Auburn has 'multiple' options at Wildcat

[aubiefifty 17,488]

Chip Lindsey believes Auburn has 'multiple' options at Wildcat

Posted on August 27, 2017 at 9:11 PM

Auburn running back Kerryon Johnson (21) passes the ball for a touchdown against Oklahoma during the second half of the Sugar Bowl Monday, Jan. 2, 2017, at the Superdome in New Orleans, La.(Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

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By James Crepea

jcrepea@al.com

Kerryon Johnson remains Auburn's primary option at Wildcat, but there are others capable of handling the role.

If and when we'll see someone else in the role may or may not come during the season opener against Georgia Southern.

"I think we have multiple guys who can do that," offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey said. "Whether or not we do it the first game or so or not, I don't know. I know Kerryon has done that and been successful at it, but I think we have multiple guys who can do it."

Johnson has commanded the role for the past two years and threw in a few passes, with a one-yard touchdown to Jalen Harris on the final play of the Sugar Bowl, last season.

Prior to his transfer, former quarterback-turned-wide receiver John Franklin III was among the players who were at Wildcat.

"Coach Lindsey told me he likes a lot of trick plays," Franklin said earlier this month before transferring to FAU. "He said that's going to be one of my roles, too."

With depth at running back and several receivers who were quarterbacks in high school, Auburn has several viable options behind Johnson.

Earlier in the summer, Gus Malzahn identified true freshman running back Devan Barrett as someone capable of playing the role. Barrett had 1,271 rushing yards and 1,507 all-purpose yards with 11 touchdowns as a senior at Tampa Catholic.

Other potential options could be receivers Ryan Davis and Eli Stove and defensive back and former receiver Jason Smith, who was a quarterback in high school, junior college and for his first week at Auburn.

[gr82b4au 5,568]

I know that it is a staple in this offense but I personally hope that we do not run wildcat much at all, especially if the QB is on a role. 

[gravejd 3,281]

<wildcat>

 

 

[McLoofus 35,182]

We score a lot of TDs out of the wildcat. And, as someone pointed out to me the other day, Lindsey scored a lot of them with it at ASU. I really don't understand the hatred for it. 

[Win4AU 4,057]

I'd care about wildcat news if Auburn ran more than one play out of it.  If I was a DC I would load the box and tell my guys wherever 21 goes you go

[WarDamnEagleWDE 12,737]

Wildcat = 

[djg0017 726]

I'm okay with a Dolphin Ronnie Brown wildcat but the KJ wildcat the last two years has been too predictable.

[AUApostle 7,663]

7 minutes ago, djg0017 said:

I'm okay with a Dolphin Ronnie Brown wildcat but the KJ wildcat the last two years has been too predictable.

I was a fan of the Cam Newton version of the wildcat.
 

[gr82b4au 5,568]

47 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

We score a lot of TDs out of the wildcat. And, as someone pointed out to me the other day, Lindsey scored a lot of them with it at ASU. I really don't understand the hatred for it. 

1) QB is on a roll, leads us down the field, and then we line a up a play where everyone in the nation knows who is going to get the ball. 

2) In the past 2 years when the offense was "limited", the wildcat may have been the best option although I don't think our overall redzone TD percentage was very good at all. Hopefully this year we will have many options and we will not have to rely on the WC to score. 

Don't get me wrong - I just want to score and win and if we run the WC 100% of the time and score I will be happy... but it seems as though it severely limits our options and I think we can do better with this group of QB, RBs, and WRs on the field. 

[djg0017 726]

28 minutes ago, AUDevil said:

I was a fan of the Cam Newton version of the wildcat.
 

They could've put Cam at DE and I would've been a fan of it

[McLoofus 35,182]

14 minutes ago, gr82b4au said:

1) QB is on a roll, leads us down the field, and then we line a up a play where everyone in the nation knows who is going to get the ball. 

2) In the past 2 years when the offense was "limited", the wildcat may have been the best option although I don't think our overall redzone TD percentage was very good at all. Hopefully this year we will have many options and we will not have to rely on the WC to score. 

Don't get me wrong - I just want to score and win and if we run the WC 100% of the time and score I will be happy... but it seems as though it severely limits our options and I think we can do better with this group of QB, RBs, and WRs on the field. 

You make great points, especially with regards to last season IMO. (I look at 2015 and 2016 as very different scenarios.) I am very much of the opinion that Gus's lack of trust in Sean cost us points and probably wins last year, and that was highlighted in the redzone. And redzone TD percentage might be our most severe shortcoming over the last couple years. It was lower than it should have been even in 2014, IIRC. With you on all that.

