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I’ve watched some YouTube vids of Lipscomb games to see if there’s a hint of what we might expect at UAB (and in context of the large stream of WRs we have brought in or offered). Now I have no doubt that one of Dilfer’s strongest traits seems to be his adaptability. Having said that, and me never having coached a down of football, has anyone else gotten any sense of what we’ll look like, system wise, this Fall? I know I probably have to get used to some 48-44 games as much as I hate them.

I think offensively you'll see a lot of 4 wide sets that'll spread the defense all over the field. You don't realize how big the field is until you have to cover all of it. With the prior offense we could go 4 wide but there were only one or two routes to really buckle up. In this offense the DBs have to think and make choices which is lethal. It will keep the LBs busy too. The running game will still use a lot of zone but there won't be 8 guys in the box.

There was an early Dilfer interview on Jox where he discussed X's and O's with Cole Cubelic, who seemed to really like what he was hearing. A lot of it was well over my head, but he was saying that a lot of the pass routes depended on the coverage, and that the WR was expected to recognize and run to areas that were open. The QB is reading for those same areas and throwing to them based on what the defense is giving him. As long as the reads are quick and simple so that both sides are on the same page this works well. Run 'n Shoot routes used a similar principle and piled up tons of points.

On the run side I suspect that they'll be reading how many men are in the box as a trigger RPO as well as more traditional run calls. I think the RB's ability to catch passes out of the backfield will be emphasized far more than under Clark.

The Cubelic interview is here: https://omny.fm/shows/mcelroy-and-cubeli...cruiting-h It's maybe more interesting now that we've seen how things developed from 12/7, both with regard to his hires and recruiting. He'll tell you all about his offense here.

I expect to throw defenses hundreds of things to have to consider out of a handful of basic sets. That is how Dilfer explained it in the aforementioned interview. Fast paced, forcing defense to react and making them guess … wrong. Put pressure on defense to make quick decisions and force mismatches in open field.

I still think we will run the ball well. I still think we will place emphasis on imposing physical will on opponents at the LOS. It has been proven time and again in the G5 that the teams with p5 level linemen win big. We are going to recruit those kinds of bodies. But we may emphasize a slightly different build (more like 6-4, 6-6 type guys with long arms than guys who are 6-3, 350.

I think we will see a lot of what some on this board have been begging for, which is diversity of passing routes, better pacing and and forcing defense to guard the entire field, while also being a little less predictable in play calling and personnel groupings.

And I think Skull brown is about to have a superstar kind of season that gets him drafted.

I believe he also mentioned being about 60/40 pass/run. He also mentioned using multiple formations, as well as installing new personnel groupings during a practice week. Dilfer claims to be able to teach new groupings and play structures intra week to keep the opposing defense on their heels.

Defensively, I have no idea what to expect. I fear it won't be the calling card that it has been. I want to keep an open mind about Sione, but I expect to be very frustrated when watching us on defense, when it used to be my favorite thing.

(01-23-2023 10:14 AM)FNblazer Wrote:  I believe he also mentioned being about 60/40 pass/run. He also mentioned using multiple formations, as well as installing new personnel groupings during a practice week. Dilfer claims to be able to teach new groupings and play structures intra week to keep the opposing defense on their heels.

Defensively, I have no idea what to expect. I fear it won't be the calling card that it has been. I want to keep an open mind about Sione, but I expect to be very frustrated when watching us on defense, when it used to be my favorite thing.

I know it's high school football, but Libscomb recorded multiple shutouts in the past 2 years. 2021 highest score defense allowed was 28 and last year it was 21.
In the 2022 season, 8 out of 13 games the defense allowed 7 points or less; 5 of those were shutouts.

2021:
https://www.maxpreps.com/tn/nashville/li.../schedule/

2022:
https://www.maxpreps.com/tn/nashville/li.../schedule/

(01-23-2023 11:03 AM)blazerblazer Wrote:  

(01-23-2023 10:14 AM)FNblazer Wrote:  I believe he also mentioned being about 60/40 pass/run. He also mentioned using multiple formations, as well as installing new personnel groupings during a practice week. Dilfer claims to be able to teach new groupings and play structures intra week to keep the opposing defense on their heels.

Defensively, I have no idea what to expect. I fear it won't be the calling card that it has been. I want to keep an open mind about Sione, but I expect to be very frustrated when watching us on defense, when it used to be my favorite thing.

I know it's high school football, but Libscomb recorded multiple shutouts in the past 2 years. 2021 highest score defense allowed was 28 and last year it was 21.
In the 2022 season, 8 out of 13 games the defense allowed 7 points or less; 5 of those were shutouts.

2021:
https://www.maxpreps.com/tn/nashville/li.../schedule/

2022:
https://www.maxpreps.com/tn/nashville/li.../schedule/

My expectation of higher scoring opponents wasn’t necessarily conceding that our D will be bad. But when you score 50, you’re doing it with a lot of 1-2min “drives” and big plays that put the D back on the field with less and less rest. But some folks prefer that so I just hope we are on the winning side of most of the shootouts.

Defense needs to continue to prepare for the next play to be on defense as offense could score or have a turnover. Immediate defensive plan and response. Go Blazers!

(01-25-2023 06:04 AM)notnow Wrote:  Defense needs to continue to prepare for the next play to be on defense as offense could score or have a turnover. Immediate defensive plan and response. Go Blazers!

Doesn’t cure fatigue…