The Blueprint for Bama

[121Josey]

If anybody knows the ways to attack a Saban defense it would be Jim McElwain (and Hugh Freeze**).

I've copied the games drives from the Colorado State and TSUN. My thesis is that they wasted downs by trying to run on Bama. Bama gives up most of their passing yards on 1st down. LSU ran on Bama in the first half. Then at halftime, Bama made the right adjustment and their ship sank (actually 2 drives and the game was out of reach). Texas A&M is in a category of its own.

If Dak isn't playing and TR starts, State should abandon the run from the first snap and throw it around like - say the 2001 Oakland Raiders or anyone from the Mike Leach coaching tree.

 

[Old Fart Dawg]

"If Dak isn't playing and TR starts, State should abandon the run from the first snap and throw it around like - say the 2001 Oakland Raiders or anyone from the Mike Leach coaching tree."

I'd have to say you're on to something. Although it's not a perfect comparison, using the fast-paced spread passing game was very successful for Utah in the '09 Sugar.

 

[CookieMonster.sixpack]

What's sad is that there's no chance we do anything different than what we always do. This staff doesn't adapt their game plan.

 

[boatsandhoes]

What's sad is that there's no chance we do anything different than what we always do. This staff doesn't adapt their game plan.

This^^^^. I wish we would. what in the hell do we have to lose? We have a ton of WR's that we could keep the pace up with. However, if we sub they get to sub. The fast paced O would negate a lot of their blitz/pass rush if we didn't sub. They're starters would get tired if you did that. I still say the middle is where they are the weakest with the pass.

W'll never do that though. Same old same old. Betcha LDP gets 20 carries again for 40 yards, shump gets 1 for 10 yards, Jrob gets 2 for 25, Griffin gets none which continues to astound me against a D like Bama. ROJO two drops, Morrow two drops etc etc etc.

You could just say what the hell, and spend this week running a 2 minute passing offense the whole week of practice on offense. We won't which is my problem with mullen, that and personnel choices.

 

[Philly Dawg]

If I understand you correctly, we should review the play calling of two coaches who scored 6 and 0 points against Alabama this year, and reject the play calling of LSU, who scored 17 points against Alabama. (I readily acknowledge that Ole Miss should have had 6-9 points from FG's that they chose not to attempt.)

I guess my problem is that you can't change who you are. MSU is not a throw every down team. We don't have throw every down players. If you can't beat another team being yourself, then you lose the game. I'm not saying you can't come up with a game plan within yourself to maximize your chances, but you just can't change who you are.

Having said that, if we want to pass more, we can play Russell more than Dak, and we can call 60% pass plays rather than 50-50, running more draws than option style plays, and still be within our playbook. I'm just not convinced that would work against Alabama.

 

[121Josey]

If I understand you correctly, we should review the play calling of two coaches who scored 6 and 0 points against Alabama this year, and reject the play calling of LSU, who scored 17 points against Alabama. (I readily acknowledge that Ole Miss should have had 6-9 points from FG's that they chose not to attempt.)

Are we closer to LSU and/or TAMU or TSUN and Colorado State? The point is how teams were effective against Saban's D.

Having said that, if we want to pass more, we can play Russell more than Dak, and we can call 60% pass plays rather than 50-50, running more draws than option style plays, and still be within our playbook. I'm just not convinced that would work against Alabama.

It would have to be 80-20, at least in the first half. And you think getting <2 yds a play on the ground in your 60-40 scheme, would work?

Bama wants 3rd and long. They play the odds.

 

[Philly Dawg]

I'm not sure that throwing 80% the time doesn't create more 3rd and longs, not less. Aren't you almost guaranteed to have to convert one or two on every scoring drive?

Wouldn't the way to avoid third and longs be to establish the run and try to get into 3rd and 5 or shorter?

It appears to me that teams come out and try to run on Bama to varring degrees of success and as the game wears on and Bama builds a lead, that the teams are forced to throw more often, which is when Bama really starts to dominate. If we come out throwing from the beginning, aren't we just skipping directly to the domination?

