Gus unleashed

[bg5 536]

Next year if we get D'Haquille Williams I think Gus will throw more. I really think with all the talent we have coming back and the talent to be added we can do a repeat NC. We know the offense will still be great and if we can add some additional talent on the defensive side, watch out. I think becuase we have played some many on the D-Line we will still be good there. Hopefully the LB's will be better with some additions and people back from injuries. And the DB's will hopefully get some help as well. I know it's one game at a time, one year at a time but the future is very bright right now. We are one of the few teams that return a starting QB next year and we have good backups for almost all teh positions we lose.

[berrytgr 0]

So many folks on this board seem eager to see AU passing the ball more. Why is that? Is it because they like the excitement and mystery of a pass, the thrill of seeing our receiver trying to beat a defender to the ball, etc. ...or do they think the offense will be more dynamic with say 20-25 passes per game? I mean, what's the deal with this continued lobbying for more pass plays?

Just wondering....if more passes would actually help the offense's performance, why doesn't Gus see it that way.... and put the ball in the air more than he has lately?

I think many people have trouble believing an offense that runs 90% of the time is going to be effective in the long run. A lot of us grew up seeing option offenses like this and eventually we saw those offenses get stagnant and die. The last time I think we have seen an offense run this much and win championships was the Nebraska teams of the 90's. I think about all the wishbone offenses that began to get shut down and eventually installed more balanced offenses. Pat dye started passing more in the mid-late 80's much to his chagrin.

No one can stop our running game right now so there is no reason to throw it more than we have too. Are we just that good at running it, or is it because defenses are just not used to seeing anything like this? It is probably both. We have a great combo going on right now with Nick and Tre, and our Oline is as dominant as any AU Oline I can recall. Until someone shows they can stop us, then we should keep on trucking.

Gus has not always run the ball this much. Think about how much more balanced we were in 2009. Everything is cyclical and eventually I think we will have to find some balance, but not this year. I don't doubt that Gus will always find a way to score points.

[PowerOfDixieland 3,227]

The only thing I would like to see different would be to speed it up. This is why the defensive masterminds hate the HUNH, tough to sub and easy to get out of position. As far as the modification, when we "roll it" and go fast we typically (I think we deviated once or twice in the SECCG) go with the same play call. It's certainly no secret, and defenses have been limited in their ability to respond and stop it. I believe as Marshall gets more comfortable with the scheme, Gus may let him change the play at the line while in warp speed.

[Tiger 8,835]

If Gus wouldn't let Cam change the play I doubt he would let NM change it.

[AU64 10,122]

Actually I like a good passing game...but...with our running game consider that even with an excellent QB about 35-40% of the plays will result in no gain (incomplete) and another few percent will result in lost yardage (sacks) or even a turnover. When that happens, the team generally has to pass again whether they would like to or not...and is doing it in a situation where the defense is more prepared for a passing play which probably lowers the success rate.

On the other hand, what percentage of AU running plays either fail to gain yards or actually lose yards? Damn few if you check the stats and our first down success rate is pretty strong which means we are in a good position to make a first down and keep a drive alive. And if /when AU passes about 2 out of ten plays, the defense often becomes so concerned with stopping the run, that WRs end up with single coverage or loose zones or being suckered like happened to Bama and Mizz in recent games. .

Except against AU, not many QBs can consistently drive their team down the field with a passing game...generally somewhere along the way there is a screw-up....dropped ball, sacked QB, and INT or something that requires the team to undertake a more risky play in hopes of making up the lost yardage.

Stat man can probably quote chapter and verse of percentages and such this is my theory at least about why we do what we do.

[au1duke 12]

So many folks on this board seem eager to see AU passing the ball more. Why is that? Is it because they like the excitement and mystery of a pass, the thrill of seeing our receiver trying to beat a defender to the ball, etc. ...or do they think the offense will be more dynamic with say 20-25 passes per game? I mean, what's the deal with this continued lobbying for more pass plays?

Just wondering....if more passes would actually help the offense's performance, why doesn't Gus see it that way.... and put the ball in the air more than he has lately?