That said, KJ scored 10 TDs out of the wildcat last year, if I'm not mistaken. It has been a pretty good play for us and KJ has been our most complete skill player for two years now. We should absolutely stop relying on it in key situations, but I'm glad that it's still going to be a part of the offense. 

 

 

 

[AUpreacherman22 3,908]

Yeah, Wildcat has been like everything else in our O the last few years, way too predictable!

If it is used wisely, with several different variables, then that's totally fine with me.  If it is uesd the same way it has been, I am not a big fan.  

As for KJ, he is a fantastic and very versatile athlete.  I really hope we get to see his versatility utilized more this year. 

[DAG 34,126]

1 hour ago, McLoofus said:

We score a lot of TDs out of the wildcat. And, as someone pointed out to me the other day, Lindsey scored a lot of them with it at ASU. I really don't understand the hatred for it. 

I think my issue with it was the fact that it was used out of necessity not as a staple . When Gus was at Arkansas that was a staple of the offense and they were able to use it throughout the game , in many different situations . Lately it has just been used in the red zone because of our inability to score otherwise. Also , we rarely did anything different with it. The opponents knew it would be a keep every time . 

[McLoofus 35,182]

9 minutes ago, DAG said:

I think my issue with it was the fact that it was used out of necessity not as a staple . When Gus was at Arkansas that was a staple of the offense and they were able to use it throughout the game , in many different situations . Lately it has just been used in the red zone because of our inability to score otherwise. Also , we rarely did anything different with it. The opponents knew it would be a keep every time . 

I hear ya. Can't argue with any of that. 

If folks are saying, "I don't like the way we've used the Wildcat the last couple years", I get it. But when people flatly say, "I don't like the Wildcat", I don't. Possibly just me interpreting things too literally. 

[AUGoo 2,671]

2 hours ago, McLoofus said:

We score a lot of TDs out of the wildcat. And, as someone pointed out to me the other day, Lindsey scored a lot of them with it at ASU. I really don't understand the hatred for it. 

I think as a part of Gus's original HUNH O where the wildcat was incorporated into the quick series of plays it was fantastic.  But of late it has lost  its dazzle along with the rest of his offense.  He has stopped the HUNH to sub, quit using the motion he had formerly used, and made it predictable while giving the D time to prepare.  

In days of old there were no subs and it was incorporated into the real HUNH, the motion was used to further confuse the D and the play run.

I would love to see the re-emergence of the real HUNH wildcat.  But Gus has to prove that he is willing to go back to his roots and run a real tempo O for it to be effective.  And he needs  get away from this pseudo, meercat HUNH O.

[Tiger 8,835]

Question regarding a hypothetical scenario:
 

When a team runs the wildcat the team usually puts the QB out wide. What is stopping a defensive player from just obliterating the QB when he attempts to block once the ball is snapped? I imagine that would make teams think twice about going to the wildcat without substituting the QB out which would diminish the element of surprise of running the wildcat in the first place.

Lol is this a weird question?

[McLoofus 35,182]

10 minutes ago, AUGoo said:

I think as a part of Gus's original HUNH O where the wildcat was incorporated into the quick series of plays it was fantastic.  But of late it has lost  its dazzle along with the rest of his offense.  He has stopped the HUNH to sub, quit using the motion he had formerly used, and made it predictable while giving the D time to prepare.  

In days of old there were no subs and it was incorporated into the real HUNH, the motion was used to further confuse the D and the play run.

I've would love to see the re-emergence of the real HUNH wildcat.  But Gus has to prove that he is willing to go back to his roots and run a real tempo O for it to be effective.  And he needs  get away from this pseudo, meercat HUNH O.

My opinion is that more first downs early in possessions this season will beget the tempo that we all want to see. 

[AUGoo 2,671]

5 minutes ago, Tiger said:

Question regarding a hypothetical scenario:
 

When a team runs the wildcat the team usually puts the QB out wide. What is stopping a defensive player from just obliterating the QB when he attempts to block once the ball is snapped? I imagine that would make teams think twice about going to the wildcat without substituting the QB out which would diminish the element of surprise of running the wildcat in the first place.

Lol is this a weird question?

I'll take a gander at it:

1) The high road answer would be sportsmanship, professionalism, blah, blah, blah......

2)  The QB's are split wide making them less likely to line up against an LBer or larger player.   So, unless they are going to cheap shot the QB, he is more likely to be able protect himself against an equally or smaller sized player.  

3) In a true HUNH situation, and with officials paying a lot closer attention to hits on the QB, I would expect that that team is not likely to sacrifice a starter to ejection for roughing up the QB.

