"The Plan was good . . ."

[Sec14Gator]

Since other plays have garnered more attention, I wanted to focus first on this one: Kirk's first big catch of the game. Score is 17-10. We've largely shut down Tam's offense, and Kirk, though Mond's scrambles are becoming effective. Shannon loves zone, so we will definitely slip into zones to prevent huge plays and allow the D to keep eyes on Mond (maybe even spy him), right?

Nope. The "plan" called for us to put a first time starting safety, Jaewon Taylor in press man on the SEC's fastest player. Well, if only he could execute a plan that virtually no one can, but certainly a 3 star career high school safety should be able to do - it's only something he wasn't even asked to do in HS, right?

Here's the screen shots presnap of the brilliant plan:



Then, about 1 second later Kirk had a BIG separation - 40 yd catch (note in just 13 yards, kirk's already got 2-3 yards past our first time starting safety):



Man, if only our players who are put in ideal situations would just execute.

Also, this has been discussed more, but here are the last 4 fourth downs (hint - we kicked to Kirk each time - one touchback), but Mac says that the "Plan" was to kick out of bounds after it back fires and blames the players:

• 4th and 9 at FLA 43
  (8:20 - 3rd) Johnny Townsend punt for 36 yds, fair catch by Christian Kirk at the FLORIDA 21 TEXAS A&M Penalty, substitution infraction ( Yards) declined
  
  4th and 7 at TA&M 48(4:22 - 3rd) Johnny Townsend punt for 48 yds for a touchback

• 4th and 10 at FLA 26
  (12:24 - 4th) Johnny Townsend punt for 44 yds, punt out-of-bounds at the TexAM 36 , Christian Kirk returns for 6 yds to the TexAM 36 (out of bounds was the tackle of Kirk, not the punt)
  
  • 4th and 1 at FLA 36
    (6:35 - 4th) Johnny Townsend punt for 46 yds , Christian Kirk returns for 43 yds to the Fla 39
    
    
  Good thing "the Plan was good".

 

[gator1946]

I would have liked this but that would imply i "liked" the plan. Lord deliver us from this coaching staff for I fear a dumpster fire.

 

[rogdochar]

SEC14 good post. thanks. Damn what stupid coaching ... see, like you said = a novice DB gets set up to fail. That's gotta be great for Taylor's development. Are we confused watching this team's flubs, non-confident hesitations, etc. but are we daft to consider that this staff could be tearing down these kids' development? ruining their FB IQ ? Gotta get this staff off Gator property, asap.

All followed by throwing players under the bus, here and there. Who's to say most mistakes we see players make are not the fault of coaches malpositioning them either during the game or during practices, which means this staff could be making this team worse by practice??

 

[AugustaGator]

Weren't we playing this strategy to shut down their offense?

I was not able to be fully engaged but I was thinking we were playing very aggressive and this situation had to occur at least one if not 2 times prior?

 

[cover2]

There's planning...and then there's execution. That's been a problem all season throughout each phase. Technically speaking, there's nothing wrong with the press man coverage against the doubles. Get a hand on the receiver, denying him a free release, bail and run knowing you've got a safety over the top who is reading QB. Plus, the rush had been effective in the first half. What could go wrong? Well, it turns out about everything on this snap. SEC14 makes a good point about the inexperienced DB. I don't think he touched Kirk on the release and without that occurring, no way he runs with him. Where was the S? Play too quick for him to get there? Rush?

Among the many quandaries we are in, this situation is a highlight of our futility. I'm not necessarily defending Shannon, but we can't play soft man all the time and our kids still get lost in the zone. They've got to learn press coverage. But Shannon's got to help them with a rush if we can't consistently do it with four, which we did in the first half. Second half O played a hand in our struggles and a D that was running out of gas couldn't null Monds like they did in the first stanza. We are so inconsistent that these situations happen much too often.

 

[Sec14Gator]

Weren't we playing this strategy to shut down their offense?

I was not able to be fully engaged but I was thinking we were playing very aggressive and this situation had to occur at least one if not 2 times prior?

We hadn't played this single deep with press all across much, but my point isn't with the press coverage in general, which many of our DBs do well. It's the personnel and match up plan. Taylor isn't a corner (and wasn't in HS). While we could argue over risk reward at that stage if Dawson, Wilson, Henderson, or even Gardner or McWilliams were in that spot, at least they are cover guys. Taylor is a pure safety and was put in a spot he can't really succeed because that press coverage isn't his strength. And, he was put there against Ta&m's best receiver at a key point in the game.

