The offense has zero identity

[madguy30]

We won a game I think

A football game of all things too. At Iowa State.

One 8-5 season and apparently anything less than a blowout is subpar. Ask Oklahoma--it doesn't work that way.

Sure it'd be fun if ISU were going crazy in all aspects, but it's still September and the program is still getting spots in place. Some aspects are disjointed, like not having a back like DM and a good Oline at the same time, but that's how it goes and pretty much every program except the blue bloods have plenty of weaknesses.

 

[CYCLNST8]

I've only seen highlights but I did like this. More blockers in front with still the possibility of a passing situation.

Exactly; if we can establish some success moving the pile with that look- like using it on 3rd, 4th & short situations, the H back could be WIDE open on play action. Some old school concepts never lose their effectiveness.

 

[madguy30]

Exactly; if we can establish some success moving the pile with that look- like using it on 3rd, 4th & short situations, the H back could be WIDE open on play action. Some old school concepts never lose their effectiveness.

Yep. Although it's also just unusual any more, look at how much teams struggle when they play Army/Navy and have to face the triple option.

Remember when ISU was doing the thing where the whole offense looked to the sideline for the play and tried to play along with zaney edgy new offenses?

 

[BoxsterCy]

No it wasn't. They had 3 good outing and the rest hovered between bad and awful. It looked pretty much exactly like this years offense.

Truth. We had good defense and a handful of bigger scoring games that gave the somewhat false impression the offense was potent. In conference games in 2017 were averaged 26.1. In conference games in 2016 we averaged 29.4. I think most would remember 2017 as 30 or so and 2016 as 24 or something like that.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

Everyone needs o be patient with this o-line. I think we are one year away from having a pretty good o-line. As far as Saturday goes, I thought CMC kept thinks pretty vanilla and was content with it. IMO if our offense is going to be effective, we need to stretch the field and let our pass game open up the run.

 

[FinalFourCy]

Truth. We had good defense and a handful of bigger scoring games that gave the somewhat false impression the offense was potent. In conference games in 2017 were averaged 26.1. In conference games in 2016 we averaged 29.4. I think most would remember 2017 as 30 or so and 2016 as 24 or something like that.

Points per possession would be a better metric.
Either way there wasn’t as big of drop off in 2017 in terms of effectiveness as Tre is alluding to. I do think we left some points on the table with our playcalling and due to having a walkon QB with a weak run blocking OL.

Some have mentioned the loss of Manning. I don’t see much to support that we’ve taken a step back from losing Mannning.

 

[madguy30]

Everyone needs o be patient with this o-line. I think we are one year away from having a pretty good o-line. As far as Saturday goes, I thought CMC kept thinks pretty vanilla and was content with it. IMO if our offense is going to be effective, we need to stretch the field and let our pass game open up the run.

I'm hoping to find a full game recording to watch Saturday's game but it's not like ISU didn't establish some offense a week ago and started over vs. Akron.

A 41-13 type of score would have everyone much happier right now but 26-13 may provide more learning for the players for the upcoming stretch.

 

[ruxCYtable]

I love football but I'm no X's and O's genius. What are some things you can do to "hide" a bad offensive line? Is going up-tempo an option that might give defenses less time to setup and react?

 

[Cyclone06]

I've probably missed this discussion, but what was the reasoning behind Purdy for two plays? I mean I understand getting the backups some reps, but the game was still in the balance and ISU was moving the ball in the redzone. That change killed the drive.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

I love football but I'm no X's and O's genius. What are some things you can do to "hide" a bad offensive line? Is going up-tempo an option that might give defenses less time to setup and react?

Not being hell bent on running the ball is generally a good start...

 

[CYCLNST8]

I love football but I'm no X's and O's genius. What are some things you can do to "hide" a bad offensive line? Is going up-tempo an option that might give defenses less time to setup and react?

For starters- NOT predictably run up the gut on 1st down. No one respects our zone read because Kempt & Noland have the mobility of a battleship.

A bad offensive line is never easy to hide, especially if they struggle with run AND pass blocking, but it is possible to be creative with scheme and lessen the unit's importance:

Uptempo (following a positive gain)
Quick slants
Draw plays
Bootlegs (the opposite of staying in the pocket- but our quarterbacks can't run so scratch that)
Sweep plays & quick pitches (get your shifty players in space immediately)
Quick counter-action plays
Wide receiver AND running back screens

Basically throw out anything power-based or slow developing. Maybe our lineman would be better at pulling and lead blocking in the flat. Get creative. The zone read is pretty much worthless when your quarterback isn't a threat to run. Ends and linebackers are crashing in and going after Montgomery every time.

