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I'm a bit torn on this, and was wondering what everyone else though. If Martin is back 100% (as if... sigh), what effect will it have on the play calling?

As a warning, these are my impressions from watching the games live, I haven't sat down and looked at the film, and I don't have stats that bear this out, so I could be totally off base. With that said:

When we have Mini-Mapps back there as our feature back, it seems to me that there is a lot of play action up the middle, which after about 5,283 fakes, leads to a big run right up the gut. Effectively, Justin is throwing to set up the big runs. This Keeps Willis out there throwing the ball early and often.

With Martin back, will the playcalling change? Martin can "be his own blocker" up the middle, and won't need to rely on trickery to get the holes he needs to get the tough yards and move the chains.

Is the emphasis of this team going to change this week, to move to a more Power Running attack, and less of a finese passing attack? And if so, will this be a positive, or a negative in the end?

On the positive side: UofH won't have a lot of film to work with in countering a Martin lead rushing attack.

On the negative side: This team has had all of its success with Willis slinging the ball around to all of his options. A change in this philosophy could potentially effect how well they play on the field.

Any thoughts?

-CoS

I honestly don't think we have the boys up front to play power football. That said, Martin is the man and needs to get his touches goign down hill, not trying to dodge three guys in the backfield on a delayed handoff like last game

I have not seen enough of Martin lining up deep and getting a full head of steam.

He need to see the play develop and already have the ball.

IMO

Martin is also a punishing blocker. Watching the UAB game again, there were a few blitzing LB's that he just blew up.

BUS wrote:I have not seen enough of Martin lining up deep and getting a full head of steam.

He need to see the play develop and already have the ball.

IMO

Pistol formation baby.

Cadillac wrote: On the negative side: This team has had all of its success with Willis slinging the ball around to all of his options. A change in this philosophy could potentially effect how well they play on the field.

This genuinely concerns me too. It's almost the two cooks in the kitchen effect.

ponyboy wrote:

Cadillac wrote: On the negative side: This team has had all of its success with Willis slinging the ball around to all of his options. A change in this philosophy could potentially effect how well they play on the field.

This genuinely concerns me too. It's almost the two cooks in the kitchen effect.

I'm drawing a blank. Did we run out of the pistol last year?

BrianTinBigD wrote:Martin is also a punishing blocker. Watching the UAB game again, there were a few blitzing LB's that he just blew up.

Without question, Martin is our best pass blocking back. On that UAB game, I thought Martin was doing well early on. I am encouoraged for Saturday. The SMU offense will run best when the defense has to respect the run, the pass and Willis' scrambling ability. The fear, of course, is that early success running the ball will cause the offense to be more conservative.

Our play calling we always be jacked up. I think we run one of the most conservative spreads in the country. Lets just air it out all the time and abandoned the run, except with James Mapps. I love watching that kid run. He reminds me of Barry Sanders with is low level and his elusivness.

J.T.supporta wrote:Our play calling we always be jacked up. I think we run one of the most conservative spreads in the country. Lets just air it out all the time and abandoned the run, except with James Mapps. I love watching that kid run. He reminds me of Barry Sanders with is low level and his elusivness.

JT, what are talking about now?
No, we do not run one of the most conservative spreads in the country.
Willis' arm is not a cannon. He is the most accurate rascal I have ever laid eyes on...if he was a sniper, he'd have killed bin Laden by now...but launching it more than about 40 yards with a headwind, and the hangtime will take a literal nosedive. That fact means that the "spread" has its limits. Once he rolls out, he's as dangerous to throw as any in the NCAA. However, if he is trying to toss one up on a timing pattern, say a deep fade or an outroute, and he is picked. Bank on it.

As he gets older (assuming no injuries or an idiot hired as OC), Willis will be the most productive QB in the history of SMU, Ramon Flanigan included. He will also increase in arm strength such that he can air it out and spread the field.

As for Mapps, I think B Sanders is a stretch, but he is definitely special. He just needs maturity as well as an extra moment of push from the O-line so he can cut back vs. the grain. THEN, we will see more 30 yard scampers toward the end zone, and perhaps in the first quarter instead of the 4th quarter when the defense is tired of chasing Willis & Co. around all afternoon.

I do agree with what you say. I just feel that the Offense should be put on Willis' back and let him have almost full control. I know Justin is only a freshman but I feel at sometimes that PB and Burns do not have complete faith in Willis in special down situations. Willis is the future so let him use his feet to make plays instead of calling a run play on 3rd and 4.

J.T.supporta wrote:I do agree with what you say. I just feel that the Offense should be put on Willis' back and let him have almost full control. I know Justin is only a freshman but I feel at sometimes that PB and Burns do not have complete faith in Willis in special down situations. Willis is the future so let him use his feet to make plays instead of calling a run play on 3rd and 4.

I think you're going to see different play calls on 3rd and short this week.. but I don't think they're ready to let Justin "take over" as you suggested. He's young, and he hasn't made a lot of mistakes because they have been rather conservative. I think we can still beat Houston by running the short passing game effectively with the occasional deep ball and using the pass to set up the run. Another key will be turnovers.. if we can't keep TOP, then we can't run our offense at all. We had far too many interruptions in our momentum last week. It's a testament to our defense pulling together that we won last week because we didn't snap it all that much on offense at all.

Call me crazy, but I am not that impressed with Martin. Mapps has been the better back this year and he deserves the starting job. The only reason Martin is even in the picture is because of his role last year.

Plus, Martin is proving that he is prone to injury.

Although I am new to SMU and didn't get to see Martin last year, I haven't seen what everyone has been raving about. Granted he has been hurt more than half the year, I don't think he fits into the Willis offense. Unless Bennet decides to put Willis under center and run the ball down hill or playaction off of those type of formation, I don't see Martin being successfull.

OC Mustang wrote:

J.T.supporta wrote:Our play calling we always be jacked up. I think we run one of the most conservative spreads in the country. Lets just air it out all the time and abandoned the run, except with James Mapps. I love watching that kid run. He reminds me of Barry Sanders with is low level and his elusivness.

JT, what are talking about now?
No, we do not run one of the most conservative spreads in the country.
Willis' arm is not a cannon. He is the most accurate rascal I have ever laid eyes on...if he was a sniper, he'd have killed bin Laden by now...but launching it more than about 40 yards with a headwind, and the hangtime will take a literal nosedive. That fact means that the "spread" has its limits. Once he rolls out, he's as dangerous to throw as any in the NCAA. However, if he is trying to toss one up on a timing pattern, say a deep fade or an outroute, and he is picked. Bank on it.

As he gets older (assuming no injuries or an idiot hired as OC), Willis will be the most productive QB in the history of SMU, Ramon Flanigan included. He will also increase in arm strength such that he can air it out and spread the field.

As for Mapps, I think B Sanders is a stretch, but he is definitely special. He just needs maturity as well as an extra moment of push from the O-line so he can cut back vs. the grain. THEN, we will see more 30 yard scampers toward the end zone, and perhaps in the first quarter instead of the 4th quarter when the defense is tired of chasing Willis & Co. around all afternoon.

I did not realize we were shooting at Bin Laden and missing all this time.