If you are looking for the reason they lost

[Jax Husky]

I'm just back from the game. Here are my observations. While the game was hard fought and Bryant Shirreffs was a warrior, I'm afraid this loss was squarely on our unimaginative offensive game plan. Although it's after Christmas, we played like it was still NO-vember. No screen, no quick slant, no flip reverse, no halfback pass, no flea flicker. Don't tell me the O-Line isn't good enough. If it's not (and it's not) you have to improvise. My wife's not a great cook. We eat out a lot.
As good as our D played, and they did (despite playing a soft zone which had visions of the Cincy game in my head, and missing some tackles that would have helped) they needed a better game from their offensive brothers.

But even with all of that we still had a chance, and thus it qualifies as a Nostical win. So we had a 9~4 season with lots of hope for next season. Bottom line, we have great kids, talented players, but an offensive scheme that simply can't adapt. I can't believe after watching all that tape on Marshall we came out with that pedestrian game plan.

The good news is that every player loved the Bowl experience (especially the swag) and wants to come back to one next year--in a big way. They are completely motivated for next year. Let's hope the coaches are as well.

We ran multiple screens. Multiple slants. The sweep was a constant part of the offense. Flea flickers and halfback passes do not = imaginative offense.


I think if you have the will power to watch the replay on tv, you'll see just how pathetically the OL was getting their butts kicked. It crippled our ability to do anything.

 

[ZOOCONN]

Example, UConn ran three sweeps with Mariner being the motion guy. Mariner has never shown me the ability to plant his foot and make a quick cut up field. Mariner basically just ran himself out of bounds. I would have liked to see Thomas run that play instead because he has shown the ability to make the quick cut. A play that went for a yard or two with Mariner could have gone for six or more yards with with Thomas.

Thisssssss for the love of God get your second most explosive player on offense involved somebow....

 

[freescooter]

The scheme was awful. But we also lack team speed in a big way. I first noticed it against USF but it has been obvious all year. Even our fast guys get caught from behind and it's a problem for our dline and linebackers too. It was clearly one today.

 

[whaler11]

No really instant pressure on the QB that last drive? Wow that's amazing. Imagine a defense selling out on an offense that has compiled 160 yards all game and needs to go 75 yards in 1:45 with NO timeouts? What a defensive genius on the other side, this has to be the OLine's fault huh?

You're right whaler "you can't make this place up sometimes". OWOW

You should stick to bashing Brimah. it actually makes more sense than your contributions in this thread so far.

 

[pnow15]

We ran multiple screens. Multiple slants. The sweep was a constant part of the offense. Flea flickers and halfback passes do not = imaginative offense.


I think if you have the will power to watch the replay on tv, you'll see just how pathetically the OL was getting their butts kicked. It crippled our ability to do anything.

Which is why you do clever things even before the ball is snapped.

 

[Jimdish255]

I don t know about that. Your concept is right, but what you described doesn't work with an OL that is just this physically outmatched. They get blown off the line constantly, and play straight up with no leverage.

Other mid-level teams figure it out from concept to technique to assignments. It's a package that the coaches are accountable for going into year 3. They need to figure it out because other teams apparently are able to. We supposedly have great strength and nutrition so there can't be any excuses for poor blocking going into year 3.

Almost no successful coaches recommend hiring a young D coordinater and hoping he learns to manage a game and run an offense in a year or two at this level. They understand the challenges and that it takes a few years for some, and others maybe never get it right. For all the good steps forward we could hit a hard ceiling if that learning curve isn't accelerated by next year.

Nice guys or not the staff needs to figure out how to put points on the board for us to be successful. Throwing stuff against the wall out of desperation indicates we're not progressing with our base offense as we should be and we've seen that in multiple games. That's either an indictment of talent or coaching, or a mismatch between scheme and personnel or all three. Our current offense needs to control time of posession and minimize turnovers and we only do the latter. Higher risk or faster tempo are your other choices. Either way it involves coaching up our existing players and putting them in situations that maximize their upside. That's what coaching is at it's essence.

