CREATING A CHAMPIONSHIP OFFENCE!!
Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 8:43 pm
EARLY STRUGGLES
Our B.C. Lions offence continues to struggle!! Our record is 5-1, we're in first place, our defense and special teams are outstanding but the worries are there! Sportswriters bemoan the lack of offence, Lionbackers write threads analyzing the predicament, and die hard Leos fans wonder what is going on. Leos players reactions are as inconsistent as the offence itself. After our first game of the season players expressed concern about the amount of times we ran the football instead of passing it. After our first loss of the season players reacted negatively that we didn't run the football enough.
CRACKS APPEAR
The cracks have begun to appear! Wally blew up 'big time' at a Leos offensive player when he expressed his view that we needed to run the football more often after our loss against Saskatchewan and then conceded we should have run the football more. Wally and many Lionbackers point out that it's a problem of execution in our passing attack, from quarterbacks missing open recievers, receivers not running their routes hard, to recent game planning and play calling. Some moan about the dual offensive coordinator role, some heap scorn on Jarious Jackson who, for some reason, the Leos brain trust decided to try and turn into Peyton Manning for his first CFL start ever. Offensive lineman *beeotch*, receivers throw their hands in the air, quarterbacks sit on the turf and shake their heads after another incompletion.
WALLY'S VIEW
Wally points out that we are running the same offensive passing plays and shows reporters that the problem for the offence is a matter of execution, not play calling. A rare few mention that we've had three quarterbacks start and play in our first six games which adds to the problem of inconsistency. In the small picture the problem is all of those things from a quarterback crew and receiving corps that seems to be suffering from a Grey Cup hangover that hasn't infected the rest of the team, to two new offensive coordinators, to quarterback injuries. However, the problem of dropped balls, poorly run patterns, and poor quarterback play started on the first day of training camp.
FANS EXPRESS FRUSTRATION
In other CFL cities fans also rail about their offences this 2007 season. George Cortez was seen as a hero returning to Calgary but visions of an easy Grey Cup victory for the Stamps have faded quickly. Fans in Calgary express their frustration with Cortez not using Reynolds in the running attack and even Calgary offensive players express strong views that Reynolds is their best offensive player...when he goes...Calgary wins...but Cortez sticks with the pass!
In Edmonton, by stealing away Chapdelaine from B.C. and with a championship quarterback in Ricky Ray at the helm, Edmonton fans saw a quick trip out of the basement and back to championship calibre play. However, Chapdelaine's pedigree, coming out of Wally's successful system hasn't been enough to change their fortunes dramatically.
Steve Burratto was seen as a guy who could finally turn the Argo ship around. Burratto's offence was the best in the league with B.C. in 2003 and 2004 and in Calgary in 2006. However, Burratto, having to also play three quarterbacks in his first six games, and still struggling to develop a running attack, has not been able to turn the Argo offence into a potent weapon.
TEAMS CHANGE PHILSOPHIES
In B.C. it's been a stuggle to develop an offensive philosophy that will lead to victory. At first the direction was clear that we would become more of a running team and be using a more multi-formational attack... but we suddenly reversed course and went back to airing it out almost every play against the Riders with a third string quarterback. That only creates confusion!
In Calgary Cortez abandons his best weapon in Reynolds and moves away from the balanced attack that made Calgary so potent in 2006. In Edmonton "Chap Ball" moves the football but struggles to score when defenses clamp down against the pass as they also do to Calgary. In Toronto Burratto tries to establish the run but gives up on it at times. In the meantime, Kent Austin fools everyone, as soon as he aquires Wes Cates, by abandoning 'pass and catch' football and moves to a more balanced attack. Hamilton introduces the West Coast offence and after early struggles begins to establish a strong running attack and to execute the passing game. They now have the third best offence in the CFL.
WHAT IS THE ANSWER?
What is the answer? How does a team develop a successful, potent offence against today's sophisticated, smart, fast, and well coached defenses? Offensive players are struggling with new offensive coordinators, different philosophies, and executing their own play in this new version of CFL football. In the small picture the answers can be found in good game plans, sound play calling, skilled quarterback reads, and player execution. In the big picture, the answer is much different! Here are a few thoughts.
***************************************************************************
ALL CFL OFFENCES ARE SIMILAR TODAY (except Hamilton)
One of the problems is that CFL passing attacks are similar from team to team. Our Leos, the Stamps, Riders, Eskimos, Bombers, Argos, and Alouttes mostly run similar spread offences. Only Hamilton's is a little different. They all use similar patterns in their five receiver sets, all run tight bunch formations, and all go with empty backfields too often. The pass plays have been seen by defenses for so long defenses can recognize them easily.
FASHIONABLE OFFENCES-FOLLOWING THE HERD
Most football teams run currently-fashionable offenses. Nowadays, that typically means a one-back set most of the time. On occasion they will run a bunch formation or two back set or go empty backfield but these formations are used sporadically. Everyone operates out of the shotgun formation. Offensive coordinators run these offences because everyone else runs them and therefore it protects them from being criticized for choosing the wrong offense. Some run them because it’s all they know and they are afraid to try something new or would not know how to do it if they did.
