Official NLI thread

[Husky25]

Is the pistol a gimmick too? We all hate the wildcat because it has been so dreadfully awful in its design and execution at UConn. But if you can have a QB that can threaten the edge with his legs but is a talented passer he makes that CB or DE or safety have to make a choice between defending the run or defending the pass, and that is a great arrow in your quiver.

Ummm...No.

The Pistol is a variant of the shotgun, but but QB still receieves the ball. The Wildcat is gimmicky because a non-QB player receieves the initial snap and it is meant to deceive. UConn did not run the Wildcat in the truest sense of the term. Thay had a package of plays designed for the back up QB. Most of the time, McCummings was annouced (no deception) ands they were designed runs (no choice b/t run or pass).

Plays in the Pistol package are those that are some of the olded in organized football (Veer, i.e. read option). A formation that old is the exact opposite of a gimmick.

 

[RMS25CT]

Ummm...No.

The Pistol is a variant of the shotgun, but but QB still receieves the ball. The Wildcat is gimmicky because a non-QB player receieves the initial snap and it is meant to deceive. UConn did not run the Wildcat in the truest sense of the term. Thay had a package of plays designed for the back up QB. Most of the time, McCummings was annouced (no deception) ands they were designed runs (no choice b/t run or pass).

Plays in the Pistol package are those that are some of the olded in organized football (Veer, i.e. read option). A formation that old is the exact opposite of a gimmick.

It's a designed run with mccummings because he can't throw the ball. I agree that a wildcat with a RB lined up as QB is gimmicky. But a QB who can throw lined up like that, even if he is only in there for a package of plays is a good weapon. It's. It uconn's fault the stupid PAgut announces mccummings. It's stupid that they haven't addressed it with him and told him to stop.

 

[Dann]

burn the wildcat or i burn gdls house down(wallpaper u get it? im so funny...)

 

[Husky25]

It's a designed run with mccummings because he can't throw the ball. I agree that a wildcat with a RB lined up as QB is gimmicky. But a QB who can throw lined up like that, even if he is only in there for a package of plays is a good weapon. It's. It uconn's fault the stupid PAgut announces mccummings. It's stupid that they haven't addressed it with him and told him to stop.

1. IF McCummings can't throw then QB shouldn't be his primary position.

2. A QB (backup or otherwise) lined up in the typical QB position and taking the snap does not a Wildcat formation make. By definition, the Wildcat involves non-QB personnel handling the direct snap. It is gimmicky, because it relies on deception over any discernable football skill. The starting QB is often in the huddle and on the field for the Wildcat formation. Otherwise where's the deception? Blame the PA guy all you want, but as soon as #11 crossed the sideline, all 35,000 people in the stadium were reasonably sure of the next play.

ht_tp://football.about.com/od/offensivestrategy/a/Wildcat_Offense.htm
The Wildcat offense is a formation often used to capitalize on mismatches created by the shifting of skill players. In the Wildcat formation, which is basically a version of the single-wing offense, the quarterback is generally replaced in the backfield by a running back who takes a direct snap from the center.

From Wikipedia...
...the distinguishing factors of Wildcat are a direct snap to the running back and an unbalanced offensive line...

...The virtue of having a running back take the snap in the wildcat formation is that the rushing play is 11-on-11, although different variations have the running back hand off or throw the football.[citation needed] In a standard football formation, when the quarterback stands watching, the offense operates 10-on-11 basis. The motion also presents the defense with an immediate threat to the outside that it must respect no matter what the offense decides to do with the football.

From ht_tp://www.obnug.com/2011/11/21/2578202/boise-state-playbook-understanding-the-wildcat-formation

Elements of the Wildcat
When a team runs the Wildcat, there are essentially three elements involved in the formation and the play style that make it a true Wildcat play. Without these elements, you are not looking at the Wildcat. You are probably looking at the shotgun or listening to the WAC Sports Network.

