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The balance fallacy (aka Why Doug Nussmeier sucks)
Posted on 1/3/14 at 12:12 pm
Posted on 1/3/14 at 12:12 pm
You hear coaches talk about it, you hear the media bobbleheads spout it
"Balance, gotta be balanced, it's good to be balanced, want to have a balanced offense! blah blah blah"
Balance purely for balance's sake is stupid and completely misses the point.
Take what the defense gives you and do what works.
The balance part comes in when you need to adjust. If you're one dimensional the defense might sell out to stop that one thing. At that point, you do something else.
Having the ability to do many different things is what's important.
The goal of an offense is to score points (which is primarily done by gaining yardage). If you can easily do that being one dimensional, that's fine.
As Auburn proved this year (and many other teams have proven in the past) if what you're doing works, that's fine. It's accomplishing the purpose. What if Auburn had decided "Hmmm we're not balanced enough, we should throw more" at some point this year? Throwing it purely for the sake of throwing it.
Nussmeier is obsessed with mixing things up purely for the sake of mixing things up. A defense can have a weakness that is exploitable but he refuses to hammer at it with repeated similar play calls, because that's not "balanced" enough.
It's a ridiculous way to think.
Like I said, you want your team to have the ability to do lots of different things, that makes you dangerous. Doing everything purely for the sake of doing everything doesn't accomplish anything productive.
"Balance, gotta be balanced, it's good to be balanced, want to have a balanced offense! blah blah blah"
Balance purely for balance's sake is stupid and completely misses the point.
Take what the defense gives you and do what works.
The balance part comes in when you need to adjust. If you're one dimensional the defense might sell out to stop that one thing. At that point, you do something else.
Having the ability to do many different things is what's important.
The goal of an offense is to score points (which is primarily done by gaining yardage). If you can easily do that being one dimensional, that's fine.
As Auburn proved this year (and many other teams have proven in the past) if what you're doing works, that's fine. It's accomplishing the purpose. What if Auburn had decided "Hmmm we're not balanced enough, we should throw more" at some point this year? Throwing it purely for the sake of throwing it.
Nussmeier is obsessed with mixing things up purely for the sake of mixing things up. A defense can have a weakness that is exploitable but he refuses to hammer at it with repeated similar play calls, because that's not "balanced" enough.
It's a ridiculous way to think.
Like I said, you want your team to have the ability to do lots of different things, that makes you dangerous. Doing everything purely for the sake of doing everything doesn't accomplish anything productive.
Posted on 1/3/14 at 12:16 pm to IAmReality
Balance is overrated. -Auburn
Posted on 1/3/14 at 12:18 pm to IAmReality
I agree. I think you should do what works, end of story. Henry was a threat to break a big run/score every time he touched the ball. If I was the OC, I would have given him the ball every fricking play. Its like OCs sometimes want to make it rocket science when they do need to.
This post was edited on 1/3/14 at 12:19 pm
Posted on 1/3/14 at 12:18 pm to Rig
Yep, they are great example and there have been other examples in the past.
The ultimate goal is to move the ball. If what you are doing is accomplishing that, you're succeeding.
Having the ability to switch it up if you have to is great, but switching it up purely for the sake of some twisted "balance" concept is a ridiculous notion some coaches have.
The ultimate goal is to move the ball. If what you are doing is accomplishing that, you're succeeding.
Having the ability to switch it up if you have to is great, but switching it up purely for the sake of some twisted "balance" concept is a ridiculous notion some coaches have.
Posted on 1/3/14 at 12:20 pm to IAmReality
Meh, we lost because of turnovers.I think Nuss is a good OC.
Posted on 1/3/14 at 12:20 pm to IAmReality
This is a great post..
Unfortunately for us, our coaches are obsessed with throwing the ball for the sake of throwing it. 6 called rushes against LSU.... Are you kidding me? When teams go 3 downlineman and play coverage why do we insist on still throwing? Just don't understand the minds of coaches sometimes
Unfortunately for us, our coaches are obsessed with throwing the ball for the sake of throwing it. 6 called rushes against LSU.... Are you kidding me? When teams go 3 downlineman and play coverage why do we insist on still throwing? Just don't understand the minds of coaches sometimes
Posted on 1/3/14 at 12:22 pm to IAmReality
quote:
Having the ability to switch it up if you have to is great, but switching it up purely for the sake of some twisted "balance" concept is a ridiculous notion some coaches have.
