Now that I've chewed on it some more...

[BiggsCoug]

.... the offense needs help. The more I think about it the more I like having a QB that can run the ball. Im not talking about a bruiser.

I watch Falk stand behind the OL looking downfield and no one is open. Sometimes 5 or 6 or 10 seconds... Just run the ball. Take off and get what you can. Why struggle? Why force a ball into coverage? Why even throw it away and get nothing? Having a QB that can tuck it and run when no one is open just makes more sense than struggling to make a play. It forces the defense to at least account for the QB gaining yards out of a busted play. Don't let the defense force a completion or ball out of bounds. Wasted downs don't help. Get at least 1 yard.

There is no innovation with the run game. Do something, anything to make the defense be honest. You've got 5 kids that are all RBs or WRs, shift them all over pre snap. Don't give the defense a chance to confuse your QB by showing one thing pre snap and changing post snap. Shift your formation so the defense has to adjust or commit to you. Force the defense into mental mistakes, mismatches and blown coverages. Challenge them mentally when they're tired. They wanna line up and rush 3, shift into double wing. See what they do. Don't just let them confuse your QB.

Bring in the beef eaters inside the 10 yard line. Bring in an extra tackle or defensive tackle as a tight end or wing or fullback. Challenge the defense to line up and start hitting back before you get inside the 5 or on the goal line. Formation teams to death with shifts and personnel packages they haven't seen before. Make them think. Give your offense a chance to be successful.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[ElComanche]

Leach s teams at TT had QB s who would tuck it and run,They also had called QB draws to keep the defenses honest. At WSU,he has had two immobile QB s who seemingly could not run without falling down.I would like to see one of the other QB s take the helm .I also cannot see why they did not put Dimry out there He is a 6'5 WR with 4.5 speed .He was injured early but did well in practices. The coaches just seem to favor the slower possession type of receivers who are outmatched against faster, more athletic, and bigger defensive backs

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

.... the offense needs help. The more I think about it the more I like having a QB that can run the ball. Im not talking about a bruiser.

I watch Falk stand behind the OL looking downfield and no one is open. Sometimes 5 or 6 or 10 seconds... Just run the ball. Take off and get what you can. Why struggle? Why force a ball into coverage? Why even throw it away and get nothing? Having a QB that can tuck it and run when no one is open just makes more sense than struggling to make a play. It forces the defense to at least account for the QB gaining yards out of a busted play. Don't let the defense force a completion or ball out of bounds. Wasted downs don't help. Get at least 1 yard.

There is no innovation with the run game. Do something, anything to make the defense be honest. You've got 5 kids that are all RBs or WRs, shift them all over pre snap. Don't give the defense a chance to confuse your QB by showing one thing pre snap and changing post snap. Shift your formation so the defense has to adjust or commit to you. Force the defense into mental mistakes, mismatches and blown coverages. Challenge them mentally when they're tired. They wanna line up and rush 3, shift into double wing. See what they do. Don't just let them confuse your QB.

Bring in the beef eaters inside the 10 yard line. Bring in an extra tackle or defensive tackle as a tight end or wing or fullback. Challenge the defense to line up and start hitting back before you get inside the 5 or on the goal line. Formation teams to death with shifts and personnel packages they haven't seen before. Make them think. Give your offense a chance to be successful.

Just my 2 cents.

Yes, you are correct. All that will work.

Except its not the Air Raid, and CML runs the Air Raid the way he runs the Air Raid, exclusively.

 

[BiggsCoug]

Shifts fit in the scheme. QB tucking and running fits in the scheme.

I guess it comes down to do you wanna be authentic and lose or flexible and win?

 

[YakiCoug]

Shifts fit in the scheme. QB tucking and running fits in the scheme.

I guess it comes down to do you wanna be authentic and lose or flexible and win?

I've been making this point for months.

