March 23, 2021 · 7:00 AM

The manball torch has been passed?

I hope that somebody loves you the way Mike Bobo loves him some fullback.

Shades of Smart-esque “impose your will”.

35 Comments

Filed under Auburn's Cast of Thousands, Strategery And Mechanics

35 responses to “The manball torch has been passed?”

  1. barneydawg
    March 23, 2021 at 7:25 AM

    Mike seems a lot like me. Time has passed both of us by, but at least I will admit it.

    Liked by 6 people

  2. practicaldawg
    March 23, 2021 at 7:28 AM

    If anyone can carry on Gus’s tradition of not scoring a TD on UGA after the first quarter in Athens, it sounds like it’s Bobo

    Liked by 3 people

  3. Hey berto (@Heyberto)
    March 23, 2021 at 7:34 AM

    So why didn’t Kirby hire Mike? ….(Checks notes from media narrative) Oh that’s right.. he’s stubbornly adhering to old offensive doctrines and won’t win a national title despite having great talent..

    Liked by 1 person

  4. mddawg
    March 23, 2021 at 7:37 AM

    I thought Bobo was a pretty good OC.

    Liked by 2 people

  5. Down Island Way
    March 23, 2021 at 7:53 AM

    Don’t fall for all this “get under center and run power” happy talk, it’s just a disguise boys…agent bobo is going vertical with that bo nix fella’….

    Liked by 4 people

  6. classiccitycanine
    March 23, 2021 at 8:32 AM

    Well at least Bobo has the good sense to use a fullback in that system–unlike Kirby.

    Liked by 2 people

    • otto1980
      March 23, 2021 at 10:05 AM

      Bingo, I am not Bobo fan but I have been frustrated with UGA’s lone back sets. The time might be right for the I formation to make a comeback, Ds are built lighter and faster to cover spread concepts.

      Like

      • Corch Irvin Meyers, Former Jags Corch (2024)
        March 23, 2021 at 10:15 AM

        For as much as people talk about being multiple on offense and using 3 or more WR sets, you can actually do so much more from a play calling perspective from the I-Formation using 21 personnel (2 RBs, 1 TE, 2 WRs).

        You can run so many different plays and the defense will never be able to key on run or pass. You can start base-I and then switch to shotgun, switch the offset-I, switch to the pro-style wing-T, split your TE into the slot, move your RB into the slot.

        Think about how great the Falcons offense was in 2016. That was a base I-formation offense. There were games that season where Shanahan never took them out of the I but for a few plays, and never ran the same play twice.

        The I-formation is the most versatile formation in football, but you need a REAL fullback to make it work. Not a TE who has no real idea how to be a lead blocker. Kirby is a smart football man, but his thoughts about fullbacks are dumb.

        Liked by 2 people

      • classiccitycanine
        March 23, 2021 at 1:47 PM

        I don’t think it’s time for manball to come back, but I think if you’re going to run manball you need a fullback. We had one in 2017–the best Jim Chaney offense while he was here.

        Like

        • Corch Irvin Meyers, Former Jags Corch (2024)
          March 23, 2021 at 2:04 PM

          Demanding your team run a manball offense from the shotgun, without a fullback, in three WR sets is the height of stupidity and arrogance.

          Like

  7. Texas Dawg
    March 23, 2021 at 8:50 AM

    I still think that there’s a place for that mentality in today’s game. Nothing frustrates me more than to have 4th and inches and the QB’s lined up 5 yards deep. You need need to have a power package with a QB under center, a full back (or someone playing one) and a deep back to get those short yardage 4th downs that we seem to struggle with. It should not be the focus of the offense, but it needs to be in the toolbox when you need it.

    Liked by 8 people

  8. Corch Irvin Meyers, Former Jags Corch (2024)
    March 23, 2021 at 8:53 AM

    No, because Kirby didn’t want to use a fullback and wouldn’t recruit them. Kirby wanted to impose his will and run into stacked boxes from shotgun formations without the benefit of a lead blocker.

    While I hate his ridiculous assertion that Auburn is the best college town, at least Bobo knows what personnel you need to make manball work if that’s what they’re gonna do.

