The play-calling

[slipadeedoodah 24]

I need to get some clarification on this issue since I don't feel like the people who are bringing it up are being very clear about it.

The first I heard someone complain about our play-calling was after the Wisconsin game when people said we were trying to be "too cute" in overtime. Now I hear a lot of people complain this year that our play-calling is too vanilla, which is the complete opposite end of the spectrum. Now I personally do not have a problem with vanilla play-calling as long as it works. What we were doing against Arkansas was working on offense for most of the game. The only problem we had was the drops by the receivers. Now if you want to argue we shouldn't be throwing the ball to our wide receivers that might be a valid argument, maybe. Other than that I just don't see how there is much to complain about as far as the play-calling is concerned. Especially since folks can't seem to decide whether we are being too "cute" or too "vanilla".

[lionheartkc 6,150]

I need to get some clarification on this issue since I don't feel like the people who are bringing it up are being very clear about it.

The first I heard someone complain about our play-calling was after the Wisconsin game when people said we were trying to be "too cute" in overtime. Now I hear a lot of people complain this year that our play-calling is too vanilla, which is the complete opposite end of the spectrum. Now I personally do not have a problem with vanilla play-calling as long as it works. What we were doing against Arkansas was working on offense for most of the game. The only problem we had was the drops by the receivers. Now if you want to argue we shouldn't be throwing the ball to our wide receivers that might be a valid argument, maybe. Other than that I just don't see how there is much to complain about as far as the play-calling is concerned. Especially since folks can't seem to decide whether we are being too "cute" or too "vanilla".

Really, last Saturday, the only beef anyone should have with the play calling is that we have got to stop running Peyton up the middle on first down. Other than that, we spread the ball well, gave them a lot of different plays to defend, and were for the most part successful, barring drops.

[Tiger 8,819]

Play calling critics are masters in hindsight IMO. If it works? GREAT CALL. If someone misses a block? Gus is high school coach.

[McLoofus 35,182]

Doesn't answer the OP, but might be interesting for anybody clicking on a thread called "The play-calling"

http://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2015/10/28/9625854/malzahn-opens-the-playbook-a-bit-more

[lionheartkc 6,150]

Doesn't answer the OP, but might be interesting for anybody clicking on a thread called "The play-calling"

http://www.collegean...book-a-bit-more

Very nice. Thanks for posting.

[WarTim 3,456]

That article is great. Thanks!!

[murpjf88 506]

Play calling critics are masters in hindsight IMO. If it works? GREAT CALL. If someone misses a block? Gus is high school coach.

This little nugget could be said about any coach who ever existed at any level. Well done!

[alexava 6,973]

Play calling critics are masters in hindsight IMO. If it works? GREAT CALL. If someone misses a block? Gus is high school coach.

agreed. Except the first down run percentage, i have concluded gus is the best play caller in football. That is somewhat hindsight too i guess.

[murpjf88 506]

Play calling critics are masters in hindsight IMO. If it works? GREAT CALL. If someone misses a block? Gus is high school coach.

agreed. Except the first down run percentage, i have concluded gus is the best play caller in football. That is somewhat hindsight too i guess.

No, that's not hindsight. It's your opinion.

[alexava 6,973]

Play calling critics are masters in hindsight IMO. If it works? GREAT CALL. If someone misses a block? Gus is high school coach.

agreed. Except the first down run percentage, i have concluded gus is the best play caller in football. That is somewhat hindsight too i guess.

No, that's not hindsight. It's your opinion.

which part? The fact he runs too much on first down is a fact from stats. I didn't develop thst opinion until it didn't work.

[murpjf88 506]

Play calling critics are masters in hindsight IMO. If it works? GREAT CALL. If someone misses a block? Gus is high school coach.

agreed. Except the first down run percentage, i have concluded gus is the best play caller in football. That is somewhat hindsight too i guess.

No, that's not hindsight. It's your opinion.

which part? The fact he runs too much on first down is a fact from stats. I didn't develop thst opinion until it didn't work.

The part where you said Gus is the best play caller in football.

[slipadeedoodah 24]

Play calling critics are masters in hindsight IMO. If it works? GREAT CALL. If someone misses a block? Gus is high school coach.

agreed. Except the first down run percentage, i have concluded gus is the best play caller in football. That is somewhat hindsight too i guess.

No, that's not hindsight. It's your opinion.

which part? The fact he runs too much on first down is a fact from stats. I didn't develop thst opinion until it didn't work.

The part where you said Gus is the best play caller in football.

I don't think Gus will ever be a Sumlin, Briles type coach where we go 5 wide on 1st down. It couldn't hurt to play-action more. However, when your offense seems predictable, the defense will bite harder when you do decide to run the fake.

Then again, Sumlin has only had moderate success with his style in the SEC.

[autig90 67]

Doesn't answer the OP, but might be interesting for anybody clicking on a thread called "The play-calling"

http://www.collegean...book-a-bit-more

Interesting article - thanks!

