Sunday Morning QB- Lack of Effort edition

Jockstrap John

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Aug 31, 2012
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all of it was spot on, but especially your PS. 17 Freeze and the Rebels. They print cartoons in their paper depicting Merlens as a dopey hunchback and have labeled him a cheater from day 1. Yet we have fans that are almost ready to blow Freeze and the Rebels for improving upon a dismal 2 seasons. How does that benefit US?
 

AzzurriDawg4

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Nov 11, 2007
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This is nothing new re: the offense.

That is, the scheme and precisely how we use the passing game. This is why Mullen's offense has never shown up against a quality defense. Never. Been saying that forever.

At this point, it really is beyond repair. This is what we will get with Mullen. Sadly, its still better than anything we have ever had, as evidenced by the fact that Russell has already tied the season TD record, among many other offensive records broken by Mullen so far. Of course, he is not above criticism, but damn a lot of fools on this board have a short memory. 3-2 anyone? Croom? Jackie's collapse? How many bowl games did you go to in the 20 years before Mullen?

I mean, we should be happy with another 15 years of 7 to 9 win football to make up for the rest of our lives before we really start complaining...BUT...that was abysmal.

He might not be a world beater, but in the right scheme Russell could be a phenomenal college QB. Sumlin, Petrino or Gundy might have Russell up for the Heisman, yet we are forced to wonder if we need to play our rFR dual threat more. That is sickening.


Major talent deficit at WR still, but I still think we could have come out with a better passing strategy.


Nick Griffin looks like he could provide a much better base running game for us. Not to mention he did really well in pass protection (was in for our first TD drive, almost exclusively through the air). I expressed concern early in the season about LDP against quality defenses.


No touches for M. Johnson, none for RoJo or Bumphis in the 1st half. Griffin gets 2 runs and converts them for a 1st down and disappears. Mark Hudspeth wrote a piece in a football coaching journal about getting the ball in your playmakers hands. No further comment.


Offensive line is just average, but I still think good enough for us to move the ball against A&M had we schemed it better.

Agree, scrap the 5 wide. Crazy thing is, Russell can complete short throws all day, but we want to make it more complicated than that. Sumlin doesnt.


Then you have Chris Wilson. Don't get it twisted, we arent special on the D-Line, but we arent that bad. We handicap ourselves with that BS 3-down, which we never bother to even tinker with over the course of the game...I mean why would we? I am just going to assume we didnt play Quay because he was TOO good at getting upfield, which would have just sent Manziel running //sarcasm.


HOLY 17 Jamerson Love got picked on all game. The linebackers really played ok, but Love, Broomfield and Nickoe were devastatingly bad. I know you all are very knowledgeable about football, but I am not sure you know how bad Love was today. He was out of position, just pure burned and/or on top of that, there were several times I saw him giving WAY less than max effort on a play. Example: receiver heading for sideline, Love just checks up and lets him run 4 more yards down the field instead of hustling and pushing him out...plays like that are what Sumlin thrives on.


Nickoe and Broomfield are clowns. We have been clowns at Safety and DL since Wilson and Hughes have been here. Nickoe can (could?) make highlight reel hits, but his run-fit and pursuit angles are horrendous, not to mention pass coverage..and now he apparently cant even do what he was known for. Broomfield is boom or bust, and more frequently bust.
 

T-45fixer

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Aug 22, 2012
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I agree with everything you have written, and don't really understand what Mullen is doing for as playcalling. If you are sugesting that Mullen put Dak in and go all Ralph on these 17ers through the remander of the season wouldn't hurt my feelings. To me going all Ralph gives us a better chance to get to nine + wins after seeing the Russell package all year.
 

TexasBulldog11

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Dec 18, 2011
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I dont understand why we dont run vertical routes with RoJo and Morrow. We gotta utilize what we have which isn't much apparently. But I dont know who the blame is on offense but we are conservative like none other. Mark Hudspeth is right we must get the ball into our playmakers hands. He is missed tremendously.
 

