Offensive Coordinator Walt Bell
Opening Statement:
"Last week, starting with Michigan, hats off to those guys. They were really good on defense. Coach Brown does a great job with those guys. They present plenty of issues. Especially when you are where we are on the depth chart right now at the quarterback position, they can really create some issues. One of the things that I was proud of- in the face of some adversity that those guys of Michigan presented to us, especially with them zeroing us out and playing low, and knowing the issues we had at the position as well- but how well we ran the football. I thought our guys up front, in the run game especially- the one sack we took was more quarterback error than anything else. To only give up a sack, to run the ball as effectively as we did in the face of them knowing that we really can't push the ball around very much, I thought those kids did a really nice job. Turnover down in the red area really hurts. That was kind of a- with the way the scoreboard was, even though you are where you are at the quarterback position, you're third and goal and trying to bring some life in your team and taking a shot there to actually push the ball forward as opposed to running the ball, playing safe and kicking a field goal in that position. Took a shot there, didn't do a great job taking care of the football and putting the football where it belongs, but that's to be expected when you are where we are. I thought we did a much better job in the second half. The kids came out in the second half and played a good half of football. Hopefully, we can continue that on into this week.
Michigan State, they are who they are. Coach Dantonio- all of those guys, that program, the staff they have on defense, they're simple, they're sound, they tackle, they don't beat themselves. I think that's the biggest thing, especially when you're managing the game. That's what you see those guys do best is they don't beat themselves. The difference between last year and this year is they're back to being great tacklers. It's easy to create space when you play a defense the style of that- you're going to end up one on one in a five yard box and when a year ago they struggled to get some of those guys on the ground and make plays, I think they're back to tackling the way that they have in the past, whether it be a Rose Bowl year or a Cotton Bowl year. Those guys are doing a great job tackling. Another great challenge for us. They're good upfront. Again, from a scheme stand point they're incredibly sound. I think they're better in the back end and a little bit more seasoned. I think they're better in the back end this year than they were a year ago. Whether it just be technically or whatever the case may be, they're doing a nice job against the throw game as well. Hopefully, we'll have Max [Bortenschlager] back this week. He's been practicing some periods, so hopefully we'll have him back this week. Again, that'll probably be a decision right up there until game time. If we get him back, hopefully we'll be able to be a little bit more of a complete package than we were a week ago. Moving forward, at the end of the day we've got to find a way. We've got to find a way, we've got to make a way, whether we have to trick them, we have to run them every play, whatever it takes. We have to find a way to put our offense out there that can keep us in the football game. It'll be a great challenge. Allegedly it's going to be cold and rainy and all those other things. Hopefully that'll work in our favor and we can lean on the run game a little bit and give ourselves a chance to be competitive."
On if there has been more of an inclination to lean more on the run game:
"As long as I'm employed, that'll always be the plan. We're a run first football team and that's what we do. Now, where we are right now as an offense, they know that we're going to run the ball as well, so it's a little bit harder to be explosive. You all hear me talk about hats everywhere- especially last week, when you look in there and you get zeroed out the majority of the game. There's going to be extra hats in there and I think there's two challenges. Number one is how can you create an explosive run game when they all know that you have to run the football. Number two, the other challenge as a play caller is just the patience. Not that there's problems with that but it's a little bit different than what you're accustomed to. Just the patience of the game in itself. I think that's one of the things that's different for me personally. Again, hopefully we can- I feel like we've got a great plan. I'm sure the elements will aid in the fact that- especially if it's going to be 20-25 miles an hour winds as they're saying. Hopefully the elements will induce both sides of the football, because they're throwing it really well right now- will induce an ugly, grinded out game.
