First Offensive Play
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:46 AM ^
Zone read with the hand off going toward the left. 6 yards on the play.
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:47 AM ^
Denard fakes the zone-read and throws a bubble screen to Odoms for 4 yards.
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:49 AM ^
Odoms won't be the target of many bubble screens this year - he's playing outside receiver, not slot.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:55 AM ^
I know Odoms is playing outside this year, but my memory of the scrape-exchange-counterpuch screen was of the outside reciever moving toward the quaterback and cutting under the slot(s). Having reviewed the picture pages from last year, that is clearly incorrect.
I still think this is the right play call (Rich Rod will want to see how the defense plays the zone read, but will want to give Denard an easy completion to get his rhythem going), so change Odoms to Grady, and the gain to 8 yards (Odoms is the teams best blocking reciever, and Grady is quick).
September 3rd, 2010 at 10:05 AM ^
I'm pretty sure they did it as you described at least once or twice because that's how I remember it too.
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:48 AM ^
Denard hitting Koger on a seem on play-action for a TD as the linebackers and safeties are too worried about allowing Dilithium to get loose.
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:48 AM ^
Zone read play action, roll to the right, hit Odoms on a quick hitch route.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:14 AM ^
Odoms make the first guy miss and takes it 80 yds to the house.
September 3rd, 2010 at 11:32 AM ^
47 yd reception, Stonum takes the return to UConn's 47.
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:48 AM ^
Throw the bomb....
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:52 AM ^
I'll take a touchdown. Don't care how they do it.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:50 AM ^
an added bonus would be if Matt Millen can use the "{UCONN defender} just lost his jockstrap on the field" quote again during the play.....
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:52 AM ^
If Millen isn't calling the game...
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:53 AM ^
Zone Read by D-Rob to the House!
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:53 AM ^
Gotta start with a running play to let the QB (whoever it is) settle in.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:40 AM ^
I didn't know you had an MGoBlog account. Let's pound the ball for the first three quarters, then our QBs will really be ready to go in the 4th quarter.
- Mike Debord
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:56 AM ^
Denard will execute a beautiful disguised handoff to Smith who will find a gap and go for 15 yards.
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:57 AM ^
Zone read from Denard, he keeps, goes for 5.
TATE IS NOT STARTING
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:03 AM ^
You don't need to yell. And you also don't know.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:13 AM ^
The quarterbacks know. Anyone with premium at scout knows. And I assume that Rivals is the same. Its been Denard since spring. Tate is 3rd on the depth chart
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:15 AM ^
isn't even telling the QB's till tonight, you can shut up.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:26 AM ^
SCOUT KNOWS ALL; SAYS WORLD TO END TOMORROW.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:29 AM ^
for UConn.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:19 AM ^
On the plus side, he didn't tell everyone else to shut up now that he has had his say.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:35 AM ^
I was outta line a little. A LITTLE.
That said, pretending to know what goes on in RR's mind is ridiculous. I'm betting on Denard, but it'd be just like Rodriguez to send Gardner out there and then do a direct snap to Hopkins or something.
Edit: I've now decided that this will be the first play.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:42 AM ^
Im going with Sheridan to Hemmingway for a 90 yard bomb. The injury report is a lie and Sheridan has been training under the big house in a series of catacombs for 2 years now.
I apologize for yelling, that was uncalled for
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:08 AM ^
... that showcases Denard and is a high-percentage one.
I think it's key to to have a good first possession.
And to stop UConn on theirs.
The Big House will be rocking, I want to keep the crowd in the game.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:08 AM ^
After the first and only fumbled snap of the year, Denard picks it up, instantly shakes off gameday jitters and converts the broken play into run up the gut to the house.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:14 AM ^
to WMU 2009.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:15 AM ^
"Fumbles the snap, takes off. Broken plays are very dangerous for a kid like this...LOOK AT THAT SPEED, C-YA!"
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:19 AM ^
Also welcome:
"Forcier looks to the sideline for guidence"
"Safeties are coming down again"
"Everybody up for the Irish, GREAT MOVE BY FORCIER! RIGHT UP THE MIDDLE! TOUCHDOWN MICHIGAN!"
September 3rd, 2010 at 11:28 AM ^
Haha, I was doing a quick check to see if anyone posted "Denard fumbles snap, scores touchdown" before I posted it.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:11 AM ^
Behind Jake Long out of the I.
Wait... is it 2010? or 2006?
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:11 AM ^
Dive left Zone read left.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:22 AM ^
I-Form off tackle left just to taunt everyone. Then nothing but spread and shred.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:28 AM ^
Just what I was thinking!
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:27 AM ^
I formation, counter trap.
Just to f with them.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:29 AM ^
I dunno what our first play is going to be, but there's a damn good chance UCONN's first play will be a play-action bomb.
Luckily since Rodriguez mentioned it in a recent press conference hopefully we'll be ready for it.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:33 AM ^
Like a Denard keeper on a fake reverse.
That being said, put me in the minority who thinks Forcier gets the first series and Denard the second. And I think the bubble screen guess of the OP may be correct here.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:38 AM ^
I don't see the ball going in the air right away - I'm guessing we let everyone calm down for a few plays before we start any passing.
UConn is going to try and road grade us right from the start, with a few play-action medium to long passes.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:44 AM ^
dadadadadadada
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:50 AM ^
Denard runs to the right reverse to K. Grady
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:52 AM ^
Do RR & Magee have a set number of offensive plays they will run before making adjustments? If so, how many do you all think? I ask because in one of my books on organizations, the author says that Bill Walsh, when choaching for the 49ers, would write out the first 20 offensive plays for each game before the game started (Karl Weick's Sensemaking in Orgnaizations, citing Business Week Oct. 24, 1983). That seems like a lot to run through before adjusting. Thoughts in terms of the college level? Thoughts in terms of RR & Magee?
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:54 AM ^
They like to script the first 10 plays. I don't remember my source or anything, but I think they have the first 10 plays scripted and then go from there. I think 10 is pretty standard for college games. Some of the actual coaches want to weigh in?
September 3rd, 2010 at 10:15 AM ^
Yeah, its about 10. I think Rod stated this a while ago
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:54 AM ^
I would kill to see a perfectly executed read-option.
September 3rd, 2010 at 10:56 AM ^
One of those where he holds that ball in the gut of the RB so long that no one thinks the QB could possibly still keep it.
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:59 AM ^
Denard on a QB sweep for 3-4 yards.
September 3rd, 2010 at 10:03 AM ^
It doesn't matter as I won't get to see it... I will still be wiping away the tears from watching Brock walk us through the tunnel.
September 3rd, 2010 at 10:24 AM ^
DVR, pause the broadcast, avoid MGoBlog until enough commercials pass to catch up. That's my plan at least.