Play Calling

[SpiderRick]

We've discussed this many times before, but I'll bring it up again. We have the most predictable play calling I've ever seen. If a dumb fan like me can sit in the stands and predict almost every play we run, we have serious problems. Does anyone on the coaching staff ever think outside the box? Our play calling is about as vanilla as you can get. Opponents don't have to worry about covering our tight ends, because we almost never throw their way. And they never have to plan for any unexpected gadget plays, because we never do anything. No fake punts, no halfback passes, no double reverses, nothing. Even if they don't work, if they're never tried, our opponents don't even need to practice for them.

 

[spiderjpo]

I think the big issue yesterday was we got behind 14 points and never were able to catch up. I think we could have run the ball effectively based on the big chunks of yards we did get. Once we got behind the game plan was altered. I did like the screen pass to Green for a TD. JMU's strength was speed and quickness so power running was probably our biggest weapon to compliment a quick passing game.

 

[I-M-UR]

What about on defense, did we blitz at all? How many times did we end up with two d-backs on three receivers, or three on four? I thought they would adjust at half time but didn't, in fact based on Rocco's post game press conference they knew from pre-game film study they did this???

 

[Jwilk2]

I'm not one to be negative, but I find the staffs ability to adapt to in game situations somewhat puzzling.

 

[PASpiderDad]

I agree with spiderjpo that offensive game plan got away from them when they fell behind. I didn't have a lot of problems with offensive play calling. Strauss was not quite as sharp as before the injury, but tried to gut it out. The running game was mixed in with success. The turnovers were killers and committed by two of the best offensive players.

I completely baffled by the defensive game plan. How can the Spiders play so well against a dual threat QB like Robertson and then play so poorly against an equally capable dual threat QB in Lee? I was at the game and told my son that UR would adjust and take away things in the 2nd half, but it never seemed to show. There were too many blown coverages. The turnovers didn't help the defense, but to give up over 400 yards in the air is difficult to explain.

 

[WebSpinner]

Rick, hear you but i so the same thing at nfl games, can tell you almost every play that is coming. think it is more a product of being old and having seen a bazillion football games rather than being some genius or guru or anything else that might come to mind. lombardi ran the same play over and over, john robinson at usc, did the same, it was about execution not fooling anyone.

 

[TarrantFan]

Has David Broadus EVER come into the game and not run the football himself on his first (and usually only) play of the series?I don't know how a prepared defense would ever allow him to gain any yards.

 

[Stonewall D]

Originally posted by I-M-UR:
What about on defense, did we blitz at all?

Yes, we blitzed on the 3rd defensive play of the game. Their QB, Vad Lee, threw a 93 yard TD pass. We turned the ball over 5 times. You are not going to win with that statistic.

 

[I-M-UR]

I don't recall whether we bitzed on that play or not, BUT I do know they completed 27 passes for 433 yards passing. I think I would have tried something different somewhere along the way.

 

[Anachnoid]

I recall another blitz. JMU about midfield heading south. It may have been roane blitzing from the west side-hurried Lee who threw the ball into the ground. On the other side, they were pressuring Strauss with a three man rush

 

[WebSpinner]

TarrantFan, attended a big 12 game a couple of years ago where the visiting team sent in a running qb when inside the 5 yard line. he ran the ball each time and he scored each time. yes, the fans, the coaches, the band, the cheerleaders, all knew what was coming but really did not matter.

 

[Eight Legger]

Judging from the vacant areas in our secondary, you'd think we blitzed 7 guys all day long. I don't really remember seeing any plays where it was clear we were blitzing, but maybe their O-line did a good job stopping us from getting through on the few occasions we tried it.

 

[urmite]

Maybe we were blitzing DBs but they were giving a 12 yd cushion first?

 

[Stonewall D]

Originally posted by I-M-UR:

I don't recall whether we bitzed on that play or not, BUT I do know they completed 27 passes for 433 yards passing. I think I would have tried something different somewhere along the way.

It was evident from the replay. In addition, Bob Black pointed out the blitz on that play.

