Is our biggest problem on offense our coaching changes?

[ZeroBullChip]

The calling is very different.  You don't see as many designed plays were grothe bootlegs and throws on the run.  The few improved ones like he did last year were mostly successful.  I think most of those "highlight reels" from last year came from these type of plays.

[smazza]

Grothe's mechanics are off and he does not look comfortable in the pocket.  Offense is not clicking at all.  Gregory replaced Smith as QB coach and OC.

Receivers are dropping balls all over the field, some because the ball is not where it should be and some because of bad hands.  Canales replaced Dawsey.

Offensive line is suspect at times and very good at other times.  Simmonds replaced Gregory.

I don't think it's any 1 coach or any 1 player.  It think we had so many changes on the offensive side that the system hasn't worked out the kinks yet.  I know the spread really hasn't changed, but terms, styles, etc. can cause major havoc.

I'm looking forward to the day that we put together a good offensive game for 4 quarters.

receivers need to  hold on to the balll

receivers need to run better routes

[smazza]

And some of you don't think there's a difference between 2 star and 5 star recruits?

You can get by with that on defense where speed and scheme cure alot of ills, but on Offense, those stars mean quite a bit.  Yeah, the 2 and 3 star guys can do well, but they aren't CONSISTENT. 

I know one thing, you can't keep giving up 4 turnovers and expect to win, especially if guys on defense start getting banged up...

isnt ford a 5 star athlete

[Guest JulmisteForPrez]

You are wrong.... this offense is much more productive through 5 games than last year.  Why would you say it is not clicking.  It is just different and more balanced.

Here are some comparisons to last year through 5 games:

                               2007                    2006

Total Yardage....         1818                   1881

PTS on offense             140                     113

Pts per Game                  28                    22.6

TDs                               18                     14

Rushing yards                 905                     720

Passing yard                  913                 1197

I see much more balance against two much better defenses than what we played against last year.  Also, Grothe had a big day passing against UCF last year.  Let's see what happens this weekend. 

Also, remember in the Auburn game, we didn't really have the opportunity to put up more yardage because our defense gave us a short fleld all so many times. 

Keep in mind that we are stil working with a banged up OL, 2 freshman backs, a freshman at OL.   With all that we are still averaging a TD more per game against mmuch tougher competitiion and 2 ranked opponents. 

The passing game's timing is off a little bit, buit we have also been throwing down the field more than ever before.  Last year a lot of the passes were swings or WR screens to Randolph and he had the YAC.

I would really like for us to use TJ, Hester and Amarri as the set receivers and use the other guys to spell them My opinion is that the timing can't be good if we keep shuttling guys in and out.

I think Gregory is being smarter than we have experienced last year.  He is taking what the defense is giving us and exploiting it.  No way Smith would have adjusted away from the pass to the run like gregory did against FAU.  he would have tried to run some end arounds or reverses.  Even against Auburn he would have not been as patient and tried something stupid. 

My only concern with the offense is the way we work the clock.  That problem seems to have continued agaisn this year.  Both against WVU and FAU.

I am expecting a break out game this week from the offense.  Let's see what happens.

Those stats you gave show that the offense is about the same.

Problem with that is this.........we were 3-2 at this time last year.

And we'd probably be 3-2 right now if it weren't for the DEFENSE playing "lights out" against Auburn & WVU.

So yeah.....our offense has been fine............for a 3-2 team.

If our defense has an "off" day against one of these upcoming teams, we're in trouble unless the offense wakes up.

[I Bleed Awesomeness]

coach simmonds has been doing a great job with the o-line, especially considering all the injuries we've sustained this year.  as far as us needing a sure-handed go to receiver, i don't think any certain one guy is going to step up this year.  but for next year, remember one name...roger frazier.  he graduated with matt, and was pretty much the best receiver in the state.  he didn't qualify for usf right out of highschool, but has spent a year at hutchinson community college (where he led juco in total yards) in kansas and is now at pearl river.  matt and him have that qb/receiver connection you hear so much about at the next level.  he's enrolling at usf in december and will more than likely step in as the go to guy right away.  for avid college football fans, his brother is yamon figurs, the speedster for the ravens that just graduated from kansas state.  figurs ran the fastest 40 time at the nfl combine this year.  roger is pretty much a clone of his brother.

[MikeG]

I still don't understand how so many folks see our offense as not getting the job done. 35 points is 35 points. Perhaps people are too focused on who the opponent was and discredited the effort based on that.

