The Offense

Green Guy Bass · October 27, 2008

I understand that the spread is popular around the country, but it is clearly not working here. I am not opposed to NT running spread formations, but to roll with it exclusively and not utilize a TE or have a short-yardage/goal-line package where the QB is under center with a blocking back or backs is is just simply ridiculous. This is division 1 NCAA football. Not high school football where linebackers generally have no real speed and the DB's have next to no instincts (yes, even here in Texas).

Our program not that long ago had a reputation of toughness defensively, and lining it up and running over people offensively. Todd Dodge has effectively killed that. Unless he swallows some of his pride, and finally plays to the strengths of his players and runs a more traditional offense, then there is not much hope as things move forward for years to come.

The offensive line is awful. Why? Many at the previous level probably thrived in offenses that ran the ball. I can tell you that most HS o-linemen do not like pass blocking as much as run-blocking. It is a more difficult thing for most to grasp, and when one truly figures it out at that level it is a rare thing. I, like some on the board feel the splits are way too narrow. It seemed our offensive line was a hell of a lot better under Dickey because we made a real effort to run it. Our line was considered better, we produced 1K yard backs like it was not big deal. I do wonder if some of the current linemen that have not panned out would have thrived in our old offense.

Vizza is now gun-shy. He took a beating last year and now this season. Gio showed great flashed at times in 2007, but now the lack of success and running for his life has caught up with him, and he is regressing a bit (see David Carr with the Texans). If we didn't run this offense, he would probably be flourishing right now and getting better because in the back of his mind he would know that the running game would be strong enough to take some pressure off of his shoulders to do it all. Which is exactly what Todd is asking of him.

None of 'his' recievers are really thriving in this system. Not becuase they don't have talent, but because his system has become somewhat predictable and not that difficult to gameplan for. Teams in the past could gameplan for our running attack, but it didn't matter that much because we could directly oppose our will on the defense. That is not happening at all right now.

I am sure all of you Todd apologists will try to shoot holes in my argument, but until this guy checks his ego at the door and overhauls his offenive system, many more sleepless nights, trying to solve our programs problems will occur. You can say what you will about the youth on this team, and the obstacles that TD has to overcome, and the crap about DD leaving the cupboard bare....But the reality is....HE is not making adjustments (like the defense never did in '07)and it is causing this thing to go up in flames.

Fire away.

Edited October 27, 2008 by Green Guy Bass

NT_Eagle · October 27, 2008

I watched the whole Tulsa vs. Central Florida game tonight and did not see them use one tight end or see the QB get under center once. If they can do it and be ranked 18th in the nation and be 8-0, then any team can do it.

JayDub · October 27, 2008

Bass, I agree with you on all points...especially the part about Dodge needing to check the ego.

I watched the whole Tulsa vs. Central Florida game tonight and did not see them use one tight end or see the QB get under center once. If they can do it and be ranked 18th in the nation and be 8-0, then any team can do it.

This whole logic of "if they can do it, so can we..." has got to stop. We obviously don't have the athletes...or, more to the point, the coaching...that "they" have to get it done.

That said, offensive issues can be thrown aside until we drop a small atom bomb on our defense and start over. Actually...it might just be time to start over altogether. I mean...I was in town and couldn't even muster the stomach to come watch this monkey-f**kin'-a-football that is "Dodgeball"...and I always considered myself to be a die hard.

Edited October 27, 2008 by JayDub

oldguystudent · October 27, 2008

Offense, defense. All I know is that every time I watch a game I feel like the old men on the Muppet Show.

Why do we always come here?

I guess we'll never know

It's kinda' like a nightmare

To have to watch the show!

When we get excited about only giving up 3 points on a normal drive or get excited over punting the ball as opposed to turning it over and actually not letting the kick returner in for a TD, then yes; it is time for a fundamental change of operations. As they like to say in Japanese business school, when a fish rots, it starts to do so at the head.

I do believe that there is an overinflated ego present in this situation. I do believe that nothing will change...at all. I do not believe that we are playing either to win or not to lose...I believe we are playing to not lose "too badly". I believe I encountered some inconsolable players lingering on the field after the game on Saturday. I believe things are at their worst when players forgo their coach in the locker room to go cry on mom and dad's shoulder. I believe I don't blame the players for doing so. I believe we're in this for another two seasons come hell or high water. I believe that enduring this for another two seasons will most certainly lead to a 4-year record of 2-46. Most importantly, I believe I see way too many heads buried in the sand.

forevereagle · October 27, 2008

I watched the whole Tulsa vs. Central Florida game tonight and did not see them use one tight end or see the QB get under center once. If they can do it and be ranked 18th in the nation and be 8-0, then any team can do it.

