Dawson Scheme notes

[DTP]

Air Raids, especial pure Air Raids, can be a little mechanical. Somewhat like Jimbo’s offenses. Not as complicated obviously, so not as prone to it as Jimbo’s. But very much a precision offense. Which can sometimes be difficult to create rhythm.

Really what those offenses just needed was a little RPO. Some horizontal passes in that are easy completions to athletes in space for easy yards. Kaaya’s first passing drive against App. State is an easy way to create rhythm.

But it’s the fact that the offense is just constant downfield passing with no tempo that can make it a litttle clunky in the videos I’ve watched.

Josh Heupel’s offense at UCF was similar. They went from a very screen-heavy Scott Frost offense to something much more vertical. It wasn’t an issue because the production was still really good but the 2018 team took way more shots downfield and made an effort to create explosive vertical plays. For some quarterbacks, it’s a better fit. TVD didn’t really need to get in a rhythm that much in 2021. He was able to just pull long completions out of nowhere a lot. Kaaya (good example) was the opposite. He needed to get lathered up and was deadly if you got him in rhythm.

 

[Cribby]

I like that Dawson isn't afraid to stick to what's working. He ran that fake screen 4 times during the game, twice as a QB run, once as a screen to the opposite side, and once to the motion WR. He's also not afraid to tell his QB to go for the 1-on-1 matchup deep.

There'll most likely be a learning curve on those deep routes as we get the timing down, but there's a lot there to be excited about.

This offense can be melded to different styles of qb’s too. You can throw it around with TVD but still be able to use guys like J Brown or potentially Air Norland. As @DMoney said “ Mario wants to go to more of a dual threat type qb offensively“ going forward. This offense allows that balance.

 

[NE Canes]

anyone got ahold of any all-22?

can’t tell if it’s the play calling or QB decision making or a little bit of both but there’s no rhythm to the offense. there is potential though.

Good call.

The first thing I notice was how bad the QB was. He was making a lot of poor decisions and overlooking easy short completions. Made it difficult to see any rhythm in the offense.

The OL did not look that great and saw too many dropped passes as well.

Overall the offense looks all over the place but I can't help but believe this is more because of the QB than the coach.

 

[PUNCICANE]

You can bet there’ll be a steady diet of Rpo with TVD. This Offense is built for him. He won”t sit back there like a sitting duck anymore waiting for slow developing plays to drag out and a lot of the time the read being pre determined . So he had to wait for that route.

And that will give us what we lost under Gattis, the most important element to a great offense…. TEMPO

 

[KANE]

Watched the Tulane and UTSA game.

Ton of inside zone vs Tulane's 4 man front, a lot more outside vs UTSA's 3 man front.

Some traps here and there. G/H Counter mixed in. No counter trey whatsoever unfortunately (Big fan of GT/Counter Trey)

Really not a ton of creativity in the run game. Pretty straight forward stuff

Good eye, my dude. I see the Counter Tray is a part of his running game, I wonder if the lack of the G/T counter tray, is more of a personnel thing than a scheme thing. With a couple 4/5 star OT at his disposal, maybe we will see the G/T CT as an added wrinkle going forward.

 

[Cribby]

And that will give us what we lost under Gattis, the most important element to a great offense…. TEMPO

Everything I read about this offense and his approach i like. He’s not married to anything. In 2021 they leaned more on the run game and averaged 143 rypg, with 37 rushes to 33 passes. Balanced but still slanted run because of a rb that was hovering around a grand and another in the 500’s. He leaned on the run gane because it was the strength.

2022 he went more to the air with 39 pass att versus 31 rush att. This year they went more run by committee beens they lost their horse from the previous year. Implementing more qb run with tune. Who ended up being their leading rusher. To me it seems like he finds multiple ways to get his rush attempts. Even if he has to get creative.

Even the tempo isn’t consistent , sometimes he slows things down and checks with me but will then turn up the pressure after some first downs and go fast. It’s not Rhett or Chip fast but it’s not Gattis either. It’s a good mixture of what Mario wants and where he needs to evolve to. Using more pace , space and up to date offensive approach while still having the run game / physicality he wants.

 

[Cane6]

I'm starting to sift through YouTube vids of Houston and Southern Miss and I wanted to open a thread just for some X and O discussion. If anyone would like to add, or contradict, anything I post let's do it here.

Starting off with the basics -

Most of what I've seen from Dawson formation-wise is 3-4 WR, 1 RB, 1 TE/HB. Motion is farily intuitive - usually the TE/HB across the formation.

Generally speaking I like his route trees - 2-3 deep routes (go/post/etc) and almost always an underneath option or two - sometimes the RB, sometimes a crosser or out underneath.

Running game is diverse compared to Lashlee, some power/pulling concepts and the WR/TEs will be expected to block.

TE seams and flex motion for mismatches - Skinner and Arroyo will eat.

Screen game is logical and not overused - this isn't a bubble screen based offense.

I saw more RPO at Southern Miss than at Houston but I'm wondering if that aspect comes back, given TVDs skillset.



