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How Can Frank Cignetti Get Most out of Offense in 2015?
By Travis Wakeman , Featured Columnist
Jul 16, 2015
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...rank-cignetti-get-most-out-of-offense-in-2015
Jeff Fisher will be returning for his fourth season as head coach of the St. Louis Rams, and he'll be doing so with a new offensive coordinator on his staff.
Frank Cignetti was promoted from the team's quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator. He's taking over for Brian Schottenheimer, who left for the University of Georgia. Though Cignetti has served as quarterbacks coach with four NFL teams, he has never been an offensive coordinator at the professional level.
Taken over play-calling duties could prove challenging for the first-year coordinator, but he also has the talent that should allow him to stick to a fairly simplistic formula.
So how can he get the most out of the offense? First, let's take a look at what should be the most effective starting lineup on offense once the season starts:
Quarterback: Nick Foles
Running Back: Todd Gurley
Wide Receivers: Kenny Britt, Brian Quick
Left Tackle: Greg Robinson
Left Guard: Rodger Saffold
Center: Barrett Jones
Right Guard: Jamon Brown
Right Tackle: Rob Havenstein
Tight Ends: Jared Cook, Lance Kendricks
This proposed starting lineup would be young, especially along the offensive line. However, an emphasis should be placed on the fact that the offensive line will be one of the biggest keys for the Rams in 2015—particularly in the passing game with a new quarterback under center.
Looking at the entire roster, the Rams are a team that could have a very stingy defense to go along with a potentially explosive offense. This makes them a team on the move and one which will not roll over for anyone in this coming season.
Here's a look at how Cignetti and his offense can do their part in keeping the Rams competitive.
Stick to a Run-Heavy Game Plan
Toward the end of last season, the Rams began to create an identity based around lining up and running the ball right at their opponents. This should be expanded upon this season.
Gurley being chosen in the first round gives the team one of the best running backs to come out of the college ranks in several years. He must first prove that he is healthy following a torn ACL that ended his 2014 season, but if he does, look out.
Gurley provides the team with a player who runs very well. He demonstrates an explosive burst to the hole and has great acceleration. In the open field, he has the strength to run over and through defenders.
In addition, Gurley is a terrific receiver out of the backfield.
But Cignetti can't forget about Tre Mason. Though Mason will likely have his role scaled back following a solid rookie season, he should be a perfect complement to what Gurley brings. If Mason embraces this role, Cignetti can form a formidable two-headed monster in the backfield.
Gurley doesn't have to be thrust into the position of playing 75 percent or more of the snaps either. Cignetti could use the two running backs nearly equally, and it's not hard to imagine them each racking up 1,000 yards on the ground.
Cignetti needs to have a run-first mentality this season.
Running the ball between the tackles will be key, and if the team is able to move the chains by grinding out tough yards, it will take pressure off the team's new quarterback, who is also coming off a season-ending injury.
According to Team Rankings, the Rams averaged 24.7 rushing attempts per game last season. Only eight teams ran the ball less frequently. With backup quarterbacks running the offense the entire season, that made almost no sense.
In 2015, Cignetti should have a goal of averaging 30 rushing attempts per game. Foles can be a good play-action passer, and a solid running game would only strengthen his ability in that area.
Get Creative with Tavon Austin
Fans may have been frustrated with the way Schottenheimer used former first-round pick Tavon Austin, so this is Cignetti's chance to make up for it.
While Austin should be a dominant receiver in the slot, he hasn't lived up to that potential in the NFL. His biggest contributions have come as a punt returner, and those numbers are hardly worth the No. 8 overall pick in the draft.
For ideas on how to get Austin more involved, the Rams need to look no further than their division rivals, the Seattle Seahawks, and how they once used Percy Harvin. In fact, the tape from Super Bowl XLVIII against the Denver Broncos will show how a player like Harvin or Austin can completely change a game.
The Seahawks lined Harvin up all over the field in that game, getting him the ball multiple ways.
But it was the matchups they were able to create with Harvin that made the most difference. Anyone who can remember the game can likely still see the image of Russell Wilson lobbing the ball over a helpless Champ Bailey into the waiting arms of Harvin for a big gain.
Then, Harvin returned the kickoff to start the second half for a touchdown. The game was over at that point.
Austin is capable of the exact same thing.
In addition to returning kicks, Austin has made an impact lining up as a running back. In fact, he has more than half as many rushing yards as he does receiving yards in his career, and he has three rushing touchdowns to just four receiving touchdowns.
