New Offensive Wrinkle for ND?

Submitted by Brewers Yost on

Against the Redhawks we unleashed the I-formation and it worked well. I read a lot about Minor and Brown taking snaps at QB during the spring and running a version of the wildcat or whatever we are going to call it. Does anyone think we will add a new offensive wrinkle against ND?

mjv

September 8th, 2008 at 10:18 AM ^

If RR decides that we should try and add a bunch of crap to an already confusing that our OL and QBs are struggling with, he is dumber than Fat Chuck at ND. 

If you recall, FC decided to try and install a spread option look the week of the Michigan game last year, given our inability to stop running QBs.  The result -- Yakety Sax.

There were plenty of guys running open against Miami, Threet just over threw most of them.  The base offense has the potential to work, the guys just need a lot more snaps in trying to execute it. Lets try and not go all Yakety Sax.

Six Zero

September 8th, 2008 at 10:23 AM ^

I think RR will try to hide as much of the playbook as he can for AS LONG AS HE CAN.  Undeniably one of the advantages of the regime and personnel changes is that no one quite knew what to expect--  certainly WVU game footage was studied ad nauseum by other DC's but we're still a FAR cry from what RR was doing with that team last year.

So the longer he can stretch out that mystery of what the players can actually do with his playbook, the better, at least into Big 10 play.  If he can hold off the Wildcat and other wizardry until the Wisconsin game, it will complicate their gameplan against us. 

Although, at this point the ability to complete a 20 yard pass would also be a great advantage, hehe.

mjv

September 8th, 2008 at 10:40 AM ^

It is highly unlikely that RR is hiding anything.  If he had some great play to gain a bunch of yards, we would have seen it against Utah, SINCE WE WERE LOSING!!!  Add to that the fact that we didn't exactly kill Miami.

We aren't hiding anything.  We are a poor offensive team right now that has trouble executing the base offense.  This line of though about hiding something is dumb.

The good is that there were a lot of our plays that had the potential to go for big gains.  If Tacopants is on the sideline as opposed to running down the sideline, we would have picked up a lot more yards and a few more scores.

formerlyanonymous

September 8th, 2008 at 11:07 AM ^

But I do feel he will be adding more plays week by week.  It's like any other offense, learn slow.  Running from the "wildcat" isn't all that different than what we have.  It's basically a ISQD or option from it over and over.  I imagine we have run a few QB draws, options, and designed QB runs in our current system.  It's not that much of a learning curve.  I also conject that once Brown returns, we'll see more of this.  The bum shoulder hopefully heals quick.  I'm not sure where the next step in this offensive scheme goes though.  I'd imagine it would have something to do with ND weaknesses, which I hear cater to the offensive plays we already have in place.

dex

September 8th, 2008 at 11:12 AM ^

I think the fawning for the "Wildcat" is opening people up for some major disappointment. The ISQD isn't going to turn around the offense. And I think we're overlooking the major reason the "Wildcat" was such a success at Arkansas - Carlos Brown is not Darren McFadden. He is like four levels removed from Darren McFadden. 

jamiemac

September 8th, 2008 at 11:16 AM ^

....we are hiding, on defense. That was clear on Saturday.

 But, yeah, we're not hiding a thing on offense. Its all out there in its glory for us to see. Although, I will say RR said they spent time throughout the off season game planning specifically for each of our rivals. So, maybe there is some hope for a trick or two up his sleeve. We'll see.

Jay

September 8th, 2008 at 11:56 AM ^

Or, it could just be that we were playing a crappy MAC team in Miami (OH) instead of a decent WAC team, but, still beatable team, in Utah. I really haven't been impressed at all with our defense the first two games. Our offense is going to suck, but, if our defense doesn't cut down on the mistakes, we will match Notre Dame's record of last year, which is completely unacceptable.

ShockFX

September 8th, 2008 at 12:13 PM ^

We have vastly different opinions of completely unacceptable.  Going 3-9 in your third year at ND is completely unacceptable.  Going 3-9 in your first year at UM while installing a vastly different offense, having a ton of young players, and being left with a lineup bereft of true starters (the OL is just terrible in terms of depth) is not really that big a deal if we are much better next year.

Brewers Yost

September 8th, 2008 at 11:17 AM ^

that RR is hiding plays but rather that he is slowly adding on to the playbook as we go. I am hoping that we add/show something new, like the I-formation against Miami. Not base the whole offense around it or anything but just something that will give their D a different look on a couple plays.

 I agree the best thing that could happen would be Threet hitting wide open passes.

Hannibal.

September 9th, 2008 at 1:44 PM ^

I don't think that RichRod is hiding much of anything.  We're not good enough to have the luxury of hiding part of our playbook against anyone.  Plus, I get the feeling that RR cares more about seeing improvement in each game than scheming for a particular opponent. 

chitownblue (not verified)

September 9th, 2008 at 1:52 PM ^

"Wildcat" worked for Arkansas when they had two first-round draft picks in the same backfield (McFadden and Felix Jones). We have precisely 0.