We can talk about scheduling and assistants all we want. To me, though, the reason why we were mediocre this year is simple: Dan and Les have NO IDEA how to run a pro style offense. Call me crazy, but I think if Dak started this year we go 9-3. Dan is an offensive guru IF he has the right QB for his system. I think Dak may start next year when Mullen finally admits this to himself.
My short theory on what happened this season
- Thread starter redbird4state
- Start date
I think you`re right on the money. It just pisses me off the we didn`t have a "Dak package" ready to use last night to change the tempo if the offense struggled. I think it was inexcusable.
You may be right with half of the equation. There is no dual threat element with Tyler.
What about our defensive shortcomings? That side of the ball is pure Facepalm, sometimes.
What about our defensive shortcomings? That side of the ball is pure Facepalm, sometimes.
Sad to say, because Tyler is a good QB, but the fact is that he just doesn't fit Mullen's system. I hope he will go pro this year, so that we can get back to running the read option offense.
I was going to post something similar
And I totally agree. I would also say the same thing applies on defense to some degree. We play so vanilla on defense and try to pretend we don't have to move around, blitz and show different looks. Womack did a good job with his approach this year, Wilson not so good.
And I totally agree. I would also say the same thing applies on defense to some degree. We play so vanilla on defense and try to pretend we don't have to move around, blitz and show different looks. Womack did a good job with his approach this year, Wilson not so good.
I think 8-4 is about the top end for merlinz at a lower tier SEC program where recruiting is forever a struggle. Just not enough superior athletes to make his offense work and not enough superior athletes to defend the other programs in the west. Actually 8-4 is pretty damn good.
Actually, 8-9 wins is about the top end for anyone at a lower tier SEC program. 10 win seasons (or 9 wins with the 11-game schedule) for the 6 lower tier programs since the SEC expanded the 1st time in 1991:
Arkansas - 4
Mississippi - 2
MSU - 1
USC - 3
Vandy - 0
UK - 0
That's a total of 10 seasons better than 8-4 in a combined 132 seasons of football. So yeah, I'll take 8-4 any time.
Arkansas - 4
Mississippi - 2
MSU - 1
USC - 3
Vandy - 0
UK - 0
That's a total of 10 seasons better than 8-4 in a combined 132 seasons of football. So yeah, I'll take 8-4 any time.
Agree. This is more on the OL and defense than on Russell. We actually outgained UM in the air and had the same number of picks. But when you can't run the ball, can't stop the run, and give up big plays on the pass, you're not going to win the game. UM just kicked out ***. But Russell probably played about the best game of anyone on our team.
No, the reason why we were mediocre this year
Is because for some reason Dan and his staff forgot all about relentless effort. I didn't see it this year, and I sure as hell didn't see it last night. The pass routes in Dan's offense are the EXACT same pass routes in most pro-style offenses. They're just run out of the shotgun rather than from under center.
Chris Wilson is in WAY above his head as a DC. He is awful- and I think his passive defense really hurts our effort because it asks us to wait and see what the offense does and then react. OK, sure you may get burned from time to time- but you also get to make a lot of big plays.
Is because for some reason Dan and his staff forgot all about relentless effort. I didn't see it this year, and I sure as hell didn't see it last night. The pass routes in Dan's offense are the EXACT same pass routes in most pro-style offenses. They're just run out of the shotgun rather than from under center.
Chris Wilson is in WAY above his head as a DC. He is awful- and I think his passive defense really hurts our effort because it asks us to wait and see what the offense does and then react. OK, sure you may get burned from time to time- but you also get to make a lot of big plays.
I think a few of our fans
Think our defense has to be either all blitz or all zone- and it doesn't have to be one extreme or the other. Zone blitzing is very effective.
Think our defense has to be either all blitz or all zone- and it doesn't have to be one extreme or the other. Zone blitzing is very effective.
Thank you! You guys just don't 17ing get it do you. In the first half we did as good as any defense can do. 2 INTs (one in which took away for sure pts w/ their good kicker), 2 shanked punts and a fumble. And all we could come up with was 3 17ing pts off that? If you told me before the game that I would've thought we'd have blown them out! What else can u ask for from your defense? Pick 6s? A football team cannot live off of that. The only TD we got was a busted coverage where Bump got improved. Other than that Tubby's KR TD & Dak's. We have not been good in the redzone ALL yr!
Redbird I agree totally. I don't think Mullen can coach Tyler's skill set. It should be clearly evidenced by him calling 4 read option plays last night. That blows my 17ing mind. Dak is our future!
this was russell's worst game by far! even when he had time he was off the mark quite a bit and often made the wrong read. and i dont know if this is on tyler or our coaching staff but we NEVER seem to have a hot route on an obvious blitz...this was evident in the auburn game and it never changed all year.
This really has me thinking. If you are in his position, you have to begin to look at your career. If he stays and we have a mediocre year aGAIN next year, his stock as a young and up-and-coming coach diminishes substantially. He may be considering a move this offseason, and I honestly would not be surprised. I'm not speculating, I'm not saying "the sky is falling..." just looking at facts. We are about to find out how committed he is to the job here, or if he feels he wants to or can take the next step.
Exactly. Effective defense results in disruption and confusion, not necessarily Blitzing, zoning, man-to-man, etc. Effective defense causes the quarterback to be uncertain in his decisions, make the wrong ones sometimes, and finds a way to disrupt the original play. We did that some last night, and it was very effective when we did. For instance, look at OM's drive right before halftime. THAT was about the best defense I've seen all year. We got to Wallace, we forced him into the checkdowns, and we met the checkdowns with a hit or a quick force out of bounds. Good defenses do that, and that's how good defenses get off the field, not by being passive and letting the play develop before making a move.
This may be true, but I think we need Bama type talent to successfully run Mullen's type of offense. While we have the QB we don't have the battering ram tailbacks like Bama. I'm talking like a 235 lb guy like Lacy. It helps tremendously! I believe that our current O-line is as good as it's gonna get under this staff. We need a change to have a chance against the big teams. Different offense. Inspired defense.