Thoughts on the flight home...

HurricaneAce07

Class of 2007
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Was catching up on all of my normal post-game reading + rewatching a bunch of the game on my flight home from Chapel Hill. Wrote down a few thoughts on the plane they I thought were worthy of feedback/comments (and preemptive "pardon" if I'm repeating anyone else's writeup):

1. "Oddly timed" play calls - I've seen a lot of discussion about the play calling in general, but what I was more confused by was the "timing" of certain plays being called. Confused? Here's an example - DeeJay Dallas gets a monster 50 yard catch and gets us a 1st and goal inside the 10 yd line. Offense rushes down the field to get another play off and catch UNC off guard - they call a draw to.... DeeJay Dallas and it gets stuffed. Now obviously we still scored on this drive, but I was baffled that we would hurry up to call a play to a RB who had just run about 60 yds and was still catching his breath. Just unwise by Richt and there are a handful of examples like that.

2. Blitzing on third & long situations - you could tell that Elliot wanted no part of throwing the ball, especially late in the game. You could also see that he was being told to tuck and run as soon as he saw an opening. All Diaz had to do was let our front 4 get coverage sacks by sitting everyone else in a zone-read situation. Elliot can't make the throws and he either gets sacked or stopped short of the first down. Those plays will KILL us next week against VT.

3. We did not throw a single fade route in the red zone - Not sure why, but we refused to throw a fade route in the red zone. We had mismatches on the outside and receivers with great hands. We missed out on at least two TDs because we went ULTRA vanilla inside the redzone and refused to set up our play makers to make plays.

4. Ok, I'm ready to admit it... refs will not call holds for our DLine - offensive linemen do what they can get away with and our Oline is no different. Usually they'll push the boundary of holding until they finally get called for it - I try to remind myself of this whenever we cry for holding against our Dline. However, what I saw yesterday was beyond absurd. UNC Oline was literally wrapping their arms around Jackson and Thomas' throats. On one of UNC's big runs Chad was held in a head lock, was released and as he's chasing the play a second Olineman grabs his shoulderpad and pulls him sideways. Honestly, I'm not sure how Chad kept his cool. I would have lost it, especially since he would have had a TFL on the initial hold.

5. Diaz won that game for us - No, I'm not talking about his play calling and the turnovers created by his defense. From pretty much the start, this was the quietest I have seen the Miami sideline in at least a year. For whatever reason, our guys came out flat footed and assumed UNC was going to roll over - zero motivation. Diaz was an Eff'ing bulldog on the sideline. He was pacing like a General, he was walking up to the defense, the offense, the special teams guys and getting the motivated however he could. In the second half he was relentlessly on his guys to "make plays", which I assume was because he knew our offense wasn't going to get it done. I was a Diaz fan before, but after watching him yesterday, I am all-in on Diaz taking over for Richt whenever he decides to retire.

Longer write up than expected, but my brain is flowing heavy right now knowing that next Saturday against VT is probably the biggest game we've had in Miami in nearly a decade.
 
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I would agree with oddly time calls 100%. Some of them didn't make sense at all and I could care less CMR makes $4 million a year or has been coaching for 3 decades. The fact of the matter that he makes decisions that not only backfire but jeopardize the game for this young kids. Unfortunately some of these call make NO FOOTBALL SENSE at all and he should be accountable! I love CMR as a recruiter, a builder of men, and how he has run this program. I question his play calling and certainly his dumb *** decisions on the sidelines.
 
Was catching up on all of my normal post-game reading + rewatching a bunch of the game on my flight home from Chapel Hill. Wrote down a few thoughts on the plane they I thought were worthy of feedback/comments (and preemptive "pardon" if I'm repeating anyone else's writeup):

1. "Oddly timed" play calls - I've seen a lot of discussion about the play calling in general, but what I was more confused by was the "timing" of certain plays being called. Confused? Here's an example - DeeJay Dallas gets a monster 50 yard catch and gets us a 1st and goal inside the 10 yd line. Offense rushes down the field to get another play off and catch UNC off guard - they call a draw to.... DeeJay Dallas and it gets stuffed. Now obviously we still scored on this drive, but I was baffled that we would hurry up to call a play to a RB who had just run about 60 yds and was still catching his breath. Just unwise by Richt and there are a handful of examples like that..


