Reason for our lack of Offensive Power??
- Thread starter fishwater99
- Start date
First of all, when you think about it, Croom has been pretty lazy as far as the offense. All he did was bring his Green Bay Packer playbook and say "OK, run this." Instead, he should have devised an offense of his own, or even better hire someone to run one for him and let the OC have total control of the offense. I said it yesterday, and I'll say it again- Croom doesn't know how to run the WCO, and instead of talking to people who have run the thing successfully, he just tried to do what they did in Green Bay and assumed that was what you do. He also assumed that he could teach his buddy the WCO, and I have to wonder if Woody ever mentioned going to some clinics on how to run it- I doubt it though. I understand that the WCO is complicated, but it sure is hell of a lot more complicated when your damn coach doesn't know how to run it, much less teach it. For example, one of the tenants of the WCO is down and distance. If you have a third and 10, you call a play that's hopefully going to get you 11 yards at a minimum. We have a 4th and 15 and everyone runs a five yard route.
I seriously think that we could be OK on offense- possibly even running the WCO- if he would just turn the reigns over to an OC like he did with Ellis Johnson and Cheese with the defense and get the hell out of the way.
Secondly, Croom is trying to make our "version" a power running version. That's not what the WCO is supposed to be. You're supposed to pass to get the lead and then run to keep the lead. The WCO is centered around a smart, accurate QB. He gets Henig. And even worse, there were years where we never made recruiting a QB a top priority. If you run the WCO a QB should be one of your top priorites EVERY YEAR. Also, we need to recruit 5 o-linemen a year at a minimum. Also, how many years has WR been a top priority? Another hallmark of the WCO is throwing to the TE's and RB's- how often do we do that, about once a game? Maybe?
I don't know why Croom feels the need to meddle with the offense. I don't know why he didn't just make Woody the assistant HC so that he couldn't screw anything up if the guy has to be on the staff. I don't know why he won't bring in someone like Al Borges if he is so hell bent on running the WCO who actually knows what they're doing. But I will tell you the shame in all of this- I really think Croom could be a very good HC if he would just do that- be a HC rather than try to be our de facto OC and cover his buddies ***.
I seriously think that we could be OK on offense- possibly even running the WCO- if he would just turn the reigns over to an OC like he did with Ellis Johnson and Cheese with the defense and get the hell out of the way.
Secondly, Croom is trying to make our "version" a power running version. That's not what the WCO is supposed to be. You're supposed to pass to get the lead and then run to keep the lead. The WCO is centered around a smart, accurate QB. He gets Henig. And even worse, there were years where we never made recruiting a QB a top priority. If you run the WCO a QB should be one of your top priorites EVERY YEAR. Also, we need to recruit 5 o-linemen a year at a minimum. Also, how many years has WR been a top priority? Another hallmark of the WCO is throwing to the TE's and RB's- how often do we do that, about once a game? Maybe?
I don't know why Croom feels the need to meddle with the offense. I don't know why he didn't just make Woody the assistant HC so that he couldn't screw anything up if the guy has to be on the staff. I don't know why he won't bring in someone like Al Borges if he is so hell bent on running the WCO who actually knows what they're doing. But I will tell you the shame in all of this- I really think Croom could be a very good HC if he would just do that- be a HC rather than try to be our de facto OC and cover his buddies ***.
I used to think back from '04-'07 that Croom COULD be a good head coach. But during that stretch the red flags started to appear and his strange defensive/paranoid quotes of his like: "I will never fire any of my coaches" & "I don't care what the fans think, we are not changing our schemes" & "I will retire first, before I run the spread"
After some of these quotes, plus the icing on the cake was the 4th and 15 call - I can honestly say I have no hope for Croom being a competent coach on our sidelines.
I think Croom is betteer served coaching junior college, Div.1AA or Div.2 - I hate to say that because I truly like the guy's faith, character and morals. However, after year 5 and game 3 the FACTS really do outweigh the perceptions.
I would possibly stick with Croom IF he had replaced Woodrow back in '05 or at the latest '06 - but look where we are now it has been 5 years and cloud of ineffectiveness.
There is no alternative but to FIRE all our Offensive coaches, plus the Special Teams coach and again I hate to say it - fire Croom too.
But, I would really like it IF we could keep Cheese and all of the defensive coaches, since our defensive production has been the only positive factor for us these past few years.
we would fire everyone on offense, Croom would turn the keys to the offense over to whoever the new OC is and we could keep the entire defensive staff that we currently have.
All I heard about before the Auburn game was their offense, and we pretty much shut them down.
All I heard about before the Auburn game was their offense, and we pretty much shut them down.
