Honest questions about offensive game plan (kind of long, sorry)

[gamecockcat]

So, an OC has a system that he has cobbled together from his experience in the coaching ranks, right? They learn new wrinkles along the way: formations, misdirection, philosophy from system of the day, etc. Presumably, they have > 100 plays in their system: runs, passes and trick plays. Also presumably, they have them sorted for the type of situation you might use them (thinking down and distance mainly but perhaps for other factors, too).

How is it that our OC and his staff were so ill-prepared to counter the USC pass rush? Did they not have any clue that USC has a good pass rush (shame on them, if true)? Or, it truly seemed to me that we didn't have any plays that were in the game plan that would work against their rush except run straight ahead.

Do we not have any plays in the entire offensive system that are designed for short yardage or to counter a blitz? You know, quick, 3-step drop and get rid of the ball for a few yards. Seems like a few quick slants or digs or play action to slow the rush or dropping the ball over the incoming rushers to a RB would be an antidote for a heavy, unblockable pass rush (see Miami vs. '85 Bears). Did we call a single play action pass when we were having some success running right at them? I don't think we did.

Does our offensive system not have a group of passing plays designed specifically to get rid of the ball quickly to counteract a strong rush/blitz? If those plays exist, why in god's name weren't they part of the game plan today? It truly seemed like our offensive staff hadn't prepared at all for today's game.

So, my questions: 1) do we have passing plays that are quick developing and designed to minimize the time to get the ball from the QB into a receiver's hands, and 2) where were those plays today?

Am I missing something? Yes, we couldn't handle their pass rush, certainly not in 3rd and long situations and calling slow developing plays. But it seemed to me that we didn't HAVE any plays to call.

 

[BGWentworth]

My thought is Hamden didn’t realize how bad our OL was and didn’t plan for such contingencies. He did a poor job of adapting. After the first couple of quarters, Brick was spooked and was not going to stay in the pocket regardless, so we should have went with the backup earlier and gone to a 90/10 run/pass. Our OL is one of the worst pass protecting in the country, so we’ll just have to run the ball, work in some short passing plays and hope we can prevent teams not named Georgia, Ole Miss, TX, and UT from scoring.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

I think our coaching staff saw the old dominion and SC score and didn't game prepare much at all.

 

[gamecockcat]

I think our coaching staff saw the old dominion and SC score and didn't game prepare much at all.

I, too, wondered about that. But, honestly, it didn't seem like short, quick passes were even in the game plan. How can that be? I watched about one full quarter of the USC v ODU game and I could see their pass rush was for real and their QB was very limited (assuming, of course, you don't leave WRs wide ass open 4 different times). How is it our staff who I hope spent more time on USC than I did missed what was so obvious to a know-nothing like me?

 

[TucsonCat]

Part of answer is that there may not be plays to counter successful 3 man rushes. You mention blitzes, but not sure that was the problem. Just 3 men beating 5 and sometimes 6. Screen passes get picked off when linebackers don't have to get home on a blitz and can just hang around and watch the play.

 

[K_TIME]

1. Running a WR sweep on 2nd and 1...that got ate up for a 7 yard loss on opening drive....that is the silly Boise St crap that works in WAC but not in SEC. But OCs are notorious for getting too cute too often....and Bush was all cute and no substance.
2. This same Oline was decent last year....only Flax for Mincey (who was a fine tackle at Tennessee)...so why are we inept this year? And Yenser was never a good Oline coach...so don't sell me that crap. Bush is bush league OC vs. Coen. All the bitching about snaps per game....we scored 29 pts a game in 2023.
3. Run the ball forward...and how about play action off of it to a TE? Never saw it......
4. No screens to slow down the rush.....
5. Leave a TE to chip the edge rushers

What a pitiful offensive scheme.....

 

[bigblueinsanity]

So, an OC has a system that he has cobbled together from his experience in the coaching ranks, right? They learn new wrinkles along the way: formations, misdirection, philosophy from system of the day, etc. Presumably, they have > 100 plays in their system: runs, passes and trick plays. Also presumably, they have them sorted for the type of situation you might use them (thinking down and distance mainly but perhaps for other factors, too).

How is it that our OC and his staff were so ill-prepared to counter the USC pass rush? Did they not have any clue that USC has a good pass rush (shame on them, if true)? Or, it truly seemed to me that we didn't have any plays that were in the game plan that would work against their rush except run straight ahead.

Do we not have any plays in the entire offensive system that are designed for short yardage or to counter a blitz? You know, quick, 3-step drop and get rid of the ball for a few yards. Seems like a few quick slants or digs or play action to slow the rush or dropping the ball over the incoming rushers to a RB would be an antidote for a heavy, unblockable pass rush (see Miami vs. '85 Bears). Did we call a single play action pass when we were having some success running right at them? I don't think we did.

Does our offensive system not have a group of passing plays designed specifically to get rid of the ball quickly to counteract a strong rush/blitz? If those plays exist, why in god's name weren't they part of the game plan today? It truly seemed like our offensive staff hadn't prepared at all for today's game.

