[washingtonismoney]

Except that when Hogan was the quarterback, McCaffrey caught the ball 45 times for a 14.3 ypc average -- and Love caught 15 balls for a 16.7 ypc average, which was 1/3 of all of Love's touches.  He clearly can do it.

Almost all of those, if not all of those, were quick wide receiver screens -- so not properly "route-running" per se. In fact the only time I can remember Love attempting to run a real route that year, in 2015, was against N.D. They matched a linebacker against Love, who mauled him at the line and didn't allow him to release at all.

[washingtonismoney]

Except that when Hogan was the quarterback, McCaffrey caught the ball 45 times for a 14.3 ypc average -- and Love caught 15 balls for a 16.7 ypc average, which was 1/3 of all of Love's touches.  He clearly can do it.

Almost all of those, if not all of those, were quick wide receiver screens -- so not properly "route-running" per se. In fact the only time I can remember Love attempting to run a real route that year, in 2015, was against N.D. They matched a linebacker against Love, who mauled him at the line and didn't allow him to release at all.

[washingtonismoney]

Except that when Hogan was the quarterback, McCaffrey caught the ball 45 times for a 14.3 ypc average -- and Love caught 15 balls for a 16.7 ypc average, which was 1/3 of all of Love's touches.  He clearly can do it.

Almost all of those, if not all of those, were quick wide receiver screens -- so not properly "route-running" per se. In fact the only time I can remember Love attempting to run a real route that year, in 2015, was against N.D. They matched a linebacker against Love, who mauled him at the line and didn't allow him to release at all.

[washingtonismoney]

Except that when Hogan was the quarterback, McCaffrey caught the ball 45 times for a 14.3 ypc average -- and Love caught 15 balls for a 16.7 ypc average, which was 1/3 of all of Love's touches.  He clearly can do it.

Almost all of those, if not all of those, were quick wide receiver screens -- so not properly "route-running" per se. In fact the only time I can remember Love attempting to run a real route that year, in 2015, was against N.D. They matched a linebacker against Love, who mauled him at the line and didn't allow him to release at all.

[JohnR34231]

[quote author=CrazedZooChimp link=topic=17989.msg212377#msg212377 date=1510520163]
[quote author=Goose link=topic=17989.msg212335#msg212335 date=1510511709]
Strange coaching decision: Huskies go for it on 4th and 1 at the Stanford 17. We haven't stopped them yet. No reason to think that this is their "last chance" to get a TD against us. All momentum in their direction. Why take the risk? Take the "sure" 3. Yes, if they get a TD there, it puts them up by 2 TD, and maybe is psychologically a kill shot. BUT, if you don't make it, the converse may be true. Shaw would kick it 100% of the time if we are ahead. UW goes for it, fails, and the game turns.

I might be wrong, but doesn't UW have a terrible kicking game? Like, isn't that how they lost to ASU? I'm pretty sure the decision wasn't based on not wanting to "take the points", but not being able to "take the points".
[/quote]

Yeah the UW fans in my section were talking about how bad their kicker is and how they need to always go for it.
[/quote]

I believe he missed two fairly easy field goals in the ASU game. Since they lost by 6, obviously that was a big issue.
Not a weakness you would expect a Chris Petersen coached team to have.

[JohnR34231]

[quote author=CrazedZooChimp link=topic=17989.msg212377#msg212377 date=1510520163]
[quote author=Goose link=topic=17989.msg212335#msg212335 date=1510511709]
Strange coaching decision: Huskies go for it on 4th and 1 at the Stanford 17. We haven't stopped them yet. No reason to think that this is their "last chance" to get a TD against us. All momentum in their direction. Why take the risk? Take the "sure" 3. Yes, if they get a TD there, it puts them up by 2 TD, and maybe is psychologically a kill shot. BUT, if you don't make it, the converse may be true. Shaw would kick it 100% of the time if we are ahead. UW goes for it, fails, and the game turns.

I might be wrong, but doesn't UW have a terrible kicking game? Like, isn't that how they lost to ASU? I'm pretty sure the decision wasn't based on not wanting to "take the points", but not being able to "take the points".
[/quote]

Yeah the UW fans in my section were talking about how bad their kicker is and how they need to always go for it.
[/quote]

I believe he missed two fairly easy field goals in the ASU game. Since they lost by 6, obviously that was a big issue.
Not a weakness you would expect a Chris Petersen coached team to have.

