Mike Bloesch Deserves More Credit

[BillySee58]

One thing I have learned from searching OCs names on twitter (OCs we may be interested in becoming our HC) is that every fanbase trashes their OC. Even the best ones. It is incredibly easy to criticize an OC for his playcalling in hindsight after it works. It’s not as easy to trash the results when they are there.

We are 13th in the nations in yards/game and 28th in points/game. Bloesch came in after the 2019 season and took over a bad offensive line that everyone attributed the failure of Fine’s last season to, with only two returning linemen with any experience, and pretty much transformed that unit into a good one overnight. We were 5th in the nation in rushing last year, and are 6th this year.

The play calling has been creative while finding the right mix of staying true to your foundational plays without being overly stubborn with them. He obviously isn’t perfect and has taken his lumps as a play caller too, but his name doesn’t get mentioned enough on here behind the success we’re having. Probably because he didn’t come in with the name recognition that Harrell did, but he has been every bit as impressive at coordinating an offense.

[Mike Jackson]

Coaching around a bad QB in a spread offense?  How about coaching up a QB on your roster to complete 60% of his passes ESPECIALLY when you have a good offensive line and run game.   I am not criticizing him just being objective.  No FBS team in the country should covet him as a head coach based on just being prudent.  Now if he installed a run option heavy offense and threw in a 10 play QB under center package and the offense mixed in and executed well, I would be impressed.  One of their coach  around the QB moves, the wildcat formation was plagued with pre-snap penalties.  This after a bye week,. he deserve “credit” for that also?  🤨

Edited October 16, 2022 by Mike Jackson

[BillySee58]

1 minute ago, Mike Jackson said:

Coaching around a bad QB in a spread offense?  How about coaching up a QB on your roster to complete 60% of his passes ESPECIALLY when you have a good offensive line a run game.   I am not criticizing him just objective.  No FBS team in the country should covet him as a head coach based on just being prudent.  Now if he installed a run option heavy offense and threw in a 10 play QB under center package and the offense mixed in an executed well, I would be impressed.

If you were truly being objective then you would be analyzing based on results-based metrics, not based on whether or not he’s running the formations you prefer. If you’re still getting caught up on that then you aren’t able to really have a nuanced, unbiased conversation about the actual results of the offense that is actually being run.

[NorthTexasWeLove]

I gamecasted yesterday's game, couldn't actually watch. However, short yardage seemed improved and not sure if it still on the back of the same play or not. 

Since SL has been here short yardage and goalline offense has been his achilles. Some creativity there and some under center plays would go a long ways. Egos need to be put aside and get it done. 

[El Paso Eagle]

14 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

If you were truly being objective then you would be analyzing based on results-based metrics, not based on whether or not he’s running the formations you prefer. If you’re still getting caught up on that then you aren’t able to really have a nuanced, unbiased conversation about the actual results of the offense that is actually being run.

Will give him credit for adjusting to the situation we're in. Still would like to see great improvement in our time of possession management.

[Mike Jackson]

54 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

If you were truly being objective then you would be analyzing based on results-based metrics, not based on whether or not he’s running the formations you prefer. If you’re still getting caught up on that then you aren’t able to really have a nuanced, unbiased conversation about the actual results of the offense that is actually being run.

It isn't about a formation I prefer.  It is about how you execute it.  The spread works best when you can efficiently pass the ball and be balanced and if you are a little unbalanced ideally run the spread it would tilt toward passing effiency and yards.  That is why most fans and I aren't very hopeful that we go 2-1 in the next 3 games.  I DON'T have a preference of how this team is offensively successful but ANYONE who knows football knows a balanced offense is the way to go unless you are running the triple option(all you want in that service academy system is about 8-10 attempts max and 3 to 5 big plays out of the passing game max).  They ran the ball great and if the passing game was more efficient this game wouldn't have had any drama in the last quarter even with the defensive struggles.

Edited October 16, 2022 by Mike Jackson

[Glory to the Green]

Agree. The increased variety on offense has been fun to watch.  It’s fun when I lose the ball mid-play due to the misdirection.  Glad he finally listened to us. 😂😂😂

[Tom McKrackin]

I mean goodnpost but what’s he done really?  I mean most of us look at conference championships and whatnot when we are evaluating coaches.

