After re-watching the Auburn game- Mullen REALLY messed up

[Coach34]

not going back to the diamond formation when we needed yards in the 4th quarter. We used it in the red zone very effectively when we scored both TD's. We handed to Perk once for a 7 yard gain, and Dak kept once for 7-8 yards.

Matt Wyatt can talk all he wants about not making plays and such- but I still believe it was our lack of not going back to things that had worked earlier in the game. Diamond plays, jet sweeps, screen to RB, reverse to Jameon, etc...

The good thing is that those things can be corrected and there is alot to build on offensively with that.

[PMDawg]

The good thing is that those things can be corrected and there is alot to build on offensively with that.

The bad thing is that we won't.

[CJDAWG85]

Our offensive overall stats are not bad... Those that think the offense sucks need to realize that from a YPG average, we are 60th in Total YPG, 60th PYPG, and 48th RYPG... These aren't terrible and I think they continue to improve as long as Dak is running the show.

[Barking 13]

34 and PM are exactly right...

[Political Hack]

they had 9 in the box and we couldn't complete a pass on 3rd downs. You can't run jet sweeps against nine in the box with a CB in man up trailing the guy taking the handoff.

They adjusted and when we tried to adjust accordingly we didn't execute. You can always question play calling in hindsight. You can do it in every game ever played, but the fact remains if we executed the plays that we're called
we walk out of Auburn with a W.

I don't think you can blame one or the other completely. Both played a role in the loss.

[engie]

Our offensive overall stats are not bad... Those that think the offense sucks need to realize that from a YPG average, we are 60th in Total YPG, 60th PYPG, and 48th RYPG... These aren't terrible and I think they continue to improve as long as Dak is running the show.

That's pretty bad -- and we haven't played what will prove to be a decent defense yet...

[SignalToNoise]

I don't think you can blame one or the other completely. Both played a role in the loss.

This. Right now people are making it a false dichotomy by insisiting it can only be one or the other.

[maroonmania]

they had 9 in the box and we couldn't complete a pass on 3rd downs. You can't run jet sweeps against nine in the box with a CB in man up trailing the guy taking the handoff.

They adjusted and when we tried to adjust accordingly we didn't execute. You can always question play calling in hindsight. You can do it in every game ever played, but the fact remains if we executed the plays that we're called
we walk out of Auburn with a W.

I don't think you can blame one or the other completely. Both played a role in the loss.

Likely accurate, if Jameon hangs onto the 3rd and 13 pass there is a very good chance we win and we aren't talking about any of this stuff. When you lose, especially close games, its always the things you should have done but didn't. My problem is under Mullen it seems to always be what we should have done and it gets a little old. I threw out the stat earlier in the week that we are 1-6 in SEC games decided by 7 points or less under Mullen when KY is not involved and the one win we did get (FL in 2010) we just played to hang on for dear life with our pitiful 10 points and luckily their offense was inept enough that it worked.

[Coach34]

they had 9 in the box and we couldn't complete a pass on 3rd downs. You can't run jet sweeps against nine in the box with a CB in man up trailing the guy taking the handoff.
.

No they didnt, we were running 3-WR sets- so that only leaves 8 players left on D Mr Russell

When they have 8 in the box- you absolutely run jet sweeps and other things to get outside- you damn sure dont run up inside.

And another thing Mr Russell- our WR's were having a tough time vs the press coverage. That has nothing to do with the QB and makes having a throwing QB even more of a liability. In the 1st half on our 1st drive- Auburn pressed us on 3rd down and MoJo ended up falling down and Dak had to throw it away- Bell then missed his FG. The only other time they pressed us in the 1st half- Dak checked to the Speed Option on 3rd down, made the pitch to Perkins for the 1st down.

8 in the box is also another reason to run a reverse-its gets crowded up inside and one good block can seal it off for a huge play vs a D with no deep safety

So aGAIN, our refusal to return to plays that worked earlier in the game in the 4th quarter was a huge problem for us offensively. And it's a common problem for playcallers- believe me, I learned this lesson myself.

[CJDAWG85]

That's pretty bad -- and we haven't played what will prove to be a decent defense yet...

It's not where we should be, but it's not as bad as some are making it out to be. Numbers have improved once Dak took over.

