Wisconsin reported to hire Phil Longo as OC?!?!

[NewPhoneWhoDis]

WHY?!?! The guy is known for the Air Raid offense. Why in the world would Wisconsin want that? You need the smaller, more agile offensively linemen, as they have larger gaps in that offense? So the one strength at Wisconsin, their offensive line, will now be recruited completely different and their best player Braelon Allen will likely transfer, instead of playing in a pass happy offense.

Very interesting hire.

 

[Collegefbfan]

Very interesting indeed. The bad thing is who does UNC go after as OC? Because hiring Chizik as DC surely hasn't worked out well for them. Gave up 30 or more points 6 times including 61 to Appalachian State. No other team on Appalachian State's schedule gave up that many points. Not even Citadel.

 

[ericd7633]

WHY?!?! The guy is known for the Air Raid offense. Why in the world would Wisconsin want that? You need the smaller, more agile offensively linemen, as they have larger gaps in that offense? So the one strength at Wisconsin, their offensive line, will now be recruited completely different and their best player Braelon Allen will likely transfer, instead of playing in a pass happy offense.

Very interesting hire.

You can still be a very productive RB in that system. UNC has had 3 RB's drafted the last two drafts. All within the first 5 rounds, including a second rounder. Also, this isn't a traditional air raid offense, like what a Leach would run. There is some more balance to it.

 

[NewPhoneWhoDis]

You can still be a very productive RB in that system. UNC has had 3 RB's drafted the last two drafts. All within the first 5 rounds, including a second rounder. Also, this isn't a traditional air raid offense, like what a Leach would run. There is some more balance to it.

I agree you can be very productive as a RB, but Braelon Allen is built for a pro style offense. He is 6'2" 245 lbs.

It just seems like a bizarre hire for a school struggles to sign high end QB's and whose program is built around big prototypical NFL Offensive Linemen. That isn't the type of OL they even want anymore. They don't want the road grader kids in the run anymore and instead want smaller more athletic OL. Unless the OC is going to change the offense he wants to run.

 

[ericd7633]

I agree you can be very productive as a RB, but Braelon Allen is built for a pro style offense. He is 6'2" 245 lbs.

It just seems like a bizarre hire for a school struggles to sign high end QB's and whose program is built around big prototypical NFL Offensive Linemen. That isn't the type of OL they even want anymore. They don't want the road grader kids in the run anymore and instead want smaller more athletic OL. Unless the OC is going to change the offense he wants to run.

I agree, it's certainly an untraditional hire, but if they are ever going to elevate their ceiling, a move like this had to be done. Now they might be able to land a better caliber of QB play, and the same goes with WR's. Yes, it's a change of identity for sure, and yeah, I'd probably be a little worried what this will look like towards the end of the year, but I think it's a good hire. My guess is they land a really nice QB in the portal, and some good WR's. And make it try and work with the Oline they have now. Allen already tweeted he was staying, so they have a good RB1 already. If anything this will force him to become a better all around RB, which can only help his draft stock. Wisconsin RB's have been mostly busts in the NFL(Taylor being the exception) and James White who was very productive catching passes.

Overall, I like the hire.

 

[navamind]

You can still be a very productive RB in that system. UNC has had 3 RB's drafted the last two drafts. All within the first 5 rounds, including a second rounder. Also, this isn't a traditional air raid offense, like what a Leach would run. There is some more balance to it.

UNC's play averages:
2022: 37.8 pass attempts per game, 36.5 rushing attempts
2021: 29.2 pass attempts, 39.5 rushing attempts
2020: 29.8 pass attempts, 41 rushing attempts
2019: 33.2 pass attempts, 40.6 rushing attempts

And that was with three years of Howell.

 

[Huskers4me]

We’ll look at the changes as something that would have never happened under Barry Alvarez and his Nebraska hard-nosed style. If things go to hell there, blame Barry’s departure. Now Nebraska’s new 3 3 5 defense can make sense for just this one instance. Good luck Wisconsin!

 

[NewPhoneWhoDis]

We’ll look at the changes as something that would have never happened under Barry Alvarez and his Nebraska hard-nosed style. If things go to hell there, blame Barry’s departure. Now Nebraska’s new 3 3 5 defense can make sense for just this one instance. Good luck Wisconsin!

