Furman Preseason Previews

[Jasper]

I’m not picking at you but I am curious. When you look at the roster and “see talent” (as several fellows do) how does that work? What is the assessment based upon if not performance on the field? Is it recruiting notes, 40 times or what? Hopefully not coach speak and hopefully not circus catches in practice. I want to be converted but I have this scientific mindset that gets in the way.

I think you make very good arguments for the possibility of us being really good (our D makes anything possible), but I’m not seeing much probability of it.

Furmanoid is like a lot of us that need to see some huge improvement on the field to get really excited. All the glowing position previews makes it sound like we are national contenders. Arguably the most improvement needs to be with the OL and the QB position. We though we could have seen a change at QB but that didn’t happen. The QB position will be the same and the OL lost a lot but that may not be a bad thing. To say the NC A&T is huge is an undestatement. Time to see some good football from the Paladins.

Your observation re the QB and O line is spot on, Apaladin. If we do not get better results from those positions, we are very likely to see a repeat of the spring season. On a positive note, I would like to make these observations after watching practice today and another day this week.
Hamp Sisson has improved dramatically during the controlled scrimmages we have in camp. Whether that carries over to actual game conditions, I do not know. He has changed his passing delivery and is throwing the ball with a lot more zip on it. As a result, he appears more confident and relaxed in all aspects of the game. An improvement by the QB would be a huge positive for this team.
Last season's O line was a huge disappointment for the team. We returned several multi year starters and thought it was going to be big strong point for the O. CH is committed to running the ball and we could not do that effectively. Left us in obvious passing downs with an inexperienced and nervous QB. The O line looks very different to me this year. There are some new and huge freshman who are pushing the incumbents hard. There is a new O line coach. The result is a great deal more enthusiasm in practice. This could be a big plus. Improvement in those two areas could make this team very good. The D looks very good in every aspect and will likely hold opponents to small numbers on the scoreboard and might score some themselves.
This is not wishful thinking alone. These appear to be concrete improvements - at least in the lab. Now we need to take those improvements from the practice field to the playing field. I don't think you will see much in the scrimmage tomorrow. Clay usually plays them very tight to the vest but the real deal is only a few weeks away. If the 2 areas you identified are in fact improved, this will be a competitive team in what looks to be a competitive league. If not, there is always the Wicked Weed bar to ease the pain.

[Davemeister]

Wicked Weed "Freak of Nature" Double IPA, 8.5% will undoubtedly take the hurt away. But beware, they will prolly charge $10 a draft for it if they have it at the game. They'll get it, too. Hope they don't run out.

[The Jackal]

I won't be at the scrimmage, but the one area we need to see improvement on is running the option. The option was largely a disaster this spring.

A lot of what we do offensively is going to be based out of that look. Frequently, it was executed quite poorly. If we can start hitting those plays, making the correct reads and blocking the right man, we can open up a lot of our offense.

If we are going to do that sort of stuff again, I'd just as soon scrap the option and just run down hill. You can't be a run first team that is option sound and give up 5-7 yards when you run the play.

[Jasper]

100% correct. We dont run the option well at all - too deep and the blocking is not good enough. Do what we do well not what we do poorly. People are raving about the receiving corps. Let's throw the darned thing more.

[Davemeister]

In these clips we didn't run the option, we gave the D an option look. It looks like it was decided beforehand that the QB was not going to keep the ball. Maybe he had been instructed NOT to run with the ball to avoid injury.

[Furmanoid]

Sometimes you have a QB who just can’t read. So you just run the play with a predetermined keep or give. You guess right every now and then. That reading stuff is way harder than people think, and guys who can do it well don’t get enough credit. I’m skeptical about somebody suddenly getting good at it when they’re 20 or 21. So we may need to ditch the option.

[jesse174]

With so many QBs on the roster, how can they figure out who to play?

[The Jackal]

In these clips we didn't run the option, we gave the D an option look. It looks like it was decided beforehand that the QB was not going to keep the ball. Maybe he had been instructed NOT to run with the ball to avoid injury.