Element No. 1: A skill position player taking the shotgun snap
This is the most widely known element of the Wildcat, and it's what gets people yelling "Wildcat" every time they see someone in the backfield who shouldn't be there. Having a running threat taking the direct snap creates an additional player for the defense to account for in the run game...Often you will see the quarterback split out wide as a receiver. The offense chooses to split out the QB rather than sub him for a runner or blocker because it prevents the defense from figuring out that the Wildcat is coming and substituting appropriately.

 

[ctchamps]

IN other words UConn ran the cat!

 

[Dann]

IN other words UConn ran the cat!

that would be a knock on all those 10 out of 10 cheerleaders we have

 

[ctchamps]

that would be a knock on all those 10 out of 10 cheerleaders we have

No mention of impregnation on my part!

 

[RMS25CT]

1. IF McCummings can't throw then QB shouldn't be his primary position.

2. A QB (backup or otherwise) lined up in the typical QB position and taking the snap does not a Wildcat formation make. By definition, the Wildcat involves non-QB personnel handling the direct snap. It is gimmicky, because it relies on deception over any discernable football skill. The starting QB is often in the huddle and on the field for the Wildcat formation. Otherwise where's the deception? Blame the PA guy all you want, but as soon as #11 crossed the sideline, all 35,000 people in the stadium were reasonably sure of the next play.

ht_tp://football.about.com/od/offensivestrategy/a/Wildcat_Offense.htm
The Wildcat offense is a formation often used to capitalize on mismatches created by the shifting of skill players. In the Wildcat formation, which is basically a version of the single-wing offense, the quarterback is generally replaced in the backfield by a running back who takes a direct snap from the center.

From Wikipedia...
...the distinguishing factors of Wildcat are a direct snap to the running back and an unbalanced offensive line...

...The virtue of having a running back take the snap in the wildcat formation is that the rushing play is 11-on-11, although different variations have the running back hand off or throw the football.[citation needed] In a standard football formation, when the quarterback stands watching, the offense operates 10-on-11 basis. The motion also presents the defense with an immediate threat to the outside that it must respect no matter what the offense decides to do with the football.

From ht_tp://www.obnug.com/2011/11/21/2578202/boise-state-playbook-understanding-the-wildcat-formation

Elements of the Wildcat
When a team runs the Wildcat, there are essentially three elements involved in the formation and the play style that make it a true Wildcat play. Without these elements, you are not looking at the Wildcat. You are probably looking at the shotgun or listening to the WAC Sports Network.

Element No. 1: A skill position player taking the shotgun snap
This is the most widely known element of the Wildcat, and it's what gets people yelling "Wildcat" every time they see someone in the backfield who shouldn't be there. Having a running threat taking the direct snap creates an additional player for the defense to account for in the run game...Often you will see the quarterback split out wide as a receiver. The offense chooses to split out the QB rather than sub him for a runner or blocker because it prevents the defense from figuring out that the Wildcat is coming and substituting appropriately.

1. No .

2. So given that mccummings is listed as a QB I guess UConn technically didn't run the wildcat. So you, me, and many others have been b!tching about the wildcat when technically they haven't been running it given they were using a backup QB to run it. I guess that's the same with the Jets and Tebow.

I guarantee you mccummings package of plays would be far more successful if he could throw the ball within 5 feet of his target reasonably consistently.

 

[Srqhusky]

Wildcat equals opponent blitz

 

[Husky25]

1. No .

2. So given that mccummings is listed as a QB I guess UConn technically didn't run the wildcat. So you, me, and many others have been b!tching about the wildcat when technically they haven't been running it given they were using a backup QB to run it. I guess that's the same with the Jets and Tebow.

I guarantee you mccummings package of plays would be far more successful if he could throw the ball within 5 feet of his target reasonably consistently.

I never b1tched about UConn's Wildcat because the Huskies don't run it.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Holy crap - wikipedia sourcing info on the 'wildcat'. I've grown to frucking hate that term BTW, and to source wikipedia on it? No.

A QB that can be a threat to tuck the ball and run in addition to having the ability to advance the ball regularly through the air, as the throwing component of the whole throw and catch process, is a valueable weapon and can give you lots of options with play calling design on offense.

