Fly in the ointment: Football is unsettling westwords

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JohnWardForever

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westwords There is a busy rumor going around, maybe just wishful thinking, that Nico’s dad, Nicholas Iamaleava Sr., asked for a meeting with Josh Heupel and wanted to know what the heck the coach was going to do about the stale or predictable offense, the one Ohio State and some of us thought we saw. WHOA! Marvin West what do you know? westwords
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#3
#3
This took place the same weekend that Mike Matthews was rumored to be entering the portal. Heup reportedly gave them all some assurances that they recognized the importance of fixing the offense and becoming more dynamic in the passing game.

There’s been quite a discussion for over week on VQ about it. Could it be coach speak or could it be a renaissance for the offense? Only time will tell.

I know one thing, if they are stuck in granny low again next season, you might see the entire offense transfer out.
 
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#4
The problem is we don't recruit on the same level as OSU. Not sure how they're going to stack the roster immediately to meet the demand to win at that level for next year. Unless they plan on raiding the UGA, OSU, and/or Texas rosters after the playoffs? Even then those kids would have to come in and contribute immediately and it seems like with WR anyway, it takes a year for these guys to really make a difference in this offense. They spent big on OL last offseason with mixed results. Maybe this time it will be different. 🤷‍♂️
 
#5
#5
The problem is we don't recruit on the same level as OSU. Not sure how they're going to stack the roster immediately to meet the demand to win at that level for next year. Unless they plan on raiding the UGA, OSU, and/or Texas rosters after the playoffs? Even then those kids would have to come in and contribute immediately and it seems like with WR anyway, it takes a year for these guys to really make a difference in this offense. They spent big on OL last offseason with mixed results. Maybe this time it will be different. 🤷‍♂️
I agree. It seems like an odd approach to me. It makes me think that the money is simply not there because we as a collective are having to spread the wealth too much amongst non football programs.
 
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#6
These rumors particularly circulated when Mike Mathews entered portal. However I am unsure what assurance can Huep give.
It is not like they did not try to be explosive, they just could not. The WRs had hard time getting open, on the few occasions they did Nico missed them early on and few times Nico connected, they dropped it. Plus, Nico stared his receivers down early and often and never completed full read.
The only complaint I would have is use of motion pre-snap and may be better protection for Nico.
I do anticipate Nico will improve throwing and reading with exp. The WRs hopefully get better at separation. That will help a lot.
 
#7
#7
These rumors particularly circulated when Mike Mathews entered portal. However I am unsure what assurance can Huep give.
It is not like they did not try to be explosive, they just could not. The WRs had hard time getting open, on the few occasions they did Nico missed them early on and few times Nico connected, they dropped it. Plus, Nico stared his receivers down early and often and never completed full read.
The only complaint I would have is use of motion pre-snap and may be better protection for Nico.
I do anticipate Nico will improve throwing and reading with exp. The WRs hopefully get better at separation. That will help a lot.
It didn’t help at all that the OL crapped the bed a large majority of the season when it came to pass blocking, especially when SEC play first started.
 
#8
#8
westwords There is a busy rumor going around, maybe just wishful thinking, that Nico’s dad, Nicholas Iamaleava Sr., asked for a meeting with Josh Heupel and wanted to know what the heck the coach was going to do about the stale or predictable offense, the one Ohio State and some of us thought we saw. WHOA! Marvin West what do you know? westwords
View attachment 712384
I’m curious. What does our OC actually do if Heupel is calling the plays? Seems there has been a drop off since losing Golesh, but then again, there was a drop off in the same offense when Milton was playing, or better put, an increase in performance when Hendon Hooker took the reigns and played with the exact same coaches and surrounding cast.
 
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#9
Another great article by Marvin. It shared the blame for O problems which was probably the truth. The statement about the coaching staffs inability to develop players was disturbing. Got to fix that. He hit the nail on the head about needs, WR, 2 tackles that can pass block and my favorite comment, a LB that can occasionally cover a TE or RB across the middle.
 
