Anatomy of a Punt Block

[Jeremy]

Same with the QB recruiting under Riley.  Looking for totally different skill sets.

Oh yeah, I forgot about Tanner Farmer and O'Brien. If we're going away from mobile QBs, our running game will need to improve, because we'll definitely need play action to get people open. I've been pretty clear on where I want the offense to go, but if we could get a game-manager like McNamara, we could at least sustain multiple drives a game. That would do wonders overall.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Oh yeah, I forgot about Tanner Farmer and O'Brien. If we're going away from mobile QBs, our running game will need to improve, because we'll definitely need play action to get people open. I've been pretty clear on where I want the offense to go, but if we could get a game-manager like McNamara, we could at least sustain multiple drives a game. That would do wonders overall.

The RB running game needs to improve regardless, just to take less pressure off the QB run game.  However, a "successful" run game isn't necessarily required for play action pass to work.  I point out the NU-Wisconsin game this year.  NU didn't even run for 3 yards a carry, but the play action pass game was huge because Wisconsin's LB's were so focused on stopping the run.

 

[Jason Sitoke]

Per the Redditor who wrote that, this was the third time (at least) that we've done this in 2021. 

The secondary point about why we use directional coverage when our punt direction is a wild card is baffling. 

 

[Undone]

Oh yeah, I forgot about Tanner Farmer and O'Brien. If we're going away from mobile QBs, our running game will need to improve, because we'll definitely need play action to get people open. I've been pretty clear on where I want the offense to go, but if we could get a game-manager like McNamara, we could at least sustain multiple drives a game. That would do wonders overall.

Yes, you got it with the bold.

And fans tend to think that just looking at one half of the Iowa game translates into us being able to run 10-15 option plays with Smothers through the gamut of the B1G schedule next year. I disagree with this; I don't think his body could take it.

And then if he gets hurt, if Haarberg is QB2, he's not the same kind of option guy.

Smothers is a very, very serviceable backup QB. But I don't think he helps this offense maximize its potential for scoring points next season.

When you look at what UCF did in 2017, Milton was not running as much as Martinez did. And they still ran it 55% of the time. This means their RBs were doing most of the running. This is the direction I think we should go.

I also think a lot of this is dependent on what Martinez's status is and where his shoulder is really at.

 

[Undone]

And, I have no desire to go back to that type of scheme.

Which one?

The scheme we ran with Ganz was incredible, IMO. But I'm not sure which one you're talking about.

 

[The Dude]

By the way, @Cdog923, I think you were one of the only people calling for 4-8 prior to the season. Or maybe I'm remembering that wrong? If it was you, you were more right than just about anybody else on the board.   

I remember being taken aback by how many feathers my 5-7 prediction ruffled.  I was accused of being pessimistic.   Turns out I was being overly optimistic.  :lol:

 

[Undone]

I remember being taken aback by how many feathers my 5-7 prediction ruffled.  I was accused of being pessimistic.   Turns out I was being overly optimistic.  :lol:

Your skepticism was also well-documented, Dude.

 

[JJ Husker]

Just as a punter, you would think Przystup would see that his protection was wrong..

This^^^^
Okay, our special teams suck and the coaching sucks but a left footed punter doesn’t notice his protection is for the right footed Cerni? W. T. A. F. He has absolutely only two things to do out there. Confirm the alignment (his protection) and kick the frikken ball. This crap shouldn’t happen in a HS game nevermind D1 college ball.

Sorry but there should’ve been at least one more guy fired along with the other 4.

 

[Decoy73]

Optimism is great, but there are quite a few moving parts in this scenario.  After 4 years, the building blocks should already be in place (personnel, game management, etc.).  If we are counting on a number of external factors that are not even part of the program today to deliver the type of season you are describing, then that is a very tall order indeed.

If fixing the program 4 years ago was akin to climbing Mount Everest, than the scenario above would be akin to scaling Mount Olympus.  Coach "Zeus" aka Frost might need a lightning bolt or two to pull that off.

A year from now, we may very well be saying you were right, but doesn't your stance hinge on HCSF being either too bullheaded to or mentally incapable of becoming a better coach while working on his shortcomings?

I'll present the argument that he was, to most everyone's surprise (including me) not close to a complete coach worthy of a P5 job in 2018.  Fast forward to today, and while many deficiencies still exist, Scott has improved in some areas--although not as quickly as we could have hoped.  He's still not near the top of the B1G as far a coaching goes, but with his steady, albeit slow, Improvement, why can't this work for him?

You seem pretty certain it will not work.  Which I can only conclude that you either know him well enough to say he literally is in over his head, or for whatever reason you just don't like him as a person.  I hate to assume your reasons and maybe I'm wrong on both counts, but help me out a little here.

 

[All Hail Herbie]

A year from now, we may very well be saying you were right, but doesn't your stance hinge on HCSF being either too bullheaded to or mentally incapable of becoming a better coach while working on his shortcomings?

