So Tommy Decided to Pass?

[Bball1091]

It's not on Tommy, it's on the coaches. Sounds like they hung Tommy out to dry.

No.
If the coaches actually called a pass and are now hiding, that is highly unusual and should be criticized as such.

But if Tommy made that disaster of a decision on his own, then he has to face the music on it. He has to man up and say that he should've had better awareness of the situation than to try what he did. It's not the first time he pressed at the end of a game this year and it resulted in a very bad outcome.

It wouldn't be beneficial, nor appropriate, for the coaches to shield Tommy from the blame on this like he's in the 3rd grade. We love Tommy. We'll stand behind him, most of us. He's a great player and one of the team leaders and so much fun to watch and cheer for. With that, comes expectation: own the screw ups, and move on. A QB needs a short memory about his bad decisions, and here's an opportunity to practice that.

I respectfully disagree. That is why the HC gets paid the big bucks. They should take responsibility. In fact, one should never put their QB in that situation. Hand the ball off to a RB or FB. Pretty simple concept.

 

[Whs from cb]

Look at the play calling, The coaches wonder why the team could not get in a rhythm on O. This is on the coaching staff.

 

[zoogs]

A coach is not paid big bucks to coddle their players and protect them from criticism when they screw up. How do we expect players to learn how to handle mistakes if they are treated like they're too fragile to handle it? We talk about instilling mental toughness and accountability in a team. Players should know they'll be held accountable! I'm not sure how much practice they have got with that, either.

That said, there is a whole lot of criticism to be had about the performance of the offense (and the coaches figure into that; they prepared for this game, too) from the previous 59 minutes of ball. This loss is still on the coaches.

 

[OSUfightfightfight]

A coach is not paid big bucks to coddle their players and protect them from criticism when they screw up. How do we expect players to learn how to handle mistakes if they are treated like they're too fragile to handle it? We talk about instilling mental toughness and accountability in a team. Players should know they'll be held accountable! I'm not sure how much practice they have got with that, either.

That said, there is a whole lot of criticism to be had about the performance of the offense (and the coaches figure into that; they prepared for this game, too) from the previous 59 minutes of ball. This loss is still on the coaches.

Yes and no. However, I do challenge you to look up every Oregon State press conference and see that all accountability and blame is soley on players. You will consistently find that he blames players and not him or his staff.

 

[zoogs]

Meh -- disgruntled fans make this claim all the time about coaches when all they are doing is coaching. It was made about Callahan, who regularly took responsibility here. It was made about Bo, who also took responsibility here (his issue was worrying too much about pointing fingers elsewhere, IMO). It will be made about every coach.

Maybe you're right, but I like everything about how Riley runs and manages the program so far. Just not the early results.

 

[BigWillie]

A coach is not paid big bucks to coddle their players and protect them from criticism when they screw up. How do we expect players to learn how to handle mistakes if they are treated like they're too fragile to handle it? We talk about instilling mental toughness and accountability in a team. Players should know they'll be held accountable! I'm not sure how much practice they have got with that, either.

That said, there is a whole lot of criticism to be had about the performance of the offense (and the coaches figure into that; they prepared for this game, too) from the previous 59 minutes of ball. This loss is still on the coaches.

It's a matter of earning respect and trust from your players. Pretty much a matter of when things are rough, who are the guys that will have your back, and who are the guys that will look elsewhere. If the players feel like the coaches are not looking out for them, how can the players respect the coaches on a daily basis? Tip: they will not.

Coaches are going to take the hits in the press regardless. They are paid the big bucks, and they are the ones always in front of the mic. Take the blame, save the kid.

 

[Bball1091]

A coach is not paid big bucks to coddle their players and protect them from criticism when they screw up. How do we expect players to learn how to handle mistakes if they are treated like they're too fragile to handle it? We talk about instilling mental toughness and accountability in a team. Players should know they'll be held accountable! I'm not sure how much practice they have got with that, either.

That said, there is a whole lot of criticism to be had about the performance of the offense (and the coaches figure into that; they prepared for this game, too) from the previous 59 minutes of ball. This loss is still on the coaches.

You handle that in-house. It's not "coddling" them to talk to them in person in private and let them know your disappointment. Happens all the time at work. In front of the media, the HC should always blame themselves first. I'm sorry I guess I completely disagree with that tactic. We will just have to agree to disagree.

 

[Mavric]

Just watched the play in question again.

5 guys run passing routes.

All 5 lineman stay in to pass block.

Tommy immediately looks to pass.

Ozigbo swims past a defender and immediately looks back for the ball.

I've seen called running plays a time or two, that certainly didn't look like one of them. 11 guys all ran the same play, none of them did anything that would indicated it was a called QB Sweep.

Riley should have simply just admitted his error. Not a good look.

Yep. No way there would be so many guys running pass routes and the line pass blocking if it wasn't a called play.

Now, the one option I will leave open is that Langsdorf called a running play and TA misunderstood it - if the verbiage was similar which is possible - and though he said something different. But they said Langsdorf told the play directly to TA. So that would be pretty bad. And that would probably be on TA for being in too much of a hurry.

 

[Count 'Bility]

Just watched the play in question again.

5 guys run passing routes.

All 5 lineman stay in to pass block.

Tommy immediately looks to pass.

Ozigbo swims past a defender and immediately looks back for the ball.

