General News about Key and his Staff

[stech81]

I wanted to try and find out what OC Buster Faulkner's offensive philosophy is, I found this Q&A from 2016 very interesting (when he was hired as OC for Arkansas State in 2016). Also, I'm sure Todd Monken had influence on him, and Monken has a lot of air raid principles in his offensive scheme too. Snippets of his answers to offensive philosophy below:

Q. How would you describe your offensive philosophy?

A. Well, I think, the first thing is coach Anderson is an offensive minded guy and one of the best in all of college football. So that was an attraction to me, just that alone, talking to him and watching him play over the last five, six years. I remember when he was at Southern Miss and I was at Murray State and I was watching those guys play. I would always say 'Man, we need to go study those guys.' You know, our philosophies are real similar, up pace, play at a fast tempo, throw the ball around, get the ball to your playmakers, keep it simple on the quarterback and just do the things that are necessary to be successful.

Q. How do you measure tempo, and what makes you satisfied you're playing at the right tempo?

A. Well, I think the first thing you look at it is obviously, how quick are you snapping the ball? None of that matters if you're not moving the ball. So we've got to, the biggest thing for us is that when you get the first, first down, usually the tempo is able to take place. So, we want to snap it as many times as we can, but we also want to play with the defense. Each game is different and we just want to make sure we do the things that are necessary to win.

Q. Middle Tennessee played faster in 2015 than in 2014, why?

A. We were definitely faster this year. Played at a much quicker pace. I think the quarterback dictates that. I think he's going to have to be the guy putting his foot down and getting everybody going. He's the control setter.

Q. Is it easier to go fast with an experienced quarterback?

A. Well, we had a freshman this year and he was a freshman all-American. So, the thing is that it's all the urgency that that kid can play with. The players will feed off him.

Q. Where did you pick up your philosophies from? Who are some mentors?

A. Where I've kind of got my background is Chris Hatcher [former Valdosta State coach], the head coach at Samford, he has a Hal Mumme and Mike Leach background. That's where I get a lot of my philosophies from and that's very similar to what Blake's been doing, the air raid type stuff. But he would be the one.

Q&A: Arkansas State's new offensive coordinator, Buster Faulkner | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Arkansas State was in need of an offensive coordinator after Walt Bell left for Maryland following its loss to Louisiana Tech in the New Orleans Bowl. After a three-week search. Coach Blake Anderson last week announced the hiring of Buster Faulkner, who comes to ASU after five seasons at Middle...

www.arkansasonline.com

I would think after being at uga the last 3 years he may have change a little. He should know a good running game is very important now.

 

[EddieK]

My thoughts on the Air Raid are mixed. Leach was probably the master at it, and he was only able to win 10+ games twice. His record in the Big XII was .661, but dipped to .539 in the PAC and .528 in the SEC. If we try to run pure Air Raid we will probably lose a good bit the first couple of years which was true even for Leach everywhere except Texas Tech. If, however, we mix a limited amount of Air Raid with a power running game, then it's possible we can find success sooner. I just don't think our team is set up personnel wise to transition directly to Air Raid next season.

That's one of the positive's about the air raid system, it can be tweaked (and has been many times) to fit your personnel. Lincoln Riley runs an air raid system that focuses heavily on the run game. Sonny Dykes is another air raid guy that incorporates a solid run game. The main thing that I love about the system is that it allows you to have a competitive advantage over teams that may have better athletes.

 

[EddieK]

I would think after being at uga the last 3 years he may have change a little. He should know a good running game is very important now.

Since Monken's got there, their % of plays in shotgun have gone up substantially. Air raid does not = no run game.

 

[Eli]

My thoughts on the Air Raid are mixed. Leach was probably the master at it, and he was only able to win 10+ games twice. His record in the Big XII was .661, but dipped to .539 in the PAC and .528 in the SEC. If we try to run pure Air Raid we will probably lose a good bit the first couple of years which was true even for Leach everywhere except Texas Tech. If, however, we mix a limited amount of Air Raid with a power running game, then it's possible we can find success sooner. I just don't think our team is set up personnel wise to transition directly to Air Raid next season.