The Rams could line Austin up at running back on maybe 10 snaps per game to keep defenses guessing. They could hand him the ball, but they could also create mismatches in the passing game from this position. If they could get Austin matched up against a linebacker over the middle, a perfect throw from Foles could turn a short pass into a touchdown.
Foles was able to make big plays with Darren Sproles last season with the Philadelphia Eagles by finding that same mismatch.
Finally, Austin would be a great choice to include on gimmick plays. Cignetti needs to have a few of these in his playbook, and Austin could help pull them off. This would give the Rams an edgy side that shows fans and teams around the league that they will pull out all the stops.
Spread the Field with 4 Wide Receivers
Cignetti doesn't need to call a conservative, smashmouth game for all four quarters. Foles has experience running the high-octane offense that Chip Kelly employed, and Cignetti should take advantage of that and the wide receivers he has at his disposal.
By placing Britt and Quick on the outside and Stedman Bailey and Austin on the inside, Cignetti could have some potent four-receiver sets this season.
Foles would have options everywhere. If there is no safety help, Britt will be very tough to handle in man-to-man situations. At the same time, the safeties will have to be mindful of the middle of the field, as Austin and Bailey can torch linebackers.
Finally, Foles has a good option at the tight end position in Jared Cook, who actually led the team in receptions in 2014.
The tools are in place for Foles to be successful, and he has the ability to be a very good quarterback for the team. If he fails, there is a good chance that the offensive line wasn't able to protect him or Cignetti's play-calling was to blame.
Simply put, Cignetti shouldn't ask Foles to do too much. Foles is a decent athlete with a strong arm, but Cignetti should simplify things as much as he can for him as he transitions into his new settings.
Cignetti has had success with players such as Elvis Grbac and Aaron Brooks during the various stops in his career. In 2001 with the New Orleans Saints, Brooks took over the starting quarterback role for the team and threw for 3,832 yards and 26 touchdowns. Cignetti was his quarterbacks coach.
Cignetti will be instrumental in guiding Foles to success in St. Louis, so his primary focus should be on teaching him to understand pressure and making the right reads down the field.
Establishing an effective running game will open up the play-action pass for Foles, and that is where he can hurt defenses.
Cignetti does not have to be conservative—he just needs to utilize the players he has intelligently and establish an identity on offense that will complement what should be a fierce, aggressive defense.
By Travis Wakeman , Featured Columnist
Jul 16, 2015
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...rank-cignetti-get-most-out-of-offense-in-2015
Jeff Fisher will be returning for his fourth season as head coach of the St. Louis Rams, and he'll be doing so with a new offensive coordinator on his staff.
Frank Cignetti was promoted from the team's quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator. He's taking over for Brian Schottenheimer, who left for the University of Georgia. Though Cignetti has served as quarterbacks coach with four NFL teams, he has never been an offensive coordinator at the professional level.
Taken over play-calling duties could prove challenging for the first-year coordinator, but he also has the talent that should allow him to stick to a fairly simplistic formula.
So how can he get the most out of the offense? First, let's take a look at what should be the most effective starting lineup on offense once the season starts:
Quarterback: Nick Foles
Running Back: Todd Gurley
Wide Receivers: Kenny Britt, Brian Quick
Left Tackle: Greg Robinson
Left Guard: Rodger Saffold
Center: Barrett Jones
Right Guard: Jamon Brown
Right Tackle: Rob Havenstein
Tight Ends: Jared Cook, Lance Kendricks
This proposed starting lineup would be young, especially along the offensive line. However, an emphasis should be placed on the fact that the offensive line will be one of the biggest keys for the Rams in 2015—particularly in the passing game with a new quarterback under center.
Looking at the entire roster, the Rams are a team that could have a very stingy defense to go along with a potentially explosive offense. This makes them a team on the move and one which will not roll over for anyone in this coming season.
Here's a look at how Cignetti and his offense can do their part in keeping the Rams competitive.
Stick to a Run-Heavy Game Plan
Toward the end of last season, the Rams began to create an identity based around lining up and running the ball right at their opponents. This should be expanded upon this season.
Gurley being chosen in the first round gives the team one of the best running backs to come out of the college ranks in several years. He must first prove that he is healthy following a torn ACL that ended his 2014 season, but if he does, look out.
Gurley provides the team with a player who runs very well. He demonstrates an explosive burst to the hole and has great acceleration. In the open field, he has the strength to run over and through defenders.
In addition, Gurley is a terrific receiver out of the backfield.
