Dodge Play Calling

[Pen Yan Fan]

Maybe someone can let Dodge know that running a wide reciever screen time after time into the middle of the Alabama defense isn't going to work. I thought the offensive gameplan was non-existent. This staff will never outcoach anyone.

[Keith7]

I think this team could out coach Alabama and still lose by 30 with how we are playing

[meangreenbob]

Why don't we try to run it up the middle?

[Keith7]

they have and keep getting 1-2 yard losses

[Got5onIt]

I almost smashed the TV when I saw that WR screen on 3rd and 6 inside our own 20. EMBARRASING!!

Dodge thought he was inside Bama's 5yd line and got confused.

[foutsrouts]

Didn't like the wimp out at the end. We should have been going down field on the last drive just like we should have been going down field many more times during the game. Why not? We're going to lose big regardless, and Tune does have a decent arm. Aren't we supposed to be a "high powered" spread team anyway?

[ForneyGreen]

It was pretty evident that we were not running any special schemes against Alabama - pretty much our standard vanilla stuff. Our guys played hard, but our standard offense just doesn't get it done against Alabama.

That game had all the markings of "get in there - play hard - don't get too beat up - collect paycheck - get home to prepare for MUTS"

We'll see how that works out for us next weekend...

[KingDL1]

It was pretty evident that we were not running any special schemes against Alabama - pretty much our standard vanilla stuff. Our guys played hard, but our standard offense just doesn't get it done against Alabama.

That game had all the markings of "get in there - play hard - don't get too beat up - collect paycheck - get home to prepare for MUTS"

We'll see how that works out for us next weekend...

And where our team is in development and growth, I am fine with this mentality. In a couple of years if we really start building then take it to the top ten.

[Green P1]

Why don't we try to run it up the middle?

Did you really just ask that question?

[greenminer]

Did you really just ask that question?

Yeah, I laughed. Probably being facetious.

[Eagle1855]

This staff will never outcoach anyone.

Well, they certainly haven't yet!

Think about it. We lost the Ohio game because we couldn't punch it in the end-zone inside the 5 yard line. Part of that was because we kept trying the same stupid up-the-middle play. Today, we insisted on trying to establish the run against a team that excels at stopping the run. This game plan didn't appear to be tailored to Alabama. It was just the usually game plan. It's frustrating to watch.

Edited September 19, 2009 by Eagle1855

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Well, they certainly haven't yet!

Think about it. We lost the Ohio game because we couldn't punch it in the end-zone inside the 5 yard line. Part of that was because we kept trying the same stupid up-the-middle play. Today, we insisted on trying to establish the run against a team that excels at stopping the run. This game plan didn't appear to be tailored to Alabama. It was just the usually game plan. It's frustrating to watch.

See this is what bothers me a little at this point. I am not convinced this offense (even with Riley) is that much different than it was last year, its just now we have more of a defense. I am very interested to watch the rest of the season and hopefully they prove that my thinking is wrong.

[greenminer]

Like has been posted on this board many times: “Look, it's not rocket science.”

When your team can match or whip the other team in speed, strength, depth and execution, you have a chance to be successful.

....

Amazing how BSU’s NFL coaching staff couldn’t make adjustments to stop the high school offense they were facing. It’s great seeing a head coach on the other sideline with a look of “WTF?” on his face for a change.

[houstonmeangreen]

I almost smashed the TV when I saw that WR screen on 3rd and 6 inside our own 20. EMBARRASING!!

I hear you jack....this has been going on for three games now.

[eulessismore]

Well, I had to agree with the play by play guys that going to the run late after not having done so earlier was pretty strange. I certainly hope that the coaching staff recognizes that they didn't plan well for this game and will work to improve that. I'd like to see us doing some of the things that Bama was doing, like putting a big d-lineman (Atkinsson?) in on short yardage plays. Maybe we didn't have that many short yardage situations. Actually throwing to a tight end could be novel.

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Well, I had to agree with the play by play guys that going to the run late after not having done so earlier was pretty strange. I certainly hope that the coaching staff recognizes that they didn't plan well for this game and will work to improve that. I'd like to see us doing some of the things that Bama was doing, like putting a big d-lineman (Atkinsson?) in on short yardage plays. Maybe we didn't have that many short yardage situations. Actually throwing to a tight end could be novel.

