This offense is terrible. You have to be able to throw the ball. Once you are behind there is no way to catch up. But you wont ever get a good QB with Kugler so stubborn about running the ball. The man is a line coach. Bad recipe for a head coach who listens to others about needing offensive change.
This offense will never compete in college football
- Thread starter DAYDEV
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The defense went from a -2 to about a 3 under Metz. And at least the defense gave up only a field goal in the second half. I'm trying to find some positives people.
By most indicators, UTEP is near the bottom of the FBS totem pole in terms of talent. I question trying to be like Alabama, when you'll never recruit the talent to have a dominating power run game.
Offenses like the Air Raid, spread, and their derivatives can be a great equalizer. You don't need an elite OL to run them. You don't even need an elite QB to run the system. Another advantage is that's what most Texas high schools run, so there's no big learning curve.
Offenses like the Air Raid, spread, and their derivatives can be a great equalizer. You don't need an elite OL to run them. You don't even need an elite QB to run the system. Another advantage is that's what most Texas high schools run, so there's no big learning curve.
If you're trying to find Kugler's blueprint look at Mark Dantnio and Michigan State. The Spartans are the program that Kugler has tried to model his program after. Like Kugler Dantonio has relied on player evaluation and recruited 2 and three star talent everyone else passed up. Like the Spartans Kugler has tried to built a team built around physical line play, power running, ball control and flipping field posistion.
The difference besides that Michigan State is in a power 5 conference, is that the Spartans were able to quickly build a very physical dominating defenses. If you're going to play power run ball control football you have to have a great defense. To this point Kugler has not been able to build a defense that can doninate opponents and dictate play.
The other issue is quarterback. Its much more difficult to play qb at Michigan State or UTEP than at a spread school. The qb has to make multiple reads, and audible in and out of plays and protections. The qbs arent asked to make big plays often, but have to make the big play on occasion to keep the defenses honest. Mark Dantonio has had two qbs during his tenure before this year,Kirk Cousins and Connor Cook. Both were very lightly recruited but both became four year starters and third round picks in the nfl draft. Kugler during his tenure has recruited one qb who could successfully and skillfully run the offense. That was leftwich. You could pencil in Lefty for 220 yds passing 2 tds and 0 ints every game. Thats exactly what you need in this offense. Lefty is the only qb we've had who could consistently make the correct reads and audibles. Unfortunately as we all know he couldnt stay healthy.
The lynchpin to both programs is strong o-line play. Michigan State has had the best o-line play in the big 10 for the past 6 years. The o-line is Kugler's calling card. The most frustrating part of this season has been the poor play of the o-line. With four returning starters the offense line should be dominant and the strength of this team. Instead the o-line has struggled with communication and has regressed. Its impossible to play the style of ball Kugler wants to without a dominant o-line.
You can win with Kugler's style of play, Michigan State is proof. However, its a tough style to play and Kugler hasnt built the defense or found the signal caller to win consistently. The deteriorating o-line play makes Kugler's brand of football almost impossible to win with currently.
The difference besides that Michigan State is in a power 5 conference, is that the Spartans were able to quickly build a very physical dominating defenses. If you're going to play power run ball control football you have to have a great defense. To this point Kugler has not been able to build a defense that can doninate opponents and dictate play.
The other issue is quarterback. Its much more difficult to play qb at Michigan State or UTEP than at a spread school. The qb has to make multiple reads, and audible in and out of plays and protections. The qbs arent asked to make big plays often, but have to make the big play on occasion to keep the defenses honest. Mark Dantonio has had two qbs during his tenure before this year,Kirk Cousins and Connor Cook. Both were very lightly recruited but both became four year starters and third round picks in the nfl draft. Kugler during his tenure has recruited one qb who could successfully and skillfully run the offense. That was leftwich. You could pencil in Lefty for 220 yds passing 2 tds and 0 ints every game. Thats exactly what you need in this offense. Lefty is the only qb we've had who could consistently make the correct reads and audibles. Unfortunately as we all know he couldnt stay healthy.
The lynchpin to both programs is strong o-line play. Michigan State has had the best o-line play in the big 10 for the past 6 years. The o-line is Kugler's calling card. The most frustrating part of this season has been the poor play of the o-line. With four returning starters the offense line should be dominant and the strength of this team. Instead the o-line has struggled with communication and has regressed. Its impossible to play the style of ball Kugler wants to without a dominant o-line.
You can win with Kugler's style of play, Michigan State is proof. However, its a tough style to play and Kugler hasnt built the defense or found the signal caller to win consistently. The deteriorating o-line play makes Kugler's brand of football almost impossible to win with currently.
All true and during the Army game the announcers said that Kugler told them that he wanted to model his program after Stanford, another ball control, strong defense and very successful program. Doesn't seem to be working. Also, the casual fan does not want to pay to see that boring style of play, apparently.
A spread derivative also puts less pressure on the OL with its quick passes.
Here's a thought: Pick an offense or a close derivative that is run by 75%+ of all Texas high schools and maybe use that talent pool to recruit to your philosophy, system, and schemes.
Quarterback position is not functioning right now. Strange because it was pretty good against NMSU. Makes me think Greenlee might not be totally healthy. Anyway, that is the reason the Miners aren't able to generate offense. Defenses don't respect our passing game, therefore the stack the box and blitz almost every play.
All very true. But the part that was left out is Michigan State does a great job of developing players. Dantonio has also done a great job of player buy-in. This is where I think Kug's and his crew are suffering at.
Kug's definitely has searched for the type of OL he believes he needs. They are some big boys. I question a few of them being able to move in space, but that's ok. It's a work around I can live with. However, giving them an identity and encouraging them to be nasty physical is another thing all by itself. This is where Kug's being a former Steeler, I believed would help. Having said all of that, the blocking scheme has to fit the type of OL you have. For example, if I'm running the spread, the first thing I'm looking for is an OL that can move in space. I don't need a big lumbering, nonathletic mammoth trying to get in position for a zone block because they are not going to have the foot speed to beat the DL to a spot. On the other hand, if I'm running a power O, I need a big body that can move another big body. Those are harder to find and even harder to develop. This is why more colleges use zone blocking. It's easier to teach and use. So if your OL aren't getting the scheme you're teaching, then change the scheme to something they can do. Of course that whole blocking paradigm is nuanced way more than I touched on, but we'd be here for a few hours going over all of it. lol.
Giving them a nasty physical identity is missing. UTEPs OL doesn't function as a unit. They function as a collection of individuals. If you watch Stanford and Michigan St's OL, their OL have a very nasty streak in them. They believe they can move people - and they do. I don't see that same level of confidence with UTEP's OL. How Kugs and his OL coach gets them believing that, I dunno. Maybe one of those psych professors on campus can help.
Lastly, you touched on it (very well indeed) is Dantonio and his Spartans have an identity. Physical. Shaw and Stanford have an identity. Physical. I don't think UTEP has an identity yet and after three years you'd think that would be the one thing they would have.
I get where Kug's is trying to go, but I'm not confident his vision matches his team. He may need to make some hard choices on whether or not he wants to continue or change it.
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