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Fear
Posted on 9/27/09 at 10:45 am
Posted on 9/27/09 at 10:45 am
I think the root of the majority of our offensive problems can be boiled down to one thing...FEAR. From the middle of 2006 until last year, our offense had the experience and talent to impose itself on anyone. Last year's QB issues were a rude awakening for everyone. I think the staff was blindsided by how bad it got and I think it scared the hell out of them. They have completely gone into a shell since then. Other than the bowl game, we have had little to no offensive flow. At least last year we had a good enough O Line to run effectively and have some identity. Now we have lost that and the staff look lost. The tentativeness and lack of aggression we see at least partly stems from this. If the players feel it from the coaches, it will transfer onto the field. This whole offensive situation looks a lot less like Larry Coker than Phil Fulmer's last few years at UT. They lost their way in 2005 and Fulmer got scared and brought his buddy back to run the offense. He got scared again last year with Cutcliff gone and he hamstrung his new OC. That fear and reactionary thinking went a long way toward costing him his job last year.
It looks to me like Miles and Crowton are walking down the same road this season. They are too married to last year's identity to let it go even though it isn't working, and too afraid to take a chance on a new direction that will fit the current personnel. I have been a supporter, and if they fix it, I will continue to be on board, but they only have a small window of opportunity to fix the problems before the team loses faith in them. They have already lost a chunk of the fanbase that has just been waiting for Miles to slip up.
JJ proved yesterday that he can throw the ball effectively, even the deep ball, if he has adequate protection. He certainly isn't perfect, but he can do the job with a little help from the rest of the team. Sheppard also proved yesterday that he is a HUGE part of the future of the team. Crowton and Miles need to be brave enough to refocus the offense around these two and our WR talent and let that carry us. If the passing and creative running of these two are as successful as when given a chance to shine yesterday, then it will open up the middle of the field and help the O-Line and the RBs in the run game. The easiest path to success looks like it needs to go through these players. Is the staff brave enough to do it?
It looks to me like Miles and Crowton are walking down the same road this season. They are too married to last year's identity to let it go even though it isn't working, and too afraid to take a chance on a new direction that will fit the current personnel. I have been a supporter, and if they fix it, I will continue to be on board, but they only have a small window of opportunity to fix the problems before the team loses faith in them. They have already lost a chunk of the fanbase that has just been waiting for Miles to slip up.
JJ proved yesterday that he can throw the ball effectively, even the deep ball, if he has adequate protection. He certainly isn't perfect, but he can do the job with a little help from the rest of the team. Sheppard also proved yesterday that he is a HUGE part of the future of the team. Crowton and Miles need to be brave enough to refocus the offense around these two and our WR talent and let that carry us. If the passing and creative running of these two are as successful as when given a chance to shine yesterday, then it will open up the middle of the field and help the O-Line and the RBs in the run game. The easiest path to success looks like it needs to go through these players. Is the staff brave enough to do it?
This post was edited on 9/27/09 at 10:46 am
2
Posted on 9/27/09 at 10:54 am to misey94
BRAVE ENOUGH?
I great post! Thumbs up. I noticed they played RS early and often and then when the game got tight and they were afraid a freshman fumble or mistake might cost us the game RS road the bench the rest of the way.
Right or wrong for that game they did not have the confidence to play him again. I sort of felt the same way though.
How will they view RS next week when we are in a game that we will likely lose! How are the coaches going to react and coach when we have nothing to lose.
Winning against Georgia will go a long way to having an acceptable record this season. We won by a hard play and a few Miracles Saturday. Playing like you have nothing to lose is our only hope the next couple of weeks.
I great post! Thumbs up. I noticed they played RS early and often and then when the game got tight and they were afraid a freshman fumble or mistake might cost us the game RS road the bench the rest of the way.
Right or wrong for that game they did not have the confidence to play him again. I sort of felt the same way though.
How will they view RS next week when we are in a game that we will likely lose! How are the coaches going to react and coach when we have nothing to lose.
Winning against Georgia will go a long way to having an acceptable record this season. We won by a hard play and a few Miracles Saturday. Playing like you have nothing to lose is our only hope the next couple of weeks.
Posted on 9/27/09 at 10:57 am to omegaman66
quote:
I great post! Thumbs up. I noticed they played RS early and often and then when the game got tight and they were afraid a freshman fumble or mistake might cost us the game RS road the bench the rest of the way.
He got 4 touches.
Posted on 9/27/09 at 10:59 am to omegaman66
It just feels like the tentativeness of the coaching staff is trickling down. They need to get fully behind something besides the interior run, focus on it in practice, and implement it in a totally scripted gameplan. I've given my suggestion, but I'm ok with whatever if it works well and consistently.
Posted on 9/27/09 at 11:00 am to GeauxTigerTM
Right he came in and even played two consecutive plays. At that point in the game he had a measurable percentage of the snaps. Thats all I am saying.
Posted on 9/27/09 at 11:05 am to omegaman66
quote:
Right he came in and even played two consecutive plays.
I don't mean to laugh...but that makes me giggle. Arguably the nation's #1 recruit in 2008, who has been the one bright spot in the run game thus far this season get two consecutive plays...and we're touting that.