That is completely independant of the offensive play calling system you choose to use, as a base offense, or a specific offense game plan, etc. Having a QB like that, can make your offense quite versatile, and flexible - with enough practice time, if you choose to incorporate the option into the offense.

Otherwise, it's a simply a HUGE benefit to have a QB that can move his feet, and keep a pass play alive for that extra second, or see a wide open space on the field, and run to daylight out of a broken pass play.

A play calling system, regardless of the type offensive formation, that specifically calls for a QB (or a different backfield player) to get possession of the ball, and then to make a decision, during the live ball, to either run or pass (lateral pitch, or forward pass) to advance the ball, is essentially the definition of "option" offense. The defense, and specific defenders are going to be forced to make decisions to either defend run or pass against such an offense, and to choose players to defend, with or without the ball, and that will give the offense a natural advantage, especially when the defense guesses wrong.

To run an option offense, it helps to have at least one player in the backfield that is good at both running, and passing.

Whether or not the McCummings offensive package was an option offense, or not, is up for debate. I think that over two years, they tried to make it true option system, but foudn that thy couldn't, and defenses evolved to follow suit. Hopefully, with the new OC and DC to evaluate things, the thing will have run it's course to the end. My concern all along, is that it's a lot of practice time during the week, to run different offensive systems during a game, and college isn't the NFL, when it comes to practice time and focus on football.

I"m curious to see what Weist decides to do with Mccummings, he's too valueable, I think, to keep off the field. A dedicated runner at his size, and speed, with the vision he's demonstrated in the past and ability run over people out of the offensive system in the past two years though? Put a guy like Mccummings behind a guy like Clax at fullback? that's a division 1 backfield.

Interesting option going forward, no pun intended.

 

[Husky25]

Holy crap - wikipedia sourcing info on the 'wildcat'. I've grown to frucking hate that term BTW, and to source wikipedia on it? No.

A QB that can be a threat to tuck the ball and run in addition to having the ability to advance the ball regularly through the air, as the throwing component of the whole throw and catch process, is a valueable weapon and can give you lots of options with play calling design on offense.

That is completely independant of the offensive play calling system you choose to use, as a base offense, or a specific offense game plan, etc. Having a QB like that, can make your offense quite versatile, and flexible - with enough practice time, if you choose to incorporate the option into the offense.

Otherwise, it's a simply a HUGE benefit to have a QB that can move his feet, and keep a pass play alive for that extra second, or see a wide open space on the field, and run to daylight out of a broken pass play.

A play calling system, regardless of the type offensive formation, that specifically calls for a QB (or a different backfield player) to get possession of the ball, and then to make a decision, during the live ball, to either run or pass (lateral pitch, or forward pass) to advance the ball, is essentially the definition of "option" offense. The defense, and specific defenders are going to be forced to make decisions to either defend run or pass against such an offense, and to choose players to defend, with or without the ball, and that will give the offense a natural advantage, especially when the defense guesses wrong.

To run an option offense, it helps to have at least one player in the backfield that is good at both running, and passing.

Whether or not the McCummings offensive package was an option offense, or not, is up for debate. I think that over two years, they tried to make it true option system, but foudn that thy couldn't, and defenses evolved to follow suit. Hopefully, with the new OC and DC to evaluate things, the thing will have run it's course to the end. My concern all along, is that it's a lot of practice time during the week, to run different offensive systems during a game, and college isn't the NFL, when it comes to practice time and focus on football.

I"m curious to see what Weist decides to do with Mccummings, he's too valueable, I think, to keep off the field. A dedicated runner at his size, and speed, with the vision he's demonstrated in the past and ability run over people out of the offensive system in the past two years though? Put a guy like Mccummings behind a guy like Clax at fullback? that's a division 1 backfield.

Interesting option going forward, no pun intended.

Love how you only mention Wikipedia. I also reference two other sources. You're smarter than that Carl...then again your alter ego thinks he can hit a 300yd 8-Iron.

The other 700 words you write do not in anyway conflict with my notions. UConn does not run a Wildcat, but an alternative QB package by which the ball can be avanced is immensely valuable. See: Texas A&M. They have a QB other than Johnny Football (His name escapes me at the moment) who sometimes comes in on GL and SY situations. The difference between the "Back up QB" package run by UConn and that run by some other schools is that (1) Coach DeLeone grossly ill-timed its use and (2) they hardly ever passed out of it for whatever reason.

