Topic: Marshall Football Statistically Speaking

[banker]

What he's saying is Cato did not run the ball at all his first two years and only sparingly in year 3. His senior year he ran a lot more, mainly in the redzone.

The earlier post nailed it.  Legg is a great OC when he has an all world QB.  Without one he is well below average.

[MarshallGrad]

Cato was special, uncanny at reading a D, and audible on his own to the right read.

Cato was absolutely terrible at running the read option for the better part of his career.

It seems like he could not be both of these. So which was it.

[svherd]

I've posted this before, but still looking for a good explanation.  In 2012 and 2013 we ran as many, or more, plays than anyone in the country.  We had two speeds, fast and faster. I understand that put a lot of strain on our defense, so we slowed it down some in 2014. I also understand why we went even slower in 2015 with a freshman QB.  2016 isn't worth discussing, but this year we go even slower than 2015, rarely, if ever, vary the pace, and consistently snap the ball with 5 seconds on the play clock.

So now the question, why the radical change in offensive style over a relatively short time period?

When you look at FAU this year they are doing exactly what we did in 2012 and 2013.

Could it be that our QB is limited in his capacity to absorb our offense? That's why we've kept it pretty basic and steady? Don't know.

[MUther]

It seems like he could not be both of these. So which was it.

It was both.  He was the master of turning a broken-ass play into something magical.  And he was also a master of hitting his relief valves when where he wanted to go wasn't there.  By doing what he did in spite of Legg and not because of it he fits both statements.

[Herdfan73]

It was both.  He was the master of turning a broken-ass play into something magical.  And he was also a master of hitting his relief valves when where he wanted to go wasn't there.  By doing what he did in spite of Legg and not because of it he fits both statements.

The first 2.5 years or so Cato was not a good runner. He never pulled the ball on read option, and was very awkward in open field.

When I say read option, I'm referring to the actual running play, nothing to do with the QBs ability to command the offense as a whole.

Apollos statement of "We don't have a qb who can run the read option," implied that our offense is less effective under Litton because he can't run the read option. I disagree with that notion because Cato's sophomore year he was garbage at the read option yet we still finished top ten in the nation in points scored. Our problem is something else.

[MUther]

The first 2.5 years or so Cato was not a good runner. He never pulled the ball on read option, and was very awkward in open field.

When I say read option, I'm referring to the actual running play, nothing to do with the QBs ability to command the offense as a whole.

Apollos statement of "We don't have a qb who can run the read option," implied that our offense is less effective under Litton because he can't run the read option. I disagree with that notion because Cato's sophomore year he was garbage at the read option yet we still finished top ten in the nation in points scored. Our problem is something else.

And Apollo will tell you that we didn't run Legg's offense with Cato. We ran Cato's.  Litton is trying to conform to Legg's read option and has trouble because he doesn't really have an option, though it seems to be getting better.  Cato just did what he had to to advance the ball, regardless of the play called.  From day one there was no play called that encompassed most of Cato's creativity.  He manufactured it on the fly.  So you're right when you say Cato didn't run the read option well, but it's not the same because he wasn't trying to.  Litton is.