[Spiny_Norman]

[quote author=Mick link=topic=12063.msg117315#msg117315 date=1430146988]
[quote author=Spiny_Norman link=topic=12063.msg117301#msg117301 date=1430095550]
My takeaway is that the nothing has changed with the offensive philosophy of the team.  Coach Shaw said that he underestimated how long it would take for the OL to gel.  It was 8-9 games, not 3-4.  With an experienced QB and an experienced OL, we will probably see the same offensive approach we saw in 2014.  I guess the coaches know what they are doing, but I am concerned that it makes Stanford predictable and easier for opponents to prepare for.  You are in pretty bad shape when even fans like me can predict the play from the formation which happened a fair bit towards the end of the season.

I'm trying to parse this last paragraph.  One the one hand, Coach Shaw said it took 3/4 of the season for the OL to gel.  That seems like an awfully long time to me.  Separately, you mentioned that by the end of last season the casual fan could predict plays based upon formation.  Does that indicate that the OL didn't gel so much as the playbook got a lot easier?
[/quote]

Mick - my interpretation of Coach Shaw's words is that the offensive approach will not change much.  The offense finally gelled the last 3 games.  The OL came together.  Kevin Hogan executed well.  Things clicked.  Since the objective is to build on that success, the playbook will not change much.  But to my observation the play calling became predictable for part of the season, especially the stagnant middle of the season (despite the myriad sets and player packages).  Do I remember correctly that Oregon defenders said that they were calling out Stanford's plays before the ball was snapped?  If the players are substantially the same and the coaches are the same and the approach is the same, how does Stanford avoid falling in the same rut?
[/quote]

Lee Ward talked to the Bootleg about offensive predictability in 2014 among other subjects.  Lombardi writes about it here if you don't want to listen to all 24 minutes of the discussion - http://espn.go.com/blog/pac12/post/_/id/...turnaround

[Spiny_Norman]

[quote author=Mick link=topic=12063.msg117315#msg117315 date=1430146988]
[quote author=Spiny_Norman link=topic=12063.msg117301#msg117301 date=1430095550]
My takeaway is that the nothing has changed with the offensive philosophy of the team.  Coach Shaw said that he underestimated how long it would take for the OL to gel.  It was 8-9 games, not 3-4.  With an experienced QB and an experienced OL, we will probably see the same offensive approach we saw in 2014.  I guess the coaches know what they are doing, but I am concerned that it makes Stanford predictable and easier for opponents to prepare for.  You are in pretty bad shape when even fans like me can predict the play from the formation which happened a fair bit towards the end of the season.

I'm trying to parse this last paragraph.  One the one hand, Coach Shaw said it took 3/4 of the season for the OL to gel.  That seems like an awfully long time to me.  Separately, you mentioned that by the end of last season the casual fan could predict plays based upon formation.  Does that indicate that the OL didn't gel so much as the playbook got a lot easier?
[/quote]

Mick - my interpretation of Coach Shaw's words is that the offensive approach will not change much.  The offense finally gelled the last 3 games.  The OL came together.  Kevin Hogan executed well.  Things clicked.  Since the objective is to build on that success, the playbook will not change much.  But to my observation the play calling became predictable for part of the season, especially the stagnant middle of the season (despite the myriad sets and player packages).  Do I remember correctly that Oregon defenders said that they were calling out Stanford's plays before the ball was snapped?  If the players are substantially the same and the coaches are the same and the approach is the same, how does Stanford avoid falling in the same rut?
[/quote]

Lee Ward talked to the Bootleg about offensive predictability in 2014 among other subjects.  Lombardi writes about it here if you don't want to listen to all 24 minutes of the discussion - http://espn.go.com/blog/pac12/post/_/id/...turnaround