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Team Chemistry

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In the comment section yesterday, I mentioned how team chemistry seems off. In a pre-season interview, GA said team chemistry was good “for the most part” or something very similar to that. I can’t find the video. But it implied there’s at least a faction unhappy about something.

In this interview, Nall calls Luton “this guy” instead of “Jake”, and Luton turns away. Just an odd exchange.

Meanwhile, McMaryion went 6/7 last night with two long TD passes in relief. When I mentioned the chemistry problems on Twitter, he liked my post: https://twitter.com/angrybeavs/status/904405854929031168

That is basically an endorsement that the statement is correct.

Never played much organized football, but on the baseball field I never saw a coach lose respect faster than when he picked the wrong player for the job. Even if you think Luton was the right call, making McM the #2 was the move. By making him #3 I think he lost a lot of players mentally. McM was the ultimate team player, got better with experience, and bonded/won an emotional Civil War with the guys. If you’re not rewarded for merit and performance then how can you respect the coach and want to lay your body on the line for him? I think there’s some of that going on. It was in the Beavs’ body language both games. They beat PSU because players wanted individual stats for personal reasons, and we have better athletes, not because we played as a team.

112 COMMENTS

  1. This is an interesting take. As there are 80+ young men involved it wouldn’t surprise me if there were issues in this area. I’ve always maintained that most of life is chemistry; both technically and philosophically. What may be a little hard to tease out of the data is the cause and effect. Not playing well can effect team chemistry as much as the reverse.

    I will throw out two pieces of information that a conspiracy theorist would possibly regard as evidence in support of your case and others as normalcy.

    (1) During the pregame on the radio (I’m pretty sure this is where i heard it) either Ron Callan or Jim WIlson said that when GA went into a team meeting to announce a offensive package with Garretson as QB, he reiterated several times that Luton was the “starter.” This could be seen as GA using his bully-pulpit to make his players toe the line and trying to squash dissent.

    (2) In the interview with Lindsey, Jake made the excellent comment about leadership having to be earned and not assumed. This could imply an acknowledgement of not having control of the ship and that he needs to make plays on Saturday to get his teammates on board.

    I honestly don’t think I believe any of this at the moment and I’d rather be proven right. But, who knows? I certainly don’t.

  2. Does anyone else think Nall looks a little off this year? He’s doing way more dancing and much less lowering the shoulder into the defender.

    It doesn’t take the whole team being frustrated to affect the team’s performance. Just certain guys. How about the WR’a that spent their free time in the offseason working out with MM?

    • I think it’s the nature of the hand-offs. Both the QB and RB stand there at the mesh point for about 2 seconds. He has to start his carry from a standing start about 2 yards from the LOS. He’s a big guy and would be better taking the hand-off on a run from the pistol.

      • That’s the hallmark of read option, except we don’t really run a read option because Luton doesn’t run. I’m not sure why they are delaying those runs, maybe waiting on a pulling olinemen or trying to out think the LBs? Either way it’s terrible and the hands offs need quicker so the RBs can get down hill faster.

        • Read option with a Pro style QB who can’t really run (he’s elusive for his size but can’t run). This after GA wanted a guy to beat teams with mind, legs, arm. Well, now it’s just arm?
          This is the problem. He changes his tune or silences it (haven’t heard that legs, arm, mind thing since Luton took over).

          • It almost seems like GA forgot about all of his “QB run game” comments from the previous seasons and then it dawned on him that the spread offense is at a disadvantage if the defense knows the QB can’t or won’t run, so now we have the Garrettson package.

            Also, there were a couple of Luton’s handoffs to Nall where I was stunned at how how long the exchange took. Against good P-12 teams there will be two guys dragging Luton down as he’s trying to hand off the ball!

          • That’s why Tyner hasn’t really done anything. They either run a sweep with him, or that delayed square dancing handoff. In both games the longer runs were off quick handoff. Same with most of the bigger runs in the CW. I just don’t understand why they don’t see that.

  3. Coaching is the problem. Players are not developing. It’s a shame the university didn’t fully commit to FB under MR as we are now seeing the results of another staff in Corvallis. In 2 years will be looking at a new HC…

    • A school only commits to a sport as much as the head coach gets out and makes boosters commit to it. In fact, Mike Riley presented such a malaise that plans to finish the stadium were sidelined and never revisited.

      I would argue that hiring Mike Riley when DE ditched OSU was the school not committing to football in itself. Any other coach would have been out pressing the flesh and cutting ribbons and what not.

  4. Individual stats? Like what? Personal reasons? Like not getting beat by a fcs school? Who played as an individual to win the game? Because that guy needs an award. The mere fact that one guy could overcome terrible counter productive play calling all by himself is astounding, kudos to that guy.

  5. Something seems amiss but I’m not convinced it is the QB choice. Would that impact the defense too? Rewatching the PSU game the defense looks good at times and then will have a series with blown coverages and players out of position leaving open run lanes. They also seem to lack emotion and energy. It makes me wonder if the chemistry issues are with the defensive coaches. During the broadcast it was said that Clune was moved to the upstairs coaches box for this game.

    In my opinion both sides of the ball look sluggish. Not getting off the ball, playing at a slow pace, and with little energy. Watching the Oregon game it was a night and day difference in pace of play and energy. It was said somewhere that running the ball and run stopping are all about attitude. They appear to lack that attitude on both sides of the ball.

    McMaryion’s numbers came against Incarnate Word, never heard of that college, in a game Fresno St won 66-0. The starter also put up good numbers and the 3rd stringer also had a TD pass thrown. I’m not convinced coaches made the wrong decision with Luton. There was a similar situation in 2011 when Mannion replaced the incumbent Katz and the team struggled to a 3-9 record. But with the more glaring issues on defense I’m not convinced the QB choice is the reason for a chemistry issue. The issue seems larger than this decision.

    • the 3rd stringer also had a TD pass thrown

      That was the RB on a trick play.

      But yes, there is something wrong with attitude all around, agree there. Is it all the reckless personnel decisions and coaching changes? No clue. But I’m sure O and D players mingle and talk yada yada and they might just not like what’s going on.

      What’s your take on Nall calling Luton “This guy”? Luton bites his lip and looks away. It didn’t seem like a warm exchange to me. I’d expect Nall to call the QB by his first name, not “this guy.”

      Someone reported Nall was very unhappy with GA for the lack of touches game 1 because scouts were there to see him. That’s one example of individual play coming ahead of team play. Wouldn’t expect that from Nall, but I get why he’s disappointed. Probably wants to get out of there and go pro.

      • It was an odd exchange but hard to say. I hadn’t considered the running back group being an issue but with Tyner and the TCU transfer there may be something there. Combine that with a JC QB taking over and maybe there is devisiveness between the players that have been around and the new guys taking away their touches or playing time.

        In that interview Nall talks about getting into game shape plus Elu Aydon was too out of shape to start camp. Do we know how many guys stuck around over the summer and how much work they put in? I thought we had hard ass coaches that wouldn’t allow conditioning to be an issue but the product on the field looks sluggish. I hate to make the Oregon comparison again but that team had way more energy last night against a Big Sky team than the Beavs showed against a Big Sky team.

    • This sounds like the right take to me. Both coordinators appear inept. That seems like it would definitely breed chemistry or motivation issues. Coupled with lack of talent at keys spots (DL, QB), the issues seem pretty severe.

  6. I have been really excited about the big changes week to week so far. Played with a lot more heart and killer instinct yesterday.

  7. It’s all a very complicated ploy by Coach Andersen. He’ll release the brute in the Beavers once PAC12 play starts. Look, it’s kind of like Kennedy and Vietnam. Kennedy sucked North Vietnam into a long and costly war, oops wrong analogy. Well anyway we all love JFK, right?