[JohnR34231]

[quote author=CrazedZooChimp link=topic=17989.msg212377#msg212377 date=1510520163]
[quote author=Goose link=topic=17989.msg212335#msg212335 date=1510511709]
Strange coaching decision: Huskies go for it on 4th and 1 at the Stanford 17. We haven't stopped them yet. No reason to think that this is their "last chance" to get a TD against us. All momentum in their direction. Why take the risk? Take the "sure" 3. Yes, if they get a TD there, it puts them up by 2 TD, and maybe is psychologically a kill shot. BUT, if you don't make it, the converse may be true. Shaw would kick it 100% of the time if we are ahead. UW goes for it, fails, and the game turns.

I might be wrong, but doesn't UW have a terrible kicking game? Like, isn't that how they lost to ASU? I'm pretty sure the decision wasn't based on not wanting to "take the points", but not being able to "take the points".
[/quote]

Yeah the UW fans in my section were talking about how bad their kicker is and how they need to always go for it.
[/quote]

I believe he missed two fairly easy field goals in the ASU game. Since they lost by 6, obviously that was a big issue.
Not a weakness you would expect a Chris Petersen coached team to have.

[JohnR34231]

[quote author=CrazedZooChimp link=topic=17989.msg212377#msg212377 date=1510520163]
[quote author=Goose link=topic=17989.msg212335#msg212335 date=1510511709]
Strange coaching decision: Huskies go for it on 4th and 1 at the Stanford 17. We haven't stopped them yet. No reason to think that this is their "last chance" to get a TD against us. All momentum in their direction. Why take the risk? Take the "sure" 3. Yes, if they get a TD there, it puts them up by 2 TD, and maybe is psychologically a kill shot. BUT, if you don't make it, the converse may be true. Shaw would kick it 100% of the time if we are ahead. UW goes for it, fails, and the game turns.

I might be wrong, but doesn't UW have a terrible kicking game? Like, isn't that how they lost to ASU? I'm pretty sure the decision wasn't based on not wanting to "take the points", but not being able to "take the points".
[/quote]

Yeah the UW fans in my section were talking about how bad their kicker is and how they need to always go for it.
[/quote]

I believe he missed two fairly easy field goals in the ASU game. Since they lost by 6, obviously that was a big issue.
Not a weakness you would expect a Chris Petersen coached team to have.

[Goose]

[quote author=French Rage link=topic=17989.msg212379#msg212379 date=1510520563]
[quote author=CrazedZooChimp link=topic=17989.msg212377#msg212377 date=1510520163]
[quote author=Goose link=topic=17989.msg212335#msg212335 date=1510511709]
Strange coaching decision: Huskies go for it on 4th and 1 at the Stanford 17. We haven't stopped them yet. No reason to think that this is their "last chance" to get a TD against us. All momentum in their direction. Why take the risk? Take the "sure" 3. Yes, if they get a TD there, it puts them up by 2 TD, and maybe is psychologically a kill shot. BUT, if you don't make it, the converse may be true. Shaw would kick it 100% of the time if we are ahead. UW goes for it, fails, and the game turns.

I might be wrong, but doesn't UW have a terrible kicking game? Like, isn't that how they lost to ASU? I'm pretty sure the decision wasn't based on not wanting to "take the points", but not being able to "take the points".
[/quote]

Yeah the UW fans in my section were talking about how bad their kicker is and how they need to always go for it.
[/quote]

I believe he missed two fairly easy field goals in the ASU game. Since they lost by 6, obviously that was a big issue.
Not a weakness you would expect a Chris Petersen coached team to have.
[/quote]
I forgot that they had issues at kicker. Undoubtedly that was a big factor in the choice. I guess that makes it not a questionable decision. Missing a 35 yard field goal, especially with the history, would also have been demoralizing. Going for it makes much more sense in that context.
We are certainly fortunate to have at least an adequate kicker for about as long as I can remember.

[Goose]

[quote author=French Rage link=topic=17989.msg212379#msg212379 date=1510520563]
[quote author=CrazedZooChimp link=topic=17989.msg212377#msg212377 date=1510520163]
[quote author=Goose link=topic=17989.msg212335#msg212335 date=1510511709]
Strange coaching decision: Huskies go for it on 4th and 1 at the Stanford 17. We haven't stopped them yet. No reason to think that this is their "last chance" to get a TD against us. All momentum in their direction. Why take the risk? Take the "sure" 3. Yes, if they get a TD there, it puts them up by 2 TD, and maybe is psychologically a kill shot. BUT, if you don't make it, the converse may be true. Shaw would kick it 100% of the time if we are ahead. UW goes for it, fails, and the game turns.

