First drive's

[DaveH]

Anyone else notice this the last few games. Our first drive on offense look good, then it goes down hill from there. We get in 3rd and long type situations which we don't excel at yet we did convert a couple last game.

 

Why do you think this is? If the first plays are scripted, then the staff calls them after that what is the problem? Is Joe just more comfortable as the game starts and he knows the plays, and then gets flustered as the game changes and thus the play calling changes? Is he having trouble getting into a rhythm?

 

Discuss.

[gamecocks]

I think that the scripted plays are practiced so much during the week that Joe has faith and confidence in his ability. But once the scripted plays are stopped and Bill is calling plays then Joe does not have as much faith because he hasn't run the play very often in practice.

[DaveH]

I think that the scripted plays are practiced so much during the week that Joe has faith and confidence in his ability. But once the scripted plays are stopped and Bill is calling plays then Joe does not have as much faith because he hasn't run the play very often in practice.

That could be. Don't you wish you were at practice some weeks?

[gamecocks]

I think that the scripted plays are practiced so much during the week that Joe has faith and confidence in his ability. But once the scripted plays are stopped and Bill is calling plays then Joe does not have as much faith because he hasn't run the play very often in practice.

That could be. Don't you wish you were at practice some weeks?

I would love to know what goes on in practice. Then maybe I wouldn't go into the games expecting to see quite as much, or at least I would realize why Bill calls the plays a certain way.

[DaveH]

I think that the scripted plays are practiced so much during the week that Joe has faith and confidence in his ability. But once the scripted plays are stopped and Bill is calling plays then Joe does not have as much faith because he hasn't run the play very often in practice.

That could be. Don't you wish you were at practice some weeks?

I would love to know what goes on in practice. Then maybe I wouldn't go into the games expecting to see quite as much, or at least I would realize why Bill calls the plays a certain way.

Yea, I know what you mean. Oddly enough, I think there is a "method behind the madness" or so to say. We have just been watching so much of the same thing for so long it just looks weird!!!!

[AR Husker Fan]

I think it's the scripting factor - and it isn't so much the familiarity of the plays, per se. I think that the coaches work with Joe on those plays to step through his progressions. Sort of a "Okay, on this play your primary is X. If X is covered, you go to Y. If Y is covered...". In other words, Joe doesn't have to think through the progressions for those plays to the degree that he does for the unscripted plays.

 

This is one of the factors that leads me to believe it isn't coaching. The coaches are preparing Joe. The problems arise when the scripted plays end - and Joe has to think through his progressions.

 

Ultimately, it's an experience thing. Joe may or may not ever "get it", but one thing to bear in mind is that he's barely more than a freshman. His first year all his snaps - what few he got - were in the option. Going through his passing progressions just wasn't taught. What makes him slightly more than a freshman is his exposure to the college game and the speed of the game, coupled with having the benefit of the spring to get a jump on the other quarterbacks on the system.

 

While that helps, it doesn't help on the experience/recognition issue. Assuming he can pick that up, he will do so only with game experience and reps in practice.

[DaveH]

I think it's the scripting factor - and it isn't so much the familiarity of the plays, per se. I think that the coaches work with Joe on those plays to step through his progressions. Sort of a "Okay, on this play your primary is X. If X is covered, you go to Y. If Y is covered...". In other words, Joe doesn't have to think through the progressions for those plays to the degree that he does for the unscripted plays.

 

This is one of the factors that leads me to believe it isn't coaching. The coaches are preparing Joe. The problems arise when the scripted plays end - and Joe has to think through his progressions.

 

Ultimately, it's an experience thing. Joe may or may not ever "get it", but one thing to bear in mind is that he's barely more than a freshman. His first year all his snaps - what few he got - were in the option. Going through his passing progressions just wasn't taught. What makes him slightly more than a freshman is his exposure to the college game and the speed of the game, coupled with having the benefit of the spring to get a jump on the other quarterbacks on the system.

 

While that helps, it doesn't help on the experience/recognition issue. Assuming he can pick that up, he will do so only with game experience and reps in practice.

Well said and it makes sense! Assuming this is true, why don't the coaches move on to different plays and walking through progressions on those plays like they do the scripted ones? Or does that even help? I guess I don't know the offense well enough to say that it is possible to step through every progression like that.

[AR Husker Fan]

Well said and it makes sense! Assuming this is true, why don't the coaches move on to different plays and walking through progressions on those plays like they do the scripted ones? Or does that even help? I guess I don't know the offense well enough to say that it is possible to step through every progression like that.

I'd imagine it's a time issue. Given the lack of time that is available to coaches to meet with players, and in practice as mandated by the NCAA, there simply isn't time to go through each play - just the scripted ones.

 

Also, the sheer number of plays, and the fact that there is no way to predicte which ones will be called until the down and distance is known, adds to that.

 

I'm sure that each week, in additon to the scripted plays, the coaches go over the progressions with Joe on the plays they feel will most likely will have to be called, but that could only be a handful.

 

Eventlually, stepping through the progressions will become second-nature as Joe becomes more familiar with the plays. But he's only had the spring and those few weeks in the fall to do that - and there are a hugh number of plays to the offense.

[Redout]

I think that the scripted plays are practiced so much during the week that Joe has faith and confidence in his ability. But once the scripted plays are stopped and Bill is calling plays then Joe does not have as much faith because he hasn't run the play very often in practice.

That could be. Don't you wish you were at practice some weeks?

I would love to know what goes on in practice. Then maybe I wouldn't go into the games expecting to see quite as much, or at least I would realize why Bill calls the plays a certain way.

Practice is pretty much like you have read in the newspapers. Very high tempo. Not as much instruction going on, more rep's than anything. Explain something really quick than do, do ,do.

 

Which I feel is a good philosophy.

[Benard]

I think that the scripted plays are practiced so much during the week that Joe has faith and confidence in his ability. But once the scripted plays are stopped and Bill is calling plays then Joe does not have as much faith because he hasn't run the play very often in practice.

That could be. Don't you wish you were at practice some weeks?

I would love to know what goes on in practice. Then maybe I wouldn't go into the games expecting to see quite as much, or at least I would realize why Bill calls the plays a certain way.

Practice is pretty much like you have read in the newspapers. Very high tempo. Not as much instruction going on, more rep's than anything. Explain something really quick than do, do ,do.

 

Which I feel is a good philosophy.

yeah it's working well.