  8. I think it comes down to GA playing favorites even among his own recruits all under the guise of “competition”. But the team isn’t drinking the juice anymore. Guys see the team’s strengths and weakneases, then see the gameplan that works against those strengths, as well as personnel decisions that may be merely petty or stubborn rather than an honest evaluation.
    Grass in Berkeley looks greener right out of the gate. I thought GA was a differe-maker, but he is a cliche machine with Utah roots that sounded so good for a while after the “Aw shucks” act

    • “a cliche machine with Utah roots that sounded so good for a while after the “Aw shucks” act”
      Three good points in less than a full sentence, well done!

    • That’s how I’m starting to feel. The Baldwin thing never sat well. Promoting McGiven seemed like nepotism and/or desperation/recklessness that I see over and over now from GA. Benching McM forever b/c he threw one INT early in his career made no sense. De-valuing game managing shows how clueless he is with QBs. Starting a pro style QB makes no sense. Starting Seth made no sense since he couldn’t hit a barn door, and GA said a QB must win games with the arm. Every year the QB style changes. Every year the offense changes. Now we’re like some BeavRaid/run and shoot crap hybrid. On D we go from a 4-3 to a 3-4, even though we have thin linebackers, and it’s a harder scheme to master (and to stop the run with, which is probably part of the reason we’re getting gouged). The players are getting thrown under the bus for this, but it was a horrible coaching decision. Probably the reason Garcia left, too.

      6 QBs (including two on the field last week for different plays)
      3 OCs (including two at one time) + gary crowton
      2 DCs (3 if you count GA helping)
      2 WR coaches

      All this at just the start of year 3. As a player I’d be exhausted.
      Completely clueless and reckless coaching. Riverboat gambler mindset. No wonder he loves Luton “the Gunslinger”. I don’t think any of these guys understand risk/management, etc. No QB has a chance unless they force the ball into double coverage under the guise of “WRs have to make plays on 50/50 balls”. Give me a break.

      I can’t stand the recklessness more than anything. He went from a man who appeared to have a plan when hired to a desperate, pathetic, reckless lunatic all because things weren’t going his way in year 1 (which in year 1 was partially Riley’s fault and partially his own decisions).

  9. Gary Andersen’s decision to start (blank) at quarterback over a previous starter who commanded respect in the locker room has led to troubles with team chemistry. Star running back (blank) has hinted at sentiment that the junior college transfer did not earn the job. The decision most likely played a part in the decision by (blank), the previous starter, to transfer.

    Fill in the blanks with Jake Luton, Ryan Nall, and Marcus McMaryion. Or Tanner McEvoy, Melvin Gordon, and Joel Stave. I’m cheating a bit in that Stave didn’t actually transfer, but it was an open secret that he was going to, or was at the very least strongly considering doing so, until Andersen left.

    If Andersen cannot learn from past mistakes, that is concerning.

    • That’s what I’m sensing. Do you have a source or some type of inside knowledge or are you using gut instinct and reading their body language, etc?

      • I’m curious why anybody is throwing Nall in this (other then an innocuous discription of Luton)? If you remember back during fall camp Nall was on a portland sport show gushing about Luton, while not make any comments about MCM. Then the commentator tweeted about how in no uncertain terms he thought Nall was stating that Luton had got the job. Now all of a sudden Nall has contempt for Luton.

    • Stave actually out played McEvoy in fall camp and to the surprise of everyone McEvoy was named the starter. Supposedly Gordon spoke up at halftime of the LSU game lobbying for Stave to play. Gordon got three carries the second half and CBNF blaimed it on a hip flexer strain.

      In short BNF messed with the culture and legacy that Alvarez created. Barry pulled the reins on BNF and he looked for an out. A rumor at the time when Andersen left, was that some how Barry orchestrated the Riley to Nebraska, Andersen to OSU and Chryst to Wisconsin scenario.

    • I just watched the interview and also don’t see much significance to Nall referring to Luton as “this guy”. I believe I’ve seen other similar cases with other players. I also don’t attach significance to Luton looking away a few seconds after Nall spoke. I did, OTOH, notice Nall nodding in agreement to several of Luton’s comments.