[alexava 6,973]

Play calling critics are masters in hindsight IMO. If it works? GREAT CALL. If someone misses a block? Gus is high school coach.

agreed. Except the first down run percentage, i have concluded gus is the best play caller in football. That is somewhat hindsight too i guess.

No, that's not hindsight. It's your opinion.

which part? The fact he runs too much on first down is a fact from stats. I didn't develop thst opinion until it didn't work.

The part where you said Gus is the best play caller in football.

yes, obviously an opinion

[auburn4ever 1,266]

I know we won't, but I miss seeing us play smash mouth type of offense.

[AUbritt 611]

Doesn't answer the OP, but might be interesting for anybody clicking on a thread called "The play-calling"

http://www.collegean...book-a-bit-more

Very nice. Thanks for posting.

Yep, thanks, McLoofus!

[gravejd 3,270]

That article was a good read. Thanks for posting

Play calling has been better since the Kentucky game. I hate that Makzahn's backup QB is so ill prepared (or Gus thinks he is) that we had to throw out the playbook for that game. That's going to be s loss that really hurts when all is said and done.

[AUbritt 611]

That article was a good read. Thanks for posting

Play calling has been better since the Kentucky game. I hate that Makzahn's backup QB is so ill prepared (or Gus thinks he is) that we had to throw out the playbook for that game. That's going to be s loss that really hurts when all is said and done.

You mean 'the play calling', of course ....

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,662]

The first I've heard of it was the 3rd quarter of the Washington State game

It hasn't stopped since then

[johnnyAU 3,630]

I am definitely one of the ones that doesn't like the tendencies displayed this season. Has someone gone back and looked at the percentages of running up the middle on both general first downs, and especially the hurry up version where we hustle up to the LOS and try and catch the D off guard right after making a 1st down? The latter seems extremely high to me.

The "sugar huddle" often leads to a pass to the wheel route. We used to run a weak side counter pitch so to speak. Do we run anything else from that formation now?

Regardless, it does appear that Gus has been slowly loosening the reins for Sean since the MSU game and letting him throw it around more. That in itself was good to see.

[ronau57 12]

Too cute = for 3 years I have seen us run a jet sweep inside the 10 yard line on 3rd and 1. This year we did put in a jumbo package with the QB under center and ran off tackle. Result TD.

Too vanilla = running so much on first down we become dramatically predictable. Play ends up losing yardage or no gain and we are now behind the chains.

Too vanilla = We rarely,very rarely stretch the field vertically. This allows the safeties to play much closer to the LOS and in turn makes it harder to have successful running plays.

In the red zone: The game change in the red zone. The defense has less depth to cover. The plays that spread the defense don't work like they did at the 50. We run the same plays at the 15 we do at the 50.

In the red zone: Against SJS and JS we had them out classed with bigger bodies where we could have pushed them out of the stadium with 11 extra large players. Yet we don't take advantage of this obvious situation and instead have to settle for field goals. Gus was asked about this last year post game (after a loss) where we could have scored and won. His response, "That isn't the way we run this offense." Is that hard-headed or is it ignorant?

[Mikey 16,577]

That article was a good read. Thanks for posting

Play calling has been better since the Kentucky game. I hate that Makzahn's backup QB is so ill prepared (or Gus thinks he is) that we had to throw out the playbook for that game. That's going to be s loss that really hurts when all is said and done.

??? We didn't lose the Kentucky game.

The play calling has been just fine. Up the middle on first down is probably done to set up other things later. When Greg Maddox was pitching for Atlanta he once said that he didn't throw something for this pitch. What he threw was to set up a pitch two throws later. In any case, other than MSU we're scoring plenty enough points to win.

[alexava 6,973]

That article was a good read. Thanks for posting

Play calling has been better since the Kentucky game. I hate that Makzahn's backup QB is so ill prepared (or Gus thinks he is) that we had to throw out the playbook for that game. That's going to be s loss that really hurts when all is said and done.

??? We didn't lose the Kentucky game.

The play calling has been just fine. Up the middle on first down is probably done to set up other things later. When Greg Maddox was pitching for Atlanta he once said that he didn't throw something for this pitch. What he threw was to set up a pitch two throws later. In any case, other than MSU we're scoring plenty enough points to win.

again, i think gus is the best. But this year all those first down runs are setting up is 2nd And 8.

[FoundationEagle 637]

1st down against Arky run/pass including OT but excluding the game tying drive at end of regulation (which was required to be all passes due to time)

29 runs

2 passes

However, we did score tds 100 percent of the time inside the red zone.

Hard to be much more predictable than 93 percent run on first down

[lionheartkc 6,150]

The play calling has been just fine. Up the middle on first down is probably done to set up other things later. When Greg Maddox was pitching for Atlanta he once said that he didn't throw something for this pitch. What he threw was to set up a pitch two throws later. In any case, other than MSU we're scoring plenty enough points to win.

Part of me wonders if "Peyton up the middle" on first down is part of Gus's grand plan to not lose to UGA and bama. Do it every game and then at the end of the season mix it up dramatically. Of course that's probably just wishful thinking because I can't understand why we keep going there when it rarely ever gets more than 2 yards.