Need to Move From Checkers to Chess

[The Funster]

Roll Shirreffs out and let him pass or run. The play should get out of bounds to save clock. Mizzou is not going to let you get behind them so you have to manage the clock tightly.

 

[ctchamps]

Why do I think that if BD ran a play on fourth down to get a first down, or if he chose to go for the tie with a field goal, there would be threads just like this one criticizing him for not trying something else if that alternative play failed?

 

[RedStickHusky]

after reading hbcd's comments, it's a little encouraging to hear that the intent with the fake was to exploit a size advantage with bloom against the coverage. too much pressure on boyle to get a good throw though. don't know why you'd think that if you couldn't protect a kick you could protect a pass from the kicking formation but at least he had something in mind. if it's me, I line the offense up run a play to get the first and then take a few shots at the end zone from the 20. that was a play, where losing the game was a possibility but he didn't have to win it on that play. Not gonna harp on it though, because to quote a sage poster, we were playing with house money anyway. we played a ranked, sec team on the road and did not get curb stomped - it was a competitive game, ugly or otherwise. not really a bad outcome for us - if you think it was, go back and review your pre-season expectations thread comments.

 

[pnow15]

You guys are kind. I saw incompetence. Three games and three extra points blocked? A safety? A thirteen yard punt?
Tackling the reciever on a punt return before he catches the ball. Two key passes throw by an terrible backup over your starter and star.
A first and five on 31 and your quarterback walks around in a daze until someone jumps off side? The same dumb mistakes as last season.
When do they get corrected? Two kickers. One specializes in blocked extra points,the other in missed long field goals.
How many dumb personal fouls and unsportsmanship penalties? Hand the ball to the same guy for two yards every single first down?
A tight end who can't catch a simple button hook? This team plays dumb. This is about coaching. Or lack off.
Since Diaco isn't going to replace Tom Coughlin next year, Warde needs to sit down and have a heart to heart with Bob.
Bob has enthusiam and can recruit but clearly he is no Purcells. Warde needs to be sure Bob hires really smart coaches and lets them coach. He can administer the program. Fire or hire a special teams coach Monday morning. Send a message.
Does anyone here think Geno, Calhoun or Ollie would put up with all of these dumb plays? Did Calhoun pat guys on the butt for making a stupid penalty? Optimism is a good thing but the goal is to win. Nice guys finish last.

 

[Stainmaster]

You guys are kind. I saw incompetence. Three games and three extra points blocked? A safety? A thirteen yard punt?
Tackling the reciever on a punt return before he catches the ball. Two key passes throw by an terrible backup over your starter and star.
A first and five on 31 and your quarterback walks around in a daze until someone jumps off side? The same dumb mistakes as last season.
When do they get corrected? Two kickers. One specializes in blocked extra points,the other in missed long field goals.
How many dumb personal fouls and unsportsmanship penalties? Hand the ball to the same guy for two yards every single first down?
A tight end who can't catch a simple button hook? This team plays dumb. This is about coaching. Or lack off.
Since Diaco isn't going to replace Tom Coughlin next year, Warde needs to sit down and have a heart to heart with Bob.
Bob has enthusiam and can recruit but clearly he is no Purcells. Warde needs to be sure Bob hires really smart coaches and lets them coach. He can administer the program. Fire or hire a special teams coach Monday morning. Send a message.
Does anyone here think Geno, Calhoun or Ollie would put up with all of these dumb plays? Did Calhoun pat guys on the butt for making a stupid penalty? Optimism is a good thing but the goal is to win. Nice guys finish last.

Go back to the BB board.

 

[J187Money]

Go back to the BB board.

At least he watched. Which is better than most hoops fans.

 

[Srqhusky]

This is just one of the growing pains we have with a second year coach. I think this was his first and last three fake game

 

[BlueMAB]

If we hadn't run a fake until that point, it would have been a good call. But after two fakes, a blocked PAT, and a missed 49 yard attempt, you can't really think the defense wouldn't be ready for it.

I'm not going to kill Diaco for it because he is finally playing to win, but it was a dumb call. Trust Shirreffs and Thomas to pick up 5 yards. Run that same slant from the second quarter and tell him not to drop the ball this time.

 

[RedStickHusky]

Bottom line is you have to judge them in terms of where they're coming from and not where you want them to be.

 

[junglehusky]

Go back to the BB board.

