A few notes. 1. Was nice to actually heat him in a situation where the vast majority of the crowd cards more about the games themselves than the VFL program (not that it's bad, just gets old continually hearing questions about it.) 2. Spent 5 hours this morning before he spoke with the assistants breaking down the run game. As you might have guessed, we're going to place a bigger emphasis on it now. 3. He basically said until this point that the run game hadn't been a priority and the priority was getting the ball to Hunter or Rogers, primarily Hunter. 4. Said about 15-18 plays went out of the gameplan Saturday when Hunter went down. 5. We're going to attempt get the ball to Neal in the perimeter. 6. Expect to see more of a screen game. 7. Expect Devrin Young fielding kickoffs and punts against Buffalo. Also will have special ways to use him on the offense as well. 8. Going to try to get younger backs more touches as a whole. 9. We'll see more 2 tight end sets. 10. Interesting stats that I knew but just had never really thought of until today and how much of an impact they have in total. (This was in response to a question, not as a reason for the loss.) -Currently we have 18 juniors and seniors total on the roster. -Saturday was the first start outside the state of TN for 17 players. -Since the end of the 2008 season the program has had 12 commitments decommit and 24 players transfer.
He actually commented on that and said he had second guessed himself for not trying longer, but given the situation they thought the best chance they had was to sling it.
I can understand go away from the run through a game when it obvious you have a better match up throwing it. What I don't understand is not making the run game a priority before hand. Playing to your strength is fine, but solidify your weakness in the same. No reason this team can not adequately run the football.
Given the situation, slinging it was the right call. That being said, we need to develop a run game. If Poole can't do it, put in young guys so at least we are developing them for the future.
I have to assume his line of thought is that pushing the running game may sacrifice a win or two this season but lead to an extra win or two next year.
#1: He should. I expect him to get a lot of work with the 1's during the bye week. #2: He can't run between the tackles. He wants to bounce everything outside. #3: No but he's nowhere near acclimated to the speed of college ball yet. He's not exceptionally fast and when he's too busy thinking he plays really slow.
Yeah and Neal still has a role on this offense if he works on it. Smith doesn't have a talent problem his head's spinning from information overload.
absolutely right, you have to prepare and have a running game, this is the SEC another example of OJT
Dooley watched his daddy go from mediocre coach to legend with one running back. He coached on the offensive side of the ball for Saban. He knows you have to have a running game to win in the SEC. That being said, everyone got way to comfortable throwing it to Hunter and Da'Rick because, well, it worked. The strength of this offense was the two WRs and Bray. Poole is a middle of the pack RB in the SEC. Now, with Hunter being down, everyone on the offensive side has to adjust. Running the ball well is great but if you can score at any moment with passing game, you tend to not pay too much attention to it.
I've heard this quite a bit, especially since Saturday. I understand where the argument comes from, but I'm not convinced you have to have a running game in the SEC. I just look at what has happened in the NFL the last several years. When they're clicking, New England, Green Bay, Indy (w/peyton),and New Orleans hardly even pretend to run it other than as a occasional change-up. Perhaps I'm wrong. Maybe the turnover of the college game and youth of college qb's doesn't lend itself to a sling it everywhere offense. But I'm about convinced that the NFL's pass-first offense would work just fine in the SEC.
The only reason I have doubts is the concentration of defensive line talent. The media has jumped on this bandwagon since last year's title game, but it's the truth that nearly every SEC team has one or two NFL players on the DL (LSU probably has 5 and Bama's entire front 7 will probably be drawing NFL paychecks). I know the NFL has the best talent in the world, but it's spread among 32 teams. In the SEC, the top 6 or so have an overwhelming amount of talent in the trenches.
Not sure if it really impacted his PT, but Smith is just now getting over something that should make him a little more able to contribute.
Not sure if it really impacted his PT, but Smith is just now getting over something that should make him a little more able to contribute.
It would have been nice to see a little bit of the screen game in that second half. Play action wasn't slowing the linebackers down at all. OL just needs a big dose of red ass.