Takeaways from Tim Harris Jr. Calling the Plays

[ReturnOf]

For me, the biggest difference I saw was calling for passes on what would be considered obvious running downs.

Case in point, the 2nd TD to Pittman at the 2-3 yard line, traditionally we would of have tried to smash it in, but Rizk RPO action froze the defender just enough to drop that dime to Pittman.

It showed aggression. I saw plays called that were never called from Gus's playbook.

 

[connerito]

For me, the biggest difference I saw was calling for passes on what would be considered obvious running downs.

Case in point, the 2nd TD to Pittman at the 2-3 yard line, traditionally we would of have tried to smash it in, but Rizk RPO action froze the defender just enough to drop that dime to Pittman.

It showed aggression. I saw plays called that were never called from Gus's playbook.

Downfield passes that had a chance

 

[BlakNGoldAllDay]

Rizk made Gus look good in 4th Q last week too. Only problem with that was Gus couldn’t be a HC because he was worried about play calls all the time.

 

[UCFootball14]

The first pass. The wide receiver screen to Hudson was a simply play that we seemed to never run under gus

 

[Bring Back Wackadoos]

Hell of a brave call to call a pass on the first play after Arizona downed a punt inside the one-yard line (1st quarter). With everyone thinking run, Rizk threw pretty low over the middle, and Kobe was somehow able to dig it out before the ball hit the ground for an 11-yard gain.

 

[muckdawg24]

I liked he focused on balance but also stretching the defense with vertical passes but also giving Rizk a chance to get comfortable with quicker passes and allowing our playmakers to actually make a play after catch.

 

[Nautiknight]

The obvious needs to be said here. Harris had a QB who could consistently throw a forward pass. It's truly a game changer .

 

[connerito]

The obvious needs to be said here. Harris had a QB who could consistently throw a forward pass. It's truly a game changer .

He acknowledged it too. Gus had the same but chose to look toward a 280 lb fullback as a qb

 

[Knight_Classes_begin_7pm]

Gus (or Tim) put Jacurri in a few times near the goal line. AND IT WORKED!

 

[90Knight]

Gus is enamored with the idea of a running QB. To the point that he'd rather have a below average passer at the position if the kid can run

He's also loyal to a fault. I think he promised JRP and K J they'd both start and feels he has to keep his word. This is why he was hesitant to sit them...even when they struggled. He only changed his mind about KJ after feeling he's on the hot seat.

He also kept playing JRP despite his terrible passing. Again, he was enamored with JRP's running ability, his personality, and was too stubborn to admit he made a mistake on his passing ability.

 

[connerito]

Gus is enamored with the idea of a running QB. To the point that he'd rather have a below average passer at the position if the kid can run

He's also loyal to a fault. I think he promised JRP and K J they'd both start and feels he has to keep his word. This is why he was hesitant to sit them...even when they struggled. He only changed his mind about KJ after feeling he's on the hot seat.

He also kept playing JRP despite his terrible passing. Again, he was enamored with JRP's running ability, his personality, and was too stubborn to admit he made a mistake on his passing ability.

Unfortunately, JRP looked like Dan Marino compared to Jefferson. They are both not good

 

[Knight_Classes_begin_7pm]

Unfortunately, JRP looked like Dan Marino compared to Jefferson. They are both not good

agree

 

[Knight_Classes_begin_7pm]

Gus is enamored with the idea of a running QB. To the point that he'd rather have a below average passer at the position if the kid can run

He's also loyal to a fault. I think he promised JRP and K J they'd both start and feels he has to keep his word. This is why he was hesitant to sit them...even when they struggled. He only changed his mind about KJ after feeling he's on the hot seat.

He also kept playing JRP despite his terrible passing. Again, he was enamored with JRP's running ability, his personality, and was too stubborn to admit he made a mistake on his passing ability.

THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[muckdawg24]

How did y'all think Harris did this week?

Thought he setup Rizk pretty well most of the game. I thought we relied on the back shoulder fades a bit to much but Kobe should of had that one.

Obviously I think Gus over ruled him on the fourth down run and deciding to kick the field goal a little earlier.

 

[Bring Back Wackadoos]

Hell of a brave call to call a pass on the first play after Arizona downed a punt inside the one-yard line (1st quarter). With everyone thinking run, Rizk threw pretty low over the middle, and Kobe was somehow able to dig it out before the ball hit the ground for an 11-yard gain.