NOOOOOOO. Are you guys really going to a 3-3-5? That is what Dick Rod did at Michigan. It made absolutely no sense at all in the B1G. Teams absolutely torched us. Every game turned into a track meet. I honestly don't see why people use that?

 

[NewPhoneWhoDis]

I agree, it's certainly an untraditional hire, but if they are ever going to elevate their ceiling, a move like this had to be done. Now they might be able to land a better caliber of QB play, and the same goes with WR's. Yes, it's a change of identity for sure, and yeah, I'd probably be a little worried what this will look like towards the end of the year, but I think it's a good hire. My guess is they land a really nice QB in the portal, and some good WR's. And make it try and work with the Oline they have now. Allen already tweeted he was staying, so they have a good RB1 already. If anything this will force him to become a better all around RB, which can only help his draft stock. Wisconsin RB's have been mostly busts in the NFL(Taylor being the exception) and James White who was very productive catching passes.

Overall, I like the hire.

I suppose. It is just going to be a hard sell to get the type of players needed to run that type of offense to go to Wisconsin. It isn't like the Midwest is filled high end quick/fast burner type WR's you want in that type of offense.

It is a bold move by Wisconsin, but I think this could blow up on them in a big way.

 

[Knight&Day]

Took them long enough to realize that running an offense from the 1940's doesn't work.

 

[Deep Creek]

WHY?!?! The guy is known for the Air Raid offense. Why in the world would Wisconsin want that? You need the smaller, more agile offensively linemen, as they have larger gaps in that offense? So the one strength at Wisconsin, their offensive line, will now be recruited completely different and their best player Braelon Allen will likely transfer, instead of playing in a pass happy offense.

Very interesting hire.

Meh. Some of the offensive linemen Leach had back in the day had real good size. IIRC, 2/5 of the Bronco linemen that blocked for Peyton were Tech grads when he was there. Those Wisky linemen have adapted in the pros when they got there. Same for Air Raid linemen adapting to the run.

Besides, some of Mumme/Leach’s disciples have taken a lot of liberties with the Air Raid…much to the chagrin of Leach.

 

[Deep Creek]

I suppose. It is just going to be a hard sell to get the type of players needed to run that type of offense to go to Wisconsin. It isn't like the Midwest is filled high end quick/fast burner type WR's you want in that type of offense.

It is a bold move by Wisconsin, but I think this could blow up on them in a big way.

Rug rats like Wes Welker and Danny Amendola flourished in that offense. (Tech’s had many more of that ilk as well.) I’ll bet there are those types in the Midwest. They weren’t wanted in the Alvarez offense.

 

[NewPhoneWhoDis]

Meh. Some of the offensive linemen Leach had back in the day had real good size. IIRC, 2/5 of the Bronco linemen that blocked for Peyton were Tech grads when he was there. Those Wisky linemen have adapted in the pros when they got there. Same for Air Raid linemen adapting to the run.

Besides, some of Mumme/Leach’s disciples have taken a lot of liberties with the Air Raid…much to the chagrin of Leach.

Wisconsin OL don't have to adapt to anything in the pro's when they left. Wisconsin ran a pro style offense. It is why, other than Alabama, Wisconsin is the team who puts the most OL into the NFL since 2000.

 

[NewPhoneWhoDis]

Rug rats like Wes Welker and Danny Amendola flourished in that offense. (Tech’s had many more of that ilk as well.) I’ll bet there are those types in the Midwest. They weren’t wanted in the Alvarez offense.

True. I guess we shall see how it plays out. When I think Wisconsin though - It just doesn't seem like the classic destination for skill position talent. Hell -- Michigan has a hard time finding WR's. Our highest drafted "WR" in the last 15 years was actually our TE Devin Funchess that was drafted in the 2nd round.

 

[Deep Creek]

Wisconsin OL don't have to adapt to anything in the pro's when they left. Wisconsin ran a pro style offense. It is why, other than Alabama, Wisconsin is the team who puts the most OL into the NFL since 2000.

You’ve been sleeping. Those linemen from Wiskey have been adapting for quite a while now. Saying Wisky linemen can’t adapt to pass happy/RPO offenses is selling them short. They have and they still can. NFL teams ain’t running anything close to the old “pro style” offenses anymore. And haven’t been for a while. Innovation has always been bubbled up from below. Innovation starts in the high schools, then college, then the NFL. The higher up you go the more risk averse they are and slow to change.