[JohnGalt]

not going back to the diamond formation when we needed yards in the 4th quarter. We used it in the red zone very effectively when we scored both TD's. We handed to Perk once for a 7 yard gain, and Dak kept once for 7-8 yards.

Matt Wyatt can talk all he wants about not making plays and such- but I still believe it was our lack of not going back to things that had worked earlier in the game. Diamond plays, jet sweeps, screen to RB, reverse to Jameon, etc...

The good thing is that those things can be corrected and there is alot to build on offensively with that.


People can circle the wagons around Mullen all they want, but the fact is that sometimes the guy gets too smart by a half.

[HIGHDOG]

young friends - it's traditional to quit doing what "works" @ STATE...waaaaay back there, we ran a wb draw out of our "wing 't'" formation...i never rem it making less than 15 yds...guess what??...tom

[blacklistedbully]

I said last year it was almost as if our coaching staff was calling really stupid plays on offense thinking they were being clever, as in, "There's no way they'll expect us to call this run up the middle now, given that they have stuffed it every time, so we'll catch 'em by surprise this time!".

[Nicky Santoro]

It's not where we should be, but it's not as bad as some are making it out to be. Numbers have improved once Dak took over.

I think we have to throw the Alcorn game out in the stats. But your point is correct - we have improved offensively since Dak took over. Problem is - it's only Dak that's improving.

[archdog]

not going back to the diamond formation when we needed yards in the 4th quarter. We used it in the red zone very effectively when we scored both TD's. We handed to Perk once for a 7 yard gain, and Dak kept once for 7-8 yards.

Matt Wyatt can talk all he wants about not making plays and such- but I still believe it was our lack of not going back to things that had worked earlier in the game. Diamond plays, jet sweeps, screen to RB, reverse to Jameon, etc...

The good thing is that those things can be corrected and there is alot to build on offensively with that.

Finally someone else saying something positive. There is a lot to build on that doesn't require our OL to hold blocks for 4.5 seconds and our WR to have 8 feet separation between them and everyone else.

[WPDawg]

To those who have broken down the film, did we execute perfectly on the 4th quarter play calls? If so, then the strategy used by the coaches did not work. If we did not execute the plays called correctly, then how can we say that the correct play wasnt called?

If the players got tired or tight at the end of the game and execution begin to falter, how is it easy to say that any plays would have worked.

Referencing baseball, if you are calling pitches to set up a batter and your pitcher misses a spot at the wrong time and the batter is successful, did you call the wrong pitch or did the pitcher fail to execute?

Seems like we have a bunch of young kids with good attitudes who are working hard for success. Their leader is Coach Mullen and if any of you have played or coached sports or managed a group of people, you know things go better when everyone is behind the guy in charge. Darned if I know if Mullen is the right guy for the long haul but for right now in the middle of the season, he is the right guy and he doesnt deserve the slams he is getting on these public message boards. When you are not winning consistently, it doesnt take much for some kids to sway to public opinion. Why not be a supporter of the program and save some of your opinions for different non public venues? I swear I wonder if 50% of the posters on here are from another school and here just to keep the program in turmoil.

[Coach 57]

Some people are just to naive to listen to reason. If the defense loads the box, you ABSOLUTELY go with the jet sweeps on the perimeter. I think we are going to see more diamond in the weeks to come. Not only will Dak benefit from it, it's the best way to get ALL these RBs the ball.

[mic]

Play calling the last 8min of the 4th quarter was bad. You have to trust Dak in the air.. 2 words Malcom Johnson
But the one thing that really hurt us was going for 2 after our first score. NO REASON to do that. Just because Gus does it and gets there is no reason to chase points in the first half. If You kick the extra point we are up 4 late in the game and that last drive Auburn had would have been much different. They were playing for a fg until they got within the 20..
And even though we made the first down. NO WAY you go for it on your own 30 with 4 minutes to play.

[Political Hack]

running a jet sweep in your red zone offense isn't being "creative" IMO. 8-9 waiting 7 yards of the ball and you're going east and west 6 yards behind the LOS???

Either way, Mr Russell isn't going to agree on this. The blame goes to everyone, not just the guy calling he plays. You can't convince me we called 7 terrible plays on 3rd downs in the 2nd half.