He's right about one thing - Diaco is no Purcell.

 

[J187Money]

He's right about one thing - Diaco is no Purcell.

That's good. I don't know who Purcell is.

 

[cryjeremiah]

Whaler. With you 100pct. But at least we are at checkers now. And not tic tac toe.

In the PP-GDL days, I'm pretty sure it was All Bingo, All The Time.

 

[RedStickHusky]

In the PP-GDL days, I'm pretty sure it was All Bingo, All The Time.

I was thinking 'go fish' but bingo works...

 

[Kgun7]

If we hadn't run a fake until that point, it would have been a good call. But after two fakes, a blocked PAT, and a missed 49 yard attempt, you can't really think the defense wouldn't be ready for it.

I'm not going to kill Diaco for it because he is finally playing to win, but it was a dumb call. Trust Shirreffs and Thomas to pick up 5 yards. Run that same slant from the second quarter and tell him not to drop the ball this time.

I agree with this 99% ... the best odds were Shirreffs and Thomas (I personally would have let Tarbutt try again with the wind at his back). But to be fair, Sherriffs earlier pass was behind Thomas and had no chance of being caught where it was thrown.

 

[Waquoit]

Go back to the BB board.

I thought I had that clown on Ignore. Just blatant dooshbaggery.

 

[Palatine]

Wasn't Verducci brought in to be the adult in the room in these situations? He is a long term OC. He has been through this many times.

Clearly the OC did not call either of the fake FGs. The question is whether Verducci was informed of Diaco's intend to do so or not? Was Verducci was alerted to the fact that Diaco would not kick from beyond the 40 yards? Did that change Verducci's play calling?

Diaco gives the impression of a man still figuring these things out. This was one of the problems with his philosophy last year. He wasted a year of on the job training. This is his first taste of the pressure cooker where he is trying everything to win. I don't know if he listened to Verducci or not? I think he should lean on him heavily.

 

[Waquoit]

At least he watched. Which is better than most hoops fans.

Oh, please.

 

[J187Money]

Oh, please.

You are going to deny that there are a TON of UCONN hoops fans that don't care about the football program? Clearly I don't mean all hoops fans.

 

[Husky25]

I was thinking 'go fish' but bingo works...

More like Olde Maid.

 

[partyATkemba]

Wasn't Verducci brought in to be the adult in the room in these situations? He is a long term OC. He has been through this many times.

Clearly the OC did not call either of the fake FGs. The question is whether Verducci was informed of Diaco's intend to do so or not? Was Verducci was alerted to the fact that Diaco would not kick from beyond the 40 yards? Did that change Verducci's play calling?

Diaco gives the impression of a man still figuring these things out. This was one of the problems with his philosophy last year. He wasted a year of on the job training. This is his first taste of the pressure cooker where he is trying everything to win. I don't know if he listened to Verducci or not? I think he should lean on him heavily.

No one knows what's going on behind the scenes with the play calling and ultimate decision making on offense. I can tell you from the heart of a JETS fan that you definitely want your head coach to take ownership of those decisions (regardless of the experience of the OC). I hated when Rex just left his defensive headset on and just took a hands off approach.

As part of the actual decision- I keep going back and forth with it. A few notes:
1) We were going for the win. College overtime favors Mizzou so much because of our kicking game, or lack thereof.
2) Forget the clock management aspect. It's better to take your time to make a decision then rush things, that's when mistakes are made. Diaco wanted to make sure that was seemingly the last drive of the game.
3) You don't want the game in the hands of Boyle, but again I love playing for the win- just wished they marched the offense on the field.
4) The actual play - I think it was open AGAIN- have to put a little air under the ball and give the receiver a chance to make a play. Also, no need for play action there- take your drop and set your feet.
5) This is subtle but I love the fact that Diaco took ownership and blamed the interior line for his lack of confidence in the kicking game rather than Puyol himself. This will go a long way.

 

[BugsyCT]

The lack of interest in the welfare of the UConn football program by many of the hoops fans is a little staggering considering football is the reason that the hoops teams are no longer playing Syracuse and Louisville yearly and now playing teams like Tulane and ECU.

You'd think at some point they'd catch on and football would start to matter to them.

 

[huskymedic]

He is a long term OC.He has been through this many times.

?? Huh??

I'm sure this will send you off on another direction but this is FV's first OC job.

