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I for one think our offensive woes are overly exaggerated.

Facts
Halftime Score of all 4 games
SSU 0 - UAB 28, CCU 20 - UAB 24, TUL 7 - UAB 21, CHA 0 - UAB 21

Even the CCU loss we had a 14 pt lead. I think lack of offense in the 2nd half is mostly due to intentional conservative play calling. We have yet to go into to the locker down in the 1st half this season... I hope we never do. There is no reason to blow teams out. We are not competing this year for a BSC Bowl, I think our #1 goal is a C-USA Championship, so the only thing a blowout win does is give the next opponent another reason to be laser focused.

We rank 113 in passing attempts, yet we are 3-1.
We rank 18th in first-half points per game, and 125th in 2nd-half points per game, yet we are 3-1.
We rank 9th in 3rd down conversion %, which is not indicative of conservative play calling, we open it up when we need to, which is why we are 3-1.
We rank #1 in Defensive QB Sack %, again why we're 3-1.
We just thought we could show up and beat CCU, which is why we're 3-1.

As much as we complain about the 2nd Half Blazers, we should take notice of the 1st half Blazers... they are undefeated. We will find out a lot about our team this week with another road game. Win or lose, it won't determine our season, but it will answer a lot of questions.

#1 Pass Yards Defense despite opposing teams having to pass practically entirety of second halves (offset by the Savannah State game, of course)...

(10-01-2018 09:41 AM)WesternBlazer Wrote:  #1 Pass Yards Defense despite opposing teams having to pass practically entirety of second halves (offset by the Savannah State game, of course)...

I was using teamrankings.com, and obviously, their stats are wrong. I am going to double check the other.

**UPDATE** Looks as if teamrankings.com does not take into account games against FCS opponents in their stats.

I've only seen the three home games, and observe that:

1. our pass rush is pretty good (and Charlotte's protection was pretty weak).

2. both D1 opponents figured out in the second half that Erdeley can run.

3. we'd be in trouble if Collin Lisa was still a Buffalo Bull.

An additional perspective fact that I believe to be important is that our players have had only one off season to make regular use our new football facility which was opened only a week or two before our first game last season. Its effect on team training & conditioning will become more obvious in later games this season and in seasons to come. It is a good start on catching up to those facilities our competitors have had for years.

I was annoyed that we kept going 3 & out in the 2nd half...but thought that we were trying to run clock, not show anything else to La Tech, and depend on our D to not get punished bc of it.

I was VERY pleased that when they cut it to 21-7, we responded with a TD drive. That led me to believe that we could’ve done it more if the coaches were inclined to do so

Sometimes the defense on the other team makes a play. That happened on two of our three and outs. It's not like we said, heck lets go three and out. Sometimes you have to tip your hat. I suspect if we get in a shootout this week you will see a different mindset. Hard to complain about a three TD win that covered the spread people were saying we cant cover. I get it. As a former offensive player I want to chunk it down the field. I suspect had we came out and threw it all over the place and turned it over there would be the same complaining except the other direction. Yes we need to have better third quarters. I'm pretty sure the staff is aware of that.

(10-01-2018 11:23 AM)LairDweller Wrote:  I was annoyed that we kept going 3 & out in the 2nd half...but thought that we were trying to run clock, not show anything else to La Tech, and depend on our D to not get punished bc of it.

I was VERY pleased that when they cut it to 21-7, we responded with a TD drive. That led me to believe that we could’ve done it more if the coaches were inclined to do so

That was my impression as well. We went overly conservative with our offense playcalling and just let the defense control the game. We could have opened it up more if we needed to. Clark said the post game that it was his call to go vanilla on offense.

Yep imagine the outcry if we threw two pics and it goes to the wire. A couple of our fans would be crying for a QB change. Anyway they made some plays on defense or we continue driving. Hats off to their defense. Especially on the called qb draw. I really like the way the offense responded after their TD.

I would have liked enough of a lead to let #17 play.