I believe Dodge explained this on the post game - he said he didn't want the game to get "crazy out of hand." I told Tasty after the game that he needed to trademark that.

[eulessismore]

QUOTE(eulessismore @ Sep 19 2009, 07:09 PM)

Well, I had to agree with the play by play guys that going to the run late after not having done so earlier was pretty strange. I certainly hope that the coaching staff recognizes that they didn't plan well for this game and will work to improve that. I'd like to see us doing some of the things that Bama was doing, like putting a big d-lineman (Atkinsson?) in on short yardage plays. Maybe we didn't have that many short yardage situations. Actually throwing to a tight end could be novel.

I believe Dodge explained this on the post game - he said he didn't want the game to get "crazy out of hand." I told Tasty after the game that he needed to trademark that.

I'll accept that may well be his intentions, but this is a team that needs to run the ball, and have the backs and tight ends do more in the underneath passing game. "Crazy out of hand"? There's got to be a country song in there somewhere. Also, I do feel our special teams play has improved, but it still needs work. I'm ok with them giving up some big returns to Arenas(sp?), but why did we have a guy running it out from 8 yards deep in the end zone?

[Pen Yan Fan]

Bama anaylsis of the UNT offense:

Defensively it was a great day, but honestly things were really vanilla by both the Alabama defense and the North Texas offense. For such a supposed offensive guru, it would be difficult to get much more plain jane than what Todd Dodge put on display today. It was all dink and dunk passes that came out almost immediately, mixed in with a bunch of runs out of shotgun into the interior of the line for no yardage. We were equally vanilla on defense, but there was no reason to do anything else. Terrence Cody and Josh Chapman had a field day with the UNT guards and centers and the 'Bama linebackers were free to roam all day. Our defensive backs were superior athletes anyway, and they were never legitimately tested by the Mean Green dink and dunk offense

[UNT90]

Nothing would have been successful against this Bama team. They out-athleted us at every position on the field (except punter). That said, play calling, especially in the Ohio game, has been highly suspect. Does Dodge call the plays, or is that Ford's responsibility? The wide receiver screen is a good play when you have the better athletes, a stupid play when you don't.

Why, when we finally decided to attempt to establish a running game, did we attempt to establish it with Dunbar? Not that it mattered in this game, but it seems that the coaching staff has a set rotation that they refuse to alter to fit game situations.

53-7 is about right for where this program is at right now. In 2 more years (coincidentally when the stadium opens) we should be able to be competetive in this type of game.

[GrandGreen]

I believe Dodge explained this on the post game - he said he didn't want the game to get "crazy out of hand." I told Tasty after the game that he needed to trademark that.

Yes, I would hate for that game to get out of hand. It is obvious that Dodge gave up before the opening kickoff much like the Kansas State game. I personally hate this strategy no matter who the coach is, the only advantage a big underdog has in a game like this, is an emotional edge. When the superior team is more emotional than the underdog, bad things happen. Not to mention that Dodge has proclaimed he would not go into any game just playing to survive, which is exactly what he did in this game. I actually think it backfired this time, Alabama weakest link is their pass defense and NT played right into their hands. Personally, I had rather have a team lose by 70 points and put up a fight instead of this football equivalent of the stall. A few have compared Tulsa's loss to NT's but there was a big difference,Tulsa actually played to win.

However, NT had next to no chance anyway. Dodge did get to look at some different players and combinations that may prove to be beneficial down the line. My real disappointment was the defense who I expected to offer a bit more resistance than they did. The real test begins this week and I expect good things.

[EagleMBA]

Ball State, Ohio and Bama ALL stuffed that little sweep we run, both left and right. Either we learn to block it correctly or take it out of the playbook, because it is a wasted down every time we call it. Seems like it takes too long to develop.

[CaribbeanGreen]

by that definition, we've been "dink and dunk" essentially since Dodge got here. This is not an offense that throws downfield much, not at all - even when it's working.

Edited September 21, 2009 by CaribbeanGreen