Incidently, I would love if UConn incorporated a read option facet into the offense.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Everytime I see wikipedia - i pretty much immediately shut down on any info thereafter. My apologies. Wikipedia is pretty much garbage info, IMNSHO. THe only thing that's really of any value, is any of the links that are actually cited. It's a useful place to start an info search, quickly.

Numbers of words are not hard for me to reach btw. Never been an issue. If you made it through them, hey - cool.

THe only thing I would either disagree/change/or add to what you wrote, is that I really think that over the course of two season, they tried to make the McCummings package a true option system initially, but found that they could not, and it developed into exactly what you say. I also add, that defenses evolved right along with it. The play at the goal line against Rutgers, when we were goign in for a score, and how it was defended by Rutgers, and then McCummings overthrew it, still makes me want to kick Deleone in the knees. Got to play to your strengths on offense, and play to take away an offense's strengths on defense. You don't intentionally go to your weaknesses on offense, especially in clutch situations where you absolutely have to advance the ball.

 

[Bill Sussman]

Everytime I see wikipedia - i pretty much immediately shut down on any info thereafter. My apologies. Wikipedia is pretty much garbage info, IMNSHO. THe only thing that's really of any value, is any of the links that are actually cited. It's a useful place to start an info search, quickly.

Numbers of words are not hard for me to reach btw. Never been an issue. If you made it through them, hey - cool.

THe only thing I would either disagree/change/or add to what you wrote, is that I really think that over the course of two season, they tried to make the McCummings package a true option system initially, but found that they could not, and it developed into exactly what you say. I also add, that defenses evolved right along with it. The play at the goal line against Rutgers, when we were goign in for a score, and how it was defended by Rutgers, and then McCummings overthrew it, still makes me want to kick Deleone in the knees. Got to play to your strengths on offense, and play to take away an offense's strengths on defense. You don't intentionally go to your weaknesses on offense, especially in clutch situations where you absolutely have to advance the ball.

http://news.cnet.com/2100-1038_3-5997332.html

 

[Carl Spackler]

http://news.cnet.com/2100-1038_3-5997332.html

Interesting. Is it possible that wikipedia has hit some kind of critical mass? Sure. I'd rather not rely on it, myself, as a credible resource for info.

It's a major issue in education these days - the deeper subject, the common denominator - the ability to process information, and assign a value to it.

I've said this many times, it's not just the ability to read adn write anymore, people that can process information, and can assign value to information as to it's credibility, are going to be very valueable in the near future, in every single type of field.

One of the single most important things that there can be right now, is to identify multiple independant sources to establish credibility on any subject.

It's far too easy, for a single source of information (the validity of the information is irrelevant)....but it's far too easy in this day and age for a single source of information, to become exponentially, cited, and re-cited, again and again, to the point, where it seems, to the literate people, that are not trained, or educated well enough in information processing, that there are multiple sources verifying something, but there aren't.

It happens almost instantaneously in the online information age. Almost anything can become truth for the vast majority of people that encounter a piece of information, if enough people are posting, tweeting, facebooking, and blogging about it, and they are all referencing the same thing.

It's a big problem, in education. You can't be satisfied with simple literacy anymore, literacy comes with more responsiblity these days. Because, unfortunately, this is all occuring in technology and the volume of information available to our feeble brains, at the same time, that journalism itself, is changing dramatically.

What info are you going to trust? How do you decide? Those are the first questions that must be asked, answered, after you are able to say yes...to "Can you read and write?" It's got to start right there, in kindergarten.

That's what I think.

 

[sportsart]

I never b1tched about UConn's Wildcat because the Huskies don't run it.

I think you are almost ready to be a moderator. Your ability to sidestep semantics where most of the football world looks at what McCummings runs as a wildcat offense is proof you are a football guru.

We, as a group, are very proud of you.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

Interesting. Is it possible that wikipedia has hit some kind of critical mass? Sure. I'd rather not rely on it, myself, as a credible resource for info.