Coach34

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Jul 20, 2012
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I agree with everything you have written, and don't really understand what Mullen is doing for as playcalling. If you are sugesting that Mullen put Dak in and go all Ralph on these 17ers through the remander of the season wouldn't hurt my feelings. To me going all Ralph gives us a better chance to get to nine + wins after seeing the Russell package all year.

Im saying make the necessary changes to make Tyler more successful or we need to put Dak in and run damn football. Dak can make some of the throws Ralph wasn't ever able to- and we can beat UPig and Miss by doing that. We won't beat them with status quo
 

Todd4State

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Mar 3, 2008
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Why we don't put Malcolm Johnson

At WR some is beyond me. He actually would be a decent band-aid for our deep threat situation.

Why we don't run more screens and draws is beyond me. I can't explain that.

I think Chris is simply in over his head. When he has no idea, his answer is to always play zone.
 

T-45fixer

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Aug 22, 2012
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I don't think there are changes that they could make. The whole scheme is't working with SEC top teams. Russell has had nine games in his offense, it works against teams your supposed to beat not the upper tier. 17 it put dak in more for early longer drives and go all Ralph.
 

maroonmadman

Senior
Nov 7, 2010
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Sadly I agree with you C34. Early on in the season when folks were complaining about Mullen 'taking his foot off the pedal' you responded with 'he's saving our starters for the season ending push' or words to that effect and I agreed with that idea. looks like he should've taken his foot off sooner and saved some gas. We look completely fatigued out there yesterday, especially on defense. Sloppy tackling is a sign of fatigue. Sloppy blocking and pass route running are signs too. We never had enough depth to spare our starters, on both offense and defense, and as a result we're kinda just wore out. I don't give a hoot how good a condition a person is in, the drain of an SEC season will wear you down. (Note to Stricklin: schedule an open date in late Oct. or early Nov. in the future!!!)

I'm not one of you 2% folks who know a lot about the intricacies of football. I started watching the Dawgs back in the late 60's as a young lad and began buying season tickets in the 80's so one thing I do know a lot about is ****** football and I saw some for these past 2 games. It's starting to remind me of Rockey Felkers 1st. year where we jumped out to a 6-1 start and completely ran out of gas and choked the last 4 games. I hope history isn't repeating itself.

I would ALMOST be willing to concede next weekends game at LSU and stay home just for an open date so we could make a season finishing push vs. Arky and UM. ALMOST. We need to find some energy/emotion for this final 3 game push or it's gonna get ugly.

I still believe, but there comes a time when one's beliefs have to be re-inforced with some sort of positive action.

Go Dawgs!!
 

kired

All-Conference
Aug 22, 2008
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Disagree slightly on 5 & 6.

Just the part about the sack & then saying the OL played pretty good. We pick up a first down, then Siddoway has a false start --- 1st & 15. Next play Moore comes from the DE spot and runs untouched past Dillon Day - I don't even think Day hardly saw him till he was already past him. Nails Russell for the sack. I agree Russell holds the ball too long, but that sack was 100% on Day. We're 2nd & 21 all thanks to two mistakes by our o-line.
 

grinnindawg

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Aug 22, 2012
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Yesterday's effort reminded me of some of Sherrill's teams playing Ark.
I wonder if Sherrill has pushed his "you can only win 3 games a year on emotion" on Mullen.
Stupid theory, football must be played with intensity and effort.

If you tell 18 to 22 year old males not to be "emotional" for a game, he hears "don't try too hard this game".
Some players can play with emotion every game, some can't or aren't wired that way. Let them decide, don't tell them.


Speed wins games. An A&M DL ran down a State WR. Not a good sign.
Half their O looked faster than anyone on our D.
 

Railin Jemmye

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Oct 29, 2012
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ole miss only gets credit on this particular board.....

posters here love to claim the sky is falling.
 

mcdawg22

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Sep 18, 2004
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The only problem with CB's playing tight man is their backs are to Johnny Football after five yards.
 

