2016 Spring Practice - Day 9

[Strychnine 1,802]

Our 2013 offense wasn't that far removed from Paul Johnson's offense. We were just operating it out of shotgun. Of course we passed more than them and Gus used some of his own wrinkles too but at it's core it was not all that different.

I see that posted and talked about a lot, but I don't really know how valid it is.

On the surface level, both offenses look rather similar. Both are run-centered offenses that utilize the option game to freeze defenders and give an advantage to the offense. They both do so by having the QB read a specific player on the defense (determined pre-snap), and make a decision based on how that player reacts. On the surface level, the only difference between the two is that Johnson's is run under-center and Malzahn's is run from the shotgun.

However the differences are larger when you start digging deeper. Blocking schemes are often more complicated in Malzahn's - Specifically Malzahn likes to pull tackles and guards not just as blockers, but as "eye candy" to fool defenders. Along the same lines, Malzahn will line up in a 3 or 4 WR set to run up the middle, because schematically it puts fewer players in the box. It also adds the element of "setup" plays. A perfect example of that is the Sammie Coates TD pass on the last AU drive of the 2013 Iron Bowl. Malzahn's offense also never uses the H-back (or FB in Johnson's offense) in the running game. All of the triple option is either a WR coming in motion or the threat of a pass. These may all sound like small details, but in the grand scheme of things, they are huge.

Personally, I always thought an important key to the success of 2013's offense was the combination of how well both Marshall and Mason sold fakes, the effectiveness of each in their own right, and how fast both of them accelerated (you could credit their great instincts too). I also thought the shotgun was an advantage as it gives all aspects of a play more time to develop than it would have had if executed under center, especially when you consider the first sentence.

[ScottsboroAuburnFan 462]

So did we practice today ???

[ScottsboroAuburnFan 462]

Nobody got any info?

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,680]

Yeah. I thought that, if you know how to use all your skill, size doesn't matter. I mean, that's what I've always been told.

Indeed. Georgia Tech's offense is as rush-centric (or more so) as ours was in 2013, and they've been running it with a QB that is basically Franklin's size for a few years. He's still alive, and I don't think he's missed a game of note. I've always thought of it as any rushing QB is more likely to be injured than a pocket QB, and size really has nothing to do with that. If he ends up being the starter, he still has several months of workouts before the season begins.

The problem is he does very few inside runs and drop backs which eliminate any big chance to get hit

Marshall did have quite a bit of inverted veers in 2013 where he went in and in 2014 he was wrecked a tad bit often with that inconsistent OL.

[FoundationEagle 637]

Nobody got any info?

Does it matter? JF3 amazed almost everyone into a heart attack. Those who survived realized that he is sooooo damn good they should quit playing football all together because they could never be him. The team will consist of JF3 and no one else. After all, it's JF3 or a new coach right? Well, then practice is as important as Iverson proclaims and all is just a foregone conclusion. Practice? We talking bout practice?

[AU-24 3,107]

Nobody got any info?

All I can gather is there was another light scrimmage. No other info. I'm sure it will come later.

[cole256 17,084]

Nobody got any info?

Does it matter? JF3 amazed almost everyone into a heart attack. Those who survived realized that he is sooooo damn good they should quit playing football all together because they could never be him. The team will consist of JF3 and no one else. After all, it's JF3 or a new coach right? Well, then practice is as important as Iverson proclaims and all is just a foregone conclusion. Practice? We talking bout practice?

Lmao

[PoetTiger 1,899]

Nobody got any info?

Does it matter? JF3 amazed almost everyone into a heart attack. Those who survived realized that he is sooooo damn good they should quit playing football all together because they could never be him. The team will consist of JF3 and no one else. After all, it's JF3 or a new coach right? Well, then practice is as important as Iverson proclaims and all is just a foregone conclusion. Practice? We talking bout practice?

Lol...that was awesome

[AuburnEagle79 2,169]

Yeah. I thought that, if you know how to use all your skill, size doesn't matter. I mean, that's what I've always been told.

Indeed. Georgia Tech's offense is as rush-centric (or more so) as ours was in 2013, and they've been running it with a QB that is basically Franklin's size for a few years. He's still alive, and I don't think he's missed a game of note. I've always thought of it as any rushing QB is more likely to be injured than a pocket QB, and size really has nothing to do with that. If he ends up being the starter, he still has several months of workouts before the season begins.

The first page of Paul Johnson's playbook addresses what is required of a flexbone quarterback. Selfless, good decision maker, can get hit in the mouth and get back up and run the ball again, adequate arm. That is no different than what we need.

Gus' O actually needs a QB that has some legitimate or at least adequate passing skills. We do not want an offense like Paul Johnson's. If Gus' O gets pidgeon-holed like Paul Johnson's is, you can kiss our recruiting goodbye. As Stat and others have posted, Gus' O needs to evolve. Going to a pure flexbone/GT like O will mean Gus has devolved.

wde

We definitely don't want to be like a PJ-run offense. He is fickle, stubborn, and overly set in his ways. When he was an up and coming coach and had better athletes than everyone else, he won big. He has had a tougher time doing more with less, but a respectable job nonetheless.

I was just making the point that our quarterback should have similar qualities.

[McLoofus 35,182]

Nobody got any info?

Does it matter? JF3 amazed almost everyone into a heart attack. Those who survived realized that he is sooooo damn good they should quit playing football all together because they could never be him. The team will consist of JF3 and no one else. After all, it's JF3 or a new coach right? Well, then practice is as important as Iverson proclaims and all is just a foregone conclusion. Practice? We talking bout practice?

Lmao

Seconded.

[NoALtiger 3,867]

Nobody got any info?

Does it matter? JF3 amazed almost everyone into a heart attack. Those who survived realized that he is sooooo damn good they should quit playing football all together because they could never be him. The team will consist of JF3 and no one else. After all, it's JF3 or a new coach right? Well, then practice is as important as Iverson proclaims and all is just a foregone conclusion. Practice? We talking bout practice?

Lmao

Seconded.

Thirdeded.

[Tiger 8,829]

Our 2013 offense wasn't that far removed from Paul Johnson's offense. We were just operating it out of shotgun. Of course we passed more than them and Gus used some of his own wrinkles too but at it's core it was not all that different.

I see that posted and talked about a lot, but I don't really know how valid it is.

On the surface level, both offenses look rather similar. Both are run-centered offenses that utilize the option game to freeze defenders and give an advantage to the offense. They both do so by having the QB read a specific player on the defense (determined pre-snap), and make a decision based on how that player reacts. On the surface level, the only difference between the two is that Johnson's is run under-center and Malzahn's is run from the shotgun.

However the differences are larger when you start digging deeper. Blocking schemes are often more complicated in Malzahn's - Specifically Malzahn likes to pull tackles and guards not just as blockers, but as "eye candy" to fool defenders. Along the same lines, Malzahn will line up in a 3 or 4 WR set to run up the middle, because schematically it puts fewer players in the box. It also adds the element of "setup" plays. A perfect example of that is the Sammie Coates TD pass on the last AU drive of the 2013 Iron Bowl. Malzahn's offense also never uses the H-back (or FB in Johnson's offense) in the running game. All of the triple option is either a WR coming in motion or the threat of a pass. These may all sound like small details, but in the grand scheme of things, they are huge.

Solid breakdown thanks for enlightening me.

[Piketiger1990 173]

What's this TE position listed on the offense? Must be something new Malzahn came up with.