On if being a run first team, and other teams knowing that, makes it harder for a kid like RB Ty Johnson to have as many explosive runs as opposed to a year ago:
"It makes it harder. When people know that- it makes it harder two fold. Number one, just in general, it makes it harder to run the football when people know that's what you have to do to beat them. Number two, it makes the throw game harder, and I think that goes back to where we are at the quarterback position. Again, when they know that the quarterback can hurt you, you're going to get a lot softer, more zone eyes so people can keep eyes on the quarterback. With a quarterback that can't hurt you with his feet, or at least he's not a threat to, people are going to walk down and screw those guys down and play a lot more man. That makes everything harder. Now you're having to make contested throws for people around people. It kind of hurts you both ways. I think the biggest indicator isn't necessarily Ty's explosive runs, but you go a year ago, just looking at yards per carry. Granted, because we've played a longer, extended period of time, a little bit deeper down the depth chart at quarterback then we did a year ago- I think we had Perry for five and a half or six games last year. It makes it all hard. But you know what, that's football. Football is hard to win. It's hard to be good. We have to go find a way in whatever that may be."
On if you think because Ty has made so many big runs that defenses prepare for that more:
"I wouldn't say just Ty. As explosive as our run game has been- and we're still third or fourth in the league in rushing right now. We're still running the ball effectively, but we're not running it as explosive. I think that is a credit to not only Ty, but Lorenzo Harrison and Jake Funk and the job those guys have done a year ago and up through this point. Again, where you are in the depth chart at the quarterback position, people know what they've got to stop. I don't think that's a big secret."
On how he measures risk/reward with trick plays:
"Number one in football, there's a misconception, every plays a risk. You can run inside zone and get zero. There's risk involved in every play. As with all things, you're trying to minimize risk in everything that you do. You know there are places- whether it be your defense is playing well, whether it be positive field position, whether it be running the ball really effectively- as a play caller or coordinator that give you an opportunity to go take some risks or take a little bit more risks. The two tricks that we had, we kind of knew where they would be. Typically, when you're getting manned in a bunch of cover one and cover zero, typically nobody has the quarterback and so on both of those plays, we pretty much knew that we would have a chance to get free there. We hit one of them, we didn't hit the other. The one that we didn't hit is probably going to mean even more than the one that we did hit. You have to execute. For me, ball plays are ball plays. I know some people may consider them trick plays, but if they gain one yard they were worth it."
Opening Statement:
"Last week, starting with Michigan, hats off to those guys. They were really good on defense. Coach Brown does a great job with those guys. They present plenty of issues. Especially when you are where we are on the depth chart right now at the quarterback position, they can really create some issues. One of the things that I was proud of- in the face of some adversity that those guys of Michigan presented to us, especially with them zeroing us out and playing low, and knowing the issues we had at the position as well- but how well we ran the football. I thought our guys up front, in the run game especially- the one sack we took was more quarterback error than anything else. To only give up a sack, to run the ball as effectively as we did in the face of them knowing that we really can't push the ball around very much, I thought those kids did a really nice job. Turnover down in the red area really hurts. That was kind of a- with the way the scoreboard was, even though you are where you are at the quarterback position, you're third and goal and trying to bring some life in your team and taking a shot there to actually push the ball forward as opposed to running the ball, playing safe and kicking a field goal in that position. Took a shot there, didn't do a great job taking care of the football and putting the football where it belongs, but that's to be expected when you are where we are. I thought we did a much better job in the second half. The kids came out in the second half and played a good half of football. Hopefully, we can continue that on into this week.
Michigan State, they are who they are. Coach Dantonio- all of those guys, that program, the staff they have on defense, they're simple, they're sound, they tackle, they don't beat themselves. I think that's the biggest thing, especially when you're managing the game. That's what you see those guys do best is they don't beat themselves. The difference between last year and this year is they're back to being great tacklers. It's easy to create space when you play a defense the style of that- you're going to end up one on one in a five yard box and when a year ago they struggled to get some of those guys on the ground and make plays, I think they're back to tackling the way that they have in the past, whether it be a Rose Bowl year or a Cotton Bowl year. Those guys are doing a great job tackling. Another great challenge for us. They're good upfront. Again, from a scheme stand point they're incredibly sound. I think they're better in the back end and a little bit more seasoned. I think they're better in the back end this year than they were a year ago. Whether it just be technically or whatever the case may be, they're doing a nice job against the throw game as well. Hopefully, we'll have Max [Bortenschlager] back this week. He's been practicing some periods, so hopefully we'll have him back this week. Again, that'll probably be a decision right up there until game time. If we get him back, hopefully we'll be able to be a little bit more of a complete package than we were a week ago. Moving forward, at the end of the day we've got to find a way. We've got to find a way, we've got to make a way, whether we have to trick them, we have to run them every play, whatever it takes. We have to find a way to put our offense out there that can keep us in the football game. It'll be a great challenge. Allegedly it's going to be cold and rainy and all those other things. Hopefully that'll work in our favor and we can lean on the run game a little bit and give ourselves a chance to be competitive."
