I think I heard a commentor last week or some time ago mention that it looked like our offensive play calling was an attempt to "play not to lose" rather than playing to win.
I don't believe this. In fact, i think we've continued to playcall aggressively on the defensive side of the ball, and less so on the offensive side. But we are still calling plays that SHOULD work. Instead, our fault is lack of execution. And one more thing:
Getting sucker punched.
This team has given up some big plays since Saban has arrived, and nearly every time, it was some kind of trick play or play where the defensive pursuit was totally opposite of what was needed to defend a trick play. This was going on before Saban arrived, so not picking on him or Kirby Smart at all.
What I'm saying is, since we aren't getting the production on the defensive side of the ball that are used to, why not play less of this high-risk, high-reward football? Why not play with a slight lean toward "playing not to lose"? Right now, with each of these trick plays, and our lack of conservative defensive playcalling at times, we get beat. South Carolina sucker punched us, as did Arkansas, to very early leads on plays that we are physically capable of defending, but we are playing so aggressively using players who aren't ready to do this, and certainly can't ad lib when they see something is up. I wonder how many times last year Ro McClain called a time out or audibled the Defense when he saw something didn't fit. I don't see this happening much this year.
If I'm Kirby Smart (I'd be driving a Lambo and hanging out with hot chicks), but I'm not, so I'd suggest backing off on the blitzes except in situations where it's not expected. Everyone knows your coming with it on 3rd and long. I'd be blitzing 50% less than we are now. We aren't getting to the QB, and we're leaving our weakend secondary out there on that proverbial island.
For State and Auburn, I feel that trickeration will be the name of the game. Each team is likely to fake a punt or kick at least once on us. Why? because it's been working against us. They'll try some deep routes, because we've been getting beat doing that. And we will most certainly be seeing a lot of Relf running the ball or optioning to a tailback. We will most definitely see lots of Cam Newton play action off his own fake, or double pump, and the db's need to be able to handle that and not worry about blitzes or what-not.
Less of the high-risk, high-reward stuff. Last 2 years, the reward was more often than risk. Not so this year. :a:
I don't believe this. In fact, i think we've continued to playcall aggressively on the defensive side of the ball, and less so on the offensive side. But we are still calling plays that SHOULD work. Instead, our fault is lack of execution. And one more thing:
Getting sucker punched.
This team has given up some big plays since Saban has arrived, and nearly every time, it was some kind of trick play or play where the defensive pursuit was totally opposite of what was needed to defend a trick play. This was going on before Saban arrived, so not picking on him or Kirby Smart at all.
What I'm saying is, since we aren't getting the production on the defensive side of the ball that are used to, why not play less of this high-risk, high-reward football? Why not play with a slight lean toward "playing not to lose"? Right now, with each of these trick plays, and our lack of conservative defensive playcalling at times, we get beat. South Carolina sucker punched us, as did Arkansas, to very early leads on plays that we are physically capable of defending, but we are playing so aggressively using players who aren't ready to do this, and certainly can't ad lib when they see something is up. I wonder how many times last year Ro McClain called a time out or audibled the Defense when he saw something didn't fit. I don't see this happening much this year.
If I'm Kirby Smart (I'd be driving a Lambo and hanging out with hot chicks), but I'm not, so I'd suggest backing off on the blitzes except in situations where it's not expected. Everyone knows your coming with it on 3rd and long. I'd be blitzing 50% less than we are now. We aren't getting to the QB, and we're leaving our weakend secondary out there on that proverbial island.
For State and Auburn, I feel that trickeration will be the name of the game. Each team is likely to fake a punt or kick at least once on us. Why? because it's been working against us. They'll try some deep routes, because we've been getting beat doing that. And we will most certainly be seeing a lot of Relf running the ball or optioning to a tailback. We will most definitely see lots of Cam Newton play action off his own fake, or double pump, and the db's need to be able to handle that and not worry about blitzes or what-not.
Less of the high-risk, high-reward stuff. Last 2 years, the reward was more often than risk. Not so this year. :a:
