TGW: Patrick Skov successful but still a work in progress

CuseJacket

CuseJacket

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Good article on Skov's (still ongoing) transition in learning the offense and making reads/finding running lanes. Quotes from Skov, CPJ, and coach Cook.

http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/092415aaa.html
“[Saturday] looked like this was the first time with his reads, just like every running back has a read, a lot of first-time scenarios that he has to see better,” said Quarterbacks/B-Backs Coach Bryan Cook. “When he saw them on Saturday didn’t really react the way that he needed to. We’ve got to make better reads at that position and we can’t miss opportunities. He missed some opportunities with certain runs that we could have made a whole lot more productive than they were. We’ve got to get him to run like a running back a little bit more. I think that will grow.”
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deeeznutz

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Interesting to read the "run like a running back" comment...I was wondering myself why we didn't try to change up personnel (specifically BB) much until late in the game. I think Marshall got 1 drive at BB and we didn't get much going (I know he was in one drive deep in the south end, may be the JT fumble drive), but I don't remember seeing him after that. He may have made other mistakes, though, that kept him on the sideline.
 

stingyoa$$

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PJ saying he needs to earn playing time tells me he's making too many mistakes to see the field right now in practice. Also, he made the comment that he needs to be more physical.
 

33jacket

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I am not going to pile on paul because in general on offense his personnel selections have been good. But. The one thing i think he misses on consistently is inventing spots and plays for certain players during games where changeup is needed and if they are particularly good at something. MM may not be practicing perfectly well for a starting BB. But he is awesome at the speed option so put him in every once and a while for a dive then a speed option. He would be better than skov on a wheel route too. Vs not playing him much or at all because he isnt perfect yet. Bring him along.
 
AE 87

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33jacket said:
I am not going to pile on paul because in general on offense his personnel selections have been good. But. The one thing i think he misses on consistently is inventing spots and plays for certain players during games where changeup is needed and if they are particularly good at something. MM may not be practicing perfectly well for a starting BB. But he is awesome at the speed option so put him in every once and a while for a dive then a speed option. He would be better than skov on a wheel route too. Vs not playing him much or at all because he isnt perfect yet. Bring him along.
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Interesting. I've actually had the opposite impression.

He used Dwyer in the Speed option more than other B-Backs for this reason. He also found ways to get Orwin the ball when he was the playmaker and Robbie Godhigh during his years.
 

33jacket

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AE 87 said:
Interesting. I've actually had the opposite impression.

He used Dwyer in the Speed option more than other B-Backs for this reason. He also found ways to get Orwin the ball when he was the playmaker and Robbie Godhigh during his years.
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Godhigh did zero til he was a starter. Same with orwin. Or am I remembering wrong?

I cant recall one pure talent like MM that was brought along slowly from freshman on as a RB under paul. For him it seems to me you are either on or not. Dwyer was a starter. So of course he used him in the speed. But what about guys behind him? Situational guys?

I just dont recall having talent being used in spots until they get better and better. As an example. Using bostic more in the pass game. We all wanted it. Never really happened.

For paul its alot more about system. The good in that is you are relatively consistent. The bad is you can miss on occasion utilizing specific talents of players.

Just wish he would blend philosophy a bit more.
 
AE 87

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33jacket said:
Godhigh did zero til he was a starter. Same with orwin. Or am I remembering wrong?

I cant recall one pure talent like MM that was brought along slowly from freshman on as a RB under paul. For him it seems to me you are either on or not. Dwyer was a starter. So of course he used him in the speed. But what about guys behind him? Situational guys?

I just dont recall having talent being used in spots until they get better and better. As an example. Using bostic more in the pass game. We all wanted it. Never really happened.

For paul its alot more about system. The good in that is you are relatively consistent. The bad is you can miss on occasion utilizing specific talents of players.

Just wish he would blend philosophy a bit more.
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Oh. I see what you're saying. I was thinking of whether he CPJ was creative to get the ball into the hands of playmakers, who were typically starters.

I'm not sure that we've had a lot of times when we had someone who was good enough to be a playmaker but not good enough to start or get regular minutes.

I think maybe we used Embry Peeples as a passing target as a Fr in 2008 before he was getting regular minutes.
 
RamblinCharger

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I really wanted to see Marshall get a few carries in the game Saturday. We needed a spark. Skov is slightly worse than laskey to me. He is more powerful, but a little slower, and just like laskey he doesn't have very good vision. I think Paul can be a little weird about practice sometimes, and also puts guys in the doghouse for fumbling. Until Synjyn had to come in and looked great he didn't get the reps the he needed IMO, and I think the same thing is happening with Marshall. Synjyn may not have been great in Paul's eyes in practice, but when he finally started getting carries he was the best BB since Dwyer to me. I think Marshall has a special skill set that needs to be on the field. I would love to see he and Skov split carries all year.
 
GTRX7

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lv20gt said:
So our featured back is learning both the system, and how to be a running back in his last year of eligibility?

Interesting.
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Yup. That is what happens when you graduate two senior starters, lose the guy who was to take their starting spot to injury pre-season (Leggett), and also have the guy who was probably in line after that get injured pre-season as well (Quaide). After all of that, a mature senior transfer is a pretty good option. We also have a very talented freshman in Marshall and a guy in Allen that could still find his way (a la Days) that are going to share snaps. Not ideal that Skov is starting, but I don't think it is particularly interesting when you think about it either. Plus, I think most of us agree that he is doing a pretty good job so far, even if he does still have a lot of room to grow!
 

33jacket

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Jacketfish

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As reliable as Skov as been, I feel like he runs with his head down, causing him to fall forward before he has the chance to see any open lanes. MM seems to have RB vision like we haven't yet seen. I would think that should at least earn him a few carries just based on that alone.
 

33jacket

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AE 87 said:
I'm not sure that we've had a lot of times when we had someone who was good enough to be a playmaker but not good enough to start or get regular minutes.
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that may be the case. but it just feels this way for me...like I said I could be totally wrong.
 
Wrecking Ball

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33jacket said:
ok if you start half the season...you are a starter to me...but he may be one...i just seems like it could happen more
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Kinda like how it took forever for CPJ to use Synjyn. Synjyn was probably a top 25 player on our roster but went to waste for a good chunk of that time.

I also think we underused our 2 NFL wide outs last year and the year before; I understand with Waller there was motivation issues, but that's why the coaching staff gets paid megabucks - to figure out how to make a meal with the ingredients they have.
 
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