 

[Jimdish255]

The OL had been my number one concern since the pre-season (like many here). But despite the common wisdom that we keep getting physically beat we miss too many assignments, are late or not committed to the blocking choice out of indecision concerning responsibility on the play. Would love to see a progression to the next guy and the next guy even if a block is missed but it keeps looking like assignment first and technique second rather than physical strength when I watch the replays.

 

[Jax Husky]

The OL had been my number one concern since the pre-season (like many here). But despite the common wisdom that we keep getting physically beat we miss too many assignments, are late or not committed to the blocking choice out of indecision concerning responsibility on the play. Would love to see a progression to the next guy and the next guy even if a block is missed but it keeps looking like assignment first and technique second rather than physical strength when I watch the replays.

Now I agree with this. It isn't just that our OL gets beat, there are constant breakdown in assignment, false starts, and delays.

 

[CTBasketball]

BS was under pressure even when they rushed 4. Huge holes open up on the run game and that results in TFL. We can't open the playbook up if the defense is in the backfield right after the snap.

 

[mauconnfan]

You should stick to bashing Brimah. it actually makes more sense than your contributions in this thread so far.

My hope is someday to as brilliant as you so because you are amazing for sure!

Thinking a Pop Warner team really needs an assistant for the OLine and you should be all over that.

 

[huskymedic]

Almost no successful coaches recommend hiring a young D coordinater and hoping he learns to manage a game and run an offense in a year or two at this level.

Where did you find that info - annecdotal or actual article?

Would seem to me that at least part of the equation is the experience/length of leash of the OC?

 

[whaler11]

My hope is someday to as brilliant as you so because you are amazing for sure!

Thinking a Pop Warner team really needs an assistant for the OLine and you should be all over that.

Attacking me because you think the recipe for a line that can't block is to give them more complicated situations to block for makes a lot of sense.

It's fairly simple around here. When you agree with Pal you are wrong much more often than you are right.

He's the best sounding board in the world. Bounce an idea - if he tells you it's wrong you can rest easy.

 

[mauconnfan]

Attacking me because you think the recipe for a line that can't block is to give them more complicated situations to block for makes a lot of sense.

It's fairly simple around here. When you agree with Pal you are wrong much more often than you are right.

He's the best sounding board in the world. Bounce an idea - if he tells you it's wrong you can rest easy.

Wait who attacked who first?
You should stick to bashing Brimah. it actually makes more sense than your contributions in this thread so far.


If you can't handle it then don't read it - you ignoring me would be a pleasure whaler. Actually Pal is right here from what I can see and it's okay to agree with others besides you despite your wealth of knowledge.

 

[Nostical]

Flea flickers and halfback passes do not = imaginative offense.

They don't?
Don't blame this loss on our O-Line. And the idea we don't have enough speed is laughable.
We lost because our deficiencies were not accounted for in our game plan. It's as simple as that.

 

[whaler11]

Wait who attacked who first?
You should stick to bashing Brimah. it actually makes more sense than your contributions in this thread so far.


If you can't handle it then don't read it - you ignoring me would be a pleasure whaler. Actually Pal is right here from what I can see and it's okay to agree with others besides you despite your wealth of knowledge.

Yawn - I pointed out what you are posting lately is assinine. You are the one sarcastically attacking people for disagreeing with you. Ironic isn't it.

 

[Jax Husky]

They don't?
Don't blame this loss on our O-Line. And the idea we don't have enough speed is laughable.
We lost because our deficiencies were not accounted for in our game plan. It's as simple as that.

You think running a couple trick plays that require more blocking time even would've helped today? That's what was missing?

 

[FDNY99]

They don't?
Don't blame this loss on our O-Line. And the idea we don't have enough speed is laughable.
We lost because our deficiencies were not accounted for in our game plan. It's as simple as that.

I will..they flat out sucked today plain and simple! It's nice to see Samra move on Nos..that way I don't have to watch him standing there with his hands on his sides as the ball carrier or QB gets blasted because he missed another block..then make a "AWW SHUCKS" wave/shrug with them. His equals in this dept are Levy and Knappe.

