RR runs a damn Spread Offense

Submitted by goody on

I am getting tired of fans/reporters/so-called experts saying that RR should revert back to a pro-style offense or lessen the amount of spread offense they run because the players they have are more familiar with that type of offense. How in the hell do you expect him and McGee to teach an offense they know nothing about.  RR has run this offense for years and has had success with it.  You can't just make up a pro-style offense when you have never ran one before. Not to mention the players have been running a spread since last spring and would take a huge step back if presented witha pro-style gameplan.

Play calling is not the problem.  They are getting guys open, examples = koger seam route in the 1Q /  Moundros PA Wheel route,  both routes were set up perfectly with previous plays but both passes were overthrown.  It is all about exectution and players performing. 

Coaches are required to put their players in postions to suceed but it's the players responsibilty to perform.   That has been the major issue this year.  Making plays when the team needs them.  The Team made plays in the Wisconsin game when given the chance and they won. 

I know it is not a big revelation but it just comes down to players playing better.

RR
spread
McGee

Comments

The Claw

October 13th, 2008 at 8:41 AM ^

I wouldn't call this system, with this team, a success. They play as poorly as I have ever seen. If Rod was such a great football coach, don't you think we'd at least be getting better ever week? And yet, we're getting worse. To be beat by Toledo... If Rod was a good coach, he'd adapt to what this team does well and use it in the games. But he's either bullheaded or arrogant, because he hasn't changed a thing and it shows. Teach up your stupid system and be a coach, or adapt it already! I personally want to see Cone or Feagin in at qb now, as our season is lost. I honestly can see us not winning another game. I bet Cone throws better than Threet and Sheridan, and if Rod is so worried about staying true to his system, Feagin is without a doubt the best running qb, so give him a shot already. This way, he'll have a lot of experience for next year and he'll fight with Beaver and Forcier for the starting spot because Threet and Sheridan will not see action next year.

Joined: 08/25/2008

MGoPoints: 838

myrtlebeachmai…

October 13th, 2008 at 9:07 AM ^

Almost every national media outlet picked us next to last in the Big Ten...  roughly 3-9 or so.  We also knew we'd have no experience/lots of wrong pieces on offense.  Why would we waste a season "compromising" the eventual game plan of running a spread offense?  We wouldn't be very good at running an old Carr style pro offense right now either.  Would you have RR waste a year's worth of experience just to prove he's not "arrogant" or "above" changing his system to the players he's got?  We're moving away from 80% of those very same players.  Why not at least have some damn experienced sophomores so that as we continue to add classes of the pieces we need, we're ready to take advantage of it.  SPREAD OFFENSE, period, get used to it.

Joined: 09/02/2008

MGoPoints: 997

The Claw

October 13th, 2008 at 6:02 PM ^

I mean change the way he's runnning the spread, not run a pro-style offense because that's his thing.  Changes can get made for the better to make the team better NOW.  Why can't you see this.  It is Rod, god of the spread.  Or is he overrated?  I guess we'll see in a few years but I'd still like to see a few new wrinkles that make UM a MUCH better team.  If he can't do that, which won't take much, then he's not for UM.

Joined: 08/25/2008

MGoPoints: 838

U of M in TX

October 13th, 2008 at 9:05 AM ^

"If Rod was a good coach, he'd adapt to what this team does well and use it in the games."

You honestly believe that rod has virtually any impact on how poor Threet and Sheridan's accuracy is?  You are sorely mistaken.  How is he supposed to execute his "stupid system" if his QBs can't make a simple screen pass or a 5 yard throw downfield.  Any system would fail under those circumstances.

Feagin will not play and is getting red-shirted because he has not picked up the offense as fast as he should.  You really think it's a good idea to put in a freshman in there that has very little idea how to run this offense. Not a chance and don't think it would be any better than what we have now.

I haven't heard anything about how Cone is doing in practices, so I have no read on how he would do in a game situation.

Everyone knew that this year was going to be rough, but you.  I hate fair weather fans that think they know better and second guess everything after the fact.  Rich Rod is a good coach, he has good coaches around him and it is going to take a few years to put everything together.  Relax and take the good with the bad or don't come back at all.

