Fewer substitutions this season could be big for Harold Joiner

[StatTiger 3,188]

During spring camp, Coach Gus Malzahn spoke of running the offense at a high tempo and the need to limit substitution. He noted opposing teams were able to counter Auburn’s substitutions with different personnel groupings, which defeated Auburn’s intent of substituting specific players to execute individual plays. One of Malzahn’s goals this spring was to identify players who could play multiple roles on offense to limit substitutions. One of the players who could benefit from this plan is Harold Joiner, a redshirt freshman with plenty of talent. At 6-4, 220 pounds, Joiner was signed as an athlete with the potential to play wide receiver or running back but finds himself in more of an H-Back role in 2019.

A-Day Assignments:

  During this year’s A-Day Game to wrap up spring practice, Harold Joiner moved around on the field to take advantage of his athletic ability. He lined up as a running back 12 times, in the slot eight times and at flanker five times. An additional role he might carry this season is the wildcat quarterback, a formation not executed during the final scrimmage game. His versatility will allow Auburn to play him at multiple facets, which should create mismatches against the opposition.

Charles Clay and Mario Fannin Role:

  During the Malzahn offensive era at Auburn, Gus Malzahn has utilized certain players in a “role” capacity. These are players who are not full-time starters but take enough snaps to make a major contribution to the offense. These “role players” have accounted for nearly 25 percent of Auburn’s impact plays in Malzahn’s offense. While at Tulsa, Gus Malzahn converted Charles Clay, a three-star running back into an H-Back during his freshman season. At 6-3, 222 pounds, Malzahn took advantage of Clay’s skill set to become a significant contributor during the 2007 season. Under Gus Malzahn, Clay ran the football 82 times for 449 yards and caught 107 passes for 1488 yards during 2007 and 2008. Clay finished his Tulsa career with 3455 combined offensive yards and 38 touchdowns. He was later drafted into the NFL as a tight end and entered his ninth season in the NFL this year.

  When Malzahn arrived at Auburn as the offensive coordinator, he made the same adjustment with Mario Fannin, who had been a part-time starter at running back under Tommy Tuberville. Malzahn converted Fannin into more of an H-Back role during 2009, and 2010 and Fannin finished his last two seasons with 1266 yards and ten touchdowns as a role player. Though Mario Fannin only had 154 offensive touches during his last two seasons, he accounted for 25 impact plays.

Harold Joiner 2019:

  Should Harold Joiner be utilized in the offense, in the same manner, Charles Clay was implemented at Tulsa, Joiner could be one of the leaders in impact plays this season. Clay ran vertical routes as Tulsa’s H-Back, often making plays downfield on seam routes and wheel routes. Malzahn frequently ran his offense with two-back sets, featuring Clay more as a receiver out of the backfield, though he ran the ball like a running back. Auburn showed this look only one time during A-Day, on Joey Gatewood’s first offensive series at quarterback. Malzahn at Tulsa would flood both backs out of the backfield on the same side of the field. The first back (often Charles Clay) would run a seam route and the second back would check down short. This often left one of the backs uncovered, making an easy read for the quarterback to throw to the wide open running back. With the success, Malzahn had with Charles Clay at Tulsa and Mario Fannin at Auburn, it is not a stretch to see him replicating it with Harold Joiner this season.

[toddc 13,194]

That was one of my biggest takeaways from A-day!

[gr82be 14,423]

During spring camp, Coach Gus Malzahn spoke of running the offense at a high tempo and the need to limit substitution. He noted opposing teams were able to counter Auburn’s substitutions with different personnel groupings, which defeated Auburn’s intent of substituting specific players to execute individual plays.

Please, yes, please! 🙏

[toddc 13,194]

With CGM calling plays I think some new version of the HUNH will be our offense this fall! I hope he’s adapting to the new rules with his offense this year.(that sentence is gonna get some negative response) Unlike others I believe CGM can and will adapt. I think he’s showing that he’s trying to anyway by getting Joiner and Shenker and Gatewood ready to contribute this year.

[AuburnNTexas 7,142]

With the rule changes it is harder to run the HUNH but having players you don't need to substitute for depending on packages would allow us to be able to get back to running the HUNH the way Gus used to.  Here is hoping but as person who stayed on the Gus bus longer than many others. I now have to see some changes in play calling  and actually see us run the HUNH and wear D's down before I will believe it.  It took me longer to get off the GUS bus and it will take me longer to get back on, but I am hoping he gives me a reason to get back on.

[StatTiger 3,188]

 

[McLoofus 35,182]

Joiner + Gatewood would also put two Charles Clays on the field at once. 

 

[Randman5000 4,228]

I love this Stat!!♥️

[Sizzle 3,912]

He might lead the team in touches when its all said and done. He had quite a few on A-Day alone

[aujeff11 6,243]

On 4/17/2019 at 12:55 PM, McLoofus said:

Joiner + Gatewood would also put two Charles Clays on the field at once. 

 

lol

[McLoofus 35,182]

25 minutes ago, Sizzle said:

He might lead the team in touches when its all said and done. He had quite a few on A-Day alone

I keep thinking about Mario Fannin. He didn't get a ton of touches but he made them count and he was versatile. In 2009, he ran 34 times at 8.4 per and caught 42 passes at 9.8 per. Man, if we could get that kind of balanced production out of Joiner... and with the other weapons we've got now (we've got 2 OMacs!)...

