in the first half. In the second half the adjusted and harris did exactly what you're saying. I don't get the refusal of coaches to play to their strengths. To Saban's credit he snapped out of it and won the game.

To my eye Bama’s first half game plan looked a lot more like the rest of their season than the second half.

And if they are inclined to disagree, watch the early running plays in the bowl game where the left side of our offensive line is caving in the defensive line...only to have the safeties, linebackers, and even corners flow to stop the play because it developed so slowly.

It's plausible, if Shanty really is interested in leaving "no stone unturned", per Nelson's dad, that he might delegate some of the structure of the run game to a new OL coach.

Someone like Frye, who has designed a run game before, might have the best shot at convincing "Mr. Red Nose, Short Hose" to give it a shot.

They don't list that on his bio, though, so I don't know if that title was removed or not at any point with the various OC changes since that time.

Plus, how could we attract top assistants when they have onerous job responsibilities like not being a jerk and teaching their players not to be jerks.

From Hiestand as he departed:
“Father (John) Jenkins and Jack Swarbrick asked us to do more than simply coach football. They asked us to not only help our young men mature, but also prepare them for the trials of life. I loved that challenge."

Well, between Harry and Brian, that makes one of them.

Well done.

Hopefully it'll catch on. Also, original credit goes to my brother, JHND.

I have no knowledge of football fundamentals or schemes other than watching thousands of hours of football and listening to analysts.

It appears to me that the kind of power run game you and Across talk about on this board requires at least some plays with the QB under center. Perhaps there are examples of shotgun offenses or plays that offer the same kind of quick hitting, straight ahead power running, but to my eyes, I preferred the plays ND has run with the QB under center (most in 2012, some in 2017), and the same for other college and pro offenses.

Watching the Georgia-Bama game, I felt that if they had committed to a much higher percentage of under center run calls on 1st and 2nd down, they would have established control of TOP, the line of scrimmage and the overall game by the 4th quarter (as I also felt in the ND Miami and Stanford games).

Even for you.

Is it 100% required? No.

But to say it's not important at all is galatically stupid.


Do you watch football? Did you watch the two teams that got to the title game?

They are capable of both running from the shotgun and from under center. The idea that the spread, no under center plays is the wave of the future is spurious at best. And yes, Clemson ran power plays, so it's not 100% required, but the idea that it isn't important just shows a complete and utter lack of basic understanding of football.


I think I've asked before, but did you actually play football growing up?

you can run all of those plays from gun or pistol, especially inside zone. We ran most/all of those plays this year, along with some (I believe) wide zone where you pull lineman around like fold blockers.

real degree.

They stay fresh through the fourth quarter this way.

The pistol and shotgun favor the passing game. but I like the QB under center on short runs in the red zone.

Can and probably should have a mix.


If you go to the gun every time you throw, and under center, every time you run, that's telegraphing 101.

A good offense can and should do both. Pass from under center, run from the gun, etc. The formations, while important, aren't as essential as the design of the runs and passes themselves.

The positioning of the QB immediately telegraphs whether it's a run play or a pass play. Unless you're going with a quick count (e.g., first sound), it's rather easy for the defense to make pre-snap adjustments.

small schools or even HS.

every level you move up is an all star team of the one you were just at.