Plug JFIII into the mix

[AuburnGrad97 37]

11 hours ago, IronMan70 said:

Yep, that's the downside but the upside can be explosive. risk/reward 

If nothing else, this gets him on the field and allows him to gain experience with the speed of the game.  It's difficult for a QB to come in the middle of a game, and have to throw passes against an SEC defense.  This could only help him get more comfortable, in my opinion.

[80Tiger 899]

1 hour ago, icanthearyou said:

I think JFIII should get at least one series in each half at QB.  More if we are struggling offensively.  Why bang you head against the wall when, you have a weapon.

The guy is just too talented to keep on the bench, particularly in a close game.  His ability to create big plays and, his ability to create confusion and wear down a defense needs to be utilized.

 

This is what needs to be done. Give legitimate series to the guy earlier in the game. Makes the defense change their thought process completely.

[kd4au 1,145]

57 minutes ago, lionheartkc said:

I'm going with corch on this.  Since he would be an option for a hand-off on every play, that gives defenders a green light to tee-off on him.  The last thing we need is our back-up QB to go down. 

I say play him,the risk is worth the possible reward.You can't coach afraid someone might get hurt.Get your best players on the field.

[AURealist 2,185]

On the field on every offensive play.  Life is short, but not near as short as eligibility to play college ball.

The special package concept of player substitution just video-conferences your intentions to the opponent.  Get your best guys out there and execute Auburn fast!  What's damned hard about that?!

I swear.  I'm so tired of the slow, weak-minded overthink from offensive this staff that I'm ready to see them all fired.

 

[aucanucktiger 1,794]

A huge element touched on in this discussion is the art of QBs selling play action. It (and wide receiver blocking) are critical in any one of a number of signature Malzahn plays. Marshall was a maestro of it in 2013. Not as adept (or D's spied it better?) in 2014. JJ and Sean seem to barely try to even sell it. If Franklin could master the play action handoff fakes, it would be huge in this offense. IMHO.

Edited October 4, 2016 by aucanucktiger

[JwgreDeux 1,279]

Part of Franklin's success is due to the fact that he is rarely on the field. As such, the opponent does not dedicate is game-plan to stopping him. He works as a change of pace at times because the defense is game-planning on Sean White. I think JFIII has some great talents but the more we use him, the more others will game plan for him. 

[oracle79 3,569]

30 minutes ago, JwgreDeux said:

Part of Franklin's success is due to the fact that he is rarely on the field. As such, the opponent does not dedicate is game-plan to stopping him. He works as a change of pace at times because the defense is game-planning on Sean White. I think JFIII has some great talents but the more we use him, the more others will game plan for him. 

And that really is the biggest reason to use him more.  The more practice time used to game plan for JF3 means the less time to practice against our primary offense and SW.  It's a win for our offense regardless of JF3's success as long as we don't use him in a way that disrupts our regular offense.  Plus every time he takes off, he could go the distance. That also puts a ton of stress on the defense.

[AU_Engineer 24]

Why don't we use Jason Smith for the speed sweep role. He is fast and can get things done. I was hoping he would have a great year, but he got buried on the depth chart.

[AuburnGrad97 37]

11 minutes ago, AU_Engineer said:

Why don't we use Jason Smith for the speed sweep role. He is fast and can get things done. I was hoping he would have a great year, but he got buried on the depth chart.

I was wondering about him.  I don't recall hearing his name mentioned much this season.  

[lionheartkc 6,150]

23 minutes ago, AU_Engineer said:

Why don't we use Jason Smith for the speed sweep role. He is fast and can get things done. I was hoping he would have a great year, but he got buried on the depth chart.

I get the impression that Smith hasn't been making the coaches very happy this year. Pure speculation, but I have to wonder if he's not a little upset about Franklin getting such a push at QB, when he was moved to receiver almost instantly.  I read somewhere that Rhett hinted that Smith's issue is not giving 100%, 100% of the time, but again, that's just hearsay and speculation. It could be that Truitt just beat him out.

