EJ says this offense is easier than Florida State's ...

[The Big Cat]

When the starting quarterback and two of the top three receivers are rookies, why would you want a complicated offense? /thread

[KeisterHollow]

I assume - perhaps with Luck as the exception - that the recent success of these 1st and 2nd year QB's is due to a "simplified" offense. Seattle's coach was recently quoted as saying they starting out with a limited playbook for Wilson, and opened things up as he proved he was capable to execute more. Nevertheless, when a team has as many rookies as we do, and young players in general, asking them to OVERTHINK - as has been mentioned by the Bills staff already - only slows them down. Simplifying and playing fast limits the amount these youngsters will have to process and second-guess, and will allow them to go out and use their physical talents and "just play ball!". So, I'm not going to think anything negative at all about this until they show they can't compete - and I don't expect that to happen.

 

And - one thing that really bothered me about Gailey's offense was the alleged complexity of it. Gailey pigeon-holed himself with an offense that necessitated a really heady QB.

 

Take the tools you have and give them all an offense they can perform at a high level in. Thats what we need, and hopefull that is what we'll see.

[Doc]

I've heard this take around here several times and have yet to see an article or hear a sound bite from the actual parties involved that corroborates this. Do you have anything more than "hearsay" that backs this up?

 

Furthermore, why would EJ be worrying about convincing anyone besides the Bills' coaching staff of anything? He doesn't have to sell himself -- he was drafted in the first round.

Nix talked about how when they first evaluated EJ, they thought he was what they saw on film: a half-field read kind of QB. When they talked to him, he told them that was how he was coached. They tested him on more complex offensive schemes and he passed. Then they talked with Jimbo Fisher, who corroborated that he told EJ to just read half the field. I believe the article was the day after he was drafted.

[mrags]

Is it possible he was just referencing the terminology, and how to call different sets, rather than an indictment on how few plays the new offensive system has? Step back from the ledge people.

ill go along with this. People need to get a grip. He could be referencing many different things about this offense.

 

It's The BS like this that make say... WTF am I doing here so much?

[eball]

Nix talked about how when they first evaluated EJ, they thought he was what they saw on film: a half-field read kind of QB. When they talked to him, he told them that was how he was coached. They tested him on more complex offensive schemes and he passed. Then they talked with Jimbo Fisher, who corroborated that he told EJ to just read half the field. I believe the article was the day after he was drafted.

 

Thanks!

[Jeebus]

We all know we're switching to a faster up tempo offense... To execute with the speed they're looking for you can't have an overly complex play book. We've got weapons on offense and my impression is they're going to play their game and try to stop us if you can mentality... I'm really curious to see how this QB competition is going to work out... I can see EJ starting week 1 if things are the way they're letting on

[NoSaint]

 

 

Had the OP taken the time to search, he would have discovered that the subject matter was already introduced and discussed 15 hours prior to the creation of this thread. So your suggestion is that I along with other interested parties in the subject matter delete our posts in lieu of the later thread?

 

That makes a lot of sense. This is the exact reason why we have the unnecessary clutter of multiple discussions of the same subject matter on TSW.

 

while i agree that search is criminally underused here, i also think you are knee jerking the other way trying to get everything into one thread. just because EJ gave the quote doesnt mean that im running to the EJ thread to discuss it. Theres a balance to be had, and i think this is the type of comment that is worth its own spot.

 

 

Nix talked about how when they first evaluated EJ, they thought he was what they saw on film: a half-field read kind of QB. When they talked to him, he told them that was how he was coached. They tested him on more complex offensive schemes and he passed. Then they talked with Jimbo Fisher, who corroborated that he told EJ to just read half the field. I believe the article was the day after he was drafted.

 

i will also say i saw and heard the same things from them, but im not going back to search them out either. probably in the 39 pages of EJ talk somewhere.

[Luxy312]

I think we as fans all need to have a frame of reference here as well. When he first learned the offense at Florida State, he was a much younger man coming out of playing high school football. The difference between high school and college is greater than it ever has been in terms of complexity and difficulty. There's a lot more college programs these days running the equivalent of a pro level play book. I look at it like this. When I went to college to get my 4 year degree, it was very challenging. I had it easy in high school, but it wasn't that way in college. Nowadays, I'm taking graduate level classes just for the heck of it and it's not hard at all. Maybe this young man has just grown up a lot more than some coming out of college. He certainly sounds like it in interviews. I'm very interested in the QB competition and can't wait to see this kid play.

