Borges and Brandon holding on to the ball

[vatz22au 142]

I heard from some buds of mine that either before the game or after Borges commented on Brandon holding on to the ball alot more this season and taking a sack rather than throwing it away (during the ESPN showing of the game, the announcers also commented on the same notion). He stated that he'd rather have Cox hold onto the ball, take his time to look for the big play, and take a sack.

I was wondering what everyone's comments are on this. Auburn I believe is currently first place in sacks against. There were many times in the Florida game (and previous games) in which we would throw on 1st and 10, only to get sacked and have 2nd and 15-20 to work with. In some of those same instances, Brandon had a good 4-5 seconds (which is exceedingly long to throw a pass on this level) to throw the ball.

Maybe Borges just calculated some type of probability of taking sacks versus how many times a big play is made...giving us a more % chance of scoring.... Or just maybe, Brandon needs to throw the ball away?

[mcgufcm 4,107]

i go with the latter. the oline isn't as good as last year's (at least to this point), and his painstakingly slow reads don't help those guys. i'd say at least 40% of the sacks we've allowed are his fault. sacks where he: a) had time to go through his reads and b ) had a lane to move the pocket and c) could've thrown it away.

i know he's pressing for the big play b/c the offensive production has been so far below last year's explosive group (especially in terms of big plays over 20 yards), but all he's really doing is giving the defense extra time to take potshots at him. throw it away!

[AFTiger 282]

To be honest, I didn't see where he had much time to throw it away on most of the sacks. He barely had time to turn around before he was in the grasp of a Florida defender.

[Captain Liger 0]

He stated that he'd rather have Cox hold onto the ball, take his time to look for the big play, and take a sack.

That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Let's see, have Brandon hold onto the ball and get sacked which results in yards lost and that much more work to do to gain a 1st down -OR- just throw the ball away and maintain current position at the line of scrimmage? I know which one I'd go with. What OC in their right mind would make a comment like that above? I really doubt Borges said that...at least I hope he didn't.

[CCTAU 3,342]

To be honest, I didn't see where he had much time to throw it away on most of the sacks. He barely had time to turn around before he was in the grasp of a Florida defender.

On a few that was the case. The problem is that we are using a 3-step drop and 5-step routes. On one play he was about to throw the ball to L. Guess breaking across the middle. But before LG could make his cut. BC was under pressure. Had he taken a 5-step drop, as soon as he set up LG would have been coming out of his cut. He was open, but BC was already dodging. Yes the defense would have still been coming, but they would not have reached him until just after his release. Complete for another 10 yards, defense backs off. Instead, we take a 3-step and stand around waiting for the WRs to get open. On the preset plays were BC got rid of the ball quick, we looked pretty good. I am a firm believer that a cerebral QB such as BC needs a deeper drop in order to make his reads. Also, need to go back to TE and Carl S. two of the most potent recievers on the team. CS has to have a 20 ypr avg. And TE can get that ball down the field. OK, so he fumbled, does that mean we abandon that play?

[autigeremt 6,686]

Just win, baby! Let the only stat that matters prevail! Wins!

[tgr4lfe 220]

To be honest, I didn't see where he had much time to throw it away on most of the sacks. He barely had time to turn around before he was in the grasp of a Florida defender.

On a few that was the case. The problem is that we are using a 3-step drop and 5-step routes. On one play he was about to throw the ball to L. Guess breaking across the middle. But before LG could make his cut. BC was under pressure. Had he taken a 5-step drop, as soon as he set up LG would have been coming out of his cut. He was open, but BC was already dodging. Yes the defense would have still been coming, but they would not have reached him until just after his release. Complete for another 10 yards, defense backs off. Instead, we take a 3-step and stand around waiting for the WRs to get open. On the preset plays were BC got rid of the ball quick, we looked pretty good. I am a firm believer that a cerebral QB such as BC needs a deeper drop in order to make his reads. Also, need to go back to TE and Carl S. two of the most potent recievers on the team. CS has to have a 20 ypr avg. And TE can get that ball down the field. OK, so he fumbled, does that mean we abandon that play?

And OH, that was one of the best drawn and exected plays I have seen from Borges. Great play. The lose of Cope has really hurt us IMO. I think that took away some of the continuity that was developing. Now they've got to work together with a new guy in the midst. He had a rough game Saturday.

[eagle76 1]

I heard a simialr quote but the context was that CAB would rather BC hold on to the ball and take a sack instead of forcing the ball and trying to make a big play. Context change make a big difference. I agree that we don't want BC forcing the pass, he tried that in the GT game and we see what we got.

[JB33 1]

I heard a simialr quote but the context was that CAB would rather BC hold on to the ball and take a sack instead of forcing the ball and trying to make a big play. Context change make a big difference. I agree that we don't want BC forcing the pass, he tried that in the GT game and we see what we got.

Good point about context. I'd add that down and distance is a big factor. If it's 1st and 10, throw it away. If it's 3rd down - unless its short yardage (where you'd go for it on 4th down) and/or it makes a difference whether you can kick a FG - throw it away. But if it's 3rd and long and you're going to have to punt anyway if he throws an incompletion, I don't mind him holding it a second or two longer trying to make a play down field. Even if he takes a sack and loses a few yards, Kody Bliss will make up for it.

Also have to factor in that sometimes it's easier said than done to "throw it away." It's simple enough if he's outside the tackle box, but more often than not (at least when the sacks occur), he isn't. If he's standing in the pocket with 250-300 pound guys closing in on you, just throwing it wherever can get you into trouble, either b/c of intentional grounding or INTs - just ask Chris Leak.

