Question: Play calling?

Tiderollin32

All-SEC
Mar 12, 2012
1,507
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I know from reading most of the post that fans have mixed feeling's towards Nussmeier. My question is given the fact that in the SEC championship game we had more success running rather than passing, does this constitute to the fact we had not done that all year as regularly as we had in the past? Rewind to the past 5 season's where Bama's mindset was pound the rock, pound the rock and sprinkle a little play action in every now and then. On third down's I remember always knowing it would be a screen-pass to Upchurch or Ingram. Teams quickly started loading the box and stopping the run. IMO without our great defense these games could have gone sour (See Tennessee 09 for example) My other initial question is if we hadn't had a pass first then run mentality this season on first down at least could our defense have looked more like 2010 when we needed our offense to carry us. All in all I believe the mixture of play-calling has carried the offense and helped bring along our defense to put us back in the national championship. JMO would love to hear other's thought's on this. RTR.
 

Ldlane

Hall of Fame
Nov 26, 2002
14,253
398
102
I know from reading most of the post that fans have mixed feeling's towards Nussmeier. My question is given the fact that in the SEC championship game we had more success running rather than passing, does this constitute to the fact we had not done that all year as regularly as we had in the past? Rewind to the past 5 season's where Bama's mindset was pound the rock, pound the rock and sprinkle a little play action in every now and then. On third down's I remember always knowing it would be a screen-pass to Upchurch or Ingram. Teams quickly started loading the box and stopping the run. IMO without our great defense these games could have gone sour (See Tennessee 09 for example) My other initial question is if we hadn't had a pass first then run mentality this season on first down at least could our defense have looked more like 2010 when we needed our offense to carry us. All in all I believe the mixture of play-calling has carried the offense and helped bring along our defense to put us back in the national championship. JMO would love to hear other's thought's on this. RTR.
I hope it depends on a scouting report and match-ups. On either side of the coin you can't be "stubborn" in the coaching profession. I think Mike Gottfried found that out during his basketball tenure.

You lean toward your strength, but you can't ignore strategy.
 
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cmmiller711

All-American
Nov 24, 2006
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Birmingham, AL
FACT: Alabama has two 1,000 yard rushers for the first time ever.

FACT: Alabama has more rushing yards and TD's (2,920 and 35) than passing yards and TD's (2,788 and 27)

FACT: The 2012 offense has put up more TD's rushing AND passing (35 rush, 27 pass) in 13 games this year than the 2011 National Champs (34 rush, 16 pass) under McElwain.

FACT: Alabama has MORE RUSHING YARDS (2,920) AND ATTEMPTS (525) IN 2012 THAN 2011 (2,788 yards on 508 attempts)

Now, that the truth is out there... can we please congratulate Nussmeier on being an EXTREMELY successful hire? Outside of what, in retrospect, was a poor series of play calling at the end of the A&M game, he has improved our offensive efficiency in every way. We're also 12-1... same as last year, but this time we got an SEC championship and a shot at Notre Dame.
 
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B1GTide

TideFans Legend
Apr 13, 2012
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I hope it depends on a scouting report and match-ups. On either side of the coin you can't be "stubborn" in the coaching profession. I think Mike Gottfried found that out during his basketball tenure.

You lean toward your strength, but you can't ignore strategy.
This was my concern - your coaches seem to get stuck on a game plan when it becomes clear that something else is working better. Seems that Saban "forced" the change in game plan against GA. That should not be necessary.
 

Airborne Tider

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Aug 2, 2008
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This was my concern - your coaches seem to get stuck on a game plan when it becomes clear that something else is working better. Seems that Saban "forced" the change in game plan against GA. That should not be necessary.
I have had that feeling at times as well. I think Nuss is doing fine and will be even better next year. It took Coach McElwain a little time to adjust moving from the west coast to the SEC as well.

By the way B1G you have been a welcome addition to the board and have really given me hope for a fanbase I have generally despised in the past. Good to have ya hear.

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BamaFlum

Hall of Fame
Dec 11, 2002
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Isn't this his first year as OC/play caller without help? A this last stop, the HC was much more involved with the offense.
 

Airborne Tider

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Isn't this his first year as OC/play caller without help? A this last stop, the HC was much more involved with the offense.
He was at Washington and Sarkisian is known to be very involved with offense but he thought very highly of Nuss and did not want him to leave.

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cmmiller711

All-American
Nov 24, 2006
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To me, it's kind of obvious how much better we are at actually completing the deep ball this year than we ever have been in my life as a bama fan. When could we have hit 50-60 yard bombs for TD's to come back in a game as big as saturday was? I don't remember an offense that could do that. Add on top of that almost 3,000 team rushing yards and it's pretty obvious how good of a hire CDN was.
 

ALA2262

All-American
Aug 4, 2007
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Cumming, GA
I do not care to see any more passes from inside the 5 yard line thrown right on the goal line. Other that that, I'm good.
 

257WBY

Suspended
Aug 20, 2011
2,077
1
0
When your talent level is much greater, it pays to be conservative. I think the staff tried to put more of the game on AJ this year with mixed results. Against the top teams, AJ threw 2 interceptions in the endzone. I don't blame the coaching staff for giving him the chance to be more dominant, he just wasn't able to make the most of it. I do think the H back or TE could've been developed better, but you only have so many plays per game.
 

TideFan in AU

Hall of Fame
FACT: Alabama has two 1,000 yard rushers for the first time ever.

FACT: Alabama has more rushing yards and TD's (2,920 and 35) than passing yards and TD's (2,788 and 27)

FACT: The 2012 offense has put up more TD's rushing AND passing (35 rush, 27 pass) in 13 games this year than the 2011 National Champs (34 rush, 16 pass) under McElwain.

