I think the reason we haven't been able to compete for an SEC championship all comes down to stubbornness. I like Coach Sumlin...he's a good talent recruiter and he seems to be good with the media and alumni. However, I think he wants to prove that the "Air Raid" can win championships in this conference and he is too stubborn to make adjustments. Maybe the 11 win season with JFF convinced him that it is just a matter of finding the right QB. I think he doesn't want to admit it was an anolomy. JFF was a unique college talent at QB, and we had multiple O-linemen that were first round NFL draft picks.
I think it is clear that a base 4 WR offense is not a fit for this conference. It doesn't allow us to consistently win time of possession, and that hurts the defense, both during games and over the long haul of the season. I have always felt that a simple switch from a 4 WR set to a 3 WR + TE set would do wonders for this offense. Having an additional blocker on the line would help the running game. Additionally, a TE would offer extra pass protection, either by picking up a blitzer or by chipping a DE when they start their pass pattern. Also, a good TE causes mismatches against LBs in the middle of the field in the passing game. That type of flexibility would make it easier for us to win time of possession and would help the defense in the long run.
Whether we keep Sumlin or make a change, I hope our coaching staff will finally realize the importance of tIme of possession in this division and will run a more conventional offense that gives us a chance to compete for championships.
I think it is clear that a base 4 WR offense is not a fit for this conference. It doesn't allow us to consistently win time of possession, and that hurts the defense, both during games and over the long haul of the season. I have always felt that a simple switch from a 4 WR set to a 3 WR + TE set would do wonders for this offense. Having an additional blocker on the line would help the running game. Additionally, a TE would offer extra pass protection, either by picking up a blitzer or by chipping a DE when they start their pass pattern. Also, a good TE causes mismatches against LBs in the middle of the field in the passing game. That type of flexibility would make it easier for us to win time of possession and would help the defense in the long run.
Whether we keep Sumlin or make a change, I hope our coaching staff will finally realize the importance of tIme of possession in this division and will run a more conventional offense that gives us a chance to compete for championships.