Real Time Course Corrections

[Randy Carson]

I didn't play the game (except in my backyard where I consistently had a winning record).

So, help me understand how much "player development" is possible under a new HC this season.

Are the defensive players really going to learn how to "wrap up" a tackle all of a sudden? Like no one ever mentioned that to them since they first strapped on a helmet in PeeWee league? Is the OL suddenly going to decide to hold a block for an extra second or two simply because a different HC is holding the clipboard on the sideline?

I get that emotions and motivations may take a big jump positively (and that may be all it takes), but developing habits and skills takes time.

Do you really expect a lot of improvement (apart from attitude adjustment) to happen in just the next few games?

 

[Billygoat91]

I don't think many if us expect drastic enough improvement to reach a bowl game. We are just excited for a different approach/coaching come Saturday. A game without a blocked punt and less PI would be a good start. After that a field goal would be nice.....

Lord, we are starting from close to the bottom aren't we?

 

[Randy Carson]

We may not score, but at least we can punt well.

(Okay, maybe it's not THAT bad.)

 

[HurricaneJacket]

As a long time athlete, it's amazing how much difference a change in attitude can make. I don't expect enough wins to go bowling. But I do expect that we'll be much more pleased with how we comport ourselves.

 

[tmhunter52]

We may not score, but at least we can punt well.

(Okay, maybe it's not THAT bad.)

Collins REALLY lowered the bar. Maybe just letting the team know that they will NOT get Participation trophies just for dressing out might be a good place to start.

 

[slugboy]

The game has changed a lot since I was a teen. I could be dead wrong on what you can accomplish with S&C these days, for example. However, here’s what I think is the case:

• Most of your strength and conditioning gains are in the off-season, so anything beyond staying healthy is a bonus for that category.
• Key has said that he's going to simplify things. So, you won't see much razzle-dazzle, but you shouldn't see us shoot ourselves in the foot as often.
• We will get better over the next 8-9 weeks or so. So will most of our opponents. We've been awful, so our gains should be easier and we'll catch up faster. Look for us to be "less bad" over the next couple of weeks.
• We took our ONE Offensive Line coach and made him interim Head Coach. We have grad assistants--maybe they help--but the one area where we need the most improvement has only some of the attention of the coach who is there to make it better.
• It's all baby steps.
• However, we've been torching ourselves. Just cutting down on terrible own goals (like blocked punts) will make our games closer.
• Discipline should make us better at "success"--making the yards we need for first downs and efficiency in the red zone. We still might end up with 4th and 1 instead of 4th and 7, but I hope to see us cut down on the "3 and out" series.

 

[JacketFan137]

possible renewed focus and energy. motivation to put good film out there for your portal. nothing drastic should change. we aren’t gonna be running new schemes or anything.

i bet we wouldn’t start to see significant changes until after the bye week. that will give the coaches and players time to adjust to anything new they wanna try.

 

[85Escape]

The game has changed a lot since I was a teen. I could be dead wrong on what you can accomplish with S&C these days, for example. However, here’s what I think is the case:

• Most of your strength and conditioning gains are in the off-season, so anything beyond staying healthy is a bonus for that category.
• Key has said that he's going to simplify things. So, you won't see much razzle-dazzle, but you shouldn't see us shoot ourselves in the foot as often.
• We will get better over the next 8-9 weeks or so. So will most of our opponents. We've been awful, so our gains should be easier and we'll catch up faster. Look for us to be "less bad" over the next couple of weeks.
• We took our ONE Offensive Line coach and made him interim Head Coach. We have grad assistants--maybe they help--but the one area where we need the most improvement has only some of the attention of the coach who is there to make it better.
• It's all baby steps.
• However, we've been torching ourselves. Just cutting down on terrible own goals (like blocked punts) will make our games closer.
• Discipline should make us better at "success"--making the yards we need for first downs and efficiency in the red zone. We still might end up with 4th and 1 instead of 4th and 7, but I hope to see us cut down on the "3 and out" series.

Hey, if Key just sits players on the sideline for a series when they pull up 3 yards short on a 4th down attempt he'll be my hero.

 

[BuzzStone]

I really hope someone takes over the poor use of Timeouts. That has been a thorn in my side for 4 years now.

 

[danny daniel]

I didn't play the game (except in my backyard where I consistently had a winning record).

So, help me understand how much "player development" is possible under a new HC this season.

Are the defensive players really going to learn how to "wrap up" a tackle all of a sudden? Like no one ever mentioned that to them since they first strapped on a helmet in PeeWee league? Is the OL suddenly going to decide to hold a block for an extra second or two simply because a different HC is holding the clipboard on the sideline?

I get that emotions and motivations may take a big jump positively (and that may be all it takes), but developing habits and skills takes time.

Do you really expect a lot of improvement (apart from attitude adjustment) to happen in just the next few games?

