Bowl Practice Presser Transcript 12-20-11: Al Borges Comment Count

Heiko

Al Borges

from file

Have you been able to regain your focus for the bowl?

“Yeah, I think so. We’ve have five or six very spirited practices, and they haven’t been clumped together so much that the kids have gotten tired. We kind of have a philosophy with bowl practices that we’re not going to practice real long anyway, so yeah, I think they’re pretty good that way.”

You’ve talked about quarterbacks taking a year or so to be comfortable with your system. Was that last game with Denard as close as it’s going to get before next season?

“Yeah. He’s getting there. The last game -- the last couple games, really Illinois to a degree, too, other than a turnover or two … but yeah, I think he’s catching on. He’s doing pretty much what every quarterback I’ve had in the first year has done. He started a little slow. Again, I said this before, is our passing game is so different from what they’ve done. There were going to be pains because there always is. He’s starting to absorb the concepts and be able to understand what we want, and it’s showing up at the end more than it did earlier.”

Is there something specific you’re looking at with Denard in terms of development going into the bowl game?

“Same stuff as always. Fundamentals. Fundamentals and basic understanding of route structure, timing the routes, it’s always the same, and it’s always a work in progress in the first year, but we’re further -- much further now than we were when we started.”

(more after the jump)

Based on prior experiences, what strides are you expecting him to make from here to the start of next season?

“Just the basic overall understanding of the offense. I know that’s general but that's what it is. I could go through every nuance, but that’s basically it, whether it be footwork, whether it be timing, whether it be understanding read progressions. All those things. But like I said it’s so different now than when we first started. When he gets a chance in the offseason, puts his little 7-on-7 drills together with the rest of the guys … and then get into spring football. By the time we hit next fall, I think he’ll hit the ground running pretty good. He’ll be very comfortable under center.”

You’ve talked about striving to reach the balance between what you prefer and Denard’s skills. Are you comfortable with where the offense is at now?

“We’re always trying to get better. I mean, we’re never satisfied, but we’re happy with progress, and I think we made progress. If we take a step backwards, coaches will always complain, but of late, and again the last two games and really the Illinois game -- and he didn’t play the whole game there, Devin did -- there were some real signs of understanding of what we want to do.

How would you describe Fitz’s running style?

“Fitz reminds me -- we were talking about this the other day -- there was a guy at SC a few years ago, a guy named Charles White, I don’t know if you guys remember Charles White.”

Yeah.

“But Fitz runs a lot like Charles White. If you put the jersey on him you’d hardly be able to tell the difference. He probably doesn’t know who Charles White is. But that’s what I was thinking. He’s a slasher-type runner. Has demonstrated some really good stop-and-go ability in space. He beats some guys in the open field, and he does a really good job of finishing runs, because he’s a tough guy. He can carry the ball 20-plus times because he is a tough guy.”

As he’s gain confidence, have you seen him change at all off the field?

“Not much. Fitz is pretty much the same all the time, but you can tell he has a little more swagger. He’s excited that now he feels like he’s making a significant contribution, and with that comes a certain amount of confidence, but I don’t think he takes himself too seriously.”

There were questions about Fitz’s vision earlier in the season -- have you seen improvement?

“Yeah, and I had those [questions]. Immeasurably, okay. If there’s one part of his game that has made a quantum leap from when we got here in the spring, it’s that. And that’s playing. That’s knowing where your help’s coming from on all the blocking, showing the patience to let things develop and then reaccelerating to bust it into the open field -- running through there maybe 80% just to make sure it’s there, and then reaccelerating back up to 100%. He has made so much progress. When we first got here, a lot of the running game was different, just like it was different in the passing game for Denard. And he was running into people … but he doesn’t do that much anymore, and that’s because he’s carried the ball more, and he knows basically where his help is coming from up front.”

Is this the biggest accommodation to personnel in such a short time that you’ve had to do in your career?

“Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Without question.”

