So what changes does Moorhead need to make to improve our offense?

[philduckworth]

We all know head coaches are a stubborn breed, but the smart ones like Nick Saban are capable of evolving and making changes. Even in Mullen's case, they are able to at least make "tweaks".

Here is what I think:

1) BETTER SKILL PLAYERS. This is obvious, but we need to upgrade skill at slot and outside WR opposite Guidry. Need a playmaker at TE. And need a QB who can completely buy in to the system and be an excellent decision maker. Looking ahead, I hope we move Whop to the slot. Payton could help on the outside and hopefully Mitchell can continue to improve. Need 1 TE to emerge among Cumbest, Spivey, and Jones to go along with Green. QB is the biggest question mark. I feel KB could be a great bridge to 2020.

2) Put in about 15-20 running plays that aren't RPO. Maybe give the QB a check to a pass at the LOS, but otherwise have some DESIGNED runs.

3) Need to do a better job with the "check with me's" on the sidelines. Our offense doesn't have a good PACE to it. Our O-linemen are in their stance far too LONG and our plays per game are way too low. This is an area that has to improve and should result in fewer false starts and bad snaps-this has killed us vs the better teams.

4) Hevesey, for all his faults, knew Mullen's system and he could coach the Linemen to do what Mullen wanted. Joe and Marcus Johnson have to get on the same page or we need to make a CHANGE.

5) Speaking of Mullen, he was anti-under center at first, but he put in some under center plays for Dak and it led to us being able to do some different things. I don't see Joe changing a lot here, but it's ridiculous that the QB SNEAK is not in our playbook. Would have been an easy first down vs Alabama on our opening drive. 3rd and inches and we are handing it off 7 yards in the backfield. It's also ridiculous to take a snap at the end of the game when you are taking a knee.

Any other suggestions?

 

[messageboardsuperhero]

Most importantly, find his QB. Cut down on the pre-snap penalties that have plagued us all year. Delay of games, false starts, illegal shifts/formations, etc. have killed us against good defenses. The he has to get good WRs and backs.

Really it begins and ends with the QB. With all of our drops and other issues, how many times have we had wide open receivers that our QBs just could not find? How many times have the backs had huge holes but the QB kept the ball and got stuffed? It’s all about getting the right decision-maker at QB and the offense will improve a lot, IMO. If he can find his QB...

 

[msstate7]

Add screens

 

[philduckworth]

how many times have we had wide open receivers that our QBs just could not find? How many times have the backs had huge holes but the QB kept the ball and got stuffed? It’s all about getting the right decision-maker at QB and the offense will improve a lot, IMO. If he can find his QB...

That's probably the thing that has allowed me to maintain some level of optimism for Moorhead, we have had some wide open receivers. And making plays down the field is what it's going to take to beat teams with more talent.

 

[Clarence Boddicker]

Recruit better than Mullen.

 

[Trojanbulldog19]

develop better and learn to use the talents he does have.

 

[philduckworth]

I thought of one more thing. We need to do better with our snap count. It killed us at UK with the crowd noise. Against Bama we tried to go to a clap, but it caused confusion for our center and Bama was timing their blitzes. That's another minor detail that becomes major.

 

[Seinfeld]

I’m encouraged by what he’s done on the recruiting front so far. The staff is clearly working hard at high schools, JUCOs, and with possible transfers.

If Moorhead can consistently keep us in the Top 20 while occasionally pulling in a top 15 class, he will be recruiting at a level that we’ve never seen at MSU before. It would then stand to reason the the pieces he needs would eventually fall into place

 

[philduckworth]

develop better and learn to use the talents he does have.

Oh you mean b/c Kylin is averaging 6.6 YPC and Aeris is averaging 6.2? Yeah, that falls into the more designed runs category. Every run doesn't need to be an RPO. Also, can we put in a speed option or toss play for goodness sake.

 

[Trojanbulldog19]

i'm with you on that. i would love to see the slots be used for what they were recruited to do. screens, jet sweeps, option plays, etc. i was saying that looks like our QB development has taken a step back instead of forward. offensive line has taken a step back. receiver still pretty much look the same except not being used for screens or in the run game. he needs be a little more creative in the run game to find the way to run it with the running backs and the slot backs.

 

[Dawgzilla]

Line play has got to improve. I agree that keeping the linemen in their stance so long does not seem good, but in general our line does not seem to communicate well and know their roles. Lots of room for improvement, there.

I'm not convinced about the need to put the QB under center, although I would definitely prefer it. I'm willing to let JoMo run his offense his way...but I've been whining since the UF game that we don't seem to have any type of short yardage running formations. I'm worried every time we need less than 2 yards.