But Cignetti can't forget about Tre Mason. Though Mason will likely have his role scaled back following a solid rookie season, he should be a perfect complement to what Gurley brings. If Mason embraces this role, Cignetti can form a formidable two-headed monster in the backfield.
Gurley doesn't have to be thrust into the position of playing 75 percent or more of the snaps either. Cignetti could use the two running backs nearly equally, and it's not hard to imagine them each racking up 1,000 yards on the ground.
Cignetti needs to have a run-first mentality this season.
Running the ball between the tackles will be key, and if the team is able to move the chains by grinding out tough yards, it will take pressure off the team's new quarterback, who is also coming off a season-ending injury.
According to Team Rankings, the Rams averaged 24.7 rushing attempts per game last season. Only eight teams ran the ball less frequently. With backup quarterbacks running the offense the entire season, that made almost no sense.
In 2015, Cignetti should have a goal of averaging 30 rushing attempts per game. Foles can be a good play-action passer, and a solid running game would only strengthen his ability in that area.
Get Creative with Tavon Austin
Fans may have been frustrated with the way Schottenheimer used former first-round pick Tavon Austin, so this is Cignetti's chance to make up for it.
While Austin should be a dominant receiver in the slot, he hasn't lived up to that potential in the NFL. His biggest contributions have come as a punt returner, and those numbers are hardly worth the No. 8 overall pick in the draft.
For ideas on how to get Austin more involved, the Rams need to look no further than their division rivals, the Seattle Seahawks, and how they once used Percy Harvin. In fact, the tape from Super Bowl XLVIII against the Denver Broncos will show how a player like Harvin or Austin can completely change a game.
The Seahawks lined Harvin up all over the field in that game, getting him the ball multiple ways.
But it was the matchups they were able to create with Harvin that made the most difference. Anyone who can remember the game can likely still see the image of Russell Wilson lobbing the ball over a helpless Champ Bailey into the waiting arms of Harvin for a big gain.
Then, Harvin returned the kickoff to start the second half for a touchdown. The game was over at that point.
Austin is capable of the exact same thing.
In addition to returning kicks, Austin has made an impact lining up as a running back. In fact, he has more than half as many rushing yards as he does receiving yards in his career, and he has three rushing touchdowns to just four receiving touchdowns.
The Rams could line Austin up at running back on maybe 10 snaps per game to keep defenses guessing. They could hand him the ball, but they could also create mismatches in the passing game from this position. If they could get Austin matched up against a linebacker over the middle, a perfect throw from Foles could turn a short pass into a touchdown.
Foles was able to make big plays with Darren Sproles last season with the Philadelphia Eagles by finding that same mismatch.
Finally, Austin would be a great choice to include on gimmick plays. Cignetti needs to have a few of these in his playbook, and Austin could help pull them off. This would give the Rams an edgy side that shows fans and teams around the league that they will pull out all the stops.
Spread the Field with 4 Wide Receivers
Cignetti doesn't need to call a conservative, smashmouth game for all four quarters. Foles has experience running the high-octane offense that Chip Kelly employed, and Cignetti should take advantage of that and the wide receivers he has at his disposal.
By placing Britt and Quick on the outside and Stedman Bailey and Austin on the inside, Cignetti could have some potent four-receiver sets this season.
Foles would have options everywhere. If there is no safety help, Britt will be very tough to handle in man-to-man situations. At the same time, the safeties will have to be mindful of the middle of the field, as Austin and Bailey can torch linebackers.
Finally, Foles has a good option at the tight end position in Jared Cook, who actually led the team in receptions in 2014.
The tools are in place for Foles to be successful, and he has the ability to be a very good quarterback for the team. If he fails, there is a good chance that the offensive line wasn't able to protect him or Cignetti's play-calling was to blame.
Simply put, Cignetti shouldn't ask Foles to do too much. Foles is a decent athlete with a strong arm, but Cignetti should simplify things as much as he can for him as he transitions into his new settings.
Cignetti has had success with players such as Elvis Grbac and Aaron Brooks during the various stops in his career. In 2001 with the New Orleans Saints, Brooks took over the starting quarterback role for the team and threw for 3,832 yards and 26 touchdowns. Cignetti was his quarterbacks coach.
Cignetti will be instrumental in guiding Foles to success in St. Louis, so his primary focus should be on teaching him to understand pressure and making the right reads down the field.
Establishing an effective running game will open up the play-action pass for Foles, and that is where he can hurt defenses.
Cignetti does not have to be conservative—he just needs to utilize the players he has intelligently and establish an identity on offense that will complement what should be a fierce, aggressive defense.
