USE the MIDDLE of the FIELD!

#1
armchair

armchair

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#1
When are our coaches going to stop their obsession with horizontal plays? We constantly throw bubble screens to flat-footed wide receivers, we try to run wide, along with other outside stuff--and it would be fine if we actually were making nice yardage with these plays--but we DON'T! We seldom use the middle of the field. Mix it up. Teams recognize all the wide plays because we run them CONSTANTLY. Why not crossing routes and slants and plays that get the ball to receivers who are on the run instead of standing 20 yards away along the line of scrimmage? Why not try to match Kamara up with a linebacker and get him the ball in space. This game is an acid test for Jones and DeBord and the offense. We can't afford to stumble around anymore.
 
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#2
#2
Just skimmed your post but I totally agree. How about a 5 yard hitch route to Ethan Wolf every now and then? It's so hard to have to throw all the way to the sidelines to gain 4 yards every time.
 
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#5
#5
I want to see more over the middle as well. The few I can remember we're very successful. Last night had one to the TE and against BGSU we had a couple to Wolfe as well.
 
#6
#6
armchair said:
When are our coaches going to stop their obsession with horizontal plays? We constantly throw bubble screens to flat-footed wide receivers, we try to run wide, along with other outside stuff--and it would be fine if we actually were making nice yardage with these plays--but we DON'T! We seldom use the middle of the field. Mix it up. Teams recognize all the wide plays because we run them CONSTANTLY. Why not crossing routes and slants and plays that get the ball to receivers who are on the run instead of standing 20 yards away along the line of scrimmage? Why not try to match Kamara up with a linebacker and get him the ball in space. This game is an acid test for Jones and DeBord and the offense. We can't afford to stumble around anymore.
Click to expand...

Wah===Wah===:cray::cray::cray::cray:
 
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#8
#8
There is a reason Dobbs wasn't the starter last year. He struggles throwing down the field, thus limiting the passing playbook. He does everything else well. I'm not ripping him. Plus, it'd be hard for Peyton to throw consistently down and across the middle of the field with the pressure opposing teams have put on Dobbs.

He'll progress through the year and be better next year, as the offensive line will.
 
#9
#9
When you're marginal at throwing it, cant protect and have trouble beating man coverage, throwing it in the middle of the field is an awful idea.
 
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#11
#11
The op is absolutely right, and it's been a need for a while. UF, UGA, & BAMA will start to jump those routes & it's straight to the end zone. Why we can't through a 7 yard slant blows my mind, much less a 15 yard in route. At a minimum, can we please have some quick slants to make teams pay for blitzing or perhaps figure out an actual screen pass?
 
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#14
#14
Just throw period. Once we get the lead we go to an almost exclusively running game. Our opponents know this so they load the box. But butch decides that even though that's the case, if we have the lead lets just settle for three and outs. That's why he's been blasted for the play to not lose thing
 
#16
#16
Ole Miss had an awesome offensive system last night. That's the system we are capable of running. We have the personnel, but for some reason we have no desire to extend the ball vertically down the field, regardless of how inept our OL is.
 
#18
#18
If Dobbs is incapable of throwing over the middle, that's on the coaches. They've had 3 years to develop a decent quarterback.
 
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#19
#19
After nearly a decade of wide receiver screens to gain 1 yard, I've come to the realization that, no matter who our coach is, we'll never consistently throw over the middle. It's become our identity. We're not Wide Receiver U. We're Wide Receiver Screen U.
 
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#20
#20
armchair said:
When are our coaches going to stop their obsession with horizontal plays? We constantly throw bubble screens to flat-footed wide receivers, we try to run wide, along with other outside stuff--and it would be fine if we actually were making nice yardage with these plays--but we DON'T! We seldom use the middle of the field. Mix it up. Teams recognize all the wide plays because we run them CONSTANTLY. Why not crossing routes and slants and plays that get the ball to receivers who are on the run instead of standing 20 yards away along the line of scrimmage? Why not try to match Kamara up with a linebacker and get him the ball in space. This game is an acid test for Jones and DeBord and the offense. We can't afford to stumble around anymore.
Click to expand...

Because unless the qb has a really accurate arm, these plays tend to result in interceptions.
 
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#23
#23
armchair said:
When are our coaches going to stop their obsession with horizontal plays? We constantly throw bubble screens to flat-footed wide receivers, we try to run wide, along with other outside stuff--and it would be fine if we actually were making nice yardage with these plays--but we DON'T! We seldom use the middle of the field. Mix it up. Teams recognize all the wide plays because we run them CONSTANTLY. Why not crossing routes and slants and plays that get the ball to receivers who are on the run instead of standing 20 yards away along the line of scrimmage? Why not try to match Kamara up with a linebacker and get him the ball in space. This game is an acid test for Jones and DeBord and the offense. We can't afford to stumble around anymore.
Click to expand...


Because they are still protecting Dobbs with single read executables. Dobbs is a single read QB at this point . He is assigned a safe route , typically one of the routes mentioned above , and he executes. He is also given a single route and a hot read . Dobbs almost always has a hard time when he tries to 'read' the field . Either the first route is open , pre snap or post snap , or you get the short hot play or short hot read .

The real question is when will Dobbs develop enough to be turned loose to execute the offense
 
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#24
#24
We have thrown that screen so often that the other team is jumping it and almost come close to catching it themselves

One answer is to fake the screen - and then hit the WR on the fly as he runs past the charging defenders.
 
#25
#25
chattavol420 said:
Just throw period. Once we get the lead we go to an almost exclusively running game. Our opponents know this so they load the box. But butch decides that even though that's the case, if we have the lead lets just settle for three and outs. That's why he's been blasted for the play to not lose thing
Click to expand...
We threw the ball more in the 2nd half against OU than in the first half.
 
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