Utes say they'll stick with wildcat scheme and I die a little inside
by JazzyUte on Dec 13, 2009 11:02 PM MST
in Poinsettia Bowl '09
Email
PrintYeah, I'm not sold on the wildcat (or is it wild-indian, meh too un-PC), but I guess the coaches are.
It's not that I don't think it can be successful, it's just the Utes seem to get too comfortable running it and it loses its effectiveness. I mean, it failed against the Cougars and really hasn't been consistent or good enough this season to warrant a continuation.
So, I've got to wonder what the hell the coaches are thinking with this one. Especially when Dave Schramm, Utah's OC, said...
"We just had some things that weren't good."
Ignoring the Palin-esque language - is he blind? The things that weren't good happen to be the entire formation! It's abysmal and the thought of this being part of the offensive game plan for the Poinsettia Bowl really makes me shudder.
But what do I know? I'm just a fan. I'll happily eat my words if it proves effective against Cal.
Will it, though?
15 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Wildcat has been great for us
The wildcat has been great for Utah over the past few years. Have you forgotten the wildcat TD from Asiata vs BYU last year? How about Asiata’s clock killing wildcat drive vs Alabama. That drive was effective and demoralizing, since we just powered it down the middle on every snap. Remember Eric Weddle’s game sealing wildcate drive vs Tulsa in the bowl game? I think all that happened is we lost Asiata. It takes time to replace someone, especially when you are replacing him with someone who is not as talented.
Amen to missing the triple option and shovel. I feel like our offense has become less and less creative over the past 5 years.
Like I said, I'm not opposed to the idea...
But as utesfan100 said, we’re doing it wrong this season. It’s not been nearly as effective as it was last year (when we called it the Asiata package) and I’m afraid we’ll get too comfortable running it again and essentially run it into the ground.
I miss the shovel pass. I miss a lot of the option offense.
It's effective
But ithas to be less obvious. Like, the snap-receiver can’t always run up the gut.
The play I wish we ran that I have seen be effective against us is Air Force’s fly sweep.
Do we ever pull our guards for blocking on run plays or is it all simply smash face?
I think we have the wrong person running it.
Let Cain run it, and open up the passing aspects of the formation a bit. Without Asiata it has lost a lot of its bite.
I also agree with Truman above that I miss the shovel passes of the Alex Smith era spread offense.
BCS Evolution -- Punctuating the Equilibrium - twitter
absolutely let cain run a pure spread offense.
that was the way we went undefeated those two years. wynn cant scramble. he screwed up two big plays vs byu for 15 yard loses. t. cain can throw slants that is what will need to beat cal. it’s easy for me to see it. i sure coach whitt sees it.
yes i am obsessive, obnoxious, in your face and all about covering the spread. those are my good qualities.
by wolfmanshowlforever on Dec 14, 2009 3:31 PM MST up reply actions
I think you're wrong.
Cain is no threat at all to throw anything further than 10 yards. The defense knows this so they stack the line and it makes it impossible for Utah to run or pass. The only reason we won so many games with Cain at QB is because the defense was keeping us in games (like CSU) and Reed was breaking tackles like he was already in the NFL. We will need our offense to be productive next year, and it won’t be with Cain. Wynn running a wide-open passing offense may not be necessary, but having the option to throw the ball around is necessary, and Cain can’t do it.
Everyone hates a pink-shirt-wearing communist.
by displacedute on Dec 14, 2009 9:51 PM MST up reply actions
well...
can Wynn throw it effectively further than 10 yards? it didn’t look like it during the BYU game
Cain was given a raw deal and I don’t understand all the hate. If you look at his #‘s when the OC’s were using him to the best of his ability he was doing great when given the opportunity to run the ball. He gave the offense a dynamic option that you just dont’ get with Wynn. Cain has better throwing ability than people give him credit, he was 63.7% passing on the year which is better than Wynn’s 54.5%.
Wynn could have won the BYU game
If he’d have hit just one or two of those open men who were 20+ yards deep—about 5—8 time sas I recall Ute receivers beat their men deep and he almost always over threw them. Only once do I recall thinking the receiver might have gone the wrong way. Oregon beat Cain by playing up close—he had no deep ball so they could stuff teh run and watch the short routes. Cain missed many of those as well.