But what do I know.

 

[AUGoo 2,671]

4 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

My opinion is that more first downs early in possessions this season will beget the tempo that we all want to see. 

The first hurry up, first down play I see the QB hand off to the RB over RT I'm  going to throw an expletive at the TV!

[Maverick.AU 13,282]

I agree with pretty much all that was said above.

However on topic of running the wildcat, my vote would be Stove.

[JGLEATON 1,244]

22 minutes ago, AUGoo said:

I think as a part of Gus's original HUNH O where the wildcat was incorporated into the quick series of plays it was fantastic.  But of late it has lost  its dazzle along with the rest of his offense.  He has stopped the HUNH to sub, quit using the motion he had formerly used, and made it predictable while giving the D time to prepare.  

In days of old there were no subs and it was incorporated into the real HUNH, the motion was used to further confuse the D and the play run.

I would love to see the re-emergence of the real HUNH wildcat.  But Gus has to prove that he is willing to go back to his roots and run a real tempo O for it to be effective.  And he needs  get away from this pseudo, meercat HUNH O.

I think we may see less substitutions mid-drive and the most HUNH fast style O we have seen in years....

and with tight ends actually used and CCL admitting the option of a QB check down with Stidham... this O actually has the "potential" to be the most balanced O that can hit you anywhere anytime that Gus has had at Auburn. If the O line develops into both road graders and can pass protect... man.

[AUGoo 2,671]

Just now, JGLEATON said:

I think we may see less substitutions mid-drive and the most HUNH fast style O we have seen in years....

and with tight ends actually used and CCL admitting the option of a QB check down with Stidham... this O actually has the "potential" to be the most balanced O that can hit you anywhere anytime that Gus has had at Auburn. If the O line develops into both road graders and can pass protect... man.

Here's hoping!

I've bought into the hype the last three years for the O.  Until Gus proves he can let it go back to that super innovative O, I'm afraid my optimism has been somewhat diminished.

[Rednilla 5,405]

38 minutes ago, AUGoo said:

I think as a part of Gus's original HUNH O where the wildcat was incorporated into the quick series of plays it was fantastic.  But of late it has lost  its dazzle along with the rest of his offense.  He has stopped the HUNH to sub, quit using the motion he had formerly used, and made it predictable while giving the D time to prepare.  

In days of old there were no subs and it was incorporated into the real HUNH, the motion was used to further confuse the D and the play run.

I would love to see the re-emergence of the real HUNH wildcat.  But Gus has to prove that he is willing to go back to his roots and run a real tempo O for it to be effective.  And he needs  get away from this pseudo, meercat HUNH O.

This X 1,000. My issue with our use of the Wildcat recently has been that it has been a specialized substitution package instead of one where the QB takes one defender out wide and the team uses the hurry up to keep the defense off guard. Using it just for the sake of using it is a mistake, IMHO.

[McLoofus 35,182]

43 minutes ago, Tiger said:

Question regarding a hypothetical scenario:
 

When a team runs the wildcat the team usually puts the QB out wide. What is stopping a defensive player from just obliterating the QB when he attempts to block once the ball is snapped? I imagine that would make teams think twice about going to the wildcat without substituting the QB out which would diminish the element of surprise of running the wildcat in the first place.

Lol is this a weird question?

I think that could qualify as defensive holding if the offensive player doesn't engage the defender first, but I'm not sure.

Also, just pulled this one randomly, but look how far out the QB is split. He is close enough to the sideline that he could just run out of bounds if he thought it necessary; however, that is taking a defender completely out of the play. In the video, the defender cheats out just enough to ensure that the QB isn't a receiving option, but not so much that he can't get to the ball carrier if it comes to his side. 
 

 

[McLoofus 35,182]

19 minutes ago, Rednilla said:

This X 1,000. My issue with our use of the Wildcat recently has been that it has been a specialized substitution package instead of one where the QB takes one defender out wide and the team uses the hurry up to keep the defense off guard. Using it just for the sake of using it is a mistake, IMHO.

I believe Gus's rationale was that KJ was the smartest and most dependable player with the ball in his hands the last 2 seasons. If you look at the way he used him as a true freshman in 2015, it's obvious that he trusted him immediately. Conversely, if you look at how he treated Sean in the red zone, it was obvious that he had no trust in him.

And, again, KJ scored 10 touchdowns last year with the play.

I'm not saying that it was always or even usually deployed in the most intelligent manner, but there were very good reasons to use even an augmented/limited version of it a lot of the time.