How much of the offensive playbook do we see early?

While going over a few posts on various topics I remembered a topic that comes up very often early in the season.

Basically the scenario goes like this...if LSU plays lesser opponents early but has little success on the offensive side there is always the excuse of, "we don't want to show all of the playbook".

Seeing as we start off with UNC and their stellar defense plus Tennessee and W. Virginia in the first five games how long into the season does it need to be to make an accurate assessment of LSU's offense and its progress, etc.

It would seem to me that LSU cannot wait to use everything in the playbook and needs to build some success early to quiet the critics, build some "momentum" in the media (polls) plus develop some offensive chemistry for the stretch run.

If that is the case, what happens to the whole idea of "not showing the whole playbook"?

Was it a valid excuse in years past but because of our schedule this year does not apply? Or was it just an excuse that was used to cover up mediocrity? Will anyone be saying that this year or not?

 

I don't think we have the luxury to hold back the playbook against North Carolina.

 

considering UNC will probably be ranked higher than LSU to start the season, I'm pretty sure every card in the deck will be shown in Atlanta.

Which is a good thing. Great teams are great because the opponent knows what's coming and can't stop it -- ala Tebow up the middle.

The lesser team is the team who has to utilize tricks and/or hide their secrets.

 

I don't think the coaches hold back the playbook due to some kind of counter-espionage tactic.

Rather, I think they run plays appropriate to the personnel and the situation. So, if the game is easily in hand, and the 2nd team is in, you're probably not going to see a lot of the playbook.

Conversely, if the game is very close against a really good opponent, then you're probably only going to see what will work.

It takes a full season to see everything in the playbook.

I'd say the only hope of really see a ton of the playbook early is if nothing's working and the personnel on the field can handle it.

This year - I think Jefferson probably has the experience to handle it. So, this year - against a very good UNC defense - you may just see the offense open up to try to find a weak spot to exploit.

 

I'd like to see that time used as a practice session to work on executing the playbook. The backups need to get experience doing something other than run plays up the middle.

 

It'll be hard to hold back not just because of UNC, but because of the likelihood of a lot of the offense being built around getting Shep the ball. Starting out at a new position, and needing to be a vital part of that offense, the coaches need to know what he does well, what he needs work on, and what needs reevaluation very early into the season. Ditto for the RB rotation and line play.

 

Good point. There wasn't a person in the stadium who didn't know Tommy Frazier was going to run right and then left and then right again. No one could do a thing about it.

 

I say you gotta open it up. You can't really hold back against UNC. My opinion, you can't really hold back anything for any game.

 

And Florida knew in '07 that Hester was getting the ball on those 4th downs, but he made them all.

About the topic at hand, last year and the year prior, I really did think that we were being timid about our playbook and holding back. I think it was because of the inexperience of our quarterbacks. The positive thing this year is that we actually do have an experienced quarterback, one with over a year's worth of SEC starting experience.

The playbook will be open from the first game. Our schedule does not allow for playing it close to the vest. It's time for the Mad Hatter to show his crazy side again--it's what works best for him and us.

 

If the playbook's not opened early, then (unfortunately) it probably doesn't even exist.