I'm not saying anything about Saban's strategy in developing an offensive package for a running QB. I am just saying that if I am LSU, I'm less worried about Sims than McCarron sending my team home with an L.
Highly impressed with Coach Doug Nussmeier's playcalling.
- Thread starter Bamabuzzard
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You never know until you try it. Sims has that explosive gear and his arm ain't that bad either. It might cause LSU some problems, and it might not. But I would be tickled Crimson if we trotted this package out there and found out they didn't really prepare for it. At worst it forces them to use practice time to defend it.
I couldn't agree more. The red zone play calling seems to be the biggest difference. Of course it could just be execution. The answer will come Nov.3.
Last year when we brought Maze in for the trick play I was ticked because we were moving the ball without all the trickeration. I just hope we continue to do we what we've done and not start trying to implicate a new offense cuz when it's not perfected it messes up the offenses momentum. JMO
I'm all for making LSU use practice time on Defending the Blake Sims keeper, and the Jumbo Pkg. It cuts into practice time, Besides if they take either lightly, we run them for real.
They will already be in pucker mode, if they see Kenyan Drake come into the game....
I want to see us ramp up their 'dread factor'...
(It's not too early to begin messing with their heads)
I agree with Tide-Hsv. I think it's part of the Sims package. We'll see it some but not a lot. Either way our opponents have to account for it. It may still catch some flatfooted and it's an effective play if run properly. Mix in a pass off the run fake and you've got 3 options to defend against.
I'd rather have AJ at QB than Sims. But when Sims is in there, this is a good play to have in the book.
I'd rather have AJ at QB than Sims. But when Sims is in there, this is a good play to have in the book.
We may need to practice that a few more times in mop-up time before we use it when a game is on the line.
A couple of things stick out to me:
- Nussmeier has retained a lot of our previous offense in terms of packaging, formations, etc. That said, the approach is slightly different in that we are more multiple formation-wise, and the passing game is decidedly more aggressive and vertically-oriented. I'm not sure how much of this is having a talent and skill set like AJ McCarron's, and how much of it is Nussmeier carrying over some of Steve Sarkisian's USC / BYU passing game. Probably a combination of the two. At any rate, I think our offense is more explosive this season than in years past and that's a good thing.
- I'm glad to see Blake Sims getting the kind of reps he's been getting, but I doubt that this is for some "special package" down the road. More likely, Sims is the long-term backup plan if AJ goes down and the staff realizes that Blake has an entirely different skill set. They're basically running a shotgun zone-read package with Sims in the game, and if AJ is out for any stretch of time I think our offense morphs into this package full-time. Smart planning IMO.
I really think the offense at Alabama has been in good hands since 2008. Coach Mac did an excellent job, and I think Nussmeier might be even better based on early returns. It's refreshing to see. I grew up during a very dark era for offensive football at Alabama and it's really nice to see us put an offense on the field that is merely competent most of the time. To have one as prolific as ours has been over the last 2-3 years is just gravy.
- Nussmeier has retained a lot of our previous offense in terms of packaging, formations, etc. That said, the approach is slightly different in that we are more multiple formation-wise, and the passing game is decidedly more aggressive and vertically-oriented. I'm not sure how much of this is having a talent and skill set like AJ McCarron's, and how much of it is Nussmeier carrying over some of Steve Sarkisian's USC / BYU passing game. Probably a combination of the two. At any rate, I think our offense is more explosive this season than in years past and that's a good thing.
- I'm glad to see Blake Sims getting the kind of reps he's been getting, but I doubt that this is for some "special package" down the road. More likely, Sims is the long-term backup plan if AJ goes down and the staff realizes that Blake has an entirely different skill set. They're basically running a shotgun zone-read package with Sims in the game, and if AJ is out for any stretch of time I think our offense morphs into this package full-time. Smart planning IMO.
I really think the offense at Alabama has been in good hands since 2008. Coach Mac did an excellent job, and I think Nussmeier might be even better based on early returns. It's refreshing to see. I grew up during a very dark era for offensive football at Alabama and it's really nice to see us put an offense on the field that is merely competent most of the time. To have one as prolific as ours has been over the last 2-3 years is just gravy.
After a little more thought, I think that we possibly may see, if AJ goes down, exactly what we saw on Saturday - a split QB package. Although he's not done it here, he's played a two-QB system before and he's commented on how Ely and Sims are neck and neck. Of course, P. Sims and AJ were also, but they're the same type of QB. Not much incentive there for a two QB system, unless you're a Spurrier and just want to yank a guy because you're POed at him. If AJ can't go, it makes all kinds of sense to make opponents prepare for two different attacks. I personally was very heartened by what I saw of the two backups on Saturday. Ely's got a decent arm and release and Sims has that plus legs. Of course, AJ's still the first choice by a mile...
What we haven't seen until this year is an O that looked smooth and fluid. This version is a little more polished right out of the box. O-line illusion? Got to be more to it than that. Coach will have to keep the breaks on to average less than 45-50.
I took out a couple of thing not because I disagree, you are Right On! Coach Nuss is a special coach, he was smart enough to learn the language already established & like you said he is more vertical.
CNS called out the offense last week before the game on Sirus radio, said we lacked identity. I ththink that's no longer a problem.