      What I did find significant is how Luton went out of his way to praise the play calling of McGiven. Can you spell brown nose?

      I’m not at all saying there is no problem with team chemistry, these two games indicate (to me) that there is a serious problem. In fact, I think there are TWO chemistry problems one related to the way the offense has been managed, (the distribution of playing time for RB.s, the QB situation and how there seems to be no consistent plan over GA’s tenure); the second being the lack of a vocal leader on defense.

      (Not so) FUN FACTs:
      -Points given up because of TO’s: PSU 14, CSU 20-27?
      -Defense is averaging 35 minutes on the field through these two games.

  10. I think this might be a reach also…”They beat PSU because players wanted individual stats for personal reasons, and we have better athletes, not because we played as a team.”

    I think many of the players were out there (like in combat) playing for each other. Would better leadership have helped? Sure (also like in combat).

  11. I don’t know what it is, but it’s going to cost GA his job in a year and a half if he doesn’t figure it out. They were dominated at the line of scrimmage by a FCS team from start to finish. PSU was the better team yesterday. My thought is that last years senior class was small, but full of good players who were also leaders. Guys like DeCoud and Harlow. Nobody has replaced them.

    • Maybe Brennan. Maybe Troy Taylor, depending on how he does the next couple of seasons as OC at Utah. Baldwin seems like a solid choice. Frankly, look at some of UO’s current assistants. Cristobal is likely going to want to move up, and seems excellent. Leavitt will probably want another crack (not sure if he is just holding out for KSU).

  12. A couple of PSUs big runs happened when Brandon Arnold vacated the area and chased a play fake way across the field when he needed to be the guy to make the tackle. Another big run came after Jalen Moore kept dropping back into coverage after the handoff occurred. Jalen made the tackle but it was 12 yds downfield instead of at the LOS. After the game Dwayne Williams talked about DBs needing to get better in run support. David Morris was better vs the run than Arnold, and Andersen said something about Morris is earning himself more PT. Wouldn’t be surprised if Morris takes over as starter at FS, if he hasn’t already. In run situations need to drop the nickel, assuming that’s now Arnold, and get Kesi Ah Hoy on the field. PSUs coach said Beavs D was fast, faster than BYU. Manase said they need to respect their opponent better. Overconfidence looks like it’s been a distraction in both games. That won’t be a problem vs Minnesota, Andersen talks about them with legit respect unlike last 2 weeks. Our D, humbled, can make big improvements with some small changes.

  13. Anyone know what the run/pass ratio was against PSU? Was better than CSU and produced less turnovers which is critcal. Seemed about 50/50 to 52/48 run pass but am curious as to the actual numbers?

      • Definitely better than the 33-34% run we only got vs CSU. Beavers may not have deserved it but did come out on top. Falling in a better range increases the odds of ending up in the right side of the win column from things like less sacks, less turnovers and higher odds of more time of possession. Doesn’t always feel like it but it often only takes a few little things to make the difference of Win or Loss.

        Our D is going to make that very hard in Pac-12 play so I agree with Dwight Jaynes that ball control and time of possession will give OSU its best chance at a few more wins this year.

      • that’s definitely a better ratio than vs. CSU but the play calling, tempo, etc. was as bad as CSU. I actually believe that with Seth back and a more effective deployment of Tyner OSU can average 40 points per game from here on out.

        • Beavs won’t get 40 per game here on out or very close to that. Good luck against Stanford, UW, USC and Utah to even get to 30. They could easily average 25 or less against these teams and my guess is won’t score 40 against any of them. If you can’t score it against PSU at home then very unlikely to happen against upper half of Pac-12.

          Tyner also so far has shown very little and Seth is most likely going to be a contributor but not have much different numbers than receivers like Villamin or Hodgins. Hopefully he breaks loose on 5 or 6 slants, etc for some nice plays this year for 1st downs but I don’t see him scoring more than 6 TDs this year.

          Pierce and Johnson have looked more worthy of extra careues rhan Tyner. Pierce averaged 8 yards a carry against PSU and Johnson 6. Our running game numbers could improve a fair amount if these 2 got a few more carries each. I’d give Tyner a couple more but also see if you can throw him a couple screens which could free him up in space.

