Things to consider with this new offensive system

Is this a good fit for his skill set?

You think Oregon’s or Auburn’s DCs want out because their defenses are put in bad positions? Its all about winning. When the going is good people will want to be there. When the going is bad people will leave.

eliminating the presb game our points per game scored dropped ten points last year to about 21. Our defense averaged 18 pts/game. I would expect Morris to be worth an additional 10 points per game. I expect our defense may slide 6 points per game due to personel and an additional 3 due to system change. Tulsa averaged 40.4 pts/game on offense and 30.3 pts/game on defense in 2010. That was up from 29.3 and 27.3. Given that they were running a hurry up offense before, he may be able to raise us up to 35 or so pts/game. If he can do that…we will win a lot. If he can’t we will end up about where we were. If he exceeds 35, then it could be a really, really good year.

1) As others have said, at least there would be some offensive identity and base system to build on. Every system will have pros and cons.
2) I would think the tempo is ramped up and down as the game situation dictates to keep some pressure off the defense. However, no doubt it will be more taxing on the D and alter the stats as the post states.
3) On the flip side, if this offense works to generate explosive plays and points, it will force the opponent’s offense to become one-dimensional. Imagine how many sacks Bowers would have had if we ever had big leads this season.

Easing my concern is that the ability to develop the depth (aside from it lacking from recruiting at the lb spot) by the coaches on that side of the ball,assuming there won’t be any more defections outside of Rumph. Considering they had as much pressure on them this year from the ineptness of the offense, an offense that can put up points is probably a more welcomed prospect that what they got handed to them all year (even against N Texas). If Morris is successful, atleast that would put pressure on other teams to respond and cause them to be more one dimensional. Having to hold every tem to under 14 points because your offense cannot take advantage of short fields and you literally can’t kick long extra points will wear a defense out as much as your offense scores often and fast. I’m sure some Auburn fans have accepted that trade off the last 2 years past when they saw final scores like 3-2 with an offense that may have been worst than ours.

But you’re right, when some fans focus on the stats, they will see what they perceive as a bad D and not keep the numbers within context. But as far as coaches go, hopefully they will notice Will Muschamp didn’t stop being a bad DC when Texas was lighting up the scoreboard in a fast pace Colt McCoy-led offense. They still were considered a good defense (Oklahoma the same as well under “the defensive guru” Bob Stoops with K Wilson and Bradford putting up video-game like numbers).

Bill Parcels, who is one of the top coaches ever, always had a saying and I use it a lot. "your defense is married to your offense." The meaning is quite simple. When you run a gimmicky finesse offense, you'll get a finesse defense. When the defense practices all week long against that offense, those tendencies rub off on the defense.

You absolutely cannot have a “tough, physical” defense when they practice against the finesse spread passing attack week in and week out. Just wont happen. So everybody clamoring for the spread, be careful of what you wish for. Case in point, the two years Malzahn has been at Auburn, their defense has been less than stellar. Obviously some of that is personnel, but its mostly from going against that offense in practice. You certainly cant say its coaching, Chizik is one of the most respected defensive minds out there.

Tulsa was fun to watch last season, but the average total-D ranking for Tulsa’s opponents was 82nd in the nation, whereas Clemson’s opponents averaged 38th in total-D. Tulsa only scored 18 points in a loss to the highest ranked defense that they played— 40th-ranked SMU. And Oklahoma State’s 88th ranked defense pretty much shut down Tulsa until the score was so lopsided (58-7) that OKSt was able to play their 2nd, 3rd, and 4th stringer defensive guys.

I hope Morris translates his minor-league success to the big-leagues like Gus Malzahn, not like Rob Spence. It’s a big risk… just like the Dabo promotion and Napier promotion.

Does Clemson have a QB capable of running Morris’s offense, like GJ Kinne did? Kinne had 31 TDs to 10 INTs with a passer rating of 144.33 (though his passer rating was only 95.69 against SMU & 110.87 against OKSt). Kinne rushed 158 times for 561 yards (3.6 YPC). Does Clemson have a QB with that kind of smarts, poise, arm-strength, accuracy, and running ability? Is it necessary?

Looks like dabo should have interviewed more candidates. Now you know he’s just going to jump on his second and only interviewee, Fuente.

Moving to a high octane offense definately does put pressure on the defense, but I’m thinking that these effects are minimized on an attacking vs a bending but don’t break defense.

1. If you can get 3 and outs, your offense can still be on the field more.

2. If you are scoring points on offense, and your defense can hold up for a few series (which is entirely reasonable to expect IMHO). Then the opposition is in a position where THEY have to play catch up ball and are forced to pass a bunch. THEN the defense gets to pin their ears back and attack even more.

So while I agree that KS’s job certainly didn’t get any easier, it’s not undoable either.