Effectiveness of Denard Jet/Fritz Packages
I wanted to actually see how successful our two-QB formations had been relative to the average yards per play in each game they've been used. A cursory look and this is what I found:
Minnesota
Fritz: 7.0 ypp vs. 7.9 ypp for the game
Northwestern
Denard Jet: 5 ypp vs. 6.9 ypp for the game
MSU
Denard Jet: 9.3 ypp vs. 3.7 ypp for the game
So in general, it actually hasn't actually been as successful as I thought. Although, today the packages were very successful aside from the INT.
October 29th, 2011 at 4:26 PM ^
M wins 36-14
I'd say it served it's purpose very well
October 29th, 2011 at 4:30 PM ^
October 29th, 2011 at 7:58 PM ^
Agreed. They've pretty much done all of the running dynamics they can (I think Fitz.Smith, DRob AND Gardner have all run it out of this formation). And it seems the only guy that's thrown it is Smith today and against Minnesota. Need to do some uber PA and let Devin chuck it...hopefully to a man he sees downfield that's open.
October 29th, 2011 at 4:32 PM ^
It isn't always the success of those specific plays that matters...sometimes the intent is to get the defense thinking and open up other things
October 29th, 2011 at 4:35 PM ^
The throwback screen was one miffed block away from being an easy touchdown. I'd say the formation is effective.
October 29th, 2011 at 4:41 PM ^
I made the post thinking I would show that it easily averaged more than the average play in each game, and we could put to bed any discussion on how effective it was. As it turned out, I was slightly surprised to see that the averages were a bit lower for the first two games. Regardless, I think the packages are very effective.
October 29th, 2011 at 4:58 PM ^
Where was that screen against msu? That still pisses me off Borges did not call that against Sparty.
October 29th, 2011 at 4:36 PM ^
Excellent game by Denard. Threw some nice passes and Toussaint was quick and elusive. A great game coming off a loss. We're back on track.
I love the bubble screen against the grain. It always seems to get big yards.
Go Blue!
October 29th, 2011 at 8:21 PM ^
Not bubble.
October 29th, 2011 at 4:38 PM ^
Fritzgerald?
October 29th, 2011 at 4:43 PM ^
Yeah, well really all of the backs had a good outing.
October 29th, 2011 at 4:38 PM ^
I don't think the 2 QB sets are fooling anyone. I will raise one possibility...Borges could have special packages with that set that he is not showing yet, and keeping for bigger games down the road. But if this is all we have, probably better not to use it too much.
October 29th, 2011 at 4:42 PM ^
October 29th, 2011 at 4:57 PM ^
Just wait for the ohio game. Bo ran stuff every single day of his first year to practice for ohio. They won. Hoke will win against ohio b/c they are practicing for and setting the table for a beat down.
October 29th, 2011 at 5:10 PM ^
October 29th, 2011 at 5:27 PM ^
Are you in the know? Ohio is an important game and we might have a few variations on stuff to run, but I don't know why we'd sacrifice the games prior and of higher importance.
October 29th, 2011 at 4:59 PM ^
On that double reverse, if Denard had kept it, Smith was running with him for the option. That will lead to a TD in one of our games, whenever they pull it out.
October 29th, 2011 at 4:44 PM ^
I think another reason the system might be being used is that they think Devin at some point will surpass Denard as the starting QB so they want to see where they could move Denard to and have him be effective in that situation.
October 29th, 2011 at 4:53 PM ^
October 29th, 2011 at 5:25 PM ^
Not saying I don't think Denard is our best option right now. I do. I just think the coaches are trying to get Devin some experience with Denard on the field at the same time. It opens up a lot of stuff honestly.
October 29th, 2011 at 8:46 PM ^
Trolling really, because I have an opinion?
October 29th, 2011 at 9:36 PM ^
You must be new here.
October 29th, 2011 at 5:35 PM ^
I think it is important to have Gardner ready in case DROB has to go out a few or more plays. We are headed into some pretty tough defenses and Gardner may have to be ready to be the QB!
October 29th, 2011 at 4:50 PM ^
When teams run the ball alot (like us), its very common to run to the field side (obviously, more room and space to make people mis) a very common counter to this is to slant your d line to the boundary, eat up the lineman and have linebackers fast flow to the field.
If the defense even thinks that a play may be a jet sweep to Denard, they cant slant there line because denard would burn them. This formation stuff is because Denard is such a good runner it forces the defense to play squared up and honest because we've shown we can go to any direction out of that formation (i.e. the succesfull counter pitch plays off that).
Its important to see the effectiveness in that formation is scaring the hell out of the opposing DC and forcing him to play a vanilla game.
October 29th, 2011 at 5:09 PM ^
Maybe it's just me but it seems like whenever Denard isn't getting the ball in these packages they work better. Kind of like the Devin Hester wildcat, teams keyed in on him because they knew he was getting the ball. When the defense keys in on Denard and he's the decoy it opens huge holes for everyone else.
October 29th, 2011 at 5:11 PM ^
October 29th, 2011 at 5:36 PM ^
Again this week I will ask the question, where did the diamond formation go? I think when it comes to the 2 QB sets was the most dynamic.
Some issues with the Jet screen is it let's the DE know when you are snapping the ball (when Denard reaches the OT) and let's them jump the snap and get up field. This happened on the one big loss we had on the Jet Screen to Denard. Also, it all but eliminates a pass, unless you run a boot out the back (yet to be seen) or have Denard throw on the run (been very inaccurate).
October 29th, 2011 at 5:39 PM ^
I love it. It mixes it up after our offense has gone stagnant (which is happening much more than I would like)
October 29th, 2011 at 6:38 PM ^
Our offense sucks, its looking worse every week. The trickery stuff works on shitty teams. We got some tough teams coming up.
October 29th, 2011 at 6:44 PM ^
First..."our"? You're part of the team?
Second: the offense gained over 500 yards today, over 300 on the ground. The TB gained 170 yards. They scored 6 times, 4 TDs and 2 FGs. I think it's the 4th game they've gained over 500 yards.
That sounds pretty solid. You must've been joking, right?
October 29th, 2011 at 7:59 PM ^
October 29th, 2011 at 8:52 PM ^
I actually really didn't like the formation in previous games, but today it seemed like they had it a lot more polished and it was clearly effective. I think the receivers need to have better routes to get more open and open up a pass option out of it. They seemed to just run downfield without any urgency and it was an easy cover for the DBs. They're clearly going to be in one on one because of all the confusion and should be able to get wide open. I think by the end of the season the play will be automatic yards. The part of Borges's playcalling I do have a problem with is his 3rd/4th and inches plays. With this team the shortest distance between two points is not straight up the middle but straight to the sideline with Denard. Getting the edge enough to gain a yard is like shooting fish in a barrel for him. It's unorthodox but fool proof in my opinion. That would be my 4th and short play every time.
October 29th, 2011 at 9:03 PM ^
I hate the Denard Jet...love the Frtiz package.
I mean if you want to use the Jet once or twice, that's fine. But I feel like that's our exclusive package now with Devin in the game.
October 29th, 2011 at 9:14 PM ^
4th and goal on the 1 and Denard is in the shotgun? What a joke.
October 29th, 2011 at 10:09 PM ^