[Venson]

I think he can be a good OC, but he needs a QB Coach to help him get the most from QB play. He is not a QB Coach and it is hindering his ability to call plays where the QB has to produce.

[BillySee58]

1 hour ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

I gamecasted yesterday's game, couldn't actually watch. However, short yardage seemed improved and not sure if it still on the back of the same play or not. 

Since SL has been here short yardage and goalline offense has been his achilles. Some creativity there and some under center plays would go a long ways. Egos need to be put aside and get it done. 

We tried going under center on short-yardage in 2020 early in conference play against Charlotte and USM. It didn’t work.

Not to say that we are objectively correct in never going back to it since, my point is just that I don’t think it’s ego why we don’t do it. The ego was put aside, just didn’t work out.

We were 3/3 on 4th down yesterday and I think a big part of why was because we were making the defense defend the whole field with Kaylon Horton, as opposed to just being able to stack the middle. Under center or shotgun, it’s hard to get anything up the middle when it is being stacked and more guys are shooting in than you have to block.

[Glory to the Green]

13 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

We tried going under center on short-yardage in 2020 early in conference play against Charlotte and USM. It didn’t work.

Not to say that we are objectively correct in never going back to it since, my point is just that I don’t think it’s ego why we don’t do it. The ego was put aside, just didn’t work out.

We were 3/3 on 4th down yesterday and I think a big part of why was because we were making the defense defend the whole field with Kaylon Horton, as opposed to just being able to stack the middle. Under center or shotgun, it’s hard to get anything up the middle when it is being stacked and more guys are shooting in than you have to block.

I want to say we had Ruder out there before a 4th down play, but called a timeout and pulled him. There seems to be a willingness to think outside of the box and I’m here for it. GMG!

[BillySee58]

27 minutes ago, Glory to the Green said:

I want to say we had Ruder out there before a 4th down play, but called a timeout and pulled him. There seems to be a willingness to think outside of the box and I’m here for it. GMG!

Yes, we did. Whether it’s Ruder or Earle running some sort of read option, or bringing Kaylon Horton in motion, I just want to see us stretching the defense out and making them defend more than just Oscar Adaway up the middle

[GMG_Dallas]

1 hour ago, BillySee58 said:

 

 was because we were making the defense defend the whole field with Kaylon Horton, as opposed to just being able to stack the middle. 

I agree with your whole point but especially this. I loved all of the gadget plays and misdirections we've seen lately. I agree with others we've had some dumb penalties on them but if we can work out the kinks, running all the wildcats and gimmicks is great to get the ball in the hands of our playmakers. If Aune can't get our guys the ball consistently, they need to find otherwise of doing that. Aune has thrown 20 passes each of the past two weeks and our offense looked more explosive and more efficient at sustaining drives overall. I'm a fan. Our strengths are in the ground game. Let's try to keep it up next week against a tougher opponent.

[Green Crazy]

 

5 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

I agree with your whole point but especially this. I loved all of the gadget plays and misdirections we've seen lately. I agree with others we've had some dumb penalties on them but if we can work out the kinks, running all the wildcats and gimmicks is great to get the ball in the hands of our playmakers. If Aune can't get our guys the ball consistently, they need to find otherwise of doing that. Aune has thrown 20 passes each of the past two weeks and our offense looked more explosive and more efficient at sustaining drives overall. I'm a fan. Our strengths are in the ground game. Let's try to keep it up next week against a tougher opponent.

Yes, I've been thinking about this all day.  He's starting to open up the playbook finally or realized we need misdirection to be more effective. Can't remember the last time we've had jet sweeps or end around called.  Also, I loved the TD play to Gumms. They lined up with Aune behind center and Addaway to his right then had a quick jump reset thing into wildcat formation, snapped the ball, handed to Aune who rolled out to hit Gumms. The 1:24 mark.

https://twitter.com/MeanGreenFB/status/1581661250852982789?t=gwt9GE1Vv-fBGhWWBSwBuQ&s=19

[El Paso Eagle]

2 hours ago, Venson said:

I think he can be a good OC, but he needs a QB Coach to help him get the most from QB play. He is not a QB Coach and it is hindering his ability to call plays where the QB has to produce.

