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Let the offense be the offense.
By bret on September 30, 2001
I started to title this post, "Let Reagan be Reagan" but I wanted you to know that it was about football, not politics. However, to put it into perspective I have to briefly turn to politics.
In 1980, Ronald Reagan became "the Great Communicator." Specifically, he handled his debates with Jimmy Carter far better than anybody expected. ("Well, there you go again." And, "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?") In 1984 his political advisors were afraid that he might not be so fortunate against Walter Mondale. He was four yeard older. He might no be so quick on his feet. What worked last time just wouldn't work this time. He was coached, scripted, and grilled on every possible scenario. In the first debate with Mondale he looked tentative, old, tired, and out of touch. It was a debacle. (Not unlike 41-9.) After the debates, many people started saying, "Let Reagan be Reagan." In the second debate, he appeared much more at ease. He seemed to talk to the people, not to Mondale. In short, he looked like Reagan.
Now, fast forward to 2001. After all the graduations, the powers that be (the "political advisors" in this analogy would be the coaching staff) decided that what had worked since 1992 just wouldn't work anymore. The offense couldn't be the same. Defenses were catching up with it. It was too inexperienced. You needed at least a redshirt junior to run it, not a redshirt freshman.
So, for three games, the "handlers" scripted and grilled the offense. Run the ball. Establish the running game. No adlibbing. Everything planned. No shooting from the hip. Everything scripted. Conservative. No chances. Don't win the game, offense - just don't lose it. Caution was the watchword.
Then after the debacle (similar to Reagan's first debate with Mondale) the "political advisors" decided it was time to let the offense be the offense.
We changed our offensive philosophy. We said we are going to forget (about) an inexperienced quarterback, we are going to go out there and call plays. That's about what we done. We probably tried to overprotect our quarterback. Bobby Bowden
Instead of establishing the running game and then throwing, let's try to throw. Then if we establish it and run off of it. Bobby Bowden
Translated, all Bobby was saying was, "Let Reagan be Reagan. Dadgummit, we've been pretty darn good spreading the field and finding the open man. Why did we ever change? We ain't gonna be no smash mouth runnin' club. We can run - AFTER we pass. Dadgummit! How could I have been so stupid. We're FSU. We're gonna run the FSU offense."
And, one more quote by Bobby. Somebody needs to make a nice wall plaque of this and make sure Bobby hangs it on his wall, so we won't have to go through this again in a couple of years.
But it seems like everytime we get a new quarterback, I make them change. That's ol fashion I guess. If I can live through another one, I won't do it time. Bobby Bowden
Bobby, I agree. Let the offense be the offense. It might not be good enough, but we've seen the alternative, and we know it ain't good enough. It worked for Reagan in 1984. Maybe, just maybe, it can work again.
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