I'm just going to put this out there on Fitzgerald and Williams.....

[ElitedawgRecruiting]

And maybe I watched a different game then you guys. But I don't think quarterback play cost us the game as much as our first year DC looked like a first year DC. At some point you have to figure out how to stop the pass. And after halftime Joey Jones made the adjustment. Our defense didn't

[Really Clark?]

He failed Bc he missed one read on zone read? He failed Bc jj dropped a ball that was thrown where it needed to be, one foot over his head, and hit him in both hands?

Our coaches failed him with a horrible script of first 6 plays. First three plays should require no reads and include a called qb run and a touch to a playmaker (Ross, Mixon, gray, etc on a jet sweep).

I'm sorry but the zone read he should do in his sleep at this point. It's always a main cog in our book. Want to discuss the pass plays, ok. But the zone read was NOT making the script too difficult for Fitz. That's a huge stretch.

[ElitedawgRecruiting]

I agree with that 100%. But the best coach in the world can only lead a players that is devoted do being lead

[WinningIsRelentless]

Fitz is an option QB and we didn't run the option. Damian gives us a chance at maybe 5 wins max. Dan shouldn't make Fitz try to go through 4 progressions when he can run like he is able. Fitz looked good backing up Dak last year, I don't know why we wouldn't give him more opportunities especially in the 2nd half when we were "rolling" to 3 points. I say give Fitz most of the 1st half and then if he still looks like garbage bring out Tiano.

Agreed. Both QBs should have been running the ball first and foremost. Everybody knows this except Mullen.

Forgot about that, Holloway got the ball up the gut. I want to see Fitz run the Relf offense before I give up on him.

Why did Dan do this, he wanted to play Williams b/c he is the upperclassman..

Regarding the Relf-offense:

For those more in the know than myself, is that something that can be implemented now that the season has started, or should we have been practicing that in Spring/Fall camp for it to be a legitimate strategy this year? Given how much Mullen still wanted to pass and use the wrong RBs for situations, I'm guessing we didn't practice much of that style in the off-season...

He failed Bc he missed one read on zone read? He failed Bc jj dropped a ball that was thrown where it needed to be, one foot over his head, and hit him in both hands?

Our coaches failed him with a horrible script of first 6 plays. First three plays should require no reads and include a called qb run and a touch to a playmaker (Ross, Mixon, gray, etc on a jet sweep).

Every play in football today has a read from special teams to defenses. He just missed the read end of story. The game isn't the same as it was 10 years ago.

[Taog Redloh]

And maybe I watched a different game then you guys. But I don't think quarterback play cost us the game as much as our first year DC looked like a first year DC. At some point you have to figure out how to stop the pass. And after halftime Joey Jones made the adjustment. Our defense didn't

It all ties together. If we keep the ball more in the second half, their offense stays off the field. Plenty of blame to go around, but how does a QB not have the ability to complete a 15 yard pass down the field?

[confucius say]

I'm sorry but the zone read he should do in his sleep at this point. It's always a main cog in our book. Want to discuss the pass plays, ok. But the zone read was NOT making the script too difficult for Fitz. That's a huge stretch.

I agree he should be able to run the zone read on his sleep. The point is one missed read on a zone read doesn't = failed. And the larger point is don't require to him make any reads initially. Get him settled.

[ElitedawgRecruiting]

It all ties together. If we keep the ball more in the second half, their offense stays off the field. Plenty of blame to go around, but how does a QB not have the ability to complete a 15 yard pass down the field?

Same way the heir apparent doesn't have the ability to separate himself from the guy with that limitation. Put in the work. Show the coaches and team football is more important then frat life and ass, and maybe you succeed. Kelly succeeds doing both.(lucky last chance u wasn't made that year huh Chad).

[Liverpooldawg]

It all ties together. If we keep the ball more in the second half, their offense stays off the field. Plenty of blame to go around, but how does a QB not have the ability to complete a 15 yard pass down the field?

It's hard to complete passes to receivers who are covered. Dak could put the ball in where it normally wouldn't go and we got used to that. The receivers were not getting separation for the most part.

[WinningIsRelentless]

Fitz is an option QB and we didn't run the option. Damian gives us a chance at maybe 5 wins max. Dan shouldn't make Fitz try to go through 4 progressions when he can run like he is able. Fitz looked good backing up Dak last year, I don't know why we wouldn't give him more opportunities especially in the 2nd half when we were "rolling" to 3 points. I say give Fitz most of the 1st half and then if he still looks like garbage bring out Tiano.

Agreed. Both QBs should have been running the ball first and foremost. Everybody knows this except Mullen.