And did you seek advice from outside sources at all?

“Always. Always. We are constantly trying to professionally enrich ourselves with regard to the development of our offense, our defense, and everything. Our ego’s on the shelf. If we think somebody can help us, I’ll make a call here and a call there for somebody who’s done something more than I’ve done it. I get calls from people all the time asking me how we do things, but I’ve got people that are running some spread, good friends of mine, that know a lot of the nuances. So yeah, we’re going to do whatever it takes to get it taught. We’re not going to think we know it all and keep us from doing the best job of teaching the players.”

Your name is out there for Florida’s OC position. Are you interested in that at all?

“No. This is Michigan Fergodsake -- the noble words of someone we all know and love. Next question.”

Did you enjoy the challenge of fitting the pieces together with this offense?

“Yeah! Yeah. You know what’s funny about that, initially change can be met with resistance. We’re all like that. That’s human nature … It’s not different in any profession. The best thing to do, I’ve learned, is to close your mouth and open your mind. If you can do that, you can develop yourself as a football coach and as a football team. It keeps you on your toes and you kind of embrace something new. Again, if you have an open mind. ”

Are there ways you can minimize resistance when you introduce change?

“Yeah, just keep an open mind. That’s how you minimize the resistance. Because the knee-jerk is to stay in your comfort zone, but when you take a look at all the components and say, okay now really, is Denard anything like Ryan Lindley? I see really no similarities, okay? Very few, if any. He’s not, okay. So if he’s not, what do we have to do to accommodate those skills yet not completely bastardize what we want to do with our offense. And that’s a delicate balance, and I mentioned that a few weeks back.”

Earlier in the season you mentioned that you don’t really take any of the players’ input for which plays to run --

“I was being a little sarcastic, too. That’s not completely true.”

What kind of input do you get from them?

“Again, players play, coaches coach, fans watch, writers write -- if you know your role, usually it works out. When somebody tries to do somebody else’s role, usually someone will get offended, but in football, because they are doing it, we’re asking them questions at times what we feel they can do best or ask Denard, ‘What plays do you like the best?’ From that perspective, yeah, we do take some input from the players. You have to do that. And the more experience they get, the more they undrestand what you’re trying to do, the more they get a vote. It’s always going to be somewhat of a dictatorship a little bit. It’s always going to be that way because that’s just the nature of coaching -- I hate to put it that way. But it’s a benevolent dictatorship. We’re not so closeminded that we can’t listen to what might be best for the kids.”

Has that mentality changed over the course of your career?

“Oh yeah. Yeah. But again, players have to understand before they start throwing input for what they want, they better know what we want, because that’s really the starting point. It’s like building a house. You can’t have 55 guys getting a vote on how to put the foundation down. You’re going to have a lousy foundation. Once you get to the point where everybody’s on the same page -- and more of this next year, second and third year when the kids have been in the system -- it’s amazing what you can do. We’re still kind of in a starter-set mode here. A little bit. Now we’ve gotten a little farther along than that. The last few games we’ve gotten more into the intricacies, particularly in the passing game. But as we do it more, like I said, you go through the summer and you go through all those things, once the kids understand your system and they possess the skills, it’s limitless what you can do. And that’s when it’s really fun to coach, when you can go out there and say okay. You’re not coaching every little thing, like where do you line up. They already know where to line up. You’re coaching more nuance.”

Having been here almost a year, how much of your offense have you put in?

“We’re still a ways off. We have a long way to go now, guys. This was a beautiful season in terms of 10-2 and all that. The kids did a great job. We have not arrived. We have a lot more to put in and a lot more to refine. That which was already in, we have to get a lot better at. I think even Greg would tell you that. Danny on special teams would tell you that. And I know Brady would say that because that’s what Brady says all the time.”

Now that you’ve had time to reflect on the season, is there anything you wish you would have done differently?

