Gus Malzahn on WFNZ this morning...5/5/11

[Jackofalltrades]

So you're basically calling the OC a liar. Please tell me how you know its a simple offense. have you seen the playbook? enlighten me or is this your usual troll in the park

Because the QB who ran it said it's simple. Professional football players who know offenses when they see them said it's simple.

Of course the OC is going to stick to that story, but AGAIN, I'm not saying it's a bad thing at the college level.

[Jackofalltrades]

funny that you say that when NFL teams are and have been running the spread offense and doing really well with it.

it's increasingly the choice of pass heavy teams. more than that, they're also opting to keep their QBs in the shotgun more.

Some are and it's forcing the NFL's hand, but traditionally they have a QB under center. Indy has run a spread for quite a while and with the recent rule changes favoring the offense I don't know that I expect it to change much.

I really don't want to see the run option crap in the NFL though, I really hate it.

[rayzor]

Some are and it's forcing the NFL's hand, but traditionally they have a QB under center. Indy has run a spread for quite a while and with the recent rule changes favoring the offense I don't know that I expect it to change much.

I really don't want to see the run option crap in the NFL though, I really hate it.

it's a decision they are making because it works.

QBs are opting to play out of the shotgun because 1) it's safer and 2) they can see the field better. peyton took 70% of his snaps from the shotgun last year and brady, ryan, big ben, vick, rodgers, and brees all took over 50% of their snaps from the shotgun last year.

auburn didn't run the run option much last year. most of newton's runs were scripted plays.

[klumme]

Because the QB who ran it said it's simple. Professional football players who know offenses when they see them said it's simple..

What does he know about that... Everyone is saying he is stupid as a duck.:o

And who cares what he run in college. He have learned two offences in two years and run them to perfection. He is not dumb.

Know how will he learn and read other teams D... THAT is something I look forward to.

[rayzor]

What does he know about that... Everyone is saying he is stupid as a duck.:o

And who cares what he run in college. He have learned two offences in two years and run them to perfection. He is not dumb.

Know how will he learn and read other teams D... THAT is something I look forward to.

he already had to do that.

[whatever]

Monte Kiffin doesn't think that there's anything "simple" about trying to defend Malzahn's offense. he compared trying to defend the different motions and looks that Malzahn throws at defenses to trying to read a book while someone is waving their hands in your face.

Malzahn reveals master Monte plan

How does an offensive coordinator making $350,000 per year out-scheme a defensive staff with a payroll of approximately $2.5 million?

That's what I wanted to find out when I headed down to the Auburn locker room after the Tigers left Neyland Stadium with a stunning 26-22 victory.

Oh sure, the Tennessee offense bickered among itself at times on the sideline when it wasn't playing dead on the field for three quarters.

And aside from a few decent returns, the Vols' special teams were a failure with a blocked extra point, a missed 39-yard field goal and porous kick coverage.

But take another look at the statistics, and it's striking what you don't see from the vaunted Tennessee defense: No sacks, no interceptions.

That, and 224 rushing yards yielded to go with a lingering memory of seeing Eric Berry getting knocked on his tail.

Auburn's No. 44, Ben Tate - the big one - ran over UT linebackers and scored the marquee hit on Berry. The little Tiger back, No. 23 (165-pound freshman Onterio McCalebb) ran away from the Vols, most notably on his kick returns of 39- and 52 yards.

So I headed over to Gus Malzahn, a guy who coached high school ball up until Dec. 9, 2005, when Arkansas hired him.

I'm always skeptical of so-called "Gurus," with their librarian looks and gimmicky packages.

But this guy proved different against a fast, talented UT defense boasting a Super Bowl defensive coordinator.

It wasn't all about the gimmicks, and Malzahn didn't even use a lot of shifts or motions to confuse the Vols.

It was true innovation and strategy, and a tip of the hat is in order.

Malzahn told me his game plan was to get UT out of its five-man fronts and neutralize the blitz packages the Vols used to slow Florida's offense.

Early in the game, Auburn waited until very late in the play clock to call its plays from the sideline, the better for Malzahn to see what defense UT lined up in.

Monte Kiffin is one of the best at disguising defenses, but the past couple of games the Vols' have been tipping their blitzes, clearly, and both Ohio and Auburn have exploited that.

"Once we got them into their base (four-man) front, we were able to run the ball,'' Malzahn said. "We really watched the Florida game hard, and we knew it would be tough to run.

"Once we'd get a first down, we'd try to pace them. We thought if we got them a little bit tired, we'd have a chance, and that's what happened.''

Many so-called gurus get married to statistics and putting up big numbers with no-huddle attacks. Malzahn's has a purpose, and the fact that the Auburn offense was also able to prove better conditioned than UT's defense is alarming.

Malzahn was also smart enough to continue to pound the ball at the Vols once Auburn discovered its running backs were superior to the UT linebackers in the open field.

The other thing Malzahn did that was effective - and impressive - was use a wide array of plays early.

"We tried to throw a lot at them early to take away some of their aggressiveness,'' Malzahn said.

It worked: It's hard to remember the last time UT got beat on so many reverses and end arounds.

The Vols' are traditionally one of the fastest defenses in the nation, and in the past rarely lost containment.

Finally, I had to ask, what was Auburn's "plan" for Eric Berry.

Malzahn returned a blank look when I asked him, suggesting that many offenses find where Berry is lined up and plan accordingly.

"He's a great player,'' Malzahn said. "But they have a lot of great players. We just ran our offense.''

Auburn didn't just out-play and out-hit the Vols Saturday night, the Tigers' offensive coaching staff out-schemed them, too.

Tennessee can only hope it was one bad game, but the lack of turnovers being produced this season -- particularly interceptions (3 in five games), is perplexing.

If the trend doesn't change -- and it still might -- you'd have to wonder if the $2.5 million invested in the defensive coaching staff - which is roughly $1.5 million more than the previous defensive staff made - is paying off.

It's make-or-break time against Georgia, and the Bulldogs' offense shouldn't be nearly as difficult to figure out.

http://blogs.knoxnews.com/askgriff/2009/10/malzahn_reveals_master_monte_p.html

[TheRealDeal]

Thanks for signing up

[whatever]

thanks for the welcome. i'm one of the bandwagoners that are coming from Auburn but fwiw, i haven't had a favorite NFL team since Bum Phillips left Houston....and my favorite aunt lives in Charlotte. hopefully, that counts for something. ;)

[TheRealDeal]

It doesn't.

[whatever]

ok. i was planning on remaining a lurker but JackOfAllTrades's posts motivated me to register. maybe i won't get an 8 hour ban anytime soon.

[TheRealDeal]

ok. i was planning on remaining a lurker but JackOfAllTrades's posts motivated me to register. maybe i won't get an 8 hour ban anytime soon.

I'd rather God give you a ban

[whatever]

why would Matt Moore want to ban me?

[rayzor]

why would Matt Moore want to ban me?

matt moore's jealous and as bitter as the jimmy clausen/taylor swift/brady quinn fan.

and welcome, whatever.

[TheBirdmanSN]

Matt Moore sucks! Cam Newton is the only QB worthy of being in the NFL. Ya'll are just a bunch of honkies who hate "winning" and can't accept that we now have a "winning" QB as the face of our franchise.

I had my doubts about Jerry but he's proved me wrong and has made me believe he really cares about winning at all costs, even if it means putting a young, black, troubled, marginally talented QB at the helm of his business.

Carolina Panthers 2011 FTW!