Duke football 2019

[Bob Green]

Scott Rich has an article on the offense posted on the front page:

https://www.dukebasketballreport.com...avid-cutcliffe

Back in the 90’s-era Big Ten they would call that strategy “playing backwards”: passing early to open up the run, rather than running to open up the pass.

Give it a read and discuss.

[Bob Green]

ACC announced game times for October 12 today:

http://theacc.com/news/2019/9/30/acc...ctober-12.aspx

Georgia Tech at Duke, 12:30 pm, RSN

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Scott Rich has an article on the offense posted on the front page:

https://www.dukebasketballreport.com...avid-cutcliffe



Give it a read and discuss.

It struck me you might not agree...with the idea of passing to set up the run.

[Bob Green]

It struck me you might not agree...with the idea of passing to set up the run.

I'm certainly a fan of running to set up the pass* but I cannot argue with Friday night's results after the offense went 5 wide and opened things up.

* I recently read something about the five most annoying sports fan. The other four have left my memory but I certainly thought of myself when reading, "The football fan who constantly states we have to establish the running game."

[OldPhiKap]

* I recently read something about the five most annoying sports fan. The other four have left my memory but I certainly thought of myself when reading, "The football fan who constantly states we have to establish the running game."

If people are annoyed by you being right, just wear the mantle proudly.

[CameronBornAndBred]

ACC announced game times for October 12 today:

http://theacc.com/news/2019/9/30/acc...ctober-12.aspx

Georgia Tech at Duke, 12:30 pm, RSN

poop

[scottdude8]

I'm certainly a fan of running to set up the pass* but I cannot argue with Friday night's results after the offense went 5 wide and opened things up.

* I recently read something about the five most annoying sports fan. The other four have left my memory but I certainly thought of myself when reading, "The football fan who constantly states we have to establish the running game."

Appreciate the free advertising of my work Bob

I think you're right that a majority of football teams ideally want to run to set up the pass... after all, there's a reason that's been the mantra for so long. I just found it particularly interesting the dichotomy in how Duke's offense played against Bama and in the first quarter against Va Tech, and how it played in the other 9 quarters of action this year. Q followed up a 12/22 for 97 yard effort against Bama with two stellar efforts that, while against inferior opponents, you can't overlook (heck, compare Q's numbers against MTSU on the road with how Michigan's Shea Patterson did against them at home and you'll see that his performance was a very positive sign). And in both those games we let him be aggressive (at least from what I could read, I couldn't get either game up in Canada, haha). Once again Friday, Q seemed to perform better in the spread and when we aggressively attacked downfield early, i.e. "playing backwards", than he did when we tried to run it more traditionally on early downs.

It wouldn't surprise me if Cut wants to "play forwards" and run to set up the pass. But that may just not be what the identity/personnel of this team is. As amazing of a job the staff has done upping the caliber of recruits we get and developing them, we are going to be at a size/strength deficit up front against many of our ACC opponents, which means we may have to get creative. "Playing backwards" may be the way to do that. Regardless, it'll be interesting to monitor that storyline as the season progresses.

[Bob Green]

Appreciate the free advertising of my work Bob

You're welcome.

Quentin Harris has been outstanding so far. Offensive MVP, hands down! My only concern is he is running too much because that increases his odds of being injured.

I'll concede the whole "pass to set up the run" instead of "run to set up the pass" debate but I really, really desire to see more running yards being gained by our running backs. A team with their quarterback as the leading rusher is a team skating on thin ice. I'm not advocating QH stop running, I'm advocating QH stop running so much.

Please, please be healthy and cleared to play Brittain Brown.

[devildeac]

poop

If that's on the tailgate menu, that day or any day, I'll bring Bojangles...,

[duke2x]

ACC announced game times for October 12 today:

http://theacc.com/news/2019/9/30/acc...ctober-12.aspx

Georgia Tech at Duke, 12:30 pm, RSN

That isn't a surprise. The new ACC contract didn't get rid of all public cable; at least 1 FSS noon game per week is still required. Neither Duke nor GT is playing at noon this week, and they like to rotate game times when possible.

I will reserve judgment whether this GT group (1-3) is worse than our Hall of Fame Bowl year (1-10) until 10/13/19. I just hope we don't celebrate the 25th anniversary season of the 1 successful quick kick in Duke history with another one.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Appreciate the free advertising of my work Bob

I think you're right that a majority of football teams ideally want to run to set up the pass... after all, there's a reason that's been the mantra for so long. I just found it particularly interesting the dichotomy in how Duke's offense played against Bama and in the first quarter against Va Tech, and how it played in the other 9 quarters of action this year. Q followed up a 12/22 for 97 yard effort against Bama with two stellar efforts that, while against inferior opponents, you can't overlook (heck, compare Q's numbers against MTSU on the road with how Michigan's Shea Patterson did against them at home and you'll see that his performance was a very positive sign). And in both those games we let him be aggressive (at least from what I could read, I couldn't get either game up in Canada, haha). Once again Friday, Q seemed to perform better in the spread and when we aggressively attacked downfield early, i.e. "playing backwards", than he did when we tried to run it more traditionally on early downs.

It wouldn't surprise me if Cut wants to "play forwards" and run to set up the pass. But that may just not be what the identity/personnel of this team is. As amazing of a job the staff has done upping the caliber of recruits we get and developing them, we are going to be at a size/strength deficit up front against many of our ACC opponents, which means we may have to get creative. "Playing backwards" may be the way to do that. Regardless, it'll be interesting to monitor that storyline as the season progresses.

