Up Tempo or Ball Control Offense?

#26
#26
Neyland Law Vol said:
I have seen several posts discussing how this season TN needs to play to its strengths, which are the running game and the talented and experienced O-Line. Thus, these posts have concluded that TN needs to have a keep-a-way, ball control, run-it-down your throat, run some clock, style offense and to have a chance to pull off a few upsets.

Then i see how Coach Jones' system is a up tempo, fast paced, call a ton of plays, style offense. I may be missing something, but it seems like these two things are inconsistent. Actually they seem to be nearly polar opposites.

Help me out. . . How does Jones mix a ball control run the clock offense with a fast paced up tempo offense? I hope we try to win THIS YEAR, even if it takes using a different ball control style offense, rather than installing a fast paced offense that doesn't fit this years personnel.

Any thoughts?
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Might depend on who we're playing and what tempo is best suited to beat that particular team.
 
#27
#27
The two concepts do appear, on the surface, to be polar opposites. Given our lack of experienced playmakers at wide receiver and quarterback, I tend to subscribe to the ball control school of thought, at least in the short term. We don't exactly have breakaway speed at running back either, so it might be possible, in theory, to meld the two concepts by running a lot of 3.7-4.5 yard running plays in succession at a fast tempo. The template for this hypothetical scenario would be a drive which Navy executed in the 2004 Emerald Bowl, one that consumed 94 yds. on 26 plays and burned 14:26 of clock time. Unfortunately, after all of that effort, Navy only came away with a field goal.
 
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#28
#28
Neyland Law Vol said:
This could be a good plan. Perhaps we will see CBJ's up tempo offense against evenly matched and weaker opponents. But in games where TN is a heavy underdog (i.e Oregon, UF) TN may switch it up and play ball control?
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In my humble opinion, that would be the wisest course of action Butch could take at this juncture.
 
#29
#29
Volosaurus rex said:
In my humble opinion, that would be the wisest course of action Butch could take at this juncture.
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Agreed. TN is not going to out "up tempo" the Ducks. Plus UF Bama and possibly others are just more talented and have more depth that TN. So trying to lengthen the game with an up tempo fast paced game wouldn't help the cause. Generally the longer the game goes on the better chance the "more talented and deeper" team wins out. Thus, we shorten the game with a ball control offense and run the clock. With a few turnovers and mistakes by the opposition, we pull off the win.
 
#31
#31
good question presented by the OP. i can imagine much will be determined simply by what we can do effectively in the first two games.
 
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#32
#32
orange parmejohn said:
good question presented by the OP. i can imagine much will be determined simply by what we can do effectively in the first two games.
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Thanks. Agreed. The coaches may wait and see how good we can run the up tempo style before deciding what to do at Orgeon and at UF. I think we could have a shot at those games with our great o line if we play it right. But i think it will require ball control ofense to win either of those.
 
#33
#33
Neyland Law Vol said:
Thanks. Agreed. The coaches may wait and see how good we can run the up tempo style before deciding what to do at Orgeon and at UF. I think we could have a shot at those games with our great o line if we play it right. But i think it will require ball control ofense to win either of those.
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i do as well.
 
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#34
#34
From the looks of the WR verbals we will be an up tempo team. We need a 5* RB to make this class perfect! GBO!!!
 
#35
#35
Neyland Law Vol said:
I have seen several posts discussing how this season TN needs to play to its strengths, which are the running game and the talented and experienced O-Line. Thus, these posts have concluded that TN needs to have a keep-a-way, ball control, run-it-down your throat, run some clock, style offense and to have a chance to pull off a few upsets.

Then i see how Coach Jones' system is a up tempo, fast paced, call a ton of plays, style offense. I may be missing something, but it seems like these two things are inconsistent. Actually they seem to be nearly polar opposites.
Help me out. . . How does Jones mix a ball control run the clock offense with a fast paced up tempo offense? I hope we try to win THIS YEAR, even if it takes using a different ball control style offense, rather than installing a fast paced offense that doesn't fit this years personnel.

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...



Ball control and the no huddle go together. Yes I know "up tempo" and "no huddle" are two different things, but you can have both at the same time, just as you can have ball control and the no huddle.

As for Tenn running the up tempo no huddle similar to Oregon, I think Tenn has one big "unknown", that's can the freshman WR's block to free the running game. If they make mistakes the offense will struggle and be inconsistent.

