Old 30 Stack Still Alive?

[TrojanNole]

Bomber, I like the write up in the filmroom on the old 3-4 into the 30 stack. Very nice to still see the old setups working in 05.
I did see the 3-3-5 in the New Mexico and Wash St game, the Cougars were having fits with that formation and new mexico ran it just about it the whole game.

[mad_bomber]

That's where I got the idea for the play. Did you notice New Mexico was getting lots of pressure using a two man defensive line and bringing blitzers from all sorts of angles.

[Air Raid]

Yeah-

The cougs struggled against it, but it was more because Levensellar (the Offensive Coordinator) refused to challenge New Mexico deep until the 4th quarter, we only attempted 1 or 2 passes over 15 yards in the first half :mad: . The Cougs have a tendacy to play like a running team (throw real short and run a lot of dives and off-tackles to control the ball), the only thing that is bad about that, is that we haven't been able to run the ball for 3 years now! We rushed for 31 yards! 31 YARDS! and New Mexico at times only had TWO down linemen!!

But the Cougs won and that is all that matters.....and to give Levenselllar (sp?) some credit, the team is REAL young on the offensive end and he probably wasn't comfortable putting the QB in a dangerous situation throwing a lot of deep balls......but for the Cougs offense to be effective they need to stretch the defense down the field becuase the D will pile up on the line of scrimmage and take away the short passes and KILL the run.....but give New Mexico credit, thier D played well!

[mad_bomber]

The receivers early on really didn't do much to help Swooger out. In the first half alone there were some dropped passes on some deeper throws down field. The tight end dropped a deep ball over the middle after a bootleg rollout by Swooger. The offensive line also didn't do a good job in getting movement for the run game and protection in the passing game. The last few seasons they've been able to run the ball. I know last season is the first time in a long time that WSU used two back sets extensively in their offense.

But that 2 man line by New Mexico was rather confusing. You know two guys are coming, but who and where are the other rushers coming from? With that defensive package sometimes they would rush four and drop seven, rush five and drop six, rush 6 and drop five. New Mexico only went with the 2 man line on passing downs and 4 of their sacks came when they used that package. T

[Air Raid]

I agree with you Bomber on the Offensive line, they didn't do thier job (and they are suppose to be our strength this year!), however I disagree on being able to run, last year we averaged 115 yards per game and in 2002 we averaged 129 yards per game, not real scary running numbers, furthermore, we haven't been able to run when we HAVE to.....when we need 3 yards we get 1 or 2 if we are lucky.....now we are a one back throwing offense, but we just don't play with that mentality enough....the Cougs play not to lose instead of to win....that's why we can't beat the Huskies, you get this overwhelming feeling that the Cougs expect to lose to them and we do......trust me, I've been a die hard fan for 8 years now..... (haven't missed a home game in 4 years!)......Plus we only used two back (it was a TE at FB not a true FB by the way..) sets last year about 4-6 times a game.....normally because we had such a hard time running the ball....Smith had over 900 yards rushing last year, but 200 of those came against Idaho....you can do the math from there.......700 yards over the next 12 games is only 58 yards a game.....not Stephen Jackson type of numbers....

Now don't get me wrong.....I love the Cougs and I love Bill Doba...and to win with what he has is a great accomplishment....I just feel that our O.C. doesn't play as aggressive as our defense and that hurts us early in games....but like I said, I don't care how they do it, a win is a win.......

[CrazyOldGuy]

I just feel that our O.C. doesn't play as aggressive as our defense and that hurts us early in games....but like I said, I don't care how they do it, a win is a win.......

Air,

Just wondering was this maybe something Doba was looking for in an OC? Being a long time DC maybe he thought he rather have a OC that was (and I hate to use this word ;) ) more "balanced"?

I'd be curious to hear what Coach Doba says about the offensive side of the ball. I've seen Purdue and Wyoming under Joe Tiller go from 5 wide pass 8 out of 10 plays wild eyed bombs away offense, to conservative 2 back 3 te run 9 out of 10 plays that even Woody or Bo would have passed more offenses..when the defense of his teams were clearly the strength.


PS Robb Akey..isn't he related to Coach Doba somehow? I think he's a real up and coming coach! one of those DC's that I'd hire right away if it were my choice.

[Air Raid]

COG-

Interesting that you would bring that point up (and a very good point I might add!!!) because that was the first thing Bill Doba answered when he got the job at WSU........Just like you said he was a D.C. so naturally he knew he would gravitate to that........however, he said that Levensellar would have almost full control over the offense and the play calls because he knew the Cougs were already a good offensive team and he didn't want to change much....and it was Levensellar who said that he would start to open up the passing game .......which I think he has.....(as you saw last weekend with a lot of screen passes, automatics and slants).....he just doesn't stretch the defense down the field enough to keep the pressure off the running game and the quick passing game in my opinion.....Levensellar was the O.C. under Mike Price as well, he was one of the assistants that didn't follow him to Alabama........

.......Now having said that, the Cougs are more defensive minded with Doba as the coach (and I don't think anyone would question that), so I'm sure that eventhough Levensellar has control of the offense he probably has orders not to risk too much if the Cougs are in position to win it with thier Defense.....(Not that I disagree with that philosophy, it's just hard for me to get used to it because I'm such an offensive fan.....but I know D wins Championships and I'm begining to come around :) )....Plus the team is REAL young this year and I'm sure Doba and the Cougs will count on thier D more than thier O to win ball games this year....

....As far as Akey goes. I love that guy! He has more energy than his players do and I think the Cougs are lucky to have him!!....He keeps me on the edge of my seat because I know we are going to blitz and blitz often and sometimes we give up the big play, but I have to admit it is fun to watch :D ......He was formally the Defensive Line coach for the Cougs, don't know if he is related to Doba or not :confused: .......

....The only reason I was venting at all is because it seems like at times the Cougs Offense is unstoppable and can score from anywhere, while at other times, like the first 2 and half quarters of Friday's game, we play like we can't do anything.....and it seems to me that the times we go into the whole is when Levensellar gets predictable.....for the entire second quarter I wrote down on a piece of paper the plays that I thought Levensellar would run and I was guessing right at least 75% of the time.....I NEVER liked Steve Sprurrier, but one thing he said I thought was so simple and it was that he believed that an offense could NEVER be pedictable or simple because if your offense is predictable or to simple the Defense will have an easier time defending you because it takes the guess work out of it.........

.....Now like I said before, I like all of the current coaches at WSU....they did a great job last year and I think they will do a great job this year....I even like the idea of better ball control and balance on offense :) ......I would just like to see the Cougs develop a sound running game (I'm not asking for 200 yards a game, just one that we can count on in the clutch) and I think one way to do that is to stretch the defense down the field with the pass, not on every play, but enough to let them think that we can do it at anytime...

....Just my thoughts......but hey I'm a sports fan so I'm always asking for more.....