What if CPJ got three sheets to the wind and...

[JorgeJonas]

I actually have thought it would be beneficial to come out one game lined up five wide on the first play of a half just to force the other team to burn a timeout. There's no way they'd have the personnel on the field to defend it.

 

[Eli]

I actually have thought it would be beneficial to come out one game lined up five wide on the first play of a half just to force the other team to burn a timeout. There's no way they'd have the personnel on the field to defend it.

And if they don't call a time out just run a screen

 

[UgaBlows]

Very interesting post. My problem with adding the pistol wouldn't be schematic but the dilution of practice time. I think most schemes work fine when you have the right type players (e..g. fast ABs and mobile OL). Our players have a very limited time for practicing, unlike say the NFL.

So it is less whether adding a wrinkle will help, on paper it always will. To me the question is more what is the best base offense to install and practice the **** out of.

This, plus our players have to actually go to hard classes and pass them on their own. They've got enough on their plates

 

[TheGridironGeek]

Interesting topic. I know a lot of people are gun shy about messing with "the formula" after the 2013 debacle, but CPJ himself has experimented with the shotgun even before that (Remember UGA game 2012?). If you go back and look at tape of when he was an OC, he varied formations a lot back then (comparatively speaking to his GT days of course).

There are pluses and minuses to what you propose and really it all comes down to personnel and talent. I believe @ATL1 mentioned his recent conversation with Tevin Washington about putting JeT in the shotgun to make use of his talents. I think if you have a veteran OL and QB, which GT does, transitioning between formations is easier because really they are the ones affected by the change moreso than the skill guys away from the ball.

Aesthetically, some people would prefer to see us incorporate some shotgun/pistol/whatever new fandangle formation, and I've always been a fan the passing game, but I think GT and CPJ "are what we are". I've come to terms with it, and as long as we win, I'm fine with CPJ's flex option. After 7 seasons of it, I"ve come to appreciate the subtle changes in certain approaches from season to season, and the subtle adjustments from play to play.

Certainly. All I'd ever argue in favor of would be a small series of plays (50/50 run-pass) out of the Pistol/wide formation which you could run against a defense good enough to stop the pass while run blitzing. COFH '14 in the 1st half would be an example. Defenses have a time advantage defending play-action passes out of the traditional Flexbone because the QB often has to fake a handoff, then a carry, then drop back and look for the receivers. The Muskegon formation erases that advantage. If Mark Richt tried to blitz his CB's against that, high-% quick outside screens and simple play-action slants would roast Georgia University on a spit. Yearly.

CKN has it installed as a 2-minute offense at Annapolis. The ironic thing is I'm more appreciative of the trad. Flexbone visually. It's gorgeous to watch especially with a great improvisational QB. I don't understand why any fan would think having elements of the "NCAA offense" would improve the artistry of CPJ. Air Force is a great team but man, are they an ugly sight when a defense shuts down their shotgun packages.

 

[Skeptic]

I like the offense since a direct snap gives qb a second to look at his defense .We though will stay with what we have and until guys play disciplined defense with better athletes on defense we should do pretty well....JT is still the key.If he does well we do well.

They can stay disciplined until the cows come home but when they are still outnumbered they lose. The offense was pretty effective before Thomas, but with him it is great. And the better athletes argument has been used since 2008 and from my limited following of Navy prior, it was popular there, but at least had some credence with a service academy against the Notre Dames of the world. Instead it was the great equalizer. It's fun to ponder Johnson changing, just nothing to build a reputation on.

 

[ATL1]

CPJ has "pistol" shotgun formations in his offense. We didn't use them last year but he has them. We are what we are and we'll run what we run until CPJ retires.

 

[TechTravis]

My brother in law runs the skeegun up at West Hall. I find that what it helps most with is giving offensive linemen a little extra room on pulling plays. Traps/midirections/ et.al. You can run some ridiculous counters out of those sets. There's not tons of differences in the two schemes.

 

[JacketFromUGA]

I actually have thought it would be beneficial to come out one game lined up five wide on the first play of a half just to force the other team to burn a timeout. There's no way they'd have the personnel on the field to defend it.

I've said the same thing to friends before. Really it'd be great in two situations the "Georgia Tech must score on this drive to remain in this game coming out of the half!" and the "This game is a back and forth and is going to come down to the last drive"

 

[Skeptic]

I've said the same thing to friends before. Really it'd be great in two situations the "Georgia Tech must score on this drive to remain in this game coming out of the half!" and the "This game is a back and forth and is going to come down to the last drive"

Hmm. So the game is on the line, backs against the wall, we need a miracle, gotta make a play, and we line up in ... some screwball formation we've never run before? Johnson is right. Start paying attention to the people in the stands and pretty soon you'll be sitting with them.

