Arkansas Game Report Card and Thoughts

[OnthePlains 2,014]

I think Gus is a believer in "execution".....even if a team knows the play he is running his team should be able to run it successfully. A good theory perhaps...but not very practical in the SEC.

Arky had more imaginative play calling than did AU did for most of the game...who would have ever thought that?

I don't think in 2013 we surprised people with the play calling. The players just executed it better.

Yep. I can actually remember thinking several times that year after we really got the zone read going how we were basically running the same play over and over and no one could stop it. Sometimes it's about execution not creativity.

[StatTiger 3,188]

Our receivers dropped all of those passes and you are asking why Gus is running it so much? What else did you expect him to do? They could not catch the ball. He tried everybody.

Because you can overcome a dropped pass on 1st down but not on 3rd down.

[mcgufcm 4,096]

Stat, any chance you could run the report card for the defense as of the end of regulation? I bet it would provide a very different (and frankly more accurate) picture if how they played. They ran out of gas at the end of regulation.

[lost 452]

I was beginning to think we had a rebellion. I was enroute home and told my wife that maybe the players wanted JJ, until they finally started catching and moving the ball. The drops were nothing but lack of concentration. Now what had their minds absorbed? Pressure, worry, lack of composure?

Sean rocked..... We have a qb men. But we do not have a defense.... Sadly, there is nothing there in the middle to build on. We are going to have to wait for help to arrive.

[DKW 86 7,419]

Stat, simple question: What downs were the dropped passes actually on? Majority on third?

[TexasTiger 12,833]

I think Gus is a believer in "execution".....even if a team knows the play he is running his team should be able to run it successfully. A good theory perhaps...but not very practical in the SEC.

Arky had more imaginative play calling than did AU did for most of the game...who would have ever thought that?

I don't think in 2013 we surprised people with the play calling. The players just executed it better.

Exceptional talent bailed out predictable play calling.

[TexasTiger 12,833]

Our receivers dropped all of those passes and you are asking why Gus is running it so much? What else did you expect him to do? They could not catch the ball. He tried everybody.

Because you can overcome a dropped pass on 1st down but not on 3rd down.

Totally agree. The amazing thing is that we lead the SEC in third down conversions. That's totally out of sync with our overall performance because we don't have big plays on first down.

[Tiger 8,819]

Can someone ask him on Tiger Talk? Lol or ask why we only run the same play again when we use tempo (which is only like 4x max a game lol)

Or why he won't allow his QB to actually run the zone read all the time

I really dont understand running on 1st almost 100% of the time against a poor pass D. What is the rationalization there? 2nd and 8 is NOT being on schedule

[lionheartkc 6,150]

Can someone ask him on Tiger Talk? Lol or ask why we only run the same play again when we use tempo (which is only like 4x max a game lol)

Or why he won't allow his QB to actually run the zone read all the time

I will note, we did pass on first down once on Saturday... successfully, I might add. It was later in the game and I was screaming "don't run up the middle, pass it!" and they did. My fiance then spent the next few minutes informing me that, no, the coaches can't hear me, but then they ran up the middle again on the next first down, when I didn't say anything, so I got to give her that "oh,they can't, can they?" look.

Sean also did run the zone read twice. It didn't work well, either time. My guess is that he needs to work on it more before it will be a solid weapon. He's also a little small to take the pounding that Cam and Nick took. If you will recall, both played hurt at one time or another. We don't have a back-up for Sean, at the moment.

[Tiger 8,819]

Can someone ask him on Tiger Talk? Lol or ask why we only run the same play again when we use tempo (which is only like 4x max a game lol)

Or why he won't allow his QB to actually run the zone read all the time

I will note, we did pass on first down once on Saturday... successfully, I might add. It was later in the game and I was screaming "don't run up the middle, pass it!" and they did. My fiance then spent the next few minutes informing me that, no, the coaches can't hear me, but then they ran up the middle again on the next first down, when I didn't say anything, so I got to give her that "oh,they can't, can they?" look.

Sean also did run the zone read twice. It didn't work well, either time. My guess is that he needs to work on it more before it will be a solid weapon. He's also a little small to take the pounding that Cam and Nick took. If you will recall, both played hurt at one time or another. We don't have a back-up for Sean, at the moment.

