Portal Preview from Cooper Petagna

[mossmadness]

A lot of semantics in this discussion and so it looks like people may be speaking on different things, or disagreeing on minor points that are mostly inconsequential to the greater discussion.

I don't think Mario has a preferred "offensive scheme," but he has a preferred "offensive identity". Obviously my opinion, but in his dreams, his offenses are relatively conservative but efficient, methodical in their approach, dominant at the line of scrimmage using power, not particularly concerned with stretching teams horizontally or vertically, and dominate time of possession to soften opposing defenses while protecting his own defense. Neither feast nor famine, they execute routine plays consistently, and consistently win with execution. In his dreams, at least...

By example, if given the choice between a 4-play, 75 yard TD drive that eats up 1:30, and a 10-play, 75 yard TD drive that eats up 5:30, Mario picks the latter unless he's trailing in the 4th quarter (and sometimes even then).

Yep. That’s exactly what Mario wants. And it’s essentially his offense every year.

Would he love for that to produce the number 1 offense every year? Sure.

But it’s simply not true that he works backwards. “I want the number one offense, and here is how we get it.” That’s not it.

Instead it’s, “here’s the style of offense I want, and here’s how we get that style to be the number one offense.”

Unfortunately that style of offense has a limiting ceiling to it unless it has a cheat code at QB.

 

[Calinative]

Unfortunately that style of offense has a limiting ceiling to it unless it has a chest code at QB.

So … his dream offense is what we did last year lmao… obviously.

That’s why I have been saying for weeks now what we do at portal qb this January is the single most important decision all offseason

 

[mossmadness]

So … his dream offense is what we did last year lmao… obviously.

That’s why I have been saying for weeks now what we do at portal qb this January is the single most important decision all offseason

I don’t think that’s it.

Herbert was a First Round Pick. And I linked to a good Oregon breakdown of what went wrong with the offense that year.

Anthony Brown hung around the NFL a few years and is currently in the UFL. And I linked a good Oregon breakdown of what was wrong with the offense that year.

And Beck isn’t bad either. Is certainly an NFL QB.

There is a consistent pattern with Mario’s offenses outside of Cam Ward.

It’s not really a QB portal hit away from humming, unless you’re banking on that QB being the next Cam Ward.

 

[MikeyCanez]

I don’t think that’s it.

Herbert was a First Round Pick. And I linked to a good Oregon breakdown of what went wrong with the offense that year.

Anthony Brown hung around the NFL a few years and is currently in the UFL. And I linked a good Oregon breakdown of what was wrong with the offense that year.

And Beck isn’t bad either. Is certainly an NFL QB.

There is a consistent pattern with Mario’s offenses outside of Cam Ward.

It’s not really a QB portal hit away from humming, unless you’re banking on that QB being the next Cam Ward.

Agree and disagree. I don't think we are an elite portal QB away. I think we also need AT LEAST one more elite playmaker as well. And I do hope Mario can let himself spread it out a bit, I think he is adaptable.

Cam Ward is amazing and was the No. 1 pick for a reason, but you give him too much credit. We surrounded him with an elite offensive line and a ton of experienced and talented skill position guys. Beck is good, but his best seasons were with Ladd McConkey and Brock Bowers.

Toney is great, but we are otherwise lacking in the elite skill position category.

My ask is to be aggressive EARLY in the portal at QB. Sellers, Bailey, whomever. Then use that and an excellent offensive line to sell difference makers at receiver. And then find a long and fast receiving tight end.

 

[mossmadness]

Agree and disagree. I don't think we are an elite portal QB away. I think we also need AT LEAST one more elite playmaker as well. And I do hope Mario can let himself spread it out a bit, I think he is adaptable.

Cam Ward is amazing and was the No. 1 pick for a reason, but you give him too much credit. We surrounded him with an elite offensive line and a ton of experienced and talented skill position guys. Beck is good, but his best seasons were with Ladd McConkey and Brock Bowers.

Toney is great, but we are otherwise lacking in the elite skill position category.

My ask is to be aggressive EARLY in the portal at QB. Sellers, Bailey, whomever. Then use that and an excellent offensive line to sell difference makers at receiver. And then find a long and fast receiving tight end.

McConkey essentially didn’t play Beck’s best season. And Bowers was hurt a decent amount of the year as well that season.

We didn’t have a single draft pick outside of TE around Ward last year.

Ward was just special. Almost how Winston was able to overcome Jimbo.
Ward was able to overcome Mario.

We don’t have to ignore the rest of Mario’s coaching career. There’s a pattern that repeats itself every year outside of the Ward season.

 

[mossmadness]

2023 was Beck’s best year. He went into 2024 the Heisman favorite and projected Number 1 pick based on that 2023 season.

McConkey played in 9 games in 2023, and two of those were the SECCG and a meaningless Bowl game. UGA itself played 14 games that year.

McConkey has 30 receptions on the year and 2 TDs.

Beck wasn’t a mid QB being propped up by Ladd McConkey.

He was probably about as good as we can expect to get in the transfer portal on a year to year basis.

 

[Dwinstitles]

Most likely. So I’m getting he tried to duplicate last yr by going after Beck?

this is why I did not want Beck to begin with, super easy to defend especially a defense with talent he's cooked. And the staff on top of it wouldn't help. The way we call games its like we protecting Beck's goofy ***, but we been calling it like that even before he was here.

 

[arwinga]

Beck has flaws dont get me wrong, but if you watch other college football teams you will see there is A LOT of bad qb play out there.

 

[MumbleRap]

Baugh and Seaton. Go get Josh Hoover from TCU

 

[Fart Keyhole]

Bring me North Texas QB and his HC as OC

Eric Morris should go coach the Tennessee Titans.

 

[MikeyCanez]

McConkey essentially didn’t play Beck’s best season. And Bowers was hurt a decent amount of the year as well that season.

We didn’t have a single draft pick outside of TE around Ward last year.

Ward was just special. Almost how Winston was able to overcome Jimbo.
Ward was able to overcome Mario.

We don’t have to ignore the rest of Mario’s coaching career. There’s a pattern that repeats itself every year outside of the Ward season.

I don't think draft pick should be the only measuring stick used to determine the talent on that roster.

- Damian Martinez was technically drafted (yes, 7th round)
- Horton will likely end up drafted
- Restrepo was an All-American
- George was an All-ACC-type receiver with experience
- Arroyo you mentioned
- Sam Brown a better talent than anyone we have on the roster (although not consistent)

I am not saying Ward didn't make them better, he obviously did. But all of those weapons are better than what we have today.

I do think it is funny that we revere Ward as this unicorn when his numbers before Miami were pedestrian and he has played poorly in the NFL. It is not like we are talking about Lamar Jackson here. Playing behind a legit offensive line with a super experienced receiving corps helped him considerably.

 

[ben]

I don't think draft pick should be the only measuring stick used to determine the talent on that roster.

- Damian Martinez was technically drafted (yes, 7th round)
- Horton will likely end up drafted
- Restrepo was an All-American
- George was an All-ACC-type receiver with experience
- Arroyo you mentioned
- Sam Brown a better talent than anyone we have on the roster (although not consistent)

I am not saying Ward didn't make them better, he obviously did. But all of those weapons are better than what we have today.

I do think it is funny that we revere Ward as this unicorn when his numbers before Miami were pedestrian and he has played poorly in the NFL. It is not like we are talking about Lamar Jackson here. Playing behind a legit offensive line with a super experienced receiving corps helped him considerably.