

good lord man!!

and thats 2x now for him telling the press hes overwhelmed.

The only thing that matters is what the players think - not the press, not you and not me. If the coach has the players' confidence and knows what he is doing, the rest is just noise.

You said it yourself, when the crap is hitting the fan, etc., how the coach is able to lead is what matters.

I just don't think what a coach says in a presser matters all that much.

 

[KaiserUEO]

The only thing that matters is what the players think - not the press, not you and not me. If the coach has the players' confidence and knows what he is doing, the rest is just noise.

You said it yourself, when the crap is hitting the fan, etc., how the coach is able to lead is what matters.

I just don't think what a coach says in a presser matters all that much.

well, i hope the players arent reading a paper, because he is giving them reason to doubt his ability to lead.


game on.

lets do this!!

 

[Crusty]

well, i hope the players arent reading a paper, because he is giving them reason to doubt his ability to lead.


game on.

lets do this!!

Players can read?

 

[timkay99]

Right, and I don't know why that is somehow controversial. I guess we ran out of things to talk about.

I think it is an issue when the offensive coaching staff doesn't know the offense they have used for 2+ seasons like the back of their hands.

You expect the QB to know the offense like the back of their hand after a season. Not a lot to ask for the coaching staff to know it as well.