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Is the offense too complicated?

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  • Jaxcat
    Senior Member
    • Jul 2025
    • 389

    #1

    Is the offense too complicated?

    Time after time, we saw Ole Miss go hurry-up and snap the ball with >20 secs on the play clock. We're lucky to snap it when we're in 'hurry up' with 10 secs left.

    I know the offense looks vanilla from the stands. But, why are we so bad getting to the line and getting a play called and executed in a reasonable amount of time? The play clocks starts pretty close to when the whistle blows - 40 seconds. We huddle for several seconds, we jog to the line and fiddle around for a few seconds, we wait, we have motion all the way across the formation pretty much every single play and then, with about 5 seconds or so, we snap the ball. God help us if we have to call an audible because we're usually down to 10 seconds before we even recognize that fact and then it's like herding cats to get everyone lined up and ready.

    If we run 65 plays in a game, maybe 20 of them look like we're well organized, the snap gets made in plenty of time, the play is well-designed and is appropriate for the situation, personnel, down and distance, etc. - and 20 may be a very optimistic number, honestly. The other 45 seem rushed, no logical reason for being run, disorganized, have the wrong personnel in the game, etc. That's just plain bad coaching.

    Maybe we should simplify the playbook. Get 15-20 plays perfected and see if that makes a difference. All this motion presnap doesn't break any of our mediocre WRs open, so why continue to do it? We're not fooling anyone on defense and it's like a needle in a haystack to find a really good play that the defense doesn't expect from our offense.

    The 4th down pass to Dowdell on the PA/rollout was a well-designed play and the call was excellent (BTW, did we run that same play even ONE more time? I don't think so). The double move bomb to Maclin was a good call (although we may have just gotten lucky that Maclin's CB was blitzing - I certainly don't think Hamdan is aware enough to have anticipated that). Those two plays are far outweighed by the numerous plays that are laughably bad calls throughout the game. Not to mention the complete breakdown in organization which resulted in burning TOs, rushed plays at the end of the half that cost us a chance at a FG, etc. I mean, 3rd and 9 and he calls Boley on a QB draw? I mean, WTF is he thinking? We did limit the number of bombs, which was a positive. But, how many times did Calzada throw into double and triple coverage? Is he not being coached to look to the next option if one of his first options is double+ covered? Who is coaching these QBs to be so awkward at throwing the football? Boley had a receiver breaking open right before the rush got to him and he didn't throw the ball. Under Stoops, I can't remember any QB other than Levis (who wasn't great at it) who've been coached to throw to a spot instead of waiting until there's plenty of daylight to throw the ball. The offense is just not well-coached , well organized, well thought out, well game planned.

    Maybe a dumbed down offense with a new play caller would be more effective. Not sure it would be any worse.
  • Pete Hogwallop
    Senior Member
    • Jul 2025
    • 289

    #2
    I think the staff is obsessed to a fault with altering the plays at the line to match what the defense is showing. You have to make adjustments for sure, but I think the staff gets into paralysis by analysis and won't pull the trigger until they think it's perfect or they just run out of time and we have to snap it.

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    • Jload
      Senior Member
      • Sep 2015
      • 2057

      #3
      What exactly is the " Offense" this year. I'm still trying to figure out what we are trying to do. So are the players it seems.

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      • Jaxcat
        Senior Member
        • Jul 2025
        • 389

        #4
        Originally posted by Pete Hogwallop
        I think the staff is obsessed to a fault with altering the plays at the line to match what the defense is showing. You have to make adjustments for sure, but I think the staff gets into paralysis by analysis and won't pull the trigger until they think it's perfect or they just run out of time and we have to snap it.
        That's a great point. We're seemingly so concerned with the 'perfect' that we, many times, can't execute the 'adequate'.

        Comment

        • Helix
          Member
          • Jul 2025
          • 89

          #5
          Originally posted by Pete Hogwallop
          I think the staff is obsessed to a fault with altering the plays at the line to match what the defense is showing. You have to make adjustments for sure, but I think the staff gets into paralysis by analysis and won't pull the trigger until they think it's perfect or they just run out of time and we have to snap it.
          I’m reminded of Scangarello. I think he and Hamdan are undeniably bright dudes, but make it harder than necessary on college players. Neither, I think, could be accused of being great communicators, nor do they seem adept at translating what should work into a game time reality.

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          • Jaxcat
            Senior Member
            • Jul 2025
            • 389

            #6
            If we're having this much trouble executing, getting lined up correctly, making the right read, etc, wouldn't it be smart to simplify what you're doing to improve execution even if it means significantly reducing the number of plays we run?

            Half-assed execution of 120 plays is surely less likely to be effective than really crisp execution of 35 plays, right?

            Comment

            • blueheretic
              Senior Member
              • Jul 2025
              • 569

              #7
              If so, it's been complicated since Stoops has been here. Same issues for the whole of that time.
              "I am the punishment of God. If you had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you."

              Genghis Khan

              Comment

              • Trueblujr
                Administrator
                • Nov 2014
                • 1851

                #8
                I get it that when you play a team like Ole Miss you want to play the time of possession game and control that by running down the play clock when the game clock is running, but time and again Calzada had no idea what was going on. While Boley didn’t exactly light it up when he came in, he obviously seemed to have better command of the team and what was going on. I think since he’s in his second year under Hamden, that he’s probably got a better grasp on the assignments and sets. I hope he starts next week and gets a good solid game against a team we should roll under his belt going into the bye week. For the longer term future we need a kid like Boley to step up and be a multi-year starter, though that could all change if Stoops goes away and we have a mass roster turnover.
                "It don't make much sense that common sense don't make no sense no more" John Prine

                Comment

                • 40bill
                  Senior Member
                  • Nov 2014
                  • 8451

                  #9
                  Reading Calzadas lips saying "what the f.... are we doing?" Makes me wonder.

                  Trouble is our play selection looks pretty vanilla to me.
                  I dunno. Kittens statement about one dimensional is pretty solid.

                  The really irritating thing is that with just a little bit better coaching and a bit better execution Kentucky could have one.

                  Hardens explanation of the quarterback run in the middle on third down was borderline unbelievable.

                  Comment

                  • UKWILDCAT2004
                    Junior Member
                    • Jul 2025
                    • 29

                    #10
                    Hamdan calls plays like he is playing Madden football. Just my 2 cents.

                    Comment

                    • Jaxcat
                      Senior Member
                      • Jul 2025
                      • 389

                      #11
                      A friend of mine listened to the postgame with Stoops (I think) and he said he'd told Hamdan at the half to quit substituting so much every play, that the constant substitution was getting guys confused and he told him to simplify to avoid the screwups we had in the first half. So, sounds like Stoops is asking Hamdan the same question this thread asks.

                      I didn't point it out, but we do substitute quite a few guys every play - usually at least one TE, 1-2 WRs and about every other play the RB. How does anyone keep up who is on the field and call plays that fit that specific personnel group? Answer: doesn't sound like anyone does. With the constant substitution, it stands to reason that our OC doesn't try to exploit matchups that often as it's a full-time job just keeping up with who is on the field. If the players are constantly rotating in and out, how in the world do they ever get in a groove and in rhythm with the game? Answer: they don't.

                      Comment

                       

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