Forgot about that, Holloway got the ball up the gut. I want to see Fitz run the Relf offense before I give up on him.

Why did Dan do this, he wanted to play Williams b/c he is the upperclassman..

Regarding the Relf-offense:

For those more in the know than myself, is that something that can be implemented now that the season has started, or should we have been practicing that in Spring/Fall camp for it to be a legitimate strategy this year? Given how much Mullen still wanted to pass and use the wrong RBs for situations, I'm guessing we didn't practice much of that style in the off-season...

It all ties together. If we keep the ball more in the second half, their offense stays off the field. Plenty of blame to go around, but how does a QB not have the ability to complete a 15 yard pass down the field?

If the d had stopped them more we would have had the ball more. How many times did we punt in the second half? Once?

[confucius say]

Every play in football today has a read from special teams to defenses. He just missed the read end of story. The game isn't the same as it was 10 years ago.

Uh no. I'm talking about reads as where to throw the football once the ball is snapped and whether to give or keep on a run once the ball is snapped. A designed qb run doesn't require that. A jet sweep to a playmaker doesn't require that. Make it easy on the kid early.

[WinningIsRelentless]

If he can't make a zone read then he doesn't need to play. It is easy as that.

[Really Clark?]

I agree he should be able to run the zone read on his sleep. The point is one missed read on a zone read doesn't = failed. And the larger point is don't require to him make any reads initially. Get him settled.

That's the thing. That play should be settling for him and there are always reads. You are not going to eliminate that.

[confucius say]

If he can't make a zone read then he doesn't need to play. It is easy as that.

If he can't do it Consistently? True. If he missed it one time? That's crazy. Dak would never have played again after ok st in 2013 if that were the case.

And I don't know if he can do it consistently, but I'd like to find out. If he can't, then he can't play with his skill set and we move on.

[TimberBeast]

If he can't make a zone read then he doesn't need to play. It is easy as that.

So he gets one chance at one play, but williams gets the entire game to show that he couldn't beat some high school teams? Makes perfect sense.

[Really Clark?]

Uh no. I'm talking about reads as where to throw the football once the ball is snapped and whether to give or keep on a run once the ball is snapped. A designed qb run doesn't require that. A jet sweep to a playmaker doesn't require that. Make it easy on the kid early.

Our jet sweeps have read option, triple option and run pass option components to them. But it is easier than a simple zone read with a RB?

[confucius say]

That's the thing. That play should be settling for him and there are always reads. You are not going to eliminate that.

People, no one is saying you can eliminate reads throughout a game. But I've given you several examples of how it can be done in a five play script to start the career of a guy who is raw and a great athlete, but inexperienced, in order to settle him in and get him comfortable.

I'm not ready to give up on fitz or say he failed Saturday Bc he missed one read on a zone read. I need more.

[WinningIsRelentless]

A zone read is the simplest play you can call in college football today. You said give him something easy and we did. That's all I'm saying.

I think he should play, but to blame Dan for not giving him a easy play call on the first play of the game is just bs

[Johnson85]

And maybe I watched a different game then you guys. But I don't think quarterback play cost us the game as much as our first year DC looked like a first year DC. At some point you have to figure out how to stop the pass. And after halftime Joey Jones made the adjustment. Our defense didn't

Our first year DC looking like a first year DC still held them to 21 points. That's not good for a sunbelt team, but it's crazy to think a D (missing its tarting cbs) letting them score 21 points is in the ball park of being as bad as only scoring 20 against a sun belt team that lost basically its entire starting DL.

[confucius say]

Our jet sweeps have read option, triple option and run pass option components to them. But it is easier than a simple zone read with a RB?

I can't help you if you think the jet sweep to Ross that went 45 yards (on his first touch) had a read option or rpo (run pass option) built in for the Qb. That is not true and you know it. Qb receives ball, hands/flips it to #8, and watches him run. That's all. No thought process.

[Johnson85]

Here's my only observation from a practice and game standpoint so take it however you will. I am a veteran. A proud one at that. And when I go to battle the guy leading me doesn't have to be the most liked guy. But he does has to be the most prepared guy. So blame Dan and blame Damien all you want. The problem isn't them. The problem is Fitz just won't step up and take control of HIS team. Until that light comes on its not a Mullen or Williams problem. It's a Nicky Fitz problem

Nick Fitzgerald may have a problem. But if Fitzgerald has the problem of not wanting to lead, and Damien has the problem of not being a legitimate power 5 QB, and Staley had the problem of not being able to compete with D. Williams, and Tiano has the problem of not being able to beat out Williams after being on campus for a year, I think it's safe to say the biggest problem is Dan Mullen.