Let's Talk About The Playcalling

[TheHamburglar]

We all know Phil Bennett blitzes on just about every down.  He did it when we were here and he did it lastnight.

How do you beat it?

Run game and quick passing patterns.

How did that go?

How/why do we literally not have a screen pass in the playbook anymore?  We lived off of that in the past now it's gone the way of the wishbone.

First, I think I remember us calling one for Hubert, but I may be wrong.  It was probably just terrible blocking and Hubert's route made it look planned. 

Second, I think I remember people saying that Bill hates the screen.  He called it before because we had the personnel to execute it, but he hated doing it.  Not saying we shouldn't have tried it more, but just a reason why we rarely, if ever, see it anymore. 

[MakeItRain]

its a pretty good tool against a team sending the house on every play, no?

[Super PurpleCat]

Why does he hate it?  It was Sproles (and still is) specialty play.

[TheHamburglar]

I agree with you guys that it probably would have been a good tool.  I have no idea why Bill might hate it.  He may not hate it and I heard wrong.  Just trying to give a background as to why we may not see it anymore, that's all.  I just know I've heard a couple of times that he reluctantly called them because they usually worked, but he would have much rather called something else if he would have thought it would have been close to as effective.

[sonofdaxjones]

There's no expolosion to Hubert's running, he's kind of quick and he's got a little jitter, but he's not explosive.   

Klein looks slower than  usual as well.  There's no pop in our backfield anymore. 

As others have said, really a pee down the leg effort from the coaching staff.   But we've seen this movie before under Snyder.   Part of taking the good and the bad.

[SkinnyBenny]

I mean we might as well have tried Sams. Why not.

[bigwilliestyle1407]

I mean we might as well have tried Sams. Why not.

I lost my crap and knew the game was lost after Pease stone hand those two passes on back to back plays, I knew the game was just eff'ed from that point on.

[RightMeow]

I mean we might as well have tried Sams. Why not.

I lost my crap and knew the game was lost after Pease stone hand those two passes on back to back plays, I knew the game was just eff'ed from that point on.

And it's not like he just dropped the passes.  It's like he literally had stones for hands.  The ball bounced off of him like he was that inflated Herbie Husker thing they call a mascot up at Nubbtard.

[SkinnyBenny]

Inflatable is the opposite of stone.

[Super PurpleCat]

Inflatable is the opposite of stone.

Herbie Husker is the opposite of proper human civilization.   

[catzacker]

We ran a screen to Hubert but we don’t tend to run them at all anymore.  Nor do we run the jail break screen.  However, I don’t really see that many teams running it either.  I don’t know if that’s because of the hybrid nature of defenses now (i.e. the 3-3-5, 4-2-5, zone blitz, etc. looks) which don’t create the value/advantage in those screens?  Baylor was bringing the house though, I think we could have mixed in a screen to Harper.

I think our playcalling has looked bad because it has become a bit predictable.  And it’s become a bit predictable because we (a) haven’t been able to run the ball well on 1st down which then leads to (b) the inevitable play-action or drop back pass on first down being defended better which then leads into (c) second and third and longs.  We have typically started each game off trying to establish the run (specifically running Hubert), however we have been unable to do so, which leads us quickly into play action on 1st down – but defenses are recognizing this – and it kind of seems like we’re getting predictable in the different routes off play action.  Turning the play calling over to Klein only limits the offense.

I think we need to run CK more – more option, more QB draws (w/out Wilson in the game – teams are keying him).  CK needs to run better/stronger/tougher.  I’ve been disappointed in his effort running, he seems to go down easier than last year – maybe the coaches have asked him to, I don’t know.  But it’s one game to win the conference – lay it all out there.  It would also help if our defense didn’t get us behind quickly – they’ve done so against TT, OSU, and Baylor. 

[kso_FAN]

We ran a screen to Hubert but we don’t tend to run them at all anymore.  Nor do we run the jail break screen.  However, I don’t really see that many teams running it either.  I don’t know if that’s because of the hybrid nature of defenses now (i.e. the 3-3-5, 4-2-5, zone blitz, etc. looks) which don’t create the value/advantage in those screens?  Baylor was bringing the house though, I think we could have mixed in a screen to Harper.

I think our playcalling has looked bad because it has become a bit predictable.  And it’s become a bit predictable because we (a) haven’t been able to run the ball well on 1st down which then leads to (b) the inevitable play-action or drop back pass on first down being defended better which then leads into (c) second and third and longs.  We have typically started each game off trying to establish the run (specifically running Hubert), however we have been unable to do so, which leads us quickly into play action on 1st down – but defenses are recognizing this – and it kind of seems like we’re getting predictable in the different routes off play action.  Turning the play calling over to Klein only limits the offense.

I think we need to run CK more – more option, more QB draws (w/out Wilson in the game – teams are keying him).  CK needs to run better/stronger/tougher.  I’ve been disappointed in his effort running, he seems to go down easier than last year – maybe the coaches have asked him to, I don’t know.  But it’s one game to win the conference – lay it all out there.  It would also help if our defense didn’t get us behind quickly – they’ve done so against TT, OSU, and Baylor. 

Great points.

They kept pointing out the number of times we had 3rd and 10 or more. It was ridiculous. Going into the game Baylor was giving up 3rd down conversions at nearly a 60% clip and we only converted 42%. More importantly we had 19 3rd down opportunities which was the most we've had all season.

[sonofdaxjones]

Nearly every year under Snyder at some point the play calling becomes even more predictable than it usually is . . . then they try and get cute with a laughable cuteness effort.     This is issue is only expanded on by the presence of Dana Dimel . . . during Snyder/Dimel/Miller I before Dimel left for Wyoming, by late in the season the play calling/game planning was laughingly predictable.