I don't think he knows how to put together an offense period. What we did vs LaTech was as close as to a WCO as I remember us running since '04. However, there were no 3 step drops or passes to the RBs or pro-set formations. Just a bunch of horizontal passing. Then, we went to a I formation traditional offense vs. AU. We are inconsistent from week to week with what we do and that keeps the players from ever getting comfortable and into a rhythm. We run a mix and match of a bunch of different things that has no rhyme or reason. That is the biggest problem and the lack of talent magnifies it.
you can't block, you can't run, don't have time to throw, defenses tee off on the pass rush. Our O-Line could be substantially better if #77 was at left tackle and Sherrod was at right.
my vote goes the way of it's too complicated....Todd summed it up nicely....here's another quote from croom today from another site</p>
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"We are not going to try to game plan people anymore. We are going to do what we do regardless of what the defense does. We have no idea because it's been a total change in all three games of what he have prepared for."
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"We are not going to try to game plan people anymore. We are going to do what we do regardless of what the defense does. We have no idea because it's been a total change in all three games of what he have prepared for."
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As I said the other night, the O line got beat terribly bad (38 yds rushing) and they set the tone for everything the offense does.
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karlchilders said:
if your o-line is weak you can adjust your schemes to compensate for that, such as more quick hitting running, mis-direction running, quick passes, 3 step drop passes, option, ect...................the scheme is the problem.
Most of the replies were NO!...
I think you are right about the scheme...but what must be done to correct it? Forget that Croom is here. What must be done to correct it?
I think you are right about the scheme...but what must be done to correct it? Forget that Croom is here. What must be done to correct it?
karlchilders said:
they dont know how or they would have done it. We have to:
A) get better players- Crooms has had 5 years to do this- it means he can't get it done if he hasnt by now
or
B) be imaginative and creative on offense- Crooms has had 5 years to do this- it means he can't get it done if he hasn't by now
please share your knowledge with us....sounds like put... that's not an answer.
Run and hide is not acceptable. What would you do if you we Croom?
(Kill myself is also not acceptable)
Run and hide is not acceptable. What would you do if you we Croom?
(Kill myself is also not acceptable)
karlchilders said:
I'd run a spread/I combo...we would have a base set of plays that we are able to be run out of both. The veer and option would be a part but not solely the basis of our spread. We would simplify protections and routes so that all 3 QB's and all WR's were always on the same page, while taking full advantage of bubble, middle, and RB screens.</p>
We would stick with it and use it as a recruiting tool to show people the days of 1932 offensive football are over in S'ville and bright days are ahead.
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**Edited to add**- One thing we wouldnt do, is try to bunch up the other team's big and physical defense and try to run over them play after play.
you get the ball away from the center of the field as quick as possible and run plays that make the D-line have to at least think a little. I would have loved to see some passes to Elliott in the flat on screens and swing passes out of the backfield against Auburn. </p>
I just remembered that Bob Davie and the other guy said during the game that Croom had said we were going to run the ball and wear Auburn down. They pointed out that that might not work since Auburn was rotating in 2 players at every position on the DL and LB and their weakness defensively was the secondary.Coach34 said:
AU's defense to the edges period. They are one of the fastest D's we will will see all year. Shame they don't have an offense to match. Sounds familiar huh?
it couldn't have been any worse than what we kept trying to do over and over again all night long. It was at least worth a try. And one thing that might have done is open up some misdirection where you fake the pass to Elliott in the flat and then hand it off to Dixon/Ducree.
that could throw a fade route we could have had a damn good shot at a field goal and the win in the fourth quarter.
I see all of AU's games saying under 30 to 40 total points. Great D, ****** offense.
I just wish we would put the ball in Elliott's hand some more. What could it hurt?
I see all of AU's games saying under 30 to 40 total points. Great D, ****** offense.
I just wish we would put the ball in Elliott's hand some more. What could it hurt?
you swing it out or run bubble screens to get athletes in space and try to make someone miss. You have probably better chance of doing that than you do of trying to block 9 Auburn defenders with 8. We did a lot of that in the first half against La Tech. As Dawgstudent pointed out to me, we should have reversed the game plans for those two games.
Crooms was just trying to get back to power football, too bad it was the wrong team to try it against.
It's like he doesn't even watch the game film of the USM vs AU game.
We are just going to line up and jam the ball down their throats, since he forgot to do that against LA Tech, now that's the WCO??
What a dumb ***........
Almost playing too conservative.
When Wes plays aggressive and not intimidated, the offense will do ok. Not great, but productive.
When Wes plays aggressive and not intimidated, the offense will do ok. Not great, but productive.