More Jacquet, Riles wanted in Cajuns game plan

[RaisingCajun08]

We run routes that I used to draw on my stomach with my finger as a kid.

[Hark Mudspeth]

And HUD doesn't even hide his controller

[Just1More]

The receivers have to run those routes and they get little to no separation more times than not. If the only reason you can state for this reason is scheme, then you are wrong.

I think C4L is bundling a lot into the term "scheme". There is some technical coaching details lacking on our WR staff. Everything from purposeful physical contact, to variations in speed through a route, to body language off the line, to crisp cuts, etc are built into our issues. But... scheme is a large issue. There are routes that very effectively open up a specific receiver. We have it done to our offense by at least 3/4 of the teams we face. We are never clearing out coverage to open up a clean line to an open receiver. Even in our underneath stuff, we are not clearing out coverage.

I've watched our WRs work. They work hard. That tells me that they and the staff are committed to the scheme. There is nothing complex (and what I mean by complex is disguising a route to a defender or group of defenders). No defense ever gets lost in coverage against the Cajun route runners. They are not failing to run their routes. The route design is not clearing coverage. Go watch a WR for one of our opponents. The WR that gets wide open is not some special NFL WR that out juked our CB. The other route runners pulled coverage away from that route. We never ever accomplish this. That is largely a coaching scheme job.

Use the WRs like chess pieces. Think 8 to 10 moves ahead of a DC. Make coverage want to bite on a route. Punish them for cheating. We NEVER punish coverage for cheating. Our WRs aren't just failing in the technical one on one art of gaining separation. That isn't what happens with most WRs we face out of the SBC. They are not superior WRs. They are better coached. They run orchestrated routes. They force broken coverage. It does have a lot to do with how our play architects are drafting up plays. They seem not to know how to punish simplified coverages.

But I can tell you... it's time. It's time to can the basic approach Hud has to operating an offense. Some boneheads on here keep talking about how we may not have any talent. They're FOS. Everyone is grabbing a handful of great athletes, and a lot of projects in the SBC. The wheat is separated from the chaff via coaching. Technical details and scheme. I have not been joking for the sake of joking when I say we play checkers in a chess match.

[Big Poppa]

That is way too many routes for HUDs O.

[zephyr]

If your HC's idea of a passing game is running and turning around for a jump ball what do you want them to do? Run a timing route? That our QB either can't or will never throw? We do the same thing over and over every single game...the other teams watches film too you know. Most of the time the best athletes on the field are DB's, you aren't just gonna out athlete them everytime. You have to move them with your route tree and try to confuse them into seeing something they aren't...throw people open etc...we do zero of that....ZERO. How is a WR supposed to separate on a 1 yard out route at the sideline?

Do you watch when they run other routes? We don't separate on short routes, middle routes or deep routes. Teams have even started to pull up their safeties closer to the line and go man on the outside because they are confident they can cover one on one and they know we are uber committed to the running game.

Of course I hate our scheme and have said so but this has been a problem over the last couple of seasons. I will admit that i think we have a little talent at the WR spot after seeing these guys but I think their youth has hurt them in this regard in terms of running precise routes and learning techniques at the line to free them up from the bump coverage. I think most of their problems start at the line and that's why we haven't been able to go deeper more because we just don't have the time with the pass rush and hold up of our receivers at the line.

[Hark Mudspeth]

Do you watch when they run other routes? We don't separate on short routes, middle routes or deep routes. Teams have even started to pull up their safeties closer to the line and go man on the outside because they are confident they can cover one on one and they know we are uber committed to the running game.

Of course I hate our scheme and have said so but this has been a problem over the last couple of seasons. I will admit that i think we have a little talent at the WR spot after seeing these guys but I think their youth has hurt them in this regard in terms of running precise routes and learning techniques at the line to free them up from the bump coverage. I think most of their problems start at the line and that's why we haven't been able to go deeper more because we just don't have the time with the pass rush and hold up of our receivers at the line.

Do you think if our entire WR corps were at latech that they would all produce the same as they do here? i think a few of them would be very successful, there is some talent there. They are young, some haven't and even played WR before...they need to be coached how to play the position and the scheme does them zero favors. I don't think the coaches are putting them in position to succeed.

[Just1More]

Do you watch when they run other routes? We don't separate on short routes, middle routes or deep routes. Teams have even started to pull up their safeties closer to the line and go man on the outside because they are confident they can cover one on one and they know we are uber committed to the running game.