FACT: Alabama has MORE RUSHING YARDS (2,920) AND ATTEMPTS (525) IN 2012 THAN 2011 (2,788 yards on 508 attempts)

Now, that the truth is out there... can we please congratulate Nussmeier on being an EXTREMELY successful hire? Outside of what, in retrospect, was a poor series of play calling at the end of the A&M game, he has improved our offensive efficiency in every way. We're also 12-1... same as last year, but this time we got an SEC championship and a shot at Notre Dame.

Just enjoy the moment people.
This!
 

TideFan in AU

Hall of Fame
When your talent level is much greater, it pays to be conservative. I think the staff tried to put more of the game on AJ this year with mixed results. Against the top teams, AJ threw 2 interceptions in the endzone. I don't blame the coaching staff for giving him the chance to be more dominant, he just wasn't able to make the most of it. I do think the H back or TE could've been developed better, but you only have so many plays per game.
After the season, a lot of the reason for AJ's late season slump will make a lot more sense to people. I will say though, the play design nor the execution on the plays you mentioned were ideal. I think AJ will play much better in the NC game.
 

Bamabuzzard

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With five weeks of rest and the drastic change in the playcalling during the second half of the SECCG. I expect our game plan to begin with will be to pound the ball. It seems we have been hell bent this season (to the point of starting games slowly) on using the pass to set up the run when it might not have been needed. Our OL and RB's will have a full five weeks to heal up and that's where I expect to see the emphasis in the championship game.
 

bamafaninOhiO

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May 11, 2010
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With five weeks of rest and the drastic change in the playcalling during the second half of the SECCG. I expect our game plan to begin with will be to pound the ball. It seems we have been hell bent this season (to the point of starting games slowly) on using the pass to set up the run when it might not have been needed. Our OL and RB's will have a full five weeks to heal up and that's where I expect to see the emphasis in the championship game.
I myself like to see a mix....the basic premise of an offense is to do what theyre not expecting..

Pass when they expect run
run when they expect pass

I like how our offense has run this season, and outside of one game in whihc our QB made a bad throw at the goal line...
its worked brilliantly

I would like to see some of the same roll out passes to the TE's we saw in last years BCNCG...just to loosen up that aggressive front seven of ND

Once they have to think about the passes hurting them, I think the running game will be much more effective...
 

B1GTide

TideFans Legend
Apr 13, 2012
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I myself like to see a mix....the basic premise of an offense is to do what theyre not expecting..

Pass when they expect run
run when they expect pass

I like how our offense has run this season, and outside of one game in whihc our QB made a bad throw at the goal line...
its worked brilliantly

I would like to see some of the same roll out passes to the TE's we saw in last years BCNCG...just to loosen up that aggressive front seven of ND

Once they have to think about the passes hurting them, I think the running game will be much more effective...
The problem, as I see it, is that you were passing to set up the run instead of running to set up the pass when the defenses that you were playing against simply could not stop your running game. When the defense gives you something (or is incapable of stopping something), you do that thing until they stop you. In the SECCG, that was NEVER. Against aTm, that was also NEVER. I am not sure whether or not LSU could have stopped you on the ground - you never forced them to do so.

You only real success in the vertical passing game against quality opponents this year has been on play action. Run to set up the pass and you have wide open receivers and time to deliver the ball. Your running game doesn't need the help - your passing game does.
 

dvldog

Hall of Fame
Sep 20, 2005
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The problem, as I see it, is that you were passing to set up the run instead of running to set up the pass when the defenses that you were playing against simply could not stop your running game. When the defense gives you something (or is incapable of stopping something), you do that thing until they stop you. In the SECCG, that was NEVER. Against aTm, that was also NEVER. I am not sure whether or not LSU could have stopped you on the ground - you never forced them to do so.

You only real success in the vertical passing game against quality opponents this year has been on play action. Run to set up the pass and you have wide open receivers and time to deliver the ball. Your running game doesn't need the help - your passing game does.
Yep
 

257WBY

Suspended
Aug 20, 2011
2,077
1
0
After the season, a lot of the reason for AJ's late season slump will make a lot more sense to people. I will say though, the play design nor the execution on the plays you mentioned were ideal. I think AJ will play much better in the NC game.
3 out of the last 4 seasons, we've heard that Alabama QBs have been badly hurt and could barely play by the end of the season. Bottom line, if they take the field, they own the performance. They aren't ask to run and play behind the best O line in the nation. If they are that hurt, run another kid out there.
 

jps1983

Hall of Fame
Aug 30, 2006
7,459
0
0
Definitely our makeup this year, we run to set up the pass. We have a sick OL; I was very glad to see us run the ball against UGA. I want ND to stack the box because then Norwood and Cooper are going to be single covered. We'll test their ability to stop the run. If they can't, I'd bet we don't pass it more than 15 times. If they can, then we'll need AJ to loosen up their defense.
 

glasscutter256

All-American
Jan 31, 2009
2,173
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67
Huntsville
With five weeks of rest and the drastic change in the playcalling during the second half of the SECCG. I expect our game plan to begin with will be to pound the ball. It seems we have been hell bent this season (to the point of starting games slowly) on using the pass to set up the run when it might not have been needed. Our OL and RB's will have a full five weeks to heal up and that's where I expect to see the emphasis in the championship game.
It is funny how quickly people forget about last year's NCG. We threw on first down 15/16 times. That is what helped us dominate. Most teams expect us to run on first downs, so therefore I don't mind throwing on first downs. If anyone one here can predict when we will run or throw on first down, then Nuss is not doing a very good job. The goal is to not be predictable on first down. ND will stop us on first down if they know we will run every time. ND's run defense will be much better than UGA's. If they stop the run on first down, then we become predictable on 2nd, and 3rd downs too.
 

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