 

[Deep Creek]

True. I guess we shall see how it plays out. When I think Wisconsin though - It just doesn't seem like the classic destination for skill position talent. Hell -- Michigan has a hard time finding WR's. Our highest drafted "WR" in the last 15 years was actually our TE Devin Funchess that was drafted in the 2nd round.

You are correct in that Wisconsin doesn’t fit the classic destination for skill position talent. Kids that like to play in styles that spead it out and sling it around the field didn’t want ti go there. Why would they?

Now they might.

 

[NewPhoneWhoDis]

You’ve been sleeping. Those linemen from Wiskey have been adapting for quite a while now. Saying Wisky linemen can’t adapt to pass happy/RPO offenses is selling them short. They have and they still can. NFL teams ain’t running anything close to the old “pro style” offenses anymore. And haven’t been for a while. Innovation has always been bubbled up from below. Innovation starts in the high schools, then college, then the NFL. The higher up you go the more risk averse they are and slow to change.

I haven't been sleeping at all. I'm saying the type of linemen wanted for an Air Raid offense is completely different than the type of linemen Wisconsin has built their program around, has made them successful and made them one of the schools putting out the most OL to the draft.

In an Air Raid offense -- they don't want the big prototypical NFL OL that are road graders in the run. They want the lighter, more athletic OL.

And while I agree -- NFL teams don't run the 3 yards and a cloud of dust type offenses anymore -- they all still lineup with the TE and run the ball consistently every game, because if you don't, defenses are good enough to take away one dimensional teams. And RPO is a niche in the NFL and will never a huge thing in the NFL because of the amount of money they pay for QB's. The more you run, the more likely you get hurt and teams want to protect their investments.

Personally, I think the reason you don't see alot of the gimmick offenses in the NFL you see used so prominently at the HS and college level is -- they have defenses that can shut it down, as you don't have the holes defensively you can exploit in HS and college. In college -- the air raid works because you aren't putting 4 or 5 wide and most college teams don't have the depth at the CB position to deal with that. In the NFL -- they do have that depth.

 

[Deep Creek]

I haven't been sleeping at all. I'm saying the type of linemen wanted for an Air Raid offense is completely different than the type of linemen Wisconsin has built their program around, has made them successful and made them one of the schools putting out the most OL to the draft.

In an Air Raid offense -- they don't want the big prototypical NFL OL that are road graders in the run. They want the lighter, more athletic OL.

And while I agree -- NFL teams don't run the 3 yards and a cloud of dust type offenses anymore -- they all still lineup with the TE and run the ball consistently every game, because if you don't, defenses are good enough to take away one dimensional teams. And RPO is a niche in the NFL and will never a huge thing in the NFL because of the amount of money they pay for QB's. The more you run, the more likely you get hurt and teams want to protect their investments.

Personally, I think the reason you don't see alot of the gimmick offenses in the NFL you see used so prominently at the HS and college level is -- they have defenses that can shut it down, as you don't have the holes defensively you can exploit in HS and college. In college -- the air raid works because you aren't putting 4 or 5 wide and most college teams don't have the depth at the CB position to deal with that. In the NFL -- they do have that depth.

You have been asleep. Air Raid offenses want big OLs just as much as anyone else.TCU’s is big…and don’t move any better than other types do.

And if you don’t think (or won’t admit) that NFL offenses are different than they used to be, then I can’t even begin to have a decent discussion with you.

 

[NewPhoneWhoDis]

You have been asleep. Air Raid offenses want big OLs just as much as anyone else.TCU’s is big…and don’t move any better than other types do.

And if you don’t think (or won’t admit) that NFL offenses are different than they used to be, then I can’t even begin to have a decent discussion with you.

Yes, it's often far more passing than running, and traditional Air Raid calls for a deep collection of speedy receivers and offensive linemen who are quick and nimble (and not necessarily behemoths), which would theoretically require a recruiting shift at Wisconsin.

This is a quote from the Milwaukee Journal Sports Section regarding the hire. So it seems they are in line with my thinking too.

 

[Kburjr]

I don't think they go full Air Raid, but the expansion of the downfield passing game is coming. It was near zero under Chryst.