 

[cover2]

We hadn't played this single deep with press all across much, but my point isn't with the press coverage in general, which many of our DBs do well. It's the personnel and match up plan. Taylor isn't a corner (and wasn't in HS). While we could argue over risk reward at that stage if Dawson, Wilson, Henderson, or even Gardner or McWilliams were in that spot, at least they are cover guys. Taylor is a pure safety and was put in a spot he can't really succeed because that press coverage isn't his strength. And, he was put there against Ta&m's best receiver at a key point in the game.

I haven't looked at the roster lately, but are we that thin at CB? Has Taylor been working at CB that we know of?

 

[Gator Fever]

There's planning...and then there's execution. That's been a problem all season throughout each phase. Technically speaking, there's nothing wrong with the press man coverage against the doubles. Get a hand on the receiver, denying him a free release, bail and run knowing you've got a safety over the top who is reading QB. Plus, the rush had been effective in the first half. What could go wrong? Well, it turns out about everything on this snap. SEC14 makes a good point about the inexperienced DB. I don't think he touched Kirk on the release and without that occurring, no way he runs with him. Where was the S? Play too quick for him to get there? Rush?

Among the many quandaries we are in, this situation is a highlight of our futility. I'm not necessarily defending Shannon, but we can't play soft man all the time and our kids still get lost in the zone. They've got to learn press coverage. But Shannon's got to help them with a rush if we can't consistently do it with four, which we did in the first half. Second half O played a hand in our struggles and a D that was running out of gas couldn't null Monds like they did in the first stanza. We are so inconsistent that these situations happen much too often.

Kirk kept him from getting his hands on him by faking a left move and then going right taking off down the field. I think Gardner was just a tad slow locking in on him also since the opposite side WRs ran short routes. Taylor should have never been covering him.

 

[-THE DUDE-]

according to butters he's never had a bad plan...it's the execution piece, the 3rd down piece, the special teams piece...

the only piece we're missing is the execution of this piece of **** staff

 

[cover2]

Kirk kept him from getting his hands on him by faking a left move and then going right before taking off down the field. I think Gardner was just a tad slow locking in on him also since the opposite side WRs ran short routes. Taylor should have never been covering him.

To back up what has been posted by @Sec14Gator part of the plan has to be specific personnel match-ups. Most certainly, running three stops and a go from the doubles is pretty standard. Kirk's the most obvious guy to stretch. Our best cover guy on him should have been an automatic

 

[cover2]

according to butters he's never had a bad plan...it's the execution piece, the 3rd down piece, the special teams piece...

the only piece we're missing is the execution of this piece of **** staff

If only this guy were in charge...

 

[Sec14Gator]

To back up what has been posted by @Sec14Gator part of the plan has to be specific personnel match-ups. Most certainly, running three stops and a go from the doubles is pretty standard. Kirk's the most obvious guy to stretch. Our best cover guy on him should have been an automatic

Even worse than our best guy not being on him, Taylor was literally the worst option of every DB on the field on that play.

Bigger picture, my frustration is that after just two of the many mistakes we made account for 83 of Ta&m's fairly few yards (offense and ST combined) are caused by the plan more than execution, the coaches don't seem self reflective at all. You can get caught in mismatches (though you don't need to double down with Taylor pressing Kirk). But, if our coaches continue so self assured of their plan (which also includes end of half strategies), it is never getting better with this group and it causes me to think Franks issues are more lack of prep by the coaches.

Seriously, why if we are all screaming at Franks about running out of bounds vs throwing it away are the coaches - including Mac on the sideline-not beating this into him.

 

[cover2]

Even worse than our best guy not being on him, Taylor was literally the worst option of every DB on the field on that play.

Bigger picture, my frustration is that after just two of the many mistakes we made account for 83 of Ta&m's fairly few yards (offense and ST combined) are caused by the plan more than execution, the coaches don't seem self reflective at all. You can get caught in mismatches (though you don't need to double down with Taylor pressing Kirk). But, if our coaches continue so self assured of their plan (which also includes end of half strategies), it is never getting better with this group and it causes me to think Franks issues are more lack of prep by the coaches.