 

[Husky25]

Wasn't Verducci brought in to be the adult in the room in these situations? He is a long term OC. He has been through this many times.

Clearly the OC did not call either of the fake FGs. The question is whether Verducci was informed of Diaco's intend to do so or not? Was Verducci was alerted to the fact that Diaco would not kick from beyond the 40 yards? Did that change Verducci's play calling?

Diaco gives the impression of a man still figuring these things out. This was one of the problems with his philosophy last year. He wasted a year of on the job training. This is his first taste of the pressure cooker where he is trying everything to win. I don't know if he listened to Verducci or not? I think he should lean on him heavily.

Yes. 2-1 and the one loss was by 3 to the #22 team in the country. A year of on the job training was clearly wasted.

I almost expected the blocked punt for a safety. Mizzou was coming hard on every kick and Wain didn't have the full yardage cushion. Did anyone notice that Mizzou no longer tried for the blocked kick once Wain rushed for the first down? Good adjustment by the coaching staff there, but God forbid fans give the staff any credit.

Personally, I would have gone for the tie at the end of the game and I would have had Tarbutt do it. He certainly has the leg from 42 and it was from the middle of the field, not a hash. The 49 yard miss was from the left hash and short to the left, which means it was straight as an arrow. If Tarbutt hits that true, the game goes to OT. I liked UConn's chances because the defense seemed to tighten up on a short field.

As I indicated earlier, I think Puyol's days as the place kicker are numbered. Extra points should not be line drives. The ball only travels 20 yards in the air for crying out loud.

 

[Husky25]

No one knows what's going on behind the scenes with the play calling and ultimate decision making on offense. I can tell you from the heart of a JETS fan that you definitely want your head coach to take ownership of those decisions (regardless of the experience of the OC). I hated when Rex just left his defensive headset on and just took a hands off approach.

As part of the actual decision- I keep going back and forth with it. A few notes:
1) We were going for the win. College overtime favors Mizzou so much because of our kicking game, or lack thereof.
2) Forget the clock management aspect. It's better to take your time to make a decision then rush things, that's when mistakes are made. Diaco wanted to make sure that was seemingly the last drive of the game.
3) You don't want the game in the hands of Boyle, but again I love playing for the win- just wished they marched the offense on the field.
4) The actual play - I think it was open AGAIN- have to put a little air under the ball and give the receiver a chance to make a play. Also, no need for play action there- take your drop and set your feet.
5) This is subtle but I love the fact that Diaco took ownership and blamed the interior line for his lack of confidence in the kicking game rather than Puyol himself. This will go a long way.

I think fans who complain about clock management every game play too much Madden. It's not easy and rare is the coach that does it consistently well. Football fans in the northeast are spoiled because coaches of the pro teams in the region include Belichick and Coughlin. On the other hand, the Giants' attempt at clock management backfired last week vs. the Cowboys and the Patriots left far too much time on the clock after their final score in each of the last three Super Bowls.

That said, there are far more Andy Reids in the NFL and High Level College football, than there are Bill Belichicks.

 

[Kgun7]

Yes. 2-1 and the one loss was by 3 to the #22 team in the country. A year of on the job training was clearly wasted.

I almost expected the blocked punt for a safety. Mizzou was coming hard on every kick and Wain didn't have the full yardage cushion. Did anyone notice that Mizzou no longer tried for the blocked kick once Wain rushed for the first down? Good adjustment by the coaching staff there, but God forbid fans give the staff any credit.

Personally, I would have gone for the tie at the end of the game and I would have had Tarbutt do it. He certainly has the leg from 42 and it was from the middle of the field, not a hash. The 49 yard miss was from the left hash and short to the left, which means it was straight as an arrow. If Tarbutt hits that true, the game goes to OT. I liked UConn's chances because the defense seemed to tighten up on a short field.

As I indicated earlier, I think Puyol's days as the place kicker are numbered. Extra points should not be line drives. The ball only travels 20 yards in the air for crying out loud.

3 great points on which I 100% agree!

#1 - Great adjustment by the coaching staff. If you notice the fake punt was not 100%. It looked as if Wain and Hashemi were reading the punt block attempt. If they don't crash the middle Wain punts that ball.

#2 - Tarbutt from 42 with the wind at his back was not a bad option. The interior line may have some personnel issues, but that is not the main reason for the missed extra points.

#3 - Puyol's kicks are coming out low. There has got to be a good camera angle somewhere of this.