Long Drives

[BrunswickDawg]

Last week in a thread, there was a discussion with Prediction Pain, myself, and a couple of others about the narrative that had been popping up about us stalling in the redzone.
In truth, when you looked at the drive charts and our Red Zone percentages, we were actually stalling out just outside the redzone.

This got me thinking about another narrative that seems to have popped up - the "pushing us to make 14 play long drives that stall or force a mistake." While it would take a hefty analysis to look at success rates of drives of certain numbers of plays vs. others (which I don't have the patience or math skills to complete), I did do a quick sample scan through a few season to compare how many Drives of 10 plays or more we averaged per game. I selected '14, '15, '17, '20 SEC games only so I had relative samples to compare.
'14 - 2.25 drives per game
'15 - 2.375 drives per game
'17 - 2.5 drives per game
'20 - 1.7 drives per game

In '21, so far we have seen an average of 3.5 drives of 10 plays or more in 2 SEC games. For the season - to get a little larger sample size - we are averaging 2.2

Interestingly, in the 3 Mullen seasons, the Alabama game led every year with 4 drives of 10 or more plays. In our 3 SEC wins in 2020, we averaged 1 drive of 10 plays or more. In '21, we have averaged 1.7 in our 3 wins.

I'm not sure what it means - but it seem to discount the idea that for the Air Raid to lead us to SEC wins that we had to have long, sustained drives.

[vindastra]

Wouldn't the Air Raid, when properly executed lead to less number of drives?

[ShotgunDawg]

Wouldn't the Air Raid, when properly executed lead to less number of drives?

Yes. Wyatt broke down Will’s throw to Tulu that he dropped in the bucket vs A&M and how just last week he would’ve dumped it to a RB. We’re starting to get more downfield and it should get better and better as Will sees it

[BrunswickDawg]

Yes. Wyatt broke down Will’s throw to Tulu that he dropped in the bucket vs A&M and how just last week he would’ve dumped it to a RB. We’re starting to get more downfield and it should get better and better as Will sees it

To add to it from what Jordan Rodgers was saying during the game broadcast - if the defense is only giving you the dink and dunk, then you have to have the patience and ability to pick them apart that way until you force them to break the drop 8 or whatever zone they apply. So I think possibly you still have a chance for some 10+ play drives if that is what the defense is giving you. As Rodgers said (and to give C34 some credit on his criticisms of Leach) you HAVE to make those 10+ play drives convert into points.

[yjnkdawg]

Wouldn't the Air Raid, when properly executed lead to less number of drives?

You take what the defense gives you. If they want to give you a three man rush and give you 4 to 5 yards you take that. If they get frustrated with that and start playing man then you go for the longer pass or the touchdown pass. If you can continue to get 4 to 5 yards on passes or runs per play then they will have to abandon the 3-8. We just weren't consistent prior to the TAMU game with the short passing game on continuing down the field (penalty, dropped pass, bad pass, missed block, etc.) so they could just stay pretty much in a 3-8 with a few blitzes thrown in.

[Coach34]

People get mad at me calling it The Airbone but that is what its become. And thats not a bad thing if we are making the drives count. Thats the bottom line.

If Leach would add a few more runs and make some kind of adjustment in the Red Zone- we would be in great shape offensively

[Schultzy]

When facing a 3-8 we cannot afford zero or negative yard completions that we had so many of prior to this weekend.

We also had more 10-12 yard completions this weekend which seems necessary to make this offense go.

[MetEdDawg]

People get mad at me calling it The Airbone but that is what its become. And thats not a bad thing if we are making the drives count. Thats the bottom line.

If Leach would add a few more runs and make some kind of adjustment in the Red Zone- we would be in great shape offensively

The red zone kills me. Lining up WRs by the LOS to block guys 40-50 pounds bigger than they are.

I would really like to see something different down there. Give me anything other than 4-5 wide just once.

It's a pipe dream but man it would be nice to see us line up with 6 OL just once amd pound it home.

[Coldsleeve Jr.]

