The biggest problem is player development and offensive play calling; this all boils down to just bad coaching. At this point, I expected EA to be able to do the following:
- Read a defensive formation and call an audible at the line.
- Work through the progressions and spot the open receiver.
Simply put:
he cant do either (consistently)
On our first drive, LSU played a cover two, with LBs dropping into zone. We ate their lunch with the run and this was good. On our first TD, LSU was still in a zone protection formation and EA forced the pass to Brown (this should have been pickup off).
On our second drive, LSU bunched at the line to shut the run down. What did we do? We ran two running plays up the middle; then, on 3rd and 10, we threw into a cover 2 with LBs in zonethis is unforgivable from a playcalling/audible perspective. With the LBs crowding the line, I was expecting a play-action pass to freeze the LBs; then hit a receiver on a crossing route just behind the LBs. This play would have worked all night. Sometimes, you just have to throw that finely tuned game plan out the window and just take what the defense gives you; our coaches never seem to grasp that thought.
Several times during the game, when EA was forced to run out of the pocket, he had receivers running wide open, but he was reluctant to take the time to deliver the pass. He elected to throw the ball away, while never breaking stride in his attempt to evade defenders.
On the first interception, EA had the inside receiver running wide open; he still forced the ball into coverage. On the second interception, he locked onto the receiver and never saw the LB.
If the argument is that EA was coached up, he just did not execute. This doesnt fly because EA was making these mistakes in the first half, so why wasnt he benched? Again, all of this debacle comes down to just bad coaching.
So, I hope that you do not seriously think that DC made Manning.