Not sure I agree. Part of RPO is the ability pre-snap to determine to a high percentage where to go with the ball. Very likely on some of those that you call play action Morgan already knew it was going to be a pass and he knew where it was going.
It's clear the lack of offensive acumen. PJ Fleck did not make the offensive adjustment until late in the game. Where was Sanford? Was he sleeping at the wheel?
Yup. This team is likely 7-1 with a great chance at winning the B1G West if it has Ciarrocca’s 2018 offense.
This was Donovan’s first year as Washington’s OC. Donovan was hired 7 days after Sanford.
The fifth-year coach and his OC lost to teams like BG or Illini with first-year coach who was hired during a pandemic. Nothing to see here. Just another wonderful gopher football season.
With fifth year QB and one of the most experienced OL in history.
I appreciate those who stay level-headed after what we saw Saturday, so in that way I appreciate you. I also agree Sanford did a nice job the previous 4 weeks, so I don't have my torch and pitchfork out. It doesn't change the fact he was TOTALLY inadequate on Saturday, so I think it's fair for us fans to bellyache a little. Everyone could see it live, and rewatching highlights, listening to the GG podcast, and seeing the screencaps Burns posted on Twitter just confirmed it. Sanford sucked. He wasn't the only one who sucked, but he was the primary culprit.
Dude, thanks for posting this. I listened to the GG pod and heard them talking about this, but actually seeing it is just maddening. The first play of the game MN completed a pass just short of the sticks. Easy completion under that "off" coverage. We didn't see that concept again until late in the 4th quarter. I mean truly...WTF?! How can an OC (and his position coaches) not see what was obvious to anyone watching with even a slight background in offensive FB? Illinois was doing the same things all day: cover 3 with the CBs playing off, FS playing centerfield, and SS bouncing in and out of the box. Easy to beat that with stop routes, curls, screens, and even jet sweeps and other runs into that off coverage on the sidelines. They did NONE of that most of the day, instead choosing to run routes that C3 was designed to stop. Maddening.
Yep, it's why coaches are paid to think long term. It's tough to blame the players for lack of preparation for a modern offensive philosophy. You can win 4 games that way but actually harm your team.
When Sanford said last week that Simon was more creative and he is more structured, it told me a lot. OC's need to be creative in and leading up to games. It seems the Gophers go in way to conservative and short scripted to be able to adjust to the game. Go off script a bit and come back to the script when the defense adjusts. Vikings seem to have the same issues. They both struggle to be creative once the defense adjusts to their scripts.
247sports.com
Well KC goes around the country and tells people that they don’t run much post snap read stuff. So I’m going to believe him.
It's very concerning if our offensive coaching staff can't recognize and make very easy adjustments.
Maybe more check with me at LOS but not more post snap read. It’s pretty similar. People also play against RPO differently than they did 2 and 3 years ago at college level, pro level, and high school level. You get run keys more than you did previously
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Western_Michigan_Broncos_football_team
Right, but again, Washington is well out of it now.
Simon: "Hey Mike, I really think we should give this play a try. I know it didn't look amazing in practice ... that one time you let me run it ... but I think it has a chance here. ....... or do you just want to run that same play we did again last time."Everything Minnesota Football OC Mike Sanford said prior to Illinois
Everything Minnesota Football OC Mike Sanford said prior to Illinois
How would you describe the relationship with Matt Simon and play calling and influencing the calls that you make?
Sanford: "It's been good. I think a lot of that happens during the week, as Matt's such a creative mind. I think he's a left hander and I'm a right hander, so it's the creative side vs. kind of the pragmatic side. I think I see things like through a spreadsheet mind, and Matt sees things very creatively. And I think the two of us work well together. And it's gotten so much better just because we know each other better. And we can anticipate what our preferences are when we're game planning together during the week. We spent a lot of time together during the week.
Everything Minnesota Football OC Mike Sanford said prior to Illinois
Everything Minnesota Football OC Mike Sanford said prior to Illinois
How would you describe the relationship with Matt Simon and play calling and influencing the calls that you make?
Sanford: "It's been good. I think a lot of that happens during the week, as Matt's such a creative mind. I think he's a left hander and I'm a right hander, so it's the creative side vs. kind of the pragmatic side. I think I see things like through a spreadsheet mind, and Matt sees things very creatively. And I think the two of us work well together. And it's gotten so much better just because we know each other better. And we can anticipate what our preferences are when we're game planning together during the week. We spent a lot of time together during the week.
I normally take a more relaxed approach. The major thing that concerns me is how the Illinois loss looked like a mirror image of the BG loss. Sanford will definitely have his opportunity to earn his keep these next three games.
Amen. You can get away with that crapfest ONCE, but now we get it a second time in the same season. Here is what I think happened. The coaching staff saw an inferior opponent who they could easily beat so they decided to keep it very simple. They did not make any adjustments because they thought they could just ram it down their throat. When they did decide to change things up they scored on an up tempo offense but it was too little and too late.
This raises a great question: what exactly are the coaches deciding in the one or two pre-snap check with me’s on each play? Surely they see that they are running into a plus one box or that the defense is well positioned to defend a stop route and shallow slant. Why are they not adjusting the play during that check? That is the entire purpose of the check with me. Do they just choose to stick with the same play on every check? Or do they simply change which side they run to or who the RB is picking up on pass plays? The offensive issues become more frustrating when you realize they are checking and then choosing to run those same plays.
I think it's mostly play calling but also talent isn't helping.
That's inline with my post.