 

[mauconnfan]

Yawn - I pointed out what you are posting lately is assinine. You are the one sarcastically attacking people for disagreeing with you. Ironic isn't it.

I don't think I'm always right and believe I have said that many times. You on the other hand, "how dare anyone agree with Pal and not me?" Please get off your soap box whaler you are as predictable as UConns offense no matter where you post.

 

[whaler11]

I don't think I'm always right and believe I have said that many times. You on the other hand, "how dare anyone agree with Pal and not me?" Please get off your soap box whaler you are as predictable as UConns offense no matter where you post.

LOL I've admitted when I've been wrong probably more times than anyone here.

So another solid insightful comment - on a roll - don't let me get in your way.

 

[mauconnfan]

LOL I've admitted when I've been wrong probably more times than anyone here.

So another solid insightful comment - on a roll - don't let me get in your way.

whaler you get in your own way no help required. Just another guy who thinks he's knows it all and good for you. Keep it up, really impressive

God childish here and I fell into it with a dipsh*t, my bad. He's ignored.

 

[Milo65]

This thread has more drama and suspense than the game! I'm popping popcorn.

 

[mauconnfan]

This thread has more drama and suspense than the game! I'm popping popcorn.

Agree I apologize. Done should be about football, not DB's.

 

[ZooCougar]

Clearly we need to bring GDL back.

Didn't we actually have a good Oline coach at one point?

 

[whaler11]

whaler you get in your own way no help required. Just another guy who thinks he's knows it all and good for you. Keep it up, really impressive

God childish here and I fell into it with a dip , my bad. He's ignored.

LOL. Attacks me and doesn't see the irony.

Then calls people childish, more names and brags about ignore - only the most childish thing one can do on a message board - and somehow
misses that irony.

Stick to posting pictures of girls and being a corny superfan - attempting to analyze what you are seeing is not within your grasp.

 

[J187Money]

Shirreffs has good mobility, is tough as any QB we've had and appears to be a decent leader. That said, he'll never be compared to Aaron Rodgers. a Marshall DL Yes, I imagine there are some QB's who could be more effective with our offensive line in front of them but nobody on our roster fits that bill. I want to add that it was quite disappointing when Rutherford was blown up (by one of Marshall's DTs) early in the game but I am very confident that there are posters on this board who already believe that he and Peart can somehow step in next season as starting OT's and perform at a high level. It would be great if that could happen but realistically it will take some time for each of them and that it will take time is not an indictment on our coaching staff.

Rodgers is having a tough year also because his guys can't get open. Unless you want to blame McCarthy for not having an imaginative offense.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Here is why the offense is terrible (in this order):

1. Our OL is terrible
2. Our WR's have a hard time getting open
3. Our QB is not a great passer
4. Our staff doesn't put them in the best position to succeed

Big gap from 3 to 4.

 

[whaler11]

Here is why the offense is terrible (in this order):

1. Our OL is terrible
2. Our WR's have a hard time getting open
3. Our QB is not a great passer
4. Our staff doesn't put them in the best position to succeed

Big gap from 3 to 4.

The running backs are highly overrated too.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

The running backs are highly overrated too.

We've been spoiled over the years with RB's. They're not at the level we've seen here but you could run an effective offense with them. The OL is not Sun Belt worthy, never mind AAC.

 

[hardcorehusky]

The offensive scheme wasn't as vanilla as we all think. Lots of misdirection and reads off the ends. The issues are the offense could get a first down or 2 and then break down. The missed blocks are killer, but we have no game changers. The Marshall kid #19 was a game changer in the punt return (vs Nick Vitale) and receiving. Also, while Shireffs is a strong runner and leader- his inaccuracy shows in lack of YAC and even completions. We don't chunk yardage out often

 

[Alum86]

Sticking to topic, Whaler is correct.
This was an o line that contained many a matador.
We are what we are. Surprised we were in a position to win with 2 mins to go. Bobby P is our best player by far.