Illini Football 2017

#601      
Agreed.


Do you switch to George and employ a pass oriented attack, focusing on short passes to your skill guys, while also keeping Epstein involved? You don't ask the O line for much more than 1.5 seconds of protection, but you also are battling uphill if you think you're going to run for it on 3rd and short and have consistent success.

Disagree with bolded. George would give us options. With Crouch, third and short is 99% run, teams can and will stack the box. With George you have more versatility. Defense will not necessarily worry about him as a runner, but they cannot load the box, knowing George can pass effectively enough in short yardage.
 
#602      
Disagree with bolded. George would give us options. With Crouch, third and short is 99% run, teams can and will stack the box. With George you have more versatility. Defense will not necessarily worry about him as a runner, but they cannot load the box, knowing George can pass effectively enough in short yardage.

Don't disagree. Between the 20's George as a passer would give you just that, , options. Was more thinking deep in the red zone where the field shrinks. Could still run bunches and pick plays, but if you need 1-3 yards via the running game in those situations, would be inconsistent and tough sleeding.
 
#603      
Disagree with bolded. George would give us options. With Crouch, third and short is 99% run, teams can and will stack the box. With George you have more versatility. Defense will not necessarily worry about him as a runner, but they cannot load the box, knowing George can pass effectively enough in short yardage.

Also worth remembering that JG Jr's completion rate is 43% over his career (116 passes, still a small sample size). He's definitely more the passing QB of the 2, but by no means a sure thing.
 
#604      

UofI08

Chicago
Random thought of the day. If the plan is to go with 2 true freshman o-linemen (potentially 3 with Lowe), why would you continue to use the quick/strong scheme and not go to right/left? Honestly I hate the quick/strong OL alignment regardless of who's playing it, but for freshman especially, you'd think right/left would really simplify it and allow some familiarity and cohesion.
 
#605      

mhuml32

Cincinnati, OH
Random thought of the day. If the plan is to go with 2 true freshman o-linemen (potentially 3 with Lowe), why would you continue to use the quick/strong scheme and not go to right/left? Honestly I hate the quick/strong OL alignment regardless of who's playing it, but for freshman especially, you'd think right/left would really simplify it and allow some familiarity and cohesion.


Unless there are major injuries, I'm assuming Lowe will redshirt regardless (unless something came out saying otherwise). The quick/strong is part of their scheme, the coaching staff isn't as concerned about their W/L record this year as they are in future years. If the o-line is going to use it going forward, might as well take your lumps on the scheme now and perfect it by 2018/2019.
 
#606      

UofI08

Chicago
Unless there are major injuries, I'm assuming Lowe will redshirt regardless (unless something came out saying otherwise). The quick/strong is part of their scheme, the coaching staff isn't as concerned about their W/L record this year as they are in future years. If the o-line is going to use it going forward, might as well take your lumps on the scheme now and perfect it by 2018/2019.

I guess I'm just looking for a reason to get rid of the quick/strong thing. I just can't wrap my mind around the theory that switching sides at random is better than lining up in the exact same place (besides TE) every play.
 
#607      
I remember Paul Petrino saying it was simpler for the linemen to learn the quick/strong scheme. I don't remember the other advantages (if any) or exactly why it was easier.

By the way, he's done a pretty good job at Idaho.

Updated: I couldn't resist googling it. Here's an article.
Illini plans to flip the line
 
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#608      

Glory Days

Palmetto, FL
Yikes, looks like the so called reporters were spot on. Three games in and O line play and QB accuracy are the two biggest issues on the offensive side of the ball.

The biggest problem is that the O linemen you have seen on the field are light years better than the guys on the bench. There is NO depth. The guys playing are bottom three in the Big Ten and the bench players are turnstiles.....they are probably good students, nice young men, and will greatly benefit society, but they are not even good enough to run a good scout team offense. There are about 7 of them that are completely wasted scholarship spots.

I'm certain that none of them could play a meaningful role at Illinois State.
 
#609      

Glory Days

Palmetto, FL
Agreed.

I think this staff has to ultimately decide the offensive identity that will give them the best chance to win this year. Whatever the script was back in camp, it needs to be re-evaluated. Lovie and McGee certainly saying all the things that suggest this is happening.

Do you stick with Crouch and mainly running the ball, controlling the clock and hoping the O line can gel a little (a lot)? Defenses will load the box, and big plays may coming in the passing game off of play action. Epstein is a great asset to have back there.

Do you switch to George and employ a pass oriented attack, focusing on short passes to your skill guys, while also keeping Epstein involved? You don't ask the O line for much more than 1.5 seconds of protection, but you also are battling uphill if you think you're going to run for it on 3rd and short and have consistent success.

All of this is a short term band aid until these kids get more experience and more players fill up the roster.

Looking out the next three games, two are winnable. It ain't pretty, but I'd stick with Crouch and the running game first, and see how you do over these next three games, then re-evaluate again.

This staff has identified what they want to grow into, and Lovie probably had it identified before he signed his contract. Their recruiting focus has made that outline abundantly clear.

Lovieball hopefully will look like the offense that dismantled #1 Ohio State on their own field in the fall of 2007. Rugged, physical, deceptive with some effectiveness in the pass game.

The defense will be built to look like the Rams Super Bowl teams that earned Lovie his shot as a head coach. Fast off the edge, rangy linebackers, and sticky ball-hawk DBs.