I love watching us run the ball. It reminds me of the CPD days when we ran all over everyone. It takes all the wind out of a D.

[au1duke 12]

The only thing I would like to see different would be to speed it up. This is why the defensive masterminds hate the HUNH, tough to sub and easy to get out of position. As far as the modification, when we "roll it" and go fast we typically (I think we deviated once or twice in the SECCG) go with the same play call. It's certainly no secret, and defenses have been limited in their ability to respond and stop it. I believe as Marshall gets more comfortable with the scheme, Gus may let him change the play at the line while in warp speed.

You can only go as fast as the officials will let you go. In the Auburn - UAT game NM was getting upset with the officials for not getting the ball set as quick as he wanted.

[cooltigger21 0]

Next year if we get D'Haquille Williams I think Gus will throw more. I really think with all the talent we have coming back and the talent to be added we can do a repeat NC. We know the offense will still be great and if we can add some additional talent on the defensive side, watch out. I think becuase we have played some many on the D-Line we will still be good there. Hopefully the LB's will be better with some additions and people back from injuries. And the DB's will hopefully get some help as well. I know it's one game at a time, one year at a time but the future is very bright right now. We are one of the few teams that return a starting QB next year and we have good backups for almost all teh positions we lose.

Give Nick and the receivers an offseason to work and develop the timing and chemistry. That will make this offense more dynamic.

[aupops2 9]

Actually I like a good passing game...but...with our running game consider that even with an excellent QB about 35-40% of the plays will result in no gain (incomplete) and another few percent will result in lost yardage (sacks) or even a turnover. When that happens, the team generally has to pass again whether they would like to or not...and is doing it in a situation where the defense is more prepared for a passing play which probably lowers the success rate.

On the other hand, what percentage of AU running plays either fail to gain yards or actually lose yards? Damn few if you check the stats and our first down success rate is pretty strong which means we are in a good position to make a first down and keep a drive alive. And if /when AU passes about 2 out of ten plays, the defense often becomes so concerned with stopping the run, that WRs end up with single coverage or loose zones or being suckered like happened to Bama and Mizz in recent games. .

Except against AU, not many QBs can consistently drive their team down the field with a passing game...generally somewhere along the way there is a screw-up....dropped ball, sacked QB, and INT or something that requires the team to undertake a more risky play in hopes of making up the lost yardage.

Stat man can probably quote chapter and verse of percentages and such this is my theory at least about why we do what we do.

Excellent analysis!!

[creed 1,687]

I think every year with Gus we will see a different O. When JJ takes the reins in a couple years we will air it out more. Gus just likes to work with what he has and right now he has a ridiculously good run blocking O-line and a myriad of weapons that can run the ball.. plus the hulk at FB..

^^^^This!^^^^

Gus plays the hand he is dealt. We have the most effective power running game in the country, and the most effective option running game in the country. The comparisons to the 1970s Wishbone powerhouse running teams is apt.

I just happened to be sitting next to a High School football coach at the SECCG (although I didn't know this at first), but I asked him how did CGM turn the team around so fast? He told me to remember Gus' roots are in HS football and in HS you have to design, develop and implement a different offensive and defensive approach practically every year based on what talent you have in the program. Now to some extent in college you can recruit around that but now always. So simply Gus is very comfortable with many different ways to develop an offense based on the talent on hand. He probably has good ideas about how to manage a defense too. Right now if I was Jimbo Fisher I would be nervous as to what to practice for, because Gus could come out with a totally different look to carve FSU up in the BCSCG. Now I'm saying this as a joke but that's how versatile Gus can be with an offense.

[gusbusfan 0]

Gus has amazing passing schemes also. His Tulsa teams would throw it all over the place. His biggest problem there was in the redzone because he didn't have the running backs to power it in. He would rather have balance between passing and running because then the defense has to guess whether to have that extra D lineman in or extra DB. When he gets that balance watch out. It wouldn't surprise me to see NM and JJ in at the same time. Then the defense can't switch out players and he really rolls it then. Like posted earlier, he hasn't even scratched the surface yet.