The OP is correct. It's the dumb ass C34 followers that also wanted Dan fired that are complaining. I hope no one on this board is listening to those morons.

[Turfdawg67]

When facing a 3-8 we cannot afford zero or negative yard completions that we had so many of prior to this weekend.

We also had more 10-12 yard completions this weekend which seems necessary to make this offense go.

This is true. Nor can we afford penalties. It's like the old "3 yards and a cloud of dust", it worked fine until you got behind the chains. The difference is that we have the ability to hit the homerun if they start cheating towards the line. I love long, clock eating drives... as long as we score though.

[Coach34]

The OP is correct. It's the dumb ass C34 followers that also wanted Dan fired that are complaining. I hope no one on this board is listening to those morons.

I never once called for Mullen to be fired. Not one time. Stop lying

After 2013- I really dont recall anybody on here wanting Mullen to be fired.

[Coldsleeve Jr.]

I never once called for Mullen to be fired. Not one time. Stop lying

After 2013- I really dont recall anybody on here wanting Mullen to be fired.

Wow. You complained about Mullen for 10 years. Not sure if serious

[Coach34]

Wow. You complained about Mullen for 10 years. Not sure if serious

ok- did I complain or did I call for his firing? You need to figure out your position.

I complain about my girlfriend. I havent broken up with her.

[Coldsleeve Jr.]

ok- did I complain or did I call for his firing? You need to figure out your position.

I complain about my girlfriend. I havent broken up with her.

You called for his firing. Good Lord are you serious

[Schultzy]

Wow. You complained about Mullen for 10 years. Not sure if serious

While there was a lot of good there was plenty to legitimately complain about like…

failing to finish coaching the 2014 season (ok look for another job but keep coaching too)
Holloway over Aeris (sorry but that injury to our starting rb saved that season)
Revolving door at DC
Refusing to spend that 180,000 (naivety personified)

But in spite of all that no one including 34 was calling for his firing. But we knew he wanted out of here badly and we were tired of his shit.

[Coach34]

You called for his firing. Good Lord are you serious

Thats a lie. Link it. I never called for us to fire Mullen. You are a lying moron

[Coach34]

The last coach I called for us to fire is Croom. In any sport. I didnt even call for us to fire Stands. I just kept pointing out how he did less with more

[OLJWales]

Never been too long but I can pop it right down the middle consistent 260 yds or so.

[sleepy dawg]

This is true. Nor can we afford penalties. It's like the old "3 yards and a cloud of dust", it worked fine until you got behind the chains. The difference is that we have the ability to hit the homerun if they start cheating towards the line. I love long, clock eating drives... as long as we score though.

you love long clocks huh... but only if you score.

[Turfdawg67]

you love long clocks huh... but only if you score.

Lolz! Good thing I didn't mistype!

102K posts?!? First I've seen since I've been on here. Glad I brought you out of retirement.

[Coldsleeve Jr.]

The last coach I called for us to fire is Croom. In any sport. I didnt even call for us to fire Stands. I just kept pointing out how he did less with more

Seek self awareness

[Coach34]

Seek self awareness

seek posts where I called for Mullen to be fired since there are so many

[Coldsleeve Jr.]

seek posts where I called for Mullen to be fired since there are so many

Why would anyone waste their time? I can find 10,000 posts of you bitching and moaning about Mullen followed by drooling over the Moorhead hire.

[Maroonthirteen]

You take what the defense gives you. If they want to give you a three man rush and give you 4 to 5 yards you take that. If they get frustrated with that and start playing man then you go for the longer pass or the touchdown pass. If you can continue to get 4 to 5 yards on passes or runs per play then they will have to abandon the 3-8. We just weren't consistent prior to the TAMU game with the short passing game on continuing down the field (penalty, dropped pass, bad pass, missed block, etc.) so they could just stay pretty much in a 3-8 with a few blitzes thrown in.

