[MIJB#19]

General Manager Notes: Of Farley, Theisen and the Spread
Oh boy, we're in for a challenge.

Let's start with the quarterback situation. As you can see, we brought back Francisco Farley. Yes, I still think he can be good, but we've also seen his not ready at all. His demands were backup money. We offered him backup salary with basically minimum bonus money. He took it. If he proves to be worth it, he'll make the team as our QB2 or QB3. We have no guarantee that rookie Brandon Bell will be ready to play this season. We also know Moe Sheldon is our best bet to win games now, if he holds up, but it will also mean we'll have to focus on pass protection on our offensive line. Farley and Bell can sense the rush and run with the ball. Kick holder Muchnick is still here, but if Bell turns out to be in the same realm of kick holding ability, well, you can do the math. If Sheldon falters, Muchnick will stick around to be the mentor of the two youngsters.

Then Theisen. A simple move. We needed a sixth decent offensive lineman that can play guard. Center Jared Labbe once was the promising kid, but he no longer is. Left tackle Myron Hamilton is, well, we're on the fence about him. He'll make the team, bar disaster, but as the seventh or eight lineman at best. At guard there's a backup that most likely won't survive the roster cuts, probably Nathan Willis, who's a liability in the passing game if he's forced into action (as is Labbe, but Willis is even worse). We're pretty confident Andre Watson will be good enough to be a starter, he's actually the better pass blocker than Theisen, but if we want or need the running game to be any good, Theisen run blocking skills should be an improvement.

We've been looking at a new game plan, now that we have Reuben Bidwell as our new offensive coordinator. Safe to say, he's a pass oriented guy. Quite simply, there's no possibility to go with just plays that work best in a spread offense, because it's a pass oriented system. We'll have to work out 50 something running plays that would work in other systems, but can still be effective in Bidwell's approach to football. Quite the challenge, it appears. Looking at our roster, I'd find it a waste of talent if we don't get our fullback and tight end (or two) on the field specifically to help the running game. Signing a guy like Theisen would help as well. And in that, we'll have to be careful in not making things too obvious, making a couple of plays where we run out of a passing formation and throw out of a running formation. You know the drill.

Anyway, the drawing board is getting used quite a bit to figure out what we can do with our offensive game plan. It's a challenge. And we'll get to something that could work on paper, no worries.