Agree...and not only is Duke's identity one to use the pass to set up the run identity...it's a use the long pass early to open up all the other passes identity too IMO. QH throws deep balls very well, and you don't even had to complete a long throw to open things up underneath. He mastered throwing balls with air under them faster than he did more line drive throws. But he looks good on all this season.

But early, I like to see "bombs away" -

[chrishoke]

You're welcome.

Quentin Harris has been outstanding so far. Offensive MVP, hands down! My only concern is he is running too much because that increases his odds of being injured.

I'll concede the whole "pass to set up the run" instead of "run to set up the pass" debate but I really, really desire to see more running yards being gained by our running backs. A team with their quarterback as the leading rusher is a team skating on thin ice. I'm not advocating QH stop running, I'm advocating QH stop running so much.

Please, please be healthy and cleared to play Brittain Brown.

I think the VPI game is an outlier. VPI has traditionally under Bud Foster has been very susceptible to the QB run. I think we will see Q run less in most remaining games.

[arnie]

I think the VPI game is an outlier. VPI has traditionally under Bud Foster has been very susceptible to the QB run. I think we will see Q run less in most remaining games.

Yea that’s what Zach Asack thought in 2008 against VPI. We ran 49 plays on O, 24 were Asack QB runs. Of course when we’re 2 of 9 passing including a pick 6, maybe not a bad strategy.��

[chrishoke]

Yea that’s what Zach Asack thought in 2008 against VPI. We ran 49 plays on O, 24 were Asack QB runs. Of course when we’re 2 of 9 passing including a pick 6, maybe not a bad strategy.��

Talk about an outlier.

[Jim3k]

For those, including Scott, who are suggesting that Duke's early attempt to run the ball was unimaginative and unlikely to have succeeded where a passing play or two would have, I think you are ignoring the lesson of field position.

Remember, as someone (maybe Knute Rockne) once said: Only three things can happen when you attempt a forward pass, and two of them are bad.

When you have awful field position early in the game, as we did, an interception surely would have resulted in a gobbler TD--via a pick six or a short drive. An early Hokie TD off a turnover would have changed the nature of the game. Wallace Wade and Bill Murray would have known it, and CarlFranksTedRoofTomHarp (and any of our worst coaches) would have also known it; Cut surely knew it. So the Cut/Roper decision to run early was dictated by field position, nothing more.

We needed to flip the field and eventually the fumble recovery did exactly that (Thank you, Koby Quansah); the team in white found themselves in awful field position. Suddenly, we had the advantage and the Vippies no longer did. One play later (a pass) and we were on our way. We went from 0-3 to 7-3 in a quarter where the home team seemed to have dominated, but instead were now on the short end. That pass should not have surprised VPI, much less anyone else. The likelihood of a pass call jumped from zero percent to about 50 percent, based simply on the yardline from which the ball was snapped--especially to an accomplished RPO quarterback named Q.

Field position management and good coaching won that quarter.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Remember, as someone (maybe Knute Rockne) once said: Only three things can happen when you attempt a forward pass, and two of them are bad.
.

That quote is way way beyond it's sell by date. Even Oklahoma and Ohio State air it out now.

[killerleft]

For those, including Scott, who are suggesting that Duke's early attempt to run the ball was unimaginative and unlikely to have succeeded where a passing play or two would have, I think you are ignoring the lesson of field position.

Remember, as someone (maybe Knute Rockne) once said: Only three things can happen when you attempt a forward pass, and two of them are bad.

When you have awful field position early in the game, as we did, an interception surely would have resulted in a gobbler TD--via a pick six or a short drive. An early Hokie TD off a turnover would have changed the nature of the game. Wallace Wade and Bill Murray would have known it, and CarlFranksTedRoofTomHarp (and any of our worst coaches) would have also known it; Cut surely knew it. So the Cut/Roper decision to run early was dictated by field position, nothing more.

We needed to flip the field and eventually the fumble recovery did exactly that (Thank you, Koby Quansah); the team in white found themselves in awful field position. Suddenly, we had the advantage and the Vippies no longer did. One play later (a pass) and we were on our way. We went from 0-3 to 7-3 in a quarter where the home team seemed to have dominated, but instead were now on the short end. That pass should not have surprised VPI, much less anyone else. The likelihood of a pass call jumped from zero percent to about 50 percent, based simply on the yardline from which the ball was snapped--especially to an accomplished RPO quarterback named Q.

Field position management and good coaching won that quarter.

So, what you are saying, Jim, is that field position turned Coach Cut into a Knute?

[devildeac]

Yea that’s what Zach Asack thought in 2008 against VPI. We ran 49 plays on O, 24 were Asack QB runs. Of course when we’re 2 of 9 passing including a pick 6, maybe not a bad strategy.��

Only 24 Asack runs ?

You also overlooked/omitted the fact that he completed more passes to VT players than his own with 4 INT .

Still trying to forget that game.

[devildeac]

So, what you are saying, Jim, is that field position turned Coach Cut into a Knute?

But, he got better...

[DU82]

Only 24 Asack runs ?

You also overlooked/omitted the fact that he completed more passes to VT players than his own with 4 INT .

Still trying to forget that game.

But he was tall.