 

[Coug90]

Leach s teams at TT had QB s who would tuck it and run,They also had called QB draws to keep the defenses honest. At WSU,he has had two immobile QB s who seemingly could not run without falling down.I would like to see one of the other QB s take the helm .I also cannot see why they did not put Dimry out there He is a 6'5 WR with 4.5 speed .He was injured early but did well in practices. The coaches just seem to favor the slower possession type of receivers who are outmatched against faster, more athletic, and bigger defensive backs

I agree with your assessment of a mobile QB and what that would do but I disagree on Dimry. He's 6'5 but when has he gone up and taken a ball away from a corner? And the fact he couldn't get a foot in bounds on that throw to the one yard line was ridiculous. He almost had to try to not get one foot in bounds. That was about as bad of field awareness from a receiver that I've seen. I don't think he's very good.

 

[BiggsCoug]

I agree with your assessment of a mobile QB and what that would do but I disagree on Dimry. He's 6'5 but when has he gone up and taken a ball away from a corner? And the fact he couldn't get a foot in bounds on that throw to the one yard line was ridiculous. He almost had to try to not get one foot in bounds. That was about as bad of field awareness from a receiver that I've seen. I don't think he's very good.

If he's not very good why put him out there?

One of the things I think about... You've got 5 OL and a QB... The other 5 are backs and receivers... Pick your best 5 players and go with whatever you've got. If that means 3 backs and 2 receivers, fine. If that means 4 receivers and 1 back, that's fine too. Rank your best 5 perimeter guys and go with whatever they can do.

How can you put a kid on the field that can't make a play and leave another kid that can make plays on the sideline? Since when has WSU had such a wealth of talent that they could do that?

Get creative on the routes, formations, alignment and put your best talent on the field.

ShIt, if you've got 6 OL that can play and your 4th receiver can't catch... Looks like you're going with 6 OL. Call the 6th man a tight end or wing or fullback or whatever.

Put your best 11 ballplayers on the field and bake a cake. Jesus H. Christ for $3,000,000 I expect more then just running guys out there for a ****ing JC softball game.

 

[ElComanche]

Dimry has not played very much as i recall. Experience and game reps allow a WR to prove himself. I just know that little guys if slow are not going to take many passes away from a DB much less get open, My point is is that you play them in the season games to see what they can do,

 

[SCglory]

I've been making this point for months.

And I for years....Watching Biggs try and think is like watching this:

 

[Glad Cougar]

Dimry has not played very much as i recall. Experience and game reps allow a WR to prove himself. I just know that little guys if slow are not going to take many passes away from a DB much less get open, My point is is that you play them in the season games to see what they can do,

Perhaps Dimry didn't show enough in practice to warrant a lot of playing time.

Glad Cougar

 

[Glad Cougar]

If he's not very good why put him out there?

One of the things I think about... You've got 5 OL and a QB... The other 5 are backs and receivers... Pick your best 5 players and go with whatever you've got. If that means 3 backs and 2 receivers, fine. If that means 4 receivers and 1 back, that's fine too. Rank your best 5 perimeter guys and go with whatever they can do.

How can you put a kid on the field that can't make a play and leave another kid that can make plays on the sideline? Since when has WSU had such a wealth of talent that they could do that?

Get creative on the routes, formations, alignment and put your best talent on the field.

ShIt, if you've got 6 OL that can play and your 4th receiver can't catch... Looks like you're going with 6 OL. Call the 6th man a tight end or wing or fullback or whatever.

Put your best 11 ballplayers on the field and bake a cake. Jesus H. Christ for $3,000,000 I expect more then just running guys out there for a ****ing JC softball game.

You are making too much sense, Biggs. My thought during the Minnesota game was that with Marks neutralized, our best playmakers were the three running backs....get them the ball. Having two of Wicks, Morrow, and Williams on the sideline on any given play is wasteful, especially when the WR corps was missing Cracraft and Martin,Jr, once he got hurt. I'm hoping Leach will figure out some offensive sets that involve two or all three backs in the game at the same time, putting one in the slot or in motion or even one of them occasionally playing WR. Get your best guys out there at the same time!