“You know, it’s ever-evolving offensively. I think I said this at the beginning. You don’t really know your team totally until you’ve played a couple games. So if you said, ‘Okay, I wish I would have done more of this late than I did, should have more of this earlier that we did late,’ there’s probably a few things, but from an overall structural standpoint, not much. Not really much. Every time you lose a game is when you start second-guessing yourself, because believe me, as much as the fans want to second-guess the offensive coordinator, in my mind I’m always taking educated second guesses and saying, ‘Okay, look at the tape. Was this the best way to approach this?’ I do that all the time. Win, lose or draw I do that, but when you lose because it has more impact. After every game, but particularly the games you don’t win. You say, ‘Well, doggone it, we lost, and we lost for a reason.’ And it’s not all the players’ fault. This is a team effort, and the coaches have to take responsibility for losing, the players have to take responsibility for losing, and the only way we’re going to get better is if we figure out or at least try and figure out what we can improve on.”

How much did Denard’s injury affect him?

“I don’t know. That’s a much better question for him. I don’t really know. I know the kid shows up and is pretty much the same every time. He’s not a moody guy. He’s got only one mood, and it’s bouncing off the walls.”

Which of the younger players stood out to you in the early bowl practices?

“Oh it’s been fun because we’ve got chances to see a few guys, guys like Chris Bryant, Jack Miller, Russ Bellomy, you know. Give Russ a few chances to show what he can do. Jerald Robinson, you know. Some of the other ones, too, but those guys have stood out, not just in those practices but on scout teams and such.”

What’s the future of the 2-QB formation?

“I’m never giving that away. That’s in the vault.”

Are you happy with how you were able to use it this season?

“Well we averaged eight point -- [Looked at the chart the other day] just to see what’s our total offense (per play) in our two quarterbacks, and it was over eight yards, so it’s been productive. I know there’s plays that aren’t as good, but then there’s some big chunks in there that were good. So you know, that’s something we’ll use, we won’t use, we’ll use, we won’t use. A lot of it will depend on the game plan and who we’re playing.”

Are there a lot more variations of what you can do with it?

“Oh yeah. I mean, with 11 players, you can put 11 players anywhere you want as long as they’re lined up with seven men on the line of scrimmage.”

What kind of challenges did the lack of depth on the offensive line present you?

“Practice more than anything -- that’s the challenge. Getting through it and making sure nobody gets hurt so you can play in a game, and knowing that your margin for error isn’t great. Now we’re in the process of fixing that with our recruiting and such, but you’re holding your breath every time somebody falls on the ground. That’s the biggest challenge, because once the game hits, you have to play. You can’t worry about that stuff.”

Can you talk about how Schofield filled in?

“He did a very nice job and got better all the time and we asked a lot of him, because we asked him to play tackle and play guard. He hasn’t arrived by any means, but Mike has been a willing participant. He’s a pretty consistent entity.”

Is he a more natural tackle or guard?

“Both. I mean, he can play both. He’s tall enough to play tackle. He’s got enough range. But he played guard because he runs well. He was a hurdler in high school if you can believe that. So he can run on the sweeps. You guys see it. We do a lot of stuff with those guys on sweeps and screens and stuff like that. Him and David Molk and Pat, they all kind of fit the mold.”

What’s the biggest concern when you take five weeks off between games?

“Just make sure your timing’s right. That’s the biggest problem with bowl games, I think. All the ones that I’ve coached in. Particularly in your passing game -- making sure your passing game stays sharp. Throwing catch every day. Doesn’t have to be a million balls, just have to know there’s that much time between games you don’t lose your timing. That’s huge.”

Have you shifted practices more to focus on Virginia Tech yet?

“To some degree, but today was really heavy into that.”

What have you seen from them defensively on tape?