So obviously, Harris went to the well one too many times throwing the ball inside the one-yard line. Kobe made an incredible catch to make it work against Arizona, gets burned with a similar call against ASU.

I believe Gus took back control of play calling after that moment.

 

[PositYourself]

Bust's hands were all over that playcall. No way Harris is that dumb.

 

[lawknight]

Bust's hands were all over that playcall. No way Harris is that dumb.

While I agree with you, the thing is we will never know because we all know Grandpabust has pulled the play calling back to him before.

 

[Retnuhrace]

Calling an RPO with a freshman QB inside the 1 was certainly a mistake. A freshman mistake by the playcaller and a freshman mistake by the QB. But overall his playcalling was good and played to Rizk’s strengths

 

[SimpleJack53]

So obviously, Harris went to the well one too many times throwing the ball inside the one-yard line. Kobe made an incredible catch to make it work against Arizona, gets burned with a similar call against ASU.

I believe Gus took back control of play calling after that moment.

the guy making the Pick was out of position and sprinting to catchup to his guy. That was a fluky play that won the game for them when added to all the other blunders we had.

 

[Bring Back Wackadoos]

Bust's hands were all over that playcall. No way Harris is that dumb.

Which one are you referring to? I do believe it was Harris that called the pass at the one yard line. He did the exact same thing just last week.

But I do think Gus took back over second half. The substitution near the goal line where we had to burn a critical timeout to avoid a delay, the stubbornness to show wildcat, to stay with wildcat even after ASU called timeout. Gus behavior written all over it.

 

[Guinness_Knight]

Which one are you referring to? I do believe it was Harris that called the pass at the one yard line. He did the exact same thing just last week.

But I do think Gus took back over second half. The substitution near the goal line where we had to burn a critical timeout to avoid a delay, the stubbornness to show wildcat, to stay with wildcat even after ASU called timeout. Gus behavior written all over it.

And this is why fans won’t support Gus. He lies. He flip flops. He doesn’t take ownership or responsibility of all the chaos.

Nobody believed him when he said he would give up call playing…and here we are 1 week later. It too ONE fawkin game for him to go back to his nonsense.

So over him and Terry v

 

[PositYourself]

Which one are you referring to? I do believe it was Harris that called the pass at the one yard line. He did the exact same thing just last week.

But I do think Gus took back over second half. The substitution near the goal line where we had to burn a critical timeout to avoid a delay, the stubbornness to show wildcat, to stay with wildcat even after ASU called timeout. Gus behavior written all over it.

All the plays that didnt work

 

[Yaes]

How did y'all think Harris did this week?

Thought he setup Rizk pretty well most of the game. I thought we relied on the back shoulder fades a bit to much but Kobe should of had that one.

Obviously I think Gus over ruled him on the fourth down run and deciding to kick the field goal a little earlier.

Certainly seemed like a Gus the Bust call.

 

[AuburnLegacy_1]

Again, y'all are killing me.

Gus IS the offensive coordinator. Gus MAKES the call sheet. It says what to do on each down and distance. It doesn't matter who holds the 'title' of OC or who calls out the number on the play sheet. It is all predetermined.

CFB handicapper Danny Sheridan rips Gus Malzahn’s ‘high-school offense,’ says he’s an ‘underdog’ to keep his job

Strong statements from the CFB handicapper.

www.saturdaydownsouth.com

 

[UCFBS]

For me, the biggest difference I saw was calling for passes on what would be considered obvious running downs.

Case in point, the 2nd TD to Pittman at the 2-3 yard line, traditionally we would of have tried to smash it in, but Rizk RPO action froze the defender just enough to drop that dime to Pittman.

It showed aggression. I saw plays called that were never called from Gus's playbook.

And yet people complained about it.

We ran about 60% passing plays in the first half. Rizk nailed a lot of them. I prefer 60% rushing, but ... for those who wanted 60% passing, they got it! And yet ...

They complained. Sigh ... it's not the play calling, it's the play results. But they'll never admit that.

 

[BlakNGoldAllDay]

Again, y'all are killing me.

Gus IS the offensive coordinator. Gus MAKES the call sheet. It says what to do on each down and distance. It doesn't matter who holds the 'title' of OC or who calls out the number on the play sheet. It is all predetermined.

