Friday's DMN

[Corso]

The paper reported that Romo doesn't feel "additional pressure" in his first start. That's good, I suppose -- clenching up doesn't help when facing a group like the froggie D. The paper also quotes Romo as saying we're going to "open it up a little bit." YES!

Beyond that, it also said Alvin Nnabuife won't play on special teams. Was he worn out in the first game?

[SMU Football Blog]

I don't know what the heck he's talking about. "Open it up?" That is gibberish. We were lining up five wide, with a RB split wide. That isn't opening it up? We ran a hurry up offense. That isn't opening it up?

The offense, when it was effective, looks no different than the offense from late 2003: handoff-draw-single read, tuck and run. But now we use Romo instead of Phillips. You can flip to teh back of the playbook all you want, but if the players can't execute, what is the point? Maybe if we weren't splitting the offensive plays 45-45-10 among three quarterbacks, we could execute better.

[Corso]

I read his comment about opening it up to mean that they would throw the ball more. We had wide receivers on the team when Kincade was running 50 times a game, too, but every team we faced knew he was getting the ball on nearly every play. A few early passes to Cleveland, Chase, Pellerin, Kennedy, etc., might push the TCU defense back a little.

But you're right, we won't see a lot of Hawaii-esque gimmick plays.

[Grider]

Man, I hate to jump on the negativity bandwagon, but it seems like I've heard this "now we're going to open it up a little more" comment several times in the past. Hopefully they mean it this time. I think it's the only way we'll have a chance against TCU.

[SWC2010]

If 'open it up' means going vertical with the passing game- I'm all for it. We need to pass down the field & over the middle with less passes into the flats. And get Kennedy in the offense.

[WorldStang]

When he says.. "we're going to open it up" he's referring to all the alcohol the fans will be drinking prior to the game on the Boulevard.

Come on ! Don't you guys know anything!

Let's go SMU.. I'll open one up to that!

[smupony]

Yes!! Open up the middle!! Show us how a spread offense is suppose to operate!!

I only saw one pass go to a slant. I think it was to Bobby Chase. Aren't slants and three step drops the entire basis of this offense?

[EastStang]

The Raiders hung 70 on these guys last year. OU had open receivers down field the entire day last week and couldn't hit them or when they did hit them, they dropped the ball. Hopefully if our line can hold the out long enough, we can go vertical on them and get some scores. I suspect they'll be throwing their two running backs at us without mercy with Gunn throwing long if we cheat to the line. On defense they'll probably stack the line daring us to throw the ball, just like they did with OU. We have to make them pay for that.

[abezontar]

what, in the is history of Bennett's tenure, makes you think that even if we try to go vertical we will be able to hit the receivers, and then have the receivers hold on to the ball

[me@smu]

Got to love that we are starting the QB who is generally considered the worst passer of the three in a game we are going to open it up and go vertical...

[Pony_Fan]

Got to love that we are starting the QB who is generally considered the worst passer of the three in a game we are going to open it up and go vertical...

that makes me chuckle...good post!

[PK]

Got to love that we are starting the QB who is generally considered the worst passer of the three in a game we are going to open it up and go vertical...

No where did he say we were going vertical...he just said we were going to open it up. Everyone just assumes that means vertical. Surely we have a number of running plays we haven't used yet...surely.

[KnuckleStang]

Got to love that we are starting the QB who is generally considered the worst passer of the three in a game we are going to open it up and go vertical...

I agree that's funny...except for the fact that Romo is not our worst passer. Eckert is. It's not even close. The guy was a veritable one-man interception factory last year, and against Baylor he was the worst quarterback I have ever seen in my life.

And honestly, I don't see what CP has ever done through the air to say he's a better passer than Romo. I was at the 2003 Rice game, which was arguably Phillips' best outing? Both guys are average passers at best, with a knack for making something happen while running for their lives. CP and Romo are more alike as quarterbacks, in terms of what they've done in games, than many on this board would care to admit.