“This is my second go-around with them. 2005 when I was at Auburn we played them in the Sugar Bowl, ironically enough. His defense is very similar. He’s changed some things, but still very similar. They’re a sic’em type defense. By that I mean they come after you. They come after you and try to force the issue. Very athletic, run well. They’re rated high in every area of defense. Bud Foster’s always done an excellent job. They know their system. They’ve been in this system defensively [since 1995]. That’s a long time to be running what is in essence the same defense. He’s like we are. He’s changed bits and pieces of his defense as he’s gone on, but those kids know it. And they know how to play it. That’s a nice situation to be in. Like I said, defensively he can do a lot of stuff because he’s got the kind of kids that have been in his system.”

What did you see from the Clemson game tape that Clemson was able to do against them?

“Well they got on the perimeter a few times. They got in the open field on them, and Clemson’s got some pretty athletic kids. With anybody if you can get some athletes in space, you have a good chance for success. So that and Clemson just played good. They really did. Virginia Tech was [ranked] what, third? Fourth? They’re a good team. A lot of people question them being in the BCS. I don’t question it. They should be in the BCS. That’s a good football team. They got beat twice by the same team. Nobody else beat them. This team deserves more respect. I promise you they have it here. They’re a good team, well coached, and they’re going to give us all we want. Hopefully not more than we want.”

What does a healthy Odoms bring to the table?

“A couple touchdowns. You know the thing about that kid, I feel bad in a way for Tae-O because he got hurt. We have a lot of his type of receivers. Slot receivers, shorter kids, and he was behind, not just physically but learning our offense. Jeff Hecklinski and I talked, we said, ‘We have to get this kid involved,’ but he was so far behind mentally and physically too because he hadn’t done anything. Jeff just kept spoon-feeding him. We were going to put him in at one point in time, and I got nervous, I said, ‘I’m not sure he knows what to do there, and I don’t want to get him killed or somebody else killed, so wait until he’s solid.’ And as he’s gotten more solid, we just played him more, and you see the result. He’s going to make a big play a game, now. And the kicking game, he’s brought that to the table. He’s a good little football player. And like Jeremy Gallon, he plays bigger than he is. He does. He’s fast, and I like fast guys. I’m funny that way.”

You were able to bring most of your offensive staff with you from SDSU, but Fred Jackson was retained from the previous staff. What was that dynamic like and how long was the adjustment period?

“Well Fred’s been coaching here since aught six, and has coached our style of offense more than he’s coached the spread, but Fred was a perfect addition if you think about it now, because he knew what they did here before, and he knew some of the strengths and weaknesses of the players that were here, and the strengths and weaknesses of some of the schemes that were here. So with him coming in he was really the perfect guy to keep. We had the people coming in who knew our system, Freddie had run something so similar to what we did there, so he hit the ground running in that way -- he can coach it all -- and he gave some input for the things I just alluded to.”

What have you seen from Drew Dileo this year?

“Drew is a -- you guys follow baseball?”

[Ed-S: Oh god don't go there]

Yeah.

[Ed-S: He's gonna go there]

“Do you know who David Eckstein is?”

Yeah.

[Ed-S: He went there]

“I’m a Giants fan, so I hate David Eckstein. But he is such a good baseball player. Drew is that kind of football player. He’s going to get a lot of hits. He’s probably not going to hit many over the fence, but he’s going to get a lot of hits. And when he’s asked to do something, it gets done, whether it’s catching an option route, whether it’s catching a corner route, whether it’s faking a field goal, whether it’s -- he’s a guy that in so many ways you can count on him to do exactly what you coach him to do. Believe me, from my perspective and from everybody who’s involved with coaching Drew, we appreciate that. He’s an inside receiver and if used properly can be a really productive player. He’s done some good things for us and in the kicking game.”

Comments

Hoek

December 20th, 2011 at 6:27 PM ^

I really love how Al has evolved, there were times where I think he called bad plays but all in all I think he could end up being the greatest O-Cord Michigan has ever had.

Edit: In the modern era!