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#10
#10
I've read and listened to some of the local sports talk and they kept saying it was a number of factors keeping the offense from being productive (i.e. Nico being on but receivers not catching and vice versa, protection not being there when the receivers finally got open, etc). I think I get all that but at the end of the day it seems like it's talent and chemistry. We need an upgrade in talent across the board to make it work, starting with the line of scrimmage and we need guys who have played in the system for more than a year. 2022 seemed like the perfect storm of talented guys who had played together in sync for most of the previous year and then it just clicked warp speed. Unfortunately we're having to almost completely revamp at WR for this next season and the O-line is still a question mark.

Here's my question: Why not just let Nico loose more often in the running game like they did versus Iowa? I know there's the chance he could potentially get hurt, but man he was dynamic. Not sure if that was what the coaches wanted him to do in that game or if he just did it instinctively, but it was effective.
 
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#11
#11
The problem is we don't recruit on the same level as OSU. Not sure how they're going to stack the roster immediately to meet the demand to win at that level for next year. Unless they plan on raiding the UGA, OSU, and/or Texas rosters after the playoffs? Even then those kids would have to come in and contribute immediately and it seems like with WR anyway, it takes a year for these guys to really make a difference in this offense. They spent big on OL last offseason with mixed results. Maybe this time it will be different. 🤷‍♂️
While we can improve via the portal, those kids are in there for a reason. For many, it's money. For others, they weren't getting on the field or there were issues. Doubt anything we could get from the portal would take us to the OSU/UGA level. Portal guys are a band-aid IMO. And they're hit and miss, too. Sometimes guys are at a lower level for good reasons. We need our bread and butter to be evaluations and HS recruiting. Even then I doubt we can swing with the big boys. At that point, it's development and doing more with less. I'm that regard, I have serious doubts about some on our staff.
 
#12
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Have to win in the trenches, or nothing works. Need better talent overall at the WR position, but if the OL doesn't vastly improve, particularly with pass blocking, nothing will change.

It all starts up front, in every offense, every season, every team, yesterday, today and tomorrow. Running this offense, or that offense it doesn't matter, if you get whipped at the line, most likely you will lose. It really isn't rocket science.

Nico does need to learn (quickly) how to see the whole field, instead of one or 2 reads to a predicable side of the field. His limitations are what opponents are exploiting and recognizing from video. Maybe this is a schematic problem, maybe this is a Nico problem, or a little of both? He is still very young and has a TON of football ahead of him.

He needs to be a football junkie madman this off-season and really work on reading defenses and scanning the whole field, or 2/3 of it. If this is more of a schematic/play calling issue, this must change yesterday.

But again, if they continue to whiff in pass blocking, nothing is going to work.
 
#13
#13
I've read and listened to some of the local sports talk and they kept saying it was a number of factors keeping the offense from being productive (i.e. Nico being on but receivers not catching and vice versa, protection not being there when the receivers finally got open, etc). I think I get all that but at the end of the day it seems like it's talent and chemistry. We need an upgrade in talent across the board to make it work, starting with the line of scrimmage and we need guys who have played in the system for more than a year. 2022 seemed like the perfect storm of talented guys who had played together in sync for most of the previous year and then it just clicked warp speed. Unfortunately we're having to almost completely revamp at WR for this next season and the O-line is still a question mark.

Here's my question: Why not just let Nico loose more often in the running game like they did versus Iowa? I know there's the chance he could potentially get hurt, but man he was dynamic. Not sure if that was what the coaches wanted him to do in that game or if he just did it instinctively, but it was effective.

To be honest, I don't think Nico is the best runner. I think they also wanted to preserve him. They let him loose more towards the end of the season.

That being said, I do think quick passes and spreading teams out more would help a little with our offensive challenges. From what I saw, I don't think Dylan Sampson was the best at catching the ball and blocking so that also limited our offense. (Great runner).
 
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#14
#14
While we can improve via the portal, those kids are in there for a reason. For many, it's money. For others, they weren't getting on the field or there were issues. Doubt anything we could get from the portal would take us to the OSU/UGA level. Portal guys are a band-aid IMO. And they're hit and miss, too. Sometimes guys are at a lower level for good reasons. We need our bread and butter to be evaluations and HS recruiting. Even then I doubt we can swing with the big boys. At that point, it's development and doing more with less. I'm that regard, I have serious doubts about some on our staff.
Agreed. From what I have seen so far, portal WRs need at least an entire season to figure out this system before they can be dependable on the field. There has really been only one exception and that was Velus Jones Jr. I can't help but think the offense was slightly less complicated because that was everyone's first year in Heup's system.
 
