Matt Jones says he's 90% confident Shannon Dawson won't be our OC next year.
- Thread starter ThwKentuckyKid
- Start date
We had an O-Line who couldn't pass block, a group of receivers who couldn't (or wouldn't) make routine catches, and an interception-prone QB.
What exactly was Dawson supposed to call instead of vanilla running plays?
I do believe Towles was under utilized as a runner. A big, strong kid with great size, a huge arm and questionable accuracy? I think he would have been great in a Tebow type role......but if he had been injured, the whole offense would have had to have been regeared because Barker just isn't built for that kind of offense, so I can see why Dawson kept trying to push a square peg into a round hole.
On the plus side, Barker, Phillips, and Jones all seem to be great fits for what Dawson appears to want to do.
What exactly was Dawson supposed to call instead of vanilla running plays?
I do believe Towles was under utilized as a runner. A big, strong kid with great size, a huge arm and questionable accuracy? I think he would have been great in a Tebow type role......but if he had been injured, the whole offense would have had to have been regeared because Barker just isn't built for that kind of offense, so I can see why Dawson kept trying to push a square peg into a round hole.
On the plus side, Barker, Phillips, and Jones all seem to be great fits for what Dawson appears to want to do.
Maybe it wasn't so much the play-calling but rather the system, lack of accountability, or lack of cohesiveness with the other coaches and players? Maybe he just isn't a good fit for what UK is trying to do. Just a guess on this though.
strange if true, spoke glowingly of Dawson right at season end. Guy came here & admitted not having a clue how to use tight ends after the staff recruited the hell out of signing a stud like Conrad, didnt like his QB's running, hadn't ever used wildcat formation plays. his failure and firing (again, if it happens) says more about the head coach's hiring ability and candidate analysis than how this offense produced IMO.
This. I'm not that big on the system but we can't afford to have every coach feel their way through this. We need someone with a track record of success and of being innovative.
Pretty sure he resigned I don't know the details as to why he resigned, but I remember something about him having differences with the head coach. Pretty sure that Iowa St head coach was fired this year.
Also, I believe Mangino went to Youngstown St, so he has some connection.
Lastly, a guy like Mangino might be as good as Stoops can get in this situation in terms of experience and prior success. The guy's brand was damaged during his final days at Kansas, but look what the guy was able to do there and what has happened to that program since he left. The fact that his brand is damaged might actually make him available to UK and not privy to better offers.
That being said, I have no clue as to whether Mangino would actually be considered if the OC position were open.
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Dawson would surprise me unless there is just too much disconnect between Stoops and Dawson which is probably true. All I hope for when it comes to the offense is to leave the guy alone and let him call the plays. If he does change make a change at OC then for the love of God, get someone that is the same philosophy as the head coach and not a disciple of the air raid bc that isn't what Stoops wants to do. However, I think he'll struggle to find someone honestly.
He won the Broyles award as offensive coordinator for Brother Bob, and coach of the year in 2007 at Kansas. Kentucky could do a lot worse.
Mangino was fired b/c he clashed with the Head Coach, who just got fired, too. Mangino worked for Bob Stoops, so there is a connection.
Dawson was a gamble to begin with. The HC at WVU called the plays. Dawson was OC at WVU only in name. Having said that he should only be fired if you can find a better a replacement. Firing a guy just to be firing a guy is crazy.
Whoever it is I hope that they are capable of running the offense to maximize points instead of just killing time to try and keep the score down. I know stoops is a defensive guy but I don't think we can play smash mouth in the SEC. The offense changed drastically from game 1 and I have a feeling it was toned down with orders from the top. I just hope they let the next guy do his thing. I'm starting to think that this is not the best place to be a coordinator. Just my take.
I'm cool with Elliot staying. I was expecting our defense to take a step back this past season with losing Dupree and Big Z but our defense actually was much improved. He may not get the credit recruiting but his toe is dipped with every recruit we had. Stoops comment that when he first took the job, he had 1 coach on staff. Stoops said he had other things he had to do once he took the job and Elliot was the guy who went out and visited/recruited every single player in that first class.
Dawson on the other hand....not a terrific recruiter, his schemes are vanilla. Not real sure what he does that would be advent adventageous to keeping him another year.