Not apologizing for BC - I think he needs to get rid of the ball on some of those plays, too - just trying to make some sense out of CAB's comments. By now, in any case, we should give him the benefit of the doubt - I think he's shown that he knows what he's doing . . .

WAR EAGLE!! BEAT TULANE!!

[autiger518 1]

To be honest, I didn't see where he had much time to throw it away on most of the sacks. He barely had time to turn around before he was in the grasp of a Florida defender.

On a few that was the case. The problem is that we are using a 3-step drop and 5-step routes. On one play he was about to throw the ball to L. Guess breaking across the middle. But before LG could make his cut. BC was under pressure. Had he taken a 5-step drop, as soon as he set up LG would have been coming out of his cut. He was open, but BC was already dodging. Yes the defense would have still been coming, but they would not have reached him until just after his release. Complete for another 10 yards, defense backs off. Instead, we take a 3-step and stand around waiting for the WRs to get open. On the preset plays were BC got rid of the ball quick, we looked pretty good. I am a firm believer that a cerebral QB such as BC needs a deeper drop in order to make his reads. Also, need to go back to TE and Carl S. two of the most potent recievers on the team. CS has to have a 20 ypr avg. And TE can get that ball down the field. OK, so he fumbled, does that mean we abandon that play?

And OH, that was one of the best drawn and exected plays I have seen from Borges. Great play. The lose of Cope has really hurt us IMO. I think that took away some of the continuity that was developing. Now they've got to work together with a new guy in the midst. He had a rough game Saturday.

It was a great offensive call, however Trott needs to learn not to hold the football like a loaf of bread when about to get tackled. I'm sure he will/did though.

[aumd03 2]

You guys make it sound like throwing it away is a thought and poof it happens. Let us not forget that Leak was probably trying to throw the ball away on his costly fumble. I think more importantly, Cox tried to force big plays in the GT game last year and we saw what happened. As long as our defense plays well, I'm more a fan of ball control and not turning it over. I think you have to adjust to the game. If you are behind you have to force some things. If you are in a tight game, protect the ball.

[vatz22au 142]

I dont think Cox should force things, I just dont see the problem in throwing it away when possible.

[WarTim 3,457]

I believe, IMHO, the main problem is losing THREE very good recievers and working with a lot of "newbies" this season at the WR position. It will get better each week as these guys get more playing time. Brandon is doing a good job. He, like every other member of this team, has room to improve. He will. Count on it.

[Raven_tiger 5]

There is a time that taking a sack is okay. But we have taken sacks that puts us in long yardage situations and also taken us out of field goal range. Those are not good situations. BC needs make his reads and if nothing is open throw it away or pull it down and run. He doesn't have 5-10 seconds to make the read all the time.

[sogaaufan 27]

How many picks has Brandon thrown this year?

[The Prowler 1]

How about this.........Have Cox line up in Shotgun more often?

As for Trott........God would've probably fumbled the ball, that's how hard a Lick it was.

I'm not knocking God or anything, I'm sure he'd been a Heck of a Football Player and all.

War "BY GOD" Eagle

And War "The Bandit and/or The Little Ball of Hate" Tray Blackmon

[OKieAuburnDoug 1]

WHY is it that BC isn't in the shotgun??Would greatly reduce the number of sacks!

[eagle76 1]

I watched BC play hs ball at HTHS. He ran mostly from the shotgun. He also rolled out a lot - moving/rolling pocket. I think we need to roll the pocket more when BC gets more mobile. Also, teams are catching on to the boot to the left. They are keeping a d-end or lb focused on the qb. Why not boot to the right? Surely BC can throw short passes when rolling to his right.

[quietfan 233]

I believe, IMHO, the main problem is losing THREE very good recievers and working with a lot of "newbies" this season at the WR position. ...

I think you've hit the nail on the head. Courtney Taylor has been double teamed almost every obvious passing situation and his counterparts don't have his experience at finding ways to help the quarterback. I do think the "newbies" have the talent to develop into something special.

(Replacing two NFL quality tackles and having our starting center go down hasn't helped either.)

[tigerfan1234 0]

Would holding on to the ball too long have anything to do with the illness/disease that Brandon Cox suffers from? I think I remember him saying on the ESPN interview Saturday that his vision is severely affected at times because of the illness. Just a thought.

[kickerman97 3]

WHY is it that BC isn't in the shotgun??Would greatly reduce the number of sacks!

Just a thought here, but I think we don't run the shotgun more because of our run game. Florida ran alot of run and/or play-action out of the shotgun, but that's not AU's style. We tend to run more 2 back formations with 2 RBs or 1 and a fullback for a true running game. If we only used the shotgun in some passing situations, It kind of kills your ability to have a real play-action passing game. The play-action from shotgun doesn't really have the same ability to pull the defense in as say the I does, imo. Now, I have no problem running it when it's 3rd and long and the occasional draw from it, but to do it every play as some schools do, has never made alot of sense to me. It works for some, but I can't see AU going to a true shotgun form anytime soon. And if you get to where you only run the shotgun when you pass, you tend to get predictable. And being in the shotgun doesn't help those sacks where he just doesn't throw it away, that is a mental thing imo. If we did run the shotgun, I think it would be better to have two backs in instead of the one. Most people can blow through the one-back set with two blitzers.

Just my 2cents.