[ The Art and Science of Preparation ]

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/09/27/Sports/Analysis__adjustments.shtml

Analysis, adjustments and attitude

For coaches and offensive coordinators, calling plays requires preparation, adaptability and a healthy outlook.

By BRIAN LANDMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published September 27, 2005

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For nearly three quarters, the Florida State offense seemed to be spinning its wheels, going nowhere except toward a crucial ACC loss.

That's when offensive coordinator Jeff Bowden scrapped his plan and went to a four-receiver attack with redshirt freshman quarterback Drew Weatherford in the shotgun.

"I just put him in something he was a little more comfortable with at that point and in that game," Bowden said.

Weatherford, the former Land O'Lakes star, completed 13 of 17 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown as the Seminoles rallied for a 28-17 win Sept.17 at Boston College.

Entering Saturday's game against Syracuse, the Seminoles (3-0) are ranked No.6 and deemed to be "rolling again." At least that's what last week's Sports Illustrated cover proclaimed.

And for his part, the younger Bowden has received praise, even perhaps grudgingly so, from the fans who have invested enormous time and energy maligning him the past four years.

"I thought we finally found some things we could do offensively that was superior to what they could defend," coach Bobby Bowden said after the BC game.

But then that's what play-calling is all about. In a darkened office with a remote in hand, you analyze film to discern an opponent's tendencies you can try to exploit then drill your players on how to execute those plays you intend to run. Finally, you must be ready and able to improvise in the heat of the moment.

There's a science to it.

There's an art to it.

"It's both in the fact that it's more science in your preparation, but it's an art on game day," said Charlie Weis, the offensive coordinator for New England's three Super Bowl wins before taking over at Notre Dame this season. "The good play-callers are guys who can adapt to things that are going on during the game. That's what makes the difference between really good offensive coordinators and just so-so ones."

* * *

For Jeff Bowden, his prep work actually began shortly after last season's Gator Bowl.

His father hired an offensive line coach, Mark McHale, who would be implementing a zone blocking scheme. Papa Bowden also wanted to the use standout tailbacks Leon Washington and Lorenzo Booker together and go with more of a Southern Cal-like passing offense with lots of formations and lots of personnel groupings to confuse defenses.

"We went to Auburn to try to find out how they worked those two backs in there," Bobby Bowden said in reference to Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown. "We also spent a lot of time with (former Southern Cal offensive coordinator Norm Chow), how he called plays and how he ran things."

Chow, now with the Tennessee Titans, told Jeff Bowden the key is to keep things simple.

"You and I can sit down and come up with a million football plays, but the players have to get it. They have to understand it," he said.

The younger Bowden said he learned Chow's schemes boiled down to maybe half a dozen different plays, motion and different formations obscuring that fact. Repetition each day allowed the Trojans to execute them with uncommon precision.

So far this season, even with a new quarterback, inexperienced receivers and a retooled line, the Seminoles' first-team offense has committed six penalties.

The first-team offense had six penalties in the Gator Bowl against West Virginia alone.

"The thing Jeff gives us, which is not pretty (sometimes)," Bobby Bowden said, "is pretty good execution."

Georgia coach Mark Richt, the former FSU offensive coordinator, said thanks to science (studying film), he knows certain plays in his playbook have a better chance of succeeding against a particular defense. He asks his quarterback to spot that and react accordingly.

"We've coached him up to call the thing that we need to against a certain look," he said. "So we we're taking some of the guesswork out of it."

That's the left brain.

What about the right brain?

* * *

Clemson coach Tommy Bowden said keeping defenses off balance, doing the unexpected at the unexpected moment, is pure art.

"There is a science to it, but for a guy like (South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier), he's really, really good," Bowden said. "He played the (quarterback) position. He was successful at the position. He doesn't listen to anybody else. He has no help from the press box. It's an art."

Spurrier, the former Florida and Washington Redskins coach, said some guys possess better instincts. But he also recognizes that the seemingly best call can fail if someone misses a block, doesn't run the correct route or drops the ball. Sometimes, a coach can try to be too smart and look dumb.

"After some games, I feel like maybe I ought to let somebody else do it. I'm sure all play-callers are like that," he said.

Chow added that at times, everything you call works like you draw it up and rehearse it. But there are times when the defensive coordinator, who has worked just as hard studying film as he has and is just as bright, is one step ahead in his calls.

"(Then) it's about a guess," Chow said, laughing.

He isn't joking. There are those times when a coach has to adjust or "pull one out of your hat. ... Anyone who tells you otherwise isn't telling you the truth."

"There are some timely calls, some gutsy calls (you might have to make)," Richt said. "Fourth and 1, what do you do? That's more of an art."

In the FSU-Boston College game, Jeff Bowden had one of those moments, too. He called consecutive screen passes, which didn't produce a first down but kept the Eagles defense guessing.

"That's really unusual, and I hadn't done that before," he said. "The gut instinct is part of it. But you're doing it based on what you're prepared for and what you think you saw (on film) leading up to the game."

That's the art.

That's the science.