 

[One putt]

Originally posted by I-M-UR:
What about on defense, did we blitz at all? How many times did we end up with two d-backs on three receivers, or three on four? I thought they would adjust at half time but didn't, in fact based on Rocco's post game press conference they knew from pre-game film study they did this???

We did not blitz. the plan was to stop the run and force them to pas. We did that and got torched. D-line was told to contain and mantain gaps and not let Lee scramble. We did that. However the plan did not work.

i dont think our offensive game plan was that bad. thought we should have thrown over the middle a little more but thats about it. SpiderRick seems to want a bunch of trick plays. We never had a chance to run a fake punt, especially with their rush. They almost blocked several. And who do you suggest throw this half back pass?

 

[Eight Legger]

I agree, OnePutt. Let's face it -- we should have had a touchdown on the play Fisher fumbled at the goal line. We might have had another on the drive when he fumbled the other one. Strauss's two pick-6s weren't the offensive coaches' fault.

The effect of those four plays were massive. We failed to score anywhere between 6 and 28 points as the result of them, and JMU scored at least 17 points as a direct result of them (maybe more; can't recall what happened after the other Fisher fumble). That's a huge point swing no matter how you consider it.

Take 17 points off the board for JMU and give us 17 and it's a 38-37 game instead of 55-20.


This post was edited on 11/17 5:12 PM by Eight Legger

 

[SpiderRick]

It's not that I want a bunch of trick plays, but I'm talking about the whole season not just JMU. You gotta try something outside the box once in a while, Putt, just to keep defenses honest. BTW in 2008 during our run to a National Championship, London successfully ran more than a few gadget plays (including a pass from the fullback to the quarterback that resulted in the first score in the NC game).

 

[spiderdevil]

I think we have 12 turnovers in 2 games or something like that. Hard to win if that keeps up. We got one shot left to get it right hopefully.

 

[UR79&Peanuts]

Thanks for the positive post. We still have one game left that could led to some more. As bad as it has been, it still is not over. Go Spiders

 

[CarolinaSpider]

When you are giving up short fields and losing fumbles going in for touchdowns and provide 3 defensive touchdowns, then you are setting yourself up for a very, very long day. I am not sure that the TOs have distorted our perception of how good this team could be when not having miscues. Saturday, our defense at times looked very ordinary and the secondary has several missed reads. I do think though we need some new blood in some key coordinator areas, cause with this level of depth and experience, we should have done better.

 

[KESpider]

I am slinking back here after Saturday's beat down. Embarrassing to say the least. I saw JMU twice earlier this season and felt very confident we had the better team and would handle them.

Thought the offensive game plan going in was sound with an added emphasis on running the ball complimenting our short timing pass routes. Of course, once we turned it over and got behind we had to move away from the plan.

The most baffling thing was our defensive secondary. What was the plan? What were we doing? What were we thinking? It has been a long time since I have seen so many busted coverages (probably a high school game). Often there was scarcely a defender in the same zip code as the receiver and we never adjusted. WTF?

 

[spiderdukes]

We have 33 turnovers and we have forced 16.

 

[spiderdevil]

Eliminate turnovers we win. This team is very talented, just not very careful. Hopefully we show what we really have against the Tribe.

 

[BronxSpider]

Great play calling last night. I loved how we used the RUN to create those open passing lanes. A perfect recipe for cold weather wins. I also appreciate how Fisher made sure he had both hands on the ball as he crossed the goal line during his big run.

 

[Stonewall D]

The TV announcer was very complimentary of strauss. Ihplayed for the giants. His analysis of both o and d was excellent.

 

[Anachnoid]

When he wasn't gushing about w&m. If I had participated in a drinking game with shots every time he said the Indian receiver(s) was/were "wide open" I wouldn't have made it out of the first quarter. Yea it felt like he was picking at a wound that doesn't feel it will ever heal,

 

[Stonewall D]

He also pointed out the change in D that shut out the Tribe-lets.

 

[Anachnoid]

Turned the sound off by then