I'm kinda tooting our own horn here but the GS offensive transition has been one of the under-discussed story lines of the season in the Sun Belt.

I can confidently say I speak for the majority of our fans that we're ready to move on from the option era, and TBH the timing is probably good. The new blocking rules make the old offense a challenge and the choices of head coaches have really thinned out. A lot of our fans wanted Brian Bohannon after we got rid of Chad Lunsford and now the guy is 6-5 in his first season outside the Big South and I wouldn't be surprised if Kennesaw decides he's not the guy they want leading them into the CUSA.

As wild as it might seem, we probably made the best choices as far as offensive coaches that we could. One season into the Clay Helton era, and we lead the conference in total offense, 10+ yard plays, second in rushing average, and we have the highest-rated offense in the Sun Belt in the SP+ and our highest-rated one ever. You can't take much for granted in this new Sun Belt East logjam but I feel confident we'll compete as well as anyone else.

Edited - LoL MUther

I didn't think Helton would get the offense turned around so quickly. Not sure if the transfer portal allowed for a faster turnaround. Looking forward to developing (re-developing?) a rivalry with you all moving forward and avenging this year's loss!

(11-29-2022 11:34 AM)AssyrianDuke Wrote:  I didn't think Helton would get the offense turned around so quickly. Not sure if the transfer portal allowed for a faster turnaround. Looking forward to developing (re-developing?) a rivalry with you all moving forward and avenging this year's loss!

If it wasn't for Kyle Vantrese we have 2 wins at the most. He was without a doubt the biggest difference maker.

We have Houston's second-leading receiver from last season who was important in helping us win over App but we have 3 other receivers at least as good as him that were all brought in by Lunsford.

Pretty much everyone else on the offense of importance was brought here by Chad Lunsford.

(11-29-2022 11:34 AM)AssyrianDuke Wrote:  I didn't think Helton would get the offense turned around so quickly. Not sure if the transfer portal allowed for a faster turnaround. Looking forward to developing (re-developing?) a rivalry with you all moving forward and avenging this year's loss!

Your program hired the right HC. I know there were many questions about his approach at the beginning of the season, but the proof was in the product on the field. GaSo is back, and the future under Helton is very bright.

The key was a QB really.

The offense we ran the last few years wasn't fundamentally different than the one we're running now. It just leaned heavier into option concepts and too much IZ running based on those concepts which defenses have really adjusted to in recent years. If we could have recruited and developed talent under Lunsford appropriately as well as gotten a QB that was worth a **** passing the ball, we would have likely won more games because our defense was very good our offense was just falling off a cliff.

It was not surprising to me at all that we were able to pickup this offense the way we did.

(11-29-2022 11:31 AM)EigenEagle Wrote:  and the choices of head have really thinned out

I don't see how that's relevant but that sucks for you guys.

Well, JMU had a great defense and you just flat outscored us, so I can't argue.

(11-29-2022 11:57 AM)MUther Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 11:31 AM)EigenEagle Wrote:  and the choices of head have really thinned out

I don't see how that's relevant but that sucks for you guys.

Well he prefaced his post by saying he was tooting their own horn.

(11-29-2022 12:03 PM)Dukes94 Wrote:  Well, JMU had a great defense and you just flat outscored us, so I can't argue.

Yep. One 3rd down stop in the 4th quarter and JMU wins, and holds onto its ranking for a least a week longer. Just couldn’t do it. GoSo (and the jinx of Paulson) saw to that.

Unless Helton hires a new DC, 6-6, 7-5 is the new reality. It's Hatcher 2.0. I'd absolutely love for Helton to prove me wrong.

I knew GS would be back but was surprised and impressed how much they were improved already from a 3-9/2-6 team last year. I picked them to finish last in the East and honestly felt pretty confident in that pick. Really looking forward to seeing how they do next year.

