The Playcalling, Specifically

[Joneslab]

A lot has been made about playcalling this year. This is always the case I guess, but this year in particular, with as powerful as our defense is, the playcalling seems to be what might separate us from being a truly outrageous team into what we are: a team that's constantly having to have our defense bail us out.

However, I'm not sure what it is specifically about the playcalling that's a problem. It's hard to put your finger on what the problem is, or to look at particular plays--with the exception of the obvious ones, like going for it late in the first half--that might have been run for different people.

Like everybody else, I watched that game the other evening in total frustrating until the last drive. But if you isolate certain plays and think about what Gran might have done, it's harder to get a feel for the changes he could make (outside ditching the wildcat).

One thing I have noticed:

I think the team plays too slow. At times it's almost excruciating. I wonder if we could speed up just a little and get more in a rhythm. As it is, it appears we're milking the game for all it's worth. I imagine they're doing this to (1) chew into the clock, and (2) make it so that Wilson isn't going crazy and risking turnovers, but there are times Kentucky is just mind-numbingly slow. On that last drive the other night, everything was quick, instinctual, sped up. I think we need to mix some of that style of play in.

[JFCats22]

Great points. I was at our annual Guys weekend during the game and there were a bunch of comments about how it looks like our offense is in slow motion (specifically Wilson, doing anything).

[KevinHall]

I think having no deep threat WR hurts them a lot. Bowden is more of a playmaker than a deep threat IMO. Dorian Baker is just awful. I don't even know why he is playing at this point. He couldn't catch a ball if you handed it to him. This then has the defense in 8 man front and its tough to do anything then. Maybe going quick is the way to counter act that. It helped on that last drive but you see that a lot on last second drives. So I don't know. I'm afraid its too late in the season to make any drastic changes. Maybe pick your spots to speed the tempo up and hope you can keep the defense fairly honest.

[Spiritof96]

There have been some bad play calls, but more often I see "playcalling" blamed when there was a failure in execution.

The Bowden screen that got blown up in the backfield last Sat was predictable to be sure, but we had the numbers and Ali totally whiffed on his block.

Sometimes we come out throwing three times in a row and I don't know about that.

We do get conservative with the lead (like Cal does in basketball) but it has been producing wins so...

[Lighthouse]

There have been some bad play calls, but more often I see "playcalling" blamed when there was a failure in execution.

The Bowden screen that got blown up in the backfield last Sat was predictable to be sure, but we had the numbers and Ali totally whiffed on his block.

Sometimes we come out throwing three times in a row and I don't know about that.

We do get conservative with the lead (like Cal does in basketball) but it has been producing wins so...

I totally agree with the bolded statement. We have the OL to make any play work but when the box is stacked they can't block everybody. This also causes CJ to a blocking assignment. Also Benny isn't the same right now and I think he's playing hurt. I agree we are to slow at times which allows defenses to adjust to us. The only concern I have with play calling is this. It seems Gran consistently tries to trick defenses by calling plays opposite the obvious. DC's know this and they expect it. I totally trust CS, Gran and any other Coach involved in choosing our QB, so in my mind that issue is over.

[Catsrock]

I've lamented Terry's tendency to stand in the pocket expecting it to hold up for 15 seconds all season more than the play calling. He seems to just take too long to go through his progressions. In the RPO if he reads we need a handoff we're good. If he reads we need to pass he takes too long. The other night with 1:24 to go 81 yds he did much better (even though he still took a sack when he should have thrown it away). I think this indicates he needs to make his RPO decision and if deciding to pass he needs to look to his primary receiver, MAYBE a second option, and if neither is open--take off running and make use of his legs.

If he is our QB for 3 yrs then eventually the action will slow down for him and he can look to more recievers. Right now I want to see him take off if nothing is there early.

But after that game winning drive I expect his confidence to be much better already. Just keep it simple and quick in the passing game.

[Matt Dillon]

Everyone has made some good points. I'm no expert, by any means, but I'd like to see a few more short passes, dink and dunk if you will. Coach Mumme showed they can be an effective tool, and coach Leach is still showing it can be. A pass that picks up five or six yards is as good as a run that picks up the same amount of yardage. Many times a short pass to a player like Bowden ends up being a big gain.

[40bill]

Coach Gran went from the dunce cap wearing, stupidest, most ignorant asinine excuse for a coach that should be fired to an absolute genius on a two yard completion to Conrad.

Play works, you're brilliant.
Play fails, you're crap.

That's most likely a very similar play as the one that blew up in overtime at College Station.

Just win, baby.

[KCKUKFan]

Ditching the Wildcat formation when the defense is stacking the box would be a nice start.

[40bill]

Unless you're running ten straight runs against Vandy with an 8 in the box D.

I WOULD like to see more play action attempts though.

[KevinHall]

Unless you're running ten straight runs against Vandy with an 8 in the box D.

I WOULD like to see more play action attempts though.

The thing about play action is if you don't have a good deep threat then the defense usually won't bite.

[Matt Dillon]

Unless you're running ten straight runs against Vandy with an 8 in the box D.

I WOULD like to see more play action attempts though.

I kind of thought coach Gran might have Wilson fake a hand off to Benny and roll out to his right with the option to run or pass on the winning play.

[40bill]

Lol ...I was rereading posts on a different board when the play was setting up and 90 per cent was Bennie up the gut. AFTER we had been stopped on three different occasions

Just fandom. I would likely have thought the same. Terry has not yet shown me the willingness to sacrifice like Johnson on those two yard dives.

[Brasslock]

My lovely wife has more than a few laughs at me watch reruns of the Mizzou game. She observed that I should know what happened by now. Stoops has had more than a little input in play calling. I recall when Brown was here him being upset with too many passes. Either way, successful or unsuccessful, it would keep the defense on the field too long and they would get tired. Gran has collected a lot of flak for being too conservative. He had a wide open offense in his previous coaching stints, including Cincinnati. The winning drive at Mizzou was all Gran. I've watched his offenses in the past. I also think Terry plays more effectively in an up tempo offense. Stoops, on the other hand, wants to grind the defenses down and put them on their heels physically for the 4th quarter. I think Stoops prefers playing slower on offense to use up time and rest the defense. I personally would like to see more balance especially since defenses have learned to man up on receivers and bring the house on run blitzes. This is what A&M and Mizzou did to us. No one can run against 8 or 9 men in the box. I may be the only one that has observed this, and I could be wrong of course. Trying to run against 8 in the box is like trying to run through a brick wall. Maybe Georgia has read too many of their press releases and believes they don't need to do this consistently. I guess we'll find out Saturday. We need to attack them with up-temp play part of the time.

[40bill]

I imagine that's true. S Johnson got turned loose some times when he had one good arm, but I agree....CMS LIKES the grind. He wants those Biggins on the O-line to be able to dominate in the 4th quarter.
hes done pretty good with that philosophy.