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Defense...is it me or...

fltheadgriz

Well-known member
...do the Griz play a very conservative defense the first half of each game then make the necessary adjustments and play a tougher defense in the second half of each game?
 
I don’t think it’s conservative. I think they are going with their game plan and what they think will work but it’s a huge chess match so they make their adjustments at halftime which have been phenomenal on both sides of the ball, which is why the second halves have gone so well. I’ll take a staff who can make those adjustments any day. It’s one of my complaints about our prior staff is I don’t think they ever made good adjustments.
 
I agree with Hooked that the coaching staff game plans are what we see in the first quarter or so of the game. It also seems like the staff picks their poison: they concentrate on what the Griz can take away. I know a lot of folks have been critical of the pass defense, but if you watch the rush (especially the blitz rush), it makes the quarterback make quick reads and get the ball out quickly (it is also gap solid so the opposing team can't rush against it). The Monmouth quarterback was really good at making those reads and getting the ball to open receivers. But those 5 + or - yard receptions versus down field plays are what the defense is supposed to be taking away (when the Griz didn't bring more than down linemen, the Monmouth quarterback picked the Griz apart for much more yardage). I think we'll probably be seeing a similar game plan for the UC Davis game.
 
Is it possible to make adjustments during the first half? Say, when the offense has the ball, or during a Media timeout? I’m all for adjustments, don’t get me wrong, but can they be made before half? Or, is that just impossible?
 
CDAGRIZ said:
Is it possible to make adjustments during the first half? Say, when the offense has the ball, or during a Media timeout? I’m all for adjustments, don’t get me wrong, but can they be made before half? Or, is that just impossible?

I get that you're being sarcastic, but I do think the game plan needs enough time to tell if it is working or not. I agree that it shouldn't take a half to figure that out (and I don't think it does). But if you watch the tape on the Monmouth game, the So. DaK. game and the No. Ala. game, I think you'll see that adjustments were being made throughout the game (the Oregon game? I mean really, what were they going to adjust?)
 
grizpaws said:
CDAGRIZ said:
Is it possible to make adjustments during the first half? Say, when the offense has the ball, or during a Media timeout? I’m all for adjustments, don’t get me wrong, but can they be made before half? Or, is that just impossible?

I get that you're being sarcastic, but I do think the game plan needs enough time to tell if it is working or not. I agree that it shouldn't take a half to figure that out (and I don't think it does). But if you watch the tape on the Monmouth game, the So. DaK. game and the No. Ala. game, I think you'll see that adjustments were being made throughout the game (the Oregon game? I mean really, what were they going to adjust?)

I’m honestly not being sarcastic. Thanks for your response. I just hear “make adjustments at half” so much that I wondered whether they could be made on the fly.
 
Part of adjusting involves personnel as well as scheme. On offense, part of this year’s improvement is changing personnel, RBs and O-line personnel.
Rice got the roughing penalty and O’Connell plays and gets a sack. The coaching staff is still gathering info on who does what better.
Definite work in process, cream will rise, players make the plays.
 
Initially, the defense scheme is based on the coaching philosophy and game tapes of the opponent. As the game progresses, you get to see what scheme and wrinkles the opponent is throwing at you for this game and you try to adjust on the fly. By halftime, the coaching staff has seen what is working for the opponent and has the time to coach the kids in a uninterrupted environment.
 
1981Griz said:
Initially, the defense scheme is based on the coaching philosophy and game tapes of the opponent. As the game progresses, you get to see what scheme and wrinkles the opponent is throwing at you for this game and you try to adjust on the fly. By halftime, the coaching staff has seen what is working for the opponent and has the time to coach the kids in a uninterrupted environment.
Exactamundo! And the same "graded" approach applies to the offense, which will also face new wrinkles they didn't see in practice.

Coaches -- offensive and defensive -- can, and do, advise one or a few players about what an opponent is doing in specific cases "on the fly." You see this all the time, especially with the QB on the phone after a play was blown up. Or you can see (on TV sideline cameras) coaches talking to the O line ... and from gestures, body twists, etc. you can tell they're trying to explain an unexpected stunting scheme, or whatever. It's perhaps less obvious on defense, but the same thing goes on there. In one game, I recall a remark by the booth expert about some new-looking "rub route" (better known as a "pick" ;) ) a team had run for a TD. Just by luck, the camera panned to the sideline where a coach was jawing at the D-backs ... and the expert (wish I could remember who) interpreted his gestures as an attempt to explain what had just happened.

That being said, "on the fly" changes are just bandages to stop the bleeding. At halftime, coaches have the time to explain what's going on overall, and what needs to be done to counter it. On D, that will generally require adjustments by several players working in concert. It also helps (a lot) that they can show diagrams to illustrate what they mean.
 
It’s you. Since you asked.










Hauck has said just about every week, minus the Oregon game, that the other team has shown them things they didn’t expect. Thus... adjustment occurs after observation & experience in the moment.
 
Where did all this talk about half time adjustments come from. Hell we have scouting reports up the Gazoo. Dang, 2 series of downs and the Montana Staff knows exactly what they are doing. They should not need a half time huddle to take a vote on how to defend, or where to attack offensively. I am sure Bobby has addressed this with all his assistants in their daily staff meetings. BTW, if we wait for half time to make adjustments against that quarterback, we may be behind the power curve( you pilots know exactly what that term means)..Go Griz, We really need to go "balls to wall" tomorrow..
 
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