Seems to me that Norvell is bringing some creativity and solid planning into our offensive game. Despite the penalties I’m really liking what I see from the O today. Love the use of Swoopes and his ability to capitalize on it.
I like where he's going with making the defense off guard. Seems like we're finally doing what other teams try to do to our defense. If I had to pick out the major flaws with the offense, they still are effort and the line. Some guys are giving up on live plays. And our protection breaks down more often than it should.
Yea, Compared to the offense we've seen the last couple of years...13 points - 4 of 16 on 3rd downs - 48 yards and two 1st downs in the 2nd half and 290 yards for the game from the offense is spectacular!!!
Did we even get a first down in the 4th quarter? I like Norvell though. I think the future is bright with him.
The offensive strategy was a near forfeit in the 4th quarter. Anytime we had the lead we shut it down. Not about to back slap that type of decision making with the game on the line. Once again, a loss is a loss. That's 10 in the last 17 games.
As sorry as OK State's offense was in the 2nd half, ours was worse. They abandoned trying to score after the penalty for illegal forward pass.
For a team trying to finally get over the hump with an electric QB that needs one play to make it happen...playing not to lose all 4th qtr was an atrocity. I mean really, the program had nothing to lose, and they still let off the offensive gas playing hide and seek. Guess what? We lost for not taking chances. Nice.
I think a big reason why the offense didn't do much in the second half had to do with the headsets being inoperable. When you don't have guys in the booth relaying to you what the defense is doing, it makes it harder to adjust your scheme and play-calling. I also think that's why OSU's offense did worse in the second half.
A turnover and loss by trying to win the game would not have lost this program anything. To date, we beat who we should and lost to favorites. They had nothing to lose by going for it. Or let's say this, they had way more to gain by going for it and winning. If you agree our offensive strategy to play safe in the 4th quarter and hope we hold was a good one...well you deserve the final score you got and the program being exactly as mediocre as it was before the game...beating underdogs and blowing it to favorites. Strong needed this win bad. You don't let off the gas and play p*ssy ball when it's time to turn a corner. When you do that, you stare 1-5 in the face soon.
Personally, think Norvell is doing a good job. At the end of the season, I hope they keep him, Tralor, and Wickline, and fire all the other coaches. Strong and most of his "staff" need to be sent back to the salt and pepper league for more seasoning!
4th qtr playcalling was horrible and unacceptable, quit throwing to Beck, DJ Johnson needs to catch ball when targeted for us to be good , c'mon DJ, need to drag a TE ,who can catch, to mirror qb rollout, ala Thomas and Young, where is the dump down pass to rb when no open wr. check down please. Maybe Norvell can call plays that set up other plays, and even ask heard what pass plays/routes he is confident in and incorporate into game plan. heard needs to be doing what he does best, instead of coaches trying to figure out for themselves...Just ask Jerrod, he knows what he does best and build from there.
Hutchison was a complete disaster from the moment he came in the game so I can accept that the offense took a hit from it, but it also seem like the coaches just went into a protective cocoon and decided not to lose the game instead of going out there and taking it. I think the end of the first half of the Cal game affected their play-calling at the end of this one.
IMO a jr. hi. offense cord. could see Swoopes sucess runing the ball. Then put him in again and let him pass to some proably wide open reciever. Perkins going down hurt the offense then one injury should hurt that much.
Our offense was nonexistent in the 2nd half. punt int punt downs punt punt punt end of game I'm not loving that.
The offense is doing better than they were early in the season. Norvell is a step in the right direction. Agreed though that this team isn't there yet and I am still unsure that Strong and Company have what it takes to turn it around. Seams like they are over their heads. Kids do need to execute but this seams like a team-wide problem which is on the coaches.
I like his calls so far. Losing Perkins in the 2nd half really hurt, the DE was getting into the backfield to much and disrupting the flow.
I was not happy with our second half offense either. The offense seemed to have gotten messed up after the double pass was called back and unable to recover. However, Robinson needed a month to fix the mess Diaz left. Watson, unlike Diaz, is still here. Offense has to get better, but I have seen enough improvement and positive changes so far that I am not ready to call for anyone's heads (other than finally parting ways with Watson). This season is still an audition for Norvell. He has not earned his job yet. He has vastly improved the offense in the short time he has been here. I am for withholding judgment until the end of the season on Norvell at this time. (That can change if the offense vastly improves or returns to Watson levels.)
I saw a raw quarterback that had the kitchen sink thrown at him in the second half and never had much time to do anything but duck! Need to find a hot receiver and get it to him quick, the receiver needs to read the play too. Our offense is still in trouble......
I agree Major, seemed to me Heard showed his Freshman'itis' in second half. He did have some open receivers that he had time to hit but didn't see, too hyper. Granted our receivers do not seem to know how to help him by scrambling to get open when he is in trouble and too many drops but there were some times when he did have the necessary time and didn't get rid of it when there were some open receivers. I'm still firmly on the Heard bandwagon and happy to see positive role for Swoopes, but we have to accept that we have a loong way to go. Don't like losing especially when we give it away and when defense played so well (second half). But I'll still be there rest of season.
Strong touched on this subject in the Q&A of his presser today. He claims they are constantly telling Heard he probably cannot out finesse rushers and to throw the ball away if he cannot find his first or second receiver; and never to run backwards.
I didn't hear the presser, but the advice is sound. Check the primary, check the second and third. Nothing open, sling it OB downfield. The more seasoned QBs do this. Heard will learn and get better at it.
