Markus Howell should be made offensive coordinator. Free Press Article by Gary Lawless

Mike O?Shea should have done this Saturday night. Or Sunday morning if he really felt the need to see the film. But he won?t, which casts a light on both a strength and a weakness of this young head coach.

Bombers offensive coordinator Marcel Bellefeuille and quarterbacks coach Gene Dahlquist need to be demoted. Markus Howell should be made offensive coordinator and Buck Pierce named quarterbacks coach.

O?Shea has stuck his nose into the areas of defence and specials teams of late and they?ve improved. Offence isn?t his forte, however, so it?s difficult to imagine him having a meaningful impact in terms of new ideas.

No, the easiest fix here is to give Howell and Pierce more power and influence.

Winnipeg?s offence is missing a lot of things ? mostly a quarterback which likely won?t be fixed until Drew Willy gets healthy. But the offence is also outmatched in scheme and play-calling.

Last in total yardage, last in points (145), last in points per game average (16.1), last in passing yardage and seventh in rush yardage. Undoubtedly the worst offence in the CFL.

Howell and Pierce would represent an upgrade over Bellefeuille and Dahlquist. Howell is smart and now experienced. Pierce not long ago was a quarterback in this league. He knows what other teams have been doing. They have ideas and deserve a chance to try and implement them. It can?t get worse, right?

O?Shea, like the rest of us, has a few blind spots. A second-year head coach, he likes to hire people to do their jobs and give them the opportunity to succeed. He?s loyal. But loyalty has to come in the form of what?s best for the team and organization and not just the individual.

O?Shea hasn?t earned the gravitas to lean on his way of thinking and to not re-consider some of his positions. That comes with years of experience and a proven formula.

We saw this play out last season when he stuck with defensive coordinator Gary Etcheverry when his scheme was proven porous. O?Shea waited until almost Christmas before firing the veteran coach.

As a young coach, O?Shea has wanted to surround himself with seasoned assistants. In theory, it?s a good idea. But it didn?t work with Etcheverry and it?s not working with Bellefeuille.

This offence isn?t effective. The Bombers haven?t proven capable of running or passing the ball. Some of it is personnel, but it?s also the game plan.

The coach has to see what the rest of us are watching and that?s an offence trying to operate with a playbook well past its prime.

All across the CFL, young and creative minds are doing wonders with their team?s offence. Winnipeg is not one of those places. With a little shuffling of the chess pieces that could change.

Never was it more evident than Saturday night with Calgary Stampeders offensive coordinator Dave Dickenson using multiple looks and formations to get the ball into the hands of his play-makers.

The Bombers? Who knows what they drew up because quarterback Robert Marve certainly didn?t execute it. That?s on the quarterback one might argue, but the coordinator has to recognize what his players can or cannot handle. Marve wasn?t put into a position to succeed.

Calgary is ahead of the curve and forward thinking. Not Winnipeg. Not right now.

Coaching can only go so far. The right personnel has to be in place for success to be achieved. But Winnipeg?s offensive roster is better than what we?ve seen this season.

Willy is a smart and effective quarterback but even under his hands this offence was predictable in scheme and inconsistent in results.

Changing the coach is far too often just a quick reflex suggestion. More often, a team?s failure is a result of poor execution and a lack of talent.

Nine games into this season and the Bombers remain in the playoff picture. The defence is coming into form and special teams were a strength in Saturday?s loss to the Stamps.

The offence, however, couldn?t stay on the field and eventually the defence gave out.

There?s still some life in this season. But it?ll be quickly extinguished if the offence can?t begin to chip in. Right now it?s the weak link, sapping energy from the rest of the team.

Talking to players around the league and in Winnipeg, O?Shea is gaining a reputation as a coach players want to work for. He?s a players coach but he also runs a tight operation. That will go a long way for a coach with the right personnel and coaching staff.

Just like the roster still needs tweaking, so does the staff.

Bellefeuille has had his opportunity to straighten this out. It hasn?t happened. Time to give someone else a chance.

Howell has earned an opportunity.

So be loyal, Coach O?Shea. Put the needs of the many ahead of the few.

Give change a chance.

