Miami DC explains Napier's offense

Napier thinks he can impose the team's will and power on opponents. Maybe he was able to do that at Louisiana Tech. This is the SEC. You have to mix power with innovation, and with a developing front line which does not bully anyone and hasn't for over a half a decade, you need to rely on innovation much more than power.

Having a dual threat QB changes the equation drastically because now improvisation comes into play as well as plays that a drop back QB cannot make. Napier's offense is better suited for a dual threat QB, and it will be difficult to justify putting Mertz back into the starting position the rest of the year unless Lagway has a horrible game (which he won't).

 

Seth Varnadore in his film study refuted this claim by their DC. We did run quite a bit of new stuff not seen previously and most coaches have base concepts that they run plays out of.

 

Film or not -- our offense sucked. Everything about it besides Montrell's one run.
play calling and our rhythm sucks
Routes suck
blocking sucks
effort sucks
passes sucked
3rd down conversion sucked

Their isn't a single thing that this team has done well the past 3 seasons. our offense is vanilla, and it always seems like one player runs a primary route, and everyone else is clueless

 

We have what, two mobile linemen, with one being the center.
Many of the plays look like they could succeed, almost worked, see my system is great! But ultimately, they have a lynchpin which is often square and won’t secure the load.
Expecting Arlis to handle a Rush End is one of those.
A system must take into account all of its components, just like a chain.

 

This is my opinion as well. We are running a suboptimal scheme without the players needed to make it functional. And the coaching staff seems unable to see that and adapt the scheme to fit the personnel at hand. I get that coaches can be stubborn and egotistic, but it seems our last 4 coaches have similar problems with stubbornly choosing a course of action and failing to make changes when it is obvious that changes need to be made.

 

Last year I was in the camp that thought Napier just needed Mertz to learn how to read defenses, and he actually did improve as the season moved along. The defense didn't and now it's all in the books. Starting the season like this makes me wonder if Napier and his coaches actually know what they are doing - are they practicing the little things over and over (like which way to throw a post) or did Mertz just kind of figure out on his own. The great receivers run perfect routes ... ours don't. They aren't awful though, and Mertz had plenty of opportunities. Rather than blaming him I'm thinking it's the coaching he's getting. Same play concepts you'd expect that they would be running them over and over until they are perfect. They aren't.

 

Shane needs to create a YouTube blog after every game where he shows every play and who is open and not getting thrown to on passing plays with commentary.

Might be something the coaches could look at.

Also, it might be wildly popular with fans.

 

Of course. Anyone who was buying that the Miami DCs statements were anything but hyperbole have no clue

Maybe someone else already does that...

 

I feel your frustration, but … no. Different concepts but what is similar is Mertz not executing. The route running and/or actual routs was/were actually worse last year but same result.

Miami

1. Simple motion play to flat, 1st down
2. Single receiver route out of play action fakes, Mertz flushed “, four yards
3. H back guard counter, 2nd and 6, left tackle missed, 1 yard gain
4. Simple motion with handoff. Stuffed.

Utah

1. Bunch set, trips left. This was a classic “two guys ran to the same spot” play but it worked. 8 yard pickup
2. Jet sweep, Utah defense played perfectly for 2 yard gain.
3. 3rd and 1, Utah simulated snap and drew illegal motion for 5-yard penalty.
4. 3rd and 6, left receivers run cross and right receivers run post, Merts threw to check down behind LOC. Stuffed.

 

Agree that Mertz had a terrible game. His accuracy was off and he wasn't making the right reads. His worse game as a Gator. I'm not sure why because we had the same porous o line last year and no where near the receiving corps we have now. I think he'll play better but not well enough to make much of a difference in the win-loss column. There is a chance that the offense will become a decent unit with Lagway packages and a more focused Mertz. We'll see next week as A&M has a defensive line that is probably better than Miami's. Would be great to have this team jell and play well so there will be a foundation for the new coach. The D is an enigma.

 

Agree, it's on the coaching!!!

 

I would disagree that defenses knew what Spurrier was going to do. Spurrier was a master at using some of his plays to set up other plays. The second play would start out just like the first, but would suddenly deviate and leave someone wide open because the defense was conditioned to do certain things to stop the first play.

 

What killed us in 1997 at LSU was OL injuries. Carried over to UGA.

 

This really demonstrates my point. Everyone uses a base offense then runs things off of it. So it should be no surprise to anyone that "We took their top five to seven plays that showed up in every game last year: a reverse, crossing routes, tailback screens—and I'll be danged if in the first four or five plays those things showed up".

Also Varnadore pointed out that in fact that statement wasn't true.

As well, we didn't execute some of what we did.

This is such a nothing statement and a bunch of fans are just going over the top with their reactions. Mainly due to ignorance. It is just like much of American society today gobbling up stupid sound bites with no care for what's behind them.