Interesting former player insight on Duke loss

[Buzzbomb]

Why doesn't duke come out flat too is what i've always wondered?

They always play in front of smaller crowds. Still only hold 30k. Largest crowd is when F$U goes up there or UNCheat every other year. NC Central brought some folks. Still it never gets loud, so much open air and space. Alumni are quiet on one side of the stadium.

 

[alagold]

There is a lot of truth being spoken in this thread. Those quick passes to AB's would be a delight to see to burn blitzers, but we don't seem able to execute that stuff right now.

CPJ did seem to be stubbornly fixated on fixing the running game after the debacle at Notre Dame. He stated on his radio show that "we're going to run the ball" at Duke.I still think that is a mistake and we must be open to solutions like those suggested in this thread....

yep,PJ is "going to run" and they are "going to stop the run"--with no passing guess who wins that one

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Man we miss Smelter. I just watched some of the VT game from last year. We struggle on the OL in that one, too. We struggled on offense, period. But on the game tying drive under 3 minutes to go in the game down 7, we passed to Smelter 3 times. Once on 3rd and 2, once on 4th and 15 and once on 2nd and 10 for the 31 yd td strike.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

There is a lot of truth being spoken in this thread. Those quick passes to AB's would be a delight to see to burn blitzers, but we don't seem able to execute that stuff right now.

CPJ did seem to be stubbornly fixated on fixing the running game after the debacle at Notre Dame. He stated on his radio show that "we're going to run the ball" at Duke.I still think that is a mistake and we must be open to solutions like those suggested in this thread....

We run the ball. That's what we do...75/80% if the time. Don't confuse the type of offense you would prefer as the fix for our offense.

 

[AE 87]

yep,PJ is "going to run" and they are "going to stop the run"--with no passing guess who wins that one

fwiw, we called 31 pass plays against Duke according to CPJ. That's got to be close to the most in a game under him.

I simply don't understand why so many are convinced that the reason we don't pass more and better is because of CPJ being stubborn rather than because that's not our strength.

If people want to say that we would be better off if we had a more balanced offense, then I would respond that it's easier said than done. We've had one of the best offenses in the ACC practically every year without the best talent under CPJ. All the other offenses are more balanced, and I suspect the other teams are paying Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator more than we're paying CPJ and top off assistant.

 

[iceeater1969]

Man we miss Smelter. I just watched some of the VT game from last year. We struggle on the OL in that one, too. We struggled on offense, period. But on the game tying drive under 3 minutes to go in the game down 7, we passed to Smelter 3 times. Once on 3rd and 2, once on 4th and 15 and once on 2nd and 10 for the 31 yd td strike.

Went to nd, stayed at casino w team, gave extra tickets to a coach who had high school coach to share the tickets. While visiting about stuff I asked whats the big thing about new team. He said just what u said = going to miss Smelter in early games

 

[Skeptic]

There is a lot of truth being spoken in this thread. Those quick passes to AB's would be a delight to see to burn blitzers, but we don't seem able to execute that stuff right now.

CPJ did seem to be stubbornly fixated on fixing the running game after the debacle at Notre Dame. He stated on his radio show that "we're going to run the ball" at Duke.I still think that is a mistake and we must be open to solutions like those suggested in this thread....

Well, again -- and a guy making $3 mil a year is a big boy and can fend for himself -- he clearly will do whatever it takes to win. My impression from TV only obviously is that along with everybody else, he didn't see the Duke woes coming. ND was understandable, with great athletes and a great scheme, but Duke's VT revisited with athletes no better than GT surprised him. This week is as the pundits love to say, a harbinger of things to come.

 

[Skeptic]

I think he has a fix, the problem is he doesn't have the guys to execute it. We saw this same tactic last year and had mixed results. In some cases we got stopped, but in others we burned 'em.

I need to proofread me better. What I meant to say was that "The real worry is not" which I blithered my way into "real worry is now". Yes, I think he can fix it. Some of the players may not like the way he fixes it, but he will fix it.

 

[augustabuzz]

Here are the highlights I took from the podcast. The former players were Taylor Bennett and AJ Smith

They both commented that in our offense, the OL technique can make it difficult to see/pickup late blitzes. Mentioned that the success of Duke and ND shooting gaps is causing JT to press. Also questioned some of the play calls, specifically on third down.

I thought this was interesting: they said playing at Duke for a noon game is very difficult due to the lack of crowd/energy and that the tendency is to come out flat. Combine the poor atmosphere with crappy conditions and its hard to get up for the game. Said in years past you could start slow but still beat Duke, now that they are pretty good, the atmosphere can lull you to sleep, then you dig a hole that's hard to climb out.

Mentioned that in spite of how poorly we played we still had plenty of chances to win the game.

Chalked up the poor special teams play to effort...I think they said special teams was 99% effort, 1% scheme. Not sure if I agree, but that's what was said.

Praised the Defense, singling out PJ and Ted Roof as doing a great job last week.

..ended by saying we've got figure out a way to beat UNC.

Not a bad listen, but nothing overly "new" except maybe the piece about playing at Duke.

I agree with their assertion about special teams being 90% + effort. I saw what appeared to me to be a lack of hustle that turned into the long punt return.

 

[Captain killem]

A great high school coach responded to a question one time of
"Coach, why don't we throw the ball more?"
Coaches response "When you throw the ball 3 things can happen and 2 of em ain't no good." Lol that always makes me laugh but he did have a run first and then sprinkle in a pass or 2 attitude. And yes he was a Wing T coach.

 

[awbuzz]

interesting insight... still boils down to executing blocks.

JT was 6 / 21 passing - don't consider Rodwell's ''attempt'' a called pass play - and JT was sacked sacked twice. That means he ended up "running" (excluding the sacks) 8 times due to pass protection. the Pass Protection also caused many throw aways out ofthe 15 incomplete attempts.

 

[Captain killem]

I agree completely we get our blocking assignments right and the rest will fall into place.

 

[Papa Doc]

Just watch the o line play on Saturday; our guys are on the ground and their guys are standing up. The are having a really hard time staying on their feet to maintain and getting the second level. The A backs are struggling with their cut blocks, too, allowing too many line backers and d ends to shed them and stay upright waiting on the ball carrier. When our blockers are not able to stay on their feet, their guys can just wait on the ball to arrive.

 

[awbuzz]

@Papa Doc , nice view in the avatar!

 

[BabyJacket1990]

If you want to throw the Defense off that are shooting gaps , you have to have a hard count. I am still blown away that a coach that gets paid 3 million a year couldn't adjust to this.

 

[southernhive]

If you want to throw the Defense off that are shooting gaps , you have to have a hard count. I am still blown away that a coach that gets paid 3 million a year couldn't adjust to this.

I agree and another option would be to start the a backs in motion like Navy.

 

[BabyJacket1990]

I agree and another option would be to start the a backs in motion like Navy.

He has made those adjustments here before but for some damn reason he didn't on Saturday. I had to turn the game off. I am not a coach and don't claim to be but, I would have tried this to see how Puke would react.

 

[Ash]

Man we miss Smelter. I just watched some of the VT game from last year. We struggle on the OL in that one, too. We struggled on offense, period. But on the game tying drive under 3 minutes to go in the game down 7, we passed to Smelter 3 times. Once on 3rd and 2, once on 4th and 15 and once on 2nd and 10 for the 31 yd td strike.

Yes. Yes. Yes. We played VT last year just about as well as we played Duke this year. They were in our backfield making JT run for his life a lot. But he could roll out and hit Smelter on a comeback route on 3rd down. Among other things, we can't seem to do that now.

I remember having the sinking feeling in the 4th quarter of the VT game last year that we were in for a long season if this was the best we could muster to get on the field. Then 4th and 15 happened and everything seemed to change. I'm really hoping that kind of mental switch gets flipped again against UNC, but I am not holding my breath.

 

[33jacket]

Sp teams is 98 percent effort 2 percent scheme. Not sure about 99/1. Lol

That is totally true. Now if you are a player totally running out of your lane then it doesnt matter. But provided you straight and dont pinchits all effort

And blocking is the same. Just watch snoddy and juene block and tell me if that was scheme or effort. Freaking sad.

 

[yellojello]

Sp teams is 98 percent effort 2 percent scheme. Not sure about 99/1. Lol

That is totally true. Now if you are a player totally running out of your lane then it doesnt matter. But provided you straight and dont pinchits all effort

And blocking is the same. Just watch snoddy and juene block and tell me if that was scheme or effort. Freaking sad.

In Snoddy's defense, I saw him give all out effort a couple of times in my play-by-play post-mortem. He just doesn't seem to have it though.