 

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @garylawless

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/football/bombers/Say-bye-bye-to-Bellefeuille-and-make-Markus-the-man-323512751.html#st_refDomain=t.co&st_refQuery=/sbnwwzk2pQ
 

When I saw the title I thought... Oh well...

 

 

 

 

 

You're arguing the extreme of the other position and using the exception to prove the rule. Outside of the pass and run to Marshall vs Toronto, Marve has 3 passes over 10 yards in the last two games, with his longest being 19. You're right, he should be allowed to make mistakes sometimes and occasionally throw into double coverage, but he should also sometimes show he can throw a deep ball (20+ yards) and so far he hasn't. Like 17to85 said, he needs to show that soon.

Actually, I'm arguing that Marve looks like an inexperienced QB, he's not getting much/any help from his OC and fans expectations are way too high.

Marve isn't going to throw a deep ball unless it's called for him by the OC and it's his first read. There have been very few of them called in the 2 games that Marve has started. It could be that the OC doesn't think he can complete them or that the O line can't give him protection, but it's more likely that's just that's the way MB's offense works.

There's no way for you to know what the reads are in any given play. That's a junk argument.

In other posts you are slamming MB for shoehorning Marve into an offense built for Willy, an offense that was among the league leaders in long passing plays. Which is it?

 

If the long ball isn't the first read, Marve isn't going to take it. Willy's a better QB and a pocket passer who gets to his 2nd maybe even 3rd read. That's the idea, not that I know what the reads are on any given play. 

 

 

Here's exactly what you typed, indicating your knowledge of the playcalls and what Marve's first read is: "Marve isn't going to throw a deep ball unless it's called for him by the OC and it's his first read. There have been very few of them called in the 2 games that Marve has started."  

 

FYI, the deepest receiver in a route is almost always the first read because of the time it takes to set to make that throw and get the ball there, even if that receiver is running a clearing route.  If the defense is giving a free deep ball away, a QB will always take it.  Marve was likely progressing through his reads,  he certainly had a good amount of time on the majority of the passing plays, just too spooked to make a tough throw.  He indicated that post-game with CJOB, that he needs to have more confidence in his first read.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You're arguing the extreme of the other position and using the exception to prove the rule. Outside of the pass and run to Marshall vs Toronto, Marve has 3 passes over 10 yards in the last two games, with his longest being 19. You're right, he should be allowed to make mistakes sometimes and occasionally throw into double coverage, but he should also sometimes show he can throw a deep ball (20+ yards) and so far he hasn't. Like 17to85 said, he needs to show that soon.

Actually, I'm arguing that Marve looks like an inexperienced QB, he's not getting much/any help from his OC and fans expectations are way too high.

Marve isn't going to throw a deep ball unless it's called for him by the OC and it's his first read. There have been very few of them called in the 2 games that Marve has started. It could be that the OC doesn't think he can complete them or that the O line can't give him protection, but it's more likely that's just that's the way MB's offense works.

There's no way for you to know what the reads are in any given play. That's a junk argument.

In other posts you are slamming MB for shoehorning Marve into an offense built for Willy, an offense that was among the league leaders in long passing plays. Which is it?

 

If the long ball isn't the first read, Marve isn't going to take it. Willy's a better QB and a pocket passer who gets to his 2nd maybe even 3rd read. That's the idea, not that I know what the reads are on any given play. 

 

 

Here's exactly what you typed, indicating your knowledge of the playcalls and what Marve's first read is: "Marve isn't going to throw a deep ball unless it's called for him by the OC and it's his first read. There have been very few of them called in the 2 games that Marve has started."  

 

FYI, the deepest receiver in a route is almost always the first read because of the time it takes to set to make that throw and get the ball there, even if that receiver is running a clearing route.  If the defense is giving a free deep ball away, a QB will always take it.  Marve was likely progressing through his reads,  he certainly had a good amount of time on the majority of the passing plays, just too spooked to make a tough throw.  He indicated that post-game with CJOB, that he needs to have more confidence in his first read.

