All Wrong About Spurrier

[Skin-E-Dip]

I am sooo tired of hearing all these so called experts talk about how Spurrier now has discovered the runand thats why they are winning. Spurrier tried to run last year but because we had a shakey quarterback situation and no wide recievers who could stretch the field, defenses stacked the line to stop our only threat - Stephen Davis. Thats the only reason why Spurrier was working so hard to establish the passing game. So now that teams respect our passing game Spurrier can have success running.

But all these experts seem to be saying Spurrier was a pass happy idiot who has now listened to their wisdom and seen the light. discovered the run I wish they all would shut up

[camasterton]

Here, here naked boy! Spurrier takes more flack than he deserves. Especially about the "super running team"
we supposedly had last year, that he destroyed.

[JoeDaSchmoe]

Well, let's be clear here. Spurrier called more passes than he should have last year. Sometimes the run was working and he went pass-happy anyway. But you're very right in saying teams could key in on our run. They could put at least eight in the box because we just weren't a threat passing the ball.

[Skins57]

I think the Jax game was his biggest screw up, we could have had a much better chance but he wanted to pitch and catch oin his old stompin grounds and it failed badly

[Death_Venom]

Spurrier learned ALOT last year (as the 2 wins thus far have shown).

1-You cant always pass the ball.
2-You need a reliable QB so that we can pass more effectively(which we now have).
3-Running the ball helps to ESTABLISH the passing game-FACT.
4-Defenses are much QUICKER in the NFL than in college football.

Now lets see how all this information equates into REAL games.....

[PennSkinsFan]

Of coruse he learned and most do when they come to the NFL. The ones that don't learn, don't stay

[hail2skins]

I think learned alot but I also think he has the type of runners he wanted too. The think I like is his management of the game.

['E']

He has better personell is the only difference between this year and last.

I think alot of you guys get caught up in the passing aspect of Spurrier's offense. He has always been a coach to do what it takes to win. He would run the ball plenty at UF to win games when he needed to.

I remember games when Ericct Rhett was there where he ran the ball 40 plus times a game on more than one occaison.

Spurrier is a smart coach and will do what it takes to win.

Contrary to what most think on this board and to my demise last year, I will revisit once more........

He had Stephen Davis and did give him a chance to run the ball and it appeared Davis failed to make the most of his opportunities while in the backfield. It seemed he was either laying the ball on the ground or running tentatively when given the chance to run it. Spurrier is not one to stick by a guy who he does not believe can get the job done and I think it was clear that was indeed the case with Davis.

I know there are plenty Davis supporters who will disagree with me and that is fine, but the bottom line is the same.....he didn't produce when given the chance.

I think this is a different season because we now have some of the personell neccesary to run the offense more effectively.

It will continue to get better until we have all the pieces in place.

[Patrick]

While at Florida, Spurrier's offensives ALWAYS put up big numbers AND numbers like that are usually interpreted as passing. That's NOT always the case but for the most part that’s the way it comes across. It was noted in an article lately the Spurrier often passes for the lead and runs to maintain it (while at Flordia). I believe that's exactly how he'd like his Pro Offense to operate too. But being football smart as he is - TheOldBallCoach has resided himself to the fact - Go with what is working that day!!!!. Now is that stupid - I DON'T THINK SO!

[fever1972]

I don't think it's so much about how much he runs, I thought the problem last year was his play calling. It was very predictable. He would go out and try to run for a first down 3 plays in a row then when that didn't work he would go out on the next series and throw it 3 times. I think what he has learned is that it is the balance of run versus pass during a series not the game.

[PennSkinsFan]

True. Spurrier though has learned a valuable lesson, straight from his mouth. yes he ran in Florida, yes has passed like crazy, btu even he admitted, at Florida is was much easier to come out and pass immediately, to set up the run. He said himself, that in the NFL, comign out and passing to set up the run is not really plausible.

[IowaSkinsFan]

Spurrier will never catch any slack. After he gets our team into the playoffs this year, it will be that he didn't do it 'his' way, by throwing all over the place, that he had committ to some sort of a running game.

For those critics I would like to remind them of one thing. Stephen Davis was injured in several games last year. If you add his yards to those of his replacement, Kenny Watson, our "Starting" running backs had over 1300 yards last year. That's a good season for any running back. If anything, I think the passing game will obviously be more successful this year and we will have fewer overall yards from our "number 1" back. So in a weird way, Spurrier is getting more accolades for a running game this year that will in all likelyhood not be as successful "numbers wise" as it was last year.