"We're going to run the same game plan..." RR @ Wed Presser
RR is saying he will run the same game plan regardless of who is the QB. I don't see that so far this season or most importantly in the Iowa game. If Denard is really going to step up he needs to show he can make some passes and some reads on zone plays. More importantly, RR needs to call the plays that allow our WRs and RBs to contribute and give Denard opportunity to execute.
Up to this point Denard has been running a package very different than Tate. We have been a different beast with Denard in the backfield not because he is making different decisions, but because the plays are predominantly called QB keepers (that is what I saw in Iowa). It would be interesting to see if Denard can be in the backfield and distribute the ball when called for.
It will be great to see him break a few big runs as well - don't get me wrong.
At the beginning of the season there was the spring game experience gap issue TF vs. DR- it's at the half way point now - time for DR to show he can go - regardless of whether he starts or not. I would like to see him make the entire O work, or else we may see Sheridan in certain situations if Forcier goes down.
October 15th, 2009 at 2:24 PM ^
I just wish I knew why Denard only gets the QB draw. It seems like there are a number of reasonably easy plays that even a freshman running QB can execute.
I forgot, did Denard run that speed option play that Tate ran against Iowa? That, for example, seems like something that Denard should be able to execute to get away from the QB draw a little bit.
October 15th, 2009 at 2:30 PM ^
They've also run that single wing style sweep with Denard at QB a number of times. Don't think I've seen Tate run that at all this year.
October 15th, 2009 at 4:07 PM ^
We ran it on the third and one against MSU that Tate didn't pick up before Zoltan "faked" the punt.
October 15th, 2009 at 4:19 PM ^
I really want to see him run more zone-read plays. It would make the D have to defend both him and the RB instead of just keying on him the whole time. Tate frequently gets 1-on-1 with a LB when he runs the play and usually manages to cut it upfield for a few yards - I'd love to see what Denard could so in the same situation.
October 15th, 2009 at 2:27 PM ^
YOU'RE saying what plays the team needs to be running? Let RR do his damn thing.
October 15th, 2009 at 2:37 PM ^
When you fix a typo in the body of a comment, make sure to fix it in the automated subject line as well.
October 15th, 2009 at 2:46 PM ^
My saying is: Ride 'em hard and hang 'em up wet.
October 15th, 2009 at 2:25 PM ^
Maybe for this game they will run the same game plan regardless of QB. That could be because it's Delaware State (which is a bad sign that we might be overlooking this team).
I believe at the beginning of the year RR said that all 3 QB's bring something different to the table and they had different packages for each.
October 15th, 2009 at 2:26 PM ^
Don't you think that with Forcier getting 90% of the snaps that the gap has grown even larger throughout the season? It's tough to know what Denard can do when he gets a series here or there.
October 15th, 2009 at 2:38 PM ^
Snaps in the game don't determine his mastery of the play book. Is RR serious about letting DR run the O with the same game plan as TF? Up to this point, I have to say no. Though with 10% of the snaps maybe we just haven't seen what he has learned so far.
We can not let a D key on him though when we have considerable talent at RB, WR and TE that can do more than block for him. It would be nice to see him do this vs. DSU.
October 15th, 2009 at 2:34 PM ^
Considering that RR just decided to close Wednesday's practices (to "outside" eyes), do you think that maybe he's going the "dis-information" route with respect to the game plan?
October 15th, 2009 at 3:02 PM ^
I would be surprised if he was putting in extra wrinkles for the Hornets (the Fighting Hornets?), but perhaps maybe somethings for the Fighting Nittanies?
October 15th, 2009 at 7:43 PM ^
They do great work but, when you write an article about plays that are being practiced and what groups are running them you are going to get closed practices. This will be on going the rest of the year because of an over zealous Daily reporter.
October 15th, 2009 at 2:39 PM ^
A college coach would never, ever fib about his game plan for the coming week would he? I mean, Rich Rod couldn't be streching the truth here, could he? Especially not with the media - I mean they have such a good relationship. [Edit - Got beat to this point by two minutes!]
Maybe what he means is "The plan hasn't changed - Tate will throw more than run, Denard will almost always run - and we will hand off to Minor and Brown and Shaw and Cox until the clock runs out and we have 50 points. Oh - the Coner may play too!"
October 15th, 2009 at 3:10 PM ^
If a QB other than Tate sees significant playing time and the play selection is not similar to what it would have been with Tate, then I can expect an expose in Sunday's Free Press: "RR Lied about Gameplan for DSU".
October 15th, 2009 at 4:01 PM ^
There is a chance that DRob is getting plenty of pass plays called, but isn't finding the recievers and is deciding to run the ball instead. I'm not a coach and can't say this with any degree of certainty, but I have a feeling that if you gave them both the exact same sequence of plays, Forcier would end up passing the ball a lot more times than DRob.
I just hope we get to see more of DRob on Saturday.
October 15th, 2009 at 4:11 PM ^
...because it's likely that we aren't gameplanning much for DSU at all. And that's fine - DSU is not App State. They're 1-3 against FCS competition.
October 15th, 2009 at 4:46 PM ^
and RR jumped in the water and saved two of them, the RosenSnyder article would be headlined "Rodriguez Allows 500 to Drown"
October 15th, 2009 at 5:13 PM ^
he is a stop gap backup QB this year, and possibly next. Once Gardner and possibly Jones learn the offense, Denard becomes a slot receiver or 'wildcat' QB and runs things similar to what Harvin did at Florida.
We shall see, but I'm perplexed by the seemingly lack of play selections available when DR is in there.
October 15th, 2009 at 8:32 PM ^
RR is leaving a lot to interpretation when he says running the same game plan. Same game plan different plays most likely, plus when you run an option, there are options.
October 15th, 2009 at 9:00 PM ^
RR did not say that he will run the same game plan regardless of who is the QB. He said he would run the same game plan "irregardless" of who is the QB.
October 15th, 2009 at 9:28 PM ^
HA, quit being such a babby, what RR meant was they would run the same game plan denardless who the QB is.
October 15th, 2009 at 10:31 PM ^
As long as the intended meaning was conveyed accurately the word is 'usable'. Irregardless is in the same category as ain't. Let's focus on the issue at hand. Besides RR needs all the support he can get this year especially since he's not getting it from those who should be giving it. Loyalty ranks ahead of everything else. BTW, I see more 'in your face' sidelines talk from Brian Kelly than from alot of other coaches.
October 15th, 2009 at 10:42 PM ^
I went into a Tai restaurant and asked the owner how things were going and he replied in his Tai accent, "not good the cook he have an overhang". The meaning was conveyed and he was loyal to his cook, I am right there with you Claire