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Shannon Dawson Q (play calls and game plan)

AtlAtty said:
What are the benefits to wider splits?
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When the OG Air Raid guys started using super wide OL splits it was for pass protection purposes. Like everything in the original system, it was done to mask recruiting deficiencies. Mike Leach said “there’s a lot of big guys and a lot of fast guys but not a lot of big, fast guys”. It’s why he didn’t use a tight end in his offense and why he would recruit enormous mountains at OL even if they couldn’t move well. His idea was that if he spaced these huge linemen far apart it would take just a little bit longer for a pass rusher to get around them, thus buying the quarterback enough time to make a quick pass. Remember, the Air Raid is just the west coast offense in the shotgun.
 
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DTP said:
When the OG Air Raid guys started using super wide OL splits it was for pass protection purposes. Like everything in the original system, it was done to mask recruiting deficiencies. Mike Leach said “there’s a lot of big guys and a lot of fast guys but not a lot of big, fast guys”. It’s why he didn’t use a tight end in his offense and why he would recruit enormous mountains at OL even if they couldn’t move well. His idea was that if he spaced these huge linemen far apart it would take just a little bit longer for a pass rusher to get around them, thus buying the quarterback enough time to make a quick pass. Remember, the Air Raid is just the west coast offense in the shotgun.
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Interesting. I hate to keep taking you and @Menmon deeper into the hole, but what are the defensive counters to tight splits and to wide splits? I’m sure some defenses are better suited to play against certain line splits.
 
AtlAtty said:
Interesting. I hate to keep taking you and @Menmon deeper into the hole, but what are the defensive counters to tight splits and to wide splits? I’m sure some defenses are better suited to play against certain line splits.
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If a team is lining up their linemen wide, it makes double team blocks pretty much impossible. Usually a wide split team will gap their center and guards around 3’ and tackles 5’. Quick defensive line men can exploit the gaps and one on one opportunities. You need to play your corners up on the line of scrimmage because A) these air raid type schemes are trying to get the ball out quick because they can’t sustain blocks and B) offenses will attack the edges with screens and jet sweep action if you try to exploit the gaps in the middle of the offense. As a defense you’re almost forced to match their splits with your front because the offense is going to have a ton of open area on the edge, especially if they also line their receivers up very wide.

There’s a ton of other stuff too depending if you’re trying to be Mike Leach or if you’re trying to be Art Briles. And I know it sounds like a cop out but the best way to combat any of this stuff is by having better athletes. There’s a reason why so much of this became the norm in college football. It’s because it gives the offenses huge advantages against any defense that isn’t far more talented physically.

There’s dudes here that know a lot more about it than me. I’ve never coached football nor played at a high level and when I was in high school a lot of this type of stuff was non existent. I just find it fascinating. It’s one of the reasons I watch college football, especially a lot of the lower tier programs that HAVE to get creative because they don’t have the Jimmy’s and Joes.
 
AtlAtty said:
What are the benefits to wider splits?
Click to expand...
If you're man pass pro like the Air Raid you're widening the defensive line out to:

Force them to declare their rush lane.
Further distance btwn DE and QB mathematically takes more time to pressure.
Less likely for twists / games on DL if they're widened

But:
Harder to pull / run gap schemes with super wide splits
Harder for OL to help / combo but in Air Raid / man that's rare anyway

Tight splits are for dominant OL's (Miami now, Nebraska in 90's)
Wide splits are for weaker OL's (Wazzu under Leach)
 
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Shannon Dawson will very likely get a HC gig in the off-season, who are you guys looking at to replace him?
 
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pyhooya said:
Would he leave for a mid tier HC job? I dont see any P4 team giving him an offer.
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P4 has expanded a lot in the past 2/3 years. There’s plenty of “mid tier” teams in P4.

You have a top 5 offense at UM with a heisman finalist you get P4 offers.

Only two ways Dawson is here next year
1) Total collapse 2H of season
2) We blackmail him
 
MumbleRap said:
P4 has expanded a lot in the past 2/3 years. There’s plenty of “mid tier” teams in P4.

You have a top 5 offense at UM with a heisman finalist you get P4 offers.

Only two ways Dawson is here next year
1) Total collapse 2H of season
2) We blackmail him
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You think those mid tier teams wont think is it really him(TVD) or Cam
 
M3N said:
without Cam… we lose by 5 TDs today.

Dawson is a nobody. We need to upgrade
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Honestly thought cam had better games than today but he made game changing plays when we needed it.

My literal only gripe with dawson is the obvious run calls but has been pretty good to me
 
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skyman said:
If we time it up right bring me Lincoln..
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I doubt USC fires him that quickly. Guessing they’ll go big game hunting for a portal QB this time and wait until next year’s results.

Hopefully Mario hires someone from the same Air Raid tree though. I’m expecting Dawson to strike the iron while it’s hot.
 
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