I'll add more as I see more, but please feel free to pile on.

Another huuuuge plus for Dawson is his QB evaluation abilities.

I’ve always harped on teams/coaches that “do more with less” and I’m very much looking forward to Dawson having big boy resources and seeing what he can do

 

[CaneLife93]

Is he capable using Jacurri in different packages/short yardage situations? Is Dawson creative in that aspect?

 

[wapiriks]

Everything I read about this offense and his approach i like. He’s not married to anything. In 2021 they leaned more on the run game and averaged 143 rypg, with 37 rushes to 33 passes. Balanced but still slanted run because of a rb that was hovering around a grand and another in the 500’s. He leaned on the run gane because it was the strength.

2022 he went more to the air with 39 pass att versus 31 rush att. This year they went more run by committee beens they lost their horse from the previous year. Implementing more qb run with tune. Who ended up being their leading rusher. To me it seems like he finds multiple ways to get his rush attempts. Even if he has to get creative.

Even the tempo isn’t consistent , sometimes he slows things down and checks with me but will then turn up the pressure after some first downs and go fast. It’s not Rhett or Chip fast but it’s not Gattis either. It’s a good mixture of what Mario wants and where he needs to evolve to. Using more pace , space and up to date offensive approach while still having the run game / physicality he wants.

(since @RVACane banned my reactions)

 

[Angry Ibis]

Everything I read about this offense and his approach i like. He’s not married to anything. In 2021 they leaned more on the run game and averaged 143 rypg, with 37 rushes to 33 passes. Balanced but still slanted run because of a rb that was hovering around a grand and another in the 500’s. He leaned on the run gane because it was the strength.

2022 he went more to the air with 39 pass att versus 31 rush att. This year they went more run by committee beens they lost their horse from the previous year. Implementing more qb run with tune. Who ended up being their leading rusher. To me it seems like he finds multiple ways to get his rush attempts. Even if he has to get creative.

Even the tempo isn’t consistent , sometimes he slows things down and checks with me but will then turn up the pressure after some first downs and go fast. It’s not Rhett or Chip fast but it’s not Gattis either. It’s a good mixture of what Mario wants and where he needs to evolve to. Using more pace , space and up to date offensive approach while still having the run game / physicality he wants.

Tempo, rhythm, pace, adapting…

Why hello there beautiful…

 

[RVACane]

(since @RVACane banned my reactions)

isn’t the reason you lost your reactions.

 

[ghost2]

Everything I read about this offense and his approach i like. He’s not married to anything. In 2021 they leaned more on the run game and averaged 143 rypg, with 37 rushes to 33 passes. Balanced but still slanted run because of a rb that was hovering around a grand and another in the 500’s. He leaned on the run gane because it was the strength.

2022 he went more to the air with 39 pass att versus 31 rush att. This year they went more run by committee beens they lost their horse from the previous year. Implementing more qb run with tune. Who ended up being their leading rusher. To me it seems like he finds multiple ways to get his rush attempts. Even if he has to get creative.

Even the tempo isn’t consistent , sometimes he slows things down and checks with me but will then turn up the pressure after some first downs and go fast. It’s not Rhett or Chip fast but it’s not Gattis either. It’s a good mixture of what Mario wants and where he needs to evolve to. Using more pace , space and up to date offensive approach while still having the run game / physicality he wants.

I appreciate the fact that he can modify his approach and still have a consistent scheme/philosophy. I hate hate hate the term "multiple", especially on offense, because so often it ends up meaning "dartboard" (see Enos, Dan and Coley, James.)

So far at least I've seen Dawson focus on different things WITHIN HIS OVERALL OFFENSIVE PHILOSOPHY in order to get results, and that's an important distinction for me.

 

[wapiriks]

isn’t the reason you lost your reactions.

 

[RVACane]

The last guy that started responding with emoji’s in protest pity found that he couldn’t respond on that board anymore and every board he responded on.

We have a number of options available.

 

[Udynasty]

I know you are well read, but this fallacy was shot down by a former member of the Houston staff. Holgy did not take over playcalling.

@IndayArtHauz where did you see / hear this? Was this on a podcast?

 

[Cribby]

Is he capable using Jacurri in different packages/short yardage situations? Is Dawson creative in that aspect?

He used Tune that way some and he’s not exactly Lamar Jackson.

 

[cway313]

(since @RVACane banned my reactions)

 

[wapiriks]

The last guy that started responding with emoji’s in protest pity found that he couldn’t respond on that board anymore and every board he responded on.

We have a number of options available.

I will not do that and I will respect your authority. Thank you for moderating the board.

 

[supacane]

Wasnt he also the OC at WVU with Geno Smith, who also gave him the stamp of approval yesterday on twitter? Not sure but i think he was. Has anyone starting to dive into the personnel at stops like Southern Miss where he had issues?

 

[RVACane]

I will not do that and I will respect your authority. Thank you for moderating the board.

When you are ready to stop doing what cost you the reactions, I’ll gladly restore them.