Offensive Play-Calling

[Northeast Stinger]

I think some of Buster’s play calling involves compensating for areas in which our offense isn’t strong, emphasizing certain blocking patterns, types of runs, and certain pass patterns. It’s the only way I can account for large missing sections in the playbook. Also, as others have pointed out, some of his plays may be influence plays to set up other plays in the future.

 

[Spalding Jacket]

No one has mentioned the play where a Duke db came within a whisker of intercepting a wide receiver screen to the right side. He broke on the ball from about 10 yards away in a full sprint before King even let it go. He knew exactly what was coming and almost got a pick six that would have drastically changed the game.

I don’t think the short horizontal passes will work against better teams if that is all we are capable of. Surely we have to pass downfield at some point. I don’t have the stats handy, but I think King only averaged about 6-7 yards per completion.

After that play I mentioned in chat we needed to run a fake WR screen and next play there it was with a nice medium gain to a open WR. Think right now it’s more of coaches going to the well too long before mixing it up. I think coaches are still holding back plays for tougher teams and only using some if need be.

 

[cpf2001]

Think right now it’s more of coaches going to the well too long before mixing it up.

This is my take. The “setting other stuff up” thing fits in here- if they stuffed it by blitzing exactly where you ran, you were probably already set up for something else on that very play.

 

[stinger78]

Yeah, what worked against Duke well enough to win won't work down the road. What I don't get about the called QB runs is that Haynes King is a much better runner when he sees an opening and takes off. He's great in the open field, very hard to a bead on and get hold of, not so great in traffic. He's a slippery eel, not a power runner. I was relieved when he handed the ball off, because he doesn't need any more wear and tear.
I'd like to see the Jackets mix it up more next week.

Yes, King is getting banged up. You can see it. He needs to be running less, not more. This is a good time for the OL to take the step on run blocking.

 

[UgaBlows]

I feel like we should be throwing a few longish throws to the sidelines to Blackburn or some other tall receivers on occasion

 

[bobongo]

Yes, King is getting banged up. You can see it. He needs to be running less, not more. This is a good time for the OL to take the step on run blocking.

Love to see King tuck it under in the open field, but I hate to see him hit the pile. Like to see more Alexander, too. Both Hayneses need a break.

 

[stinger78]

I feel like we should be throwing a few longish throws to the sidelines to Blackburn or some other tall receivers on occasion

Our WRs don’t get much separation. Usually, they’re wide open due to busted coverage, or it’s a short, quick route. King occasionally forces a great throw through coverage. I don’t see our WRs often running 2-3 steps out front, except Singleton on a go route. Those are low percentage passes, though.

 

[roadkill]

Just listened to CBK’s post-game presser. He had some comments pertinent to this thread.

CBK felt like we had been too constricted in the last couple of games (too many up-the-middle plays). So, a goal of the Duke game was to spread it out more. This was said in response to a question about the screens opening up the run game more. It also factored into our overall strategy against a team like Duke.

He expressed concern about how Duke had shown the ability to excel in the second half of their games and therefore we wanted to wear them down. Thus, sustaining long drives while working Duke's defense sideline-to-sideline factored into our play-calling strategy. Given our late-game success, this strategy seemed to work.

I think some fans who saw us “call too many screens” or “play conservative” may be missing some of the strategic aspects of our play-calling.

 

[takethepoints]

Everyone, including myself, were calling for Buster to change it up. FSU inflated our sense of the strength of our front 5 to pound the ball.
I thought we did a good job mixing in screens. Looking back, they were some of our most successful plays, and made Duke pay for putting 8 in the box and some of the run blitzes. We couldn’t cash in as much as we should have, but you have to give credit to Dukes defense as well.
As others have said, it will be tougher to use this against faster teams with more speed, but more speed means running in the wrong direction faster as well. We will have to get more vertical, even if mid range.

Glad to see the TE more involved, but still not nearly enough. It will pay dividends in the run game if one of those guys can be a consistent target. Losing Seither hurts here, because he was always a red zone target and at the very least drew coverage.

A couple of my continued nits to pick:

Buster loves to repeatedly call numbers. King will have a tough run for 9, getting multiple hits, then we run him the next play. Jamal rips off a 40 yarder, then we give it the very next play. We have enough players at RB where we don’t need to do this. King is a man, but need to save him some wear and tear. It won’t kill us to hand it off after a tough run or throw a screen.

Our deep passing game is not very good. It is not Kings forte and we just can’t hit them with enough consistency. I think late last year we did a lot more mid range passing: 10-20 yards down the field. That is Kings sweet spot and our OL doesn’t need to sustain blocks too long.

I wish I could reply with an Amen to every post above. There's a simple solution: options so the edge. We aren't doing that and we should. Here endth the sermon.

 

[MtnWasp]

The emphasis on all the flat passes is not just GT. I see it in the NFL also.

My theory is that it is an analytics driven trend.

Winning is highly correlated to turnover margin and chunk yardage plays (and the old run the ball and stop the run - which is many times a stalemate and therefore, a non-differentiator)).

Defenses these days sell out to prevent big plays and stop the run. That means that they are willing to give up yards on those flat passes. Coverage is loose there to prevent the big plays.

