Good coaches ADAPT

[Mister Hoarse]

Not when all three RBs are closer to Kiick than Csonka and Morris.

And whats left of our O is closer to Puunt.

[Steve]

Drop the zone blocking, finesse bullshit, challenge their manhood and go back to a basic power blocking technique? I'm just throwing a turd on the table for shits and grins.

The issue is that our OL are not playing together, and they are not executing. There is no simple way to fix that.

All our runners are better zone runners than power runners. Wisconsin is the home of power running in college football. That is mostly what they do. Gordon had most of his long runs off of zone plays. Just, like most teams, they run enough power plays to keep people honest (yes we do too), and he broke a fair number of those, but the quickness and acceleration are Gordon's great traits as a runner, and those are wasted ina power scheme waiting for the holes to open, and sitting behind the blockers trying to help them set up the defenders.

Second, there is nothing finesse about zone blocking. This isn't just cut blocking. Zone blocking is more about identifying blockers then anything else. The technique come from trying to get deliberate double teams at as many places as possible, but without the obvious tipoffs that power blocking gives. If you read the down blocks, you know where any power play is going, and the cutback options in the run aren't there in power running. You either block everyone and get yards, or the D blows it up in the backfield. Guess which one we would face?

You really think we can have Fluker running out and pulling and leading 20 times a game? Franklin? Both do ok on the short counter and traps (yes, we do run some power running plays), but you do that too much, and the OL play gets a lot worse in a hurry.

Also, you HAVE to use TE and FB for power schemes. You can't leave huge holes from pulling OL and then not have someone to fill in. Who is going to fill those two roles?

We can't scrap our offense in the middle the season. If we did, why not just put Rivers on IR too, and forfeit the games, the outcome would be the same. You can't scrap what you spend the entire offseason worth of teaching progression and replace it in a weeks worth of practice and think that it is going to work. If you think the OL play is bad now, it would be a whole lot worse, since no one would know their assignments, adjustments, We might want to have a game plan or something, and you can't put in new plays and get ready for an upcoming game at the same time.

As far as our guys smashing and not being smashed, I think there is more than little truth to that, but switching schemes isn't the answer. Our OL is not getting the great jump off the snap and getting beat off the line not because of the scheme. Zone blocking tends to be a lot better that getting a good jump on the snap than power. The problem is our guys haven't worked together enough to have that confidence and pick up that comes with everyone really knowing what the guy next to them is doing/going to do. They just aren't comfortable enough working together yet, and that isn't going to get fixed overnight, not with the injuries.

The Miami thing was a good idea back in the day, but back then defenses didn't get penetration and blitz like they do today. Everyone tried to two gap, so running games could play a lot of split backfields and run side to side. If we keep allowing penetration, all that happens is that our RB will get hit for a loss. The few good runs we have, the runners are finding the few creases and cutting back. Those aren't there in a split backfield running game. It would put the RB in better position to be receivers and to pass block though. The real issue is that our guys aren't making any blocks, or the scheme we are using would work just fine. It's just an execution thing. Problem is that are very, very difficult to fix.

[Faded blues]

The issue is that our OL are not playing together, and they are not executing. There is no simple way to fix that.

All our runners are better zone runners than power runners. Wisconsin is the home of power running in college football. That is mostly what they do. Gordon had most of his long runs off of zone plays. Just, like most teams, they run enough power plays to keep people honest (yes we do too), and he broke a fair number of those, but the quickness and acceleration are Gordon's great traits as a runner, and those are wasted ina power scheme waiting for the holes to open, and sitting behind the blockers trying to help them set up the defenders.

Second, there is nothing finesse about zone blocking. This isn't just cut blocking. Zone blocking is more about identifying blockers then anything else. The technique come from trying to get deliberate double teams at as many places as possible, but without the obvious tipoffs that power blocking gives. If you read the down blocks, you know where any power play is going, and the cutback options in the run aren't there in power running. You either block everyone and get yards, or the D blows it up in the backfield. Guess which one we would face?

You really think we can have Fluker running out and pulling and leading 20 times a game? Franklin? Both do ok on the short counter and traps (yes, we do run some power running plays), but you do that too much, and the OL play gets a lot worse in a hurry.

Also, you HAVE to use TE and FB for power schemes. You can't leave huge holes from pulling OL and then not have someone to fill in. Who is going to fill those two roles?

We can't scrap our offense in the middle the season. If we did, why not just put Rivers on IR too, and forfeit the games, the outcome would be the same. You can't scrap what you spend the entire offseason worth of teaching progression and replace it in a weeks worth of practice and think that it is going to work. If you think the OL play is bad now, it would be a whole lot worse, since no one would know their assignments, adjustments, We might want to have a game plan or something, and you can't put in new plays and get ready for an upcoming game at the same time.

As far as our guys smashing and not being smashed, I think there is more than little truth to that, but switching schemes isn't the answer. Our OL is not getting the great jump off the snap and getting beat off the line not because of the scheme. Zone blocking tends to be a lot better that getting a good jump on the snap than power. The problem is our guys haven't worked together enough to have that confidence and pick up that comes with everyone really knowing what the guy next to them is doing/going to do. They just aren't comfortable enough working together yet, and that isn't going to get fixed overnight, not with the injuries.

The Miami thing was a good idea back in the day, but back then defenses didn't get penetration and blitz like they do today. Everyone tried to two gap, so running games could play a lot of split backfields and run side to side. If we keep allowing penetration, all that happens is that our RB will get hit for a loss. The few good runs we have, the runners are finding the few creases and cutting back. Those aren't there in a split backfield running game. It would put the RB in better position to be receivers and to pass block though. The real issue is that our guys aren't making any blocks, or the scheme we are using would work just fine. It's just an execution thing. Problem is that are very, very difficult to fix.

Brilliant post.

Maybe is not calling the right play in your scheme.

They need to reduce the number of plays and run them well.

One thing is calling more run plays. Another is stop calling draw plays.