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Why “controlling the ball like App” likely won’t work vs TAMU

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AlexCane said:
It's also not reproducible because it's just not our style. We saw App State approach us with a similar game plan. Ball control. TOP. Run. They know they don't have the talent so they limit possessions. (I'm not sure what happened in the UNC game though.) Anyways, I think ultimately teams have to be who they are. I'm not sure exactly what our offense is just yet but I don't think we are going to ground and pound and bludgeon these guys to death. But I definitely agree with the poster above who said we have to limit mistakes and not shoot ourselves in the foot.
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They came within seconds of beating Miami.
 
JHallCanes said:
the Mallory hate here has achieved embarrassing status

It’s weird

He is a terrible blocker though no doubt

I expect these next few weeks to see a lot more Arroyo and Mallory in the pass game concepts and we will see more what Gattis is trying to do on offense
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It's not totally undeserved. He's a terrible blocker and not even great in the passing game. At this point put the two others out there as an extra OL at least.
 
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Are you sure Mario isn't going to come out and ground and pound anyway? Not that's its a problem, but....
 
IndayArtHauz said:


Over 28 minutes of App doing an unbelievable job of controlling the ball to maximum effectiveness against an elite defense. I know it’s been mentioned in other threads, but there’s a reason why UM cannot expect to win in the same way (I’ve said if this game was replayed 10 times, I think TAMU wins 7 of them). App State excelled at three key things:

1) Staying ahead on early downs. This is possibly the second reproducible aspect because TAMU’s DL just doesn’t seem focused on TFLs or negative plays. This seems to be by design, and can be exploited by a sound run scheme and talented backs. This left App with manageable 3rd downs, tying directly into point #2:

2) An absurd hit rate on 3rd and 4th down, often by the thinnest of margins. App finished the game 12-25 on those downs, 3-5 on 4th alone, which is incredible against this defense. But the most insane aspect of it is the sheer amount of conversions they only barely got. I counted 9 times that their conversion was no more than 2 yards beyond the line to gain, and many were 1 yard or exact. Full credit to App for getting those yards, because they won them the game.

3) Getting TAMU off the field. By contrast, A&M was 2-8 on third down (yeah, they had 8 total 3rd downs in the entire game) and no 4th down attempts. This is easily the most reproducible part of the trifecta, as what the Aggies have currently shown is the ability to square up a rifle on their toes and shoot them off one at a time. Aside from a play or two where Achane got loose, their offense was DOA, giving rise to doom-wishing scenarios of the Aggies playing Iowa in a bowl game. Miami just can’t make those conversations easier than App did, especially early on and out of the half. TAMU will make mistakes all on their own, if you just let them.

Hope this sparks conversation and optimism as to how we win. Some of you had great thoughts in other threads, if you don’t mind sharing them here.
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For me it will be about how many in the box. A&M has to be working on stopping the run. So if there are 8 in the box TVD has to get Miami into a better play. If there are 7 in the box expect a run play. Down and distance also factors in. Plus A&M will try to disguise their looks. I would think Gattis has enough RPO's in the playbook. Its time to get the backs and TE's the ball out of the back field. Take a couple shots to stretch the field.
 
PIPO said:
IMO, you have to come out up tempo and throwing the ball to TEs and receivers. I think they will be expecting run heavy from us.
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That's the trick.

What we are expected to do - we don't. What we're not expected to do - we will do.

When you get them face down in the mud - you press hard - until no more movement.
 
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A&M style of play have me not fearing them blowing us out. Not with that QB. The run defense would have to fall a part like it did for us v FSU with Ponder in 2010. Turnovers, that's the thing you can't predict. Texas A&M despite all the star recruits is not a juggernaut, i question their player development at this point. I don't expect them to snap magic wand and have their offense become great. X Factor, Rooster in the passing game. Mario has had him chilling the whole season. As well as keeping Zion and Mesidor out, this game has been circled. You wanna make a statement, won't be a statement to me but u can make it to the rest of the nation on national TV in prime time.
 
TVD is one of those QB's with quick instincts and quicker reactions.

He can do fast scans, find who's open, and blow it through to the receiver.

This thinking crap - a reactionary approach - it's too slow moving - takes too much time to run the routes - which may not be so open - and it's NOT his game. MIchigan, old Penn State, Indiana - slow crap may work there - but not here.

Of course he needs plays - but he's one you either cut him loose with receivers routes determined by defender placements - or you let him call his own damned plays.

He looked as confused as an infant in a tiddy bar last week, waiting for some of these routes to come open. Too much thinking - not enough intuition and instinct.
 