Glad Cougar

 

[BiggsCoug]

I was watching West Virginia play. I turned it off cause I was pissed. They had some nice formations putting their best talent on the field. Their QB ran when needed. They ended up losing but hell, they swung their sword.

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

You are making too much sense, Biggs. My thought during the Minnesota game was that with Marks neutralized, our best playmakers were the three running backs....get them the ball. Having two of Wicks, Morrow, and Williams on the sideline on any given play is wasteful, especially when the WR corps was missing Cracraft and Martin,Jr, once he got hurt. I'm hoping Leach will figure out some offensive sets that involve two or all three backs in the game at the same time, putting one in the slot or in motion or even one of them occasionally playing WR. Get your best guys out there at the same time!

Glad Cougar

I've been saying since Cracraft went down to get the damn ball to Morrow more. He can catch the ball, run the ball, and he's physical...so won't get beat up by opponents' secondaries. No, he's not tall, but he's our best overall offensive weapon.

 

[CougPatrol]

Hey, I'm not even an X's and O's guy, and I posted similar criticisms after the Minne-haha debacle.

We're leading 6-3 at halftime, Falk is struggling, Martin is out for the game, Cracraft isn't playing, and it's clear that Minnesota isn't going to light the scoreboard up. Why not throw a curveball and play some smash mouth / play action? We actually used the Wildcat formation late in the game, so you know there are some wrinkles in the playbook. Get those running backs involved. Show the wishbone / Wing T. Flank one of them into the slot. Run some misdirection. Change things up.

The Patriots (I know you're tired of my Patriots comparisons) do this all the time. Trouble protecting Brady? Go double TE, power formations and lull the defense to sleep before sneaking someone deep on play action.

 

[BiggsCoug]

Hey, I'm not even an X's and O's guy, and I posted similar criticisms after the Minne-haha debacle.

We're leading 6-3 at halftime, Falk is struggling, Martin is out for the game, Cracraft isn't playing, and it's clear that Minnesota isn't going to light the scoreboard up. Why not throw a curveball and play some smash mouth / play action? We actually used the Wildcat formation late in the game, so you know there are some wrinkles in the playbook. Get those running backs involved. Show the wishbone / Wing T. Flank one of them into the slot. Run some misdirection. Change things up.

The Patriots (I know you're tired of my Patriots comparisons) do this all the time. Trouble protecting Brady? Go double TE, power formations and lull the defense to sleep before sneaking someone deep on play action.

If there were ever a team that should be able to play action run a team to death, it should be WSU and Mike Leach.

For realz, you throw the ball 60 times per game. You're telling me that you can't run 10 play action run plays for 80 yards???

 

[cr8zyncalif]

The point from this string that makes the most sense is the RB comments. If you are missing two of your three best WR's, it is just plain stupid to have only one of our RB's in the game at a time. Even the staff recognized that, since we ran more dual RB plays in the second half. But Falk didn't get the ball into the RB's hands very often. I'm sure the film review will show times when he wishes that he had done that.

 

[CougPatrol]

If there were ever a team that should be able to play action run a team to death, it should be WSU and Mike Leach.

For realz, you throw the ball 60 times per game. You're telling me that you can't run 10 play action run plays for 80 yards???

I don't get too carried away about preaching about what coaches should do, because they know a lot more than I do. With that said, it doesn't matter what sport your talking about (or even a game of poker), you need to occasionally break tendencies and keep them guessing.

I won't namedrop my favorite professional football team again, but I can't tell you how many times I've seen them rush for 250 yards one week, and then pass virtually every down the next.

For WSU, we open with 3 straight home games next season; Montana State, followed by Boise State, a BYE week, then Nevada. If Falk comes back, we'll return the majority of our offense. Why not mix things up? Full house backfields, wildcat, pro-style, some reverses, work in some plays with another QB capable of running some option stuff.

