The Clemson Game

[TFBaum]

I don't know nor have I ever coached football. My knowledge is limited to playing through high school and coaching my son's youth team. That is my disclaimer. I watched the Pitt - Clemson game and here is what I don't understand, Pitt was missing three starting linemen. Why didn't Pitt line up in a power running formation? I always thought that run blocking was easier to teach and coordinate than pass blocking. Getting three yards and attacking the Clemson defense as opposed to protecting the QB may not have won the game but it certainly may have kept the score closer. Football coaches are creatures of habit and tendencies so if Pitt would have come out in a power running formation it may have taken Clemson a quarter to adjust. All the Pitt offense proved was what Woody Hayes said about passing three things happen and two of them are bad. I would love to hear the thoughts of those that know football.

 

[Chescat]

I don't know nor have I ever coached football. My knowledge is limited to playing through high school and coaching my son's youth team. That is my disclaimer. I watched the Pitt - Clemson game and here is what I don't understand, Pitt was missing three starting linemen. Why didn't Pitt line up in a power running formation? I always thought that run blocking was easier to teach and coordinate than pass blocking. Getting three yards and attacking the Clemson defense as opposed to protecting the QB may not have won the game but it certainly may have kept the score closer. Football coaches are creatures of habit and tendencies so if Pitt would have come out in a power running formation it may have taken Clemson a quarter to adjust. All the Pitt offense proved was what Woody Hayes said about passing three things happen and two of them are bad. I would love to hear the thoughts of those that know football.

I bet I know far less about football than you do, but I agree with your post.

 

[9nationalchampionships]

Personally I think the quick passing game took the place of a running game and I liked that strategy. No way our OL can run block the front 7 of Clemson. I think we had the correct strategy and KP missed on a few in the 1st Q that resulted in interceptions. Our WRs also dropped some balls as they always do!

 

[Mikefln]

I love the power run game. That is my favorite aspect of football. With that said there is no way this current team is built to run power football against an average team, let alone Clemson. The one part of your theory that may have worked in Pitts favor is the clock would have kept moving. But the OL is not built to power over people, there is not a power back (at least there doesn't seem to be since Sibley never gets the opportunity to show if he can or not) on the roster. The fullback is nothing special. Basically there is nothing there to have a power run team.

The scary part is there is nothing there for an air raid team either. The same suspect OL. Too many WR that can't catch. No serviceable TE. A QB who panics, locks in on his main target, and has no touch.

Basically this is a offense with no identity. Not a good look on year 6.

 

[21Guns.]

First of all it not like the second string players don’t know how to pass or run block. It not that they have to learn how to play. It just that they are not as talented or execute as well as the starters.

Second you don’t teach and install and entirely new offense in one week. The idea is ridiculous to think mid season you can completely change your offensive identity. This is not Madden football where you can just randomly change playbooks. Every type of play has an entire set of rules and techniques that vary based on the different fronts and alignments. This things can’t be learned over night.

Finally the reason teams got away from the power running game is because it requires a dominant offensive line. It makes you one dimensional and allows teams to stack the box and attack. It actually puts more pressure on the offensive line.

 

[TFBaum]

First of all it not like the second string players don’t know how to pass or run block. It not that they have to learn how to play. It just that they are not as talented or execute as well as the starters.

Second you don’t teach and install and entirely new offense in one week. The idea is ridiculous to think mid season you can completely change your offensive identity. This is not Madden football where you can just randomly change playbooks. Every type of play has an entire set of rules and techniques that vary based on the different fronts and alignments. This things can’t be learned over night.

Finally the reason teams got away from the power running game is because it requires a dominant offensive line. It makes you one dimensional and allows teams to stack the box and attack. It actually puts more pressure on the offensive line.

Teams do have short-yardage and goalline offensives I am not saying you run short-yardage every play but I watched the Va Tech game and they did pull the tackle and guards into the gap. But like I said I do not know football and have never coached at even a high school level. My football education was an a-hole high school coach that loved his clicker and kept repeating the same phrase "Either you don't care or you don't know".

 

[Upg bobcat]

Anyone remember the previous time we played Clemson? We tried the power running approach that time. Guess what ... it didn't work.

 

[TFBaum]

I love the power run game. That is my favorite aspect of football. With that said there is no way this current team is built to run power football against an average team, let alone Clemson. The one part of your theory that may have worked in Pitts favor is the clock would have kept moving. But the OL is not built to power over people, there is not a power back (at least there doesn't seem to be since Sibley never gets the opportunity to show if he can or not) on the roster. The fullback is nothing special. Basically there is nothing there to have a power run team.

The scary part is there is nothing there for an air raid team either. The same suspect OL. Too many WR that can't catch. No serviceable TE. A QB who panics, locks in on his main target, and has no touch.

Basically this is a offense with no identity. Not a good look on year 6.

For all of Wannstedt shortcomings he beat WVU in 2007 with ball control and a defense that could tackle. I also love power football.

 

[CCHS82]

For all of Wannstedt shortcomings he beat WVU in 2007 with ball control and a defense that could tackle. I also love power football.

That team didn’t miss a tackle that game! Unbelievable after what they showed all year.