Bottom line is that we are not losing. Sure-- we could be more explosive on offense and attempt to run up the score every time we play a team like FAU. But isn't the point to win for starters? Had we been able to contain their offense-- which for all intents and purposes played very well against our defense--- the score would have been 35-10 or thereabouts. Nothing wrong with that score. Very respectable-- worked for us against UNC.

No one is bringing up the other side of the ball. THe D struggled several times to stop FAU's attack. We couldn't get pressure on their QB. I just hope the other teams on our schedule don't pick up on that blocking scheme they were using. The winning spread would hve been much higher if our defense was kicking more butt-- that was the difference in this being a blowout instead of a close game imo

[BULLfreak]

Grothe's mechanics are off and he does not look comfortable in the pocket.  Offense is not clicking at all.  Gregory replaced Smith as QB coach and OC.

Receivers are dropping balls all over the field, some because the ball is not where it should be and some because of bad hands.  Canales replaced Dawsey.

Offensive line is suspect at times and very good at other times.  Simmonds replaced Gregory.

I don't think it's any 1 coach or any 1 player.  It think we had so many changes on the offensive side that the system hasn't worked out the kinks yet.  I know the spread really hasn't changed, but terms, styles, etc. can cause major havoc.

I'm looking forward to the day that we put together a good offensive game for 4 quarters.

IMO they are asking Grothe to become something he is not and that is a pocket QB

On the drops we had alot of drops last year and in the years before so I dont see where a coaching change has anything to do with the drops

Simmonds did not replace Gregory. Gregory was our TE coach last year Fray was our OLine coach. I also see out line playing harder and with more of a mean side under Simmonds 

IMO I think Gregory is not a big fan of the spreed and is trying to show CJL that we can win without it. If Gregory doesnt change his play calling soon then god help us. My 7 year old nephew was calling what play we were going to run before we ran it  (pass or run)

[BullDoug]

Ummm two games vs ranked teams and 8 turnovers in two games...  What else is there to say.  Hold onto the rock and everything is rosy.

[Ruger7mmmag]

I think what we're missing can't be seen statistically.  When our Defense makes a great play and gets the O the ball back, the offense hasn't found out how to bear down, concentrate and drive the stake right into the opponent's heart.  We're too busy celebrating getting the ball vs. the offense saying, "It's time to go to work and jam this thing down their throats to make them pay."

Once again, this is a sure sign of a young offense.  I don't think folks are complaining that they are terrible, bc they are not.  I think some like myself are frustrated bc we see how much POTENTIAL is on this team to put up BIG POINTS with the way our defense is playing and yet we're scoring like an average ball club despite having a KILLER "D".

The coaches have to get Matt and the gang to CALM DOWN after a big turnover and execute. 

The biggest indicator this is the case is the way we look on our opening drives of both halves typically.  Have you noticed, no matter who we play, that the first drive we have on offense regardless of which half it is, this offense looks unstoppable?

It's not that we're running different plays, we're EXECUTING.  This is the way this offense should look 3 our of 4 drives, not 1 out of 4.

If we do that, you'll see about 20+points more on the board at the end of every game we've played this year and NO ONE ANYWHERE would be arguing with our #5 ranking.

The problem is, when folks turn in, they see our offense give away opportunity after opportunity and they figure eventually, we won't win the turnover battle by a LARGE margin and we're going to lose.  Then the way we played against FAU this weekend didn't help change anyone's minds.

I love the potential of this team and I'm praying we find it soon.  We're so close to the edge we could lose to ANYONE right now.  That includes, Syracuse.

[usfgrad84]

I really think people are not happy unless they see Ford carrying for 150 yards a game.  I mean come on now, people were chanting for Ford at the same time Williams was putting up 186 yards and 4 tds.

I also think people are too focused on a prolific offense like Louisville and WVU and then say we aren't an improved offense.  Not better than last year?  You are kidding me.  We are already a TD better per game than last year and we have played two top 20 teams.  

Room for imporvement yes, but if you don't realize this offense and offensive coordinator is so much better than last year, you ned to study up on football.  A trick play or two a game doesn't make an offense good.  Like I said, there is room for improvement and they aren't clicking on all cylinders yet, but we are much more balanced and winning game doesn't always have to be on Matt's shoulders as it was last year.  A couple of inches either on a couple of plays and a couple of catches and we have blow outs against Elon and FAU early.