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Trick plays

whether or not we need trick plays, the fact that we have so rarely is pretty unusual, especially for college football
 
I’ve mentioned a few ‘trick’ plays on another thread. Somewhat in jest, but also serious as I’ve run these in the past and they almost always went for big gains or scores. We have the players to do these. Our offense is very good now, but could be scary good if we opened it up more and had a few plays to totally confuse our competition
 
I've never heard Clawson talk about it, but I bet he believes in only using them if you have to. I bet if the game were 13-10 and we couldn't pick up any chunk plays, then he might use one.

When your offense is based on tempo and staying on schedule, you don't want to screw it up by getting cute.
 
The defensive unit needs the trick plays.

FWIW, not sure if this counts as a trick play, but in addition to being automatic on FGs and PATs, Sciba has the most consistently tough to handle on-side kick ever. Given the hapless KO return coverage, perhaps, WF will simply on-side kick after every score.
 
I've never heard Clawson talk about it, but I bet he believes in only using them if you have to. I bet if the game were 13-10 and we couldn't pick up any chunk plays, then he might use one.

When your offense is based on tempo and staying on schedule, you don't want to screw it up by getting cute.

except that it's only a 'trick' because it's outside of what the other side expects. if all you do is play on schedule and the they figure out the schedule what's the point of the schedule
 
What if there was some type of trick play where the defense kept the other teams QB from scrambling for first downs over and over?
This isn't a trick play. It's just getting a LB to spy the mobile QB and get the DEs to keep contain. Fundamental defense. Probably what Clawson was so mad about.
 
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except that it's only a 'trick' because it's outside of what the other side expects. if all you do is play on schedule and the they figure out the schedule what's the point of the schedule

Yes. IF they can't move the ball and need a trick play, then use one. Staying on schedule isn't something the other team figures out. They either stop you on 1st and 2nd down or they don't. All it means to stay on schedule, is positive results on early downs. It is the opposite of "playing behind the chains"
 
The defensive unit needs the trick plays.

FWIW, not sure if this counts as a trick play, but in addition to being automatic on FGs and PATs, Sciba has the most consistently tough to handle on-side kick ever. Given the hapless KO return coverage, perhaps, WF will simply on-side kick after every score.

Sciba is racking up a damn good draft profile. Money kicker plus a great onside kick. But his kickoffs need to improve.
 
Sciba is racking up a damn good draft profile. Money kicker plus a great onside kick. But his kickoffs need to improve.

There didn't appear to be a lot of wind in either direction, but neither Sciba or the Cards kicker were hitting kickoffs deep. Goal line or a couple yards into the endzone were about as deep as either one of them could get it. Don't know if there was swirling wind or odd conditions on the field?
 
Sciba has 40 kickoffs this year with 11 touchbacks. Taking out the three on-side kicks, he is 11 for 37. Not great. FWIW, Sciba had 5 touchbacks out of 7 kickoffs against Utah State. Since that game, he is 6 for 30 (20%). Not great.
 
Sciba has 40 kickoffs this year with 11 touchbacks. Taking out the three on-side kicks, he is 11 for 37. Not great. FWIW, Sciba had 5 touchbacks out of 7 kickoffs against Utah State. Since that game, he is 6 for 30 (20%). Not great.

Sciba actually had 4 onside kicks against UL, and 2-3 prior to that where we did not try to kick it deep (to prevent returns). so he is something like 11 for 33 on the year when trying to go deep.

also, the one that came back for a TD was in the end zone, and if WF is fielding that kick, it's automatically a touchback; I wonder if we have enough top-end speed on our kick coverage team

Of course it would be great if the kick would just go through the back of the end zone
 
Sciba is a really solid K and those onside kicks were great, but he really hurt the team on saturday with his inability to kick into the end zone. Touchbacks are the best and easiest ways to prevent big kick returns and he just couldn't get a single one.
 
The funny thing about Louisville's last touchdown was after he picked up the 1 yard to get the first down (it was 4th and 1), the best thing we could do was let him score. Otherwise, they run out the clock (we couldn't stop it), we don't get the ball, score the last TD and get a chance at the final onside kick that we seemingly recovered but didn't get awarded. Louisville's QB could've cost them the game by scoring that TD as crazy as that sounds.
 
The funny thing about Louisville's last touchdown was after he picked up the 1 yard to get the first down (it was 4th and 1), the best thing we could do was let him score. Otherwise, they run out the clock (we couldn't stop it), we don't get the ball, score the last TD and get a chance at the final onside kick that we seemingly recovered but didn't get awarded. Louisville's QB could've cost them the game by scoring that TD as crazy as that sounds.

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Sciba is a really solid K and those onside kicks were great, but he really hurt the team on saturday with his inability to kick into the end zone. Touchbacks are the best and easiest ways to prevent big kick returns and he just couldn't get a single one.

UL's touchdown return came on a kick into the end zone. If the coverage is adequate it's a touchback. It wasn't Sciba's fault.

Sciba kicked deep 4 times:
67 yards returned for a TD
64 yards returned to the 22, better (for WF) than a touchback
60 yards returned to the 21, better than a touchback
63 yards returned to the WF 15 - WF has called for a fair catch on its own 2 multiple times this year (again I blame kick coverage)

Obviously it would be better to kick it through the end zone. There aren't a lot of college kickers that can do that. Maybe Mora can. We have 6 games left and he can kick in 4 of them.
 
Sciba is a really solid K and those onside kicks were great, but he really hurt the team on saturday with his inability to kick into the end zone. Touchbacks are the best and easiest ways to prevent big kick returns and he just couldn't get a single one.

I think the plan is for Ivan Mora to take over punting from Maggio after he graduates, but I think he could also do kick offs. Last year during his senior year in high school I watched him kick it into or thru the end zone multiple times. He has a leg.
Sciba has been great on PATs and FGs and we have another very good kicker coming in next year. Our kicking game should remain a strength for us.
However, we desperately need to work on kick and punt coverage.
 
Could certainly see Clawson letting Mora kickoff in four games.
 
There were a few drives where I was annoyed at us just running straight into the middle of the field pile. Variety would be great, the occasional trick play would be great.
 
How about really trying to block a punt once a decade? Phonz did that with regularity.
 
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