[FlamesHighontheTide]

Here is a question I thought of today:

If our attendance is lower than most expect would that put a damper on beating ODU?

[thepostman]

Not for me. A win is a win.

[olldflame]

ODU´s starting RB, Jeremy Cox, has a bad ankle and will not start. May not play at all. He is their power guy at 235. Strong, who is going to start Saturday, is more of a speed back. I would think that locks down a spot on the travel squad for LaLa Davis.

[Jonathan Carone]

Here is a question I thought of today:

If our attendance is lower than most expect would that put a damper on beating ODU?

Not at all. But it’d make us reevaluate where our fan base stands in regards to this transition.

[TH Spangler]

[youtube]DTQUmmicEDM[/youtube]

[mlschubert]

A News Advance article this morning says that Liberty will focus on establishing the running game this year. This is by far the worst news to come out of Spring camp so far. In the Baylor win, we set aside our focus on identifying with the run & focused on what our personnel were best suited to do. We used short timing routes rather than the run to keep the defense off balance. We ran the hurry up w success getting buckshot into a rhythm where he is clearly more comfortable.

As the 2017 season progressed we attempted to establish the run and we repeatedly stopped drives & put our offense in positions where we had to get 10 or 15 yards to pick up a first. We made less talented teams look great as we stubbornly chose the run whether it worked or not. In Saturday's opening Hawaii @ CSU game, Hawaii shocked CSU by opening up the field & the playbook with the pass. We need to be able to stop the run - but we don't need to establish the run to win football games. We need to move the ball, be creative & take advantage of the talent we have at QB & the receiver positions.

Last year we acted as if we had established the run - we repeatedly walked off the field going into half rather than place the ball in buckshots hands & doing the one thing we were great at on offense - moving the ball quickly in a 2-minute drill w no time to think. As we move up, we don't have the luxury to waive a wand & establish a nationally dominate run game. We need to be more creative & put our players in unique positions to win. Here's to the hope that in 2018 - we'll be adaptable enough to see what works & go after it. In recent openers, Gill and his staff have done a great job of playing to our strengths - let's hope we can take this approach into the season. If we revert to acting like past teams & establishing the run, it will be a long, long season.

[ballcoach15]

To establish the run, you should throw ball to loosen up defense. Just lining up and trying to run off tackle, doesn't always work.

[Jonathan Carone]

A News Advance article this morning says that Liberty will focus on establishing the running game this year. This is by far the worst news to come out of Spring camp so far. In the Baylor win, we set aside our focus on identifying with the run & focused on what our personnel were best suited to do. We used short timing routes rather than the run to keep the defense off balance. We ran the hurry up w success getting buckshot into a rhythm where he is clearly more comfortable.

As the 2017 season progressed we attempted to establish the run and we repeatedly stopped drives & put our offense in positions where we had to get 10 or 15 yards to pick up a first. We made less talented teams look great as we stubbornly chose the run whether it worked or not. In Saturday's opening Hawaii @ CSU game, Hawaii shocked CSU by opening up the field & the playbook with the pass. We need to be able to stop the run - but we don't need to establish the run to win football games. We need to move the ball, be creative & take advantage of the talent we have at QB & the receiver positions.

Last year we acted as if we had established the run - we repeatedly walked off the field going into half rather than place the ball in buckshots hands & doing the one thing we were great at on offense - moving the ball quickly in a 2-minute drill w no time to think. As we move up, we don't have the luxury to waive a wand & establish a nationally dominate run game. We need to be more creative & put our players in unique positions to win. Here's to the hope that in 2018 - we'll be adaptable enough to see what works & go after it. In recent openers, Gill and his staff have done a great job of playing to our strengths - let's hope we can take this approach into the season. If we revert to acting like past teams & establishing the run, it will be a long, long season.

This post is indicative of one of our bigger problems under Coach Gill. It's similar to what used to happen under Coach Toman in baseball. In the beginning of the year, he trusts his OC to do their thing and call games like they want to. But once some adversity hits, he goes back to what he was trained on and starts to force the run at the expense of the offense as a whole. It's the reason our offense has lacked a true identity the past six years.

[LUGrad2000]

Look I am not a football expert, but if you don't have a decent run game you will not win. I have won a state championship though as an assistant. Yes, we should play to our strength, our pass game, but without a decent run game our pass game will suffer.

[Jonathan Carone]

The run game in 2018 isn’t just from handoffs to the running back to run between the tackles. We can accomplish the same things in the short passing game. And when we utilize that first, it opens up the traditional run game. We don’t have the offensive line to simply pound the ball up the middle.

[BJWilliams]

Jon's right. Bubble screens, tunnel screens and even one or two step route concepts get the ball to the playmakers in space which forces the defense to be honest and opens up the vertical passing game, which ends up opening up the traditional running game as he noted above

[Class of 20Something]

The run game in 2018 isn’t just from handoffs to the running back to run between the tackles. We can accomplish the same things in the short passing game. And when we utilize that first, it opens up the traditional run game. We don’t have the offensive line to simply pound the ball up the middle.

Exactly. We need to make sure that when we hand the ball off, there is never a stacked box and the linebackers on on their heels ready to defend a deep threat. If we incorporate the RBs into the passing game.

This is a 4th and 1 that isn't a QB Sneak or a traditional run play.

Side note: Can we get streamable video compatibility on here?

