UConn Tries To Shake Slow Starts (J. Jacobs)

[huskymedic]

Similar in content to what @UConn07 wrote the other day.

Good read on Verducci (worth the click/back door route in if needed).

UConn Tries To Shake Slow Starts

>>Look, media and fans want to be two things. They want to be baseball general managers so they can make all sorts of sexy trades. They want to be football offensive coordinators so they can call all sorts of sexy plays.

As UConn fans piece together the plays they don’t like, remember it can go beyond the play called. Especially with Shirreffs, who constantly is deciding when to throw and when to pull it in and run … especially with an offensive line that has not played nearly as well as expected. There were 11 plays for losses against Virginia. Shirreffs was sacked four times. Of the 53 total runs by Shirreffs, how many of them were called? “Twelve to 18,” Verducci said. “Some are run-pass options, but in general we’ve worked to calm things down in the pocket so that Bryant can get an opportunity and stay with the opportunity to throw the ball down the field.”<<

>>Verducci made it clear the paint brush is in his hand. “I call every play,” he said. “I own every play.”
Right down to the final ticks against Navy? “Every play.”<<

>>It’s not like every quarterback processes everything the same,” Verducci said. “Every Friday night we sit down with the quarterbacks and discuss their individual likes and dislikes. “I’m keenly aware of the plays the quarterbacks like. If it jibes at all, if it’s close to what we’re thinking as an offensive staff, it raises its stock in the priority of getting called. It works just the opposite, too. There are plays I may really be in love with and for whatever reason, he’s not comfortable with it, we strike it from the game plan. We’ll either coach it more or put it aside.”<<

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Gee, they need to execute plays better. Insightful analysis and accounting for what you need to do to improve the offense.

 

[uconndogs]

To my untrained eye - I think all the opponents stacked the LOS to start games knowing UCONN will be run oriented. It's essentially run blitzes and they have been able to get to the QB if it is a pass or QB run option. I think we have to try to get the defenses off balance early as we simply don't have the horses up front to establish the running game against a stacked LOS. In fairness, most teams don't.

Oddly, I think the defense has started games slowly as well.

Diaco may have these kids just a bit too tight going into games.

 

[gopher2]

Some of his statements are as curious as Diaco's. He says he doesn't know why the offense starts so slow but that he is "addressing" it. How can you address a problem you can't identify?

 

[CTMike]

I think those are the best explanations we've gotten to date. I've been critical of our approach but I'm willing to cut FV some slack... for the moment.

Look, the coaches aren't going to just throw the line under the bus. I wouldn't want them to. But when you stand back and take everything in... our offensive success directly correlates to our ability to block or not. They are bigger/stronger than ever... and still struggling for more or less the 5th year in a row. Continually hoping that this is the week that it "clicks" and they "gel"... is frustrating. I'm really not sure what the answer is.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I think those are the best explanations we've gotten to date. I've been critical of our approach but I'm willing to cut FV some slack... for the moment.

Look, the coaches aren't going to just throw the line under the bus. I wouldn't want them to. But when you stand back and take everything in... our offensive success directly correlates to our ability to block or not. They are bigger/stronger than ever... and still struggling for more or less the 5th year in a row. Continually hoping that this is the week that it "clicks" and they "gel"... is frustrating. I'm really not sure what the answer is.

I agree, It's obvious that Verducci sees exactly what we see. A team that can't get the ball downfield, and can't run because the defense is stacked against it. Put them in a two minute offense late in the game and they seem to move the ball just fine. The OL has been a problem, and as much as I like the kid, Bryant has been a problem. He strikes me as someone who strives to live up to Diaco's principles, but who takes it too far. The result is that to start games he's exceedingly risk averse. Later, when he has no choice but to make those throws, he does. It's clear to me from the article that Verducci sees this and simply isn't going to throw his QB under the bus.

I think you can expect Bryant to throw those passes early, the Cuse D to soften, and our RB to actually get some yards. We are about to break out.

 

[huskymedic]

There is an interesting series/read on TOS (UConnReport.com) by former OL Dalton Gifford where he breaks down the O-line performance after each week. I'm not sure if its's a premium article or not but worth a read.

 

[SubbaBub]

When it comes to the line there isn't much difference between a D+ and a C-. Last year they improved from an F to a D. Or in other words, from a complete disaster and embarrassment to a legitimate unit.

