For some time now I have wondered how extensive the LSU play book is. IS Garry really a genius with a play book so difficult that it just takes a few years to maser? From what I know, Garry has been here 3 years. Of those 3, he made it into the LSU record books by having 2 of the 4 LSU offenses that scored over 400 points a year. 2007 and 2008. 26th total in 2007 Run game 10th Pass 42nd 55th total in 2008 Run game 39th Pass 62nd 112th total in 2009 Run game 84th Pass 92nd However, every single year it has been a new QB. How important is this???? Also each year our Run and Pass game became worse. I am not an offensive mind. I played D all my years so that’s what I usually stick with, but from someone who knows more, were any major changes made to the play-book last year or blocking scheme? Was it just an undersized and weak O’line? Or have people just figured out Garry now? Is a steady QB really the answer? Or is Garry gonna run us dry this year? Or is this the real truth of it? http://www.footballboards.com/college-football-forum/1824-oregons-oc-gary-crowton-run-lsus-offense.html Finaly, I think the real question is what is more important here at LSU. I would say D is our Focus. It seems our D is getting back to standards QUICK. With that being said, what is an acceptable level of O that LSU can live with or needs to win? Judging from 2007, 2003 and past SEC Nation Champs, a better O than 50th can get it done. Bama had the 43rd overall last year. Would most agree on this? If yes, would you then agree to Garry keeping his job if he gets us to this goal and keeps it?
Defenses win championships. Consider last season, where LSU was competitive in almost every football game - even against the national champs, and Florida. With any offense at all, LSU would've beaten Penn State. And LSU's defense last year was pretty average by LSU standards. With a good defense, quarterbacks like Mauck and Flynn (good but not awesome) had the field position and number of possessions to lead a moderately talented offense to score enough points to win championships. With an average or less defense, the quarterbacks and skill players have to be phenomenal, and even then nothing is really guaranteed. Arkansas has had a powerful offense for a long time - and they lose a lot of games because their defense stinks. As for the "playbook" - I've never seen it, haven't heard details about it, have never seen anything definitive written about it. But I, like many, don't really like the Meercat act, I don't really like the huge delays getting plays in that rob LSU of chances to gain yardage and score, and I don't like having offensive sets that are so tailored that they telegraph the play (Shepard in the pistol or wildcat = Shepard's gonna run). I think Crowton is a great offensive mind who's had to deal with underperforming QBs. I know others disagree and think JJ is doing great. I don't think he's been doing great in games - I think he's been limited in what he can do, and he does that limited set of tasks fairly well - but that doesn't mean he's been a good QB. Not in the SEC. This year - I think this year is a totally different case. One year of experience is going to make a huge difference. I hope I'm right! :lol:
Most people that I know that dislike Crowton say that he needs to go due to the declining performance of the offense, but also for the general sluggishness and indecisiveness that has plagued LSU for the past two years. Also for the "trick" plays that never work, the "surprise" substitutions that defenses have figured out by week three, and the option to the short side of the field. I agree with most of them, and don't particularly like Crowton's genius mind. But I think that if we get back to ten wins a season, some of those criticisms will go away. Also, I think that if we still lose but: -Tried our damndest -Tried something different when things didn't work -Appeared determined and focused Then people wouldn't be so critical.
Our offense was 112th last year, which means we weren't even average. We sucked on offense. That said, LSU managed to find a way to stay in all of our games on talent and athleticism, and a little help from the defense. As for Crowton, it's no secret I've not been a very big fan of his. I don't know what the deal was last year with the play calling. I think half of it was Jefferson being scared to screw up, but also I think GC was scared to put him in a position to make big plays because he didn't want a replay of '08 either. I've been told that GC was basically hammering JJ last year about not making mistakes (like Lee in '08) and I'm wondering if it was to the extent that JJ was second guessing himself because he didn't want to turn the ball over, get GC mad, etc.. I don't know. Combine that with a lacking O-line and well, we all saw how it went. We couldn't use anything last year from the so-called "arsenal" because we were limited by the O's ability. Opponents didn't respect the pass because we basically had no passing game outside of 10 yards or so. All any of the teams needed to do was stack the box and wait for the run, which they did. Watch Florida last year, watch Bama, they knew what we were going to do before we did it. It's actually pretty amazing that we managed to get a 9 win season with the 112th ranked offense in the country. It says a lot about the mindset and talent of the players on this team. This year I think they're going to encourage Jefferson to take some chances, cut loose a bit, and I think everyone's going to be over the worries of '08 type mistakes on the offense. Also I think the O-line will perform a bit more like what we're used to seeing before last year. This will open up a running game for us and make things easier for JJ and for GC as well. JJ's confidence level should continue to rise, but that's going to be on him this year. Also, I look for better O-line play, which should A)Open up the running game, and B)Give Jefferson some time to pass instead of run