My biggest issue with offensive game planning...

Sep 8, 2009
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Is everything we do seems to be reactionary, so our calls play right into the defenses hands. It's like we find something that works, (like a run up the middle) and then we just run that play until the other team stops it. Why wait to mix it up? Keep them on their heels! By the time we stop running the ball up the middle, it's 3rd and long and everyone knows what's coming. Our coaches need to be proactive in running plays that have a chance to surprise our opponents and catch them out of position.

Obviously, if something is working, we should continue to use it, but don't burn it out in 6 plays. Mix it up so the d never knows what's coming and then we can continue to do what's working in a creative manner. It seems like we always wait too long to change things up, allowing the d to always adjust appropriatly and be prepared for third down. I really don't think our plays are that bad, it's the order in which they are called.

Granted, there are a few things I would add to the playbook. #1 I would like to see us throw the ball over the middle on some slants. We're avoiding a major part of the field for some reason? #2 ocassionally pitch the ball to get our speediest rb's outside in space, and #3 and prob most importantly, roll the QB out sometimes!
In fact, I think that was Towles biggest problem. Our o-line is clearly a weakness. When you have that sort of weakness, you have to disguise it. Keeping Patrick in the pocket killed his chances of ever being succesful, because it took away a whole dimension of his game, and allowed front 4's to get pressure on him too easily! I fear the same will happen to Drew unless we roll him out and allow some time for receivers to get open. At that point, he can spread the D line out, go through progressions, and if nothings there, throw the ball away, or take the easy yards with his legs. Don't get me wrong, I don't want running Qb's...I just want our Qb's to be able to run when necessary, especially when our line is routinely failing to pass protect! Dawson, however, seems hellbent on not allowing this!
 

RealCat41

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Oct 1, 2009
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Is everything we do seems to be reactionary, so our calls play right into the defenses hands. It's like we find something that works, (like a run up the middle) and then we just run that play until the other team stops it. Why wait to mix it up? Keep them on their heels! By the time we stop running the ball up the middle, it's 3rd and long and everyone knows what's coming. Our coaches need to be proactive in running plays that have a chance to surprise our opponents and catch them out of position.

Obviously, if something is working, we should continue to use it, but don't burn it out in 6 plays. Mix it up so the d never knows what's coming and then we can continue to do what's working in a creative manner. It seems like we always wait too long to change things up, allowing the d to always adjust appropriatly and be prepared for third down. I really don't think our plays are that bad, it's the order in which they are called.

Granted, there are a few things I would add to the playbook. #1 I would like to see us throw the ball over the middle on some slants. We're avoiding a major part of the field for some reason? #2 ocassionally pitch the ball to get our speediest rb's outside in space, and #3 and prob most importantly, roll the QB out sometimes!
In fact, I think that was Towles biggest problem. Our o-line is clearly a weakness. When you have that sort of weakness, you have to disguise it. Keeping Patrick in the pocket killed his chances of ever being succesful, because it took away a whole dimension of his game, and allowed front 4's to get pressure on him too easily! I fear the same will happen to Drew unless we roll him out and allow some time for receivers to get open. At that point, he can spread the D line out, go through progressions, and if nothings there, throw the ball away, or take the easy yards with his legs. Don't get me wrong, I don't want running Qb's...I just want our Qb's to be able to run when necessary, especially when our line is routinely failing to pass protect! Dawson, however, seems hellbent on not allowing this!

KY has a Head Coach who was a previous Defensive coordinator. Defensive guys are reactionary by nature.
 
Sep 8, 2009
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that's why Defensive HC's hire OC's and turn the offensive responsibiity over to them...Surely, Stoops understands enough about football to get that? I have wondered how much he is strapping our coordinators down though.
 

gamecockcat

Heisman
Oct 29, 2004
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Unfortunately Towles was very inaccurate and ineffective throwing while in motion. Probably the reason we didn't roll out more
 

sluggercatfan

Heisman
Aug 17, 2004
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that's why Defensive HC's hire OC's and turn the offensive responsibiity over to them...Surely, Stoops understands enough about football to get that? I have wondered how much he is strapping our coordinators down though.
ThisX10...Deciding what kind of offense he wants to run would be nice...Last Sat I know delighted him, but if he thinks that is going to get it in the sec at KENTUCKY his is living in a pipe dream
 
Sep 8, 2009
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And he can pick up yards with his legs when its there. Not sure why we took this facit away from his game? Surely not to avoid injury since we still called the occasional qb run play for him. Obviously, im no football coach, but im smart enough to learn what works by osmosis. For some reason, be it their own issues, or hc holding them back, our coordinators seem to take almost no risks whatsoever, until we are desperate and everyone knows its coming. Its a strange vanilla style of ball that only works if you have dominate lines.
 

brianpoe

Heisman
Mar 25, 2009
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Unfortunately Towles was very inaccurate and ineffective throwing while in motion. Probably the reason we didn't roll out more


I have to disagree, PT had trouble with the slants and crossing passes much worse than the roll out gunslinger tosses.
 