This year they are better but still not good. The year still has some run and hopefully they can reach the non-liability phase. I think we'll need more turnover of personnel before we can expect full competency or dominance.

For now, I'll take fewer mistakes and a willingness to keep fighting as the measure of success.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I'm calling BS on the comment about fans being blinded by glitter and glam and wanting sexy plays.

UConn football fans are fans of UConn Bball and know what solid, fundamental championship at looks like.

We're fans of Giants and Pats and know what fundamental championship NFL football looks like.

We're fans of Sawx and Yanks and know what championship MLB play looks like.

In fact a large part of GM's acquiring high level talent in these cities is based on getting players who can handle licker room expectations and can handle media/fan scrutiny to play at that level.

Very few fans are clamoring for Oregon video game football.

We want to see linemen acting as a unit putting helmet on helmet. We want offensive pmays called that are above Pop Warner in complexity and we want sound, fundamental defense that wraps ayers up and doesn't get beat due players not knowing where to be.

 

[Stinger92860]

In fact a large part of GM's acquiring high level talent in these cities is based on getting players who can handle licker room expectations and can handle media/fan scrutiny to play at that level.

I'm calling BS on this. Only Louisville has a licker room.

 

[Chief00]

Frank basically confirms what I have been saying about our QB.

 

[JMick]

Frank basically confirms what I have been saying about our QB.

Well he's the best we got, so maybe we should be putting him in different situations to succeed. From what OCFV has said, it seems like he's trying, but it doesn't really translate to the field.

 

[huskymedic]

Well he's the best we got, so maybe we should be putting him in different situations to succeed. From what OCFV has said, it seems like he's trying, but it doesn't really translate to the field.

It sounds like they are trying as well (unless you meant OCFV when referring to "he" above):

>>Coach Bob Diaco pointed this out a few weeks ago and it is a good point. Every quarterback has his own likes and dislikes, his own comforts and discomforts, as he runs through his progressions on a play. “It’s not like every quarterback processes everything the same,” Verducci said. “Every Friday night we sit down with the quarterbacks and discuss their individual likes and dislikes. “I’m keenly aware of the plays the quarterbacks like. If it jibes at all, if it’s close to what we’re thinking as an offensive staff, it raises its stock in the priority of getting called. It works just the opposite, too. There are plays I may really be in love with and for whatever reason, he’s not comfortable with it, we strike it from the game plan. We’ll either coach it more or put it aside.”<<

My sense is between the inconsistency w/ the O-Line and BS' "improvising" - they don't really know what is going to work and what's not at any one time. That has to be equally frustrating to the staff.

Note: Also a bit funny that the editors must have decided the original title of the article wasn't cutting enough - the article is now titled " Repair UConn's Painfully Slow-Starting Offense Or It Could Mean A Busted Season".

 

[RedStickHusky]

My sense is between the inconsistency w/ the O-Line and BS' "improvising" - they don't really know what is going to work and what's not at any one time. That has to be equally frustrating to the staff.

This is the key point. Listen to HCBD in this weeks presser and you hear; 'time of possession', 'control the game' and 'built for low scoring games'. Perfectly understandable but the pressure that puts on the offense is to require sustained drives with no break downs. We've been moving the ball better this year, at least fewer three and outs, even early in games, but we can't go more than two or three first downs without an OL blow-up that puts us behind the sticks... You've got to execute like Navy to play a successful ball control offense. Also, being reluctant to take shots down the field allows the defense to cheat into the box exacerbating the problem.

 

[JMick]

This is the key point. Listen to HCBD in this weeks presser and you hear; 'time of possession', 'control the game' and 'built for low scoring games'. Perfectly understandable but the pressure that puts on the offense is to require sustained drives with no break downs. We've been moving the ball better this year, at least fewer three and outs, even early in games, but we can't go more than two or three first downs without an OL blow-up that puts us behind the sticks... You've got to execute like Navy to play a successful ball control offense. Also, being reluctant to take shots down the field allows the defense to cheat into the box exacerbating the problem.

The negative plays have been our demise so far this year. We get 2nd and 7 and turn it into 3rd and 9+

 

[huskymedic]

Also, being reluctant to take shots down the field allows the defense to cheat into the box exacerbating the problem.