    It’s no secret that the best version of that offense at Georgia was in 2017, the last year we had a true fullback.

    Liked by 1 person

    • eethomaswfnc
      March 23, 2021 at 9:07 AM

      I would have to go back and look at it, but we didn’t run a bunch of I-formation power in 2017.

      Practically, no high schools are using fullbacks now other than in goal line or short yardage … even then, it’s typically a tight end, linebacker or lineman in that role.

      Like

      • Corch Irvin Meyers, Former Jags Corch (2024)
        March 23, 2021 at 9:17 AM

        That was the last year where we ran any real i-formation at all. We did some in 2018 and 2019, but that was more goal to go situations.

        In 2017 we still had Christian Payne, a real FB, not a TE who doesn’t know the first thing about lead blocking. About reading the holes and knowing where his RB will be going and taking on a LB to spring his back into the third level.

        There are still plenty of high schools that run the option that use blocking (and running fullbacks). At the end of the day, if you’re going to be a manball offense you need a lead blocker. Running from the shotgun without a fullback will never be as effective.

        Liked by 2 people

        • otto1980
          March 23, 2021 at 10:11 AM

          Auburn has had success recruiting H backs which I believe would make good FBs. In an age of being multiple from a personnel package being critical, the grouping could be very successful. If the D goes with a heavier line up go into shotgun with an H back, lighter go I formation

          Liked by 2 people

          • junkyardawg41
            March 23, 2021 at 11:13 AM

            I don’t think this can be underlined enough. Auburn always has had H-back/FB type players under Gus. And they have been effective against us…. wheel route anyone? Gus’s problem is he never managed his RB room very well.

            Like

        • 79dawg
          March 23, 2021 at 12:18 PM

          Ding, ding, ding – although we seem to be moving away from The Manball (TM), one of the main lessons of trying to do was that its damn hard to do it effectively unless you have a fullback providing lead blocking support. That Kirby never learned this is incredibly frustrating…
          I always thought Bobo would be his most dangerous (to us) if he came back to somewhere like SCar or Tenn or Auburn or one of the Mississippi schools – obviously there were systemic issues last year, but if he has 2 or 3 years at Auburn, he could really make them a threat. The intense dislike/hatred for him by so many here (and elsewhere) is completely unfounded, IMO.

          Liked by 1 person

          • Texas Dawg
            March 23, 2021 at 2:32 PM

            Manball without a lead blocker is like a race car with street tires. Looks good, but there is a missing piece that will not let it reach it potential performance level.

            Like

  9. Got Cowdog
    March 23, 2021 at 9:12 AM

    Oh lord I just had a flashback. I think I’ve got the vapors…
    I’m a little woozy but 1st and goal on the 4… Gurley in an I…Wait, wut? Mason to Hicks? Intentional grounding? WTF Bobo!!!! OMFG!!! WTFWT?! OMFG. WAFDA. Bleep. Just Bleeping Bleep,
    (From the other room): ‘Honey, are you ok?”
    Phone rings, it’s Got Sr. No greeting just: “DID YOU EFF”N SEE THAT. WTF WAS THAT IDIOT THINKING… HAS THE BEST RUNNING BACK IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND GETS A CASE OF THE EFF”N CUTES”
    PTSD, Georgia Fan style…

    Liked by 3 people

  10. Granthams Replacement
    March 23, 2021 at 9:34 AM

    Carlton Thomas is well aware of bobo letting them know he’s in the ballpark

    Liked by 3 people

  11. W Cobb Dawg
    March 23, 2021 at 9:37 AM

    I can actually visualize CMB calling that power run when Kiffin’s up by 40 points.

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Dawg Vegas
    March 23, 2021 at 2:23 PM

    One of things that used to bug me about Jim Donnan was his reluctance to ever try the “impose your will” approach. He would often talk about taking what the defense gives you, and I would mentally respond with expletives.

    I have changed my mind about that over the years, and though I think there are times when imposing your will is a sound strategy, being able to take advantage of what the defense is giving is vital. Recognition of that vulnerability is important, but actually being versatile enough to execute is the key imo.

    Liked by 1 person