I agree that some development skill improvements will take time but one area where we could see sooner improvement is situational awareness: Earlier recognizing of trick plays (throwbacks, reverses), the O going fast so get the call and line up on D faster, knowing where the first down line to gain is and running/throwing/rout running accordingly, knowing when to run out of bounds and when to go for the first down, earlier recognizing of screen passes, awareness of time on the game clock or play clock, and others I will think of after I hit the post reply button. Some of our bad play (kicking game, outside run containment, and QB runs when forced from the pocket) can be corrected or should be corrected almost immediately.

 

[Vespidae]

I didn't play the game (except in my backyard where I consistently had a winning record).

So, help me understand how much "player development" is possible under a new HC this season.

Are the defensive players really going to learn how to "wrap up" a tackle all of a sudden? Like no one ever mentioned that to them since they first strapped on a helmet in PeeWee league? Is the OL suddenly going to decide to hold a block for an extra second or two simply because a different HC is holding the clipboard on the sideline?

I get that emotions and motivations may take a big jump positively (and that may be all it takes), but developing habits and skills takes time.

Do you really expect a lot of improvement (apart from attitude adjustment) to happen in just the next few games?

I don't know. But two anecdotes help.

At Auburn, I ask all of the football players what happens on the first day back in August. The answer is always the same. "We report, we get a physical, we are tested on speed, agility, strength, position fundamentals and then ... we report to the conditioning coach followed by our position coach." Very systematic.

Pruitt, when he coached at UT, winced during practice. Asked by a Knox News reporter covering practice, he told them what to look for. "Our guys have zero fundamentals. That's what we work on ... how to block properly, how to cover your man properly, how to tackle properly. Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals."

I'd be pretty happy with that.

 

[MWBATL]

It would help if we just stop beating ourselves in these areas:

1. penalties...especially controllable ones like false starts and off sides on the defense
2. special teams (do I need to elaborate?)-especially on punts and field goals
3. general "want to" showing, like getting the extra yard rather than just running out of bounds
4. better clock and game management

Those are all controllable and correctable within a short time period. I noticed an immediate change when O'Leary took over for B*** L**** even though we lost, we looked better, more disciplined, more competitive. That's what I am looking for here as well....

 

[GT33]

Loaf, get benched until your replacement gets tired & needs to come out or maybe after your replacement & his replacement are too tired to play.

Get tricked into an offisdes after you spent 30 mins on it in preparation for the game, lose your spot on the depth chart.

Get a punt blocked, either someone else punts or the guy that missed the block again loses their spot.

That would be a good start.

 

[gameface]

Most organizations reflect the personality of the leader. I first want to see CBK's toughness reflected in the style of play.

 

[TomOReilly]

To me, simply do better in the red zone would be nice. Between the 20 is for stats but inside gets points.

 

[AUFC]

This is going to be the best week of practice our team has had since CPJ and I think that will pay immediate dividends.

We need to start making field goals to win games though. That has to wreak havoc on Sims and Co. when they know the next play is the difference between 0 and 7 points. The team would feel a lot looser in the red zone if they knew they had a guaranteed 3 points backing them up should they not convert a 3rd down.

 

[MonroeJacket]

possible renewed focus and energy. motivation to put good film out there for your portal. nothing drastic should change. we aren’t gonna be running new schemes or anything.

i bet we wouldn’t start to see significant changes until after the bye week. that will give the coaches and players time to adjust to anything new they wanna try.

I’m totally with you…but every time I think about it, I just can’t believe we’re in a world where kids wanna get good tape so they can build up their transfer stock, and that everyone, including coaches, know it and have to accept it. Coaches wanna coach lights out too so they can get hired somewhere!

 

[bobongo]

To me, simply do better in the red zone would be nice. Between the 20 is for stats but inside gets points.

Problem in the red zone seems to be the OL. The offense can improvise and move the ball until the defense gets bunched up, and then you need a strong OL which we don't have.

 

[JacketFan137]

I’m totally with you…but every time I think about it, I just can’t believe we’re in a world where kids wanna get good tape so they can build up their transfer stock, and that everyone, including coaches, know it and have to accept it. Coaches wanna coach lights out too so they can get hired somewhere!

with the coaching change especially it’s gonna come up and that goes for any school even oklahoma this past year with a lot of their studs dipping. at the end of the day though if that motivates them to play better i will be ok. it benefits us and them to do their best. gibbs wouldn’t have ended up at bama if he wasn’t so good here, your oc wouldn’t have gotten poached if he wasn’t so good for your team, it’s all the same

 

[YJMD]

Game planning, scheme, in-game adjustments, putting people in position to react instead of think -- the opportunities for improvement in non-trivial ways are there. Like others, I don't expect anything drastic, but I'll still be hopeful we can compete with anyone left on the schedule except UGAg.