I am thinking though that had he played all year he’d be making some of those throws, needs experience tossing those under pressure, he reminds me of Andy Dalton last year, capable but not yet making it. Look at Dalton this year.
So, we’ll see next year after about 6 games does he have it or not. Cain is an accurate passer, but not only does he pose no deep threat, his leadership style is quiet and for whatever reason the O was not responding well to him/or the coaching staff wa snot doing tehir job early on.
I think he’s a fine QB and should see some snaps, there shoulld be some packages installed for him.
Another promising prospect committedto Utah recently, decommittig form Kansas. He is a dual hthreat QB with apparently a very deep throw capability and connevcted o about 65% of his throws last two years. jacoby Walker:
Ht:6’2"verifiedWt:210 lbs
40:4.59 secs
Bench Max:275
Squat Max:405
Vertical:32 inches
SAT:1650
ACT:23
Class:2010 (HS – December Grad)
He is an early enrollment prospect. The rap is he is a tad slow for a running/pure dual threat QB but he’s a stud QB and a winner, as Wynn and Cain both were.
The diea of Cain int he wildcat is intriguing. Whatever is needed, our running game is powerful but stagnating and needs a few tweaks to keep pulling the D up close so we can make those quick slants that are not deep throws, but do yield significant yardage after the catch.
Next year I think will tell, is it personnel or coaching?
Don't forget, we might have won had the play calling not been completely embarrassing.
You know, when you’re facing a 1st and five down only three with a few minutes left and you fail to convert, that’s play calling.
that is right you throw short slants and let the receivers do the work
cain can scramble wynn cannot. i want the dual threat guy not wynn who will lose yardage just about everytime he runs. wyn throws occassional long pass well. i’ll take cain anytime. btw he can throw a 20 yard pass too
yes i am obsessive, obnoxious, in your face and all about covering the spread. those are my good qualities.
by wolfmanshowlforever on Dec 15, 2009 5:48 PM MST up reply actions
Option vs. Wildcat
Who would like to see us return to more of a grond/option attack with passing being used to soften up running lanes? I mean, we don’t have ot becoe Air Force or Georgia Tech, but we do need ot do something to make our ground game a tad more fearsome.
I think Cain might be brilliant at an option game, and it gets your O line out there smacking people down, wears out defenses. Perhaps a think a modified spread with more option and some inside pulling . . .
I don’t know, I think we’re sitting on our laurels from 2004 saying “but we have a great offense”.
Ds are adjusting to the “pure spread” and spread gurus (like Kelly) are changing their offenses to suit the new defensive looks. Meyer has run the same set and this year production is down, their wins comiong only becaus etehir Defensive and offensive talent is so insane they simply bully people into submission. Has Utah adjusted accordingly? Will we? Look at the Alabama game, we tossed out our balanced attack, played away from their strengths and created our own. With the game in hand we went to a grind it out style and watched them slowly wither. Can’t do that every game, but you can have a few basic sets in your book instead of trying to perfect one look all year. I did not see any creativity in our offense all year, did any of you?
The spread option is a gimmick.
Even Florida has moved a bit away from it.
Whereas the pure option has held up over time, the spread option is fizzling.
A few years ago, so many programs were planning on running it. I bet people don’t even remember the Lobos running it like four years ago. But it’s just not effective as it was at its peak in 2005 and 2006.
Since the defenses are adjusting, offensive coaches are moving beyond it. They’re returning to a more spread offense that incorporates the shotgun and passing far more than option aspects of the spread option.
I like a mix of both. I liked a balanced offense that can run a bit of no-huddle and utilizes simpler aspects of the option. You know, the pitch, the Utah pass and yes, even the wildcat – but you have to do it right.
Cain?
I don’t think it would change if Cain ran it. The difference this year is that we don’t have the bruising back like Asiata to run it. Sure, Weddle was small, but he was also smarter football wise than Shaky and Cain. Weddle knew how to play the game, nothing against Shaky because I think he will soon be a big part of our offense, but not at the wildcat.
Except there is one guy I liked running the wildcat…DeVonte Christopher. I think he is a lot like Weddle. He knows what to do if there is trouble, and he is quick enough to get away from defenders.
GO UTES!!
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
- Urban Meyer
"Wow. Wow. Wow."
- Daryl Johnston after Utah took a 21-0 lead on Alabama in the 2009 Sugar Bowl
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
