Preseason is the time of eternal optimism, when every question mark about every team is one that could break positively or negatively and it’s hard to be sure of which. I find you often get the clearest picture by assuming that the question marks about a given team will break about 50-50. If you do … [Read more…]
Baylor’s profoundly changing run game I noticed from @CraigSmoak that Baylor has elevated freshman Ryan Miller to starting center on the depth chart while moving converted TE Sam Tecklenburg to starting left guard. When I broke down Baylor’s 2017 recruiting class I noted that Ryan Miller was liable to play early thanks to coming from … [Read more…]
Over at Pistols Firing they’re talking about the increasing prevalence of the 3-3-5 in their defensive package. I’ve mentioned this myself as an explainer for what they’re up to moving Ramon Richards to the free safety position that has normally been handled by bigger thumpers like Jordan Sterns and Daytawion Lowe. What’d I’d be curious … [Read more…]
Big 12 media days are continuing and I’ve been watching what I can from back home. Yesterday we talked about the big questions for the defense, here are my big questions for the offenses across the Big 12. The offenses often carry the weight for winning games in this league, because few teams can count … [Read more…]
I thought I’d do a quick hitter on my major schematic question for every Big 12 team. I’d have gone to Big 12 media days and asked the coaches these questions myself but we’re expecting baby no. 2 soon so I’m currently tied down in Michigan. Anyways, here we go: Oklahoma Sooners: How are they … [Read more…]
Is up at Inside Texas, if you follow this link. Interestingly, Texas and Baylor are both pursuing similar paths to dominance in the Big 12. The Bears are mixing modern pro-style offense (drop back passing with 11 personnel) with a 22 personnel jumbo set for when they need to run the ball. That might work…I … [Read more…]
At football study hall I explained some of Montgomery’s fun run game tactics at Tulsa and how they’ve been using the veer and shoot offense to torch opponents in the AAC. There’s a pretty good chance he’s the head coach at Texas Tech in 2018 so Big 12 fans may want to read up on … [Read more…]
I went on David Smoak’s radio show on ESPN Central Texas 1660 to talk about Matt Rhule’s overhaul of Baylor, the new offense, and how the current players will fit in. You can check out the interview here. The column series we discussed on Rhule’s overhaul of Baylor is a three-parter. Part one on Rhule’s recruiting/player … [Read more…]
The Briles-era Bears were defined more by anything by Art Briles’ own, unique “Veer and Shoot offense.” There wasn’t another offense quite like it across college football and his disciples still have particular access to some of its secrets even as some of the tactics and style of it have proliferated across the country. I … [Read more…]
One of the biggest shocks that has come from the new #RhuleofLaw in Waco has been the physical nature of Baylor Bear practices. This has been a major departure from the Art Briles regimen of extremely rep-heavy, up-tempo practices designed to get as many reps in as possible every day. Most teams find that these up-tempo, … [Read more…]