Wildcat

[McLoofus 35,182]

4 minutes ago, kd4au said:

IDK if you have those numbers lay them on me and I would be impressed. It's probably more successful than not, but it may could be even more successful if there were a more diverse set of plays ran out of the WC.

I don't have numbers, but this guy put a lot of time and thought into it and he seems impressed. Seems we are all guilty of misremembering how many times we threw out of it last season.

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The key for Stidham is taking what the defense gave him.

Against Mississippi State, it was a 49-yard completion to Darius Slayton. Against the Tide, it was a 25-yard connection with Davis. Auburn scored two plays later and effectively put the game out of reach against a Bama team that was self-destructing anyway.

https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2017/11/28/16701578/auburn-trick-play-wildcat-wheel-offense

[kd4au 1,145]

4 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

Seems we are all guilty of misremembering

Guilty as charged.

[McLoofus 35,182]

Just now, kd4au said:

Guilty as charged.

You and me both. I also had forgotten about Stidham throwing those. Of course, without KJ, we might be even less varied out of it, but we'll see.

 

[oracle79 3,569]

32 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

I don't have numbers, but this guy put a lot of time and thought into it and he seems impressed. Seems we are all guilty of misremembering how many times we threw out of it last season.

So KJ's jump pass, and two Stidham passes?  That makes 3 times last season, and that's the most I ever remember us throwing out of it in any year.  Are there any others last year?  3 total?  KJ did a great job last year, but I think that was more about KJ's sheer athletic ability than it was the wildcat scheme.  But, as long as the possibility of the throw is there, maybe it does make it easier for the back to run as defenses have to respect that possibility.  With KMart as the RB, I just don't see it as good this year without substituting, which I think defeats the purpose.  Whitlow played some QB in high school I think, so if he's already in at RB, that could be a possibility.  Will be interesting to see what we do with it this coming season.

[Zeek 16,649]

On 8/3/2018 at 6:40 PM, bigbird said:

And can out run them to the edge

I like when the WC QB can still be a passing threat as well though. It amazes me how well Kerryon did in it despite how obvious it was that he would run the ball.

[toddc 13,194]

A big part of the wildcat is blocking, of course, because the defense knows what’s coming. It’s just who can win between the big uglies in the middle, and that’s why I love it.

[McLoofus 35,182]

23 minutes ago, oracle79 said:

So KJ's jump pass, and two Stidham passes?  That makes 3 times last season, and that's the most I ever remember us throwing out of it in any year.  Are there any others last year?  3 total? 

Not sure. 

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But, as long as the possibility of the throw is there, maybe it does make it easier for the back to run as defenses have to respect that possibility.

It's like the opposite of the play action pass. It's a pretty basic offensive tenet- make them respect what you aren't doing in order to open up what you are doing. And as long as 

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KJ did a great job last year, but I think that was more about KJ's sheer athletic ability than it was the wildcat scheme. 

It's been pretty successful with every "QB" Gus has had run it. Most of them have been great athletes, true, but who's to say that we don't have another one? Going specifically by physical attributes, KMart, AMart, Whitlow, Shivers and Gatewood are all superior to KJ in one way or another in terms of "sheer athletic ability". Granted, it's a tall order to ask any of them to share his football acumen- I swear the dude was engineered by a team of Swiss and Japanese scientists- but between those guys you've got a lot of bigger/faster/stronger. 

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With KMart as the RB, I just don't see it as good this year without substituting, which I think defeats the purpose. 

You share that opinion with a lot of folks, and it's entirely possible you're right, but I personally don't think we have the evidence to draw a conclusion one way or the other.

38 minutes ago, oracle79 said:

Whitlow played some QB in high school I think, so if he's already in at RB, that could be a possibility. 

Evidently he's made some noise this summer after a disappointing spring. Maybe the WC has something to do with that. But good point. 

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Will be interesting to see what we do with it this coming season.

Indeed! And if we do scrap it, fine by me as long as the O is still successful in short yardage and goal line situations. 

[tigerbrotha12 2,362]

What about Asa?

[McLoofus 35,182]

6 minutes ago, tigerbrotha12 said:

What about Asa?

