Very, VERY Confusing Play Calling Tonight

Clonefan32

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Nov 19, 2008
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We ran into a defense with a good line and a game plan to blitz almost every down. Our o-line, WR, QB, and coaching staff didn't respond well. Rolling Park to avoid the pressure just resulted in the high passes and more problems. We seemed to learn this over and over.

I'm amazed we didn't try some screen passes in response to this.
 
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AuH2O

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Sep 7, 2013
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Agree with most on here. We saw what I think in today's game the most important difference between UT and ISU. UT got consistent pressure with 4 and even 3. ISU did not. Everything else is a domino. When UT did occasionally blitz it was lethal. There were times when the protection was good, but it was in Parks head and he was drifting back and throwing off his back foot all night.
You've got to do some things to keep those DL from pinning their ears back. Mainly run the ball and use some screens.
Overall execution on offense was obviously poor, but the staff had a terrible night.
I am worried that we are going to struggle offensively in conference play. The performance against Iowa was not a fluke, and Iowa does have a good defense. They just aren't built to stop a team like ISU.
 

ArgentCy

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Jan 13, 2010
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I've said this before that I think the staff brings in WAY too small of a playbook to these games. Perhaps the players aren't picking up enough of the offense but I don't think that's the problem. And they are not building on previous things we've run and should then know. It's like they design 10 plays for the next game and that's all we've got. If it works great but when its not it is like well these are all we've got this week.
 
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rholtgraves

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Not enough Montgomery early on. And Park was just horrible which is going to make the play calling seem worse.
 

tyler24

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Jun 19, 2006
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I'm not gonna blame Park like a lot of you are, yeah he played a poor game but he was running for his life. When he had time he made good throws, but unfortunately him having time was barely ever. The fact that Montgomery only got 9 carries is ******* rediculous!!!!! Of course the defense is going to pin their ears back and blitz when they don't have to worry about you even trying to run the ball.

Credit to the defense though they played excellent.
I understand pass protection was not good at all but on some of the deep passes, park wasn't even giving our receivers a chance to go make a play. I feel if you have the big bodied receivers we have, you have to at least put it in the area. The two deep balls in a row to lazard weren't even close to even having a chance.
 

Old87

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Coach Manning was put in a difficult position last night. He had to decide whether to be an offensive line coach or an offensive coordinator. Both groups needed his attention but he couldn't do both at the same time. The coaching staff will learn from this and continue to move forward. Go Clones.
 

AuH2O

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We ran into a defense with a good line and a game plan to blitz almost every down. Our o-line, WR, QB, and coaching staff didn't respond well. Rolling Park to avoid the pressure just resulted in the high passes and more problems. We seemed to learn this over and over.
I could be wrong, but I don't think UT blitzed much. Technically I guess they did, but because they ran lots of 3 man front and brought 1 LB. They rarely brought 5. Even the 4th down sack the LB was sitting in coverage, but once park rolled to his left the LB (#46) took off after him and looked like he was shot out if a cannon.
 
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1UNI2ISU

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Jan 30, 2013
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We don't have the line to be successful against good defenses, but the staff had a poor game.

Seriously, how bad are the first three defenses we played?

UNI gave up 350 yards passing and 4 TDs to a triple option team if that helps paint the picture on UNIs pass defense...

Iowa State is going to be fine. Year 3 is the year for a coach in total rebuild. Get Kansas and one or two more and call 4-5 wins progress. Next year is the year to expect to be able to look at making the jump to 7ish wins.
 

runbikeswim

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Park didn't handle the situations well, but I also though too much was put on his shoulders to manufacture the entire offense while under constant pressure.

The question I have is, were the IMO too many long passes a result of Park, or play calling?

I think taking the short yardage given and working our way down the field would have helped. Some bubble screens, as others have said.

Clearly Texas had a great defensive game plan, and we didn't adjust. It also didn't help that the officials let a lot of defensive holding that Texas was doing on our receivers go, nor did it help that our receivers dropped a number of catchable balls.
 

isufbcurt

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I could be wrong, but I don't think UT blitzed much. Technically I guess they did, but because they ran lots of 3 man front and brought 1 LB. They rarely brought 5. Even the 4th down sack the LB was sitting in coverage, but once park rolled to his left the LB (#46) took off after him and looked like he was shot out if a cannon.

UT blitzed a ton!!!! They routinely brought 2 Lb's
 

WoodCy

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A guy has to love some of the comments up in here.