Are they being reluctant to take shots down the field or are those plays being called and BS doesn't go through his progression tree quickly enough and all of a sudden he's all di di mau...

 

[RedStickHusky]

Are they being reluctant to take shots down the field or are those plays being called and BS doesn't go through his progression tree quickly enough and all of a sudden he's all didi mau...

well reluctance somewhere... they did almost hit one over the top to Mayala last week; you can't call a near catch a great play but if you could that would've been it. 'didi mau?' you might be one of the few posters here older than me, or you had a big brother...

 

[JMick]

I'm less worried about shots down the field and more worried that we haven't been completing passes to our TE's up the seam or completing quick slants and ins/outs. Quick slants will take LB's out of the box faster than downfield strikes will.

 

[RedStickHusky]

Be nice to have a little window between LBs and Safeties. Anybody with film on us from last year is probably game planning against those TE seam routes even though I don't think we've hit one yet this year, unless you count the fake FG.

 

[huskymedic]

well reluctance somewhere... they did almost hit one over the top to Mayala last week; you can't call a near catch a great play but if you could that would've been it. 'didi mau?' you might be one of the few posters here older than me, or you had a big brother...

56 - but did a lot of military novel/fiction reading posted in ambulance/stations on midnights over the years. We used to use it as code when a scene got hot and we needed to move.

 

[RedStickHusky]

56 - but did a lot of military novel/fiction reading posted in ambulance/stations on midnights over the years. We used to use it as code when a scene got hot and we needed to move.

not quite older than me then, unless you mean 'in '56'. could say that we are of an age I guess. Didi mau is an expression that I only know from my Vietnam vet big brother.

 

[Jimdish255]

My sense is between the inconsistency w/ the O-Line and BS' "improvising" - they don't really know what is going to work and what's not at any one time. That has to be equally frustrating to the staff.

The o-line inconsistency throws doubt into any gameplan. But it's the staffs job to evaluate the plays and the players and figure out something they can teach that works. Sure it's harder when you don't have a bunch of experienced 4* and 5* guys but when you almost lose to Maine it's not the Jimmies and Joes it's the X's and O's. They come out too predictable, abandon plays that work and fall into predictable conservatism when under pressure. It's getting better but very slowly, and the beginning of games still seems too scripted towards trying to "establish" a ground and pound game. That ground game would really open up if we loosened up the D earlier. Nothing crazy just get away from the mindset of who we're "supposed" to be vs what are we good at, or capable of against this opponent.

 

[huskymedic]

The o-line inconsistency throws doubt into any gameplan. But it's the staffs job to evaluate the plays and the players and figure out something they can teach that works. Sure it's harder when you don't have a bunch of experienced 4* and 5* guys but when you almost lose to Maine it's not the Jimmies and Joes it's the X's and O's. They come out too predictable, abandon plays that work and fall into predictable conservatism when under pressure. It's getting better but very slowly, and the beginning of games still seems too scripted towards trying to "establish" a ground and pound game. That ground game would really open up if we loosened up the D earlier. Nothing crazy just get away from the mindset of who we're "supposed" to be vs what are we good at, or capable of against this opponent.

Which is why the line you quoted Jim follows the paragraph above it... OCFV - “I’m keenly aware of the plays the quarterbacks like. If it jibes at all, if it’s close to what we’re thinking as an offensive staff, it raises its stock in the priority of getting called. It works just the opposite, too. There are plays I may really be in love with and for whatever reason, he’s not comfortable with it, we strike it from the game plan. We’ll either coach it more or put it aside.” The staff is working/training to figure something out that works.

There have now been 2-3 stories that allude BS is not running the plays that are being called for the offense on more than a few occasions - one solution to predictable X's and O's is BS needs to stick w/ the plays that are called and that the other playmakers on offense are attempting to execute and keyed in on (routes/route depth) and have patience to let the plays develop. They are all building blocks in an offense's game plan. All's seemingly well in practice w/ a control group (scout team) - throw in a variable and he goes ad hoc. Read some of Noel T's quotes. (I'm not trying to be overly critical because I think BS is a tough SOB and growing into his role as well while trying to stay in one piece on jail breaks).

Frustrating all around for sure...

 

[RedStickHusky]

Tough gig for an OC.