I've seen called running plays a time or two, that certainly didn't look like one of them. 11 guys all ran the same play, none of them did anything that would indicated it was a called QB Sweep.

Riley should have simply just admitted his error. Not a good look.

Yep. No way there would be so many guys running pass routes and the line pass blocking if it wasn't a called play.

Now, the one option I will leave open is that Langsdorf called a running play and TA misunderstood it - if the verbiage was similar which is possible - and though he said something different. But they said Langsdorf told the play directly to TA. So that would be pretty bad. And that would probably be on TA for being in too much of a hurry.

yeah that's tough. It's pass pro blocking as well.

Like you said. Either coaches are lying, or the mixup was in the communication of coach to qb on the playcall. Cuz that play looks like a pass play. Obvious.

 

[huskerfan92]

Just watched the play in question again.

5 guys run passing routes.

All 5 lineman stay in to pass block.

Tommy immediately looks to pass.

Ozigbo swims past a defender and immediately looks back for the ball.

I've seen called running plays a time or two, that certainly didn't look like one of them. 11 guys all ran the same play, none of them did anything that would indicated it was a called QB Sweep.

Riley should have simply just admitted his error. Not a good look.

Yep. No way there would be so many guys running pass routes and the line pass blocking if it wasn't a called play.

Now, the one option I will leave open is that Langsdorf called a running play and TA misunderstood it - if the verbiage was similar which is possible - and though he said something different. But they said Langsdorf told the play directly to TA. So that would be pretty bad. And that would probably be on TA for being in too much of a hurry.

yeah that's tough. It's pass pro blocking as well.

Like you said. Either coaches are lying, or the mixup was in the communication of coach to qb on the playcall. Cuz that play looks like a pass play. Obvious.

Even look at Moore, he's clearly running a route. If the coaches saw something odd with the play, which they did claim that Carter was supposed to shift and he didn't then they should've called a timeout. Just unacceptable.

 

[Redux]

When did you ever think you would hear this statement?

"We wanted Tommy Armstrong to run the ball, but instead he threw it." - Mike Riley

Sorry, that doesn't sound like a real situation.

 

[Count 'Bility]

Just watched the play in question again.

5 guys run passing routes.

All 5 lineman stay in to pass block.

Tommy immediately looks to pass.

Ozigbo swims past a defender and immediately looks back for the ball.

I've seen called running plays a time or two, that certainly didn't look like one of them. 11 guys all ran the same play, none of them did anything that would indicated it was a called QB Sweep.

Riley should have simply just admitted his error. Not a good look.

Yep. No way there would be so many guys running pass routes and the line pass blocking if it wasn't a called play.

Now, the one option I will leave open is that Langsdorf called a running play and TA misunderstood it - if the verbiage was similar which is possible - and though he said something different. But they said Langsdorf told the play directly to TA. So that would be pretty bad. And that would probably be on TA for being in too much of a hurry.

yeah that's tough. It's pass pro blocking as well.

Like you said. Either coaches are lying, or the mixup was in the communication of coach to qb on the playcall. Cuz that play looks like a pass play. Obvious.

Even look at Moore, he's clearly running a route. If the coaches saw something odd with the play, which they did claim that Carter was supposed to shift and he didn't then they should've called a timeout. Just unacceptable.

they mentioned it was formationally screwed up as well. Concerning at the very least.

 

[BigWillie]

WRs run routes on bootleg to draw defenders off edges, and RB or FB flare to same side as QB.

Nothing out of the ordinary at all about what was going on in the screenshot of the 3rd down play above. If anything, it lends to the idea of why Tommy threw the ball. Defender in his face stopping him from turning corner, defender on inside cutback lane. Ozigbo is releasing from a bad block and has lots of space. Armstong likely thought it was an easy dump off and Ozigbo is in better shape to get the 1st down than he would be. Either way, Tommy has to be aware of the situation there and the best play is just to eat a loss or no gain.

I don't even remember what formation we were in on this play, but just an illustration of what a bootleg might look like while run out of I-formation ..

 

[Redux]

No, seriously...

Riley wanted Tommy to run, but Tommy decided to throw.

That sounds like a made up sentence.

 

[huskerfan92]

WRs run routes on bootleg to draw defenders off edges, and RB or FB flare to same side as QB.

Nothing out of the ordinary at all about what was going on in the screenshot of the 3rd down play above. If anything, it lends to the idea of why Tommy threw the ball. Defender in his face stopping him from turning corner, defender on inside cutback lane. Ozigbo is releasing from a bad block and has lots of space. Armstong likely thought it was an easy dump off and Ozigbo is in better shape to get the 1st down than he would be. Either way, Tommy has to be aware of the situation there and the best play is just to eat a loss or no gain.

I don't even remember what formation we were in on this play, but just an illustration of what a bootleg might look like while run out of I-formation ..

What I think we can all agree on is that a bootleg was an absolutely terrible call. Especially when the coaches don't believe the quarterback can run the ball, yet in the biggest situation say "Alright we want you to run it, make sure you absolutely don't throw it though" to the one guy on the team that would have an instinct to throw the ball. I don't care if they said to Tommy 8,000 times not to throw, if he sees a defender in his face his first instinct is going to be to throw the ball. If they simply just handed it to Jano or Ozigbo there would've been no part of their brain that said, "Screw it we're throwing this one"