Possible.

Now, I have no idea whether this is a called play or a read/react option. It looks like a midline triple. Maybe it isn't.

This is the sort of play I'm talking about when I talk about timing issues. The FB read appears to be the correct one. Pitch relationship with the back looks good.

The OT pulls and appears to hold his block for a predetermined amount of time before releasing up field. The pitch back gets the ball and runs right into the defender we already had blocked.

This is where I scratch my head. We've got the guy blocked. We've got the hole. We then release the block and the guy we already had blocked now runs right into the ball carrier.

[Jasper]

So, the obvious conclusion is that the play is not well conceived or executed. One has to wonder why we continue to run it this way. It changes the whole series. We are now way behind the chains after a sizeable loss and in an obvious passing situation. I would like to see the stats on the option read series for the past two seasons. If it as bad as it feels, then we need to stop it irrespective of why it is that way. This is frustrating and poor play calling in my opinion. Run Devin and Co. and throw the ball more. Hamp appears to have improved his throwing substantially. Let’s find out.

[The Jackal]

So, the obvious conclusion is that the play is not well conceived or executed. One has to wonder why we continue to run it this way. It changes the whole series. We are now way behind the chains after a sizeable loss and in an obvious passing situation. I would like to see the stats on the option read series for the past two seasons. If it as bad as it feels, then we need to stop it irrespective of why it is that way. This is frustrating and poor play calling in my opinion. Run Devin and Co. and throw the ball more. Hamp appears to have improved his throwing substantially. Let’s find out.

This is sort of where I am, to be honest.

Perhaps this is a more "advanced" version of the play that requires more timing and execution than we are prepared for. It sure looks to novices like me that we block the play correctly, read the play correctly, and then get too fancy and release the man who makes the tackle in the backfield.

I'm not sure how much of the spring season was a product of our coaching staff having too much time to cook up more wrinkle on plays that we eventually struggled to execute in games.

I sort of look back to 2017 and see a coaching staff that had less talent, but the offense was simpler and the execution cleaner than it is now.

[Jasper]

So, the obvious conclusion is that the play is not well conceived or executed. One has to wonder why we continue to run it this way. It changes the whole series. We are now way behind the chains after a sizeable loss and in an obvious passing situation. I would like to see the stats on the option read series for the past two seasons. If it as bad as it feels, then we need to stop it irrespective of why it is that way. This is frustrating and poor play calling in my opinion. Run Devin and Co. and throw the ball more. Hamp appears to have improved his throwing substantially. Let’s find out.

This is sort of where I am, to be honest.

Perhaps this is a more "advanced" version of the play that requires more timing and execution than we are prepared for. It sure looks to novices like me that we block the play correctly, read the play correctly, and then get too fancy and release the man who makes the tackle in the backfield.

I'm not sure how much of the spring season was a product of our coaching staff having too much time to cook up more wrinkle on plays that we eventually struggled to execute in games.

I sort of look back to 2017 and see a coaching staff that had less talent, but the offense was simpler and the execution cleaner than it is now.

Very good observation. That was one dangerous offense and we did not have anywhere near the play makers we have today. We need to tweak the offense to suit the skills of the players we have. The play you are referring to is a great example. We appeared to do everything right and the play was blown up for a big loss. it looks to me like the TB is too deep to take advantage of a cut inside the blocked defender who wound up making the play. It doesn't matter really. If a play as constituted is not working, it has to be scrapped.

[The Jackal]

So, the obvious conclusion is that the play is not well conceived or executed. One has to wonder why we continue to run it this way. It changes the whole series. We are now way behind the chains after a sizeable loss and in an obvious passing situation. I would like to see the stats on the option read series for the past two seasons. If it as bad as it feels, then we need to stop it irrespective of why it is that way. This is frustrating and poor play calling in my opinion. Run Devin and Co. and throw the ball more. Hamp appears to have improved his throwing substantially. Let’s find out.