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#15
#15
This "rumor" has been floating around the boards for a bit. It's all about the talent surrounding Nico. Nothing new. Heupel/OC can only call what his talent is capable of running.
Heupel needs to start recruiting top tier O-linemen. I know he got Sanders and that's a start. Need a line to protect Nico. Need some top WRs also. If the WRs got a problem with the WRs coach, then Heupel needs to make a change.
 
#20
#20
westwords There is a busy rumor going around, maybe just wishful thinking, that Nico’s dad, Nicholas Iamaleava Sr., asked for a meeting with Josh Heupel and wanted to know what the heck the coach was going to do about the stale or predictable offense, the one Ohio State and some of us thought we saw. WHOA! Marvin West what do you know? westwords
View attachment 712384
Proud of what we have accomplished to rise from the ashes to become a borderline elite program. Heupels ability to adapt as coach will be the chief determinant as to whether we rise further or if the Heupel era burns out in about three to four more years. I sincerely hope this is a personnel issue which can be fixed vs a you’ve pretty much been figured out as a game planner issue. Really my biggest worry with this team.
 
#21
#21
These rumors particularly circulated when Mike Mathews entered portal. However I am unsure what assurance can Huep give.
It is not like they did not try to be explosive, they just could not. The WRs had hard time getting open, on the few occasions they did Nico missed them early on and few times Nico connected, they dropped it. Plus, Nico stared his receivers down early and often and never completed full read.
The only complaint I would have is use of motion pre-snap and may be better protection for Nico.
I do anticipate Nico will improve throwing and reading with exp. The WRs hopefully get better at separation. That will help a lot.
JMO....But it's the HC responsibility to have the correct pieces in place to make 'his system' work. Going into year 5 it should not be a issue.
 
#22
#22
Teams like UF and SC will be better next year where they now have their QBs, and can build, so I'm not so sure duplicating 2024 dominant D and outstanding run game is going to keep us elevated...w/o figuring out the pass game better.
 
#23
#23
I’m curious. What does our OC actually do if Heupel is calling the plays? Seems there has been a drop off since losing Golesh, but then again, there was a drop off in the same offense when Milton was playing, or better put, an increase in performance when Hendon Hooker took the reigns and played with the exact same coaches and surrounding cast.
Please don't forget, it was Hooker's SECOND season in the system (actually playing in several games the first year) before HE became proficient in the offense. He was not as good as the first year. It is also forgotten that he was a multi-year before he transferred in. Nico started one game and had a handful of snaps in his first year. Wait until next year before passing judgement on Nico's abilities as a QB running this offense. Take the NIL blinders off and actually look at the comparisons apples to apples.
 
#24
#24
Have to win in the trenches, or nothing works. Need better talent overall at the WR position, but if the OL doesn't vastly improve, particularly with pass blocking, nothing will change.

It all starts up front, in every offense, every season, every team, yesterday, today and tomorrow. Running this offense, or that offense it doesn't matter, if you get whipped at the line, most likely you will lose. It really isn't rocket science.

Nico does need to learn (quickly) how to see the whole field, instead of one or 2 reads to a predicable side of the field. His limitations are what opponents are exploiting and recognizing from video. Maybe this is a schematic problem, maybe this is a Nico problem, or a little of both? He is still very young and has a TON of football ahead of him.

He needs to be a football junkie madman this off-season and really work on reading defenses and scanning the whole field, or 2/3 of it. If this is more of a schematic/play calling issue, this must change yesterday.

But again, if they continue to whiff in pass blocking, nothing is going to work.
Let's not put it all on Nico. The QB shouldn't have to be running for his life on every play; hello offensive line; plus how about the receivers getting separation? Don't know how any team is going to have stability going forward when the best players are going to the highest bidder unless you have a billionaire footing the bill every year. It's the wild, wild west now when players can transfer basically anytime and no penalty. Show me the money!
 
#25
#25
Let's not put it all on Nico. The QB shouldn't have to be running for his life on every play; hello offensive line; plus how about the receivers getting separation? Don't know how any team is going to have stability going forward when the best players are going to the highest bidder unless you have a billionaire footing the bill every year. It's the wild, wild west now when players can transfer basically anytime and no penalty. Show me the money!
Did you not read my post?
 

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