(11-29-2022 12:24 PM)stingingeagle Wrote:  Unless Helton hires a new DC, 6-6, 7-5 is the new reality. It's Hatcher 2.0. I'd absolutely love for Helton to prove me wrong.

I’d be more optimistic about GoSo’s D. Helton has to recruit well, and it’s too early to see how that turns out.

(11-29-2022 01:07 PM)Longhorn Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 12:24 PM)stingingeagle Wrote:  Unless Helton hires a new DC, 6-6, 7-5 is the new reality. It's Hatcher 2.0. I'd absolutely love for Helton to prove me wrong.

I’d be more optimistic about GoSo’s D. Helton has to recruit well, and it’s too early to see how that turns out.

Seriously though....GoSo?

(11-29-2022 01:20 PM)The Demoralizer Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 01:07 PM)Longhorn Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 12:24 PM)stingingeagle Wrote:  Unless Helton hires a new DC, 6-6, 7-5 is the new reality. It's Hatcher 2.0. I'd absolutely love for Helton to prove me wrong.

I’d be more optimistic about GoSo’s D. Helton has to recruit well, and it’s too early to see how that turns out.

Seriously though....GoSo?

Typo.

(11-29-2022 01:07 PM)Longhorn Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 12:24 PM)stingingeagle Wrote:  Unless Helton hires a new DC, 6-6, 7-5 is the new reality. It's Hatcher 2.0. I'd absolutely love for Helton to prove me wrong.

I’d be more optimistic about GoSo’s D. Helton has to recruit well, and it’s too early to see how that turns out.

I'm very relieved about that too. Easier to fix.

Now if we can hold on to our OC for this year's coaching carousel extravaganza..

Having a seasoned offensive-minded head coach bring on another seasoned OC who he already had a close working relationship with was the combination that helped us move forward on the offense very rapidly. We had the OL and the RB’s already and we were able to shuffle around talent to WR and TE. Then the transfer portal dropped a 6th year vet QB on our doorstep and I think Eagle fans knew it was going to come together sooner than later.

Contrast that with our new DC who was a first time DC and a young talent on the rise at Washington. Some coaches are better at coming in and being successful with other coaches’ recruits and others need more time to transition and bring their own players in. Also Coach Harris’s experience in the pass happy PAC-12 did not translate very well to the Sun Belt East where 5 of the 7 teams like to jam the ball down your throat with the run game. I see them recruiting the defense hard this off season and I’m hoping for marked improvement next season or he gone. I don’t think GS fans need to be calling for his head quite yet though.

I missed the offensive output when we played, but I’ll take your word for it.

(11-29-2022 02:16 PM)banker Wrote:  I missed the offensive output when we played, but I’ll take your word for it.

Dude, my feelings!

Just saw Zach Kittley is a candidate for the USC Gamecocks OC gig. Makes me a little nervous about our version of him..

(11-29-2022 11:34 AM)AssyrianDuke Wrote:  I didn't think Helton would get the offense turned around so quickly. Not sure if the transfer portal allowed for a faster turnaround. Looking forward to developing (re-developing?) a rivalry with you all moving forward and avenging this year's loss!

I think of it more that we've been in a GT style offense than a true triple option. If Helton had to take us from true Flexbone to what we have today, it would have been...rough. We've technically been in transition now for what...9 years? This is also the reason I think that GT also won't have a terrible time transitioning. Because they aren't true flex anymore, they have receivers to toss it around...maybe not the best...but enough to start).

(11-29-2022 01:20 PM)The Demoralizer Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 01:07 PM)Longhorn Wrote:  

(11-29-2022 12:24 PM)stingingeagle Wrote:  Unless Helton hires a new DC, 6-6, 7-5 is the new reality. It's Hatcher 2.0. I'd absolutely love for Helton to prove me wrong.

I’d be more optimistic about GoSo’s D. Helton has to recruit well, and it’s too early to see how that turns out.

Seriously though....GoSo?

At least it wasn't Soso which would be more accurate.