You can't use Wikipedia as a credible source for a research paper or an academic journal, but it beats the heck out of "Whatever Carl thinks."

 

[Carl Spackler]

You can't use Wikipedia as a credible source for a research paper or an academic journal, but it beats the heck out of "Whatever Carl thinks." [/quote


LIke me or not, I can stimulate people in so very many ways. I'm just using a keyboard here.

 

[Husky25]

I think you are almost ready to be a moderator. Your ability to sidestep semantics where most of the football world looks at what McCummings runs as a wildcat offense is proof you are a football guru.

We, as a group, are very proud of you.

Thanks . As HFD would tell you, its about understanding the little things.

New day, new topic. What do you want to learn about today?

 

[RMoore1999]

It's already played itself out. The fans will babble about this for years - the staff has already moved on.

It's an odd position to be in for me to defend P - but when you try to pass the blame to the coaching staff when you've come up with the lamest stalling technique possible, I can't sit back and read nonsense that talks about unethical backroom dealings from the coach.

Looks like it hadn't played itself out afterall. Fans will be babbling about the idiocy of you battling a recruit's father over his recruitment on a message board.

 

[Adios]

Looks like it hadn't played itself out afterall. Fans will be babbling about the idiocy of you battling a recruit's father over his recruitment on a message board.

Let it go.

 

[whaler11]

Looks like it hadn't played itself out afterall. Fans will be babbling about the idiocy of you battling a recruit's father over his recruitment on a message board.

Oh good you again. Asking questions when someone is contradicting themselves is not battling. No one forced him to take his recruitment public or reply to anyone about anything.

I'm glad he's coming. I don't have any problem with the player or father - I wish him luck and hope he wins like crazy here.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Looks like it hadn't played itself out afterall. Fans will be babbling about the idiocy of you battling a recruit's father over his recruitment on a message board.

This is ridiculous. It's a crazy thing for me to be in a position to defend whaler - but whaler getting raked over coals, on calling BS on everything, is not deserved.

When you're a division 1 college football recruit, and you've got an official NLI in your hands to a BCS school, the parties required to sign it, either sign it and end recruiting for the year, or it's not signed and recruiting is kept open.

Any other reason for not signing it, other than complete physical and mental incapacitation, is inconsequential. I believe 100% that the kid was home with flu, no reason not to believe it. It's no reason to postpone signing the NLI.

Holy , I hope people have learned something around here, but apparently not.

The fact that so many people were unable to see through the postings on an anonymous message board, the tweets ands and such, even without knowing the postings that had been up in the week prior to signing day? Well - it's kind of embarrassing for our fan base.

No one has done anything wrong, on either side of the recruitment of this player.

I personally, think it would have been pretty funny, if a certain poster had actually written "the dog chewed the NLI up, so we'll have to do another one tomorrow."

Because that's basically the equivalent of what happened,and in that case, it would have been a pretty good learning experience for all the idiot fans that actually believed the excuse, and jumped on the bandwagon.

I think there are so many better ways, that all this could have been handled, and some of us tried, for days, to steer the entire thing in different directions.

If the letter comes back signed, you can be sure that all that were required to sign the NLI, have actually weighed their options, had their discussions, and come to a decision, about what's best for the player, and that's a good thing for everybody.

UCONN will be better off with better competition on the roster up and down the depth chart, and there's no doubt that the education provided at UCONN, can provide all kinds of great opportunities.

When the letter comes back signed, I'll be very excited, because all I've wanted to do, is watch this kid's footwork when he's got the ball for a couple of weeks now. It may be pretty harsh, to some of the real bleeders around here, but I'm really not interested in anything else but what the kid can do on the field.

 

[YearoftheHusky]

This is ridiculous. It's a crazy thing for me to be in a position to defend whaler - but whaler getting raked over coals, on calling BS on everything, is not deserved.

When you're a division 1 college football recruit, and you've got an official NLI in your hands to a BCS school, the parties required to sign it, either sign it and end recruiting for the year, or it's not signed and recruiting is kept open.