Exactly. ^^^^


Also, it seemed to me that Marks made more guys miss and out ran a few and turned those dump offs from 1-3 yard gains to 5-8 yard gains. Will made a few more throws. The WR caught better. TAMU got impatient. TAMU knew they couldn't allow us to sustain long drives and flip the field and/or score. TAMU knew their offense wasn't going to score a lot of points or make long drives. So they gambled with trying to stop us quickly.

Also, the early TO was them and not us. It was big that we got an early lead.

[sleepy dawg]

Lolz! Good thing I didn't mistype!

102K posts?!? First I've seen since I've been on here. Glad I brought you out of retirement.

I took a couple of years off, but damn, do I really have that many posts? Surely that's a mistake.

[Johnson85]

Thats a lie. Link it. I never called for us to fire Mullen. You are a lying moron

What does it mean to declare that you no longer support a coach and his staff if it doesn't mean you want them fired? Are you arguing that you said they needed to be fired but you didn't actually call for us to fire him?

[Coldsleeve Jr.]

What does it mean to declare that you no longer support a coach and his staff if it doesn't mean you want them fired? Are you arguing that you said they needed to be fired but you didn't actually call for us to fire him?

"It doesn't count unless you type the word 'fire'"**

[ShotgunDawg]

To add to it from what Jordan Rodgers was saying during the game broadcast - if the defense is only giving you the dink and dunk, then you have to have the patience and ability to pick them apart that way until you force them to break the drop 8 or whatever zone they apply. So I think possibly you still have a chance for some 10+ play drives if that is what the defense is giving you. As Rodgers said (and to give C34 some credit on his criticisms of Leach) you HAVE to make those 10+ play drives convert into points.

In Wyatt's film breakdown, he showed some throws that Will made that were not dink & dunk vs the 3-8.

The 3-8 has been over played by the MSU fan base. It's not an issue when the offense is run correctly

[ShotgunDawg]

When facing a 3-8 we cannot afford zero or negative yard completions that we had so many of prior to this weekend.

We also had more 10-12 yard completions this weekend which seems necessary to make this offense go.

The 3-8 is not an issue when Will does his job & makes the right reads

[ShotgunDawg]

The last coach I called for us to fire is Croom. In any sport. I didnt even call for us to fire Stands. I just kept pointing out how he did less with more

I called for Joe to be fired after the Tennessee game. That was when I knew it had to be done

[BrunswickDawg]

In Wyatt's film breakdown, he showed some throws that Will made that were not dink & dunk vs the 3-8.

The 3-8 has been over played by the MSU fan base. It's not an issue when the offense is run correctly

I agree with what you are saying. I've believed all along that this system takes a solid season or two to perfect. We are just now getting comfortable in it. Will and the WRs seem to be getting it more every week. The next step will be Will understanding when to audible to a run play so our backs are getting closer to 20-25 carries a game. I know everyone wants that to be on Leach right now - but Leach's whole philosophy revolves around teaching the QB how to manage the game. Leach isn't going to call straight run plays - it's going to be the QB's job to pick those moments correctly and allow the RBs to gash the opponents.

[sleepy dawg]

I agree with what you are saying. I've believed all along that this system takes a solid season or two to perfect. We are just now getting comfortable in it. Will and the WRs seem to be getting it more every week. The next step will be Will understanding when to audible to a run play so our backs are getting closer to 20-25 carries a game. I know everyone wants that to be on Leach right now - but Leach's whole philosophy revolves around teaching the QB how to manage the game. Leach isn't going to call straight run plays - it's going to be the QB's job to pick those moments correctly and allow the RBs to gash the opponents.

Most teams will show us basically the same look all game, right? If so, what are you basing your audible on?

[Turfdawg67]

I took a couple of years off, but damn, do I really have that many posts? Surely that's a mistake.

It's gotta be. No one will take that title from MS7.

[Mjoelner34]

The 3-8 is not an issue when Will does his job & makes the right reads

Also when the receivers make the right reads and break-off or alter routes and 5 can block 3. All 3 phases of that worked perfectly Saturday night.