INSIDER: Some nuggets in the RB position/future at QB

mapnerd

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Aug 17, 2006
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It's such an ISU thing to ponder the transfer of one of the best players from the previous year.
 

CloneIce

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Apr 11, 2006
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My thought on Warren is that the OL was actually much better last year (yes, I know it is hard to believe) and they were able to create some creases for him. This year, not so much. Montgomery is just a bigger back, and seems to be able to make a hole, while Warren is doing a lot of juking trying to make something out of the poor blocking. The pass drops and fumbles don't help a lot.

The reality of the situation is no one is getting a lot of carries, because of the poor blocking way more than the abilities of the running backs. In addition it appears teams are really keying on the running backs in the zone read because they know that even if Lanning gets a few yards they can punish him and run him down.

We had a very good Run Blocking OL last year. I was amazed how many fans didn't appreciate it. There were some huge holes during many games. They weren't nearly as good at pass blocking, but we had a real nice run game.
 

Rossmt

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Sep 8, 2016
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Any ego inflation would be directly related to the way the new staff treated him last winter and spring. And they sort of had to treat him like a star because of how low the talent pool was.
No it wouldn't. That could be a factor that played into it but media and fans all through the conference did all of the ego inflating needed before the new staff even showed up.
 

Macloney

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Feb 28, 2014
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An opinion? Hardly. Fans here who claim they could do a better job of playcalling than the coaches are stating a foolish certainty. A couple of points that might be worth considering:

1 - In similar short red zone situations this fall, how many times have we seen Joel bulldoze his way into the end zone from the shotgun? How many times have we seen him fail to reach the end zone in such situations? Why in hell would you switch up what has worked so well previously?

No one can know that under center would have worked better. Joeldozer from the shotgun running full speed with momentum bulldozing into the line makes a lot of sense.

2 - Joel gave it two shots, didn't work because the stout KSU DLine stuffed us both times. Why do the same thing under center when Joel has no momentum and the chances are large that KSU DLinemen would again win the line of scrimmage?

Third play, Joel hands off on an inside counter to Montgomery, we had great blocking angles with the DLine taking a step to its left (terrific call imho) and we still couldn't get it in. In comes Park. TD was there to be had, he could have run it in but muffed a lob to an open Montgomery in the end zone. The coaches got us in position to score, they didn't muff the play. And you guys point your fingers at the coaches and call them stupid. Just wow.

YOU GUYS CANNOT KNOW THAT JOEL WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE BALL IN FROM UNDER CENTER! YOURS' IS SPECULATION ONLY! The KSU DLine proved that it was the key here, not Joel and our OLine.

I thought the coaches did a great job with game management yesterday. And I've got reasons for thinking so:

1 - After the first quarter, KSU was on pace to roll up 600 yards offense for the game; we were an ineffective team. Looked like we were in for an overwhelming beating, particularly when the score mounted to 31-10. Somehow, someway, the coaches brought our guys back from cliff's edge. By game's end, we amassed 100 more total yards than KSU. A monumental turnaround.

Savvy coaching, again imho, was responsible for the fiesty turnaround.

2 - When we kicked a field goal in the first half, I thought we might follow with an onside kick attempt. We didn't, and I didn't think about it further. To start the second half, down 17-3, we surprised everyone with a successful onside kick. Perfect surprise timing! We recovered not only the ball, but our ability to play hard and compete. Great, great coaching call.

3 - In the second half, we also saw a new tactic: Using both quarterbacks in the same series, Park with his arm in space (he rolled up 301 passing yards) and the Joeldozer in Red Zone-type situtations. Recall KSU's 150 yard first quarter performance? With this quarterback changeup, we rolled, outscoring KSU in the final half 16-0. In the 4th quarter KSU had, what, less than 10 yards offense? In the end, we created havoc, not only with Park's 300 yard passing day, but our 154 yards rushing was the most surrendered by KSU's defense in 2016 -- including Stanford and RB McCaffrey.

If you guys can't see it, you're as blind as your comments are nonsensical. But WAIT! I'm not done extolling the virtues of our coaches.

4 - It's 31-26 with not more than a couple of minutes remaining. Everybody, I mean everyone, knows an onside kick is coming. Yet, again, we do something that I have never, ever seen in a football game -- we kick the ball in an entirely different way. Two onside kick plays? Really?