          Nall wants his carries too and these and most of the teams runs have to be quick bursts that go north-south. Do all this and Beavs will probably be atleast 55% run/pass ratio which is good. Control some clock and open up the passing by establishing a committment to the ground attack first. Pierce had a string average against CSU too so is plenty capable to platooon with Nall and Johnson can be effective as well. All 3 are able to drag guys for 3-5 yards on most runs with enough bulk to do it and start to wear down defenses.

          Then you throw in the intermediate routes Luton can hit with enough regularity and you have a respectable offense. But the defense needs rest and we are more likely to win with 34 points and a key turnover so offense needs a few long steady drives for TDs in any game we want to have a chance to win.

  14. Here is what I see. The defense is the biggest problem right now. PSU ran the ball down our throats. I saw people out of position and what looks like a step slow. I don’t think our offensive line is creating holes, but they are protecting the pass rush. Luton has been just ok, not hitting his long throws but can make all the throws. I don’t know how the team chemistry is because I don’t get any insight from being out side of the team, but rarely have I ever seen a team playing poorly but have great chemistry.

    As far as Angry’s assessment, I think he had lost all credibility on the issue. He is so far down the path that 3M was the only answer and since GA went the other way the season is lost and GA is garbage. At the end of the day GA may be garbage but not for choosing Luton. It is bad science to come up with a hypothesis and make a tie to everything as proof the hypothesis was correct. There has been a trend of this, as it was the same analysis during baseball season.

    I really appreciate this site for the diversity of thought, but I almost have to skip over Angry’s posts because not only does every post show how he has to be right but then whoever disagrees is either butt hurt or some other personal insult. It is straight out of the liberal’s playbook for how to “win” an argument.

    • You can disagree with me all you want, but Thompson melted down in the clutch, McM turned out to be the starter (which I called when he was 3 deep) and will likely start for Fresno soon, and Luton is exactly what he was in JC. If being right loses credibility with you, then that’s a you problem. I’m not going to apologize for spotting the obvious and harping on it when others don’t.

      • I don’t always disagree with your points. Where you lose credibility is with your argument logic. Just like above where you say Thompson melted in the clutch, he played in many big spots during the season but you were “right ” because he had a bad game during the CWS. I live 2000 miles away now from Corvallis and rarely get to see them in person, I cannot legitimately tell you the psyche of the team. You take two words from a 21 yeast old’s press conference and draw the conclusion that Luton is a cancer to the team and all would be right in the world if GA would have chosen 3M as the starter. I don’t know if you are right or wrong on Luton vs 3M, what I do know is the arguments that you keep using to prove your opinion are flimsy at best and that is why I say you have lost credibility. You saying that the CSU game all being a Luton problem when clearly that Loss was on the D, showed again that you have an angle on every opinion to prove your original point of view at the expense of what is happening on the field.

        Wannabeav below that is making direct observations during the game, great insight and the real reason I keep coming back to the site.

        • Never said Luton is a cancer.

          As mentioned, GA said there’s a small faction with team chemistry issues, so the question is why, not if it’s true. Media never asked the follow up questions.

          Thompson had a career year, but I never had faith in him.

  15. here’s my take on Angry’s proposition. I was at both games and my seats at Reser are right behind the OSU bench. I’m always scanning that sideline between the (interminable number) of timeouts to see what’s going on. Two people who DON’T have a chemistry problem are Luton and Garretson. Luton doesn’ have a chemistry problem with Villamin, either. In fact, when he drops back Luton looks for him too often. (By the way, that 7 catch game of his in FOCO is misleading. The one pass he really needed to catch to keep a drive going he ran the wrong route.) I think Hodgins and Luton have good chemistry and it’s in their mutual self interest to keep it that way. Look for Hodgins to get more and more looks. I don’t have a take on Nall/Luton, but I’ll keep an eye on it next Saturday.

