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Originally posted by ALA_KAT2:
I'm sure Joker will say they were stacking the line with 9 in the box, and the correct read was the pass play.

Trouble is, we don't have Woodson back there to throw it and Burton, Tamme, Johnson, Lyons to catch it.

I still think 3 running plays, either the option or QB keeper nets us another first down and keeps the drive alive.

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Then if they want to stack 9 in the box, let them rush upfield....and hit them with the WR bubble screen.

That will stop that crap real fast.

Or run a shovel pass to the HB....oh, that's right--Joker was going EMPTY BACKFIELD for some stupid reason.
 

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Posted by Max Beasley (Member # 1320) on 11-16-2008, 07:55 AM:
 
I agree with much of whats been said but respectfully disagree about some things as well. The fact we now run speed options and QB draws tells me Joker has adapted somewhat to what he has to work with because those plays weren't run very much, if at all with the previous QB. I love Cobb but true Frosh playing QB in this league is a lot to ask. You change 8 or 9 in the box with your offensive formation and when Joker went to the 5 receiver set he was spreading the field and thus spreading their defense. I agree it would have been nice to see the bubble screen (or any screen) once since that play has been so good to us, though I thouht the Vandy front was doing a pretty good job of staying under control and just trying to keep Cobb contained. All that being said I would have liked to seen us run and even if it was a minimal gain it would be better than putting this offense in a 3rd and 10 which resulted in a 4th and 4 which resulted in a pick....I believe this team has greatly under used M. Grinter this season and would like to see him get more than one touch per game (but thats just me). I guess I cut Joker some slack because if it werent for 4 devestating penalties this wouldnt even be a topic of discussion, imo.
 

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Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 11-16-2008, 05:33 PM:
 
Another thing to consider is that Vandy runs a very similar offensive scheme to what y'all say we should have run. That means their defense would know exactly how to defend it.

I am not claiming that Joker is then next incarnation of The Old Ball Coach, but he is a good, creative offense mind. He simply doesn't have seasoned players at ANY skill position other than RB, and the best of those is out for the season. Add in what has proven to be a mediocre offensive line, and you have the recipe for Offensive Trouble. To expect them to 'pick up' on a new scheme mid-season and execute it to perfection is, well, optimistic. I think they have adjusted remarkably well, given the circumstances.

We (some of us, anyway) didn't have high expectations for this year's team, and I think that is well justified. Next year, with Cobb comfortable as a starter (pushed by Hartline, Newton and Mossokowski!), a year of experience for our WRs, and hopefully some help from the redshirts at key positions on the O-line, I look for us to move the ball more consistently.

Defensively, the breakdown the last three games has puzzled me, and bothered me much more than our offensive woes. Did the Florida debacle completely take the wind out their sails? They really haven't come close to displaying the grit and aptitude that we saw against Louisville and Bama. Had we been able to keep SC, GA, or Vandy at bay a bit more, any of those three (or all of them) might have been victories. Instead, they all go off for the types of scores we used to see in the Mumme era, when defense simply was not even considered important...
 

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Posted by bayer (Member # 462) on 11-16-2008, 07:24 PM:
 
I think some of the defensive problems have been the result of injuries taking various players out for 2-3 weeks or even the season. As a result you don't have the same continuity on defense.
 

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Posted by jsence2 (Member # 2477) on 11-16-2008, 07:41 PM:
 
Tiptree, I don't think that Cobb stays at QB next year, I really don't.

I think that one of the two stud freshman takes over, and Cobb becomes one of our top wideout threats.

Two highly-touted QBs are not coming to UK if they are going to sit for three years. Trust me, Brooks has something up his sleeve.

I think he redshirts one of them. the other takes over.
 

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Posted by Max Beasley (Member # 1320) on 11-16-2008, 08:13 PM:
 
Thats a interesting situation to consider. I figure one of the 2 frosh. QB's will redshirt but do you play a stud frosh. ahead of the soph. that has some big game experience already under his belt. I would try to bulk up Hartline and make him a TE, then have Will Fidler and one of the frosh qb's along with Cobb as my first 3 qb's. It might allow for another playmaker to be on the field if the QB from Carmel, Ind. is able to step in and Cobb becomes a multi-purpose, multi-position player.....but he might be too good by the start of next season to move.
 

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Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 11-17-2008, 11:39 AM:
 
jsence2,

I agree -- sort of. I think we start off next year running the option behind Cobb, with (my opinion) Mossakowski coming in for a few series, running the pro-set I. The mix may change as the season progresses, depending on the circumstances and opponent. By our bowl game Moss will likely play half the snaps, and Cobb the other half. Imagine trying to prepare for THAT!

The following year, however, I see us starting Moss, with Newton his primary backup (preserving the possible use of the option attack), and Cobb begins a legendary career as a slot back.
 

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Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 11-17-2008, 11:42 AM:
 
Bayer,

I tend to agree that the injuries denied us from achieving optimal performance, but some of our best defensive games happened with key players out with injuries.

Certainly, we don't have SEC depth yet. But we certainly have much better depth than anytime in the last 30 years. No, something more than injuries have led us to this problem -- it seems more psychological than personnel-related. I just think they never recovered from the shock of what Florida did to us.
 

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