This is my biggest player development complaint about Seth's time here. Mason fell into our laps and GH was a major player in his development. We have had a good number of player transfer in and not one QB has seemed to improve under Seth guidance.  Seth's blind spot for a QB coach hurts our program. Please, before you say he's tried, there are a lot of QB coaches at other G5's and lower who could help us. When GH left and our next OC did not cut it, Seth did not stop using a OC.

[greenminer]

I feel like I'm late to this party but, holy moly! Horton is a freakin weapon.

[Texas Stranger]

4 hours ago, Mike Jackson said:

They ran the ball great and if the passing game was more efficient this game wouldn't have had any drama in the last quarter even with the defensive struggles.

47 points not enough offensive output?  Please go buy an Alabama, Ohio State, or Clemson T-shirt. 

[El Paso Eagle]

8 minutes ago, Texas Stranger said:

47 points not enough offensive output?  Please go buy an Alabama, Ohio State, or Clemson T-shirt. 

No, the problem is that we don't score enough to beat good teams. Maybe you like losing almost every time we play a team with a winning record or having a stadium 60% empty?

[BillySee58]

4 hours ago, Venson said:

I think he can be a good OC, but he needs a QB Coach to help him get the most from QB play. He is not a QB Coach and it is hindering his ability to call plays where the QB has to produce.

Yes but the tricky part here is that good college QB coaches are usually OCs. Not being able to offer the OC role when going out in the market for QB coaches limits your options. Not that it can’t be done, but guys like Blake Joseph (High School HCs) or lower level college coaches wanting to make the jump is probably the supply you’re looking at. Definite dice rolls.

[El Paso Eagle]

5 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

Definite dice rolls.

But not having one is giving us "craps" 😈

[El Paso Eagle]

Maybe we could have gone after this guy 

 

https://uiwcardinals.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/mack-leftwich/2614

[BillySee58]

52 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

But not having one is giving us "craps" 😈

Is it really though? Aune was 93rd in the country in QBR last year (ESPN’s QB rating metric). This year he’s up to 41st in the country. 

I know you’re mostly making a joke here but if we’re putting aside our emotions to in-game mistakes aside and analyzing body of work, isn’t that the type of improvement you would attribute to improved Quarterback coaching? 

Edited October 17, 2022 by BillySee58

[El Paso Eagle]

3 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

Is it really though? Aune was 93rd in the country in QBR last year (ESPN’s QB rating metric). This year he’s up to 41st in the country. 

I know you’re mostly making a joke here but if we’re putting aside our emotions to in-game mistakes aside and analyzing body of work, isn’t that the type of improvement you would attribute to improved Quarterback coaching? 

I probably don't put as much on QBR as others. If that is an accurate measure than Aune is better than Mordecai (SMU), Sanders (Okie State). Tune (UH). WOuld you start him over any of them? I look at the lack of development in our QB room. If you take completion % Aune is 113. No examples where someone has transferred in and became a better player, or are they just that bad at evaluating talent? 

[BillySee58]

10 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

I probably don't put as much on QBR as others. If that is an accurate measure than Aune is better than Mordecai (SMU), Sanders (Okie State). Tune (UH). WOuld you start him over any of them? I look at the lack of development in our QB room. If you take completion % Aune is 113. No examples where someone has transferred in and became a better player, or are they just that bad at evaluating talent? 

Why would his QBR being higher than those QBs invalidate the statistic? Aune has a higher passer rating than all of them too. They are unbiased quantifications strictly based off of on-field results. It’s not swayed by the QB’s name recognition and prior season accomplishments. If it were, that would invalidate the numbers. 

It’s unbiased and consistent math, not objective analysis. Again, it’s a quantification of actual on-field results. Aune is 48th in passer rating in the country and was not even top 100 last year. The point here isn’t about other QBs. It’s about the undeniable improvement of results from last year from the same QB.

And if you’re saying “can we really trust this statistic if it has him ahead of these other QBs?” The question we probably should be asking is “how are we getting Austin Aune to produce at a higher rate of effectiveness than those QBs?”

To answer your question, I would not start Aune over any of those QBs, and I also understand that numbers are what they are, and Aune’s numbers being better speaks to the job Bloesch is doing as both a QB coach and OC.

[p_phelps]

He's improved Aune from 51% to 55% passing.  Hell of a job!