So, my questions: 1) do we have passing plays that are quick developing and designed to minimize the time to get the ball from the QB into a receiver's hands, and 2) where were those plays today?

Am I missing something? Yes, we couldn't handle their pass rush, certainly not in 3rd and long situations and calling slow developing plays. But it seemed to me that we didn't HAVE any plays to call.

You're not missing anything. Hamdan looked really outclassed today. Very troublesome. Ya they had an elite pass rusher but we faced many of those over the years without letting them completely shut down the offense.

The most embarrassing was us going double tight to the phenom side and watching him easily beat all 3. Totally inept and pathetic to even try something so weird.

Go heavy (he came out vs heavy), run screens, draws, power at him, trap at him, chip with backs or te. But we did nothing except line up a guy to block him one on one. On 3 and 23 we even tried to drop back and go downfield.

So instead of sticking with the run, we keep playing right into their only strength. Very concerning because it appeared he had no ability to adjust to a talent deficiency

 

[catben]

1. Running a WR sweep on 2nd and 1...that got ate up for a 7 yard loss on opening drive....that is the silly Boise St crap that works in WAC but not in SEC. But OCs are notorious for getting too cute too often....and Bush was all cute and no substance.
2. This same Oline was decent last year....only Flax for Mincey (who was a fine tackle at Tennessee)...so why are we inept this year? And Yenser was never a good Oline coach...so don't sell me that crap. Bush is bush league OC vs. Coen. All the bitching about snaps per game....we scored 29 pts a game in 2023.
3. Run the ball forward...and how about play action off of it to a TE? Never saw it......
4. No screens to slow down the rush.....
5. Leave a TE to chip the edge rushers

What a pitiful offensive scheme.....

You're not missing anything. Hamdan looked really outclassed today. Very troublesome. Ya they had an elite pass rusher but we faced many of those over the years without letting them completely shut down the offense.

The most embarrassing was us going double tight to the phenom side and watching him easily beat all 3. Totally inept and pathetic to even try something so weird.

Go heavy (he came out vs heavy), run screens, draws, power at him, trap at him, chip with backs or te. But we did nothing except line up a guy to block him one on one. On 3 and 23 we even tried to drop back and go downfield.

So instead of sticking with the run, we keep playing right into their only strength. Very concerning because it appeared he had no ability to adjust to a talent deficiency

Sadly, these points are ALL spot on.

I would just add that even when the Gamecocks showed an 8 man front or a blitz(which they didn't even try to hide) Brock or Hamden NEVER checked into something that would counter it at the line!!! No quick hitters, Button hooks, screens, dump downs or ANYTHING that would OBVIOUSLY be effective against it!!

Add to this ALL of the penalties, and you get the WORST offensive performance I can remember since the first few Stoops years. Can't win in the SEC without the ability to score over 24 points anymore. ALL of the rules favor the offense, so as a team you MUST be able to move the ball and score.

So sad that our HC hasn't figured that out after 12 seasons even when the 2 best programs(Bama and UGA) in the SEC did SEVERAL years ago!!!!

 

[tf4fun]

1. Running a WR sweep on 2nd and 1...that got ate up for a 7 yard loss on opening drive....that is the silly Boise St crap that works in WAC but not in SEC. But OCs are notorious for getting too cute too often....and Bush was all cute and no substance.
2. This same Oline was decent last year....only Flax for Mincey (who was a fine tackle at Tennessee)...so why are we inept this year? And Yenser was never a good Oline coach...so don't sell me that crap. Bush is bush league OC vs. Coen. All the bitching about snaps per game....we scored 29 pts a game in 2023.
3. Run the ball forward...and how about play action off of it to a TE? Never saw it......
4. No screens to slow down the rush.....
5. Leave a TE to chip the edge rushers

What a pitiful offensive scheme.....

Serious question k time; how in the world can you have a tackle/TE and a RB chipping and still not block someone? We had 7 blocking 3 and still had no time to throw to a deep route.

It's almost like they didn't try.

Then I listen to both stoops and Hamden, and neither of them called out the oline! I get there's a lot more envolved then oline. But if they want to get payed, somewhere there's got to be accountability.

This was the poorest showing of any single unit I have seen in a long long time!

 

[JumperJack]

Sadly, these points are ALL spot on.

I would just add that even when the Gamecocks showed an 8 man front or a blitz(which they didn't even try to hide) Brock or Hamden NEVER checked into something that would counter it at the line!!!

BV is going to be the FB version of Ryan Harrow, I’m afraid.

 

[Rockfly78]

I have no idea what his game plan was because our line was gonna prohibit anything we had planned. Having coached myself I can tell you that the Oline is the most important facet of your team. You could have Tom Brady and Derrick Henry and it doesn’t matter if your line can’t carry the water.

If this doesn’t get fixed in a hurry we may be squandering a good transfer qb and a rb from Ohio state.