Yup! Probably the most KJ-like of the bunch in terms of athleticism. And he did run at least some wildcat and threw at least 1 (left handed) pass in high school. 

https://www.hudl.com/video/3/3898186/5a1b318115f6331130abe4ad

[meh130 1,043]

I think there are now two types of Wildcat formations.

The original Wildcat just shuffled a standard 21 personnel group. The OL was unbalanced with both OTs to one side, the TE played hands-down as a TE, the FB was positioned as a wingback. The QB shifted to a WR position, and the RB was in position for to take a direct snap. One WR was put in the slot or the flank and became the jet-sweep threat. This was sometimes combined with a pre-snap read for the RB to make once the jet-sweep WR went in motion. If the defense shifted to respect the jet-sweep, keep the ball and run up the middle. If the defense remained in place respecting the RB, hand the ball to the jet-sweep WR. Or it could be one of several called plays with different blocking (RB power, RB counter, Jet-Sweep, or pass).

This original design created a short-yardage formation without substitution, so it could be run out of a HUNH.

Later Wildcat formations were designed as a pure short-yardage set with substitution. We often ran a "Wildcat" with Kerryon which used a balanced line and one or two H-Backs in the backfield--very similar to our standard formation with a QB, and H-Back, and an RB in the backfield.

I personally like the original Wildcat because it prevents the defense from substituting. But obviously it requires the right personnel to already be on the field.

[japantiger 4,051]

So we don't have Stats on our success rate?  

[Auburn2Eugene 2,317]

I've never been a fan of the wildcat. Ever. And I hated it when we called it. However last season, KJ ran it like a thing of beauty...rarely not getting the yards he needed. But like someone else already said, I feel that is MUCH more about KJ than the wildcat formation itself. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

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If the package is revived, the Tigers have teased a return to their unbalanced line roots. J.B. Grimes employed his “orange” first-team offensive line for the drill, but shuffled positions and added Tucker Brown, a reserve center and proven blocker at tight end. From left to right, the six-man wrecking crew was Brown, guard Marquel Harrell, center Kaleb Kim, guard Mike Horton, tackle Jack Driscoll and tackle Prince Tega Wanogho.

As Auburn’s primary “flanker” last season, Stove was limited in the drill and served mainly to teach the others. Schwartz began the viewing period in footwork drills with Kodi Burns and a cluster of other receivers before Burns pulled him to the side. After a quick conversation, Schwartz jogged off to join the Wildcat group. Shivers’ reps served as another hint at Malzahn’s plan of utilizing the freshman’s “different speed” across the offense.

http://www.theplainsman.com/article/2018/08/infamous-wildcat-formation-in-the-playbook-for-auburn-at-fall-camp

[McLoofus 35,182]

Huh. This guy calls last year's wildcat "wildly successful" and provides the stats to back it up. Awful news, I know.

Also, sounds like Willis and Joiner were the other 2 candidates beside Whitlow and Cox. That's interesting on several levels IMO. 

Really excited to see what it looks like this year. Hoping Cox is finally able to maximize his potential and versatility and/or Whitlow brings a little more big play potential to the formation.

https://amp.montgomeryadvertiser.com/amp/1030921002?__twitter_impression=true

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

1 hour ago, McLoofus said:

Huh. This guy calls last year's wildcat "wildly successful" and provides the stats to back it up. Awful news, I know.

Also, sounds like Willis and Joiner were the other 2 candidates beside Whitlow and Cox. That's interesting on several levels IMO. 

Really excited to see what it looks like this year. Hoping Cox is finally able to maximize his potential and versatility and/or Whitlow brings a little more big play potential to the formation.

https://amp.montgomeryadvertiser.com/amp/1030921002?__twitter_impression=true

Many Thanks.

[bigbird 60,512]

I sitll hope it's Shivers 

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

16 minutes ago, bigbird said:

I sitll hope it's Shivers 

Seconded.  Strong runner, slippery moves, and would be hard to spot behind the line.  That's a recipe for success out of that formation.

[McLoofus 35,182]

21 minutes ago, bigbird said:

I sitll hope it's Shivers 

I keep forgetting my own advice which is literally don't believe anything you hear out of our camp.