The craziest thing about the App game was they were doing exactly what aTm’s defensive wants you to do. They’re more concerned with controlling the line of scrimmage and aren’t going to gamble to make plays in the backfield. They believe that it’s much tougher to score moving the ball two or three yards at a time so they’re more worried about not giving up chunk plays. Our line is not going to blow them off the ball so if we’re going to have any success running, we’re going to need to get creative and find ways to get guys in space. I think we’re going to see some gadget stuff with B.Smith and Knighton.

On the other side, their offense looks like trash so if we can pop a few big plays early and get a lead, we’ll likely win.
 
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AlexCane said:
It's also not reproducible because it's just not our style. We saw App State approach us with a similar game plan. Ball control. TOP. Run. They know they don't have the talent so they limit possessions. (I'm not sure what happened in the UNC game though.) Anyways, I think ultimately teams have to be who they are. I'm not sure exactly what our offense is just yet but I don't think we are going to ground and pound and bludgeon these guys to death. But I definitely agree with the poster above who said we have to limit mistakes and not shoot ourselves in the foot.
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Yep. From an ideal perspective, the App State game plan is the worst way to approach Texas A&M.

A&M can’t generate explosive plays, and plays a slow, methodical style.

The best way to beat a team like that isn’t to shorten the game down even more and play ball control.

It’s to force them to try to match scores with you.

But that wasn’t an option for App State, so I get why they did what they did.
 
Fck all that
Joaquin said dominate.
Win or lose, If we can’t go toe to toe with that team then we have a lot more holes to fill and the comeback is gonna take longer than expected.
Last thing we should expect is to get spanked. Losing a close one isn’t that bad in the overall picture of things.

But into today’s world of instant gratification and overreactions we will get dragged and every play call and missed assignment will mean that we should fold the program.

If app state can play like they belong on the field with tamu then there is absolutely no reason that we can’t belong on there too.
The outrage against tamu would still be present even if they lost or won by one point.
Just like Everyone in Baton Rouge would still be upset if they would’ve won in overtime by a field goal.

If we get embarrassed then the culture issue at um is way deeper than we thought.
 
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Empirical Cane said:
I agree with above...

ONLY IF...

- Passing game out-of-sync issues are magically fixed this week
- OL gave up 4 sacks against So Miss...AtM D will feast if they [Miami OL] allows that again


With above said, I believe Miami's W chance comes on the shoulders of OL play. Run the rock and keep AtMs O off the field.
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TVD was out of synch. He threw to the wrong guy multiple times. Gattis needs to get him going early. I think we will see heavy doses of H-back and tight end off play action and slot work. We will throw to backs on swings maybe even some wheels. I think we take shots down field but later on.

One of the sacks was on TVD. The last one before he got pulled was meaningless. The other two were communication break downs where our guards were just standing there. That got cleaned up in the second half.
 
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JHallCanes said:
the Mallory hate here has achieved embarrassing status

It’s weird

He is a terrible blocker though no doubt

I expect these next few weeks to see a lot more Arroyo and Mallory in the pass game concepts and we will see more what Gattis is trying to do on offense
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Hate is a strong word, brother. I don’t hate him but IMO he is way overrated and he’s been, to me, been average as a receiver (maybe above avg if half of his amazing catches weren’t called back for penalties) and I forgive some of the drops he’s had.

As a run and pass blocker he has been responsible for a lot of sacks or getting his QB pounded and has been responsible for a lot of tackles for loss in the running game.

I call it like I see it. I do root for him when he’s in the game.
 
mirvin88 said:
It's not totally undeserved. He's a terrible blocker and not even great in the passing game. At this point put the two others out there as an extra OL at least.
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He deserves criticism sure

But it’s odd how quickly people brush off his production down the stretch last year yet other players make one play and they become heroes
 
PIPO said:
Hate is a strong word, brother. I don’t hate him but IMO he is way overrated and he’s been, to me, been average as a receiver (maybe above avg if half of his amazing catches weren’t called back for penalties) and I forgive some of the drops he’s had.

As a run and pass blocker he has been responsible for a lot of sacks or getting his QB pounded and has been responsible for a lot of tackles for loss in the running game.

I call it like I see it. I do root for him when he’s in the game.
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Yeah I didn’t really mean to direct the towards you. Youre one of the good ones

You give your reasons when you say it

Mallory had drops for the longest time then last year when we were rolling, he was critical

He was by far our best weapon behind Rambo

Our fans take it too far with a lot of our guys though so this is just me venting that in general
 
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