Perhaps the Tenn "up tempo" will be different with different blocking assignments. Especially given the quality of the Oline.
 
#36
#36
i feel like CBJ will mix and match. just beacuse your a fast tempo offense on possition doesnt mean you cant grind out a team in the fourth with your high powered running game! and yes we will look more like an oregon ground game than Bama, simpily because our backs are not run you over power backs. JUST WIN JONES!!!:clap:
 
#37
#37
orange parmejohn said:
good question presented by the OP. i can imagine much will be determined simply by what we can do effectively in the first two games.
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Very good question by the OP. There's only two ways that we accomplish an up tempo offense that calls a lot of plays.

1) We are converting and getting 1st downs.

2) We are giving up a lot of points on defense.

The rules haven't changed. We have to get 10 yards and have 4 downs to do it.
 
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#39
#39
CroKev said:
Have 90 offensive plays with most of them being runs and short passes. WR's switch out each play after taking their CB's deep each play (their CB's don't get to switch out). Occasionally we throw deep to a WR being covered by a gassed out DB. Offense hustles back to line of scrimmage each time with new WR's and RB's (who give the next play to the QB) and they unload again...
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How does that work? There are substitution rules.
 
#40
#40
CroKev said:
The WRs know where they're lining up when they come onto the field (they could overload the near side of the field for example) while the DBs don't, making it very difficult for them to substitute between plays.
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If the O subs, the refs stand over the ball and stop play until the D subs and gets set.
 
#41
#41
Neyland Law Vol said:
So no to "ball control" offense, and yes to fast paced up tempo. . . despite our current roster's strength of a talented o-line and running backs?

I guess if you have a good defense, you don't need to play "keep-away" because you have confidence that if you give the ball to the other team a bunch, your defensne will stop them from scoring most of the time?
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Oregon is a run-first offense and they are up-tempo. CBJ has historically been a run-heavy, up-tempo offense. I don't think "up-tempo" and running the ball are as mutually exclusive as you are proposing.
 
#42
#42
Neyland Law Vol said:
Agreed. TN is not going to out "up tempo" the Ducks. Plus UF Bama and possibly others are just more talented and have more depth that TN. So trying to lengthen the game with an up tempo fast paced game wouldn't help the cause. Generally the longer the game goes on the better chance the "more talented and deeper" team wins out. Thus, we shorten the game with a ball control offense and run the clock. With a few turnovers and mistakes by the opposition, we pull off the win.
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Which is exactly what the 'hurry up" offense is designed to overcome. If they can't substitute, all that talent gets gassed, and all that depth is sitting harmlessly on the bench.
 
#43
#43
beasley11 said:
i feel like CBJ will mix and match. just beacuse your a fast tempo offense on possition doesnt mean you cant grind out a team in the fourth with your high powered running game! and yes we will look more like an oregon ground game than Bama, simpily because our backs are not run you over power backs. JUST WIN JONES!!!:clap:
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No-huddle, up-tempo merely describes how you call plays in, and how quickly you snap the ball. It has nothing to do with whether you run or pass. You can up-tempo, no-huddle all game, while running it down their throat.

I do wish people would stop equating no-huddle, up-tempo to Mike Leach's Air Raid offense.
 
#44
#44
Lack of quality depth on the D would be a reason to have a ball control O that runs clock and reduces the number of plays the D has to defend. By shortening the game, the D starters play a higher percentage of plays.

As a coach if you like your depth better than that of your opponents then you would prefer a faster paced game. If you believe you're at a disadvantage depth wise then a slower paced game with fewer plays would be preferable.

After 3 years of Dooley recruiting who has better quality depth, UT or AL, LSU, GA, FL? None of the recruiting services would point to UT.
 
#47
#47
Neyland Law Vol said:
This could be a good plan. Perhaps we will see CBJ's up tempo offense against evenly matched and weaker opponents. But in games where TN is a heavy underdog (i.e Oregon, UF) TN may switch it up and play ball control?
Click to expand...

Exactly, play keep away when we against Oregon, FL, Bama, and maybe USC and UGA. The rest of the games go full throttle. Now, when we get more play makers I believe we go full throttle each game. JMO
 
#49
#49
It will be interesting to see what Butch does against Oregon because if he decides to go ball control and run clock to keep the ball away from the other team, that will be the game to do it. If he sticks with the up tempo no huddle offense even against the Ducks I guess that is what we will see all season?
 
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