A few thoughts on Mullen and the offense...

[War Machine Dawg]

Peeps, had a few things rattling around in my head that I thought might be an interesting discussion. Let's start here: Mullen is the best HC we've ever had. It would be hard as hell to replace him. That said, I think he has regressed as an offensive coach since being here. Allow me to lay out my case:

1. We were more creative in 2009 & 2010. We used more formations and were unpredictable in what we did from them. Two back shotgun, H-back, Wishbone were all used at different times. Now we're basically a one back shotgun, three wide, one tight offense. We're using more TEs this season, but we aren't seeing the wide range of formations we saw those first 2-3 seasons.

2. Personnel usage is predictable. Players have very defined roles and they aren't used outside that role. Let's use Mixon as an example from just this season. We've decided he's a slot WR and that's the only way he touches the ball. We aren't involving him with any jet sweep or tossing it to him out of the backfield. Instead, he lines up in the slot and that's the end of it. He could be so much more effective if we used him as a "super athlete."

3. Our basic plays are predictable. Does anyone but me remember us using an unbalance line at times in 2009-10? We kept using it for a few games, setting up a larger play from the formation later in the season. Sure enough, in a big game, we saw the unbalanced line. But instead of running the play we had run out of it for 3-4 weeks before that, we ran a different play that went for a huge gain. Why the eff has that disappeared?

Now, let me play devil's advocate on the other side. A lot of that "creativity" from Mullen likely had to do with the personnel he had at the time. We literally only had about 5 WRs on the roster when he got here. He was trying to make chicken salad from the chicken shit left by Crxxm. And frankly, those Crxxm OLs were better than any Mullen-Hev OL to date. Dan was playing to the strength of his personnel.

From my side: We're once again short (metaphorically and physically) at WR. We've got at least 3 good RBs and several TEs who all need more touches. Why aren't we seeing Dan reincorporate some of the things he was doing earlier in his career? And hell, some of that stuff would work even with the full complement of Mullen personnel, like the use of the unbalanced line. I would say Dan has stopped thinking long term over the course of the season on offense and is just focusing week to week.

What say ye, fellow EDers?

[msbulldog]

Peeps, had a few things rattling around in my head that I thought might be an interesting discussion. Let's start here: Mullen is the best HC we've ever had. It would be hard as hell to replace him. That said, I think he has regressed as an offensive coach since being here. Allow me to lay out my case:

1. We were more creative in 2009 & 2010. We used more formations and were unpredictable in what we did from them. Two back shotgun, H-back, Wishbone were all used at different times. Now we're basically a one back shotgun, three wide, one tight offense. We're using more TEs this season, but we aren't seeing the wide range of formations we saw those first 2-3 seasons.

2. Personnel usage is predictable. Players have very defined roles and they aren't used outside that role. Let's use Mixon as an example from just this season. We've decided he's a slot WR and that's the only way he touches the ball. We aren't involving him with any jet sweep or tossing it to him out of the backfield. Instead, he lines up in the slot and that's the end of it. He could be so much more effective if we used him as a "super athlete."

3. Our basic plays are predictable. Does anyone but me remember us using an unbalance line at times in 2009-10? We kept using it for a few games, setting up a larger play from the formation later in the season. Sure enough, in a big game, we saw the unbalanced line. But instead of running the play we had run out of it for 3-4 weeks before that, we ran a different play that went for a huge gain. Why the eff has that disappeared?

Now, let me play devil's advocate on the other side. A lot of that "creativity" from Mullen likely had to do with the personnel he had at the time. We literally only had about 5 WRs on the roster when he got here. He was trying to make chicken salad from the chicken shit left by Crxxm. And frankly, those Crxxm OLs were better than any Mullen-Hev OL to date. Dan was playing to the strength of his personnel.

From my side: We're once again short (metaphorically and physically) at WR. We've got at least 3 good RBs and several TEs who all need more touches. Why aren't we seeing Dan reincorporate some of the things he was doing earlier in his career? And hell, some of that stuff would work even with the full complement of Mullen personnel, like the use of the unbalanced line. I would say Dan has stopped thinking long term over the course of the season on offense and is just focusing week to week.

What say ye, fellow EDers?

HAIL STATE!

[bostondawg]

Excellent post WMD.

I could see the "week-to-week" argument being valid. I think Mullen has become a bit short-sighted in his prep. Losing to South Alabama will do that to you. As lots of people on this board have mentioned, he doesn't play to win games, he plays to not lose them. (I think that's a bit of a cliche, but still somewhere to the point.)

Perhaps, also as you mentioned, his lines haven't been good. Our OL recruiting is piss poor. When you can't trust your OL, I think that totally ruins your ability to gameplan. Instead of trying to think of wrinkles (like unbalanced sets) to help your team win, I think you get blinders and best think about how to manage your OL so they don't end up in emergency room after playing Bama. I totally agree that given our personnel (no WRs, lots of TEs and RBs), I think we've gotta change things up to get playmakers on the field.

Maybe Dan is afraid of hurting Gonzo's feelings by taking a few receivers off the field?***

[Goldendawg]

I heard all preseason that we were really going to involve our big, tall TE's in the offense, especially to get mismatches against the opposing secondaries. So far, very little as passing targets, lots of time as blockers.

[Dawgtini]

I think some of that was Hud helping with game planning.

[confucius say]

The difference is we had no throw game then and dan knew it. All about whose taking the snaps behind center.

[1bigdawg]

I heard all preseason that we were really going to involve our big, tall TE's in the offense, especially to get mismatches against the opposing secondaries. So far, very little as passing targets, lots of time as blockers.

You hear that every offseason.

[munk_munk92]

Didn't we have a offensive coordinator then? That's what we need now. Cohen needs to go out and find us a young up and comer. I think that will free Mullen up even more to do what he does.

[BHildreth3]

What i don't understand is this - we use the diamond formation between the 20's - then in the red zone it's no where to be found!!?! I'd put #8, #21 and #22 in there together at the goaline - even if it's for just using someone as a decoy. You're right - we are so predictable right now. I have to say that I miss the playcalling we had when we actually had a true FB/HB. 2009 and 2010 we fun times to watch in regards to formations, etc.

[SallyStansbury]

One thing I have noticed is about 3-4 times per game Coach Mullen mentally ?takes a few 1st downs off.? It is usually following a long run or a successful pass play. The whole line pushes in the same direction angled to the wide side of the field, or straight ahead...for a gain of two or fewer. This is very predictable and we have gotten worse about it. Coach Mullen could probably defend the strategy suggesting we have the defense on their heels, run a quick play to catch them off guard, but the results don?t support doing it again and again.

This annoys me. These plays will kill us in a close loss.

[ShotgunDawg]

Perhaps the more Mullen matures as a coach, the more he believes less is more.

Like Mike Leach only runs 15 plays in order to maximize execution, maybe Mullen has come to see things the same way.

[Johnson85]

I think some of that was Hud helping with game planning.

I think this is the answer. Not so much that Hid was some master mind but simply that Mullen had real help on offense. Right now, he is our qb coach, offensive coordinator, and head coach. And his play calling 'help' is hevesy and Gonzalez? Is it really a surprise that he's not able to think several games ahead as far as setting plays up?

[TrapGame]

I think this is the answer. Not so much that Hid was some master mind but simply that Mullen had real help on offense. Right now, he is our qb coach, offensive coordinator, and head coach. And his play calling 'help' is hevesy and Gonzalez? Is it really a surprise that he's not able to think several games ahead as far as setting plays up?

That's a good point. It's really hard to see Hev being an Xs and Os guy. I think Mullen needs an OC that understands his philosophy but can also push him to be more creative.