Dawson on the other hand....not a terrific recruiter, his schemes are vanilla. Not real sure what he does that would be advent adventageous to keeping him another year.
Whenever I've heard Stoops talk about the offense he wants to run the word "flexible" came up over and over and over. And the words "Oklahoma State" has come up a few times. Now, the Oklahoma State offense is classified as an Air Raid offense. It is not the old Air Raid (Mumme) style of offense, but for some reason they still call it that. When the passing game is there, they will throw it a lot. When the running game is there, they will throw it a lot. When they want to go up-tempo, they will. When they want to slow it down, they will.
The impression that I got was that Stoops knows that there will be times when UK can't recruit a stud QB every single yr.......or a RB.....or OL. So, you have to adjust from yr to yr......and sometimes game to game. So, if you have a good set of RB's and a poor passing game, then you play to your strengths. Etc, etc.
This yr was an example of this. We had poor QB play, poor OL play, poor WR play, but the RB's were fairly decent. Boom ended up #10 in the nation for yds/att. Jojo averaged a decent 5.7 yds/att. So, Stoops was calling for Dawson to run the ball more. Not because Stoops wants a power rushing attack, but because that was what we had on offense that gave us a chance.
I don't think Stoops cares as much how they move/score the ball as long as they move/score the ball. Brown had little work with, so he ran Towles quite a bit. Dawson actually yelled on Towles a few times in practice for running it.
If, Dawson is indeed let go, then I would prefer an experienced OC to come on board. Even if its just 3 yrs of experience like Brown had before coming to UK......
The impression that I got was that Stoops knows that there will be times when UK can't recruit a stud QB every single yr.......or a RB.....or OL. So, you have to adjust from yr to yr......and sometimes game to game. So, if you have a good set of RB's and a poor passing game, then you play to your strengths. Etc, etc.
This yr was an example of this. We had poor QB play, poor OL play, poor WR play, but the RB's were fairly decent. Boom ended up #10 in the nation for yds/att. Jojo averaged a decent 5.7 yds/att. So, Stoops was calling for Dawson to run the ball more. Not because Stoops wants a power rushing attack, but because that was what we had on offense that gave us a chance.
I don't think Stoops cares as much how they move/score the ball as long as they move/score the ball. Brown had little work with, so he ran Towles quite a bit. Dawson actually yelled on Towles a few times in practice for running it.
If, Dawson is indeed let go, then I would prefer an experienced OC to come on board. Even if its just 3 yrs of experience like Brown had before coming to UK......
i would like to see Eddie Gran at Cincy become the OC.
I have not much faith in what MJ says. If it were Maggard, I would buy into it more.
Mark Stoops has pretty much shown he isn't a guy that know much about offense other than we have to have one to keep the defense off the field.
The decision not to have a special teams coach this past season reflects more on judgement every time I think of the snafus in the games.
I don't care if UK wants to go full air raid, full run, mix it up with heavy on pass or run.....whatever.
We need some coach to put in an identity and recruit to make that work.
Mark Stoops has pretty much shown he isn't a guy that know much about offense other than we have to have one to keep the defense off the field.
The decision not to have a special teams coach this past season reflects more on judgement every time I think of the snafus in the games.
I don't care if UK wants to go full air raid, full run, mix it up with heavy on pass or run.....whatever.
We need some coach to put in an identity and recruit to make that work.
I take no joy that Dawson was fired. Just sad that it came to that. That was the last thing UK needed.
No idea where the overwhelming belief has come from that Stoops was overly interfering in play calls and that's where our offensive issues came from.
Because it simply isn't the case. After the Vandy game Stoops definitely took a more active role in dictating we run power sets in short yardage situations. And rightfully so after the miserable play calling in that game from Dawson. Ball on the one foot line and run from the shotgun...
Bottom line is Dawson was a very bad play caller with no previous experience at it and it showed. I for one like the idea of moving on from him
Well its confirmed now partner. The guy just had STOOPS on his show yesterday, he obviously knows a few things.
This. I think people forget that Dawson was the QB coach. Obviously we saw no improvement from Towles. I'm sure Stoops wasn't happy about that.