A minor beef

Donate To GopherHole
CWCWCW

CWCWCW

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 20, 2008
Messages
1,585
Reaction score
156
Points
63
Our offense is in shotgun formation for most of the game. I'm okay with that, but I dislike it when our team is close to either goal line.
I get nervous as Gray barks out the signals. I wonder if he'll get bonked in the head with an errant snap as he's looking away. Will he get butterfingers and cause a botched play. Will the snap sail over his head?
In other words, I'd prefer he lines up underneath the center and gets a traditional handoff.
What's the argument for the shotgun in these situations? Does it open the playbook?
 

You won't see this with Kill's offense. The pro style like USC, Stanford, Wisconsin will run under center.
 

The argument is that since the practice time is almost entirely devoted to practicing shotgun plays they will be more effective.

I would like us to spread defenses out more at the goal line, but I have no problem being in the gun. Its our identity.
 

I think the arguement is that when you have a running QB, it's easier for them to survey the field out of the gun, if the play's a run/pass option. If it's a 3rd or 4th and inches situation, they'll have Gray under the center. Bad snaps can happen on any play, in any formation. Ask Phillip Rivers.
 

CWCWCW said:
Our offense is in shotgun formation for most of the game. I'm okay with that, but I dislike it when our team is close to either goal line.
I get nervous as Gray barks out the signals. I wonder if he'll get bonked in the head with an errant snap as he's looking away. Will he get butterfingers and cause a botched play. Will the snap sail over his head?
In other words, I'd prefer he lines up underneath the center and gets a traditional handoff.
What's the argument for the shotgun in these situations? Does it open the playbook?
Click to expand...

With less then 1 yd to go i would like to see QB sneak (given that our run game is still inconsistent).
 


I have been shocked my the lack of "sneaking" gray with his size and speed. A couple of really short key plays they have had Gray back in the shotgun, but hey, it worked for the 4th down TD so I'm not gunna complain.
 

Curseislifted33 said:
I have been shocked my the lack of "sneaking" gray with his size and speed. A couple of really short key plays they have had Gray back in the shotgun, but hey, it worked for the 4th down TD so I'm not gunna complain.
Click to expand...

I guarantee if we would've lost that game, many people (myself included) would've been screaming about that play on 2nd and goal from the 1-foot line. Put Gray under center and sneak! Keep It Simple Stupid! Instead, Iowa has time to push our line back and we lose 2 yards. You can't lose yardage on a sneak. Even if there's no gain, try it again on 3rd down and you'll make it. Don't tell me we can't get a foot with a big, athletic QB on 2 sneaks. We were pretty mad in my row on that 2nd & goal. It all worked out on 4th down, so we forgot about it, but the lack of sneaking on 3rd or 4th & 1 or less is mind boggling to me.
 

There is nothing wrong with being in the shotgun in those situations. Maybe soon we will be going with more pistol then shotgun.
 

Doesn't matter what anybody wants, it is what the staff wants, and that is their O. Get over it.
 



Sorry to side-track.

What offense do we run? (Not a loaded question.. I just have no idea)
 

zambam said:
There is nothing wrong with being in the shotgun in those situations. Maybe soon we will be going with more pistol then shotgun.
Click to expand...
I think they were in the pistol when Bennett scored on his short run, but I've been mistaken before.
 

Rosemountian said:
The argument is that since the practice time is almost entirely devoted to practicing shotgun plays they will be more effective.

I would like us to spread defenses out more at the goal line, but I have no problem being in the gun. Its our identity.
Click to expand...

Rose-

Could not agree more on spreading out the D at the goal line. I also drives me insane when the local team in purple sends in 3 TE's and fullback in short yardage situations. When you have an OL that is struggling, why load the box with more players? Spread them out and give yourself options.
 

BarnBoy said:
Sorry to side-track.

What offense do we run? (Not a loaded question.. I just have no idea)
Click to expand...

The offense is a hybrid. We essentially are a team that operates out of the shotgun, with multiple formations and variations. The pistol is just one variation based on the QB being in a shorter shotgun and having one single RB lined up directly behind the QB. Basically we are a spread team that operates on premise of being power running first with tons of wrinkles and variations off of that. It is easier to identify what we are not: pro-style, spread option, spread passing (run'n'shoot).
 



Stan The Caddy said:
The offense is essentially a hybrid. We essentially are a team that operates out of the shotgun, with multiple formations and variations. The pistol is just one variation based on the QB being in a shorter shotgun and having one single RB lined up directly behind the QB. Basically we are a spread team that operates on premise of being power running first with tons of wrinkles and variations off of that. It is easier to identify what we are not: pro-style, spread option, spread passing (run'n'shoot essentially).
Click to expand...

That's a pretty good answer. Obviously, I am not a coach for the University of Minnesota so I don't know exactly what there thoughts are, but I am a local high school coach and I played college football about 5 years ago. I bring that up not to say I am smarter than anyone else, but I think being coached in a certain offense you learn more of the thought behind it.

In college, we ran a spread offense. I think one of the biggest misconceptions of the spread is that it is a passing offense (Mike Leach or Purdue) or only people who are extremely fast can use a spread offense (Florida or Rich Rod WVU teams). We used a spread offense to spread out the defense, by doing so we created natural running lanes. We used the spread as a running offense. I know coaches that love running option out of shotgun because of the angle you are attacking the defensive end and obviously the zone/read play has become the most popular play in most levels.

