Unbelievable

AllDawgs5, give us a couple of suggestions as to how we correct what probably cost us one victory this season. You have coached, played the game, know that you are not one of those that was referred to by one of our coaches as being "out of the loop".

Special teams should be the focus of the entire off-season.

wlayton wrote:

averagedawg wrote: Every year I hear the same refrain, a couple more years.
Look what Coach Grantham has achieved in two years.

When I said 2 years away I was referring to the fact that we need to get 2-3 RB's and several OL and need a little time to develope them. Right now the RB barn is empty and the OL barn needs more hay.

Here's my problem... I guess you can excuse the RB situation because of Ealey and King leaving early,
but to be honest I thought they were crap when they were here. We did go out and try and get IC, but
that was it. We signed one back with promise and nothing more. Still, I'll give them a pass because of the early departures (of our other malcontents and disappointments).

On the O-line side however... I'm not very forgiving. We've needed more hay and more horses in that barn for... well.. seemingly forever. We've needed that for forever, and now we hear "oh we need
a couple of more years here".

We're the only team really capable of being top tier in the SEC who puts together an apparent 6 year plan to be able to put together a formidable O-line.

It wouldn't hurt to try and get a couple junior college lineman for immediate help and depth next year.

Averagedawg, by no means am I disagreeing with you. I think the offense is coming along. I think what the defense is doing is more noticed, but I also think it is easier to notice because the SEC is not an offensive league. Especially considering we didn't play Arkansas. Not taking away any credit from our D, cause I can't praise CTG enough, but that is an easier fix. Stopping offenses that are not that great is a lot easier than preparing for good offenses. We all agree defenses come around quicker than offenses. With that being said, still not disappointed in our offensive year. I just can't get over the special teams failures. Every game we lost, in my eyes, were games we also lost the special teams battle.

There are so many different philosophies for special teams Buc. Everyone has a different take, but I think any philosophy can be successful if executed correctly. To me, special teams are a mentality more than a scheme. You started to see that on our Kick off team. Guys flying down the field ready to make plays. Here is what I would do. If you are a starting LB, or DB, you are automatically on the punt team. Special teams are not a time to rest starters. Get all the superior athletes on the field you can. Especially against a returner like mathieu. If starters are too good to be on ST, then I would make it clear to them that their playing time overall will be cut. Against opponents like lsu, there are no more critical plays than punts and kickoffs.

Yes, this is coaching. Somehow, you have to get the kids to buy into the significant importance of ST's. I would also start every special teams film sessions with the return by boise that totally stole all momentum, the return by Demps, the fake punt by usc, and the returns by mathieu. They would watch that everyday in special teams meeting. Everyday. Have some type of reminder that always stressed the importance of how critical those plays were against the loses we had this year. They were just so costly. Mathieu himself even said they were questioning themselves until the 2 returns. Those 2 plays IMO outweighed any in the football game Sat.

Don't know if that answers any real schematic questions Buc, but hard to get into to many X's and O's without actually being able to show the X's and O's.

Wartdawg wrote:

wlayton wrote:

averagedawg wrote: Every year I hear the same refrain, a couple more years.
Look what Coach Grantham has achieved in two years.

When I said 2 years away I was referring to the fact that we need to get 2-3 RB's and several OL and need a little time to develope them. Right now the RB barn is empty and the OL barn needs more hay.

Here's my problem... I guess you can excuse the RB situation because of Ealey and King leaving early,
but to be honest I thought they were crap when they were here. We did go out and try and get IC, but
that was it. We signed one back with promise and nothing more. Still, I'll give them a pass because of the early departures (of our other malcontents and disappointments).

On the O-line side however... I'm not very forgiving. We've needed more hay and more horses in that barn for... well.. seemingly forever. We've needed that for forever, and now we hear "oh we need
a couple of more years here".

We're the only team really capable of being top tier in the SEC who puts together an apparent 6 year plan to be able to put together a formidable O-line.

That two year plan has been on this board since I have been here.

bulldawg36869 wrote: It wouldn't hurt to try and get a couple junior college lineman for immediate help and depth next year.

Good in theory, but a lot of times it doesn't work out the way it's planned. Even if they come in knowing the basics of our blocking scheme and/or learn quickly, it usually takes a player several games before they have their "SEC Legs" underneath them. Other side of the ball I know, but look at Jenkins...without Geathers to carry weight the first half of the season, we might've been in trouble at that spot.

The best thing we can happen is for Friend and JTII to team up on Dantzler, Andrews, Long, et al and get 10 to 15 lbs of conditioned muscle on their frames and a full season/off-season of playbook in their heads. They weren't all John Theus' but we got a few good linemen in this last class that should contribute some of the much-needed depth we're lacking.