Of course I hate our scheme and have said so but this has been a problem over the last couple of seasons. I will admit that i think we have a little talent at the WR spot after seeing these guys but I think their youth has hurt them in this regard in terms of running precise routes and learning techniques at the line to free them up from the bump coverage. I think most of their problems start at the line and that's why we haven't been able to go deeper more because we just don't have the time with the pass rush and hold up of our receivers at the line.

Most of our passing issues start with our pass blocking... but we are never getting receivers in space. People talk about separation like it's done with foot speed or quick cuts. It's mostly done by cover mistakes. We can't seem to move any coverages out of position. I'm sure you've seen how many times our opponents have someone in space. That is not a WR with exceptional wheels or with uncanny separation skills. We lose coverage. I have watched some of those play designs and I can see why we lose coverage. They were set up by prior plays and manipulation of the coverage. We never create coverage mistakes. On about half of our pass plays, we assist coverage. Go watch our routes. Our routes help defenders platoon our WRs. It's pathetic. Our best (and just about only) successful pass plays are WRs out leaping for the pass. That's pretty pathetic. With our route tree, it makes way more since to punish coverage by using the RB out of the backfield or the TE as a primary target. We'd at least help some athlete to a small space to catch the ball and run.

And even though our OL look sluggish... they are not incapable of giving our QB the time to sling intermediate throws. Jennings has to be able to take risks. And that has to include more than sideline routes (in case he over throws). It won't be soon enough that we stop throwing screens to the flats. Those throws make me sick. We deserve getting pick 6s on our ___.

In fact, we should run the Riles screen... and have Jennings (or Davis) look that way and then fire to a slot receiver/TE coming from the other side. Riles pulls 4 guys off coverage just about every time we run that screen. It almost always fails to pick up yardage. So why do our coaches insist on running it? If Jennings has the time to look to the sideline and toss a 15 yard pass into the flats... he can certainly look upfield and make a 10 to 15 yard pass.

[Just1More]

Most of our passing issues start with our pass blocking... but we are never getting receivers in space. People talk about separation like it's done with foot speed or quick cuts. It's mostly done by cover mistakes. We can't seem to move any coverages out of position. I'm sure you've seen how many times our opponents have someone in space. That is not a WR with exceptional wheels or with uncanny separation skills. We lose coverage. I have watched some of those play designs and I can see why we lose coverage. They were set up by prior plays and manipulation of the coverage. We never create coverage mistakes. On about half of our pass plays, we assist coverage. Go watch our routes. Our routes help defenders platoon our WRs. It's pathetic. Our best (and just about only) successful pass plays are WRs out leaping for the pass. That's pretty pathetic. With our route tree, it makes way more since to punish coverage by using the RB out of the backfield or the TE as a primary target. We'd at least help some athlete to a small space to catch the ball and run.

And even though our OL look sluggish... they are not incapable of giving our QB the time to sling intermediate throws. Jennings has to be able to take risks. And that has to include more than sideline routes (in case he over throws). It won't be soon enough that we stop throwing screens to the flats. Those throws make me sick. We deserve getting pick 6s on our ___.

In fact, we should run the Riles screen... and have Jennings (or Davis) look that way and then fire to a slot receiver/TE coming from the other side. Riles pulls 4 guys off coverage just about every time we run that screen. It almost always fails to pick up yardage. So why do our coaches insist on running it? If Jennings has the time to look to the sideline and toss a 15 yard pass into the flats... he can certainly look upfield and make a 10 to 15 yard pass.

Hud is giving it a shot. He may be changing his ways.

[CajunJack55]

Hud is giving it a shot. He may be changing his ways.

We know he ain't going anywhere any time soon so I hope to God this is accurate.

[Just1More]

We know he ain't going anywhere any time soon so I hope to God this is accurate.

You can't say someone has changed their ways until successive evidence proves it. But you would sure hope that last night proved to him that his restricted offensive approach was a flaw. You must take risks and create your own outcomes. You cannot just hunker down and pound the ball into safe spaces. I'm kind of proud of Hud for last night. My criticism (for the sake of hopeful improvement) had turned into pure cynicism. I just didn't think the man had it in him to change. Even if he only changed for one game... it gives me hope.

I could jump on the bandwagon of "what took you so long?"... and I probably will... but I can only hope Hud will not only open up our offense to salvage the W/L ratio... the recruiting result... the fans returning to watch the Cajuns play... but to become a more dangerous offense from here on out. I think it's in the DNA of a Louisiana Ragin Cajun football team to wreck other teams. I don't want to just participate like the rest of the programs. I want us to be an explosive offense. That is what I believe will attract a stream of talent and a mass of support.