Why the Hell not? We haven't exactly started the seasons out like gangbusters under Leach anyway, so have some fun early on. Open up the playbook. Save Falk's arm. Do we HAVE TO throw the ball 75 times to beat Montana State and Nevada?

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

I don't get too carried away about preaching about what coaches should do, because they know a lot more than I do. With that said, it doesn't matter what sport your talking about (or even a game of poker), you need to occasionally break tendencies and keep them guessing.

I won't namedrop my favorite professional football team again, but I can't tell you how many times I've seen them rush for 250 yards one week, and then pass virtually every down the next.

For WSU, we open with 3 straight home games next season; Montana State, followed by Boise State, a BYE week, then Nevada. If Falk comes back, we'll return the majority of our offense. Why not mix things up? Full house backfields, wildcat, pro-style, some reverses, work in some plays with another QB capable of running some option stuff.

Why the Hell not? We haven't exactly started the seasons out like gangbusters under Leach anyway, so have some fun early on. Open up the playbook. Save Falk's arm. Do we HAVE TO throw the ball 75 times to beat Montana State and Nevada?

Agree...but Leach is not that guy. He never even does a "trick" play. He's all about reps and out executing the opponent. It's honest football in his mind. The trickery and new plays just aren't his style. We'll never see it even if we all agree it is a good thing to do to keep the opponent off-guard.

 

[BiggsCoug]

I don't get too carried away about preaching about what coaches should do, because they know a lot more than I do. With that said, it doesn't matter what sport your talking about (or even a game of poker), you need to occasionally break tendencies and keep them guessing.

I won't namedrop my favorite professional football team again, but I can't tell you how many times I've seen them rush for 250 yards one week, and then pass virtually every down the next.

For WSU, we open with 3 straight home games next season; Montana State, followed by Boise State, a BYE week, then Nevada. If Falk comes back, we'll return the majority of our offense. Why not mix things up? Full house backfields, wildcat, pro-style, some reverses, work in some plays with another QB capable of running some option stuff.

Why the Hell not? We haven't exactly started the seasons out like gangbusters under Leach anyway, so have some fun early on. Open up the playbook. Save Falk's arm. Do we HAVE TO throw the ball 75 times to beat Montana State and Nevada?

Well, the NFL is a different animal. They have guys that play football for a living. College has guys that go to class. You just don't get the same amount of time with your kids, they're not truly professionals and the guys in the NFL are the best of the best. So while I understand where you're coming from about gameplanning specifically for each team, it's easier to do that in the NFL then it is in college.

Now, for next year... If this isn't the year you can empty the play book on the field, add more plays, formations, generally crank it up to the next level with your senior QB that's got prob close to 30 starts under his belt... When is that year coming???

 

[CougSinceBirth]

WSU needs a couple of stud electric barnburner playmakers to jump to the next level. J. Calvin would be a huge get (understatement hot take there...).

 

[CougPatrol]

I realize the NFL is an apples to oranges comparison, but my original point is that you have to mix things up and break tendencies. Like you said, if Falk comes back, is he not experienced enough to allow you to effectively add some wrinkles?

Chris Peterson runs trick plays specifally for the purpose of forcing 1on1 matchups. That's not gimmicky, it's smart football.

 

[cr8zyncalif]

I'll throw out a thought re: trick plays.

As patrol says, if properly executed a trick play at worst gets you a 1 on 1; at best there is no coverage. BUT…and it is a big BUT…by its very nature a trick play has guys executing things that are not their usual cup of tea. So the opportunity to fail in execution is greater, and the chances of a loss in yards or turnover is often greater, hence the risk/reward calculation is different. Leach is willing to take calculated risks; just look at how often we go for it on 4th down. But he is not as comfortable putting guys who normally don't throw into that situation. Just a different view of how to assess the risk.