To be fair all of the teams leach coached have been lifelong bottom dwellers of college football besides maybe Mississippi State who had one good year under Mullen

 

[UgaBlows]

Since Monken's got there, their % of plays in shotgun have gone up substantially. Air raid does not = no run game.

They still go under center some and have a power run game when the situation calls for it

 

[EddieK]

They still go under center some and have a power run game when the situation calls for it

Yes, and he runs an air raid system, that's what I'm saying, air raid systems can place an emphasis on the run game at the same time

 

[SunBum]

Wonder if there is a way to effectively mix a spread passing & running game in the same offense with the the available practice time

Maybe we need to get P'nut back on staff to figure it out!

 

[leatherneckjacket]

I have no idea if Faulkner will work out or not and I certainly hope he does, but I just do not understand this hire given the commitment by the AD to invest more in assistants. Even if we hire more consultants and admin to help with evaluating recruits, developing players, and scheming opponents, I would have thought we would have invested more heavily into a top notch OC with $7.5M available for the staff. This seems like a cheap hire and not someone who is going to significantly improve our offense.

 

[JacketFan137]

Wonder if there is a way to effectively mix a spread passing & running game in the same offense with the the available practice time

i mean that’s what a lot of good college teams are. i think most of the really competitive teams year over end run and pass well.

 

[stech81]

I have no idea if Faulkner will work out or not and I certainly hope he does, but I just do not understand this hire given the commitment by the AD to invest more in assistants. Even if we hire more consultants and admin to help with evaluating recruits, developing players, and scheming opponents, I would have thought we would have invested more heavily into a top notch OC with $7.5M available for the staff. This seems like a cheap hire and not someone who is going to significantly improve our offense.

but don't forget we are still having to pay Long

 

[Towaliga]

Maybe we need to get P'nut back on staff to figure it out!

Just speculation on my part, but it wouldn’t surprise me to find out P’nut wanted to try something like this but TF(1F)G absolutely forbade it from happening because it would involve admitting some parts of an option offense might work and the transition wouldn’t have been as historical.

 

[TooTall]

Just speculation on my part, but it wouldn’t surprise me to find out P’nut wanted to try something like this but TF(1F)G absolutely forbade it from happening because it would involve admitting some parts of an option offense might work and the transition wouldn’t have been as historical.

Based on what we know now, wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Billygoat91]

Just speculation on my part, but it wouldn’t surprise me to find out P’nut wanted to try something like this but TF(1F)G absolutely forbade it from happening because it would involve admitting some parts of an option offense might work and the transition wouldn’t have been as historical.

If you look at his previous offenses, he had a lot more options concepts than what he ran at tech. I think you are spot on

 

[InsideLB]

I have no idea if Faulkner will work out or not and I certainly hope he does,....

This seems like a cheap hire and not someone who is going to significantly improve our offense.

Also no idea how Faulkner will do. No P5 coordinator experience, and while he is experienced his offenses have been pretty middling historically.It's also important to note that then is not now.

Faulkner just had 3 yrs of finishing school under an extremely well-regarded OC in what is CFBs most successful program over the last two years (and which is led by a Nick Saban clone in Kirby Smart). So his culture and philosophy (focus on The Process) should fit into our HC's vision.

I don't know to what extent in Faulkner's past OC stints he was given free reign, or whether he had good assistants. Sometimes the results of your scheme & play calls is hampered by your HC, your assistants, your players for that year, and your overall fit in the program/at the school, etc.

As we have seen with Thacker he suddenly produced better results when several factors changed: (1) change in HC, (2) different assistants (a better secondary coach, a proven DL coach in Turner, and a good LB coach in Seymore), and (3) he had a DL and LB that could win their share of 1-on-1 battles/apply pressure/make big plays.

