The Bobcat Nation

Since a few other threads have skirted around some questions that a lot of posters are having with the offense, I figured I'd just start this thread and give everyone a place to stay on topic.

So, with that said, what does everyone think needs to happen? Why are we inconsistent? Why does it seem that we don't adjust very well to the opposition? Is it the players not executing? Are we not coaching very well at key positions? Do we have the right players to run the Offense Bailey currently has?

Or, is it something different? Thoughts?

I think someone eluded to it in another thread - we need an identity. I never knew what we were going to do each game, and in this case, it wasn't a good thing.

Some points in no particular order of importance:

- Rolovich needs to get his timing down. Too many times he had open receivers but didn't get it to them in time. Yes part of this can be placed on the OLine, but there were too many times when he did have time that he threw the ball a little late. Another offseason should help this. And yes, I'm sold on Rolo for next year.

- More consistency from the running game. We have two very talented backs, perhaps the most talented duo in the league, but we don't seem to utilize them very well. Case in point - Chadron State. We were just pushing them over, getting about 8 YPC. But we abandoned that strategy, and I have no idea why. We do things very well at times, but we never seem to stick with it. STICK WITH WHAT IS WORKING until we are stopped!

- That leads me into my next point, playcalling. I'm not a Bailey hater but I'm not necessarily a proponent either. He has shown flashes of brilliance, and other times everyone in the stadium is left scratching their head. I would be moer in favor of a more vanilla playbook - we have talent, we don't have to keep the defense on their toes all the time. Again, stick with whatever is working in the current game, even if that wasn't your gameplan.

- Throw it to the TEs!!!!!!

brucat5 wrote:Since a few other threads have skirted around some questions that a lot of posters are having with the offense, I figured I'd just start this thread and give everyone a place to stay on topic.

So, with that said, what does everyone think needs to happen? Why are we inconsistent? Why does it seem that we don't adjust very well to the opposition? Is it the players not executing? Are we not coaching very well at key positions? Do we have the right players to run the Offense Bailey currently has?

Or, is it something different? Thoughts?

I think our staff needs to visit Petrino during their spring ball if this is the spread version we're going to use. If he's going to use some of West Virginia's, visit their spring practice or Urban Meyers. Go to Ape State if nothing else. I've even seen Cal Poly's bastardized option creep in more and more.

Anyone will tell you that in times of struggle, instead of getting more complicated and pushing more on a group of kids, you simplify things. Remember Keep It Simple, Stupid? Give the kids a chance to be successful and then instead of ripping them in public if they screw up, learn to handle it discreetly and last: get over your aversion to quarterbacks and young pups...

I am a big beleiver in Buck Failey.

Never liked the play calling.

Never liked not knowing what team was going to show up, yet somehow knowing which play was going to be run.

ZERO continuity.

ZERO imagination.

Lack of coaching.

I strongly beleive that this all falls squarely on the OC.

Sometimes I think we have a little too much imagination. I am in agreement that we need an identity. My preferred choice with the talent coming back is to become a run first team but Kramer has always stated the contrary. Whatever we become we need to get a grasp the fundamentals and stick with it rather than be wishy-washy

I think our identity needs to be that we can run just as good as we throw-in fact execute with excellence on every play. There were too many penalty's on the offense this year. How many illegal procedure calls? Too many. I don't think we executed one third down play correctly after calling a time out. Also there was a lot of confusion getting plays in. I think it's a combination of coaching and players not executing. We do need to get to a higher level on offense if we are going to be a top team!

Funny, each year the Cats are getting better. But there is always a call to make a major change. Why make complete changes. They are building the talent on the team around the approach they have. When you have two running backs that get injured (fairly easily), you can't go to a 2 back offense. They just don't stay healthy enough.

It appears the coaches want a solid team that can vary it's offense to the weaknesses of the other team. Instead of RUN at all costs, their approach is to be able to pass some (especially against teams like UM and PSU), then run against teams like WSU and NAU that focus on pass defense.

I think the trend will be less trick plays (because we are getting good enough not to need them to win). Then focus on solid performances that allow us to win. Biggest movement will be trying to get to a man-to-man defense (instead of zone).