[A Sea of Red]

The Heat: Embrace the struggle

http://www.aseaofred.com/the-heat-embrace-the-struggle/

[Liberty22]

If y’all get some time this week peruse our csnbbs board too cause there’s a decent number of ODU fans chatting and smack talking over there.

https://csnbbs.com/forum-46.html

[Class of 20Something]

Solomon Ajayi topping the Will

Mason got the #2 job at QB.

Matthews/Hickson/Pickett is our running back order.

[Jonathan Carone]

I know it may be petty, but it annoys me that Gill won't talk about injuries to the media.

[tyndal23]

A News Advance article this morning says that Liberty will focus on establishing the running game this year. This is by far the worst news to come out of Spring camp so far. In the Baylor win, we set aside our focus on identifying with the run & focused on what our personnel were best suited to do. We used short timing routes rather than the run to keep the defense off balance. We ran the hurry up w success getting buckshot into a rhythm where he is clearly more comfortable.

As the 2017 season progressed we attempted to establish the run and we repeatedly stopped drives & put our offense in positions where we had to get 10 or 15 yards to pick up a first. We made less talented teams look great as we stubbornly chose the run whether it worked or not. In Saturday's opening Hawaii @ CSU game, Hawaii shocked CSU by opening up the field & the playbook with the pass. We need to be able to stop the run - but we don't need to establish the run to win football games. We need to move the ball, be creative & take advantage of the talent we have at QB & the receiver positions.

Last year we acted as if we had established the run - we repeatedly walked off the field going into half rather than place the ball in buckshots hands & doing the one thing we were great at on offense - moving the ball quickly in a 2-minute drill w no time to think. As we move up, we don't have the luxury to waive a wand & establish a nationally dominate run game. We need to be more creative & put our players in unique positions to win. Here's to the hope that in 2018 - we'll be adaptable enough to see what works & go after it. In recent openers, Gill and his staff have done a great job of playing to our strengths - let's hope we can take this approach into the season. If we revert to acting like past teams & establishing the run, it will be a long, long season.

This post is indicative of one of our bigger problems under Coach Gill. It's similar to what used to happen under Coach Toman in baseball. In the beginning of the year, he trusts his OC to do their thing and call games like they want to. But once some adversity hits, he goes back to what he was trained on and starts to force the run at the expense of the offense as a whole. It's the reason our offense has lacked a true identity the past six years.

I couldn’t agree more with the above...

[A Sea of Red]

ODU press conference notebook

http://www.aseaofred.com/odu-press-conference-notebook/

[ballcoach15]

A kicker having "bumps and bruises" worries me.

[ballcoach15]

A kicker having "bumps and bruises" worries me.

[rtb72]

A News Advance article this morning says that Liberty will focus on establishing the running game this year. This is by far the worst news to come out of Spring camp so far. In the Baylor win, we set aside our focus on identifying with the run & focused on what our personnel were best suited to do. We used short timing routes rather than the run to keep the defense off balance. We ran the hurry up w success getting buckshot into a rhythm where he is clearly more comfortable.

As the 2017 season progressed we attempted to establish the run and we repeatedly stopped drives & put our offense in positions where we had to get 10 or 15 yards to pick up a first. We made less talented teams look great as we stubbornly chose the run whether it worked or not. In Saturday's opening Hawaii @ CSU game, Hawaii shocked CSU by opening up the field & the playbook with the pass. We need to be able to stop the run - but we don't need to establish the run to win football games. We need to move the ball, be creative & take advantage of the talent we have at QB & the receiver positions.

Last year we acted as if we had established the run - we repeatedly walked off the field going into half rather than place the ball in buckshots hands & doing the one thing we were great at on offense - moving the ball quickly in a 2-minute drill w no time to think. As we move up, we don't have the luxury to waive a wand & establish a nationally dominate run game. We need to be more creative & put our players in unique positions to win. Here's to the hope that in 2018 - we'll be adaptable enough to see what works & go after it. In recent openers, Gill and his staff have done a great job of playing to our strengths - let's hope we can take this approach into the season. If we revert to acting like past teams & establishing the run, it will be a long, long season.

Focus on the running game??? Why not focus on areas we know we have demonstrated talent. I would say we could try it and learn from what doesn't work.....but that would go against how we have run our offense the past three years. This dampens my enthusiasm for this weekend a bit. 3 and out may become common.....

[ballcoach15]

I don't know how many pages in our play book, but sometimes I wonder if we have ever used pages 2 thru end of book.

[JK37]

How does one “establish the run” when backs are 180 lbs.?!

Your QB is 6’2” with a cannon. Your 6’4” wideout is atrue FBS talent with quickies in the slot. This isn’t rocket science.

Could this be clever alright-of-hand coachspeak from HCTG to throw ODU off?

[Jonathan Carone]

How does one “establish the run” when backs are 180 lbs.?!

Your QB is 6’2” with a cannon. Your 6’4” wideout is atrue FBS talent with quickies in the slot. This isn’t rocket science.

Could this be clever alright-of-hand coachspeak from HCTG to throw ODU off?

It could be. But that would be a total departure from who Gill has proven himself to be. I would love it if we came out and just slung it around. I would guess that's what Dailey wants to do.

[ballah09]

I've seen enough of Gill and Company calling off tackles and HB draws for negative yards to believe him when he says he wants to establish the running game even though he has two NFL caliber players in Buck and AGG and two studs in the slot w/ King and Shaa