This is sort of where I am, to be honest.

Perhaps this is a more "advanced" version of the play that requires more timing and execution than we are prepared for. It sure looks to novices like me that we block the play correctly, read the play correctly, and then get too fancy and release the man who makes the tackle in the backfield.

I'm not sure how much of the spring season was a product of our coaching staff having too much time to cook up more wrinkle on plays that we eventually struggled to execute in games.

I sort of look back to 2017 and see a coaching staff that had less talent, but the offense was simpler and the execution cleaner than it is now.

Very good observation. That was one dangerous offense and we did not have anywhere near the play makers we have today. We need to tweak the offense to suit the skills of the players we have. The play you are referring to is a great example. We appeared to do everything right and the play was blown up for a big loss. it looks to me like the TB is too deep to take advantage of a cut inside the blocked defender who wound up making the play. It doesn't matter really. If a play as constituted is not working, it has to be scrapped.

Both sides of the ball that season were essentially a patchwork of pieces off a 3-8 team. Little to no depth at any position on either side of the ball.

This is a more talented and deeper team. I'm quite certain the brain trust will get them squared away.

[apaladin]

On the play above vs. Citadel HS makes the wrong read as their is a big hole if he keeps and turns up field after he fakes to the FB, prolly at least a 5 yd gain. On the above play vs. Mercer that play is useless. Thats the one that went for negative yards every time Saturday.

Question: Did Luke Shiflett participate in “scrimmage” Saturday?

[The Jackal]

On the play above vs. Citadel HS makes the wrong read as their is a big hole if he keeps and turns up field after he fakes to the FB, prolly at least a 5 yd gain. On the above play vs. Mercer that play is useless. Thats the one that went for negative yards every time Saturday.

Question: Did Luke Shiflett participate in “scrimmage” Saturday?

In my opinion, Sisson's makes two correct reads. Perhaps the pitch isn't a read because of the blocking scheme, but most midline triple option plays will be pitches anyway.

There are a few reasons that play didn't have much success, but the QBs read really isn't one of them.

[FUBeAR]

With the downblock by the TE (#19), assuming his technique is correct, the QB Keep was PROBABLY not a contemplated aspect of the play vs. the Bellhops. Handoff to RB may or may not have been a ‘read.’ FUBeAR’s uncertain speculation is that the inside handoff was also not a (pre)contemplated aspect of this play.

In FUBeAR’s estimation, the negative play result vs. the bellhops was due to a mental error by the OT on the arc block of the OLB. He prolly was assigned to & expecting to arc on Safety, but a FUBeAR OL Coaching Maxim to all of his Players was DO NOT ‘pass up’ “unblocked bad jerseys” that you run into on your path to your assignment. He becomes the ‘most dangerous’ defender and must be blocked. Doesn’t appear as if the OLman followed that maxim, which may or may not have been / be an FU OLine maxim. Option plays in certain schemes need to ‘override’ that maxim.

On a side note, as a rule, FUBeAR would not have the WR running off the CB with a Go route on this play (as was done) - even in Man Coverage. Better to run him off (partially) with a Deep Slant/Post & WR block the Safety. Make the CB’s have to tackle. That’s not what they, typically, ‘get paid’ to do - so an O is better off making the CB’s do it than the Safeties, who are, typically, ‘paid’ for run support.

On the Mercer play, pretty sure it’s an execution error by the OT on the arc block (again) on the Safety. The Safety hits another gear just before contact by the OT - tough block, IMO - now that you can’t just put their heels in the air (cut them). Mercer’s #3 also happens to be an All SoCon DB who had 20 tackles in 1 game in Fall of 2020. He’s pretty good and REALLY likes the run support aspect of his role mentioned above. Still rather see WR blocking in on Safety on that play. OT can prolly kick CB if he’s ‘squatting’ & doesn’t run w/WR…easier than he can square up with Safety running downhill.

Lots of different ways to get ‘em blocked. These are just my thoughts on the snippets here and what I can see of them.

*Results may vary