Joined: 07/01/2008

MGoPoints: 469

The Claw

October 13th, 2008 at 5:53 PM ^

I am by no means a fair weather fan.  I've been a diehard UM fan since I was 5, so shut it.  I'm not rooting against my team either.  I want them to succeed.  Now, you grasped at only part of what I was saying.  Rod has been here for a year.  The players have had the playbook for a year.  They've been live for over 3 months and they are not getting better.  They are getting worse.  I knew this year was going to be shaky but a good coach gets his players to improve every week.  I think after 3 months of live practice, you should know your playbook and keys to success in this offense.  The players just aren't getting it done and it's a reflection on Rod.  It's his offense.  If he coached it up better, we'd have saw better results by now.  And by adapting, I mean adapt the spread, not go power I.  He himself said he could do this.  But he can't or won't.  If Sheridan runs the option the best and you want to run the ball 80% of time, then you start him.  If Cone is your best passer and you figure we need to pass a lot more, you start him.  That's what I mean by adapting.  And expand on plays that work.  Create new ones in the same vein.  That's what I was getting at.

Joined: 08/25/2008

MGoPoints: 838

Go Blue Toledo

October 13th, 2008 at 9:04 AM ^

Did you see how our players were playing in the past 6 quarters? They are mailing it in. They have not put forth near the effort they did in the first 4 games. The playcalling has not been terrible, but it hasn't been great. If we don't threaten to stretch the field then we can't expect our running game to be effective. The only time we went deep down the sidelines was a 20 yard throw to Mondrous. We had some players open over the middle that were missed... but I think we saw what would have happened when McGuffie got blew up on his final play. Neither of our QB's can make that throw without leaving the receiver out to dry. Just throw it 50 yards down the field a couple times a game to keep the defense honest. We have a better chance of gaining yards that way than we do with our current offense anyways.

Joined: 07/03/2008

MGoPoints: 1

mvp

October 13th, 2008 at 10:30 AM ^

Was it quitting when Threet got up off the turf and nearly chased the guy down after the interception?

Was it quitting when McGuffie held onto the ball despite getting rocked?

Was it quitting when the defense held them to 2 field goals despite the turnovers and lack of production by the offense?

They're disheartened, for sure.  I don't think they've quit, though.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 2417

Anonymous Coward (not verified)

October 13th, 2008 at 11:06 AM ^

I saw a defense that kept them almost entirely off the scoreboard the entire day.

I saw an offense that kept trying and managed a solid drive in the closing minute of play to tie/win the game.

That's quitting?  Wait I think I see your definition of quitting...not throwing 50 yard interceptions to the other team?

Joined: 12/12/2017

MGoPoints: 0

Anonymous Coward (not verified)

October 13th, 2008 at 9:29 AM ^

It's kind of like the Patriots. They were amazing last year, but without Brady they are awful this year (2 20+ point losses). They had multiple opportunities to score, players were getting open, the line was (mostly) blocking well, but Castle isn't a good QB (didn't even start in college). Hopefully next year, or the year after that, we can get a good QB who can actually throw.

Joined: 12/12/2017

MGoPoints: 0

Magnus

October 13th, 2008 at 9:51 AM ^

I refuse to believe that any players quit. Also, I hope you realize we were missing our best player on offense (Odoms), our best player on defense (Graham), and perhaps our second-best player on defense (Warren).

Joined: 07/17/2008

MGoPoints: 165947

jamiemac

October 13th, 2008 at 10:22 AM ^

.....the quick to Boo crowd has said players are quitting and not playing as a team. I see no evidence of that.....perhaps the final few minutes of the Illinois game, they knew they could not win, but quit?!?!?! I dont see that at all from my seats at the Big House.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 8446

bballa6290

October 13th, 2008 at 5:00 PM ^

its a matter of the lack of skill we have...these guys dont quit, no way would a michigan football team quit...we just dont have the offensive weapons that consistently perform every saturday to win games...we dont have a real QB, our secondary is garbage, and 80% of our offensive linemen are new...we dont have the skill, yet, to run this offense, nor to be a good team...but it will happen, theres no doubt about it

Joined: 10/13/2008

MGoPoints: 127