I might be wrong, but doesn't UW have a terrible kicking game? Like, isn't that how they lost to ASU? I'm pretty sure the decision wasn't based on not wanting to "take the points", but not being able to "take the points".
[/quote]

Yeah the UW fans in my section were talking about how bad their kicker is and how they need to always go for it.
[/quote]

I believe he missed two fairly easy field goals in the ASU game. Since they lost by 6, obviously that was a big issue.
Not a weakness you would expect a Chris Petersen coached team to have.
[/quote]
I forgot that they had issues at kicker. Undoubtedly that was a big factor in the choice. I guess that makes it not a questionable decision. Missing a 35 yard field goal, especially with the history, would also have been demoralizing. Going for it makes much more sense in that context.
We are certainly fortunate to have at least an adequate kicker for about as long as I can remember.

[Treebound]

[quote author=CompSci87 link=topic=17989.msg212374#msg212374 date=1510519273]
I think it's more germane to compare our use of Love this year against McCaffrey last year and other recent Stanford RBs than against the Niners with Montana at QB.

McCaffrey is a great route runner with great hands and great moves after the catch. He could start at either RB or WR in the NFL as a rookie. So when we had him we took advantage of those skills.

Love presumably isn't so outstanding as a receiver and so we're using him more like we usually use RBs. He isn't necessarily bad at catching the ball out of the backfield; it just isn't the most effective way to use him. Instead we tend to keep him in for blitz pickup on passing downs and throw the ball to receivers.

Except that when Hogan was the quarterback, McCaffrey caught the ball 45 times for a 14.3 ypc average -- and Love caught 15 balls for a 16.7 ypc average, which was 1/3 of all of Love's touches.  He clearly can do it.
[/quote]

I've been surprised that we have not used the wheel route this year with Love.  It would/should get him the space to make guys miss and was a play we have often used in the past.  I'm hopeful that Shaw is keeping this in the back pocket for ND and ideally sc.  Love can make the catch and this route often will leave him with only one db to beat, if not a slow linebacker.  I can see it being used for big gains.  This route and not running more play action have been missing from our arsenal this year.    I hope Love is recuperating well this week and runs wild for Big Game!  I'm hoping for some ESPN highlight action this Saturday!

[Treebound]

[quote author=CompSci87 link=topic=17989.msg212374#msg212374 date=1510519273]
I think it's more germane to compare our use of Love this year against McCaffrey last year and other recent Stanford RBs than against the Niners with Montana at QB.

McCaffrey is a great route runner with great hands and great moves after the catch. He could start at either RB or WR in the NFL as a rookie. So when we had him we took advantage of those skills.

Love presumably isn't so outstanding as a receiver and so we're using him more like we usually use RBs. He isn't necessarily bad at catching the ball out of the backfield; it just isn't the most effective way to use him. Instead we tend to keep him in for blitz pickup on passing downs and throw the ball to receivers.

Except that when Hogan was the quarterback, McCaffrey caught the ball 45 times for a 14.3 ypc average -- and Love caught 15 balls for a 16.7 ypc average, which was 1/3 of all of Love's touches.  He clearly can do it.
[/quote]

I've been surprised that we have not used the wheel route this year with Love.  It would/should get him the space to make guys miss and was a play we have often used in the past.  I'm hopeful that Shaw is keeping this in the back pocket for ND and ideally sc.  Love can make the catch and this route often will leave him with only one db to beat, if not a slow linebacker.  I can see it being used for big gains.  This route and not running more play action have been missing from our arsenal this year.    I hope Love is recuperating well this week and runs wild for Big Game!  I'm hoping for some ESPN highlight action this Saturday!

[BostonCard]

By the way, we ran a lot more play action on Friday night.  The problem is to my eyes is that Love/Costello don't do a great job selling the fake, though the fake is best sold by the offensive linemen, and I am not equipped to evaluate them.  In fact, I think the very first play we ran on offense was a play action pass.

I double checked; indeed the first play from scrimmage was a play action pass to JJAW for 12 yards.

BC

[BostonCard]

By the way, we ran a lot more play action on Friday night.  The problem is to my eyes is that Love/Costello don't do a great job selling the fake, though the fake is best sold by the offensive linemen, and I am not equipped to evaluate them.  In fact, I think the very first play we ran on offense was a play action pass.

I double checked; indeed the first play from scrimmage was a play action pass to JJAW for 12 yards.

BC