from defenders. I don't see us giving up 35 sacks this year so JJ's confidence should be better as a result. Hopefully they will get the plays out on the field a lot faster, and I'd like to see us get back to winning the time of possession battle. Bottom line as far as I'm concerned: The D is in pretty good shape. All we need from them is a performance similar to last year's, with the addition of some more aggressive D-Line play and we're going to be fine there. I'm a little concerned with our depth at LB, but we'll get through it. If the Offense is even a 'little' better than last season and JJ is a bit more confident, we should be ok. Even if our record ends up the same as last season, I'd say we'll probably still look way better than last year's team. I also think this year LSU gets a few wins they've needed against yearly foes (aka Bama, Florida, Ole Miss, etc).. We'll see in just 4 days, 9 hours, 23 minutes, and 15 seconds. :tigereye:
The underperforming QB excuse flew in 2008 for obvious reasons. No way in hell in 2009. Last year LSU should have returned one QB with a lot of picks but a lot of experience, and one that showed flashes of promise. What we got is a QB whose mind for the game appears to be shot, and another who the coaching staff had scared to death of throwing interceptions and made barely any noticeable improvement over the course of the season. Crowton's offense is based around a solid QB and a running game that can be a jack of all trades. Power I on one play, 4 WR spread play the next, 3 bunched receivers and a tight end the next. LSU had neither last year, and Crowton couldn't find any way to adjust his style to the players he had. Jack of all trades to master of none. And after watching Jarrett Lee melt down, I have serious doubts about his ability to develop a QB. On top of that Crowton thinks calling screen passes in long yardage situations at the end of a game is a great idea. That same coach also thinks that the way to help a QB struggling with his confidence is to consistently put him in 3rd and long situations and then call 4/5 WR sets without a dumpoff back to help him out. That's not simply bad coaching moves, that's amateur hour stuff. The sole element of Crowton's game plan that I agreed with was making JJ become a pocket QB and take him out of his rollout comfort zone that SEC defenses already figured out. I'm really hoping BG helps make a big difference this year. Best scenario IMO is he uses this season to learn the ropes so he can take over the OC spot and Crowton moves on.
Offense is Key to Defense Win! Garry Crowton is a great offensive play person with an extensive knowledge of the game. He knows the game as well or better than every one of his predecessors. Seems to me that we have a problem staying ahead of the "defenses" that win the games. Some opposing defenses with "decent" talent levels seem to make the right adjustments at the right times; therefore they control the game and LSU's offensive "talent" can't handle the adjustments. Maybe a little roll out, option type "dink" passing is the key to loosen up the defense for more play diversity!! Maybe take a few pages from Drew Brees's and Sean Payton's play book ( use all "wide open, roll out, spread type"passing options; tight end, all running backs,split ends) and not the same old "great offensive receiving threats (players)" on every pass play. Run the QB to the side line(clear the tackles as to be able to ditch the ball) with his arm loaded for the pass!! Even a new QB , capable of making a LSU team ,should be able to understand throw if the receiver is clear, run if you are open, or ditch the ball (3 options)! Give the opposing defense too many throwing options (as in the "Spread" offense) to try to adjust to giving the LSU offense the edge that offense should have; knowing what the play is to be; this will open the run! LSU doesn't need trick plays; just good play diversity!! If that is achieved, and the "coaches keep up with the clock", LSU's defense can win games!!! Once again I state, "Garry Crowton is a great offensive play person with an extensive knowledge of the game. He knows the game as well or better than every one of his predecessors". A few adjustments in offensive play calling will let LSU's defense win the game and another "NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP"! :geaux:
Crowton is no genius, anyone that runs the option to the short side of the field the majority of the time not only is not a genius, they don't even know basic offense. What has happened to Crowton and the demise of the offense: - Telegraphing play calls with personnel substitutions and formations - Running the option when he has nobody to run it, then running it to the short side of the field - Just stop with the option with Jefferson, he has no skill to do it... he gets creamed almost every time. - Over use of the WR screen - Sending all WRs deep with no or limited dump off routes - Slowing the game down with the stupid look to the sidelines crap Things not in his control: - Average OL - No experience QB I liked what I saw from the Spring game. - No looking to sidelines crap - No player substitution telegraphing... Ridley and Ford can run the complete system - Speeding up the tempo If the offense is last or near last in the SEC and 100+ nationally, both Crowton and Les will be gone or I would hope so.
I disagree. Last season all of the (SEC) teams we faced KNEW we couldn't be a down field threat. I don't care how many receivers you put out on the field, it's all for naught if the defense knows your QB either can't throw it, won't throw it, or will get sacked because the O-line is not so good and he held on to the ball too long. Spread all you want, if the defense doesn't believe you (and they're right), it's no good. That's what happened last year. As far as him being better than any of his predecessors, that's your opinion. I'd have taken Jimbo Fisher back in a heartbeat last year, given the chance.