Any other reason for not signing it, other than complete physical and mental incapacitation, is inconsequential. I believe 100% that the kid was home with flu, no reason not to believe it. It's no reason to postpone signing the NLI.

Holy , I hope people have learned something around here, but apparently not.

The fact that so many people were unable to see through the postings on an anonymous message board, the tweets ands and such, even without knowing the postings that had been up in the week prior to signing day? Well - it's kind of embarrassing for our fan base.

No one has done anything wrong, on either side of the recruitment of this player.

I personally, think it would have been pretty funny, if a certain poster had actually written "the dog chewed the NLI up, so we'll have to do another one tomorrow."

Because that's basically the equivalent of what happened,and in that case, it would have been a pretty good learning experience for all the idiot fans that actually believed the excuse, and jumped on the bandwagon.

I think there are so many better ways, that all this could have been handled, and some of us tried, for days, to steer the entire thing in different directions.

If the letter comes back signed, you can be sure that all that were required to sign the NLI, have actually weighed their options, had their discussions, and come to a decision, about what's best for the player, and that's a good thing for everybody.

UCONN will be better off with better competition on the roster up and down the depth chart, and there's no doubt that the education provided at UCONN, can provide all kinds of great opportunities.

When the letter comes back signed, I'll be very excited, because all I've wanted to do, is watch this kid's footwork when he's got the ball for a couple of weeks now. It may be pretty harsh, to some of the real bleeders around here, but I'm really not interested in anything else but what the kid can do on the field.

All I got out of this is that we can post without it being blocked.

 

[Carl Spackler]

All I got out of this is that we can post without it being blocked.

Shut up Beavis.

 

[RMoore1999]

Oh good you again. Asking questions when someone is contradicting themselves is not battling. No one forced him to take his recruitment public or reply to anyone about anything.

I'm glad he's coming. I don't have any problem with the player or father - I wish him luck and hope he wins like crazy here.

Obviously his posts contained some contradictions; shocking that might occur when a father is trying to promote his own kid. But I know you recognize that's not that point.

There was no upside in calling the guy out, especially while his supposed stud-kid QB was obviously still considering Connecticut, that's all.

Your complete and arrogant misreading of the end result of his recruitment, was entertaining though, I'll give you that.

 

[whaler11]

Obviously his posts contained some contradictions; shocking that might occur when a father is trying to promote his own kid. But I know you recognize that's not that point.

There was no upside in calling the guy out, especially while his supposed stud-kid QB was obviously still considering Connecticut, that's all.

Your complete and arrogant misreading of the end result of his recruitment, was entertaining though, I'll give you that.

Like so many here I can admit when I'm wrong. I didn't think he was coming.

I won't get into the rest of it other than it puzzles me why the rules are different for player's parents than anyone else.

 

[BlueMAB]

Is it time for Spring Practice yet?

Welcome Richard.

I believe the future is bright at QB no matter who wins the job.

 

[EricCantona]

It puzzles you why die hard husky fans could be upset that you weren't being friendly to the father of a recruit who plays a position that UConn has been unable to fill with High D1 talent since Orlovsky? You're correct that people can take message boards too seriously, but it was completely unnecessary to say what you did to him on the most important recruiting day of the year. From someone who doesn't post it was frustrating the hell out of me. Regardless, I'm thrilled Lagow will be attending THE University of Connecticut.

 

[Srqhusky]

It puzzles you why die hard husky fans could be upset that you weren't being friendly to the father of a recruit who plays a position that UConn has been unable to fill with High D1 talent since Orlovsky? You're correct that people can take message boards too seriously, but it was completely unnecessary to say what you did to him on the most important recruiting day of the year. From someone who doesn't post it was frustrating the hell out of me. Regardless, I'm thrilled Lagow will be attending THE University of Connecticut.

I think lagows father enjoyed being challenged by the board. He continued with it for a reason. He seemed more frustrated with not being able to talk with the coaching staff due to rules. kyle seemed genuinely interested in the board and lagow and hopefully we can move on from this and welcome his posts here. Many great relationships I am sure many of us had started rocky.