Second half woes on offense isn’t relative to just one game. The large majority of our 17 games since the return, we’ve had trouble moving the ball in the second half. Why is it that other staffs can make the defensive changes at halftime, in game to slow our offense? But, our offensive staff can’t make adjustments at half or in-game?

There’s been some games we nearly blew it or did so in the second half because we couldnt move the ball. Utsa, Tulane, MTSU, CCU, La Tech, Charlotte. It did cost us vs CCU this year to an extent besides the countless penalties. Could easily be sitting at 5-12 over the last 17 games, if our defense wasnt playing way above their suspected actual talent level.

The minority of us begged for a new OC to address those problems and we brought back a BFF. The offense should be motivated, feel disrespected and looking to prove something. We are a one half team and weve gotten by with it due to our league. I’d be nervous facing the upcoming offenses if I was our defense. About to spend a lot of time out there knowing your offense can’t capitalize after being given field position and multiple possessions without letting the opposing offense reach our 40 yd line.

Do I believe Clark when he says it may be his fault we didnt call a great game in the second half and had so many 3 and outs against Charlotte? I should but I also believe he’s a man of such integrity that he’ll take all the blame when even he(and you can see his reactions on field) wonders what the heck we are doing sometimes.

Vincent is really good at scripting plays to start games. It's almost always downhill after that. We always get out-coached at halftime on the offensive side of the ball. This week in the 3rd quarter,we kept trying to run at 9 men in the box. That is how you DON'T control the clock, because you want get a frickin' 1st down!

We only had two pass attempts in the second half. You have to complete a few high percentage passes to loosen up the defense so you can run.

Or you can just ride it out considering your defense has them under control.

Three passes one was a PI so didn’t count but got the call in the two. Two kneel downs that are run plays.

Coach Clark said on the post game that the 2nd half offense, or lack there of was on him. He had instructed Bryant to go store brand, no-cal, no-sugar vanilla.

I think the dreadful offensive we showed the second half against Charlotte wouldn't be a big deal for anyone if:
A) a Similar 2nd half had not nearly cost us the Tulane game
B) We had a similar 2nd half that did cost us the game against Coastal Carolina
C) we had not had a 2nd half collapse that DID cost us the game against this same 49er team last year.

So it's something where while some fans think "We won by 21 why are you complaining?"
We have concerned fans that are going "This is a disturbing trend, how do we correct it?"

(10-01-2018 03:23 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  Coach Clark said on the post game that the 2nd half offense, or lack there of was on him. He had instructed Bryant to go store brand, no-cal, no-sugar vanilla.

Phil is correct. Clark was taking the blame for the offensive woes in the 2nd half because he thinks that he's signaling to his offensive staff to let off the gas, so to speak. He said it starts with him and he'll have to change that. I don't think we'll need to worry about letting off the gas with LT.

(10-02-2018 10:45 AM)UABslant Wrote:  

(10-01-2018 03:23 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  Coach Clark said on the post game that the 2nd half offense, or lack there of was on him. He had instructed Bryant to go store brand, no-cal, no-sugar vanilla.

Phil is correct. Clark was taking the blame for the offensive woes in the 2nd half because he thinks that he's signaling to his offensive staff to let off the gas, so to speak. He said it starts with him and he'll have to change that. I don't think we'll need to worry about letting off the gas with LT.

Conservative play calling is less exciting, but it is usually also less risky for injuries, turnovers and other costly errors. Like the "prevent defense" though, it can still backfire in unusual ways - like giving up yardage (YAC) or blocked punts (see 1972 Iron Bowl) . I hope LA TECH gets to fuss about UAB running up the score.

(10-01-2018 12:55 PM)Bham Blazer Wrote:  Vincent is really good at scripting plays to start games. It's almost always downhill after that. We always get out-coached at halftime on the offensive side of the ball. This week in the 3rd quarter,we kept trying to run at 9 men in the box. That is how you DON'T control the clock, because you want get a frickin' 1st down!

I'd love to see the second half start with fifteen scripted plays as well... that are radically different from the first half game plan. Let them make adjustments at the half, and then don't play into them. Put *them* back on their heels and let them worry about their adjustments instead of it being us doing it.