CFB handicapper Danny Sheridan rips Gus Malzahn’s ‘high-school offense,’ says he’s an ‘underdog’ to keep his job

Strong statements from the CFB handicapper.

www.saturdaydownsouth.com

Technically yes. But you have a bunch of 1 and 10 plays. There are 20 pkay calls for that. You may have 12 3rd and 10 plays. Have a bunch for that. I’m assuming the used plays get highlighted. I didn’t see enough shots to endzone long like in Arizona game. The play calls were different.

 

[Bring Back Wackadoos]

And yet people complained about it.

We ran about 60% passing plays in the first half. Rizk nailed a lot of them. I prefer 60% rushing, but ... for those who wanted 60% passing, they got it! And yet ...

They complained. Sigh ... it's not the play calling, it's the play results. But they'll never admit that.

You are being overly simplistic and you know that. There is situation and context to everything. Under Gus, UCF has consistently been one of the more successful running offenses in the country. No one is saying abandon the run.

The complaints throughout this year (at least coming from me) was the lack of urgency, pace, explosiveness when you’re behind in the game. The Florida and Iowa State games in particular were perfect examples of play calling that didn’t fit the situation:
-for example- down 21 at UF, burned a ton of clock, refused to push the ball downfield, ran nearly every play in second half OR
-up at Iowa State, NOT burning more time on the play clock, not running the ball more, taking low percentage shots down field at times that we didn’t need it. Left time on the clock for Iowa State to win the game.

For me, it’s always been Grandpa Boom’s lack of clock/game awareness that makes his performance running the offense unacceptable. The game moves too fast for him.

 

[muckdawg24]

Who complains about passing? Only bytching I heard was the pass on the one yard line.

 

[Knight_Classes_begin_7pm]

Who complains about passing? Only bytching I heard was the pass on the one yard line.

agree. All in all Rizk can be a really good QB! Maybe great. Rizk wasn't the reason we lost to AZ State.

 

[UCFBS]

You are being overly simplistic and you know that.

And yet, we have 'opened up the playbook' more with Rizk becauase ... guess what ... he actually knows much of it! And the more of it he practices at, well, practice ... the yet more we'll see it in game too! Brown? Not as much. KJ? Did he even open the playbook?

Many of you are the ones being simplistic. You think it's Madden or NCAA and the whole playbook is available to new QBs? It's not.

Gus had to simplify the playbook for KJ right away. The only thing I'll blame Gus for is not benching KJ long ago because he didn't know jack, and was a sloth atop of that. At least Brown wasn't a sloth. But we should have gone with our future by game 2. And ... he knows the playbook better too!

Now that we have, we are. But it's the Big XII, and we're starting anew. Gotta taper expectations at this point.

There is situation and context to everything. Under Gus, UCF has consistently been one of the more successful running offenses in the country. No one is saying abandon the run.

Neither did I. But many wanted 60%+ pass, not 60%+ run. They got it! Rizk has done very well with it!

But when we passed on 2 yards to go, people complained. And then when we ran on 3 yards to go, people complained. Guess what? Is it really the playcalling? Or the results? It's like when I said to others in earlier games, 'ya can't exactly blame Gus for the turnovers, or not going through progressions.

Now we can blame Gus for the sloth who doesn't know the playbook. But he's gone now.

The complaints throughout this year (at least coming from me) was the lack of urgency, pace, explosiveness when you’re behind in the game.

Is it Gus? Or is more the sloth that doesn't know the playbook? Or Brown who had little time. And now Rizk? That's the problem. A lot was KJ. And a lot was lack of running those 2 minute drills with newer QBs. It is what it is.

Milton had that problem early on. Even Gabriel did ... under Heupel!

The Florida

KJ was as sloth that didn't know the playbook and coudn't run jack. We all saw it.

and Iowa State games

Brown struggled at times. JRP could. Others could. It's not just Gus. It's the people he put in. It's really that simple. Again, Milton had that problem too. Even Gabriel did. They got over it. They got better.

in particular were perfect examples of play calling that didn’t fit the situation:
-for example- down 21 at UF, burned a ton of clock, refused to push the ball downfield, ran nearly every play in second half OR -up at Iowa State, NOT burning more time on the play clock, not running the ball more, taking low percentage shots down field at times that we didn’t need it.

That's RPO. The QB doesn't go with the shorter route or more manageable pass.

Left time on the clock for Iowa State to win the game.

Yep. But it's not just the sidelines. It's really more what's on-the-field.

For me, it’s always been Grandpa Boom’s lack of clock/game awareness that makes his performance running the offense unacceptable. The game moves too fast for him.

I disagree, and I offer 2022 and 2023 as examples. JRP only got better too.