Hahaha exactly we only passed it twice on 1st. Did Sean actually read the DE on those or were they called keeps? Good point about the injuries. We are not im a good place when our run game is predicated on the eliminating of a defender if we have to keep the QB safe due to no backups

[AuburnNTexas 7,140]

I don't think Sean runs the zone read. I think the coaches tell him he is giving the ball to PB or running. As there were multiple times it was open and he didn't run and the two he ran just wasn't there from the beginning. A true Zone read is the QB looks at the defense during the play and makes a decision. Last year it was mentioned by somebody that many of the times when NM ran what appeared to be a zone read it was actually a called play in advance either to Cap or to NM then it was about execution.

If they allow him to truly run the zone read they also need to teach him to slide once he has gotten all the easy yards he can get.

There is no doubt that we need to pass more frequently on 1st down especially when you are getting 2 yards on the run on 1st down. Even with a dropped pass it is second and ten versus second and eight. If you complete a pass on first down you probably get a first down or at worse second and 2 or 3.

[Tiger 8,819]

I don't think Sean runs the zone read. I think the coaches tell him he is giving the ball to PB or running. As there were multiple times it was open and he didn't run and the two he ran just wasn't there from the beginning. A true Zone read is the QB looks at the defense during the play and makes a decision. Last year it was mentioned by somebody that many of the times when NM ran what appeared to be a zone read it was actually a called play in advance either to Cap or to NM then it was about execution.

If they allow him to truly run the zone read they also need to teach him to slide once he has gotten all the easy yards he can get.

There is no doubt that we need to pass more frequently on 1st down especially when you are getting 2 yards on the run on 1st down. Even with a dropped pass it is second and ten versus second and eight. If you complete a pass on first down you probably get a first down or at worse second and 2 or 3.

Gary Danielson even commented on this in 2013 as well. I know, I know TV commentators aren't the best reference but if they are noticing it....

It's even more pathetic that a guy who is probably top 3 or 4 fastest guy on the field as the QB wasn't being allowed to run the true zone read. In '13 it didn't affect our Ws and Ls because no matter if it was a bad umm "read"/sideline call Greg Robinson was clearing out the entire left side of the field (hyperbole) and NM could juke out the last guy left.

In '14, we didn't have the benefit of a top 3 NFL 1st rd draft pick at LT so teams were able to crash down on the running game and if a TRUE zone read was implemented NM probably hits 1000 yards rushing again at least. How many times did we see the fake zone read and NM with tonnnnsss of space around the end only to give it to CAP to watch him ram his facemask into Chad Slade's butt crack for a 1-2 yard gain? If Gus wants to micromanage the zone read so bad somebody give the guy a playstation and NCAA Football and let him have at it. I understand in high school it maybe you don't trust your 15 year old QB who just got his drivers ed learner's permit to make the right decision on reading the DE but damn he didn't even allow a QB who mentioned prior to him taking his first snap at AU that the zone read was the strength of his game to do what he does best. And that is frustrating to no end for me. It can work when you have a behemoth LT swallowing up anybody in his path but when you have a regular human playing the position it's not for the best of the team and is actually a detriment and helping out the offense. LOL it's literally like the running game version of Jeremy Johnson's passing decision making ie deciding what to do before the ball is snapped when reading what the defense is doing POST-SNAP is the most important part of the freaking play.

Rant over/flame on...

[lionheartkc 6,150]

If they allow him to truly run the zone read they also need to teach him to slide once he has gotten all the easy yards he can get.

Zone read or not, they need to teach him this. He takes a hit every time he runs.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

I don't think Sean runs the zone read. I think the coaches tell him he is giving the ball to PB or running. As there were multiple times it was open and he didn't run and the two he ran just wasn't there from the beginning. A true Zone read is the QB looks at the defense during the play and makes a decision. Last year it was mentioned by somebody that many of the times when NM ran what appeared to be a zone read it was actually a called play in advance either to Cap or to NM then it was about execution.

If they allow him to truly run the zone read they also need to teach him to slide once he has gotten all the easy yards he can get.

There is no doubt that we need to pass more frequently on 1st down especially when you are getting 2 yards on the run on 1st down. Even with a dropped pass it is second and ten versus second and eight. If you complete a pass on first down you probably get a first down or at worse second and 2 or 3.

Gary Danielson even commented on this in 2013 as well. I know, I know TV commentators aren't the best reference but if they are noticing it....

It's even more pathetic that a guy who is probably top 3 or 4 fastest guy on the field as the QB wasn't being allowed to run the true zone read. In '13 it didn't affect our Ws and Ls because no matter if it was a bad umm "read"/sideline call Greg Robinson was clearing out the entire left side of the field (hyperbole) and NM could juke out the last guy left.