I'll present the argument that he was, to most everyone's surprise (including me) not close to a complete coach worthy of a P5 job in 2018.  Fast forward to today, and while many deficiencies still exist, Scott has improved in some areas--although not as quickly as we could have hoped.  He's still not near the top of the B1G as far a coaching goes, but with his steady, albeit slow, Improvement, why can't this work for him?

You seem pretty certain it will not work.  Which I can only conclude that you either know him well enough to say he literally is in over his head, or for whatever reason you just don't like him as a person.  I hate to assume your reasons and maybe I'm wrong on both counts, but help me out a little here.

Being right is not my objective, getting it right is.  In the universe of collegiate athletics, it is very rare air for the coach of a major program to oversee sustained failure for 4 years and then through an epiphany, alter course, and find sustained success.  The closest example of this would be the legendary Mike Krzyzewski at Duke.  Even in this instance however, following an above 0.500 first year followed by two losing seasons, Krzyzewski showed dramatic gains in the 1983 - 84 season (his fourth) going 24-10.  We know the rest of this legendary story.  We are entering Year 5...

My comments on our esteemed Coach are not pejorative, they are pragmatic.  He is extremely confident in what he is doing and is not willing to alter that approach.  His one successful season at UCF and his time at Oregon have convinced him of that.  If he actually had an open mind to a new approach, that would have been manifested in his approach in Year 2 or 3.  We are beyond that now.  

I actually believe he could be a successful head coach again, but not at the Power 5 level.  AAC or the Mountain West would welcome his talents.  Very few get the opportunity to be head coaches, and even fewer are successful.  Therefore, why not have him take his talents to a league more befitting his skillset.  Again, I wish him nothing but success following his departure and thank him for his effort.  

 

[melscott62]

Hire a ST coordinator.  Have Frost/ST coach/grad assistants handle the QB's.  Hire a QB special assistant that handles the QB's in the film room and off the field.  This isn't that hard and IMO is fireable offense.  If I was this incompetent at my job I would be fired, sued for malpractice and likely going to prison.  and I'm a pro frost guy...... but come on.

 

[Undone]

He is extremely confident in what he is doing and is not willing to alter that approach.  His one successful season at UCF and his time at Oregon have convinced him of that.  If he actually had an open mind to a new approach, that would have been manifested in his approach in Year 2 or 3.  We are beyond that now. 

I have had many of the same thoughts you're putting out there about Frost also.

We know he's been stubborn and possibly overconfident about doing things his way thus far. But here are two possible things that will actually trump those tendencies he's shown to-date:

1. Alberts recognized these patterns and let Scott know that if he doesn't change them - starting next year - he's gone.

2. Osborne and/or other trusted mentors have pointed it out to him, or maybe he came to it on his own, and decided that his dream of leading the program "back" outweighed his own pride.

It's too soon to say that Scott Frost is completely incapable of being a decent Power 5 head coach. Way too early, IMO. 

Hopefully he's recognizing that the only reason he's not getting fired this week is because of who he is as a former player here. I do think the real litmus test of where his head and his humility is at this offseason is what steps he takes on fixing special teams.

 

[Decoy73]

Hire a ST coordinator.  Have Frost/ST coach/grad assistants handle the QB's.  Hire a QB special assistant that handles the QB's in the film room and off the field.  This isn't that hard and IMO is fireable offense.  If I was this incompetent at my job I would be fired, sued for malpractice and likely going to prison.  and I'm a pro frost guy...... but come on.

I agree.  I'm also am mostly pro Frost, but that's waning.  His neglect of special teams is why.  I simply don't get it.

 

[Farms]

The secondary point about why we use directional coverage when our punt direction is a wild card is baffling. 

Exactly… We’re lucky if Pryzstup gets it clean off his foot as it is, surely they can recognize this. And rotating between a right footed rugby style punter and a left footed traditional style punter every other punt is stupid as well. 

 

[All Hail Herbie]

I have had many of the same thoughts you're putting out there about Frost also.

We know he's been stubborn and possibly overconfident about doing things his way thus far. But here are two possible things that will actually trump those tendencies he's shown to-date:

1. Alberts recognized these patterns and let Scott know that if he doesn't change them - starting next year - he's gone.

2. Osborne and/or other trusted mentors have pointed it out to him, or maybe he came to it on his own, and decided that his dream of leading the program "back" outweighed his own pride.

It's too soon to say that Scott Frost is completely incapable of being a decent Power 5 head coach. Way too early, IMO. 

Hopefully he's recognizing that the only reason he's not getting fired this week is because of who he is as a former player here. I do think the real litmus test of where his head and his humility is at this offseason is what steps he takes on fixing special teams.

One can only hope that he will be receptive to mentoring.  The comment that struck me was the one where our HC said that AD Alberts suggested more of a CEO role in being a HC.  That there was a need for him to step back from offensive tactics and manage the whole team.  Moreover, AD Alberts suggested that the Coach should also spend more time engaging with the fan base.

Coach Frost almost sounded resigned when discussing this possibility.  It was almost a tacit acceptance that Alberts was right, but that he was internally resisting giving up control of the offensive tactics.  

Here is what I believe, we are in good hands with this Athletic Director and no matter the result with this existing staff, we will be in a much better position either way next November.