CPJ Radio Show 9/21

[JacketFromUGA]

So I might call in tonight for 2 quick questions.

1) Not that we need to throw more but when we're having trouble establishing a rhythm on offense why does it seem like every pass we throw is 20+ yards downfield?

2) Does the increased amount of media time outs hurt a team trying to get a rhythm?

Thoughts?

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

So I might call in tonight for 2 quick questions.

1) Not that we need to throw more but when we're having trouble establishing a rhythm on offense why does it seem like every pass we throw is 20+ yards downfield?

2) Does the increased amount of media time outs hurt a team trying to get a rhythm?


Thoughts?

When we pass, we mean it.
We had two wide open and missed. Could have been game changers.

 

[bke1984]

When we pass, we mean it.
We had two wide open and missed. Could have been game changers.

OK, so I understand this logic most of the time, but there were a few factors that made it tough on Saturday.

1) It was windy as hell. When I was throwing the ball around in the parking lot before the game, it would move a good 5-10 feet from left to right on long passes. Tough to go deep with that sort of wind (unless you throw a Hail Mary and push off, I guess)
2) There was no time to execute those long 7-step drop passes. When Notre Dame knew we were passing, they brought very effective pressure

I love the idea that we want to hit teams deep when they play up close, but man, sometimes it's just not hitting. I love this offense, but adding a short passing game is the one area where I think we could add another dimension that would make us unstoppable.

I just watched the last two TD's. Even on those plays we ran long 7-step drops before getting the ball out. Some of this may have to do with Thomas's height, but we should be able to find ways to hit A-backs quickly in the flats on some option play-action stuff.

Come to think of it...maybe I have selective memory, but I don't recall seeing a lot of play-action on Saturday. We've done this in the past with fake option passes that seem to work very well when the defense is cheating on motion or being very aggressive like ND was...seems like this could have really helped.

 

[Wrecking Ball]

We could definitely develop a better overall passing game.

 

[Ggee87]

I'm with you on the short/medium passing game. Get these quick shifty guys in space or Skov in space and let them make a play. Tossing up prayers 20+ yds down the field is ok when they aren't expecting it... but you can't expect them to never have to worry about covering the mid deep areas.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I'm with you on the short/medium passing game. Get these quick shifty guys in space or Skov in space and let them make a play. Tossing up prayers 20+ yds down the field is ok when they aren't expecting it... but you can't expect them to never have to worry about covering the mid deep areas.

The thing people are forgetting is that our run game sets up our passing game. If we can't run, it makes passing much more difficult. That said, the smoke route was open all day. I have no idea why we didn't go there except for no confidence in our wr's to make yards.

mini-rant: when you've got 9 defenders bunched up in the middle in some funky formation and two corners out wide 8 yards off the wr, throw him the the damn ball!

Also, as many have said, no comeback helpouts on the scramble.... We miss Smelter and Waller big time.

 

[Ggee87]

The thing people are forgetting is that our run game sets up our passing game. If we can't run, it makes passing much more difficult. That said, the smoke route was open all day. I have no idea why we didn't go there except for no confidence in our wr's to make yards. Also, as many have said, no comeback helpouts on the scramble.... We miss Smelter and Waller big time.

I knew losing Smelter would be HUGE. He is gonna be special on the next stage I believe. Waller wasn't chopped liver himself either. Hope CPJ can get that position up to speed sooner rather than later. They've got to practice scrambling off of their routes to help out JeT when he starts taking off.

 

[Declinometer]

Under utilizing our freshman WR IMO.
I think CPJ will tell you he was a little off his game Saturday....then again he probably won't.

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

OK, so I understand this logic most of the time, but there were a few factors that made it tough on Saturday.

1) It was windy as hell. When I was throwing the ball around in the parking lot before the game, it would move a good 5-10 feet from left to right on long passes. Tough to go deep with that sort of wind (unless you throw a Hail Mary and push off, I guess)
2) There was no time to execute those long 7-step drop passes. When Notre Dame knew we were passing, they brought very effective pressure

I love the idea that we want to hit teams deep when they play up close, but man, sometimes it's just not hitting. I love this offense, but adding a short passing game is the one area where I think we could add another dimension that would make us unstoppable.

I just watched the last two TD's. Even on those plays we ran long 7-step drops before getting the ball out. Some of this may have to do with Thomas's height, but we should be able to find ways to hit A-backs quickly in the flats on some option play-action stuff.

Come to think of it...maybe I have selective memory, but I don't recall seeing a lot of play-action on Saturday. We've done this in the past with fake option passes that seem to work very well when the defense is cheating on motion or being very aggressive like ND was...seems like this could have really helped.

Notre Dame was ahead 30-7 playing a little softer late in the game.

 

[bke1984]

Notre Dame was ahead 30-7 playing a little softer late in the game.

Yeah, but those plays were open earlier in the game too. They had 9 guys in the box. We could have easily had the play side A-back fake a block and run a drag route to the opposite side and he'd have been wide open.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for hitting big pass plays to back the defense up. But if it's not working we can't just continue to go three-and-out. If we can't hit deep passes and we can't run the ball, we have to have a third option or else this is going to happen.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I love this offense, but adding a short passing game is the one area where I think we could add another dimension that would make us unstoppable.

CPJ said he tried that early in the game but quarterback could not get the pass off.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

That said, the smoke route was open all day.

I wondered about that. That would be the question I would ask. "Hey coach, why didn't we throw the smoke route Saturday?'' I guarantee he would have an answer.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I wondered about that. That would be the question I would ask. "Hey coach, why didn't we throw the smoke route Saturday?'' I guarantee he would have an answer.

He absolutely hates being second guessed as a play caller. I'd be afraid of a smarmy answer on that one. That's one area he needs to work on. It's a logical question and should be answered as such.

 

[JacketFromUGA]

He absolutely hates being second guessed as a play caller. I'd be afraid of a smarmy answer on that one. That's one area he needs to work on. It's a logical question and should be answered as such.

this is the reason I'd be hesitant to ask the first question.

I don't want to trip his defenses and as a random caller I feel I definitely would.

 

[GTpdm]

Notre Dame was ahead 30-7 playing a little softer late in the game.

Yes, but as I understand it they still had their first string in, all the way up until the end of the game.

 

[gtg936g]

Usually there is an underneath route on CPJ's passing plays but for some reason the QB doesn't choose to throw it there. That may be a coaching thing, or JT not having time to check down.

 

[yellojello]

this is the reason I'd be hesitant to ask the first question.

I don't want to trip his defenses and as a random caller I feel I definitely would.

You could try to phrase it like this:

"Was the smoke route a possibility in this game? Was there any chance it could have worked?"

 

[GTsuperfan]

Would love to hear from fans tonight at 830 on our show. 347-989-8385. We don't screen questions!

Nothing like a little radio therapy

 

[Blumpkin Souffle]

Under utilizing our freshman WR IMO.
I think CPJ will tell you he was a little off his game Saturday....then again he probably won't.

 

[deeeznutz]

I'm with you on the short/medium passing game. Get these quick shifty guys in space or Skov in space and let them make a play. Tossing up prayers 20+ yds down the field is ok when they aren't expecting it... but you can't expect them to never have to worry about covering the mid deep areas.

It's a little counter-intuitive, but windy conditions probably hurt us more than teams that toss the ball all over the field. Those teams have a solid arsenal of short passes (which aren't impacted as much by wind) to go to when the long ball (heavily impacted by wind) is not an option. Our all or nothing passing game was nearly impossible to get going when every long ball drifted a good chunk off course.