We have become a Pass balanced attack. To head in a different direction when we are good and improving at that, why? So we could have a definite direction? Most college teams want to be that type of attack (USC, Ohio State, Texas, an on). The old style teams (Hawaii that is pass only, and

bobcatbob wrote:I think our identity needs to be that we can run just as good as we throw-in fact execute with excellence on every play. There were too many penalty's on the offense this year. How many illegal procedure calls? Too many. I don't think we executed one third down play correctly after calling a time out. Also there was a lot of confusion getting plays in. I think it's a combination of coaching and players not executing. We do need to get to a higher level on offense if we are going to be a top team!

The balanced attack is the way to go for sure, but do we have the people in place for that to happen? The offensive staff has been here for too long to not yet have some sort of continuity in coaching and game planning. Far too many penalties for a very veteran O-line and way too many delay of games. Coaches, players, I'm sure its a combo of each. However, if we want to make that next step, we have to be able to keep the ball on offense with an attack that keeps people honest and can get attack the defenses weaknesses (ie GAMEPLAN). I don't see that happening right now and don't know why.

Celticcat spoke vollumes! Utilize our TE's!!!

catamaran wrote:Sometimes I think we have a little too much imagination. I am in agreement that we need an identity. My preferred choice with the talent coming back is to become a run first team but Kramer has always stated the contrary. Whatever we become we need to get a grasp the fundamentals and stick with it rather than be wishy-washy

We do have on Offensive Identity. It is:
1st down - run up the middle
2nd down - run it wide ( Maybe Mason bounces it to the outside) run up the middle for everyone else.
3rd down - Go for a 20-40 yard pass play.
4th down - roll punt and hope it does not get blocked and hope it goes for more then 15 yards.

Like it of not, this was our identity this year. Not to hard to game plan against this formatt.

BobCatFan wrote:

catamaran wrote:Sometimes I think we have a little too much imagination. I am in agreement that we need an identity. My preferred choice with the talent coming back is to become a run first team but Kramer has always stated the contrary. Whatever we become we need to get a grasp the fundamentals and stick with it rather than be wishy-washy

We do have on Offensive Identity. It is:
1st down - run up the middle
2nd down - run it wide ( Maybe Mason bounces it to the outside) run up the middle for everyone else.
3rd down - Go for a 20-40 yard pass play.
4th down - roll punt and hope it does not get blocked and hope it goes for more then 15 yards.

Like it of not, this was our identity this year. Not to hard to game plan against this formatt.

bottom line - our 'O' has been suspect for years. If not for a red haired wonder from Oregon, we'd still be fighting Idaho State for 5th ....Bailey has brought a lot to the program but his ideas and strategy are stagnet. Time for a change!

CatsRback wrote:bottom line - our 'O' has been suspect for years. If not for a red haired wonder from Oregon, we'd still be fighting Idaho State for 5th ....Bailey has brought a lot to the program but his ideas and strategy are stagnet. Time for a change!

I'll have to look that one up.

As far as the ISU comment..................did you miss the 2006 season in its entirety?

p.s.

Travis didn't play this year, but he has a younger brother Tyler that is making Bobcat footsteps!

Yes - everyone always says that Travis made our offense look good despite the play-calling... so how do you explain the fact that our green QBs managed to do 2 things that travis never was able to... beat a 1A team and win a playoff game? I think our scheme on offense is solid, and the play calling is usually vbery solid as well. They just need to make sure that the personell is up to the task of executing properly... and if not - make adjustments! After Rolo was struggling early and staying in the pocket too long, I'm surprised we didn't immediately go the the dink and dunk quick hits, draws, screens, etc. to see if they could stop that. Colorado couldn't, and we just stuck with it the whole game.

The offense will improve when the line play is consistently solid. It was extremely inconsistent this year.

083190 wrote:The offense will improve when the line play is consistently solid. It was extremely inconsistent this year.

I agree. I don't know if the line play had to do with the coaching or the players, but the OLine was really the base of a lot of our offensive problems this year.

I have to say what has been said before. Our defense has an identity, they play with intensity and can be counted on every game. Our offense is unpredictable in who will show up, but you can pretty much call most of the plays before they even start. There is something wrong at the base of our offensive system and there is only one person to blame for that.