[IronMan70 3,277]

1 hour ago, JwgreDeux said:

Part of Franklin's success is due to the fact that he is rarely on the field. As such, the opponent does not dedicate is game-plan to stopping him. He works as a change of pace at times because the defense is game-planning on Sean White. I think JFIII has some great talents but the more we use him, the more others will game plan for him. 

As soon as JF3 comes into the game in a different role, it forces the defense to loosen up to account for him. That in turn creates more openings for SW to pick them apart, making it easier on SW. But if they ignore JF3, they run the risk that SW will dump it off and JF3 takes it to the house. A dynamic player like Franklin creates a real dilemma for a defense. 

Edited October 4, 2016 by IronMan70

[AU64 10,122]

As for JF3, seems he needs to be used where he is an offensive threat but not a liability...such as in pass blocking .....and being in position to take hits while in his decoy role.    Just not sure what that is.

[AlaskanFAN 1,666]

6 hours ago, abw0004 said:

Why not use JFIII as the speed sweep and give him the option to throw it to the receiver on that side if the corner freezes or abandons the receiver because he thinks its a run?  Similar to what NM did in 2013 Iron Bowl with Sammie.

Remember that's illegal according to Jimbo Fisher. We just haven't gotten the memo yet. 

[Eagle-1 3,821]

2 hours ago, JwgreDeux said:

Part of Franklin's success is due to the fact that he is rarely on the field. As such, the opponent does not dedicate is game-plan to stopping him. He works as a change of pace at times because the defense is game-planning on Sean White. I think JFIII has some great talents but the more we use him, the more others will game plan for him. 

Part of Franklin's success is because he is as fast as greased lightning. You can game plan all you want, but if allowed to run the entire offense, and can complete some timely passes. Good luck stopping him.

[Eagle-1 3,821]

16 hours ago, StatTiger said:

John Franklin III

There is no doubt JF3 would bring an explosive element to the offense. Coach Rhett Lashlee commented on the topic this week...

"That's stuff we'll continue to look at," Lashlee said. "I feel like he's getting better each week. That's the challenge: You don't want to disrupt the rhythm of your offense and get into a quarterback shuffle, and we're not going to do that. But John is an explosive player for us. We'll just kind of take that week to week and see what we think we can do there."

IMO, Coach Lashlee's comment about not wanting to disrupt the rhythm of the offense is a valid and essential point. Some have suggested utilizing JF3 on the speed-sweep. I don't agree primarily because it is way too easy to defend the play and the moment he sets foot on the field and moves in motion, opposing defenses will sell out for the sweep option. There are few options from the jet-sweep, which is why I believe the "orbit" motion is the best option. The key is placing JF3 in space to take advantage of his speed. The orbit motion allows Auburn to utilize him as runner, receiver, QB and decoy.

Every time he orbits over the backfield...

• Defenses will be less likely to crash on the mesh-point because they must respect the end-around option. This opens up the inside running game. Think back to how Tennessee used this orbit motion against Auburn during the 2004 SECCG to break two long run plays between out tackles.
   
• When he takes the handoff on the end-around he has more space to maneuver than the jet-sweep because he is deeper in the backfield.
   
• There is a passing option off this play, and the orbit-player is often left open in the flat after the QB fakes the inside give to the RB and fakes the handoff to the orbit-player. Onterio McCalebb was often left open in the flat but Auburn rarely took advantage of it.
   
• There is a second passing option, where JF3 takes the handoff or lateral in the orbit-motion and sets up to pass himself.

Here is red zone play from 2014, utilizing the orbit motion with Ricardo Louis.

Auburn could runs 4-5 different plays on one series with JF3 in motion over the backfield on every play. The orbit-motion becomes more than "eye candy" because JF3 has to be accounted for, every time he motions over the backfield. You could still toss in the jet-sweep during the series, depending on how the defense is defending the edge.

Thoughts?