    With all that said, I want to step back and take a view of things from a few thousand feet higher, so to speak. I’ve learned that you always have to pay serious attention to Angry’s take, even when your natural inclination is not to. Indeed, I think this site is about to enter its most important phase. Picking apart Riley was like shooting fish in a barrel, and with a 1 or 2 win season (though I think it will be more than that) GA will become easy pickings too.

    in light on Angry’s post and two games played, I want to clarify my pre-season positioning on the QB situation. I went on record in favor of Luton because the rumor/opinion that he was a better thrower than McM and Garretson, following Seth, Nick Mitchell, Blount and whoever else has been thrown in there the last three seasons. Plus we heard (the more expert film reviewers among us, saw) that he was “mobile.” What I never factored is that Luton would NEVER run from a scheme where the QB keeper is THE essential element. (see Mariota.) If I had know that, I might have “voted” to stay with McMaryon, because all we’ve done is trade out one limitation for another: we have a better armed QB and a more accurate one (except on the long bombs, TBD) but the running game has taken a hit. Opposing Defenses can go all in on defending against Nall, Art, Tyner, et al, because they now know Luton is not going to run the keeper. THAT is why the running game is not as effective as the last 8 games of last year. Either Garretson or McM (late) were a real threat to tuck and run. Oddly enough, GA has figured this out which is why, intermittently, we see Garretson out there. And we will continue to do so, and it’s probably to be welcomed.

    • Which again points to, what the hell is their offense? The first game and talk during the offseason pointed to AirBeav. Now, they are backing away from that.

        • I sort of wonder if you can have too many talented running backs? If you take Johnson as a graduate transfer why do you need Tyner or visa versa? I guess you have to consider injuries, but I thought from the get go that there were not going to be enough carries to go around. Especially now with a QB who can supposedly run an improved passing offense. Just seems schizophrenic to me, which I would think leads to chemistry issues over time.

      • “all we’ve done is trade out one limitation for another”……EXACTLY
        Instead of a “read-option” what we see from Luton is a “read-handoff” and thus the slow to develop running plays. The “read” part is taking time for no reason, combined with beginning in a shotgun formation and the OL simply isn’t talented enough to keep any holes open long enough.

        Why the staff cannot see this is a mystery. Forget the option, it isn’t putting any question into the minds of the opposing D. Go under center and use a two back set, power I, wing, wishbone, whatever, just get the RB’s moving sooner and let the fact that there are two of them put questions in the mind of the opposing D.

        I remember Jim Wilson expecting 20% two back sets, have we seen any at all?
        Of course, someone here did claim that two back sets were a relic of the 80’s and tended to clutter up the field. Maybe McGiven is more worried about clutter than having a solid running game?

    • GA said during one of the pre-season/Fall scrimmage videos that most of the team chemistry was good but there was a faction that wasn’t. Nobody asked him to elaborate. GA said it, so this isn’t really a “theory” or anything. It’s just a matter of what the issue is.

  16. Don’t look now but the Beavs have won 3 out the last 4 games.

    At least UCLA has joined the Beavs as the only 2 Pac12 teams with a loss. Beavs aren’t in last place anymore.

    I think the Beavs can actually win on Saturday. But I am very cautiously optimistic. Minny has a qb question as well and bad secondary. The issue for CSU and PSU was both had fairly balanced offense. Perhaps Beavs catch a break and Minny can’t pass worth beans, Beavs can forego the nickel, play man and stop the run. Cautiously hopeful.

    I don’t want to bail on GA yet, but some of the on-field results make it tough to hang in there with him. Perhaps there is just a lot of additional youth playing on the defensive side, but that doesn’t explain the D-line.

  17. Maybe the last 2 games and team chemistry issues were all just a Nike marketing ploy to help bring together the whole “11 Strong” slogan when they unveil the new uniforms this weekend and destroy Minnesota.

  18. Let’s get over Marcus McThridString wining the Civil War for us. He went 13/20 with only 101 yards of passing. If anyone won the game for us it was Ryan Nall and the shitty Oregon secondary.

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