Why is the Offense So Terrible?

[FlakeyFoont]

Most depressing of all is the realization that the instant this team falls behind by two scores the game is over given the current personnel on offense and the abysmal play-calling. Other than Rosa and Houston there hasn't been a single skill position player on offense who has shown me anything that gives me even a glimmer of hope.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I get that part, but we never even try those things otherwise. His throws seemed decent. At least they were past the LOS.

Dickie V used to have have a thing where he named players who looked great walking off the bus and during warm ups but couldn't perform come game time. That is Roberson.

 

[Alum86]

Most depressing of all is the realization that the instant this team falls behind by two scores the game is over given the current personnel on offense and the abysmal play-calling. Other than Rosa and Houston there hasn't been a single skill position player on offense who has shown me anything that gives me even a glimmer of hope.

And they play them separately as featured back, never together. God forbid.

 

[Marbles90]

Why are worried about preserving redshirts in this portal era?

This. And doesn’t he get 4 games before he burns his red shirt?

 

[Hskies4Ever]

Turner has had his shot. He played 13 games last year and averaged just 112 yds passing / game. Pretty bad. Would things suddenly get better if we just back to him? Maybe, but I doubt it.

Granted, Fagnano & Roberson have been no better. I thought they would be, which is why I was optimistic going into this year.

But the common denominator in both seasons is Charlton. Our playing calling has been predictable and ineffective. Maybe it just feels this way (I don’t have the stats) but it seems like we rush 90% on second and long and get stuffed more times than not. It’s not working & yet out approach never seems to change.

I just don’t see what going to Zion would do. We’ll still be running the same terrible offense and the receivers will still be dropping balls. I’m all for getting the younger guy reps, but giving him a redshirt season isn’t a bad move either.

 

[Hoophound]

I just don’t see what going to Zion would do. We’ll still be running the same terrible offense and the receivers will still be dropping balls. I’m all for getting the younger guy reps, but giving him a redshirt season isn’t a bad move either.

More mobility and better reads. In addition, he provides more confidence. He’s already proven himself to be better.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[UConnJim]

Why don't we hire Rob Ambrose as an offensive consultant for the rest of the year? He was fired from Towson last year and made ~$400k. He was at UConn from 2002 to 2008, QB coach in 2002 to 2004 and was Dan O's QB coach, PGC/QB coach in 2005, and OC/QB coach from 2006 to 2008 before leaving for the head coaching job at Towson.

 

[gopher2]

The offense is terrible because every position group has fallen off from where it was last year, and the play calling has too. I don't know what can be done about the other position groups but at QB we should try going back to ZT, who, in addition to winning 6 games, did a good job moving the chains with his feet and a pass here and there. It wasn't enough to put up a lot points or big stats but it did help shorten games and gave our punter the opportunity to make teams start drives from deep in their own territory. I think Duke must have started about 5 posessions from around midfield or better. And ZT did make a few big plays in the passing game. I don't recall seeing any yet this year. It might not yield different results, but then again, it might. We have to do something.

 

[BigTenFan]

Having an OC whose only experience is University of Maine probably does not help

 

[JohnFSilver]

Fagnano stunk and so does Roberson.

Roberson looks decent once the game is decided and defense slacks off. In baseball terms he is a AAAA level minor leaguer. Looks good at AAA but never can play at MLB.

His fefusal to dive hard at the fumble in the first half directly led to a Duke TD. I would have benched him right there. Announcers correctly called him out for mailing it in.

More critical, his refusal to pull the ball and call his own number on the zone reads is further evidence he isn't all in for the team.



Meanwhile the only QB to win six games in a season at any time over the past decade is a year older and healthy and hasn't played a snap all year.

At some point it is the entire apparatus. I hate the play design. Absolutely hate the design. It looks like high school. Throw it to the sidelines where it is a catch or incomplete.

I just feel like they aren’t asking their QB to do anything.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Having an OC whose only experience is University of Maine probably does not help

That is a BS argument. Football is same at all levels. Charlton, it seems, is a young coach who is struggling with the athleticism and speed/disparity of his players.

I don’t find him particularly innovative, but the talent disparity is real.

I would like to see Houston and Rosa on the field at the same time. Split Rosa out wide like the old flanker or even in the slot and have him run end around with Houston as threat. Those are the only two playmakers on the field. Why split their snaps?

 

[The Viking]

Do we ever throw a slant? A nice 5 yard slant. It’s one of the easiest throws a QB can make and one of the safest. And it makes up for any talent disparity because all you have to do is not throw a horrible ball and it’s a likely completion because your receiver will have the inside position.
Everyone throws slants for god sakes.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Do we ever throw a slant? A nice 5 yard slant. It’s one of the easiest throws a QB can make and one of the safest. And it makes up for any talent disparity because all you have to do is not throw a horrible ball and it’s a likely completion because your receiver will have the inside position.
Everyone throws slants for god sakes.

I don’t understand why there aren’t actual plays. WR screen is just a glorified running play. Outside of Joly, they don’t seem to try and get anyone downfield. Joly a good player too. I wish I had an all 22. I feel like the play designs are all short. Buck man goes to the sideline, Ross catchers WE screen, Burns occasionally goes deep, but is never open, and Joly goes into the seam.