This happens several times a game in any CFB game. OC's do this all the time.
 
Was catching up on all of my normal post-game reading + rewatching a bunch of the game on my flight home from Chapel Hill. Wrote down a few thoughts on the plane they I thought were worthy of feedback/comments (and preemptive "pardon" if I'm repeating anyone else's writeup):

1. "Oddly timed" play calls - I've seen a lot of discussion about the play calling in general, but what I was more confused by was the "timing" of certain plays being called. Confused? Here's an example - DeeJay Dallas gets a monster 50 yard catch and gets us a 1st and goal inside the 10 yd line. Offense rushes down the field to get another play off and catch UNC off guard - they call a draw to.... DeeJay Dallas and it gets stuffed. Now obviously we still scored on this drive, but I was baffled that we would hurry up to call a play to a RB who had just run about 60 yds and was still catching his breath. Just unwise by Richt and there are a handful of examples like that..


This happens several times a game in any CFB game. OC's do this all the time.
I can remember it happening to us at least 5 times this year, and we get stuffed every time.
 
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I read an article on fade route passes in the end zone that concluded that it was the least likely to succeed, but coaches like it because it is the least likely to be intercepted.
 
Our team reminds me off the Tim Tebow Broncos. Look like crap for most of the game no matter the opponent then in the 4th QTR we suddenly make convenient clutch plays that basically wins the game. I'm sorry to say but that just not a sustainable formula to win anything in Football long term.
 
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Woah woah I was feeling the entire post until the part about Coach Diaz being our next head coach... **** no unless that's another 10-15 years from now. I want head coaches that have already been head coaches before... I dont like the learning on the job **** unless it's a coordinator position.
 
Woah woah I was feeling the entire post until the part about Coach Diaz being our next head coach... **** no unless that's another 10-15 years from now. I want head coaches that have already been head coaches before... I dont like the learning on the job **** unless it's a coordinator position.

I fell you KC - can't disagree with your position. Motivation is a rare skill in coaching and Diaz has it. Also, part of my reasoning has to do with the fact that if/when Richt retires (many years from now hopefully), you think Diaz would stay on as the DC for another outside HC?
 
Regarding the holding, the ACC is controlled by Tobacco Road (UNC & Duke) as it was previously primarily a basketball conference and they are the oldest & most important members (in terms of basketball, history & power). You should always expect our DL to get mauled in Chapel Hill with very few (if any) holding calls.
 
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Diaz will not be around when Richt retires...He'll be long gone. If not after this season, then the season after...
 
Fade routes...did you forget our Qb is Malik Rosier? But I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try one.

Manny Diaz is a heck of a ball coach. When you see his defenses you can see it’s all about big plays and and being unconventional. IF he was to pick an OC that also talented innovative and a little crazy. They would make a really good team.
 
Richt as a calming presence through adversity and Diaz as the fire in the *** is a great match. Good catch OP
 
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Diaz definitely gets the defense going. Even after turnovers yesterday the guys showed no enthusiasm.

Go watch the punt block. Not a single guy on the field gave a **** that we just blocked a punt.

That **** has to go.

Diaz as a DC is pretty good (not even close to great). But given what we've had for the last decade, I'll take it.

He gives up way too many 1st downs and big chunk plays. And I'm not even sure it's necessary most of the time. We have Kuligowski with an 8 deep nasty DL. No need to blitz 65% of the time. (as OP pointed out)

Mis-direction kills Manny's overly aggressive schemes. Always has, always will. Notre Dame and VT will exploit this big time.
 
Chad Thomas gets held more than just about any Dlineman I’ve ever seen. Unbelievable
 
With respect to refs not calling holds, I wish our players would complain just a tad. Of all the major sports, I think football has the most easily persuaded refs. I have seen receivers many times beg for a PI flag and then get it. I’m not saying turn into a whiney bunch but at least make it known that they are holding you.

Richt should also make a complaint to ACC. At this point it has become outright ridiculous. We can make a montage of probably 150 uncalled holds by opposing teams .
 
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