Pedro Guerrero

2 hours ago, ajt1970 said:

I thought I would share some thoughts since the season is over and while we're all waiting for NU to sign Frost.  Many might not agree with my assessment and that's ok.  But I always tend to think outside the box and often challenge the conventional thinking out there, so in this case...I just gotta sound off on how much I despise the forward pass.  Everyone that knows me personally knows I can't stand the forward pass in football.  Some actually agree.

 

Blocking, tackling, running.  It is how football was originally meant to be played.  Over time, they have designed the rules to make the game more and more passive (ie.  less and less hitting).  Now the game is so NON-physical, so NON-rugged, that I can barely watch it anymore.  I watch NU (sometimes, but mainly during the TO and Solich era when they ran the ball consistently and frequently)) and mainly now I watch Army, Navy, and Georgia Tech that run the ball most of the time.  And in fact, Army has had a few games this year that did not even ATTEMPT a pass all game.  Now THAT is football.  I also follow ANY team that runs the ball.....like Arizona this year and New Mexico last year.  I follow the teams on this website and mainly just focus on teams in the top ten off this list.  Notice NU is WAY down the list.

 

http://www.footballdb.com/college-football/stats/teamstat.html?group=O&cat=R&yr=2017&lg=FBS

 

Here's my issues with throwing the ball....

 

What really happens on a pass play.....linemen backpedal, receivers run their routes, QB drops back and looks for targets...who's actually hitting?  Maybe the guy who tackles a receiver (if the pass is complete).  Watch the gamefilm on an ALL-22 video.  Check out a pass play and ask yourself, who is really aggressively hitting someone?  Maybe a DL on a QB if there is a sack, and a cover guy on a receiver, but that is what...potentially 2 guys hitting out of 22...The rest of the time the defensive linemen are merely trying to get to the QB, the offensive linemen are backpedaling to form a nice cushy pocket for their precious (please don't hit him) QB, the rest are running routes or the defenders are chasing and covering them.  Sissy football.  So on probably at least half the plays of a game maybe a couple guys are hitting...is that really football?  I hate it.  They have made the rules into such a soft sport...and most fans have bought into it.

 

Now what really happens on a run play?  Linemen fire off the ball (no backpedal, unless they're pulling) and look to smash their intended targets  (pancake city!).  Runners run hard thru the hole (or make their own hole) and then lower the shoulder and try to make more yards after contact.  Defenders are fighting off blocks and looking to level the runner.  THAT'S football how it was meant to be played!

 

And EVERYONE participates....not everyone but the QB.  When was the last time Tanner Lee really blocked or tackled someone?  Or ran the ball and lowered his shoulder to run somebody over?   Why does he get a free pass and not have to block and tackle and hit like everyone else?  No special treatment for QBs (or kickers for that matter).  Everyone blocks, everyone tackles!  QBs are told that if they must scramble...to slide or run out of bounds rather than take a hit.  Wussy  football.  Lower your shoulder and try to run over somebody, Tanner!  No special consideration just because you're a QB!  You participate and hit just like everyone else.  No prima donnas!

 

Here are some thoughts on the rules as it pertains to passing and running the ball....

 

Running the ball has become mainly a way for clock management than any strategic or physical means. Why does an incomplete pass stop the clock and a running play for zero gain (or any gain) keeps the clock running?  Why are they treated differently?  Whether a running play or passing play, why make how it runs the clock any different?  A pass is incomplete...keep the clock running (or at the very least, stop the clock until the ball is spotted and then start running it again).  Conventional thinking is if you're winning the game to run the ball and milk the clock...and if you're losing to throw the ball more and save on time....my opinion: it shouldn't matter....run or pass, the clock should run the same way!

 

Why after an incomplete pass is the ball spotted back at the line of scrimmage?  Why not from where he last had possession of the ball?  If the LOS is at your own 30 yard line and the QB drops back and throws from the 20 and the pass is incomplete, why would the ball not be spotted there at the 20 on the proceeding down?  Why is that team given those extra ten yards back to the original LOS at the 30 .....considering where he threw that ball (and hence, last had possession of it) 10 yards back.  Spot the ball there at the 20....10 yard loss!

 

My suggestion....put toughness, ruggedness, physicalness back into the game and eliminate the forward pass completely.  But since I realize it is a pipe dream, I would at least like to see these two rule changes and make it fair and even rules for running and passing plays....... 1) make the clock run exactly the same for running and passing plays.  No stopping the clock for one type of play and not stopping the clock for the other, and 2) spot the ball where the ball was in last possession for an incomplete pass....so in other words, back where the QB threw the ball behind the LOS.  If he throws the ball 7 yards behind the LOS and it is incomplete, then it is a 7 yard loss.

 

Some would say the game would be boring if there were no forward pass.  I say it would become exciting.  Look at it this way, if there were no forward pass, it would force offensive coordinators to be much more creative in designing and implementing running plays.  It would perhaps create many different formations, running schemes, and have much more QB and wingback run games, etc.

 

BTW - the 1984 Orange Bowl...for those who simply think it was kick the extra point and tie and win a national championship.....Miami still had 48 seconds left (and timeouts) to march down the field and score.  Plenty of time.  So it is not so cut and dry as just kicking the extra point and winning it all... or getting the two point play and winning the national championship.  Miami had time to score!  Plus, ties suck.  I don't care about any repercussions.  I want to win EVERY game.  To me, it is a simple and easy decision...go for two and the POSSIBLE win (again, provided Miami can be stopped from scoring in the last 48 seconds).  TO did the right thing, in my opinion.  Back then, in a world of no overtime.....be aggressive and ALWAYS play for the win.

 

FInal thought:  I HATE the forward pass!  It takes away the ruggedness of the sport.  It takes away the dominate-and-flatten-the-man-across-from-you attitude.  I'd rather see a 4 yard power run play than a 50 yard pass play.  Unfortunately I don't see the forward pass leaving the game anytime soon.  In the meantime, I'll just keep watching NU (been a fan since '82) and hoping for better days of rushing and also continue watching Army, Navy, and Georgia Tech weekly.