Limegrover Criticisms Revisited

Governor Sibley

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Nobody has been harder on Limegrover than me. From day one I've been negative.

But he's done something interesting over the course of this year. He decided to cut his losses and find a style that fit his players.

The result is an offense that now revolves almost entirely around the read-option. It's worked pretty well and has set up everything else that's worked well.

Credit to Limegrover.

Of course, I repeatedly asked him to install the read-option three years ago.

:D
 

Offense is doing just enough. We still are so short at receiver it's hard to believe every team doesn't put 10 guys in the box. Limegrover isn't going anywhere, so let's hope he can continue to adapt as the talent changes.
 

I don't necessarily see the play calling being drastically different than when everyone was questioning him (for the record, i wasn't one of this people). We've established the jet sweep, but we've been doing the read option since Marqueis Gray. I just see better execution.
 

Limegrover had a basic problem: how to create some indecision with Cobb in the backfield knowing that you can't throw the ball.

His answer: create indecision around Cobb even when it looks like he's getting the ball.

This only works if pulling the ball is productive. Mitch has done a good job with that for the most part.

It's hard. Why? Because Mitch has to think hard on running plays too! It asks a ton of a QB to be that plugged-in on every single snap.
 

Or are all the young players growing into his system? I trust the coaches Limegrover included.
 



I really like how the offense has looked the last few week, barring a few things. Liedner can be frustratingly inaccurate and Limey calls that QB iso/ draw that makes me want to pull my hair out.
 

I think the biggest thing we are seeing now is the OL just continues to get better.
 

I really like how the offense has looked the last few week, barring a few things. Liedner can be frustratingly inaccurate and Limey calls that QB iso/ draw that makes me want to pull my hair out.

The one that was called early on was a great call. Leidner just got tripped up. It was wide open, I don't think NE had more than five guys in the box on that play.
 




I heard him during the postgame and I am really pulling for him. He was great during the interview.
 






Limegrover is fine as an OC. It is clear that he is getting the most out of what he has to work with. He's making calls based on what his QB can do, and not what we wish our QB could do. It can be quite frustrating at times, but you should direct your frustration and ire at the people under center and the coaching staff for recruiting and developing the people under center. Don't blame the play calling.
 

Play-calling has become much more dynamic over the past 3 1/2 games. A lot more fakes, a lot less trying to just smash it down the opponents' throat (e.g., @ Illinois first half). This is opening stuff up that wasn't there before.

Three keys, IMO, that have gone along with that: (1) Limegrover now seems to trust Leidner on rollouts and on deep balls off of play actions. Those plays were called much less often earlier this year. (2) Leidner is running the ball much more often. I think Leidner becoming much healthier has a lot to do with this. (3) He's actually calling the jet sweep as opposed to only using it as a decoy. And he's also using a better option (Maye, vice Fruechte).
 




Limegrover is fine as an OC. It is clear that he is getting the most out of what he has to work with. He's making calls based on what his QB can do, and not what we wish our QB could do. It can be quite frustrating at times, but you should direct your frustration and ire at the people under center and the coaching staff for recruiting and developing the people under center. Don't blame the play calling.

+1

Mitch is leading this team to a truly memorable season and he's making plays to win games but I still don't think he's the style of QB that THIS offense really needs to thrive. Who that next guy is that will take them to another level, I don't know. He's really making some serious progress as a QB though. He's throwing the ball away when necessary more often and he's improving on the read option, so there is hope since he's still a SOPH.

What an amazing season so far though.
 

Play-calling has become much more dynamic over the past 3 1/2 games. A lot more fakes, a lot less trying to just smash it down the opponents' throat (e.g., @ Illinois first half). This is opening stuff up that wasn't there before.

Three keys, IMO, that have gone along with that: (1) Limegrover now seems to trust Leidner on rollouts and on deep balls off of play actions. Those plays were called much less often earlier this year. (2) Leidner is running the ball much more often. I think Leidner becoming much healthier has a lot to do with this. (3) He's actually calling the jet sweep as opposed to only using it as a decoy. And he's also using a better option (Maye, vice Fruechte).

I think it is predicated on the mastery of the basics. I think Limegrover and Co force players to excel on a package before installing the next. i think we all kind of know that, the difference being limegrover, is pays far more attention to detail than we do. Thus, when us fans with less discipline think they perfected something, we get frustrated and blame the coach. He sticks with it and the season progresses and we see more and more installed.

I'm thinking they are extremely disciplined to the long term program growth. Each game is meaningless under such a perspective. Eventually by focusing on process, one ends up statistically giving themselves a superior chance of winning a greater number of games.

We all just need more patience. Otherwise, we'll complain next year about the lack of progress and creativity. All the while, forgetting to enjoy the winning that is occurring during such early learning phases. Basically, the coaches think about seasons the way most of think about games. They're building institutional knowledge. Eventually, when upperclassman are teaching the finer points within games, we'll see more creativity. However, we need time still before those long term competencies can be strengths we assume year in and year out.
 

Play-calling has become much more dynamic over the past 3 1/2 games. A lot more fakes, a lot less trying to just smash it down the opponents' throat (e.g., @ Illinois first half). This is opening stuff up that wasn't there before.

Three keys, IMO, that have gone along with that: (1) Limegrover now seems to trust Leidner on rollouts and on deep balls off of play actions. Those plays were called much less often earlier this year. (2) Leidner is running the ball much more often. I think Leidner becoming much healthier has a lot to do with this. (3) He's actually calling the jet sweep as opposed to only using it as a decoy. And he's also using a better option (Maye, vice Fruechte).

Ya, he started to listen to guys like you who really know the game and pointed things out to him. Couldn't be players maturing into the system enough so he can open things up more. Can't believe anyone who saw Northern Illinois cut us up when Kill was there and Brew was here doubts the guy knows how to coach.
 

Credit to Studwell (who once told me where I could stick it) for starting this thread. I too have not been enamored with the offense. But they truly are making the most of what they have. Good post.
 

The play call on 4th and 1 was incredible. That was called and executed beautifully.
 

They are running the QB more because they have to. I agree that they are doing it to balance the running games. Teams are doubling Maxx so we now are getting the FB and others involved with some jet sweep. WR is is are weakness, but Limegrover finds a way by, when throwing to them, going for the home run. Fun to watch the team grow each week.
 

This isn't rocket science.

They weren't threatening to run Leidner early in the season.

Now they are. And they found a way to do that with some indecision/misdirection.

There's nothing novel about our tactics. It's how highly coachable, ground-based football teams with little talent try to score.

At the risk of sounding like a d*ck, I was begging them to run some option for years.

Why don't teams do it? Because it take a lot of time to install and practice. You have to commit to it.
 



I really like how we are using the FB more in the last few games. Miles Thomas has progressed nicely. One thing I don't understand is why we rarely run screen passes?

On a side note, I think today's uniform combo is our best road version.
 

Offense is doing just enough. We still are so short at receiver it's hard to believe every team doesn't put 10 guys in the box. Limegrover isn't going anywhere, so let's hope he can continue to adapt as the talent changes.

That's why I think next year when we get the WR's we Redshirted this year on the field, our WR core will be pretty darn good, or at least a step up from this year.
 




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