For offenses, there is bigger chance of turnovers in the vertical passing attack and throwing in the middle of the field.

The analytics probably drive the offensive strategy to take what the defenses gives you, which are those flat passes (if you can't run the ball).

If an offense can run the ball enough to get the safeties up and out of a deep zone, then that opens one-on-one coverage on WRs and the vertical passing game is less risky.

This leads to a repetition of play calls. From a fan's point of view, all of this offense run along the line of scrimmage makes an offense look "rinky-dink." Defenses are willing to give up yards and first downs and even field goals because the statistics say that is unlikely to beat you. It is formulaic.

If coaches simply follow the statistics, then they have covered their butts, accountability-wise. It is not very creative, though.

 

[BleedGoldNWhite21]

I agree that the offense looks too predictable and vanilla. I’m pretty cold on Buster this year. The only point I’ll make in his defense is in regard to the screen passes. Many of the screen passes are basically triple option RPOs where Haynes has the option to hand it off, keep it or throw it. Are they calling too many RPOs or is Haynes missing the reads on these too much? Both are valid questions, but I think it’s worth emphasizing Buster isn’t directly calling screens as much as it looks.

 

[g0lftime]

Geoff Collins is getting paid to coach football. Do you honestly think there aren't people out there who aren't paid coaches that know more than him?

.Mack drank the Collins Kool aid during the interview. He has the vocabulary but no substance. Mack said he impressed him with his knowledge about their D and what he needed to do for improvement. Hahaha. You have been around long enough to not fall for that, Mack. This year may send Mack into retirement. My UNC buddies are ready for a change.

 

[57jacket]

Buster calls plays he thinks will work against a particuler D. PERIOD. Give it up guys. He's the best OC we've had in forever.

 

[forensicbuzz]

Geoff Collins is getting paid to coach football. Do you honestly think there aren't people out there who aren't paid coaches that know more than him?

No. I don’t. I don’t think knowledge of the game is Geoff Collins problem.

 

[BleedGoldNWhite21]

Buster calls plays he thinks will work against a particuler D. PERIOD. Give it up guys. He's the best OC we've had in forever.

Depends on your definition. We had a literal HoFer call plays for us for a decade just six years ago. The Collins years were dark, but we were used to scoring points prior to that for quite awhile. I’d say he’s smack in the middle of our play callers the last 25 years.

Ralph Fridge
Paul Johnson
Bill O’Brien
Buster Faulkner
Chip Long
Dave Pat
Patrick Nix
John Bond

 

[forensicbuzz]

We mixed it up more last night. Short well-designed passing TD to Haynes and another good opportunities for an inside-the-ten pass TD earlier with a drop and a throw that got away. Run some of those against Louisville on that four down fail situation and maybe we win that game.

Still seems to be some telegraphing though.

It’s not that we think we’d be better at calling plays than our coaches. It’s that the D coaches seem good at knowing what we’re gonna call, and often even us fans are aware of what’s gonna be called in what situation.

We don’t have the personnel to tell most other teams exactly what we’re gonna do frequently and win anyway.

And if we execute, our plays are successful.

 

[jojatk]

Depends on your definition. We had a literal HoFer call plays for us for a decade just six years ago. The Collins years were dark, but we were used to scoring points prior to that for quite awhile. I’d say he’s smack in the middle of our play callers the last 25 years.

Ralph Fridge
Paul Johnson
Bill O’Brien
Buster Faulkner
Chip Long
Dave Pat
Patrick Nix
John Bond

I am not so sure I put Bill O’Brien ahead of Buster or not. I hadn’t really thought about it. That’s a really good question and I can see points on both sides of which was/is the better play caller for GT. Thanks for posting your list it’s a good reminder of what we have had to go through versus the amazing ones we have had.

 

[UgaBlows]

Our WRs don’t get much separation. Usually, they’re wide open due to busted coverage, or it’s a short, quick route. King occasionally forces a great throw through coverage. I don’t see our WRs often running 2-3 steps out front, except Singleton on a go route. Those are low percentage passes, though.

Ideally with diagonal throws out to the sideline your qb throws it up there so only your tall receiver i.e. Blackburn can go up and get it

 

[bobongo]

Buster calls plays he thinks will work against a particuler D. PERIOD. Give it up guys. He's the best OC we've had in forever.

Maybe the offense will have a great game next week in Chapel Hill, like the game last year against UNC: 635 yards and 46 points. Hope the Jackets can put the current offensive malaise in the rear-view mirror.

 

[NorthAvenueNation]

Agree completely about telegraphing our plays.

I am curious who our deep threat really is too. I think we have extremely talented wide receivers but they're also small. Our deep balls have to be on the money with our receivers winning with speed rather than anyone being able to catch a back shoulder throw. King doesn't seem to have an accurate enough deep ball to hit our receivers in stride.

I would have thought Boyd or Blackburn could have been deep play threats this year with the sheer size they both possess, but they aren't the fastest route runners. I still think Singleton and Rutherford are deep threats because if they get a half step behind you, you will pay for it if King can make the throw. I do think your question goes along with this post. I sometimes wonder if Buster is running WR screens to set up Rutherford or Singleton as the DBs cheat up a bit for a screen?