What was with the O line?

[choedebeck]

Maybe I am just not understanding this, but what was the deal with offensive line just sitting there when a flag for offsides was thrown? That kind of action is coached, and I would just like to know the reasoning behind it.

[SmooBoy]

They've been doing this all year (see Tulane game) and I just don't get it. For a free play you a) want some blocking to try for a big gain and b) probably want to avoid having your QB get absolutely creamed!

[SMU Football Blog]

It is basically a trick play and it worked once for a TD. It hasn't worked since. They need to stop doing it.

[mrydel]

I think the reasoning is that if the O line does not move that perhaps the defense will not react and the "free" play can be more successful. The problem as I see it is that although the opposition continues to jump offsides, they have learned to react and Willis is on the verge of being killed. I think they need to let the line start blocking a little or tell Willis to quit trying to wait for a receiver to break open and just immediatley fling the ball high and deep and let the receiver run under it. Of course if it is intercepted or incomplete, we always have the penalty to fall back on.

[mrydel]

It is basically a trick play and it worked once for a TD. It hasn't worked since. They need to stop doing it.

I would not stop it. It accounted for a lot of yards for loss last night. They just need to tweak it in order that we do not need to forfeit a game while attending Willis's funeral.

[2112]

This line can't run block! When SMU attempts to run outside, it's a loss of yardage. The only time our backs gain positive yardage, is when we get d-lineman out of position on draws. I would love to see us have the ability to fire off the line of scrimmage, and knock the snot out of someone!

[EmeraldCityPony]

Since we've done it in every game this year each team has a chance to notice it and prepare their players. The opposing coaches should say "Hey, when they do this, I want you to make sure the quarterback can't get up after the play's over."

You can hike the ball early and still block. Every announcer I've heard, from the CSTV ones, to Swan, to CJ are perplexed about it and I am too.

Does any other team do this?

[Mustangs35SMU]

I can't stand the play. I know it worked last night but just can't stand it.

[FloridaMustang]

Kennedy missed a lot of blocking assignments last night.. and Flutie totally called him out on one.

[PerunaPunch]

This line can't run block! When SMU attempts to run outside, it's a loss of yardage. The only time our backs gain positive yardage, is when we get d-lineman out of position on draws. I would love to see us have the ability to fire off the line of scrimmage, and knock the snot out of someone!

I disagree. I saw the line open many, and large holes last night. But they were closing before Martin could get there. I think he’s running slow and tentative. I think it’s no surprise that 1) Martin’s best run of the night came on a short yardage situation when he charged straight to the line and 2) Mapps looked great behind the same OL.

[docabel]

I also seem to recall a couple of times this year when it clearly looked like the D jumped early and no flag was thrown. I don't think we ever had the ball intercepted, but we essentially wasted a down.

My thought was that this was to make it even more apparent to the refs that we didn't move and more likely to make the call against the D-line.

But I wholeheartedly agree that I just hate to see Willis alone back there with a 300 pound tackle getting a free shot at him. Not sure I have seen enough reward to justify that risk.

[smupony]

Last few years we had the "Quick Kick". Now we have the "Freeze Play". How many more gimmics can we run over and over? Aren't these types of plays made to run once, maybe twice a season? Even James a Flutie never figured it out. They talked about it at length.

[smu diamond m]

I still don't get what's with all the hate on the Hard Count. It's a solid play that works, virtually gives our offense a free down if the refs call the offsides. Which is usually incredibly blatant.

[FloridaMustang]

Last few years we had the "Quick Kick". Now we have the "Freeze Play". How many more gimmics can we run over and over? Aren't these types of plays made to run once, maybe twice a season? Even James a Flutie never figured it out. They talked about it at length.

Uhm.. it worked, every time. Wouldn't you KEEP running it if it didn't even fail once?

[MustangStealth]

I still don't get what's with all the hate on the Hard Count. It's a solid play that works, virtually gives our offense a free down if the refs call the offsides. Which is usually incredibly blatant.

Nobody is "hating on the Hard Count." What we hate is that the way we execute it we are putting Willis in serious jeopardy every time. There are ways to draw the other team off without sacrificing our quarterback.