Something just seems out of whack about that...
and don;t misunderstand, Everybody's hero Nick Saban did the same damn stupid thing in 2003 with the trio fo freshman RB's we had come in that year in Vincent, Broussard and Edwards. It took Carey being injured at MSU and Addai falling the next week at home to Florida before Saban was FORCED to use the freshman.
Maybe fear will take the place of injuries in this case and be what shows Les ans Gary the light in this case...
Posted on 9/27/09 at 11:06 am to omegaman66
He also showed that he can find the few gaps there are with our line. He and KW just have better vision than Scott. They are going to be more effective with what we have this year.
I hate to admit this, but I have to hand it to Kent Austin at Ole Miss. They were HORRIBLE on offense against SC, but he had the guts to put McCluster out there for an extended period and put the game on his shoulders, despite his small size. It almost worked. It happened too late and I think he ran out of gas right at the end. I know McCluster is more experienced, but Sheppard HAS to be a bigger part of the gameplan for us. He will scare the crap out of DCs.
I hate to admit this, but I have to hand it to Kent Austin at Ole Miss. They were HORRIBLE on offense against SC, but he had the guts to put McCluster out there for an extended period and put the game on his shoulders, despite his small size. It almost worked. It happened too late and I think he ran out of gas right at the end. I know McCluster is more experienced, but Sheppard HAS to be a bigger part of the gameplan for us. He will scare the crap out of DCs.
Posted on 9/27/09 at 11:15 am to misey94
I agree I want to see more RS. I think we are a better team with him on the field. And you don't have to take JJ out of the game either. RS can play reciever or running back. When we play Georgia he would be in for at least half the snaps.
That said although I don't totally agree with the decision I undertand Les Miles decision to not take a chance on losing the game. We kept taking double digit leads and Miss St. kept answering.
The coaches were scared to death they were going to have the game slip away on a stupid mistake. RS has already fumbled once this year, the same number as CS and RS doesn't have nearly as many carries as CS!
If RS had come in and we fumble at our twenty yardline which is where we where much of the game. Poeple would be saying way play someone we know has fumbling issues deep in your own territory in the tightest of tight games.
That said although I don't totally agree with the decision I undertand Les Miles decision to not take a chance on losing the game. We kept taking double digit leads and Miss St. kept answering.
The coaches were scared to death they were going to have the game slip away on a stupid mistake. RS has already fumbled once this year, the same number as CS and RS doesn't have nearly as many carries as CS!
If RS had come in and we fumble at our twenty yardline which is where we where much of the game. Poeple would be saying way play someone we know has fumbling issues deep in your own territory in the tightest of tight games.
Posted on 9/27/09 at 11:20 am to misey94
Great post. I totally believe that the JL pick-six episodes have caused us to abandon the middle of the field, and that is making the opposing DC's job very easy. As I said in another thread, pop some middle screens or slants over the head of the horde of defenders firing in on every play, and we would see more space to run, and less pressure on JJ.
Posted on 9/27/09 at 11:24 am to Icansee4miles
We did try one middle screen yesterday, but there was so much pressure that JJ missed it. If I remember, he threw too low.
I do agree with you, however. Right now, all of our pass plays are either quick screens to the outside, or long developing. Those long developing plays are harder to pull off now because of our O-Line issues. I believe that they are giving JJ stuff he is suited to as a "running QB," but he has got to be able to expand his game to include slants and timing routes over the middle.
I do agree with you, however. Right now, all of our pass plays are either quick screens to the outside, or long developing. Those long developing plays are harder to pull off now because of our O-Line issues. I believe that they are giving JJ stuff he is suited to as a "running QB," but he has got to be able to expand his game to include slants and timing routes over the middle.
This post was edited on 9/27/09 at 11:26 am
Posted on 9/27/09 at 11:36 am to misey94
quote:
We did try one middle screen yesterday
And if he had thrown a half decent pass, it goes to KW for six. BY design, he is supposed to be rushed-all those guys piling in on him=cannot make the tackle.
Seems like he is a decent passer on the rollouts, why are we doing the deep drop, hit me hard plays. On the long pass to LaFell, we had max protect-must have only had 2 receivers in the pattern, and he was still wide open because Moo State was stacked in so close.
Posted on 9/27/09 at 11:43 am to Icansee4miles
I agree the screen wasn't executed properly. I know the rush is let in on purpose, but I think he let the pressure get too close before he let go of the ball and got rattled. Middle screens take more guts on the QBs end because you sometimes can't see what is behind the rush. You have to know exactly where your guy us supposed to be and also if the D has sniffed it out and you have to throw it in the dirt.
I think part of the problems with the deep drops is that JJ is young and he often drops too far and makes life tougher for the OTs. Sometimes he seems tentative about stepping up in the pocket under pressure, even when the OL holds it together. Crowton really needs to work on this with him.
I think part of the problems with the deep drops is that JJ is young and he often drops too far and makes life tougher for the OTs. Sometimes he seems tentative about stepping up in the pocket under pressure, even when the OL holds it together. Crowton really needs to work on this with him.
This post was edited on 9/27/09 at 11:44 am
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