I like the idea, however you have to actually hand the ball to the orbit motion guy once in a while. Most of the time he is just another fake the QB has to take time to fake to.

[abw0004 10,125]

2 hours ago, AlaskanFAN said:

Remember that's illegal according to Jimbo Fisher. We just haven't gotten the memo yet. 

http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2016/10/jimbo_fisher_owes_gus_malzahn.html#incart_river_index

Really good read.

[corchjay 5,311]

Why did JJ not get the 3rd team snaps against ULM?  Why TQ?  Seems like the coaches would love to get a Senior QB in mop up time...

[icanthearyou 4,463]

5 hours ago, JwgreDeux said:

Part of Franklin's success is due to the fact that he is rarely on the field. As such, the opponent does not dedicate is game-plan to stopping him. He works as a change of pace at times because the defense is game-planning on Sean White. I think JFIII has some great talents but the more we use him, the more others will game plan for him. 

They had better game plan the ability to run faster.  MUCH faster.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

1 hour ago, corchjay said:

Why did JJ not get the 3rd team snaps against ULM?  Why TQ?  Seems like the coaches would love to get a Senior QB in mop up time...

He took a knee. Honestly it was probably just a nice gesture from the coaching staff to let him see the field on homecoming, since he's been injured forever.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

47 minutes ago, icanthearyou said:

They had better game plan the ability to run faster.  MUCH faster.

Don't forget, the only reason that he made the great touchdown throw was that ULM stopped the run twice. If ULM can scheme to stop him on the ground after only one 2 play drive, you better believe that SEC defenses can. 

[icanthearyou 4,463]

17 minutes ago, lionheartkc said:

Don't forget, the only reason that he made the great touchdown throw was that ULM stopped the run twice. If ULM can scheme to stop him on the ground after only one 2 play drive, you better believe that SEC defenses can. 

Well, if that is "stopping the run", I can live with that.  If you bring up the necessary run support and, he throws it over your head for a touchdown, yeah, I guess you could say you stopped the run.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

Just now, icanthearyou said:

Well, if that is "stopping the run", I can live with that.  If you bring up the necessary run support and, he throws it over your head for a touchdown, yeah, I guess you could say you stopped the run.

Which brings us to the point of whether or not he can make the shorter passes, which have been noted as his weakness. Good SEC defenses aren't going to give him all the time in the world to throw 40 yarders every time it's 3rd and long.

I want Franklin out there as much as anyone, because he's electric in the open field and has great touch on the long ball, but I'm all for the coaches being smart about it and not just throwing him in the deep end and hoping he can swim.  As I said in another thread, with the weapons he has, he must have one heck of a deficiency for them to make him #2.

[icanthearyou 4,463]

6 minutes ago, lionheartkc said:

Which brings us to the point of whether or not he can make the shorter passes, which have been noted as his weakness. Good SEC defenses aren't going to give him all the time in the world to throw 40 yarders every time it's 3rd and long. 

I want Franklin out there as much as anyone, because he's electric in the open field and has great touch on the long ball, but I'm all for the coaches being smart about it and not just throwing him in the deep end and hoping he can swim.  As I said in another thread, with the weapons he has, he must have one heck of a deficiency for them to make him #2.

Is he capable of creating the time to throw?  Is he capable of converting third and long with his feet.

He may well have a deficiency but, so far, I don't see any reason not to give him a series or two in every game, particularly if we are struggling offensively.

[gr82b4au 5,568]

Well I agree that he should be on the field. He is a playmaker with speed that nobody else on the field can match. I like the idea, and I also think he would be good on the speed sweep, even as a decoy. Put him in the game more often so people do not see it coming when he does get the ball. 

[Eagle Eye 7 2,535]

7 hours ago, AlaskanFAN said:

Remember that's illegal according to Jimbo Fisher. We just haven't gotten the memo yet. 

That was just Jimbo auditioning for Saben's job. He is fixing to be on the hot seat at FSU and he is hoping that Nick will retire and the turds will buy him. Why else would you be preaching to the updikes. WDE