[boisnumber1 2,818]

3 hours ago, McLoofus said:

I keep thinking about Mario Fannin. He didn't get a ton of touches but he made them count and he was versatile. In 2009, he ran 34 times at 8.4 per and caught 42 passes at 9.8 per. Man, if we could get that kind of balanced production out of Joiner... and with the other weapons we've got now (we've got 2 OMacs!)...

Fumbles definitely limited Fannin's touches.

[AU64 10,122]

12 minutes ago, boisnumber1 said:

Fumbles definitely limited Fannin's touches.

True ...thought I think that was exaggerated ...but he was a real threat on the wheel route out of the backfield and I hope that's back in our arsenal this year.  

Likewise with some more versatile backs, we might not have to substitute four players every time we move from a running play to a pass .....which would allow the HUNH feature back into our game plan.

Eagerly awaiting 2019 season. 

[aujeff11 6,243]

4 hours ago, boisnumber1 said:

Fumbles definitely limited Fannin's touches.

Fannin had the measurables to be an all world player. Sad. He had some critical runs in 2010 though.

[JDUBB4AU 5,121]

Joiner looked super lean on film . Huge upside with him . A lot of versatility 

[alexava 6,973]

5 hours ago, AU64 said:

True ...thought I think that was exaggerated ...but he was a real threat on the wheel route out of the backfield and I hope that's back in our arsenal this year.  

Likewise with some more versatile backs, we might not have to substitute four players every time we move from a running play to a pass .....which would allow the HUNH feature back into our game plan.

Eagerly awaiting 2019 season. 

I was a huge fan of Fanin. I wasn’t sold on Tate. I argued that his fumbling was exaggerated for too long. There comes a point where I just had to tuck my head and walk away defeated. He turned out to be among the worst we ever had holding the ball. Had chronic shoulder injuries that probably caused it. But we just couldn’t hand him the ball anymore. 

[alexava 6,973]

1 hour ago, JDUBB4AU said:

Joiner looked super lean on film . Huge upside with him . A lot of versatility 

He doesn’t look as big as he is listed to me. 

[JDUBB4AU 5,121]

6 minutes ago, alexava said:

He doesn’t look as big as he is listed to me. 

This . He looks about 210. He’s listed at 230-240? 

[SlocombTiger 106]

I've always preferred a bigger back. I  guess I was spoiled by the Bo years. A big back that runs aggressively AND has a low pad level can be a difference maker. I'm looking forward to seeing if Joiner is the back he was rumored to be out of HS or if he is the bruiser I think he can be. I'm thinking it's gonna be the latter.  

WAR EAGLE!!!

[augolf1716 21,122]

On 4/19/2019 at 9:22 PM, JDUBB4AU said:

Joiner looked super lean on film . Huge upside with him . A lot of versatility 

agreed

[doverstutts 1,643]

On 4/17/2019 at 10:41 AM, gr82be said:

 He noted opposing teams were able to counter Auburn’s substitutions with different personnel groupings,

well no s**t gus

[Tiger 8,823]

On 4/21/2019 at 11:17 AM, doverstutts said:

well no s**t gus

Hey give the guy a break it only took him 3 years and a 7 QB gameplan vs Clemson to figure it out

[gravejd 3,270]

I'm cool with fewer substitutions. We play better when we go fast and the super specialized roles for our players drove me crazy. Swartz came in and lined up in the slot? Speed sweep action here we go! Wait is that Cox lined up out wide? Bubble screen away!! I just hope he doesn't not sub people for just for the sake of going fast. We've had too many wasted plays over the years with completely gassed players being handed the ball so they can fall into the line of scrimmage for no gain. Go fast Gus!! Just doing it smart

[McLoofus 35,182]

7 minutes ago, gravejd said:

I'm cool with fewer substitutions. We play better when we go fast and the super specialized roles for our players drove me crazy. Swartz came in and lined up in the slot? Speed sweep action here we go! Wait is that Cox lined up out wide? Bubble screen away!! I just hope he doesn't not sub people for just for the sake of going fast. We've had too many wasted plays over the years with completely gassed players being handed the ball so they can fall into the line of scrimmage for no gain. Go fast Gus!! Just doing it smart

Yeah. I think the trick is to keep the players on the field *during a possession* and *use more of them*. Not running the same guys back out there possession after possession and only using a few of them. So what you said.

Gus has to trust his guys to make plays. It will happen this season or we'll have a new coach. 

[twilli13 600]

3 hours ago, McLoofus said:

Yeah. I think the trick is to keep the players on the field *during a possession* and *use more of them*. Not running the same guys back out there possession after possession and only using a few of them. So what you said.

Gus has to trust his guys to make plays. It will happen this season or we'll have a new coach. 

God I hope. Dont misunderstand. I dont hope Gus fails...I really hope he somehow puts it all together and the offense blows up. But, if he crashes and burns or just spins his wheels again, I hope the administration will have the guts to find a new guy and the Gus apologists will stop with the terrible excuses.