I watched Tech play Kansas, and they got under center. If they can do it and be ranked 7th in the nation and be 8-0, then any team can do it.

That argument works a lot of ways. Just because another team can do/not do what we do/want to do doesn't mean that we should. Georgia Tech is having a good year, and they run the triple option. Maybe we should go to that. I mean, it is working there, why can't it work here?

untgeorge · October 27, 2008

I watched the whole Tulsa vs. Central Florida game tonight and did not see them use one tight end or see the QB get under center once. If they can do it and be ranked 18th in the nation and be 8-0, then any team can do it.

Against UNT Trae Johnson started at TE (participation report, UNT website) and caught 3 passes. YTD, per Tulsa website, he has caught 13 passes and played in all games. Tulsa has 3 other players identified as TEs on the roster at their website.

I did not see much of the game last night but against UNT their TE lined up two or three steps outside the OT.

island eagle · October 27, 2008

Against UNT Trae Johnson started at TE (participation report, UNT website) and caught 3 passes. YTD, per Tulsa website, he has caught 13 passes and played in all games. Tulsa has 3 other players identified as TEs on the roster at their website.
I did not see much of the game last night but against UNT their TE lined up two or three steps outside the OT.

Tulsa used a TE on some plays last night.

Green Mean · October 27, 2008

Could it be that Dodge is just not an offensive whiz as people are being led to believe? Dodge cannot get this figured out because it is clear he is overwhelmed and quite possibly overrated.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · October 27, 2008

Tulsa does use a tight end at times. They don't catch many passes, so they must...*gasp*...be used to block! From TU's latest "Game Notes" available on-line before the UCF game (they list their two-deep with highlights...pretty cool):

TIGHT ENDS

86 – Jake Collums (6-4, 250, JR) –– has played in 33 career games and has 8 career starts... on his last 5 receptions, he has caught 4 of them for TDs... his two receptions this year have come for a 10-yard TD against UAB and a 5-yard TD vs. North Texas... had 3 receptions for 20 yards and 2 TDs in 2007... had an 11-yard TD catch vs. Houston... also had an 8-yard TD catch vs. UCF in the C-USA Championship Game... also caught a 2-point conversion vs. SMU... had a team-best 93 yards and one TD on two catches vs. Stephen F. Austin in his first collegiate game in 2006.

87 – Tyler Scarbrough (6-3, 268, SO) –– moved over from defensive end to tight end in the preseason...

has played in all 7 games... played in 13 games last year and had three tackles.

41 – Logan Cawyer (6-4, 254, SO) –– has made 15 career appearances... has played in two games this year... missed the UNT, UCA, Rice and SMU contests... played in 13 games in 2007 after sitting out the 2006 campaign... was a three-year starter at TE at Commerce (Okla.) High School.

TIgreen01 · October 27, 2008

Comparing us to Tulsa isn't really a fair comparison. They have been in that offense for years (since Kragthorpe, then slightly modified by Graham) and they are starting seniors (who have played their entire careers in that offense) at QB, HB, TE, etc....Dodge chose to put a Freshman in at QB and get him and the rest of the team the experience. We're going through a sophomore slump and I think the offense isn't as bad as most are making it out to be. I think plays are there, we're just not executing well enough right now for various reasons.

The defense and special teams on the other hand are another story. I guarantee that the ineptness there is bleeding over into the offensive players minds. Ever played on a team where one phase of the game (that you couldn't control) was getting you beat over and over again? That is a feeling of helplessness that is hard to overcome. If you think you have to be perfect on every play in order to win you are going to press...and when you do that on every play in every game it is going to wear on you eventually. People point to the Navy game, last year, as the point in which our offense started getting "figured out" by opposing coaching staffs. I think that's completely wrong. I think that's the point where every player on our offense realized that they had to play perfect football in every game in order to win....and subsequently that's when their slide began....b/c they know how hard that is to do and they begin to play tight.