 

[CYCLNST8]

I've probably missed this discussion, but what was the reasoning behind Purdy for two plays? I mean I understand getting the backups some reps, but the game was still in the balance and ISU was moving the ball in the redzone. That change killed the drive.

I assumed Noland was slightly dinged up or had an equipment malfunction? Anyone else know?

 

[cycloneG]

For starters- NOT predictably run up the gut on 1st down. No one respects our zone read because Kempt & Noland have the mobility of a battleship.

A bad offensive line is never easy to hide, especially if they struggle with run AND pass blocking, but it is possible to be creative with scheme and lessen the unit's importance:

Uptempo (following a positive gain)
Quick slants
Draw plays
Bootlegs (the opposite of staying in the pocket- but our quarterbacks can't run so scratch that)
Sweep plays & quick pitches (get your shifty players in space immediately)
Quick counter-action plays

Basically throw out anything power-based or slow developing. Maybe our lineman would be better at pulling and lead blocking in the flat. Get creative. The zone read is pretty much worthless when your quarterback isn't a threat to run. Ends and linebackers are crashing in and going after Montgomery every time.

I may have missed it but they haven't run the zone read with Kempt or Noland in the game this year. They ran it with Purdy once on Saturday. As far as I've seen, it's either a straight hand off or play action.

 

[FDCy83]

I've probably missed this discussion, but what was the reasoning behind Purdy for two plays? I mean I understand getting the backups some reps, but the game was still in the balance and ISU was moving the ball in the redzone. That change killed the drive.

I don't know why Purdy was officially brought in but it was right after the left end pinched in real hard on an inside read play and Noland had 10 yard run but handed if off anyway. One of the two plays Purdy was in he kept it, but it was the wrong read and he lost a yard. I believe Noland was being coached on the sideline to make the right read and had Purdy done the read correctly, he would have played more than two downs.

 

[FinalFourCy]

For starters- NOT predictably run up the gut on 1st down. No one respects our zone read because Kempt & Noland have the mobility of a battleship.

A bad offensive line is never easy to hide, especially if they struggle with run AND pass blocking, but it is possible to be creative with scheme and lessen the unit's importance:

Uptempo (following a positive gain)
Quick slants
Draw plays
Bootlegs (the opposite of staying in the pocket- but our quarterbacks can't run so scratch that)
Sweep plays & quick pitches (get your shifty players in space immediately)
Quick counter-action plays

Basically throw out anything power-based or slow developing. Maybe our lineman would be better at pulling and lead blocking in the flat. Get creative. The zone read is pretty much worthless when your quarterback isn't a threat to run. Ends and linebackers are crashing in and going after Montgomery every time.

There’s all of that and more.

And I’m content with the staff not using it against Akron. Practice what we’re bad at in that game. Now, the Iowa game is another matter, but then again we had KK at QB and no game to work out the kinks.

 

[CYCLNST8]

I may have missed it but they haven't run the zone read with Kempt or Noland in the game this year. They ran it with Purdy once on Saturday. As far as I've seen, it's either a straight hand off or play action.

Okay- I could be wrong on this, but I believe it's technically a zone read, but our quarterbacks are handing it off every time.

 

[Tre4ISU]

Everyone needs o be patient with this o-line. I think we are one year away from having a pretty good o-line. As far as Saturday goes, I thought CMC kept thinks pretty vanilla and was content with it. IMO if our offense is going to be effective, we need to stretch the field and let our pass game open up the run.

This Oline isn't that good, but it't not that bad. They get no help from design and calling right now.

 

[ISUMojoMan]

We won the game and I think Campbell and staff will be able to utilize the game film to improve. I wonder if this line would not be better at run blocking if we lined up the QB over the center. We might be good enough with some quick hitters, like we ran on the goal line where DM isn't getting touched until 1-2 yards down the field. Our production on 1st down is the biggest problem we have right now.

 

[AttackOfTheClones]

. Best play call be Campbell in the run game was when we lined up under center and handed Montgomery the ball with a lead blocker.
.

I could've sworn we had a pulling center #57 (Colin Newell) as lead blocker around the left, and he whiffed on a linebacker, who proceed to blow up David M for a loss

 

[cycloneG]

I could've sworn we had a pulling center #57 (Colin Newell) as lead blocker around the left, and he whiffed on a linebacker, who proceed to blow up David M for a loss

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