Are you disappointed, sure. Was the play calling really inconsistent and disjointed and lacking any sort of creativity or where with all, yup. Some of the comments on here though are classic examples of over reaching over reactions. No one should be immediately terminated. Truthfully some of these comments about Jacob Park and the O-line are a bit carried away also.

I thought the 3rd and 1 pass play was a poor call on Manning's part. I don't know if we script plays but even so, any good coach will tell you to break script and run some sort of dive or veer play and "pound the rock," like Coach Campbell comments all the time. I thought this play was a great foreshadowing for how State's evening was going to go.

I also really disliked the stretch run play we attempted with Mike Warren in the second half. That was a horrible call that played right into the strength of the Texas defense. If your O-line is challenged in the run game, Football 101 tells you to run quick hitting run plays where your line isn't expected to hold their block very long. David Montgomery is great after 1st contact, let him do what he does best.

Park got happy feet early and often. He lacked accuracy and composure at times. Some of that is on him, some of that is on the coaching staff. In the post game Jacob said he was unprepared for some of the looks the Texas Defense was in. Again some of that is on him and a bunch of that goes back to the staff.

It isn't a very profound statement to say that the State O-line play was not good. Execution issues definitely fall on the shoulders of the players. Having said that, the play calling by the coaching staff did them no favors. Being so lopsided in the run to pass play ratio allowed the Texas Defense to really tee off on the pass plays. Give credit to the Texas Defense also. Having the ability to get pressure with 3-5 guys in the box allows the secondary to play coverage with 5-6 guys. That is the perfect formula for a bad offensive day.

In the end this was Coach Manning's 16th game as an OC. I would chalk a little of this to experience/inexperience. I don't know if Coach Manning got spooked or if he was trying to out think the room? Either way, it wasn't good.

Rember the past so not to repeat it but at the same time, correct errprs and move on. Sadly, I think this was an opportunity lost.
 

Clonefan32

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I understand pass protection was not good at all but on some of the deep passes, park wasn't even giving our receivers a chance to go make a play. I feel if you have the big bodied receivers we have, you have to at least put it in the area. The two deep balls in a row to lazard weren't even close to even having a chance.

I didn't think the pass protection was actually ok given the amount they blitzed. The bigger problem was an inability to come up with a way to beat the blitz in a manner that allowed Park to get the ball out of his hands quickly.
 
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blutarsky

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Coach Manning was put in a difficult position last night. He had to decide whether to be an offensive line coach or an offensive coordinator. Both groups needed his attention but he couldn't do both at the same time. The coaching staff will learn from this and continue to move forward. Go Clones.

What? Being an OC and calling plays against a conference foe isn't a difficult position. That's life in the Big12. They had over a week to prep for Texas. Manning and the entire staff were out coached this week and the Longhorn defense made Park look like a high school QB.
 

Doc

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On our first play we had two motions and managed to get Ryen 1-on-1 with some 250# dude and then that guy ran step for step with him. I think that’s when I realized we were going to lose.
 

Tre4ISU

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Park didn't handle the situations well, but I also though too much was put on his shoulders to manufacture the entire offense while under constant pressure.

The question I have is, were the IMO too many long passes a result of Park, or play calling?

I think taking the short yardage given and working our way down the field would have helped. Some bubble screens, as others have said.

Clearly Texas had a great defensive game plan, and we didn't adjust. It also didn't help that the officials let a lot of defensive holding that Texas was doing on our receivers go, nor did it help that our receivers dropped a number of catchable balls.

Park. Montgomery was swinging out without guys around him numerous times and Park wasn't seeing it.

Everyone will hate to hear it but last nights passing game had to be horizontal. Texas likes to come downhill and you have to keep those edge guys at least thinking about something outside.
 

DeereClone

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Nov 16, 2009
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It is important to be balanced. You have to be able to call plays based on what the defense is doing. To say you are going to run the ball not matter what, will not work. Pretty obvious they planned to take away the run, play physical with our WR at the line of scrimmage and force Park to make plays. The physical play with the WR totally killed the timing and Park struggled.

Which is exactly why we needed to run more. I am not saying we should run 3 times and punt every time out, but 9 rushes for Montgomery is completely moronic.
 

carvers4math

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Mar 15, 2012
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That drive before the half annoyed me almost as much as punting from the 33.

We get some good yardage and pick up several first downs. Then with about two minutes left in the half, we dial up three straight long pass plays that take too long to develop for the lack of protection Park was getting and we have to punt.
 
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Bryce7

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Oline not good enough yet. Just isnt. Its getting there. Defense played very well however.
I think the oline was not that bad. Texas always sent an outside rusher and we had no plan to pick him up with Montgomery. Look at what we did with montgomery for blocking.