I guess I'm fine with simplifying the playbook if that's really what it's going to take to get Vanderbilt's offense to function. I won't knock simple; most of my favorite things are simple. It's not the NFL here -- you can win with simple. But I sincerely hope, for the sake of the players' morale, the coaches' longevity, the fans' enthusiasm, and my own sanity, that this doesn't mean we look to run the same tired old plays that weren't effective in yesteryear and have yet to take on even a faint aura of something that might begin to threaten an opposing defense.
Ole Miss has a bad D. It's time to put points on the board against an SEC foe. Preview coming tomorrow.
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Anyone else find it ironic that a team whose constant refrain is 'well, we recruit good student athletes here at vanderbilt' cannot learn a complex playbook, and needs to simplify? I mean, really? This is bad.
When you talk about academics but turn around and recruit guys who made an 18 on the A C T - yes, this is what you end up with. And of course coaches who are a joke and a QB who couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat.
Perhaps some need to broaden the understanding of football. Alot of what Caldwell is talking about when speaking of "reducing the playbook" is about blocking technique mainly with the offensive line. He is trying to establish some running lanes for the backs and give Smith a little time for the wr to get into thier breaks. It has nothing to do with players not being "smart" or "SAT scores"......get a life.
Agree with the poster above. Limiting the playbook does not have to do with knowledge or mental compacity but the ability of the offensive line to handle one on one situations against SEC defensive linemen.
I really hope that we commit to running the ball and hopefully run the option and maybe mix in a few screens, shovel passes and etc. These types of plays should help alleviate the reliance on the offensive lineman. Get those big guys on the backers instead of those d-linemen.
From the Tennessean:
The size of the offensive package for LSU may have overwhelmed players, Caldwell said, namely those on the offensive line.
"I wouldn't say it was too complicated," said sophomore Caleb Welchans, who played some at left guard last week after starting the game at right tackle. "But it definitely overflowed on a couple of guys.
"By simplifying things, they just mean honing in on us and making sure we know what's going on. We may not cut out plays this week. We may. But if we do, we're working on those plays to simplify them for our minds."
Yes and no. Yes, it's not about SAT scores. But no, simplification doesn't start and end with the techniques of your offensive linemen. The number and variety of plays you can run is dictated by what kind of blocking schemes your guys can execute. For example, if we can't zone block then we really have no business running a multiple spread attack. Which would be a shame because most people's concern seems to be that we're overmatched physically against SEC defensive lines like LSU's, and zone blocking SHOULD be a way to help you overcome the physicality deficit.
I agree that what they're referring to is trying to simplify some of the blocking schemes. However that has not been the problem. Has anyone else noticed that basically every play we run on offense starts with Smith in shotgun making a zone read either giving it, keeping it, or trying to use that as play action? You can't run that over and over again and expect to move the ball with any kind of efficiency. That comes down to coaching more than anything and unfortunately Vandy does not have the right coaches in place to make the changes that are necessary. We've got some nice young talented players in there that I think with the right coaching staff in place could win 5-7 games, but unfortunately that doesn't look like it's going to be the case.
Actually, Seamus is RIGHT on about the zone blocking. Effective zone blocking can turn an undersized offensive line into a highly effective run blocking unit. That doesn't help much for pass blocking but in a spread the QB shouldn't be hanging on to the ball more than 2-3 seconds anyway, so it's supposed to work for that too.
If our zone blocking is too complicated for our O-line to the point it must be eliminated then you can kiss this season goodbye right now. THAT would be an example of a deficiency in coaching.
I'm really hoping for an upset this Saturday because the team deserves better. The offensive play-calling, the wide receiver play, and the uneven play of Larry Smith all come down to poor Coaching. I feel that this team has talent and this coaching staff has been given more that a fair opportunity given the way Bobby Johnson left the administration with no choice but to give them this season to turn the team around. If the entire staff is not replaced, then David Williams must replace the offensive side of the staff mainly Kiser and Fischer. Maybe Coach hand should be given more responsibility with the offense given his previous success with the spread offense ?
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