I do like that Key and Weinke played P5 ball and were about as successful as you can get on the field. They seem like grinders who know what they are looking for.

But agree that this hire on the surface isn't as exciting as say Chip Long, who had some good offenses at ND, but ended up being hated here. So we shall see.

 

[Eli]

Also no idea how Faulkner will do. No P5 coordinator experience, and while he is experienced his offenses have been pretty middling historically.It's also important to note that then is not now.

Faulkner just had 3 yrs of finishing school under an extremely well-regarded OC in what is CFBs most successful program over the last two years (and which is led by a Nick Saban clone in Kirby Smart). So his culture and philosophy (focus on The Process) should fit into our HC's vision.

I don't know to what extent in Faulkner's past OC stints he was given free reign, or whether he had good assistants. Sometimes the results of your scheme & play calls is hampered by your HC, your assistants, your players for that year, and your overall fit in the program/at the school, etc.

As we have seen with Thacker he suddenly produced better results when several factors changed: (1) change in HC, (2) different assistants (a better secondary coach, a proven DL coach in Turner, and a good LB coach in Seymore), and (3) he had a DL and LB that could win their share of 1-on-1 battles/apply pressure/make big plays.

I do like that Key and Weinke played P5 ball and were about as successful as you can get on the field. They seem like grinders who know what they are looking for.

But agree that this hire on the surface isn't as exciting as say Chip Long, who had some good offenses at ND, but ended up being hated here. So we shall see.

I will say I watched a lot of chip longs offenses over the summer and was super high on him and what he ran at Tech was nothing like any of his previous stops. Our offense looked like a Jim Chaney ran offense.

 

[gville_jacket]

I will say I watched a lot of chip longs offenses over the summer and was super high on him and what he ran at Tech was nothing like any of his previous stops. Our offense looked like a Jim Chaney ran offense.

Chaney is an analyst for us so maybe he had an influence

 

[gville_jacket]

Any word or news on WR, RB, and TE coaches? Is it official that Faulkner takes TE’s?

Also, how are we splitting Special Teams coaching?

 

[UgaBlows]

Yes, and he runs an air raid system, that's what I'm saying, air raid systems can place an emphasis on the run game at the same time

I do agree (see Lincoln Riley). At times uga gets into an old-school I formation and runs the ball, thats got nothing to do with air-raid, it’s a multiple formation offense that changes to suit the situation at hand. I hope we get to see that kind of flexibility here.

 

[lv20gt]

I have no idea if Faulkner will work out or not and I certainly hope he does, but I just do not understand this hire given the commitment by the AD to invest more in assistants. Even if we hire more consultants and admin to help with evaluating recruits, developing players, and scheming opponents, I would have thought we would have invested more heavily into a top notch OC with $7.5M available for the staff. This seems like a cheap hire and not someone who is going to significantly improve our offense.

The hire is pretty much in line with the way the rest of the staff has been put together. At pretty much any step in the process of putting this staff together where we had the opportunity to make a statement that we were serious about competing we've instead made the statement we're poor and unwilling to commit.

 

[Randy Carson]

I have no idea if Faulkner will work out or not and I certainly hope he does, but I just do not understand this hire given the commitment by the AD to invest more in assistants. Even if we hire more consultants and admin to help with evaluating recruits, developing players, and scheming opponents, I would have thought we would have invested more heavily into a top notch OC with $7.5M available for the staff. This seems like a cheap hire and not someone who is going to significantly improve our offense.

The hire is pretty much in line with the way the rest of the staff has been put together. At pretty much any step in the process of putting this staff together where we had the opportunity to make a statement that we were serious about competing we've instead made the statement we're poor and unwilling to commit.

Dead wrong.

I don't think either of you is considering just how highly regarded BF was/is in Athens. Talk was that he would take over as OC if Monken left. Now, do you think that HCKS was gonna turn over the keys to the kingdom to someone who was not going to maintain the level of success they've had recently? Seriously?