Limegrover is not good

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That was totally on Limegrover. He didn't tell Gray to use two hands when he tries to catch the ball.
 



FireCosgroveGuy said:
Terrible play calls, ultra conservative in every game, won't throw the ball, etc. How do you call a slow-developing run play on 3rd and 1 when the D is going to send everyone? I always hate it when coaches do that.
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Limegrover needs to be less predictable and a little more imaginative. But Nelson was off and we couldn't run...
 


This chestnut has already been cooked. I like Limegrover. Quit messing with him.
 

You should really update your name to firelimgrover guy. It's unique to have it out for certain coordinators.
 

The problem is Limegrover is running the same offense he's run at other schools with bad personnel. He is trying to establish a heavy run offense with an average offensive line and a running back that lacks any acceleration through the hole.

We need those two pieces in place before we can really judge how good or bad Limegrover is. It is most likely Jerry that is telling him to stick with the same offense.
 

I hate Limegrover's play calling. Seems like he was trying to protect Nelson by running the ball so much - but it backfired because Nelson had to throw on third and long, instead of 1st and ten or second and five. What happened to the aggressiveness of last week? I think the kids came to play today but were badly outcoached.
 



I certainly didn't like everything we saw today with the play calling. I will say, though, I did like seeing the two RBs in the game at the same time once in awhile.
 

lakesgopher said:
Defense played pretty good, can't expect the defense to pitch shut outs. Offense needs to score
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As usual, people here after a loss are more interested in venting than they are in seeing and discussing the improvement that is being made.
 

I can't wait to read what Souhan has to say. He probably saw this performance coming weeks ago...
 




He is still terrible.

Run up the middle for 0 yards.
QB draw for 1 yard.
Bubble screen for 0 yards.
Deep pass.

You have reached the end of the playbook.
 

Limegrover has next to nothing to work with. Give him 2 more years or don't, he isn't going anywhere.
 

kellyleeks said:
Limegrover has next to nothing to work with. Give him 2 more years or don't, he isn't going anywhere.
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Agreed. Not many people were complaining at NIU when Limegrover's offense had them ranked in the top 25 nationally. I understand that the "young" thing is overplayed, but it's so obviously true on offense. The O-line was filled with Fresh and Soph players (many of them backups) getting physically dominated week in and week out. We started a true Freshman at QB. True Froshman and Soph RB's. True Freshman TE. Our WR's were primarily Freshman and Sophs or others who had never (or barely) stepped on the on the field until this year. It's painful to watch right now, but give it some time. I'd bet almost anything you'll see marked improvement even by the bowl game.
 

It is fair to question the play calling at this point. I would be interested to know what our run/pass play selection by down has been this year. I do think we'll see improvement next year, but it is extremely frustrating to watch ineffective plays be used again and again.

Until the O-line play improves, when we face Michigan, Michigan St., Nebraska, etc., we have to accept that their D-line is likely to have better athletes. That's OK, but running 3rd or 4th and short from the shotgun or pistol formation against these lines doesn't work. We saw that a lot this year and the results showed as much. I'm hoping we'll see better short yardage results in the near future.

Go Gophers!
 

MGGopher said:
Agreed. Not many people were complaining at NIU when Limegrover's offense had them ranked in the top 25 nationally.
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Actually that's not true. Go to a NIU board sometime and ask them what they thought of Limegrover's playcalling. They loved Claeys and the defense, but the offense not so much. Don't have a dog in this fight, just trying to be accurate.
 

I have no idea yet how good Limegrover is, but his playcalling has had nothing to do with the outcomes of most of our losses this year. When you can't run the ball for two yards and receivers can't get any separation, there aren't a lot of options.

One thing that is unique about him is that he is both the O-line coach and the Offensive coordinator. It's possible this is too much for one guy with all of the teaching that our young O-line needs, so maybe it's time to get him some help.
 

Funny how idiots keep bringing this thread back after a loss.
 


I think we're all rooting for Limegrover to be proven an outstanding playcaller, but one of the reasons our RBs aren't able to pick up two yards on a 3rd and short is that we've, on many occasions, tried to go up the middle from the pistol or shotgun formation on a high-probability running down. The D is playing run and we're handing the ball off deep in the backfield. Against superior D-lines, that doesn't work.
 

Nelson was 10 of 23 for 61 with three interceptions and the problem is play calling?

If we had just 'tricked' the MSU defense better with creative play calls it would have offset their athletic superiority & experience vs. our youth and inability to execute.
 

SamSquatch said:
I think we're all rooting for Limegrover to be proven an outstanding playcaller, but one of the reasons our RBs aren't able to pick up two yards on a 3rd and short is that we've, on many occasions, tried to go up the middle from the pistol or shotgun formation on a high-probability running down. The D is playing run and we're handing the ball off deep in the backfield. Against superior D-lines, that doesn't work.
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Did you watch the game? How many "3rd and shorts" did we have? I can remember 1-2. We were getting stopped consistently on
1st and 10.
 

badgergopher said:
Nelson was 10 of 23 for 61 with three interceptions and the problem is play calling?

If we had just 'tricked' the MSU defense better with creative play calls it would have offset their athletic superiority & experience vs. our youth and inability to execute.
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Limegrover tried to open things up after a fews series of 2nd and 9's. Unfortunately most of the time receivers weren't creating any space. When they did Nelson couldn't hit them. Except for 2 or 3 games that's been the problem all year. The much injured Offensive Line play has been pretty bad for the Running Game. That same O.L. hasn't deserved all the criticism it's gotten around here for it's role in the lousy Passing Game. QBs for the most part, often had time to throw and Receivers had time to get open.
 

I did. A few. Primarily I am thinking of one in the first quarter that was 3rd and one from this formation. It was really an issue in the Michigan game.

We are getting stopped consistently on 1st, you're right. That isn't exactly a ringing endorsement of Limegrover's play calling either. I am a Gopher fan and hope this regime is the answer. We have personnel limitations, that is true too. I only point this out because I think Kirkwood or Cobb are strong enough runners to pick those yards up if you get the QB under center and get the RB going north and south immediately. That's my playcalling issue. When you struggle on offense the way we have, those missed opportunities are big.
 

Lets hope the nagging injuries heal over the next month and Limegrover can dial something up for the bowl game. No use being conservative when we could potentially be playing an offense like WVU.
 

Gopherprof said:
Actually that's not true. Go to a NIU board sometime and ask them what they thought of Limegrover's playcalling. They loved Claeys and the defense, but the offense not so much. Don't have a dog in this fight, just trying to be accurate.
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I appreciate that point of view and can't dispute it since I haven't spent much time on the NIU message boards. It's surprising though, considering the fact that under Limegrover, the NIU offense achieved the following national ranks in scoring starting with the 2008 season: 76, 54, 12 (the year before the staff came aboard, they were in the 90's). Also, their national rushing ranks in those three years were: 36, 19, 7. All those "runs up the middle" must have been working a little better over there.

I guess my overarching point was that Limegrover obviously knows how to run an offense and has done it well at other schools. It was downright ugly here for much of the season--I won't argue with that. But I will argue with the belief that he's somehow an incompetent coordinator. He's obviously not elite, but he's not inept.
 



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