As a coordinator, if the offensive coordinator runs the same offense as everyone else, and the team loses, the can deflect blame onto the players. How? By using subtle phrases like, “Someone needed to make a play and no one didâ€
Our B.C. Lions offence continues to struggle!! Our record is 5-1, we're in first place, our defense and special teams are outstanding but the worries are there! Sportswriters bemoan the lack of offence, Lionbackers write threads analyzing the predicament, and die hard Leos fans wonder what is going on. Leos players reactions are as inconsistent as the offence itself. After our first game of the season players expressed concern about the amount of times we ran the football instead of passing it. After our first loss of the season players reacted negatively that we didn't run the football enough.
CRACKS APPEAR
The cracks have begun to appear! Wally blew up 'big time' at a Leos offensive player when he expressed his view that we needed to run the football more often after our loss against Saskatchewan and then conceded we should have run the football more. Wally and many Lionbackers point out that it's a problem of execution in our passing attack, from quarterbacks missing open recievers, receivers not running their routes hard, to recent game planning and play calling. Some moan about the dual offensive coordinator role, some heap scorn on Jarious Jackson who, for some reason, the Leos brain trust decided to try and turn into Peyton Manning for his first CFL start ever. Offensive lineman *beeotch*, receivers throw their hands in the air, quarterbacks sit on the turf and shake their heads after another incompletion.
WALLY'S VIEW
Wally points out that we are running the same offensive passing plays and shows reporters that the problem for the offence is a matter of execution, not play calling. A rare few mention that we've had three quarterbacks start and play in our first six games which adds to the problem of inconsistency. In the small picture the problem is all of those things from a quarterback crew and receiving corps that seems to be suffering from a Grey Cup hangover that hasn't infected the rest of the team, to two new offensive coordinators, to quarterback injuries. However, the problem of dropped balls, poorly run patterns, and poor quarterback play started on the first day of training camp.
FANS EXPRESS FRUSTRATION
In other CFL cities fans also rail about their offences this 2007 season. George Cortez was seen as a hero returning to Calgary but visions of an easy Grey Cup victory for the Stamps have faded quickly. Fans in Calgary express their frustration with Cortez not using Reynolds in the running attack and even Calgary offensive players express strong views that Reynolds is their best offensive player...when he goes...Calgary wins...but Cortez sticks with the pass!
In Edmonton, by stealing away Chapdelaine from B.C. and with a championship quarterback in Ricky Ray at the helm, Edmonton fans saw a quick trip out of the basement and back to championship calibre play. However, Chapdelaine's pedigree, coming out of Wally's successful system hasn't been enough to change their fortunes dramatically.
Steve Burratto was seen as a guy who could finally turn the Argo ship around. Burratto's offence was the best in the league with B.C. in 2003 and 2004 and in Calgary in 2006. However, Burratto, having to also play three quarterbacks in his first six games, and still struggling to develop a running attack, has not been able to turn the Argo offence into a potent weapon.
TEAMS CHANGE PHILSOPHIES
In B.C. it's been a stuggle to develop an offensive philosophy that will lead to victory. At first the direction was clear that we would become more of a running team and be using a more multi-formational attack... but we suddenly reversed course and went back to airing it out almost every play against the Riders with a third string quarterback. That only creates confusion!
In Calgary Cortez abandons his best weapon in Reynolds and moves away from the balanced attack that made Calgary so potent in 2006. In Edmonton "Chap Ball" moves the football but struggles to score when defenses clamp down against the pass as they also do to Calgary. In Toronto Burratto tries to establish the run but gives up on it at times. In the meantime, Kent Austin fools everyone, as soon as he aquires Wes Cates, by abandoning 'pass and catch' football and moves to a more balanced attack. Hamilton introduces the West Coast offence and after early struggles begins to establish a strong running attack and to execute the passing game. They now have the third best offence in the CFL.
WHAT IS THE ANSWER?
What is the answer? How does a team develop a successful, potent offence against today's sophisticated, smart, fast, and well coached defenses? Offensive players are struggling with new offensive coordinators, different philosophies, and executing their own play in this new version of CFL football. In the small picture the answers can be found in good game plans, sound play calling, skilled quarterback reads, and player execution. In the big picture, the answer is much different! Here are a few thoughts.
***************************************************************************
ALL CFL OFFENCES ARE SIMILAR TODAY (except Hamilton)
One of the problems is that CFL passing attacks are similar from team to team. Our Leos, the Stamps, Riders, Eskimos, Bombers, Argos, and Alouttes mostly run similar spread offences. Only Hamilton's is a little different. They all use similar patterns in their five receiver sets, all run tight bunch formations, and all go with empty backfields too often. The pass plays have been seen by defenses for so long defenses can recognize them easily.
FASHIONABLE OFFENCES-FOLLOWING THE HERD
Most football teams run currently-fashionable offenses. Nowadays, that typically means a one-back set most of the time. On occasion they will run a bunch formation or two back set or go empty backfield but these formations are used sporadically. Everyone operates out of the shotgun formation. Offensive coordinators run these offences because everyone else runs them and therefore it protects them from being criticized for choosing the wrong offense. Some run them because it’s all they know and they are afraid to try something new or would not know how to do it if they did.
As a coordinator, if the offensive coordinator runs the same offense as everyone else, and the team loses, the can deflect blame onto the players. How? By using subtle phrases like, “Someone needed to make a play and no one didâ€