[yungmack]

Another way to look at Manuel's comment is that FSU's offense was overly complex, a la Gailey's.

[Max997]

You made a very definitive statement about what EJ was "asked to do" in the FSU offense -- I've not seen anything that confirms this. You also said FSU's offense is very basic, which other posters have disputed. I don't know the answers myself, but it's helpful when these opinions are backed up with some actual, you know, facts.

 

did you watch EJ with Gruden? if not maybe you should

 

there was also a lot of talk about how quickly EJ picked up the offense at the senoir bowl which impressed a lot of people including the Bills considering what was asked of him at FSU...Marrone even talked about this in his interviews with ESPN day after round 1 of the draft

 

i dont have time to search the net but cant imagine its hard to find especially when Marrone himself has talked about it

[NoSaint]

Another way to look at Manuel's comment is that FSU's offense was overly complex, a la Gailey's.

 

from everything we have heard about it, thats likely not true.

[mattsox]

Wasn't the K Gun based off of a half dozen plays or something? As others have mentioned, its a matter of execution by the players.

 

If you're great at something, and have the right personnel playing the roles, you have the power to dictate tempo and the play against the opposing Defense. It's all a matter of how fast the players get in a groove and make it look easy...

Edited May 20, 2013 by mattsox

[K-9]

I find this hard to believe considering EJ was only asked to read one side of the field on any given play at Florida St

 

Ive also heard / read many times the system there is pretty basic and tends to hold players back from their full potential

 

I think this is more EJ trying to convince people he wont have a problem picking up an NFL system since that was one of the concerns on him coming out

 

First it was Geno, now EJ that was asked to read only one side of the field. I don't know what pinhead talking dork came up with that one, but it's total bullschit. No coach that I've ever heard of would deliberately handcuff his QB and the rest of his offense by taking half the field away. Talk about making it easy on a defense!

 

GO BILLS!!!

[K D]

if it's really that simple then there is no reason for EJ not to start week 1. sounds like only thing holding him back will be his footwork and decision making

[ajzepp]

Another way to look at Manuel's comment is that FSU's offense was overly complex, a la Gailey's.

 

I work with a huge FSU fan, and he said that FSU's qB coach is not very well regarded and that Jimbo Fisher's offense is not very user friendly, so to speak.

 

Also, I think it's important to note that EJ isn't saying he's got the offense down...he's saying that it's "easier to pick up". Some people seem to be misinterpreting his comments.

[NoSaint]

if it's really that simple then there is no reason for EJ not to start week 1. sounds like only thing holding him back will be his footwork and decision making

 

we really dont have any idea how simple it is.... frankly, as several mentioned, we dont know what hes even referring to 100% yet

[26CornerBlitz]

while i agree that search is criminally underused here, i also think you are knee jerking the other way trying to get everything into one thread. just because EJ gave the quote doesnt mean that im running to the EJ thread to discuss it. Theres a balance to be had, and i think this is the type of comment that is worth its own spot.

 

Knee Jerking would have been if the discussion wasn't already taking place. We'll just have to disagree on this one. All good form here.

[NoSaint]

 

 

Knee Jerking would have been if the discussion wasn't already taking place. We'll just have to disagree on this one. All good form here.

 

definitely understand, and no harm meant. i get frustrated on both sides. sometimes its tiring seeing 35 threads on the same thing, other times its brutal trying to find a specific actual conversation with merges and such. in my head i chalk this one up to new material, and not a tack on to the EJ thread in the first place, but im no expert or authority on it. both ways understandable.

[26CornerBlitz]

definitely understand, and no harm meant. i get frustrated on both sides. sometimes its tiring seeing 35 threads on the same thing, other times its brutal trying to find a specific actual conversation with merges and such. in my head i chalk this one up to new material, and not a tack on to the EJ thread in the first place, but im no expert or authority on it. both ways understandable.

 

I debated starting a new thread yesterday, but in the end I decided to keep it with the original EJ thread. Either way, I'll let the mods use their discretion. That's why they get the Big Bucks!

Edited May 20, 2013 by 26CornerBlitz

[yungmack]

Isn't the key phrase "easier to learn" the thing to focus on? He isn't saying "It's simple enough an imbecile can run it." In high school I had a terrible time learning algebra. Then a neighbor who was an engineer sat me down & showed me a clearer way of approaching the concepts & suddenly I got it & algebra became "easy." Same subject, two different approaches to learning it, one difficult and one easier. That may be precisely what EJ is going through.