If Cale Millen is on the field, it is a WR screen.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Why don't we hire Rob Ambrose as an offensive consultant for the rest of the year? He was fired from Towson last year and made ~$400k. He was at UConn from 2002 to 2008, QB coach in 2002 to 2004 and was Dan O's QB coach, PGC/QB coach in 2005, and OC/QB coach from 2006 to 2008 before leaving for the head coaching job at Towson.

Love Rob. All for it.

 

[Slick]

Love Rob. All for it.

Why was he fired?

 

[RedStickHusky]

Most depressing of all is the realization that the instant this team falls behind by two scores the game is over given the current personnel on offense and the abysmal play-calling. Other than Rosa and Houston there hasn't been a single skill position player on offense who has shown me anything that gives me even a glimmer of hope.

I though my days of joking that a 7 point deficit was a three possession game were over.

 

[hardcorehusky]

Give me Zion Turner and John Marinelli or else I’m not going to renew my tickets. I’ve been there every year since 2006. Enough is enough.

Guess who the passing game coordinator is? Marinelli!

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Offense is terrible because UConn has not emphasized offense in their recruiting since Dan O was here. They current players are mid level FCS caliber and rhe offensive coaching is mid level high school.

 

[UConnJim]

That is a BS argument. Football is same at all levels. Charlton, it seems, is a young coach who is struggling with the athleticism and speed/disparity of his players.

I don’t find him particularly innovative, but the talent disparity is real.

I would like to see Houston and Rosa on the field at the same time. Split Rosa out wide like the old flanker or even in the slot and have him run end around with Houston as threat. Those are the only two playmakers on the field. Why split their snaps?

What he is struggling with is scheme. You can get separation 2 ways, athleticism or scheme. He had 1 year as an OC at Maine, so I wouldn't call him an offensive guru. Look at what Mazzone, an experienced OC, did in a short stint. He made a terrible offense look competent.

And, he is running a run focused offense and his QB can't run or move well. You can't do that.

 

[JMick]

That is a BS argument. Football is same at all levels. Charlton, it seems, is a young coach who is struggling with the athleticism and speed/disparity of his players.

I don’t find him particularly innovative, but the talent disparity is real.

I would like to see Houston and Rosa on the field at the same time. Split Rosa out wide like the old flanker or even in the slot and have him run end around with Houston as threat. Those are the only two playmakers on the field. Why split their snaps?

When you're at a talent disadvantage you have to have your best players on the field at the same time. Why we don't understand that is beyond me.

 

[TheDoggPound]

Fagnano stunk and so does Roberson.

Roberson looks decent once the game is decided and defense slacks off. In baseball terms he is a AAAA level minor leaguer. Looks good at AAA but never can play at MLB.

His fefusal to dive hard at the fumble in the first half directly led to a Duke TD. I would have benched him right there. Announcers correctly called him out for mailing it in.

More critical, his refusal to pull the ball and call his own number on the zone reads is further evidence he isn't all in for the team.



Meanwhile the only QB to win six games in a season at any time over the past decade is a year older and healthy and hasn't played a snap all year.

Fagnano is better imo. He was the first QB we had in recent memory who actually went through his progressions. Plus he's the better runner, but it's a moot point anyways with the play calling and the fact they're both not the answer to begin with.

 

[Bubba1957]

First drive of the season I turned to a friend and said, "Wow, haven't seen us do this kind of stuff in a long time." JF really looked good. I saw a play on the NCS sideline where he got buried. Was never the same after that. I really believe that was his turning point and he might have gotten hurt then.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

I think it is Charlton by a mile. Then the WR. Third, I was very critical of Lundt last year, but he has improved. Our Center can't block a call on a smart phone.

 

[Hamms30]

Guess who the passing game coordinator is? Marinelli!

Yea, but what does that mean? I wondered about that when I saw the title change for him. He still has to be constrained by the offensive scheme, no? Like he draws up the passing route on the plays that Charlton designs? It seems like a weird dynamic

 

[ZooCougar]

First drive of the season I turned to a friend and said, "Wow, haven't seen us do this kind of stuff in a long time." JF really looked good. I saw a play on the NCS sideline where he got buried. Was never the same after that. I really believe that was his turning point and he might have gotten hurt then.

You might be right.

It was pretty odd how he looked like a hero in the first drive and then suddenly looked like the worst QB ever.

 

[huskymedic]

Yea, but what does that mean? I wondered about that when I saw the title change for him. He still has to be constrained by the offensive scheme, no? Like he draws up the passing route on the plays that Charlton designs? It seems like a weird dynamic

One example: So, what exactly is a passing-game coordinator?

Marinelli was also previously an offensive analyst @ Arizona w/ Sumlin/Mazzone.

 

[Skiblets]

For those saying it’s the loss of Marion and Turner .. just checked their stats. 124 yards total for the two of them. So. Essentially doubling our corps’ output

 

[Skiblets]

‘Just need to execute better’. If all of the crazy masochists on this board had a dollar for every time we’ve seen or heard this quote throughout the 10+ years in the wilderness we could buy a good QB or OC. Just sayin’. Stop with the drivel.

 

[DocB]

Charlton is trying to run a very complex offensive scheme that even professionals have trouble mastering. Classic I’m going to make the players fit my system and not adjust my system to fit the talent. Patriots struggle with the same. It’s also the same system the Jets are failing to run without Rogers leading the way. Every once in a while we will break a big run and you can see flashes of how it should be run. Most of the time we miss blocking assignments, the defense is too fast, or Charlton tries to get cute. The offense definitely need some simplification. We need more one read RPO slants etc…

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