Just my two cents, take it for what it is worth.
 

BarnBoy said:
Sorry to side-track.

What offense do we run? (Not a loaded question.. I just have no idea)
Click to expand...
To build off of what Stan said...the idea, as I understand it, is to execute the same concepts from different formations and use motion to create mismatches.

MV over at FBT linked to this article as a good way to think about it. (http://smartfootball.com/gameplanni...rage-numbers-and-grass-to-gash-the-opposition) Obviously, this was written about a different team with a different staff, but his point was to get you thinking about the fact that certain concepts seem to be more important in Limegrover's offense then a specific system.

We're also not seeing anything close to this complex now given that it's new. Getting to something this detailed is what Kill suggested he was only able to do starting with his 3rd season at NIU.
 

mnsports1 said:
With less then 1 yd to go i would like to see QB sneak (given that our run game is still inconsistent).
Click to expand...

Yes! On 1st and goal inside the 1 (or 2nd when you know you'd go for it on 4th in Saturday's case) this should be the call every time for the simple reason that you can't lose yards with this call. Especially when you have a 240 lb qb and especially when you have a line that has a tendency to allow penetration even when not on the goal line. There should be no way that you can't pick up 1 foot from 3 qb sneaks however we've all seen 1st/2nd down hand-offs, bootlegs etc. that have led to fgs/turnovers on downs.

You should never take the ball off the goal line when you're that close if you have another shot if the play doesn't get in.

Just my opinion of course. :)
 

Golden Elephant said:
I guarantee if we would've lost that game, many people (myself included) would've been screaming about that play on 2nd and goal from the 1-foot line. Put Gray under center and sneak! Keep It Simple Stupid! Instead, Iowa has time to push our line back and we lose 2 yards. You can't lose yardage on a sneak. Even if there's no gain, try it again on 3rd down and you'll make it. Don't tell me we can't get a foot with a big, athletic QB on 2 sneaks. We were pretty mad in my row on that 2nd & goal. It all worked out on 4th down, so we forgot about it, but the lack of sneaking on 3rd or 4th & 1 or less is mind boggling to me.
Click to expand...

Not putting Gray under center on a qb sneak is crazy.
 



I've cursed the staff for running out of the gun on 4th and short many times this season, but the more I think about it, two good reasons not to jump out at me: 1) In that situation, everyone in the stadium knows what's coming. That isn't to say they'd be able to stop it, but it will definitely help them out, and 2) (and probably more importantly) Gray had problems handling snaps in spring practice, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if the staff decided those problems are still there and it isn't worth the time and effort it would take to fix them.
As much as I hate running for -2 yards 3rd or 4th and short, better that than a fumbled snap and a turnover.
 

I'm just guessing, but I'm pretty sure most of the offense Kill and Limegrover use is shotgun of some sort.
 

RedPoo said:
I've cursed the staff for running out of the gun on 4th and short many times this season, but the more I think about it, two good reasons not to jump out at me: 1) In that situation, everyone in the stadium knows what's coming. That isn't to say they'd be able to stop it, but it will definitely help them out, and 2) (and probably more importantly) Gray had problems handling snaps in spring practice, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if the staff decided those problems are still there and it isn't worth the time and effort it would take to fix them.
As much as I hate running for -2 yards 3rd or 4th and short, better that than a fumbled snap and a turnover.
Click to expand...

I'm going to take the opposite side of that. Everyone has known since the sneak was first used that when the qb is under center, with inches to go, he is most likely going to sneak it. Teams keep using it because it is the best way to get a few inches. Nothing else has proven to be better. Now with Gray...he has had issues with snaps, but the last couple of games has seen Gray have to save a bad snap in the shotgun. He has had to make tough one handed grabs numerous times lately which makes me more worried about that than his own issues under center. My 2 cents.
 

Gophers09 said:
Yes! On 1st and goal inside the 1 (or 2nd when you know you'd go for it on 4th in Saturday's case) this should be the call every time for the simple reason that you can't lose yards with this call. Especially when you have a 240 lb qb and especially when you have a line that has a tendency to allow penetration even when not on the goal line. There should be no way that you can't pick up 1 foot from 3 qb sneaks however we've all seen 1st/2nd down hand-offs, bootlegs etc. that have led to fgs/turnovers on downs.

You should never take the ball off the goal line when you're that close if you have another shot if the play doesn't get in.

Just my opinion of course. :)
Click to expand...


Totally agree!
 

I would have preferred for us to have run a QB sneak during the Iowa game, and I agree with everyone that it is the best play when you need a couple inches. However, when your QB is your best runner, almost every other short yardage play is better with the QB out of the shotgun. A QB is a much better running option out of the shotgun than he is under the center and Gray is our best runner.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
I would have preferred for us to have run a QB sneak during the Iowa game, and I agree with everyone that it is the best play when you need a couple inches. However, when your QB is your best runner, almost every other short yardage play is better with the QB out of the shotgun. A QB is a much better running option out of the shotgun than he is under the center and Gray is our best runner.
Click to expand...

I disagree. I believe teams run more shotgun today because it is the latest trend. go back 20yrs ago when more teams ran pure option football and the QB was under center on every snap.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom