Welcome home, fellow Gator.

The Gator Nation's oldest and most active insider community
Join today!
  1. Gator Country Black Friday special!

    Now's a great time to join or renew and get $20 off your annual VIP subscription! LIMITED QUANTITIES -- for details click here.

GNFP and Offensive Scheme

Discussion in 'RayGator's Swamp Gas' started by gators1994, Nov 20, 2024 at 4:57 AM.

  1. gators1994

    gators1994 All American

    383
    109
    218
    Sep 10, 2024
    After watching several of the GNFP film reviews over the season, it seems a constant theme is that we rarely scheme receivers open. We rely on one on one routes where a player beats his man and the ball is thrown perfectly. This explains why we are so much better with lagway because he can make these throws. It also explains why our offense has struggled under Mertz and Richardson. What made spurrier so good was his scheme could work without needing a superstar quarterback. I’m a little concerned that while we have a generational player on our hands, when he leaves our offense will go right back in the tank. We should enjoy lagway while he’s here but I think the concerns raised by the podcast are legitimate. A skilled offensive coordinator is probably a real need for Napier’s long term success.
     
    • Agree Agree x 8
    • Winner Winner x 1
    • Informative Informative x 1
  2. northgagator

    northgagator GC Hall of Fame

    I agree in general with most of your post.

    One item that you did not touch on was the lack of a good offensive line for the past 3 seasons. Please note that the Gator O-line has improved a lot since the begnning of this season. Also, the Portal has caused a big problem in retaining players. I am not referring to O-line men. We can include the rest of the offensive positions too.

    If the Gators and keep a coach for at least 5 season, then the recruiting and the retention of players will a plus for the Gators.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  3. ThomasD89

    ThomasD89 GC Hall of Fame

    1,113
    427
    1,973
    Oct 9, 2011
    Which also calls into question all the pre-snap nonsense. Which might be useful to indicate who was going to be left uncovered, but only if we attempted to create such openings.
     
    • Agree Agree x 4
    • Fistbump/Thanks! Fistbump/Thanks! x 1
    • Funny Funny x 1
    • Friendly Friendly x 1
  4. ufhomerj31

    ufhomerj31 GC Legend

    595
    78
    128
    Jan 5, 2010
    I dislike our offensive scheme. It has a very highschool look to it ( I am currently watching a lot of highschool games in Texas).

    Huge step down in scheme and play calling awareness from Mullen.
     
    • Agree Agree x 5
    • Like Like x 1
  5. gatorwalrus

    gatorwalrus GC Hall of Fame

    3,381
    882
    1,873
    Sep 24, 2022
    "If you guessed 5 hitches, you would be right." This petty much summarizes it.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
    • Funny Funny x 1
    • Winner Winner x 1
  6. UF24ou14

    UF24ou14 GC Hall of Fame

    3,734
    4,455
    2,178
    Apr 19, 2009
    Could be the single most thing that shows we need a good offensive coordinator and why DJ is better on deep throws. If his man has space, he is able to make a spectacular deep pass.
     
  7. 4everaGator

    4everaGator GC Hall of Fame

    2,281
    1,877
    1,948
    Aug 3, 2010
    Central Florida
    While the offense has been superior to our defense under Napier, at least until recently, I do favor hiring an elite OC asap so they can install their system by next season. But for me it's less about Billy's scheme than it is about unburdening the head coach from the responsibility of being the OC.
    Very few head coaches are successful doubling as OCs, I can think of only SOS who called plays throughout his career. Maybe Andy Reid? He has coordinators but it's my understanding that he does call plays, same with Doug Petersen. Callahan?
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
    • Winner Winner x 2
  8. freedomgator

    freedomgator GC Hall of Fame

    2,637
    936
    2,023
    Mar 26, 2017
    What specifically did Spurrier do that "schemed receivers open?"
     
  9. gators1994

    gators1994 All American

    383
    109
    218
    Sep 10, 2024
    A lot of crossing routes where receivers would rub off or flood certain areas. Too much to go into here but if you don’t appreciate spurrier’s offense you don’t understand football. Spurrier was a genius when it came to offensive scheming.
     
    • Agree Agree x 3
    • Like Like x 1
  10. freedomgator

    freedomgator GC Hall of Fame

    2,637
    936
    2,023
    Mar 26, 2017
    Presumably this thread is intended to discuss offense and specifically "scheming receivers open." If it's too much to go into here then what's the point of the thread?
     
    • Agree Agree x 3
    • Like Like x 1
  11. 31g8r

    31g8r GC Hall of Fame

    1,274
    1,784
    2,008
    Oct 20, 2013
    Spurrier excelled at a time defenses were built to stop run first offenses mainly seeing cov 2,3 and man.

    His commitment to a downfield pass first philosophy at UF was revolutionary. He evolved at scar bc of his time in washington and rarely did his offenses there resemble those of the fun n gun

    Yes, the high flying offensive was the legacy he left UF and like crack addicts many have been jonesing for that level of offensive production ever since
     
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2024 at 11:20 AM
    • Agree Agree x 7
    • Best Post Ever Best Post Ever x 1
  12. fox

    fox GC Hall of Fame

    17,867
    28,627
    3,328
    Apr 3, 2007
    Florida Beachland
    I like it when receivers run good routes and the quarterback throws it right to him. Blocking helps a lot.
     
    • Funny Funny x 6
    • Agree Agree x 3
    • Wish I would have said that Wish I would have said that x 1
  13. gator_annarbor

    gator_annarbor All American

    305
    103
    1,668
    Nov 9, 2019
    The biggest thing with Spurrier Spurrier he trained his QBs to throw to the open areas in a play. And it’s only the WR and QB/OC who knew where the open areas show up in a play. Therefore, the receiver can run a route but will break to find that open spot and create space from the defender. So he will use the same concepts as other coaches, but will coach em up differently…
     
  14. danmanne65

    danmanne65 GC Hall of Fame

    3,946
    830
    268
    Jul 2, 2022
    DeLand
    Completing long passes and runners breaking runs will open up the middle of the field.
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
  15. WC53

    WC53 GC Hall of Fame

    4,863
    1,013
    2,088
    Oct 17, 2015
    Old City
    The right side of the line is very susceptible to speed rushers or stunts. Maybe why we run left ;), possibly some help on that side before we are back in concussion protocol.

    Was watching a Ohio state game earlier, and the announcers we’re talking about how the opponent was playing harder, but the scheme kept getting receivers open for big plays.

    Maybe if we change DJ’s name to scheme…….we will have a good one.
     
  16. StonewallJawkson

    StonewallJawkson GC Legend

    682
    16
    213
    Aug 10, 2007
    I don’t want to be a jerk but it seems to me if you can’t explain Spurrier’s offense, you don’t understand it either.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  17. benheb

    benheb GC Hall of Fame

    2,593
    1,408
    2,038
    Feb 2, 2011
    Colorado Springs
    I was gonna say everyone got open but I asked AI and this is what AI said

    Steve Spurrier's offense, often called the "Fun N' Gun," was considered revolutionary in college football because it heavily emphasized a quick passing attack that exploited defensive mismatches by throwing deep downfield, putting pressure on defensive backs with precise timing routes, and taking advantage of slower safeties in coverage, essentially "spreading the defense out" with a focus on vertical passing rather than horizontal spread plays, which was a departure from the more run-oriented offenses prevalent in the SEC at the time;.
    Key aspects of Spurrier's offense:
    • Vertical passing game:
      A primary focus on throwing deep downfield to receivers running precise routes, often targeting the middle of the field to challenge safeties.

    • Quick decision making:
      The quarterback was expected to read the defense quickly and get the ball out fast to exploit open receivers.

    • Play-action fakes:
      Utilizing effective play-action to draw defenders out of position and create open throwing lanes.

    • Audible system:
      Spurrier's offense heavily relied on audibles at the line of scrimmage to adjust to defensive alignments.

    • Emphasis on receiver talent:
      The offense thrived with skilled wide receivers capable of winning one-on-one matchups against defensive backs.
    Impact on the game:
    • Revolutionized SEC football:
      Spurrier's passing-oriented offense significantly changed the way offenses were played in the SEC, forcing defenses to adapt and prioritize pass coverage.
    • High scoring games:
      The "Fun N' Gun" often resulted in high-scoring shootouts due to its aggressive offensive approach.
     
    • Winner Winner x 3
    • Like Like x 2
  18. gators1994

    gators1994 All American

    383
    109
    218
    Sep 10, 2024
    • Like Like x 5
  19. gators1994

    gators1994 All American

    383
    109
    218
    Sep 10, 2024
    The point was definitely not to explain spurrier’s (or mullen’s for that matter) offense in detail.
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Come On Man Come On Man x 1
  20. FranceGator

    FranceGator GC Hall of Fame

    3,674
    1,082
    1,963
    Apr 8, 2007
    To explain more, James and GNFP are very positive about Billy's run play design and play calling. When people say "Billy's play calling sucks", they should say "half-sucks." ;)

    For passing, in this video, he mentioned the things he likes and doesn't like. He likes spread and with Lagway, we do spread more. He likes rub routes and we don't do them. James hates when we have two receivers in the same area, we do that less now that we're more downfield.

    Also, James (in the past) notes that sometimes we have the right play called and the QB audibles out of it or doesn't make the right read.

    Finally...I don't think most of us have any idea what was the play call. I know I'm not even close. I watch James do breakdowns and half the points never occurred to me. But even James admits, he doesn't know the actual play call.
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Agree Agree x 2
    • Fistbump/Thanks! Fistbump/Thanks! x 2
    • Winner Winner x 1