The first onside kick was typical, but it caught KSU unaware. The second onside kick, you bet your butt KSU was aware, but we used a different tactic. Jeff Francis looped the ball a couple yards high, he trailed the ball and caught it on the second or third hop. Unfortunately, though he had room to latch onto the ball another yard down field, he caught it 1/2 yard shy of the necessary 10 yards it had to travel. Clearly, it was a practiced play, brilliant coaching to prepare two different style onside kicks.

Ryen's wide open TD drop with a Park pass; Park's muffed lob to Montgomery; Francis's failure to grab the onside kick. . . . The coaches had us in position to win this game.

From the end of 2015 to the beginning of the 2016 season, we lost a number of OLinemen and Linebackers who gave up the game to continuing injuries. Our greatest team weaknesses? OLine and Linebacking.

We are a program in transition with great weakness in the two key areas: OLine and DLine. What the hell do you all expect? Really?

We have an outstanding coaching staff. I'm looking at the Big Picture, where we'll be in a couple or three years after our guys have built up the roster with consecutive powerful recruiting classes.

Saturday's goalline disappointment rests on the shoulders of our players (the football gods love 'em!). Our coaches put on a fantastic performance against KSU. Can't you see it? Are you unable to look beyond the momentary troubles and see the larger picture.?

Can you not see the exciting future that awaits us?

(I dare someone to save this post and slap me in the face with it at the end of the 2018 season. Go on, I dare you.)

I have total faith in the coaching staff and am very excited about the future.

I do not think that being under center was the issue. The issue for me was not going outside earlier. Going out side, preferably in a bootleg type play, would open space and force the defense to make a one on one tackle. When Park ran what was essentially a bootleg right he had created enough open space that he probably could have run in. With a weak O line, why not try to create more open space and let playmakers make plays and force the defense to make plays?

Agree that it is ultimately up to the players to make the plays though.
 

67CY

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Apr 13, 2006
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I have total faith in the coaching staff and am very excited about the future.

I do not think that being under center was the issue. The issue for me was not going outside earlier. Going out side, preferably in a bootleg type play, would open space and force the defense to make a one on one tackle. When Park ran what was essentially a bootleg right he had created enough open space that he probably could have run in. With a weak O line, why not try to create more open space and let playmakers make plays and force the defense to make plays?

Agree that it is ultimately up to the players to make the plays though.

I think Lanning would have scored on that play, but someone decided to take him out
 

Cyinthenorth

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Mar 29, 2013
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I just can't understand the way some of you fans think. I just can't fathom it.

At the end of the game, we had amassed 100 more offensive yards than than KSU (Wildcats had 150 yards at the first quater mark, less than 15 yards in the fourth). Park had 301 passing yards, mostly in the second half with the alternating QB tactic.

ISU, with a critically weak OLine, mind you, rushed for 154 yards, the most KSU has surrendered in 2016 (including the Stanford game with McCaffrey).

You worry about the QB rotation becoming predictable? My God, man! Do you have some reason, given the coaches performance Saturday (their ability to rally the team by doing the unpredictable with the way they used the QBs and the two savvy onside kicks, and fine playcalling) that they won't once again change up to remain unpredictable?

I just can't fathom it. . . .
The most predictable it got was when Lanning came in for the and goal from the 1 yard line sequence. Kansas State easily thwarted all three of Joel's plays because he hadn't thrown a pass since early in the first quarter. That's what I meant by predictable
 

demoncore1031

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May 18, 2008
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Yeah surprised Kene hasn't gotten some jet sweeps or something on offense. Really worth burning his redshirt to return a few kicks?

Between Warren, Montgomery, Kene, and Ryen, I expected us to use more 2-back sets. Also figured we would see Lanning and Park in at the same time a few plays a game. Or Jones has QB experience...use that run pass threat with multiple players.
Well... Kene is 3rd in the nation in kick return yards and has put the offense in good spots more than a few times, so he is definitely contributing. But yeah, I would like to see him get some touches on offense. Line him up in the backfield with Warren or Montgomery and get him out on the edge on a wheel route and hit him deep and let him use his speed to take it to the hizzle.

Ryen is 5th in the nation in punt return average but on just 10 attempts.
 

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