On if there has been more of an inclination to lean more on the run game:
"As long as I'm employed, that'll always be the plan. We're a run first football team and that's what we do. Now, where we are right now as an offense, they know that we're going to run the ball as well, so it's a little bit harder to be explosive. You all hear me talk about hats everywhere- especially last week, when you look in there and you get zeroed out the majority of the game. There's going to be extra hats in there and I think there's two challenges. Number one is how can you create an explosive run game when they all know that you have to run the football. Number two, the other challenge as a play caller is just the patience. Not that there's problems with that but it's a little bit different than what you're accustomed to. Just the patience of the game in itself. I think that's one of the things that's different for me personally. Again, hopefully we can- I feel like we've got a great plan. I'm sure the elements will aid in the fact that- especially if it's going to be 20-25 miles an hour winds as they're saying. Hopefully the elements will induce both sides of the football, because they're throwing it really well right now- will induce an ugly, grinded out game.
On if being a run first team, and other teams knowing that, makes it harder for a kid like RB Ty Johnson to have as many explosive runs as opposed to a year ago:
"It makes it harder. When people know that- it makes it harder two fold. Number one, just in general, it makes it harder to run the football when people know that's what you have to do to beat them. Number two, it makes the throw game harder, and I think that goes back to where we are at the quarterback position. Again, when they know that the quarterback can hurt you, you're going to get a lot softer, more zone eyes so people can keep eyes on the quarterback. With a quarterback that can't hurt you with his feet, or at least he's not a threat to, people are going to walk down and screw those guys down and play a lot more man. That makes everything harder. Now you're having to make contested throws for people around people. It kind of hurts you both ways. I think the biggest indicator isn't necessarily Ty's explosive runs, but you go a year ago, just looking at yards per carry. Granted, because we've played a longer, extended period of time, a little bit deeper down the depth chart at quarterback then we did a year ago- I think we had Perry for five and a half or six games last year. It makes it all hard. But you know what, that's football. Football is hard to win. It's hard to be good. We have to go find a way in whatever that may be."
On if you think because Ty has made so many big runs that defenses prepare for that more:
"I wouldn't say just Ty. As explosive as our run game has been- and we're still third or fourth in the league in rushing right now. We're still running the ball effectively, but we're not running it as explosive. I think that is a credit to not only Ty, but Lorenzo Harrison and Jake Funk and the job those guys have done a year ago and up through this point. Again, where you are in the depth chart at the quarterback position, people know what they've got to stop. I don't think that's a big secret."
On how he measures risk/reward with trick plays:
"Number one in football, there's a misconception, every plays a risk. You can run inside zone and get zero. There's risk involved in every play. As with all things, you're trying to minimize risk in everything that you do. You know there are places- whether it be your defense is playing well, whether it be positive field position, whether it be running the ball really effectively- as a play caller or coordinator that give you an opportunity to go take some risks or take a little bit more risks. The two tricks that we had, we kind of knew where they would be. Typically, when you're getting manned in a bunch of cover one and cover zero, typically nobody has the quarterback and so on both of those plays, we pretty much knew that we would have a chance to get free there. We hit one of them, we didn't hit the other. The one that we didn't hit is probably going to mean even more than the one that we did hit. You have to execute. For me, ball plays are ball plays. I know some people may consider them trick plays, but if they gain one yard they were worth it."
