Our stagnant offense...

[ShortStroke]

With all of the talk about firing Mcorvey or Croom because of our offensive woes this year, I can't help but think back on the last several years. I really think we are a better team in terms of talent, but it is frustrating not to see results. I know this year we look really bad a majority of the time, but I have actually noticed a few sparks that should provide optimism... if our staff weren't so hard headed. It seems to me that we get something going and fail to stick with it long enough to create points. A good example would be the slant routes to Bell or Smith at the end of the first half in the Ga. Tech game. We were moving the ball very well until we approached about the minute mark. Then we just went for the endzone only to see our reciever trip allowing a pick. a little more patience and clock mgmt. would have resulted in 7, and might have kept us in the game. So with all of the things we have done poorley this year, what else do you see that we have done well...or at least well enough to give us some hope?
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[Agentdog]

Crxxm certainly isn't "coaching up" any talent. However, our talent is not great. WR and RB we have some. But OL, TE, and QB are bad. Bad coach and marginal talent equals what we have.

 

[ShortStroke]

I realize our coaches are not the most inovative. Our talent isn't anything in terms of other SEC teams, but its better that other teams across the country who can score on teams like LSU and USC. I think the difference is adjusting...whether its preparing for a team or adjusting IN GAME. A good example of this is last night. Oregon State doesn't have the talent of SC...but they noticed that their Tailback was sucessful and stuck with it. Or maybe they noticed this before the game and that was the game plan. Whatever it was...it worked. We have been sucessful throwing the ball to the RB out of the backfield at times. We have thrown the inside slant well at times. But we haven't really thrived in the running game. So why go back to the run when other aspects are somewhat sucessful.

 

[maroonmania]

We can't reel in the guys like Garrett, Patterson and Bumphis that would normally want to come with us because our offense is so ineffective. But on the other hand our offense would certainly be much more effective even in its current form IF we had top quality talent like that across the board. So far the biggest change to me from last year to this year (not that our offense was worth much last year either) is that our OL has gone from mediocre last year to poor this year. The subtraction of Blackledge and Brown has proved to be an even bigger impact than I had imagined it would be.

 

[Frances Drebin]

...is that it goes back to scouting, preparation, and playcalling. You mention passes to the RB out of the backfield (really, we do it more to the FB, but I digress), but Auburn was prepared for that and took it away from us. We don't seem to be able to adjust in-game to take what the defense gives, and maybe set up the defense for the types of things we do best.

This is probably the biggest issue I have with Croom. There are no adjustments, no attempts to do something different. "I know they've stoned Dixon on 4th and 1 twice, but I'm going to run it again." A simple slip-screen or a shuffle pass on second and long would've worked like a charm against Auburn because they were blitzing a lot in that situation. We need to be able to pick up on that and adjust.

Georgia Tech was a comedy of errors from the jump, but we sure made it easy for their defense. It's almost like we're not even trying sometimes.

Now, off my soapbox.

 

[Todd4State]

1. When we roll Carroll out to the right and we hit our WR on a comeback route.

2. When we throw a pass out to the WR, almost like a WR screen.

Those two really stick out to me.

I think we do a pretty good job against the pass. Our secondary is pretty good.

I think we also cover kicks pretty well on ST.

Sadly, that's about it.

 

[ArrowDawg]

.....I've called for a change in philoophy to get our offense going. Every year we think we can be a power team in the SEC when we have inferior talent to 2/3 of the league. It's insanity. If we had any intelligence, any common sense, we'd do whateever it takes to get offensive production which in turn would convince better skill players(including a QB) to come to MSU.

I just know this. Looking at our commitments right now, what I see is pretty typical for us. It's a defense-heavy class with virtually no legit skill players, except for Montrell Conner. The one legit WR(Patterson) we had decomitted. And the reason I'm not sold on Tyler Russell is because of the lack of offers, which is how I judge every recruit. Star ratings are pointless, it's the offers that have always mattered. Video highlights may look good, but I've been fooled by those before. Even Henig looked like an All-American in his. If a guy is legit, the offers will fly, and that includes the recruits who sound like they're totally firm in their commitment.

 

[bizZaX]

Well for one, were not more talented than our opponents because we cant recruit, as mentioned above. So that automatically puts us at a disadvantage. Second, we dont have someone that can look at our players and form an offense to our teams strengths, its like running a half court basketball style with a fast, small team that needs to play transition. Its a combination of not having coaches and not being able to recruit the right players to run a style that we want.

 

[ShortStroke]

The RB I was talking about was Elliot in the Ga Tech game. I can't recall if he has attempted it to Dixon or Ducre. Maybe that is part of the problem. When Dixon is in they know we are going to run only a certian range of plays.

On a different note...I thought Croom pulled Carol at the wrong time in the game. He seemed to me to just begin to feel somewhat comfortable and we go and put in Lee. Sure Lee looks decent at times, but both QB's seem like they need alot of time to settle into the game. Adding Relf to the mix sounds like a mistake!

It terms of Croom as a coach, I think he has the right background and credentials...he just doesn't seem to be HC material. Sure the players love him. He's a good role model for them as young men. Maybe he knows how to teach football( I don't really know). but something is definetly missing!

I did notice one thing Ga Tech did very well that we just aren't able to do! That is for our WR's to block the secondary.

 

[Todd4State]

lacks a lot of confidence in himself as a HC. If he hears the people in the stands boo when he tries to kick a FG on 4th and inches, he automatically goes for it on the next 4th down- even if it's 4th and 25. He knows our Green Bay offense isn't working, but yet he has no clue how to fix it, and now he is to the point of trying anything, no matter how ridiculous- well, except for firing Woody of course. That couldn't POSSIBLY be the problem.