Looking back it appears that Major Applewhite moving on to Texas was a step up... for US. Major, not so much.
The departure of Applewhite opened the door for Mac.
We improved under Mac.
The departure of Mac has opened the door for Doug.
It appears to be a more down field version of CJM.
IMO: That's a good thing too.
If CNS played the Horses...
I'd bet he could spot the top horses too.
CNS looks at detail that seems to escape mere mortals...
The departure of Applewhite opened the door for Mac.
We improved under Mac.
The departure of Mac has opened the door for Doug.
It appears to be a more down field version of CJM.
IMO: That's a good thing too.
If CNS played the Horses...
I'd bet he could spot the top horses too.
CNS looks at detail that seems to escape mere mortals...
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No offense to Coach Applewhite, but the play at the end of the first half of the Miss. State game in 2007 when Applewhite called a play action pass with 20 seconds left and no time outs (JPW's pass was INTed & run back 100 yards for a MSU TD) was when CNS decided we needed to make a change at OC. You could read CNS' lips in the headset as he said, "What the heck were we doing there?" (paraphrased). I think Coach Applewhite's time at Alabama was limited after that play.Looking back it appears that Major Applewhite moving on to Texas was a step up... for US. Major, not so much.
The departure of Applewhite opened the door for Mac.
We improved under Mac.
The departure of Mac has opened the door for Doug.
It appears to be a more down field version of CJM.
IMO: That's a good thing too.
If CNS played the Horses...
I'd bet he could spot the top horses too.
CNS looks at detail that seems to escape mere mortals...
Yeah, I have to agree with you. I think that play was when CNS decided it was time to part ways with Applewhite.
To go back to the discussion about the use of Sims...
I don't know if we're preparing to make use of him as a zone read QB in big games or not but I kind of doubt it. I could be wrong but here is my logic: the zone read offense is a lot like the wishbone triple option. In the triple option offense, you will call a dozen interior handoffs and QB follows to setup the one big lateral to pop off the perimeter. Running an effective wishbone offense required dedication and commitment to the offense's series of plays and their setup. Similarly, the zone read requires commitment - a large number of plays - to become a factor for big plays.
On one hand we did show some interesting wrinkles already with Sims at quarterback. It appears that early in Sims time at quarterback against Arkansas we attempted the modified triple option look that Meyer/Mullens/RichRod popularized where the slot receiver becomes the third pitchman option. The play was either poorly blocked or Arkansas was simply on top of the play before it happened, but it certainly appeared that we were setting up an opportunity for Sims to pitch it off to a receiver for a big gain. This shows that we have installed some plays in the event we actually do use the zone read in the regular offense. With this in mind, we've probably installed some other triple option shotgun looks where we use wide receiver motion to create a counter option play.
On the other hand, to setup all these big plays in the zone read it would mean letting Sims take the reins of the offense for a series or more. When we have a quarterback with 4 years of experience in the offense ahead of Sims, it is hard to argue that we couldn't just make the same big plays with McCarron handing it off and complementing it with his slick play action fake. I think the extensive use of Sims has been more about a fallback plan in the event McCarron gets injured. They may feel Ely is still a work in progress and Sims' additional constraints on the defense defending the handoff may be better for the offensive flow than what Ely can provide today as a play action passer. They've probably just spent more time preparing a package for Sims because McCarron is already very experienced in the offense and doesn't need all the practice snaps which gives a better insurance policy if the experienced guy goes down.
I don't know if we're preparing to make use of him as a zone read QB in big games or not but I kind of doubt it. I could be wrong but here is my logic: the zone read offense is a lot like the wishbone triple option. In the triple option offense, you will call a dozen interior handoffs and QB follows to setup the one big lateral to pop off the perimeter. Running an effective wishbone offense required dedication and commitment to the offense's series of plays and their setup. Similarly, the zone read requires commitment - a large number of plays - to become a factor for big plays.
On one hand we did show some interesting wrinkles already with Sims at quarterback. It appears that early in Sims time at quarterback against Arkansas we attempted the modified triple option look that Meyer/Mullens/RichRod popularized where the slot receiver becomes the third pitchman option. The play was either poorly blocked or Arkansas was simply on top of the play before it happened, but it certainly appeared that we were setting up an opportunity for Sims to pitch it off to a receiver for a big gain. This shows that we have installed some plays in the event we actually do use the zone read in the regular offense. With this in mind, we've probably installed some other triple option shotgun looks where we use wide receiver motion to create a counter option play.
On the other hand, to setup all these big plays in the zone read it would mean letting Sims take the reins of the offense for a series or more. When we have a quarterback with 4 years of experience in the offense ahead of Sims, it is hard to argue that we couldn't just make the same big plays with McCarron handing it off and complementing it with his slick play action fake. I think the extensive use of Sims has been more about a fallback plan in the event McCarron gets injured. They may feel Ely is still a work in progress and Sims' additional constraints on the defense defending the handoff may be better for the offensive flow than what Ely can provide today as a play action passer. They've probably just spent more time preparing a package for Sims because McCarron is already very experienced in the offense and doesn't need all the practice snaps which gives a better insurance policy if the experienced guy goes down.
There was more to it. Before spring training, Major went into Saban's office and demanded that he be named sole - rather than co - OC. That made it easy for Saban...