 

[stinkfoot]

I think Gary Danielson summed it up well. It all starts w/ a quality qb w/ a hot hand. The Spaniard did it in columbia and Mettenberger almost did it last year. If your qb play is sub-par you will get killed. I would start Russell and throw/run 60/40. Bama's cb's are vulnerable too. Here is danielson's take:


CBS college football analyst Gary Danielson said he believes you need three things to beat No. 1 Alabama.

• Excellence at quarterback
• You have to match up physically
• Must have athletes on the wings

Danielson joined The Tim Brando Show on Tuesday and was asked if he thought "LSU was equipped physically and psychologically to beat Alabama in a way others aren't."


"Yes," Danielson said. "I do believe there is a formula if you're going to have a chance to beat great football teams and Alabama is the current great football team.


"If you look at the formula for teams that have beaten them in the past, you have to start at excellence at quarterback. It doesn't mean you throw 50 times. You can. It's an option, but you have to be able to throw at an elite level. They gobble up inferior quarterbacks. They just do. No matter who you are. No matter how good you are, if you have inferior quarterback play, the gobble you up, OK? That's including anybody and any style.


"You also have to match up physically. (LSU coach) Les Miles has built this program about being a physical football team.


"And then you have to have athletes on the wings. You have to have receivers that can compete because of the high level of play in the secondary, and you have to have defensive backs that can compete because Alabama will take that play-action game and go deep for those big things.


"I think LSU had all of those attributes to make it a football game."

 

[121Josey]

I'm not sure that throwing 80% the time doesn't create more 3rd and longs, not less. Aren't you almost guaranteed to have to convert one or two on every scoring drive?

My whole argument revolves around the premise that an a run is equal to an incompletion. And yes, there will probably be two a half that you'll have to convert.

Wouldn't the way to avoid third and longs be to establish the run and try to get into 3rd and 5 or shorter?

Again. People have tried to establish the run. Bama's strength is against the run. Here's how it would look:
Rushing yards 43
Rushes 31
YPR 1.4
BTW, that's LSU. Yikes!

Here's LSU's most impressive drive (from 2nd qtr). Do you think they figured something out?

LSU at 5:17	LSU	ALA
1st and 10 at LSU 25	Zach Mettenberger rush for 3 yards to the LSU 28.	7	17
2nd and 7 at LSU 28	Terrence Magee rush for 1 yard to the LSU 29.
3rd and 6 at LSU 29	Zach Mettenberger pass complete to Kadron Boone for 28 yards to the Alab 43 for a 1ST down.
1st and 10 at ALA 43	Zach Mettenberger pass complete to Odell Beckham for 16 yards to the Alab 27 for a 1ST down.
1st and 10 at ALA 27	Zach Mettenberger pass incomplete.
2nd and 10 at ALA 27	Zach Mettenberger pass complete to Alfred Blue for 4 yards to the Alab 23.
3rd and 6 at ALA 23	Zach Mettenberger pass complete to Jarvis Landry for 15 yards to the Alab 8 for a 1ST down.
1st and Goal at ALA 8	Zach Mettenberger pass incomplete to Odell Beckham.
2nd and Goal at ALA 8	Jeremy Hill rush for 2 yards to the Alab 6.
3rd and Goal at ALA 6	Zach Mettenberger pass complete to Travin Dural for 6 yards for a TOUCHDOWN.	13	17
	Colby Delahoussaye extra point GOOD.	14	17
	James Hairston kickoff for 62 yards returned by DeAndrew White for 20 yards to the Alab 23.
DRIVE TOTALS: LSU drive: 10 plays 75 yards, 04:34 LSU TD

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It appears to me that teams come out and try to run on Bama to varring degrees of success and as the game wears on and Bama builds a lead, that the teams are forced to throw more often, which is when Bama really starts to dominate. If we come out throwing from the beginning, aren't we just skipping directly to the domination?

People get behind Bama because they try to establish the run. They are wasting plays. Everyone should understand that a way to establish the run is through the pass. Bama's secondary lacks confidence much like the MSU secondary.

The most important point in all of this is that we want Bama to leave their base defense. We want to make Bama do something that their not comfortable doing. It is also something State's coaches are not comfortable doing. But State's WRs are the strongest unit on offense. Give me Rojo, Derunnya, and Tubby with LDP as a safety valve and I'm making hay all night.

 

[CadaverDawg]

I thought I would click on this thread and see.....