Hoek

December 21st, 2011 at 12:06 AM ^

I guess I meant since before Bo, don't get me wrong, but 3 yards and a cloud of dust is not that great of an offense. If you look at history beside Yost's point-a-minute teams when was Michigan know for being a offensive power? That is a real question I was born in the early 80's so I have always thought of U of M winning with D first.

I Bleed Maize N Blue

December 21st, 2011 at 1:19 AM ^

Well, a strong D was certainly important to Bo, and he may not have had a prolific passing offense, but the option ran roughshod over many of the Little Eight.  See some of the big scores from 1971 (Wiki link) and on - scroll down for scores, then scroll back up to just above the standings to go to the next season.  Those teams that gave up 30+ points might have thought we were an offensive power.

Of course it was Big Two, Little Eight for a reason - the haves had even more back then.

03 Blue 07

December 21st, 2011 at 1:24 AM ^

Mad Magicians? Wisterts? Yeah. Tom Harmon? Yeah. We've been sick on offense in the past pre-Bo, post-Yost/Crisler. Bennie to Bennie- Oosterbaan and Friedman. They may be from too far back, though. And AC was pretty nice, as was that offense with Henson, Terrell, A-Train, as was Ty Wheatley, as was Grbac, Howard, D. Alexander, etc. We have had awesome defenses, but we've also had a history of great offense from time to time as well.

dragonchild

December 21st, 2011 at 9:47 AM ^

No offense is perfect, and no scheme is great by itself, so I guess it's fair to say "3 yards and a cloud of dust is not that great of an offense".  I don't disagree, really.  But 3YAACOD didn't have a heyday for nothing.  I think it's the most misunderstood offense in the modern era.

3YAACOD is often associated with the quote, "3 things can happen during a pass, and two are bad".  Yes, 3YAACOD was risk-averse, but it wasn't a timid offense.  It was actually an elitist offense.  It didn't take risks because it didn't have to.  The philosophy is that, with a talent advantage, a well-executed power-run offense is impossible to stop.  It's the football equivalent of a blue-chip stock.  If the FB makes it one step past the line of scrimmage and falls forward, that's 3 yards.  Do that (or better) every down and the 1st down is inevitable (2nd and 7, 3rd and 4, 4th and 1, 1st and 10 -- and you usually didn't need the 4th down because at some point the FB will make. . . TWO steps, ah ah ah).  Therefore, the TD is inevitable.  If you can do that through sheer power and solid execution, there is nothing the defense can do.  They can't even slow it down; the best they can do is make you earn it.  You may only score 20 points, but both sides knew by the 2nd quarter who was going to win*.  That's incredibly demoralizing.  It's also the most consistent all-weather offense, as it works in just about any condition.  (I think "cloud of dust" is a misnomer; it's more apt to call it "pile of mud".)  It also stays on the field; 3YAACOD teams are characteristically great finishers because by end of the game the opposing defense is demoralized and gassed.  Finally, they go hand-in-hand with great defenses because the defense is always fresh.

It also destroys underdogs; that's why I called it "elitist".  You didn't do it because you were afraid; you did it to demonstrate your dominance and crush hopes & dreams.  Good teams have been known to lose to bad ones if the receivers are having a bad day, if the QB throws a few picks, etc.  Spot an underdog a couple turnovers and they smell blood.  A power-run offense does not have a bad day.  You either stop it or you lose.  There's a reason why teams will put 8, 9 players in the box even today.  A grind-it-out run offense is nasty; it's imperative you show them you can stop it and force them to throw.  Nothing spells doom to a DC like getting dominated at the LOS.

Many elements of the philosophy are VERY much in use today, but we probably won't see a true 3YAACOD team again because there's too much parity these days.  To know you're going to get 3+ yards a down means every guy on your OL has to beat his man, every time.  No team owns the recruiting world like that anymore.  The all-weather advantage has also declined.  Some teams play in domes, and equipment has improved to the point where teams can now execute flea flickers in an ice storm.

