Short Yardage - QB Plunges

Hamilton Tiger-Cats
#1

I for one, have no confidence with Masoli in short yardage, QB sneaks anymore.

Question is, what to do?

  1. Activate Jacory Harris and make him the 3rd string and give him the short yardage formations thus demoting Masoli to the IR or PR? To do this, you gotta be comfortable with McGee as your 2nd string if Zach was to get injured.

  2. Show faith in Masoli? Instruct him to never, ever ... ever ... never, ever again put the ball out like that in a sneak/dive formation?

  3. Use Zach in those formations. Use him in the short yardage plunges. Take the risk.

Thoughts?

#2

Stick with Masoli. These are growing pains with a young QB. We also have no guarantee Dan will be back next year s he is a FA.

#3
8) Simple solution......get a big, reliable, sure handed fullback to use for short yardage situations !! 
  The Argos knew full well that Massoli was keeping the ball, and going up the middle with it, since there were no backs
   in the backfield behind him !!   <!-- s:roll: -->:roll:<!-- s:roll: -->
#4

The problem as I see it is that Masoli used bad judgement in extending his arm at that time making him vulnerable. Maybe he forgot at that moment that we had two more shots at the goal line. Most QBs have a nose for the goal line and know when to reach out with the ball and when to eat it. Masoli has shown that he can play this game but I have to agree somewhat with Chewy that more experience is what is needed.

#5

Experience often comes from making mistakes. I'm thinking Masoli now has more experience than he did last week.

#6

No, because when you hand the ball off you are going back another 3 yards. With the QB sneak you get everyone to block and the line plus the RBs push back the "D" line. Don't blame the QB for not getting through you have to blame the blocking for not pushing the D line back.
Just like the Mtl/Ott game last Friday the O line was not getting the push back and in both cases the QB held the ball up because if he tucked it under he wouldn't have got it over the line, in both cases the QB lost the ball.

#7

Which makes sense on 3rd down as it's going to be a turnover anyway, but not on 1st or 2nd.

#8

Better Idea is Better Play calling IT WAS 1st down lol give Zach a shot to toss one in then goto the sneak play if nothing happens , Its a 20 yard endzone

#9

Quinton Porter was one of the most reliable at getting those third-and-short conversions. Just saying... :twisted:

#10

LeFevour is 6' 3"230 lbs as to Masoli's 5' 10" 221 lbs size thus being 4 inches taller and almost 10 lbs heavier.That makes a huge difference when you are trying to hold the ball out to cross the plane of the goal line as opposed to tucking it and
going underneath the pile in a goal line situation. Masoli hasn't impressed me in what I've seen of him so far this season
in his opportunities when the team has relied on him IMO he has consistently "shat the bed" and to be honest I've got
absolutely no confidence in this guy,whatsoever. Masoli has already lost 5 fumbles in limited action this season,all in
crucial situations that have cost us or could have cost us a win in each circumstance,not to mention his ill-timed ints.
Lets face it some players are destined for a career as nothing more than glorified clip-board carriers and are clearly not
cut out or talented enough to be anything but that,and believe me Masoli fits right in,in this category. I think it's time
for maybe seeing McGee in these situations and a possible bump as well from 3rd string to 2nd string status ahead of
Masoli who can return to his rightful designation as #1 clip-board carrier and 3rd string on the depth chart.

#11

Play call was fine. QB sneaks are one of the highest percentage plays in football behind maybe only the one point convert. In fact, I'm surprised no coach has figured out that on 2nd and 2, it'll just be easier to run two sneaks than to try to get the 2 yards on one play.

Problem was purely Masoli's. Yes the O-line didn't get the push they needed but it happens. They've got 2 mulligans on this one. You stick the ball out like that on 3rd down. On 1st, you just eat the down. Anyway, he won't make that mistake again.

#12

one miniature yet exquisite little inconvenience that may be overlooked here is how "new" the game ball that was being used on that specific play? This has been a problem in the NFL with PAT/FG holders and QB's alike when a "fresh out of the box and wrapper" pigskin game ball is introduced to a professional football game it still might have enough of a waxy film on the ball to make it "slippery" with sweaty hands/arms (it was pretty hot humid and gross on Monday). Older broken in footballs are much easier to grip with sweaty hands or rained on hands (in my experience). Why to receivers and the odd QB wear gloves these days? One reason is that their sweaty hands don't interfere with them trying to catch/handle a brand new football, but gloves can become a hindrance in heavy enough rain, just my observation/opinion.....

#13

To me, you use LeFevour exclusively for short yardage from now on and worry about next year when next year comes. Masoli's gaffe didn't cost Hamilton the game, but it well could have. That kind of turnover is crushing -- going from potentially punching in a major to turning the ball over. It kills offensive morale. As someone else said, LeFevour has a significant height and frame advantage over Masoli, which should make him more effective on sneaks. Use him for the remainder of the season and figure out the backup QB situation in the offseason.

#14

No, because when you hand the ball off you are going back another 3 yards.

8) Try telling the likes of, Bobby Kuntz, or George Reed, that they can't score from that area of the field, even if they are 
  lined up 3 yds. back in the backfield !!!      <!-- s:wink: -->:wink:<!-- s:wink: -->
#15

Sorry D+P, LeFevour is out for the season with a torn ACL,
Even so, on one leg, he may do better than Masoli!

#16

You do know Dan is out for the season ?

#17
8) I'm sure they would still be using LeFevour for short yardage situations, if he wasn't done for the year with knee surgery.
#18

Ahhhh, sorry, my bad. Did not know that. In that case, I guess I'd just use Masoli but make sure to coach him up on those situations in future. Collaros is too valuable to risk injury in a pile of humanity.

#19

KP, there is a new rule this year that the offensive team gets to use their own footballs
TiCats have theirs when on offence, and TOR has theirs when they are on offence.
The football is no excuse anymore.

#20

Remember the McManus to Radlein short yardage play? Rads timed it so as McManus took the snap he was right next to him, had a running start at the line and took the ball right next to DMac. Worked all the time. Didn't hand the ball off 3 yards back.

Having said that, Masoli would be our best bet right now, assuming he can get his head on straight and not try to do too much.