OU couldn't stop Henry and they couldn't stop the quick throws to Cooper. Should have done that the whole time until it was stopped. I honestly don't think OU could have stopped it btw. Passing played into their speed on the ends. They didn't have the muscle to stop a ground game with the likes of Henry.
Posted on 1/3/14 at 12:23 pm to CrimsonFever
quote:
Meh, we lost because of turnovers.I think Nuss is a good OC.
I do too, but it is a valid observation.
This post was edited on 1/3/14 at 12:24 pm
Posted on 1/3/14 at 12:23 pm to CrimsonFever
quote:
we lost because of turnovers.I think Nuss is a good OC
Bama had chances to win that game despite the turnovers. Nuss chose to abandon what was being successful and that is what the OP is referring to.
Posted on 1/3/14 at 12:25 pm to RockyMtnTigerWDE
Yeah I agree with some things in the OP.Henry def. should've gotten a lot more touches than he did last night.
Posted on 1/3/14 at 12:26 pm to Funky Tide 8
There were tons of mistakes made (turnovers and such), but that doesn't excuse the offense gameplan from being spectacularly awful.
Posted on 1/3/14 at 12:33 pm to Funky Tide 8
When Henry went in for that second TD, I thought the comeback would continue. I was saying to myself Nuss has found his winning combination. Then he would totally go a different way and AJ get sacked like three times in a row and lose the momentum. Had he come right back with Henry I believe he could have broke OU. I was literally stunned with the play calling to be honest.
Posted on 1/3/14 at 12:33 pm to IAmReality
I can agree with this, though I don't think Nuss "sucks". He's called some good games in his time at UA. His losses really highlight this narrative though.
What's the saying? Jack of all trades, master of none?
What's the saying? Jack of all trades, master of none?
Posted on 1/3/14 at 12:37 pm to RockyMtnTigerWDE
Yeah, I was screaming at the tv all night "Give it to fricking Henry you fricking idiots!!!!"
I mean you have to give the kid breaks to keep from tiring him out, but frick, when he isnt resting from ramming it down their throats, have him continue ramming it down their throats. THEN if they start cheating up and loading the box, PA that shite and hit Coop or DeAndrew over the top again for the longball.
I mean you have to give the kid breaks to keep from tiring him out, but frick, when he isnt resting from ramming it down their throats, have him continue ramming it down their throats. THEN if they start cheating up and loading the box, PA that shite and hit Coop or DeAndrew over the top again for the longball.
Posted on 1/3/14 at 12:53 pm to IAmReality
Some of you guys seem to think that defenses line up in the same plays repeatedly.
Posted on 1/3/14 at 12:55 pm to Rig
quote:
Balance is overrated. -Auburn
there are different ways to acheive balance... it's not just pass vs run... AU keeps defenses off balance by plays designed to get to the corner, runs up the middle, QB keepers, screens, play-action, etc.
it's all about keeping the defense from predicting what you're about to do.
Posted on 1/3/14 at 12:59 pm to IAmReality
quote:
Why Doug Nussmeier sucks
FWIW, bama has had over 500 yards of offense in it's last two games (both losses)... the offense has done enough to win games. it's defense, special teams, and turnovers that's kept bama from winning.
nuss didn't cause Yeldon to fumble creating a 14 point swing situation.... dude's a good (not great) OC.
Posted on 1/3/14 at 12:59 pm to Rig
quote:
Balance is overrated. -Sean Payton
Posted on 1/3/14 at 1:10 pm to Teague
quote:
Some of you guys seem to think that defenses line up in the same plays repeatedly.
Not really, but when something is kicking the arse of the other team just keep going and then change it up when they stop it. Henry had 12.5 yds a carry. Their defenders were in place to make a tackle on him and they couldn't. It wasn't really hard to see that. Generally speaking the OP is correct. OU had no answer for Derrick Henry. yet he touched the ball only 9 times Teague.
Now of course defense gets a lot of the blame for this loss no doubt.
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