Seriously, why if we are all screaming at Franks about running out of bounds vs throwing it away are the coaches - including Mac on the sideline-not beating this into him.

This where I'm getting to as well. It's easy to sit around the table and grease board and draw up that "perfect" scheme, but your players have to be able to carry it out and a big part of that dynamic is knowing what they are capable of and what you are teaching them to do and then plugging the proper personnel in. Clearly, as you opine, there's a disconnect. I also agree about Franks from what we see.

 

[bradgator2]

14Gator is like the anti-2222. It's awesome.

 

[Bernardo de la Paz]

14Gator is like the anti-2222. It's awesome.

Seems like he appeared right when 2222 disappeared...



Maybe 2222 was laid off by the UAA and has an ax to grind.

 

[GatorJB]

Also, this has been discussed more, but here are the last 4 fourth downs (hint - we kicked to Kirk each time - one touchback), but Mac says that the "Plan" was to kick out of bounds after it back fires and blames the players:

• 4th and 9 at FLA 43
  (8:20 - 3rd) Johnny Townsend punt for 36 yds, fair catch by Christian Kirk at the FLORIDA 21 TEXAS A&M Penalty, substitution infraction ( Yards) declined

Why wouldn't Mac take the penalty here? It was obviously not a good punt and Townsend is capable of doing better. I would have accepted the penalty and told Townsend to try to kick it out of bounds around the 5 yard line. If it's a touchback, then no biggie. They are on the 21 right now anyways.

 

[AugustaGator]

Why wouldn't Mac take the penalty here? It was obviously not a good punt and Townsend is capable of doing better. I would have accepted the penalty and told Townsend to try to kick it out of bounds around the 5 yard line. If it's a touchback, then no biggie. They are on the 21 right now anyways.

I was scratching my head on this one.

 

[AugustaGator]

We hadn't played this single deep with press all across much, but my point isn't with the press coverage in general, which many of our DBs do well. It's the personnel and match up plan. Taylor isn't a corner (and wasn't in HS). While we could argue over risk reward at that stage if Dawson, Wilson, Henderson, or even Gardner or McWilliams were in that spot, at least they are cover guys. Taylor is a pure safety and was put in a spot he can't really succeed because that press coverage isn't his strength. And, he was put there against Ta&m's best receiver at a key point in the game.

Yes, risk and reward was my point. As stated, I do not know how much we were pushing it. I thought I saw the setup several times during the night. I am really fishing for was this the only time or did it happen several times during the night?

 

[Sec14Gator]

Yes, risk and reward was my point. As stated, I do not know how much we were pushing it. I thought I saw the setup several times during the night. I am really fishing for was this the only time or did it happen several times during the night?

I can't definitively answer that question. But, I don't believe it was frequent. From what I observed in the stadium, we played 2 deep most often, but did play some single deep, w man concepts occasionally. Until this play, I only saw Taylor deep with Gardner playing run support or coverage closer to the line, which made sense.

Here is the pick, which is similar but you don't see Taylor because he is very deep (Gardner played much closer and favored the RB side of the field more on the Kirk catch):



The Kirk catch play stood out to me live (and pre-snap) because it was different from what I had recalled seeing up to that point. Mond noticed it too.

Related, @bradgator2, I find the anti-2222 reference funny and a compliment. But he seemed to come at it from a different perspective. He searched for needles in a haystack of moments that looked like good offense and appeared to parse the entire film until he found something. I am posting images of what I was surprised to be seeing as it happened, such as Mac almost never coaching on the sidelines. Some of that you can't see on TV, so I decided to finally join and share the observations (lurked since GCMB days - I never go back anymore).

 

[BMF]

Honestly, when you play a team as talented on offense as A&M you're going to give up a few plays....and a few points (even Bama's D did). I agree that this was a bad "plan" on this play....but during a course of a 60 minute game, 12-15 possessions, you're going to give up a few plays, a few points.

Our problem is....and has been, on offense. It's inexcusable. And "the plan" on offense stinks and the "execution piece" is even worse. And this falls on the coaches. Plain and simple.

And this clown in charge brought back Nussmeir and Nord. It's unbelievable. Most of us called it all off-season....and now we're living it. And the sad part is, we likely see the same sh*t-show next season.....