Rutgers Play by Play

[BigRedBuster]

These seem to work way more often than when they don't.  Our O line is horrible.  So, this at least gets the ball out quick and gets the ball into the play maker's hands with space.  Thompson seems to throw them pretty well.

 

[PasstheDamnBallGuy]

Yeah you know that was the biggest thing I thought would make a difference when Thompson came here. When I watched him play at Texas too he seems pretty good at just playing pitch and catch down the field on shorter routes.

Problem is we still have to try the deep shots to push the defense back and he really needs perfect conditions to hit those passes because he just doesn't have an elite level arm. Very similar to Adrian just trade some running ability for short passing ability.  

 

[Undone]

Problem is we still have to try the deep shots to push the defense back and he really needs perfect conditions to hit those passes because he just doesn't have an elite level arm. Very similar to Adrian just trade some running ability for short passing ability.  

I agree with this but I'd maybe adjust that last part to "...just trade some running ability for medium passing ability."

That said, I still like this offensive roster & scheme more than any other in the Frost era outside of maybe 2018. We have more potential IMO with Thompson & the other offensive skill players to put points up on the board than we did in 2019 - 2021.

But pretty much every team we face brings the blitz all game long and our line just can't handle it very well.

 

[PasstheDamnBallGuy]

I agree with this but I'd maybe adjust that last part to "...just trade some running ability for medium passing ability."

That said, I still like this offensive roster & scheme more than any other in the Frost era outside of maybe 2018. We have more potential IMO with Thompson & the other offensive skill players to put points up on the board than we did in 2019 - 2021.

But pretty much every team we face brings the blitz all game long and our line just can't handle it very well.

Yeah very good points. I have a hard time evaluating the Frost scheme because everything was such a mess all the time, but were times when it just exploded and even vs good defenses like Michigan last year. I do think the scheme we have this year is much more likely to lead late game drives, even with how poor the running games has been at times.  And if it already wasnt obvious before it seems pretty obvious now that Adrian with a better line and not asked to win the game throwing can be a high level college QB. 

 

[Undone]

We have to run block against Purdue better than we did against Rutgers, but also whoever is lining up the game plan this week also needs to find a little more creativity with blocking schemes and maybe some stretch plays/misdirection.

Can't just run inside zone on every first down with Grant down the back half of the schedule.

It's really basic stuff, and you saw it in the Illinois vs Wisconsin game a couple weeks ago; even when you have two all star RB's it just doesn't make a difference when the other team is selling out to stop the run & you're not blocking well.

I think that's where the dink & dunk stuff into the flats can be good though.

 

[ZRod]

I agree with this but I'd maybe adjust that last part to "...just trade some running ability for medium passing ability."

That said, I still like this offensive roster & scheme more than any other in the Frost era outside of maybe 2018. We have more potential IMO with Thompson & the other offensive skill players to put points up on the board than we did in 2019 - 2021.

But pretty much every team we face brings the blitz all game long and our line just can't handle it very well.

I think Thompson throws to the flats, check downs, and short Y routes light years better than Adrian, as well as more on time. That's critical in any modern offense, and something we've needed the last 5 years, but it's even more important when you're O line is no bueno and you need to spread the D out to stop the bull rush. On the medium and long routes I'd say he and Adrian are on par, and we didn't gain much there. It's really Trey just being an excellent target this year that has been the difference.

Agreed this offense (outside of the O line) is the most talented we've had in quite some time. Personally I like Frost's schemes, we just don't have capable linemen... But I like how Whip has called most games as well.

We have to run block against Purdue better than we did against Rutgers, but also whoever is lining up the game plan this week also needs to find a little more creativity with blocking schemes and maybe some stretch plays/misdirection.

Can't just run inside zone on every first down with Grant down the back half of the schedule.

It's really basic stuff, and you saw it in the Illinois vs Wisconsin game a couple weeks ago; even when you have two all star RB's it just doesn't make a difference when the other team is selling out to stop the run & you're not blocking well.

I think that's where the dink & dunk stuff into the flats can be good though.

We have to get Casey involved imo. A handful of read plays would keep the Defense honest and potentially open up some nice big play abilities.

Idk what we're going to do with blocking. We can't zone block, we can't pass block, we can't block when we are pulling.. I think about all we are ok at is straight up gap blocking with no pullers. Maybe we need to bring the tightend in as H backs and run a ton of iso and leads.

 

[Loe Doesnt Know]

iso and reads was suggested by sipple.. Sipple.. I mean, just saying 

 

[Undone]

I think Thompson throws to the flats, check downs, and short Y routes light years better than Adrian, as well as more on time. That's critical in any modern offense, and something we've needed the last 5 years, but it's even more important when you're O line is no bueno and you need to spread the D out to stop the bull rush.

Totally agree on this - both @PasstheDamnBallGuy & you have definitely nailed it with pointing out that Casey has the better/quicker game in the 'short passes' department. I should have expanded on what I meant with "medium range."

Casey is the better "stand in the pocket and scan the field guy" over Adrian. Probably actually not by a ton - but at least to some measurable degree.

And so even though I personally think that bringing in Whipple was mostly Alberts' idea and not really Frost's, the plan for this year was to be considerably more pro style than we've previously been. I don't mean entirely pro style, but definitely more West Coast than otherwise.

Then the staff saw how good Anthony Grant really was, and the run/pass ratio from the Northwestern game flipped and the plan seemed to be to just hand him the damn ball.

I like where that's at, I like the idea of leveraging Grant for power run to setup some 3rd & manageable's where you then have Thompson throwing to convert. It just seems like our line is now fricking up any kind of plan we draw up.