 

 

I disagree that the deepest receiver is almost always the first read. It certainly wasn't when I played way back in the dark ages. Sometimes the deep receiver is the primary. Sometimes one of the other receivers is the primary. Lots of the time the deep receiver is simply clearing for the guys underneath.  That doesn't make him the primary receiver or the first read.

 

Time in the pocket doesn't equal progressing through his reads. 

 

Too spooked to make the tough throw? How do you get that? Marve's got tons of confidence, probably more than he should have. He tried to throw into double coverage and tried to throw one across his body for god's sake.

 

I didn't hear the CJOB post game show, so I'll take your word for it, but as I've said before, the first read isn't always the deep ball.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You're arguing the extreme of the other position and using the exception to prove the rule. Outside of the pass and run to Marshall vs Toronto, Marve has 3 passes over 10 yards in the last two games, with his longest being 19. You're right, he should be allowed to make mistakes sometimes and occasionally throw into double coverage, but he should also sometimes show he can throw a deep ball (20+ yards) and so far he hasn't. Like 17to85 said, he needs to show that soon.

Actually, I'm arguing that Marve looks like an inexperienced QB, he's not getting much/any help from his OC and fans expectations are way too high.

Marve isn't going to throw a deep ball unless it's called for him by the OC and it's his first read. There have been very few of them called in the 2 games that Marve has started. It could be that the OC doesn't think he can complete them or that the O line can't give him protection, but it's more likely that's just that's the way MB's offense works.

There's no way for you to know what the reads are in any given play. That's a junk argument.

In other posts you are slamming MB for shoehorning Marve into an offense built for Willy, an offense that was among the league leaders in long passing plays. Which is it?

 

If the long ball isn't the first read, Marve isn't going to take it. Willy's a better QB and a pocket passer who gets to his 2nd maybe even 3rd read. That's the idea, not that I know what the reads are on any given play. 

 

 

Here's exactly what you typed, indicating your knowledge of the playcalls and what Marve's first read is: "Marve isn't going to throw a deep ball unless it's called for him by the OC and it's his first read. There have been very few of them called in the 2 games that Marve has started."  

 

FYI, the deepest receiver in a route is almost always the first read because of the time it takes to set to make that throw and get the ball there, even if that receiver is running a clearing route.  If the defense is giving a free deep ball away, a QB will always take it.  Marve was likely progressing through his reads,  he certainly had a good amount of time on the majority of the passing plays, just too spooked to make a tough throw.  He indicated that post-game with CJOB, that he needs to have more confidence in his first read.

 

 

I disagree that the deepest receiver is almost always the first read. It certainly wasn't when I played way back in the dark ages. Sometimes the deep receiver is the primary. Sometimes one of the other receivers is the primary. Lots of the time the deep receiver is simply clearing for the guys underneath.  That doesn't make him the primary receiver or the first read.

 

Time in the pocket doesn't equal progressing through his reads. 

 

Too spooked to make the tough throw? How do you get that? Marve's got tons of confidence, probably more than he should have. He tried to throw into double coverage and tried to throw one across his body for god's sake.

 

I didn't hear the CJOB post game show, so I'll take your word for it, but as I've said before, the first read isn't always the deep ball.

 

 

Generally the only time the deepest guy in a route, the 2-3 guys that the QB is reading first, not every eligible, is not the first read is if you are running quick game.  The only route the Bombers showed that remotely fit into that category were the 3 curls to the strong-side where Marve simply looked to his right (strong each time they ran it) and fired to the guy who was open.  First time was a 8 yard gain to Gordon, second time was a Calgary TD.  Highly unlikely that they'd run quick game with Marve because he doesn't get the ball out quick and trusting him to make pre-snap reads is just too much to expect from him.  

JBR, it sounds like you broke down Marve's last game a lot ... what was called, who he was looking at, how much time he had, how Calgary defended him with a disciplined pass rush, and so forth -- would love to read a blog post dissecting all that stuff. Bring back 2nd and 10!

(The complete game is on youtube, so you could even embed video links...)

Well considering Brohm ran the same thing, nothing but outs, curls and flats you can clearly see those were the first reads not a post, corner or fade to be had. Terry makes a good point and the link I posted pretty much confirms it.

i was soo excited when i read the thread title >.>