Todd4State

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Mar 3, 2008
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I totally agree with you

Yesterday's effort reminded me of some of Sherrill's teams playing Ark.
I wonder if Sherrill has pushed his "you can only win 3 games a year on emotion" on Mullen.
Stupid theory, football must be played with intensity and effort.

If you tell 18 to 22 year old males not to be "emotional" for a game, he hears "don't try too hard this game".
Some players can play with emotion every game, some can't or aren't wired that way. Let them decide, don't tell them.


Speed wins games. An A&M DL ran down a State WR. Not a good sign.
Half their O looked faster than anyone on our D.

I never have liked Jackie's thinking on that. It probably cost us at least five wins against LSU alone. I believe you give 100% every single time you go out there.
 

MSU Fan.sixpack

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Sep 17, 2012
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Re: Lack of effort

Did anyone else notice on their first offensive series that our D-Line didn't even get set before the ball was snapped on a few plays? Just lazy from the get-go. From the opening kickoff we were straight outhustled.
 

121Josey

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Oct 30, 2012
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Agreed


Usually I am 50/50 with you but I agree with all points. 5 and 6 on offense especially.

I disagree with your PS. TSUN has less talent but they are clearly the better team. They coach for four quarters and maximize their talent. They know who they are and what they can do. Please don't use the schedule argument. At midseason we pretty much know who everyone is.

Azzurridawg, if you are going to write a book, start your own thread. Thanks.
 

rugbdawg

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Oct 10, 2006
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Yea...spot on with the exception of the Oline. We were getting whipped up front in the run and pass game in the first half. I guess you could blame the offensive gameplanning, but that ignores the one on one asskickings. We literally have three running plays. We just run them out of different formations and what not. The third is the draw that we have run for big gains but rarely use.

On defense, our linebackers and secondary could not even figure out how to line up properly until the 3rd series. Awful.
 

Coach34

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Jul 20, 2012
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Usually I am 50/50 with you but I agree with all points. 5 and 6 on offense especially.

I disagree with your PS. TSUN has less talent but they are clearly the better team. They coach for four quarters and maximize their talent. They know who they are and what they can do. Please don't use the schedule argument. At midseason we pretty much know who everyone is.

Azzurridawg, if you are going to write a book, start your own thread. Thanks.


According to the recruiting rankings coming out of HS, they do not have less talent. And I dont see how anybody can say they are the better team.
 

DerHntr

All-Conference
Sep 18, 2007
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I like your assessment. I especially agree about the OLine being better than expected.

I have a bullet point to add and it addresses something you defended all season long.

The coaching staff was pussyfooting around when supposedly "building depth" during these lesser opponents' games. Rather than making sure our starters were continually improving, that our schemes were getting better, that we never let up for a play, that we tackled fundamentally, etc., we were out there enjoying the spoils of beating a ****** schedule. I personally like the idea of easy scheduling. I like it a hell of a lot better when the staff doesn't go to sleep at the wheel while it is occurring. It isn't surprising that when we play our two best opponents thus far that we all of the sudden can't tackle, can't get pressure, etc. The easy schedule lulled the coaches to sleep just like the players and that is 100% on Mullen. It should not have happened. We should have hammered some of these lesser teams if we were supposedly so much better.

I mentioned this last night and last week, but it was crazy seeing Saban chew out his second team defense while playing a clearly lesser opponent in garbage time last week. He went nuclear when we scored on them. He was mad because they didn't execute with perfection. They play 60 minutes of football no matter the opponent and no matter the score. And that payed off big time at the end of the game when LSU **** the bed with a prevent defense. We desperately need that attitude from our staff if we are going to be able to beat the elite teams in our conference with lesser talent.
 

Coach34

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Jul 20, 2012
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Yea...spot on with the exception of the Oline. We were getting whipped up front in the run and pass game in the first half. I guess you could blame the offensive gameplanning, but that ignores the one on one asskickings. We literally have three running plays. We just run them out of different formations and what not. The third is the draw that we have run for big gains but rarely use.

