The View from Birmingham

[tjtlja]

UAB is going to be a tough game. We need to execute better offensively. Run for 200 and keep whoever QB’s upright.

[waverider]

I’d love to run for 200 but we don’t have to in order to win.

[wavedom]

This should not be a tough game. They are a bad team. We should win and cover.

[WaveProf]

I’d love to run for 200 but we don’t have to in order to win.

Heck, against UAB, we don't *have* to run for 100 to win (though if we don't run for 100 we *may* not win).

That said, our running game needs to improve. But we were all saying something similar to this at this point last year....... (but last year we had Spears about to be healthier)

[waverider]

I’d love to run for 200 but we don’t have to in order to win.

Heck, against UAB, we don't *have* to run for 100 to win (though if we don't run for 100 we *may* not win).

A lot of that depends on Pratt’s health. If he’s healthy we don’t necessarily have to rush for 100yds to win any game, but at the same time, if he is throwing it around with ease, it will open us to running for 100+.

[WaveProf]

Re-Winding Trent Dilfer's Weekly Press Conference (From AL dot com)

https://www.al.com/uab/2023/09/rewindin ... edule.html

[PeteRasche]

I’d love to run for 200 but we don’t have to in order to win.

Heck, against UAB, we don't *have* to run for 100 to win (though if we don't run for 100 we *may* not win).

A lot of that depends on Pratt’s health. If he’s healthy we don’t necessarily have to rush for 100yds to win any game, but at the same time, if he is throwing it around with ease, it will open us to running for 100+.

"Throwing it around with ease" will depend a lot on our OL performance. That is very much TBD. If our OL handles their rush - and I'm sure they'll bring it every play - we'll kill them. But I'm not super confident about our OL after the Nicholls game. Likewise, I'm not confident in our playcalling when the OL isn't winning, because for some reason we seem really hesitant to throw quick slants or dumps/screens to RBs. We can't keep trying to throw deep balls if Pratt has 3 seconds before he tucks and runs (or gets sacked).

[1401973]

Likewise, I'm not confident in our playcalling when the OL isn't winning, because for some reason we seem really hesitant to throw quick slants or dumps/screens to RBs. We can't keep trying to throw deep balls if Pratt has 3 seconds before he tucks and runs (or gets sacked).

It really is puzzling and frustrating.
We have a crazy number of playmakers on O (including RBs) but stubbornly underutilize them.
I watched the key plays of 40 to 50 games last Sat and it was jarring to see the difference in styles v TU’s O.
Again I ask: why bring Louis in if you’re not going to use him properly?

[DCGreenie]

"because for some reason we seem really hesitant to throw quick slants or dumps/screens to RBs." Right again -- and we did throw them in 2022, so why not now? RBs, okay, we have newbies or semi-newbies, so maybe they don't have glue on their fingers. But why not to the tested players from last year?

[DCGreenie]

I think a lot of us are starting to get on Slade Nagle's case.

[DCGreenie]

But I left out a conundrum: how much is Fritz doing any checkdowns on any of Nagle's calls? Dunno.....

[Poseidon]

But I left out a conundrum: how much is Fritz doing any checkdowns on any of Nagle's calls? Dunno.....

I would take a confident guess at none. CWF is a defensive guy.

[waverider]

I’d love to run for 200 but we don’t have to in order to win.

Heck, against UAB, we don't *have* to run for 100 to win (though if we don't run for 100 we *may* not win).

A lot of that depends on Pratt’s health. If he’s healthy we don’t necessarily have to rush for 100yds to win any game, but at the same time, if he is throwing it around with ease, it will open us to running for 100+.

"Throwing it around with ease" will depend a lot on our OL performance. That is very much TBD. If our OL handles their rush - and I'm sure they'll bring it every play - we'll kill them. But I'm not super confident about our OL after the Nicholls game. Likewise, I'm not confident in our playcalling when the OL isn't winning, because for some reason we seem really hesitant to throw quick slants or dumps/screens to RBs. We can't keep trying to throw deep balls if Pratt has 3 seconds before he tucks and runs (or gets sacked).

We didn’t trade in the OL we had for the USA and Ole Miss games, but they are still the weakest link and part of the play calling may be a product of that.

[nolasilver]

I’ll keep telling myself we are saving The quick slants, and screens to play lakers and Shedro in space for Memphis . . . But if I was a betting man i don’t think that’s the case.

[WaveProf]

I’ll keep telling myself we are saving The quick slants, and screens to play lakers and Shedro in space for Memphis . . . But if I was a betting man i don’t think that’s the case.

All of this. It's the one possibility, but it's a remote possibility IMO

[tjtlja]

[quote=1401973 post_id=871270 time=1695741886 user_id=1668]
[quote=PeteRasche post_id=871267 time=1695741186 user_id=749]
Likewise, I'm not confident in our playcalling when the OL isn't winning, because for some reason we seem really hesitant to throw quick slants or dumps/screens to RBs. We can't keep trying to throw deep balls if Pratt has 3 seconds before he tucks and runs (or gets sacked).
[/quote]

It really is puzzling and frustrating.
We have a crazy number of playmakers on O (including RBs) but stubbornly underutilize them.
I watched the key plays of 40 to 50 games last Sat and it was jarring to see the difference in styles v TU’s O.
Again I ask: why bring Louis in if you’re not going to use him properly?
[/quote]

Y. Brown, R. Brown, & Barnes deserve more touches. May be time to start Tuggle over Wire.

[OGSB]

It wouldn’t surprise me if the coaches took the opportunity in the early part of the season to call plays they know we need work on. Especially since the last few years we seem to start slow on offense.

[Marathon Wave]

I don't think we're saving anything. Every team has all of these plays we're talking about and I've seen them call those plays every week for the last 4 weeks. None of them are what you would call a surprise play. It's time to try to score every single time we get the ball no matter who our opponent is. It just appears to me that some of the play calling isn't designed to do that.

[DCGreenie]

Likewise, I'm not confident in our playcalling when the OL isn't winning, because for some reason we seem really hesitant to throw quick slants or dumps/screens to RBs. We can't keep trying to throw deep balls if Pratt has 3 seconds before he tucks and runs (or gets sacked).

It really is puzzling and frustrating.
We have a crazy number of playmakers on O (including RBs) but stubbornly underutilize them.
I watched the key plays of 40 to 50 games last Sat and it was jarring to see the difference in styles v TU’s O.
Again I ask: why bring Louis in if you’re not going to use him properly?

Y. Brown, R. Brown, & Barnes deserve more touches. May be time to start Tuggle over Wire.

THIS

[DCGreenie]

Instead of rent-a-win, they have become plug-and-play.

Oooooooooooo, good one......

[waverider]

I’ll keep telling myself we are saving The quick slants, and screens to play lakers and Shedro in space for Memphis . . . But if I was a betting man i don’t think that’s the case.

All of this. It's the one possibility, but it's a remote possibility IMO

It is plausible in that it’s our toughest conference game and winning it will go a long way.

Also have to ask if Pratt hadn’t gotten hurt, would we be seeing more of the playbook which was noticeably trimmed down when he was out.

[nolasilver]

Instead of rent-a-win, they have become plug-and-play.

Oooooooooooo, good one......

If this is a usb tech joke. . . I’m here for it

[OGSB]

‘Gave it away with foolishness’: Costly mistakes continue to ground Blazers in loss at Tulane