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As an offensive coordinator, Paul Chryst would show a lot of different looks that ran the same plays, looking for ways to trick the defense and for learning the defenses' cheats. One criticism of him was that he went to the trickery too soon (see TCU Rose Bowl), rather than just waiting for a defense to stop him first. Bielema infamously told him not to throw the ball again against (I think) Michigan in a game where the Badgers were gashing Michigan on the ground. 

So while I generally agree with your thesis that the Badgers are good at relying on their base ground game, I think Chryst is more creative than people give him credit for, sometimes to a fault.

I get that but alot of it is simultaneous.What if a play called for that and the Defense reads it or doesn't decide to cheat.Then you need a good QB audiblizing.If the defense is ignorantly doing the same shit then yes.Damn we all should have gotten into coaching or sports journalism

At the college level, it's not common to find a heavy degree of called audibles by the QB. The teams don't have enough practice/film time, the QBs are typically not capable of it, and the OCs are not willing to give up that amount of freedom. There are exceptions, of course, but IMHO not too many. 

As an offensive coordinator, Paul Chryst would show a lot of different looks that ran the same plays, looking for ways to trick the defense and for learning the defenses' cheats. One criticism of him was that he went to the trickery too soon (see TCU Rose Bowl), rather than just waiting for a defense to stop him first. Bielema infamously told him not to throw the ball again against (I think) Michigan in a game where the Badgers were gashing Michigan on the ground.

So while I generally agree with your thesis that the Badgers are good at relying on their base ground game, I think Chryst is more creative than people give him credit for, sometimes to a fault.

I remember that Rose Bowl game well.  TCU was not in the Big 12 at the time, and I was rooting for the Badgers.  I didn't understand why Wisconsin was throwing the ball around when they should have been mashing TCU by running between the tackles.

I remember that Rose Bowl game well.  TCU was not in the Big 12 at the time, and I was rooting for the Badgers.  I didn't understand why Wisconsin was throwing the ball around when they should have been mashing TCU by running between the tackles.

Y'all are trying to give me a coronary. I know it. 

The damnedest thing about that game. UW ran the ball. A lot. Like if you go back and sit though and watch the plays in sequence, it mostly makes sense. A lot went wrong in that game, but when you take it apart piece by piece, it's not really that way at all.

(TCU did well in the red zone, won FP in the second half, got a lot of last line of defense tackles and an outrageous game from Carder, plus Andy Dalton sort of beat them senseless. All in a low-possession game that made those foibles on the edges more damning) 

How many options does a QB typically have when he comes up to the line?  Does he call 2-3 plays in the huddle?

I see him wiggle his fingers at the RB often, does that perhaps change whether he goes left or right?

I presume having a QB like a Jake Fromm is a huge advantage in this area.

Depends the offense. Some come out with two plays. I think some teams tweak back alignment left or right, but not sure how that function with blocking going one way or another. 

Then again, you can have an RPO with inside run/fade/screen all in one play all with a couple clean pre- or post-snap reads. 

Depends the offense. Some come out with two plays. I think some teams tweak back alignment left or right, but not sure how that function with blocking going one way or another.

Then again, you can have an RPO with inside run/fade/screen all in one play all with a couple clean pre- or post-snap reads.

It sounds complicated to me, especially with blocking assignments, the number of possible plays in the Book, etc.  I wonder how often some player "doesn't get the word" and runs the wrong route, or breaks off differently, or blocks their own player, etc.

Maybe simple execution is more important that "we" often realize.  Simple execution.  Same on defense.

Athlon gets Big Ten coaches to anonymously comment on other Big Ten schools:

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/big-ten-coaches-talk-anonymously-about-conference-foes-2019

Heh. I will bet a month's pay that Paul Chryst said absolutely nothing on this thing. He barely says anything, to anyone.