On defense, our linebackers and secondary could not even figure out how to line up properly until the 3rd series. Awful.

We averaged 5 yards a carry in the 1st quarter...and you cant blame the OL for the WR's not getting open quicker or Tyler not getting rid of the ball. I'm not saying they are great- but of all our offensive problems, it's not the OL. They are doing a decent job.
 

Dawg1976

All-Conference
Aug 22, 2012
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I agree with your analysis and what needs to be done. But what makes you think Mullen and staff will make these adjustments? Mullen seems a little too stubborn or set in his ways to make all these changes.
 

barely

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Aug 28, 2012
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our team had the talent to play better/win......questionable whether we had the coaching to do so.......what isnt questionable, the effort. We were made to look like assclowns by a mid pack Big 12 team yesterday. Assuming we get skull drugged at Death Valley next saturday night...the following games falls on opening day of rifle season. Im guessing we have about 40K in the stands.
 

AROB44

Junior
Mar 20, 2008
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THIS !!...we have no speed when you compare us with the better teams. Also...never liked the Les Koenig hire and like it less now.
 

DerHntr

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Sep 18, 2007
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Bump. Curious of your take on my extra bullet point coach. Did the building depth activities do more harm than good considering the way it was implemented?
 

Coach34

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Jul 20, 2012
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Bump. Curious of your take on my extra bullet point coach. Did the building depth activities do more harm than good considering the way it was implemented?

It's never a bad thing to build depth. Getting fewer reps in games earlier this season is not the reason some of our guys aren't playing well now. 7 of our 11 guys on defense started last season. And Slay is playing well. It's just baffling why our other guys on the DL aren't playing better. Cam played better last year- there are no real excuses as to why this is happening on defense.

Offensively, its scheme. Our OL is better this year than last. Hell, our RB's are talented and should be a bigger part of our offense. QB has been solid, and Dak is at least as good as Relf. He already looks better throwing it. So what's the difference? We depend alot more on our WR's this season- and they are the weakest part of our offense. That's the problem now that we are upper level SEC teams.
 

DerHntr

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Sep 18, 2007
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It's not just fewer reps though. It was the glorified practice attitude by our coaches. It permeated through our team. We play with no intensity for that long and it makes it difficult to turn it back on.

I think there are a lot of positives when building depth but our coaches figured out how to waste it; by not looking at our games for two months as very important. They can say it's important but their actions showed otherwise.
 

Coach34

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Jul 20, 2012
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It's not just fewer reps though. It was the glorified practice attitude by our coaches. It permeated through our team. We play with no intensity for that long and it makes it difficult to turn it back on.

I think there are a lot of positives when building depth but our coaches figured out how to waste it; by not looking at our games for two months as very important. They can say it's important but their actions showed otherwise.

Bama has doing the exact same thing all season. Go back and look at some of their 2nd half performances where they just coasted thru 2nd halves of games. They didnt have any problems getting ready for LSU last night.

I dont think the staff has treated anything like a glorified practice. We got up to play Auburn. We got up to play Tennessee. We took it to Kentucky from the beginning when South Carolina couldnt just the week before. Hell, we drove right back down the field on Bama after they scored on us to open the game. Yesterday was just really hard to explain- but its pretty obvious the gameplan/schemes need some retooling
 

jwhdawg

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Aug 22, 2012
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I really think we need to go back to the run spread if the receivers are not that good. Still let Tyler start and put Dak in with at least half of the snaps. It will be alot more fire power to score in different ways. As far as Wilson, to me,he will never change and learn how to coach in the SEC...
 

DerHntr

All-Conference
Sep 18, 2007
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Well I will just have to disagree. I actually like that you used Bama as an example yet ignored my statement earlier about Saban implementing depth building better.

We look like we are at practice in the second half of games we are supposed to win and they look like they are trying go get better.