Edited October 27, 2008 by TIgreen01

UNT Mean Green · October 27, 2008

I understand that the spread is popular around the country, but it is clearly not working here. I am not opposed to NT running spread formations, but to roll with it exclusively and not utilize a TE or have a short-yardage/goal-line package where the QB is under center with a blocking back or backs is is just simply ridiculous. This is division 1 NCAA football. Not high school football where linebackers generally have no real speed and the DB's have next to no instincts (yes, even here in Texas).
Our program not that long ago had a reputation of toughness defensively, and lining it up and running over people offensively. Todd Dodge has effectively killed that. Unless he swallows some of his pride, and finally plays to the strengths of his players and runs a more traditional offense, then there is not much hope as things move forward for years to come.
The offensive line is awful. Why? Many at the previous level probably thrived in offenses that ran the ball. I can tell you that most HS o-linemen do not like pass blocking as much as run-blocking. It is a more difficult thing for most to grasp, and when one truly figures it out at that level it is a rare thing. I, like some on the board feel the splits are way too narrow. It seemed our offensive line was a hell of a lot better under Dickey because we made a real effort to run it. Our line was considered better, we produced 1K yard backs like it was not big deal. I do wonder if some of the current linemen that have not panned out would have thrived in our old offense.
Vizza is now gun-shy. He took a beating last year and now this season. Gio showed great flashed at times in 2007, but now the lack of success and running for his life has caught up with him, and he is regressing a bit (see David Carr with the Texans). If we didn't run this offense, he would probably be flourishing right now and getting better because in the back of his mind he would know that the running game would be strong enough to take some pressure off of his shoulders to do it all. Which is exactly what Todd is asking of him.
None of 'his' recievers are really thriving in this system. Not becuase they don't have talent, but because his system has become somewhat predictable and not that difficult to gameplan for. Teams in the past could gameplan for our running attack, but it didn't matter that much because we could directly oppose our will on the defense. That is not happening at all right now.
I am sure all of you Todd apologists will try to shoot holes in my argument, but until this guy checks his ego at the door and overhauls his offenive system, many more sleepless nights, trying to solve our programs problems will occur. You can say what you will about the youth on this team, and the obstacles that TD has to overcome, and the crap about DD leaving the cupboard bare....But the reality is....HE is not making adjustments (like the defense never did in '07)and it is causing this thing to go up in flames.
Fire away.

This is a good post in general, however I have to disagree/throw a wrench in there about one thing. The comment of Giovanni flourishing if we weren't running this offense or running a different one is inaccurate (in my opinion only) because of one thing. Dodge said when he recruited Giovanni out of Alamo Heights that he was 'the perfect guy to run this offense'. So if we ran a different offense, I don't think Giovanni would even be here.

Now, let's talk more about those O-Line splits!!!

foutsrouts · October 27, 2008

I think we should come out and play simple smashmouth Dickeyball this week and surprise the hell out of WKY. It's likely our last chance to play a competitive game this year, and at the very least we could keep the score down if we don't fumble it away 20 times. Other than actually winning a football game, our goal should be to keep the clock running and our defense off of the field as much as possible. Our offense has had enough on the job training at Dodgeball for now. Dickeyball is the way to go. Snowball's chance? :lol:

The Fake Lonnie Finch · October 27, 2008

As I recall, that's how we beat WKU last year - running the ball:

North Texas

Rushing No Gain Loss Net TD Lg Avg

--------------------------------------------

Thomas, Jamario 16 147 0 147 3 42 9.2

Vizza, Giovanni 13 56 26 30 0 13 2.3

Mosley, Micah 4 21 0 21 0 8 5.2

TEAM 1 0 3 -3 0 0 -3.0

Totals... 34 224 29 195 3 42 5.7

FirefightnRick · October 28, 2008

As I recall, that's how we beat WKU last year - running the ball:
North Texas
Rushing No Gain Loss Net TD Lg Avg
--------------------------------------------
Thomas, Jamario 16 147 0 147 3 42 9.2
Vizza, Giovanni 13 56 26 30 0 13 2.3
Mosley, Micah 4 21 0 21 0 8 5.2
TEAM 1 0 3 -3 0 0 -3.0
Totals... 34 224 29 195 3 42 5.7

God bless SuperJamario. I wonder what he's up to these days?

Rick

buff64 · October 28, 2008

It is not the offense, Mike Leach has proven the offense is a great equalizer. He has taken lesser talent and won over a number of years. The sucess he has had , has enabled him to recruit better players. Look at the Tech roster most of the players were not highly sought after by Texas or Tex. A&M ( bad example) or any of the major football schools. Basically , the players at Tech or the type of player that UNT has to play with. Sucess will come.

Green Mean · October 28, 2008

God bless SuperJamario. I wonder what he's up to these days?
Rick

I believe there was an article about him sometime after last season saying that he is still in school and waiting to graduate. I think he was supposed to start his master at UNT if no opportunities happened for him in the NFL.

PHSCoach · October 28, 2008

I believe there was an article about him sometime after last season saying that he is still in school and waiting to graduate. I think he was supposed to start his master at UNT if no opportunities happened for him in the NFL.

JMo graduated and is currently working I think it is White Oak, still in love with his sweetheart and doing fine.