Question for the Xs and Os guys

[Capn Hook]

After reading some of the "OMG, the sky is falling" posts on OB and other boards, what do you people who can actually analyze a football game think of Watson as an OC?

From my limited perspective, he seems to play too close to the vest, but, like I say, that is from a very uneducated view.

Can someone, or someones, break down his play calling from a strategic angle.  Looking at each play as an isolated event does not draw a complete picture of what he may be trying to do from a longer range strategy.  Obviously some plays can look bad, but they may be meant to set up other plays and get the defense into the wrong formation or coverage, and that might be more apparent to those of you who can watch a game and see things that people like me are just unable to grasp.

I tend to watch the ball, rather than the team as a whole so I can't get a total picture of what is happening.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[utisdabomb12]

After reading some of the "OMG, the sky is falling" posts on OB and other boards, what do you people who can actually analyze a football game think of Watson as an OC?

From my limited perspective, he seems to play too close to the vest, but, like I say, that is from a very uneducated view.

Can someone, or someones, break down his play calling from a strategic angle.  Looking at each play as an isolated event does not draw a complete picture of what he may be trying to do from a longer range strategy.  Obviously some plays can look bad, but they may be meant to set up other plays and get the defense into the wrong formation or coverage, and that might be more apparent to those of you who can watch a game and see things that people like me are just unable to grasp.

I tend to watch the ball, rather than the team as a whole so I can't get a total picture of what is happening.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I don't have an opinion on Watson yet, because he's so limited personnel wise it's difficult to be objective. 

 

[Sirhornsalot]

I agree with dabomb. There's only so much he can do with the offense until Swoopes gets more acclimated. I'm sure some of what he's doing is to get Swoopes more comfortable in his own shoes. Repetition, experience and success builds confidence.

I don't go to OB anymore. Some of their best threads are about people who no longer go there. That says something, IMO, about the content there. The game today could have been a 49-0 wipe out and you'd still have panic and food fights there.

As ugly as it might have looked to some, we did lay down a shutout in an opponent's house. We probably played down to KU's level a tad as we always seem to do when we go there. But not a lot of teams shut out KU, especially in Lawrence.

I was glad to see Amanti Foreman get some action today. That kid excites me. He's going to be good.

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

Big picture, my opinion is our O-Line isn't very good right now.  We averaged right around 3 YPC running the ball against KU.  Woof.  Yes, I think Watson is being pretty conservative with Swoopes.  He did miss a few passes today with receivers open, though.

D better create turnovers or score next week against Baylor.  Otherwise, we're probably in for a long day.

 

[Lukus Alderman]

My only argument with Watson in regards to his play calling is his use of the option a little too much.

The frustration that I have with the offense, and it may be more of a Strong issue than a Watson one, is the lack of use of a hurry-up offense. I think Swoopes has shown that he plays much better in hurry up, but for some reason the coaches won't use it unless we are in a two-minute drill.

I think we'd play much better offensively with a different tempo.

 

[HornEsch]

I think we will see the problems with his style of offense the next few weeks where having a good defense is not enough.

He still calls the offense like he is in the Big East. Now if he changes up a bit against Baylor and ou, then it will change my perspective. However I think play calling costs us against UCLA. He has moments where he gets it going, but then calls the same plays too often.

 

[Matt Cotcher]

Watson is so limited by this OL, that it's not possible to judge his playcalling.

 

[bcherry168]

Watson has a pretty bare cupboard when it comes to talent. He has to coach what he has, and it is pretty limited right now.

Swoopes is coming along, but he is a touch too slow to do some of the things he is asked to do. He is gaining experience, which hopefully will make him a bit more patient in the pocket, but given the OL problems I can understand why he gets nervous so quickly. He needs to learn to throw the ball away rather than losing yards as well.

This years' team is what it is: a work in progress. A lot of the time it is not going to be very pretty. Players are going to have to be coached up and developed......and recruited.

Texas fans are not known to be patient, but my guess is that we are two or more probably three years away from being able to compete at the highest levels. But maybe Strong/Watson/Bedford can turn it around quicker that that.

 

[PeteA422]

My perspective is that Watson is really doing well adjusting what he is doing with what is available.  While we may want to see more high-tempo, big play offense, he has a young O-line and a green QB.  He has called plays that have put the men he has available in the best position for success. 

Going to Lukus' comment about the hurry-up offense, I don't think that Watson has a problem doing it, but I think they are trying to play the clock management game.  I believe they feel more comfortable and feel it puts the horns in a better position to slow things down and play a grind out game right now.  I also think that against Kansas, you saw Watson use the game as a true tune up and training game.  You saw some new wrinkles in the offense that we hadn't seen yet.  They started to move the pocket a little (something we have had trouble with due to our young O-line), they let Swoopes go over the top (although he did miss on a few and had one called back), and they kept the play calling fairly balanced.  I think that what we saw against Kansas is exactly the kind of football we can expect.  I think they executed the game plan they had in place exactly how they wanted, which will give the team confidence moving along this season.