I agree the scheme is the number one factor but disagree that the handling of a horribly easy schedule was done well.
 
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CadaverDawg

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Dec 5, 2011
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I like your assessment. I especially agree about the OLine being better than expected.

I have a bullet point to add and it addresses something you defended all season long.

The coaching staff was pussyfooting around when supposedly "building depth" during these lesser opponents' games. Rather than making sure our starters were continually improving, that our schemes were getting better, that we never let up for a play, that we tackled fundamentally, etc., we were out there enjoying the spoils of beating a ****** schedule. I personally like the idea of easy scheduling. I like it a hell of a lot better when the staff doesn't go to sleep at the wheel while it is occurring. It isn't surprising that when we play our two best opponents thus far that we all of the sudden can't tackle, can't get pressure, etc. The easy schedule lulled the coaches to sleep just like the players and that is 100% on Mullen. It should not have happened. We should have hammered some of these lesser teams if we were supposedly so much better.

I mentioned this last night and last week, but it was crazy seeing Saban chew out his second team defense while playing a clearly lesser opponent in garbage time last week. He went nuclear when we scored on them. He was mad because they didn't execute with perfection. They play 60 minutes of football no matter the opponent and no matter the score. And that payed off big time at the end of the game when LSU **** the bed with a prevent defense. We desperately need that attitude from our staff if we are going to be able to beat the elite teams in our conference with lesser talent.

Completely agree with this. Mullen will never be an upper tier coach long term if he doesn't change this mentality and get more of a Saban mentality against the cupcakes and 2nd stringers. Sure, Saban coasts a little bit occasionally, but he makes a point of calling his guys out if they aren't executing, regardless of opponent, score, or what string is in the game.

On another note, I also hate his post game comments about "we are looking at 31-28 against A&M at one point if we take care of business in the red zone" (paraphrasing)...Bull 17ing ****, Dan. A&M could have named the score on us yesterday, so don't try and make the fans, and especially the players think they were a few plays from being in the game with that type of effort. I don't want our players to think they can play that ****** and the coach still thinks it was almost good enough to have a chance.

All of that being said, Mullen is a young head coach overall, and I hope like hell he is learning from this and will improve. I will be interested to see how the defense plays against LSU, and if we capitalize on red zone opportunities with better play calling and execution. Assuming we can get to the red zone a few times.
 

AzzurriDawg4

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Nov 11, 2007
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It's not baffling why the DL isnt playing better. They arent well coached. 1 of 2 things are happening, they are either being coached to do things which inhibit them from getting in the backfield (keeping containment or gap maintenance), or they arent being coached on how to get off a block. Our DL attack the line as if they are OL, just a pure bull rush. Horrible use of the hands, leverage, a non existent speed rush from the ends...it is bad.
 

coach66

Junior
Mar 5, 2009
12,663
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I agree with you here, the offense has got to be shuffled to take advantage of

Dak and the option without becoming totally predictable by whether Dak or Tyler are in the game. Bottom
line, Tyler has got to run the ball more when he is in there and if he gets hurt he gets hurt. If he can't do that then we are in deep **** on offense.
 
Nov 17, 2008
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Here is where I disagree

Good write up coach and well done. The one place I disagree is Jameon Lewis. He still scares me to death. When he caught the kickoff and headed LEFT and the up the LEFT sidelines while carrying the ball in his RIGHT arm, I almost lost it. Is this skill not learned in the 7th grade? How unnatural does it feel to run with the ball that way (I touched the ball 20 times a game for 9 years)? You put it in your outside arm, leaving your inside arm available for stiff arm etc., and it also keeps the ball away from the tacklers. Of course Jameon is a fumbling machine, so maybe he knows better than me.

With our linebacking numbers, I agree on Autry and Skinner at ends, with Boyd and Eulls at DT and see what happens. I also don't understand why we don't use Nick Griffin just a little more with a power running game. We did it at Alabama for 8-10 yards and never did it again. We did it against A&M for a first down and never did it again.

Good write up coach.