[NU Sports] In defense of McCall's Play Calling

[Roy S. Lamberton]

He is trying to run a ball control offense once we get a big lead, one what eats the clock
and keeps the other team's defense on the field.

But as the pros know, once you change your basic game plan, you allow the other team to
get into their comfort zone, and as in the past three weeks, come back from the brink.

The good teams stay with their original game plan, maybe run a bit more, but keep the
balance that got them the lead.

Everyone remembers the old Green Bay Packer or Miami Dolphin running machine and forget
that they could and did complete passes when they had to maintain the ball control. We
seem to telegraph when we are going to pass by our play calling on down and distance, and
therefore see the big pass rush on 3rd and long.

This year we're missing the off balance plays, the quick snaps and passes on 1st and 2nd
down. The ball is being passed around, still 7 or 8 receivers with catches, but our
percentage of completion seems a bit low.

A few years back, I asked then DC Colby about NU's "prevent" defense - something he
replied, "Prevents you from winning, but you have to do it so you don't get burned for the
losing TD."

NU broke the mold for a brainiac school when Barnett convinced the 85 guys on the team
that they should "expect victory." I worry that now our present team expects the other
guys to come back at the end of the game - a far cry from the previous year's Cardiac
Cats.

rsl 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Roy S. Lamberton - Senior Associate & Unix Guru.
Computer Applications & Support Associates
Coach Roy's Random Thoughts - http://coachroy.org
-------------------- Also ----------------------
"Commissioner" Delaware American Legion Baseball
Director Media Relations - Little League 
  Senior League Softball World Series
CTR2 USN (67-70) - CTRCS USNR (Ret) (64-67/70-95)
Northwestern University - Speech 1974 - 
Chi Phi: Pi 1974, KD 1968
Publisher Emeritus: Purple Reign (Fox Sports)
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