That said, you still see elements of 3YAACOD in Borges' offense.  Not to take any credit away from Mattison or the players, but Borges made a deliberate effort to keep the defense fresh by time of possession.  Give him a 3-score lead and he'll start giving Touissant the ball not because he's merciful, but to start eating clock (not to mention protect the playbook and Denard).  The D-line have stated on record that it's had a big impact.

*This, more than anything, was the most defining 3YAACOD characteristic of the 1997 Wolverines.  With the exception of the Iowa Tim Dwights who scored 12 of their 24 Tim Dwights off special teams, Michigan was going to take 20 from your defense and hold your offense to less than that.  It's a scandal that the coaches of all people didn't understand -- or worse, ignored so they could ballgargle Osborne -- that Michigan was a FAR more dominating team than Nebraska.  No team since has dictated the pace of the game to such an unreal extent.

dragonchild

December 21st, 2011 at 9:55 AM ^

Not that it has anything to do with his job on the field, but I like how these coordinators know how to use words.

"Benevolent dictatorship" can be a pretty controversial term, but in this case he's using it 100% accurately.  That's a refreshing change from "we just gotta move the ball good".

I mean, honestly, when I was a bitter geek I convinced myself football players were all idiots.  It turns out they were only idiots at my high school (which never had a winning season in my time there).  A good football player or coach has to be smart, so there's no excuse to not be able to communicate.

Some of them are kinda rough, but in general I like how these players and coaches talk up to their own level, not talk down.

Edward Khil

December 20th, 2011 at 6:35 PM ^

"He’s an inside receiver and if used properly can be a really productive player(re" Dileo)."  And he gives props to Gallon and Tay, too.

"He’s fast, and I like fast guys. I’m funny that way.”

Long live the slot receiver.

PurpleStuff

December 20th, 2011 at 6:37 PM ^

If Al thinks David Eckstein is a good baseball player I'm glad he's sticking with coaching football to pay the bills rather than applying for an MLB general manager's job.

ST3

December 20th, 2011 at 7:00 PM ^

Granted, Eckstein is no longer a good baseball player (he retired after the 2010 season), but at one time he was a very good player. In his second season, 2002, he was 7th in the American League in WAR. Pound for pound, he was probably the best player in 2002. He was also an All-Star in 2005 and 2006. But stats don't do him justice. The best thing I can say about him was that he was single-handedly responsible for me becoming an Angels fan. I hated them growing up, but I started watching them in 2002 and there was something special about that team. Eckstein won a couple games with back-to-back walk-off grand slams in April or May, and that got me on the bandwagon. That ride ended with a world series championship. Eckstein was, is, and always will be Gritty McGritterson.

ChopBlock

December 20th, 2011 at 10:04 PM ^

there was a perfect spot for this. My gut just screamed bubble:

"This is my second go-around with them. 2005 when I was at Auburn we played them in the Sugar Bowl, ironically enough. His defense is very similar. He’s changed some things, but still very similar. They’re a sic’em type defense. By that I mean they come after you. They come after you and try to force the issue."

How bout a bubble into the teeth of that blitzing defense to keep them honest?

 

BradP

December 20th, 2011 at 6:41 PM ^

The Charles White comparison is fantastic and spot on.

I pulled up a youtube video of USC from 1979 (what a frickin backfield) and from the plant and step through at approx :50, every run looks like Fitz.

 

Blueroller

December 20th, 2011 at 8:37 PM ^

Amen to that! For you youngsters out there, in the 79 (?) Rose Bowl, Charles White took one of his trademark dives into the end zone. Trouble was, Ron Simpkins reached up and pulled the ball out before Charles crossed the goal line. Real trouble was, refs didn't see it and no replay review in those days. That was the most notorious bad call in Michigan history until Desmond got tripped in the end zone against State.

