Bowl Thoughts

Some observations from Rose Bowl wkend: Everything was orchastrated very well, and the people were really very good - a crush of people but 1. It was gratifying to see the Respect they had for the military. When the Marine band marched by, they got a standing ovation as did the remaining Tuskeege Arimen and their float.... When you get away from the media generated view of things and out with the folks - it's different.

2. Coaching point: When Blunt fumbled the ball through the endzone in the 2nd half, it reinforced my belief that trouble makers, even if they have talent, make as many or more critical errors and their good talented moves. They are not consistent. And if you do not effectively deal with things properly the first time, each subsequent time will be at a... See More greater cost. Can't get much bigger cost for Oregon than than the Rose Bowl. I think the Ducks would have been better off with him staying on the bench. The pressure to play him had to be great, but what is the right thing to do? Would James have fumbled the ball at that critical time of the game? We will never know......

3. The Rose Bowl game reaffirmed a basic tenet of mine: IF I were coaching a college team, the first thing I would do is to find the best kicker I could, and then I'd scholarship the best punter I could find. Field position - very important. OR's special teams out played the Buckeyes, but the OSU kicker made all attempts. Can you say BALL GAME?

Do you think Skip Holtz would trade a scholarship form one of those scholarship players on the sidelines for a truly accurate field goal kicker?

4. One of tghe things I learned years ago . . . when it is 3rd and say 8 to go for a first down, the defense needs to UNDER THE OUT ROUTE! In defending the pass, the defense really has 14 defenders. The 11 on defense, both sidelines and the back line of the endzone. Probably the most difficult pass to complete is the out route, especially for a high school quarter back. If you are playing pass defense behind the receiver, you are giving him the out route to the sideline and the QB can gun it out there, throw it a tad short, and you never really have a chance. You are giving them a first down.

When we instituted our 5-under man scheme, the 5 under guys play 'inside and under the receiver and the 2 0r 3 deep people play outside and over the receiver.

We want the inside and under guys to bump the receiver to mess up the timing of the route and stay decidedly inside the receiver on the route.

That means the QB has to place the ball over the under coverage and under the over coverage and inside the sideline. This is very difficult for a quarterback to do - at any level, especially high school. But there we are during the game, playing off the receiver on third down and giving them yet another first down.

We have more 5-under thoughts at other spots on this blog.

5. OSU had the ball on the 4 yard line in the 2nd Qtr - first down. And they get into the shotgun and promply fumble a bad snap, end of drive, settle for FG.

Coaching point for me is.....do not ask for trouble by being in the shotgun. Too many things can go wrong. And it did. Get under the center, snap the ball hand off to a power back running off tackle and pound it into the endzone. If you have to, run a play action boot - the ball will be safely palced in the QBs hands and he will not have to field that shotgun stance. Tressel should know better....or should I say the offensive coordinator for the Buckeyes as I do not think Jim is calling all the plays now. At least I hope he is not, there were some real bonehead calls at times during the game.