[AU64 10,122]

The thing is, I'm not sure what a balanced offense is....once a team starts passing the ball a high percentage of the time(say 40% or more) IMO, there is no turning back because usually another pass is needed to overcome each incomplete pass and next thing you know the passing game becomes a higher percentage of the offense...and often teams end up throwing 60 or 70% of their plays...and not very many win consistently with that kind of offense. Generally, if you can't run the ball with assurance, you will not be able to put the ball in the end zone with assurance. JMO but most teams pass the ball because they can't run it well enough to have a dominating offense with their running game.

Gus proclaims to be a "run first" coach which to me means, he will run the ball until he must pass it...though he does use enough pass plays to keep the defense honest...a condition that enables the passing game to be effective when used on his schedule and not when the conditions require him to throw a pass. NM is not the greatest passer around but he was 9 of 11 the other night...mostly because virtually every pass came as a surprise to the defense.

On the other hand, once Mizz abandoned their running game in the second half and increased their passing percentage, AU's defense started pressuring the QB more and more and eventually shut down their scoring. That might sound funny when we gave up 42, but they were stopped on 5 of their last offensive possessions playing against a very mediocre defense.

Personally, I'm happy with 10 or 12 passes per game and note that NM's completion percentage rose as we started throwing fewer passes. Inserting a few passes at unexpected moments gives AU's offense a great advantage and has enabled Sammie to be among the best in average yards per catch.

[ToomersRevenge 284]

The only issue I've really had with CGM's play calling has been that in every game it seems like we just have one drive where we stubbornly run the same pass play 3 times in a row. It's like if it doesn't work the first time we're in a hole and must pass our way out. This team is by far good enough to go from 2nd and 10 to 1st and 10 with two plays. It's either a pass or run series of downs it seems.

[AUbritt 611]

An example of a "wrinkle" was the pass to trovon reed where Sammie Coates was an ineligible receiver. There was no way. Zero. Zip. Nada. That the D players on the field were ever going to see that. The D assumed yet another jailbreak screen to Coates and we end up with a wide open reed going down the hash.

That was a freaking brilliant play design at the perfect time. That is why Gus is brilliant. You may try to emulate his O but that is the type of perfect play/call that others won't match.

Edit: stat tiger I know you get lots of requests but breaking that play down would be great. 3rd down conversion at a critical time in the game.

Absolutely!

[Budapesttiger 2]

They've put up around 800 yards rushing in the last 2 games against the best def fronts in sec. They don't need to pass.

But...

Don't forget against bama the tying td came from a pass off the option. That particular play looks like easy pickings to me. And if the safeties come up like Bamas' did it will definitely hel back them off.

I like the balance so far. Good rushing, efficient passing.

[Budapesttiger 2]

One more thing- on the radio call stan white pointed out ghat gus had series late the first that always goes side to side, lots of screens, etc. stan figures this is to get the def tired before the half and contributes to our strong 4th quarters.

[BirdofPrey76 0]

The only issue I've really had with CGM's play calling has been that in every game it seems like we just have one drive where we stubbornly run the same pass play 3 times in a row. It's like if it doesn't work the first time we're in a hole and must pass our way out. This team is by far good enough to go from 2nd and 10 to 1st and 10 with two plays. It's either a pass or run series of downs it seems.

At one time, I would agree with you. Now, I see the method in Gus' madness. Just relax and wait for the payoff later in the game. It will certainly help with your blood pressure!

[McLoofus 35,182]

One more thing- on the radio call stan white pointed out ghat gus had series late the first that always goes side to side, lots of screens, etc. stan figures this is to get the def tired before the half and contributes to our strong 4th quarters.

I've noticed this tendency of Gus's and have always assumed that it was strategic planning for later in the game, but it never occurred to me that it might something so simple as wearing out the defenders. It's certainly plausible.

[AUTigers001 0]

I think this particular team sees balance as being able to do whatever it takes to get the 1st down. More times than not that means rushing, but sometimes we throw it if that is what our best option is. NM was 9 of 11 passing the other day. Not a bad completion percentage.