 

Elmer

December 20th, 2011 at 7:45 PM ^

Russ Bellomy getting some love from Al.  I really think he will start over Shane Morris his 4th and 5th year.  The kid is 6'3, has decent speed and is elusive.  His high school video shows he has a decent arm and can put some touch on his throws.  He's tough and very good student. 

michgoblue

December 21st, 2011 at 11:52 AM ^

2013 is Morris' freshman year.  Hopefully they red-shirt him, despite his likely status as one of the top 2-3 QBs in the country.  Starting a true freshman non-Henne at QB rarely works out, even with top talent (see former top 3 QB Jimmah's first year at ND).

If Morris does RS, then he could potentially play in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Bellomy has 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 to potentially contribute.  So, you are talking abouy Bellomy starting in 2014 and 2015.  But, if Devin gets his retroactive medical RS, he would be a 5th year senior (and returning starter, having likely been the QB in 2013) for the 2014 season, so I don't think that Bellomy jumps him for the starting job.   By 2015, unless Bellomy has something so special, I cannot see the coaches not starting Morris for what would be his 3rd year with the team.  Hell, I don't know that he doesn't start in 2014 if he is as good as expected.

How I see it working out:

2012:  Starter = Denard; back-up=Devin

2013:  Starter = Devin; back-up = Bellomy (hopeful Morris RS)

2014:  Starter = Devin; back-up = Morris (with Morris taking a meaningful number of snaps in a Brady / Henson type arrangement)

2015:  Starter = Morris; back-up = either Bellomy or some other highly-ranked QB in a post 2013 class.

Obviously, there are a ton of variables here that could lead to Bellomy starting.  Morris could decommit.  Devin could get injured.  Devin could not develop as expected.  Bellomy could make such strides that he is just too good not to have on the field.  Who know, but if all goes as expected, I don't see Bellomy starting.

Elmer

December 21st, 2011 at 4:21 PM ^

You have the years correct.  I just think Bellomy with 2 extra years in the system will start over Morris.  I could be wrong, but I think people are underestimating him.  People thinking Morris will definitely start are also just guessing.  I really like Shane, but his jr. year video is not earth shattering.  Shane starting two years at Michigan, in 2016 and 17, is still something special.

DefenseWins

December 20th, 2011 at 9:20 PM ^

Seriously, no bubble screen questions Heiko?  I wanted one more reaction of Gorgeous Borges after that, tearing you a new one.  That was the presser highlight of the year.

Did this worry anyone?  Or was it just me?  "He'll be very comfortable under center."  I know that's Borges' style, but it's obvious it doesn't fit our personnel, especially Denard.  I hope he sticks with fitting everything together, like he did during the last third of the year.

I love these coordinator pressers.  A lot of good info.

MGoBlue96

December 20th, 2011 at 10:37 PM ^

know Al and the staff want to shift to more of a primarly under center offense at some point, I just hope they hold off on that until after next year. Obviously, Denard and the other personel on offense are more suited to the style of playcalling we saw in most games this season , with Shotgun formations and spread concepts still being the primary focus. I would expect to see a little more under center next year, but I hope the ratio is still largely weighed in favor of the things the current personel does best. Honestly, I think AL's playcalling against Nebraska and Ohio State was nearly flawless, and I would like to see that replicated next year.

MaizeAndBlueManGroup

December 20th, 2011 at 9:49 PM ^

And did you seek advice from outside sources at all?

“Always. Always. We are constantly trying to professionally enrich ourselves with regard to the development of our offense, our defense, and everything. Our ego’s on the shelf. If we think somebody can help us, I’ll make a call here and a call there for somebody who’s done something more than I’ve done it. I get calls from people all the time asking me how we do things, but I’ve got people that are running some spread, good friends of mine, that know a lot of the nuances. So yeah, we’re going to do whatever it takes to get it taught. We’re not going to think we know it all and keep us from doing the best job of teaching the players.”

 

This is perhaps my favorite ever from these pressers. Some coaches think they know it all and are too stubborn when it comes to doing it "their way". Adapting to your personnel and seeking help from others because you understand that you can't be an expert at everything is a sign of a great coach, IMO.