Thoughts regarding Trent and the "O"

[ColdBlueNorth]

Just some of my thoughts that may have already been addressed by others that sat through that terrible offensive performance.

 

 

Trent has been consistently late on the short out throws, inaccurate on many of his deep throws, does not read the middle well, and when given an embarrassing amount of time to find an open man - he either throws it away or checks down.

 

He isn't the only problem on this team, but he is certainly not acting like the cure for our QB woes.

 

The line did play poorly yesterday, and Trent never did find a rythm. That, and Hangartner kept hiking the ball at Trent's laces. Perhaps that is the biggest problem - the O-line. We have to expect growing pains there, you cannot start that many rookies and not expect a learning curve. All that being said, Trent does have some noticeable bad habits.

 

Even when Trent does have time his tendancies are already well-documented and defensive coaches are picking up on them. He cannot hit the quick outs with any consistency (they play their DBs off by 10 yards with impunity). Receivers like Lee Evans and Terrell should be able to drive a DB playing off them deep and when he turns exploit the sideline route. That should be automatic until the DB move up and are forced to play honest.

 

He does not see the middle of the field (they roll the safeties over the top and drop their linebackers just enough to cover his coveted shallow routes). The middle of the field has to be open.

 

If they feel that they can exploit our young offensive line and that Trent will just hurl prayers and rainbows downfield, Owens and Lee will see more single-coverage with safeties and corners blitzing off the edge. Also we will face many more stunts and twists. Heck, if I was a defensive coach I would do it until Trent can prove he can actually hit his hot reads or intermediate routes. It's a gamble that you make that you will get to Trent before he gets set to throw. With the inexperience on our line I would take that bet any day.

 

It's all about reaction time and Trent has not shown that he can quickly read a defense and get the ball where it needs to be when the receiver makes his break - it is always a second or 2 off. The receiving yards are there for the taking folks we need a QB that can take them.

 

If I was AVP it would be a whole lot of Edwards film time where he can see all the yards he left on the field, and then a whole week of hitting quick timing outs, hot reads, and intermediate TE plays where Trent has to hit the receiver when the receiver makes his break. That is all I would focus on, while the O-Line coach goes over the back to school program with the rooks on the line. And shotgun snapping 101 for Geoff Hangartner.

 

The other thing I would throw in is some designed rollouts for Trent with Evans or Terrell coming across the field to the side of the bootleg. Pittsburg runs that a lot when DBs are playing way off the receivers and Ward has made a living on that route. That would also force defensive coordinators to stunt less and keep D-Linemen at home if they have to be concerned with containing the outside bootleg plays.

 

A lot of these issues are correctable, but Trent may just not have what it takes - the jury is still out, but AVP has to know whether Trent can do the job or not by now - he was the QB coach before taking on the OC role.

 

Just my thoughts... and I didn't say a freaking thing about the play of Bryd and not a single nuance about cutting any rookies after they have only put in a few games.