Palgrove’s Points
The Flames are 2-0, but everything feels wrong. The vibes are atrocious, the performance is sloppy and the on-field discipline is strangely nonexistent. What the heck happened? Is this all because they got brutalized by Oregon in Glendale? Is it because Liberty University lost a few too many stars and veterans? Why did they debut their new baby blue uniforms where no Flames fans got to see them? Is the sky falling down?
Ok, first off, let’s calm down. Yes, there is a good reason for concern in both of the Flames’ wins so far this season. Yes, there is also something off about the team’s performance that is exuding the same feeling of a train that’s speeding toward an impending wall.
There are a lot of questions to be answered about this team, but I have a few things I’ve noticed that we need to talk about.
The easy fix
Stop pushing the other team after the play, and stop doing things you’re not allowed to do. You’re welcome — I’ve fixed the Flames. Stop being, to quote Flames Head Coach Jamey Chadwell, “Foolish.”
I feel like I’m watching the Eagles (derogatory)
In 2022, the Philadelphia Eagles rolled through the NFC on their way to a Super Bowl appearance. Their offensive coordinator at the time, Shane Steichen, who is the current head coach for the Indianapolis Colts, piloted a beautiful offense that highlighted his best players and simplified the game so his players could stop thinking and just play. After he went to the Colts to take over their team, the Eagles tried to replicate Steichen’s successes, but to no avail. Philly was running the same system, but they lost the philosophy behind the system when Steichen was hired away.
Look at it this way: The Eagles are the owners of a car. Steichen designed and built the car and knows the ins and outs like it’s his child. If a brake pad starts slipping or the engine misfires, he knows exactly how to fix the vehicle and keep it running smoothly. With him gone, the Eagles keep driving the car, but they aren’t able to keep it running as well because they don’t have the mechanic, just the owner’s manual.
The Flames right now look like they’re the Eagles. They’re running the same plays as they did last season, but they’re not working the same way, even though they didn’t lose anyone who’s helping this car to run. The philosophy is just not clicking so far this year, and it’s one of the things that’s making this offense seem so icky at times.
Something I’d like to see the Flames do to rectify this philosophy issue would be to call some good plays. That sounds like an oversimplification, and it is; but this Flames offense, like the Eagles’ offense of old, relies heavily on their guys being better than your guys. That works great at times when you’re asking senior wide receiver Treon Sibley to be faster than the Flash, or asking senior running back Quinton Cooley to plow through a linebacker for 4 extra yards. But this season, it feels as if the Flames have been asking their guys to win one-on-one battles as the team’s new default option.
I want to see Chadwell and company call some plays that get their guys open. Don’t ask them to be bigger, faster or stronger, just ask them to run the play to completion. It won’t fix the whole team, but it might fix some of the offense’s struggles.
Maybe … I dunno … help your dual-threat superstar quarterback run the ball?
The Flames have a target on their backs after a 13-0 regular season, and no one is more well-known or game-planned for on this team than junior signal caller Kaidon Salter. Through two weeks, Salter has run for just 71 yards and an average of 3.7 yards per carry. That may seem good for immobile passers like Eli Manning, but a huge part of the Flames’ offense was Salter’s mobility and ability to extend plays with his legs. The Flames need to find a way to get him into space, whether in option plays or designed runs.
Palsgrove is the sports editor for the Liberty Champion.
