Schramm & Roderick
Okay, so maybe this sounds like the name of a failed TV sitcom, but with the changes on offense, I think it's an important discussion point.
Do you agree with the change? We talked about Whittingham's pulling Cain, but it seems this has gone a bit under the radar and it might actually prove to be the bigger decision made in the long run.
While I don't want to say Schramm failed at calling plays, I think we can all agree he struggled through much of his duties up in the box and it was a large part of why the Utes' offense had stagnated the last few weeks. Now I'm not going to put all the blame on him, but he does deserve some of it. However, did that warrant the type of change we saw Saturday and will Roderick be a better replacement?
From what I've read, Whittingham likes Schramm's intensity on the field and I'm sure that played a role - but let's be honest, it was made because the play calling just wasn't cutting it. Offensive coordinators can call plays from the sidelines and so if Whittingham were totally committed to Schramm as Utah's lone OC, I doubt he puts Roderick in the box to call the plays.
Now let's just hope it pays off. What do you think?
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Schramm
Changing out Schramm is exactly what we’ve needed all along. Cain is one of the most accurate and productive QB’s in the conference. Is he the most amazing QB in the world? No, but I think it was a huge mistake to pull Wynn’s redshirt off before even trying out Cain with Roderick. What if Cain had been able to move the offense just as well as Wynn did or better? We’d still have Wynn for an extra year but now, all that’s ruined and who knows what could have been if we had played Wynn from the beginning?!
Dan Condie
Again, we did try cain with Roderick in the first half of the Wyoming game.
And the result? Three points. I swear I mentioned this already.
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
So...
one half of football is the deciding factor in this matter?
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
Not at all.
In fact, if I were the coach I would have redshirted Wynn this year. But the argument that Schramm was the problem and not Cain is significantly hurt by the fact that Roderick called the plays in the first half (when the offense got 3 points and Cain missed wide open receivers and failed to adjust coverage and got sacked multiple times) and in the second half (when Wynn sparked the team to 19 points and got the offense moving).
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
by displacedute on Nov 5, 2009 10:11 AM MST up reply actions
I don't think that...
hurts the argument that Schramm was a large part of the problem. I still believe he was, and I would have stuck with Cain and redshirted Wynn this year.
And what “wide open receivers” did Cain miss? I believe he was still 10-13 in that first half, no?
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
I remember at least once Key was open, and maybe Brooks too, and he threw it to Reed instead.
This wasn’t the first game, as he missed two TD throws to Key in the AF game and forced the ball to Reed instead. It’s not that he threw the ball to an open receiver and missed the throw, it’s that he didn’t even notice the receiver was open because he didn’t make his progressions. Cain looked at Reed, if he wasn’t open then he got happy feet or took off running and fumbled.
And I agree with you. If it were me, I would have redshirted Wynn, and if I was going to play him, I wouldn’t have waited until week 8. I also think Schramm was a large part of the problem, but don’t make the mistake of thinking that Cain didn’t have something to do with it. It is impossible to beat TCU with Cain, and very difficult to beat BYU with him as well. We could beat UNM and SDSU with me as QB. So changing to Wynn doesn’t hurt us, gets him some good experience, and gets him ready for next year. If we decided Cain is the starter again next year, redshirt him then.
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
I think it's impossible...
to beat TCU with Cain or Wynn. You don’t think TCU’s defense will be licking their chops with a freshman QB back there starting only his second game? I don’t see anyway this team beats TCU right now.
I disagree about BYU. The game could go either way, but I think Cain could run all over BYU’s defense and actually gives the Utes a better shot to beat them than Wynn. We shall see I guess.
As far as Cain, has he stared down receivers, yes. Remember this is still is first year though at this level. He reminds be so much of BJ (before the knee injury). I think changing to Wynn may hurt us. If he loses a year and doesn’t use his redshirt now. This kid may be good and not lose the spot for the next 3 years. Who knows. If he’s good enough to start the rest of this season I don’t see how they change back to Cain next year to redshirt Wynn.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
Wynn still has a redshirt, he just won’t be able to use it this year.
Wasn’t it a blessing that BJ had a redshirt for the year he was still recovering from his knee injury?
"Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action." - George Washington
by Hockey Beard in SLC on Nov 5, 2009 10:53 AM MST up reply actions
It sounds like a solid move that should have happened sooner.
Didn’t Whittingham state that this was the original plan prior to Roderick going to Washington?
( Wasn’t there a receiver that turned Washington down to come to Utah at that time? hmmmm…. )
The timing of this change allowed us to have a game and a half to prepare for TCU, who will now be guessing as to what they are going to see offensively.
Heck, they might be guessing at halftime who will be calling the plays for the second half while trying to make there adjustments.
As it is, it sounds like Schramm’s passion is needed on the sidelines to restore order to the offense. There are strong reasons to call plays from upstairs, away from the passion of the game.
As the OC, it will remain Schramm’s job to make the calls in tough spots (do we go for it on fourth and goal at the 1?)
As long as Schramm is content with this arrangement I think it will be better for the team this way. I believe the entire staff is professional enough that it will be handled properly in any event. I might question whether Schramm would want to stay as it appears he might have to agree to become a co-coordinator next year if he chooses to stay.
BCS Evolution -- Punctuating the Equilibrium - twitter
Actually, the tough calls remain Whitt's.
Do we go for it on 4th and goal from the 1 is Whittingham’s call, not Schramm’s. I think him remaining OC means he’s still in charge of running the offense for practice, still in charge of recruiting /depth chart issues, etc.
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
who made the play call when utah was driving vs oregon and there was plenty of time left
and we let cain throw a long pass? whoever made that decision, it probably cost us overtime. we need an oc who can run the spread offense. i want more slants in the playbook. i want more jailhouse break screen passes. whittingham says he still talks to urban. what are they talking about. probably too much about defense. i won’t complain much b/c we are 7-1 and have had some injuries but come on whit. let’s bring the wr’s more into the play calling. we have not reached 40 points all season. peace.
by wolfmanshowlforever on Nov 4, 2009 11:32 PM MST reply actions
I think its a good move, in so far that the playbook is opened up a bit more now. If the true reason we start seeing more plays is because Wynn has the mental fortitude and acumen to handle it moreso than Cain, than all the better. But I personally think that Roderick can make the ‘on-the-fly’ adjustments better than Schramm, or even Ludwig.
It seems like our offense needs that extra kick in the pants sometimes, and Schramm being on the field provides that.
I voted that its too-soon to tell, but I am hoping for a break out game (ok…I’m actually YEARNING for it…) against NM. I want a godly amount of offensive stats…something like 700 passing yards, and 7 different players getting TDs…including a tackle eligble…or something like that.
"Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action." - George Washington
by Hockey Beard in SLC on Nov 5, 2009 10:57 AM MST reply actions
I'm just glad that Whittingham is making changes to our struggling offense
Perfect timing too, I think I can call the plays and we would beat New Mexico
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by Michael Rueckert on Nov 5, 2009 11:47 AM MST reply actions

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