So, I'm was reading an article about the end of Baylor's season a year ago and it's really, really interesting.
The gist of the article is that Baylor found itself without a true quarterback at the end of last season. While the local and national media were writing a collective eulogy for Baylor's season, Briles got to work. Taking some of the principles already built in to the team's running game, Briles turned his fun and gun squad and turned them into a lethal single-wing running machine. Against Texas and then a bowl game against North Carolina, Baylor racked up 1045 yards. That's not a typo: 520 yards a game. Yikes.
The lesson here? Well, it's not necessarily that Briles can/should/would be the next option if Stoops is shown the door; Briles is over 60 years old, and the stigma attached to his name would make him a hot potato for all but the most desperate AD's. Nor is the lesson that UK should hurry up and adopt the single-wing.
The lesson is much more elemental: keep and open mind and don't be afraid to take risks!
Briles took a look at his roster and decided to build an offense around the talent he had, not the talent he wanted. By doing this, he avoided the trap that catches so many coaches: trying to "make" his talent fit his scheme. I wonder if Kentucky's coaches have the humility do the same? Stoops attachment to the 3-4 (when he doesn't have adequate 3-4 personnel) smacks of the kind of arrogance that Briles avoided. Gran seems to "get" that his scheme must change now that Barker has gone down, but is he ready to make radical change to try to catch the big boys off guard?
We may well beat Vandy / Mizzou / Austin Peay / Miss St. running a traditional offense and Stoops' hybrid 3-4, but we most likely don't stand much of a chance against Georgia / Tenn / UofL. In one (or all) of those games, what would be the harm in doing something truly radical? What if Stoops pulled out the 46 defense or a 4-2-5 against Louisville? What if Gran shocked UT by suddenly adopting GaTech's flexbone offense (seriously, Boom and Kemp as the razor and Snell as the hammer!)? It might not work; hell, it most likely won't work, but at least your putting it all on the line to win. Do our coaches have that type or courage, or will they go down playing "my scheme"?
The gist of the article is that Baylor found itself without a true quarterback at the end of last season. While the local and national media were writing a collective eulogy for Baylor's season, Briles got to work. Taking some of the principles already built in to the team's running game, Briles turned his fun and gun squad and turned them into a lethal single-wing running machine. Against Texas and then a bowl game against North Carolina, Baylor racked up 1045 yards. That's not a typo: 520 yards a game. Yikes.
The lesson here? Well, it's not necessarily that Briles can/should/would be the next option if Stoops is shown the door; Briles is over 60 years old, and the stigma attached to his name would make him a hot potato for all but the most desperate AD's. Nor is the lesson that UK should hurry up and adopt the single-wing.
The lesson is much more elemental: keep and open mind and don't be afraid to take risks!
Briles took a look at his roster and decided to build an offense around the talent he had, not the talent he wanted. By doing this, he avoided the trap that catches so many coaches: trying to "make" his talent fit his scheme. I wonder if Kentucky's coaches have the humility do the same? Stoops attachment to the 3-4 (when he doesn't have adequate 3-4 personnel) smacks of the kind of arrogance that Briles avoided. Gran seems to "get" that his scheme must change now that Barker has gone down, but is he ready to make radical change to try to catch the big boys off guard?
We may well beat Vandy / Mizzou / Austin Peay / Miss St. running a traditional offense and Stoops' hybrid 3-4, but we most likely don't stand much of a chance against Georgia / Tenn / UofL. In one (or all) of those games, what would be the harm in doing something truly radical? What if Stoops pulled out the 46 defense or a 4-2-5 against Louisville? What if Gran shocked UT by suddenly adopting GaTech's flexbone offense (seriously, Boom and Kemp as the razor and Snell as the hammer!)? It might not work; hell, it most likely won't work, but at least your putting it all on the line to win. Do our coaches have that type or courage, or will they go down playing "my scheme"?