Back to the original question though, I think Watson is definitely doing a good job with what is available, while staying true to the style of play Strong wants.  The coaching staff right now are doing a great job of calling a game that places our horns in the best position for success according to the teams current abilities.  That is all we can ask.  I know we want more, but with what is available, the coaches are doing a good job in my opinion.

 

[LinuxHorn]

I think we will see the problems with his style of offense the next few weeks where having a good defense is not enough.

He still calls the offense like he is in the Big East. Now if he changes up a bit against Baylor and ou, then it will change my perspective. However I think play calling costs us against UCLA. He has moments where he gets it going, but then calls the same plays too often.

For starters, how's it going man? It's been some months. 

I agree. Watson has been a mixed bag. He has little to work with, but there are some things he does well then turns around and has a head scratcher. When we ran the play for Armanti Foreman (sans fumble), it was wide open and very successful. Sometimes I think Watson may over think things. We have some guys who have speed and we don't even attempt to get them in space. We don't have the hogs to run the O they want. It's insane to constantly attempt to run the ball up the back of the lineman when they are sitting there with a stacked box. 

I would bet the whole Wickline leaving early after the game stems from his frustration. This offense is painful to watch. I don't think its mostly due to being so conservative as it is failure. I'd be ok with trying to make big play and failing rather than run, run, pass in front of the sticks (an old GD mantra). CS has got to know he needs to modify some of his coaching philosophy in this league. If not, year 1 will definitely give him some perspective. 

 

[GBT]

Yes...Charlie will either change his philosophy.... "rely on defense"...to...." put an offense on the field that can score 30 a game", or he will not last past 3 years here. You can't beat WVU, Baylor, OSU, or OU with this offense we have been seeing. Throw TCU in there too. There are only a couple teams in the Big 12 you can beat without scoring 30, and we played one already. Make that 3 teams if you include us. 

 

[echeese]

I am certainly no X's and O's guru (though I did stay at a Holiday Inn once in my life) and I was very critical of Watson in this week's Cheap Seats but when your OL and your QB are so poor. . .pretty hard to run any O. . . 

I do think there are things he can do better (roll outs and boots, mis direction, zone read) but he just doesn't have anything to work with today. 

 

[primal defense]

Watson went into the season with one experienced QB who could read a defense and who is gone after one game. He had a OL that had question marks going into the season and he loses three starters. One to injury and the other two because they wanted to do their own thing.

I thought going into the season the two most important players we could lose is Ash since he's the QB of the offense and Espinosa since he's the QB of the offensive line. I read the success of an OL is directly related to experience and right now we probably have the most inexperienced line in college football.

 

[Tulsahorn]

I am certainly no X's and O's guru (though I did stay at a Holiday Inn once in my life) and I was very critical of Watson in this week's Cheap Seats but when your OL and your QB are so poor. . .pretty hard to run any O. . . 

I do think there are things he can do better (roll outs and boots, mis direction, zone read) but he just doesn't have anything to work with today. 

If you are not an x and o guy, and acknowledge OL and QB are poor, why would you be critical of OC?

We run a ton of roll outs and boot legs.  The problem with that is that you instantly lose 1/2 the field and it's a more difficult throw.

Inexperienced QB, with average at best accuracy, and poor OL.  It ain't x's and o's at this stage. 

Football is, and always be an execution first game.

 

[echeese]

If you are not an x and o guy, and acknowledge OL and QB are poor, why would you be critical of OC?

I'm not a chef but have no problem commenting on the quality of a meal. . . I felt we used boots and rollouts to seldom, I think we need more misdirection in our running game, it worked well vs UNT .. . while the OL and QB are poor, Shawn is not above criticism. . 

We run a ton of roll outs and boot legs.  The problem with that is that you instantly lose 1/2 the field and it's a more difficult throw.

 When you are running 1-2 read options for your QB, cutting the field in half isn't a big deal. . .what you gain is more time to throw and the option to run. . .I would argue Swoopes throws better on the run, his mechanics are not as bad.  And frankly I don't think we ran enough of them or of zone read style runs.    It's a message board, that's my opinion.

Inexperienced QB, with average at best accuracy, and poor OL.  It ain't x's and o's at this stage. 

Football is, and always be an execution first game.

Said that for decades. . .few understand it

 

[MikeV73]

Swoopes doesn't have the edge speed to be a threat on the option, that was evident vs Kansas. However, how about the delayed QB keeper up the middle? IMO too many options called in which Kansas knew Swoopes wouldn't be keeping the ball and strung it out. Would like to see Watson with more deep throw calls, but realize that relies on the OL to protect Swoopes long enough to throw to his target. Take my opinion for what it is worth, I grew up playing European Football, otherwise called soccer in only one country in the world!

 

[streettopeschel]

I don't have an opinion on Watson yet, because he's so limited personnel wise it's difficult to be objective. 

exactly.

the one guy we all agreed we couldn't lose (ash), we lost. the one experienced OL we had, we lost in gm1. the one game breaker we have (daje), hasn't seen the field. two tackles we thought would either start or play a lot couldn't keep their shit together. 

watson may be a disaster, but judging him on this patchwork offensive unit isn't fair.