In '14, we didn't have the benefit of a top 3 NFL 1st rd draft pick at LT so teams were able to crash down on the running game and if a TRUE zone read was implemented NM probably hits 1000 yards rushing again at least. How many times did we see the fake zone read and NM with tonnnnsss of space around the end only to give it to CAP to watch him ram his facemask into Chad Slade's butt crack for a 1-2 yard gain? If Gus wants to micromanage the zone read so bad somebody give the guy a playstation and NCAA Football and let him have at it. I understand in high school it maybe you don't trust your 15 year old QB who just got his drivers ed learner's permit to make the right decision on reading the DE but damn he didn't even allow a QB who mentioned prior to him taking his first snap at AU that the zone read was the strength of his game to do what he does best. And that is frustrating to no end for me. It can work when you have a behemoth LT swallowing up anybody in his path but when you have a regular human playing the position it's not for the best of the team and is actually a detriment and helping out the offense. LOL it's literally like the running game version of Jeremy Johnson's passing decision making ie deciding what to do before the ball is snapped when reading what the defense is doing POST-SNAP is the most important part of the freaking play.

Rant over/flame on...

Yea, that... or Nick couldn't read the D...

[autig90 67]

Yeah the big issue that I have is the total commitment to run on 1st down. Sean is showing he is a solid QB that can get the ball to a receiver. If you have a few more successful pass attempts on 1st down, it opens up the run game even more. It really is puzzling (and frustrating) to me.

[Tiger 8,819]

I don't think Sean runs the zone read. I think the coaches tell him he is giving the ball to PB or running. As there were multiple times it was open and he didn't run and the two he ran just wasn't there from the beginning. A true Zone read is the QB looks at the defense during the play and makes a decision. Last year it was mentioned by somebody that many of the times when NM ran what appeared to be a zone read it was actually a called play in advance either to Cap or to NM then it was about execution.

If they allow him to truly run the zone read they also need to teach him to slide once he has gotten all the easy yards he can get.

There is no doubt that we need to pass more frequently on 1st down especially when you are getting 2 yards on the run on 1st down. Even with a dropped pass it is second and ten versus second and eight. If you complete a pass on first down you probably get a first down or at worse second and 2 or 3.

Gary Danielson even commented on this in 2013 as well. I know, I know TV commentators aren't the best reference but if they are noticing it....

It's even more pathetic that a guy who is probably top 3 or 4 fastest guy on the field as the QB wasn't being allowed to run the true zone read. In '13 it didn't affect our Ws and Ls because no matter if it was a bad umm "read"/sideline call Greg Robinson was clearing out the entire left side of the field (hyperbole) and NM could juke out the last guy left.

In '14, we didn't have the benefit of a top 3 NFL 1st rd draft pick at LT so teams were able to crash down on the running game and if a TRUE zone read was implemented NM probably hits 1000 yards rushing again at least. How many times did we see the fake zone read and NM with tonnnnsss of space around the end only to give it to CAP to watch him ram his facemask into Chad Slade's butt crack for a 1-2 yard gain? If Gus wants to micromanage the zone read so bad somebody give the guy a playstation and NCAA Football and let him have at it. I understand in high school it maybe you don't trust your 15 year old QB who just got his drivers ed learner's permit to make the right decision on reading the DE but damn he didn't even allow a QB who mentioned prior to him taking his first snap at AU that the zone read was the strength of his game to do what he does best. And that is frustrating to no end for me. It can work when you have a behemoth LT swallowing up anybody in his path but when you have a regular human playing the position it's not for the best of the team and is actually a detriment and helping out the offense. LOL it's literally like the running game version of Jeremy Johnson's passing decision making ie deciding what to do before the ball is snapped when reading what the defense is doing POST-SNAP is the most important part of the freaking play.

Rant over/flame on...

Yea, that... or Nick couldn't read the D...

Maybe but he said his favorite part of being QB was running the read option so maybe I'm assuming too much but it was a strength. Now I think he ran it sometimes but I think Gus called it pre-snap often. Just my opinion though

[NewDay22 0]

holy goodness...

I know there is no way to track other teams...but with a best guess and in regards to other SEC teams how many would come away with

1 of 15...my goodness...

I am sure the OT did not help us...which points me back to condition....

I think we spend too much time practicing indooors with AC