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Anon1639625937

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I hope I'm wrong but I have the feeling that PT was the least of our offensive woes. It won't matter who the QB ends up being. The issue will be in preparation, offensive game plan, and the Coaching Staffs ability to adjust to the game in real-time.
 

Katwatcher

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Feb 17, 2003
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I hope I'm wrong but I have the feeling that PT was the least of our offensive woes. It won't matter who the QB ends up being. The issue will be in preparation, offensive game plan, and the Coaching Staffs ability to adjust to the game in real-time.
I agree PT was the least of our problems, but I think the issue comes down to who wants it worse. I think both teams are fairly equal talent wise and playing at home should gives us the edge. .Staying focused and fewer mistakes is the key along with wanting it more than the Cardinals.
 

Bluetick2100

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Apr 15, 2007
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I hope I'm wrong but I have the feeling that PT was the least of our offensive woes. It won't matter who the QB ends up being. The issue will be in preparation, offensive game plan, and the Coaching Staffs ability to adjust to the game in real-time.
Good post!
Receivers have been as large of problem as O-line and QB play.
 
Apr 13, 2002
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Hard to judge Dawson honestly. It was obvious early in the season he didnt trust his QB; at all. So Im sure that limited what he was comfortable calling. For the entire season, we'd struggled completing mundane plays such as a RB screen. Not to mention all the unnecessary sacks taken that put us in awful down and distance.

I dont think hes comfortable with Drew, but I think he is more comfortable. So we may see more of what Dawson's offense would look like this week. But likely wont get a feel for it until next season (assuming one of the 2 QB's progress to the point where theyre in command of the offense).

I have to disagree, PT had trouble with the slants and crossing passes much worse than the roll out gunslinger tosses.

Agree. He was much more effective on the run than in the pocket. Some of his best throws of the season have been on the run. The throw he made against EKU was incredible. Only a handful of players alive, NFL or college, couldve made that throw.
 

docholiday51

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Oct 19, 2001
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Hard to judge Dawson honestly. It was obvious early in the season he didnt trust his QB; at all. So Im sure that limited what he was comfortable calling. For the entire season, we'd struggled completing mundane plays such as a RB screen. Not to mention all the unnecessary sacks taken that put us in awful down and distance.

I dont think hes comfortable with Drew, but I think he is more comfortable. So we may see more of what Dawson's offense would look like this week. But likely wont get a feel for it until next season (assuming one of the 2 QB's progress to the point where theyre in command of the offense).



Agree. He was much more effective on the run than in the pocket. Some of his best throws of the season have been on the run. The throw he made against EKU was incredible. Only a handful of players alive, NFL or college, couldve made that throw.
All the more reason to get to a bowl this year,we have some extra time to work with Barker while preparing for a specific type of game plan.

It just doesn't seem to me that we go into a game with a plan to do specific things,no one we play ever seems surprised by what we do,to make matters worse we don't seem adjust to things that happen during the games.Sometimes plays are called/run to set up other plays,I don't see us do that.It is too easy to blame the offensive line and say they don't allow us do do things but that is not the total story.
 
Apr 13, 2002
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All the more reason to get to a bowl this year,we have some extra time to work with Barker while preparing for a specific type of game plan.

It just doesn't seem to me that we go into a game with a plan to do specific things,no one we play ever seems surprised by what we do,to make matters worse we don't seem adjust to things that happen during the games.Sometimes plays are called/run to set up other plays,I don't see us do that.It is too easy to blame the offensive line and say they don't allow us do do things but that is not the total story.

I agree with the criticism. Up till now the OC hasnt trusted his QB. And we've really struggled to maintain drives. This prevents us from sustaining drives and using set up plays to see if we get the looks we want.

If these dont change, we've hired a lemon.
 

Anon1639625937

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Hard to judge Dawson honestly. It was obvious early in the season he didnt trust his QB; at all. So Im sure that limited what he was comfortable calling. For the entire season, we'd struggled completing mundane plays such as a RB screen. Not to mention all the unnecessary sacks taken that put us in awful down and distance.

I dont think hes comfortable with Drew, but I think he is more comfortable. So we may see more of what Dawson's offense would look like this week. But likely wont get a feel for it until next season (assuming one of the 2 QB's progress to the point where theyre in command of the offense).

Agree. He was much more effective on the run than in the pocket. Some of his best throws of the season have been on the run. The throw he made against EKU was incredible. Only a handful of players alive, NFL or college, couldve made that throw.

Good post. We all seem to forget that this is UKs 2nd OC in three years and the first year on the job for Dawson. I'm sure it will get better but Dawson appears to make game plans around the others teams tendencies, without any considerations of what the strengths or weakness of his own team. It may be QB limitation related but our offense appears to be a methodical approach versus one of quickness. We appear to repeat the exact same offensive approach, with very similar results, and yet blame the team for lack of execution.