 

[Eli]

On NCAA 14 I have a diverse playbook and my players always execute. What gives?

 

[TheGridironGeek]

Hmm. So the game is on the line, backs against the wall, we need a miracle, gotta make a play, and we line up in ... some screwball formation we've never run before? Johnson is right. Start paying attention to the people in the stands and pretty soon you'll be sitting with them.

You're beating up Straw Men here. Nobody said that.

 

[Techster]

I was with you all the way til I read this part. The skill guys are the ones going in motion and going out in the pass paterns and reading defenders. Maybe all that is the same, maybe the differences are subtle. Then again, maybe its just a whole lot more on a plate that's already over flowing. I do know this, timing and spacing are huge in our offense. Just being a little off is unacceptable.

I will tell you from experience playing in the Wing-T (a run heavy offense similar to CPJ's spread flex) and having the coaching staff implement the shotgun to maximize a very gifted "pro-style" QB, the QB moving from under center to the shotgun had zero impact on what I did as a split end, and the few times I lined in the slot, it changed nothing. I still blocked the edge and middle defenders with the same leverage, I still read the defense on my route progressions the same, and I laced my cleats the same way.

The biggest thing going from UC to shotgun affected was the QB's timing on his drop step to match the route concept, the Fullback's angle (what we call the BB), and the timing of the OL and the Center's responsibilities.

 

[JacketFromUGA]

Hmm. So the game is on the line, backs against the wall, we need a miracle, gotta make a play, and we line up in ... some screwball formation we've never run before? Johnson is right. Start paying attention to the people in the stands and pretty soon you'll be sitting with them.

The whole point of that formation would be for them to burn a time out right away in the half or catch them off guard with a bubble screen and trust in our A-back to get his yards after a simple catch. It's literally one play that at worst ends in an in completion and at best is an easy TO burn or wide open field to run in.

It's a trick play like a reverse or a fake kick they all have their place

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I actually have thought it would be beneficial to come out one game lined up five wide on the first play of a half just to force the other team to burn a timeout. There's no way they'd have the personnel on the field to defend it.

And then run a qb draw if they don't call a timeout.

 

[ATL1]

After watching the video. That offense is pretty much the same offense we run except from the pistol.
Probably could run that offense fairly easily.

Mute point anyway, although I can see some gun plays back in the offense.

 

[Mack]

I actually have thought it would be beneficial to come out one game lined up five wide on the first play of a half just to force the other team to burn a timeout. There's no way they'd have the personnel on the field to defend it.

Now you are talking ........can you imagine the DC trying to pitch and patch a defense together......good move.

 

[Mack]

And then run a qb draw if they don't call a timeout.

Yep that would work.........if nothing else it sets up a lot of doubt in a dc on the other side.

 

[Eli]

Have 3 plays with 5 wide, screen, QB draw and verticals lol

 

[InsideLB]

Cool post and cool offense to check out.

BB does hit slower though, which I think would be CPJ's main objection. Probably would be less successful on 3rd and 4th and short.

I would assume CPJ is always studying different variants to learn what he might incorporate and is aware of this type of offense. If not someone send him the tape. I'm betting though he'd be able to help the Muskogie folks more than they'd be able to help him though.

One of the reasons what we works is we wholly commit ourselves to it. This allows a level of speed and precision that on top of the quick hitting nature of the offense allows us to be successful. Should what we do cease to be successful then one might see experimentation.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Cool post and cool offense to check out.

BB does hit slower though, which I think would be CPJ's main objection. Probably would be less successful on 3rd and 4th and short.

I would assume CPJ is always studying different variants to learn what he might incorporate and is aware of this type of offense. If not someone send him the tape. I'm betting though he'd be able to help the Muskogie folks more than they'd be able to help him though.

One of the reasons what we works is we wholly commit ourselves to it. This allows a level of speed and precision that on top of the quick hitting nature of the offense allows us to be successful. Should what we do cease to be successful then one might see experimentation.

And a byproduct of the quick-hitting nature of our O undercenter is it forces the D to commit very early, even presnap. If JT can read these quick presnap alignment changes and get us into plays that exploit it, all the better. This happened time and again vs Uga as they were bringing their corners up to the LOS right before the snap.