To Coach Riley - RUN THE BALL

[URSS]

It made me think of this....

I am pretty sure our coaches have some experience in what they are doing

Probably too much pro experience.

 

[Dbqgolfer]

Here's what we know about the rush numbers .... First off, the rush vs pass attempts and production were poor in the first half. We were pass heavy. In terms of the overall attempts for the game 37 run and 41 pass is deceptive. Subtract all of Armstrong's runs as they were scrambles. Subtract jet sweeps as they are trick plays, not run set ups. End arounds, or jet sweeps, are plays where you are just hoping like heckler to make the corner. How many times have you seen an end around ball carrier take the ball, stop short and cut against the grain of the defense like an RB would do? Running backs have in their nature to pick through defenders, follow blocks and exploit holes in the defense. Back to those numbers, subtract about 15 rush attempts. Now it's 41 pass and 22 rush, which is about what it felt like, well, to me anyway.

So our run defense wasn't that bad last year, because a lot of those yards were on Jet sweeps?

Those were read options if I remember correctly. Melvin kept looking for an angle to run on and he seemed like we forced to the outside pretty well, but had no one to stop him once he got there, thus NCAA record.

Yeah, your are correct, I believe it was the year before that Wisc. lit us up with the jet sweep in the ccg.

I still think our issue after game one is about running better, not more often.

 

[junior4949]

I think we're definitely in hangover mode after losing Abdullah. Abdullah the past few years masked a lot of glaring deficiencies on the OL. I was a little surprised we ran as much as we did in the first half given how inept we were at it. Adjustments were made at half, and we ran the ball better in the second half. Heck, Cross had two of the better runs all night. We don't have a lot of talent on the OL, but I think as the year goes on the unit will mesh together much better than they did in the first half. I don't expect to see us as a run heavy offense this year because we just don't have the horses to pull it off.

 

[Wordek]

Dont you realise that its the tradition whiners like you that b!^@h and moan, then when you finally get what you want it doesn't f'ing work. Get over the old running tradition, only like 4 teams still run the option offense and they mostly suck except for GT. Just let Coach Riley do his thing.

 

[lo country]

Did anyone see running lanes between the tackles opening up? I sure didn't. Maybe a few but they closed quickly.

Only a few times. Offensive line is an issue. The coaches pretty much said so in fall practice.
You don't just line up and keep running the ball then punt. Nebraska at one point had 17 rushes for 34 yards. That won't cut it.

I'd like to see Tommy pulling down the ball and taking off a little more often and making the decision to do so a little sooner, but aside from that I didn't see a lot different we could do.

Second half was much improved and Nebraska did everything they could do to win that game. Everything except knock down that final pass.

Drew Brown better get things fixed or we are in for a long one.

Hard to get a run game with no real blocking. Again, there are plays to call for making the D pay when the blitz every down. PA, traps, draws, delay, the one reverse etc.... Have TA roll out of the pocket to buy time.
I'd like to see more designed TA runs. Guys at his best with the ball in his hands and his feet on the ground. Hill hurt us with his feet and mobility. I'll take Tommy's legs over his any day. Last year he was the teams second leading rusher. One game in, he appears neutered. IMO, he is currently the best runner on the team. None of our backs really stood out. I did like, always have, Imani Cross. The dude that took out our TE got laid out by Cross. He tried to to lay into Cross and got Crossmashed. Came out of the game. (Might have lost his helmet). In this current system (with only 1 game example) appears to have taken the "dual" out of our QB play. Huge mistake IMO. EVERY team has fits with dual use QB's. Some of the higher profile programs are using them. We gave a good one. Let him loose.......

I'm nostalgic and love a power run game. Not a fan of the dink and dunk with an average passing qb and under performing OL. We made the 2nd half comeback on the legs and backs of the running game. Here's a test for the new staff. With the experience they possess, do they look at film and try to incorporate more qb runs and "true" runs....

We are also seeing the effect of no heir apparent to AA. We have been blessed/ spoiled the past years with Roy to Rex, Rex to AA..... I don't see that guy yet. MW looked the part but needs to see things "quicker". Newby ran "tentative" IMO. Didn't seem to square up to hit the holes with authority. I still like Cross. Especially in the 2nd half with them tired, on the ropes and missing their NT.....

#freetommy_gun4

 

[Scratchtown]

Here's what we know about the rush numbers .... First off, the rush vs pass attempts and production were poor in the first half. We were pass heavy. In terms of the overall attempts for the game 37 run and 41 pass is deceptive. Subtract all of Armstrong's runs as they were scrambles. Subtract jet sweeps as they are trick plays, not run set ups. End arounds, or jet sweeps, are plays where you are just hoping like heckler to make the corner. How many times have you seen an end around ball carrier take the ball, stop short and cut against the grain of the defense like an RB would do? Running backs have in their nature to pick through defenders, follow blocks and exploit holes in the defense. Back to those numbers, subtract about 15 rush attempts. Now it's 41 pass and 22 rush, which is about what it felt like, well, to me anyway.

LOL jet sweeps are not trick plays. Seriously? How does that even make sense?

Also, the jet sweep IS a run set up. Because its a dive/gut play that you run off of it. Or trap.

 

[louisianared]

We weren't moving the ball on the ground very effectively. With BYU having all momentum we couldn't risk having 3 and outs trying to establish the run so we went with what was working.

I agree with the coaches on this.

 

[admo]

Did anyone see running lanes between the tackles opening up? I sure didn't. Maybe a few but they closed quickly.

Only a few times. Offensive line is an issue. The coaches pretty much said so in fall practice.

You don't just line up and keep running the ball then punt. Nebraska at one point had 17 rushes for 34 yards. That won't cut it.

I'd like to see Tommy pulling down the ball and taking off a little more often and making the decision to do so a little sooner, but aside from that I didn't see a lot different we could do.

Second half was much improved and Nebraska did everything they could do to win that game. Everything except knock down that final pass.

Drew Brown better get things fixed or we are in for a long one.

Thought we would see some boot options for him to run. The option fake pitch that went for a good gain was vintage Tommy - especially when he went airborne. Somehow Cavanaugh will have to get this line tougher and better. Our backs depend on it.

I do like it when Tommy runs.... But I'm torn. I don't want a QB that comes back to the huddle gassed, then forces an erratic throw off his back foot the next play (because of doing too much).

 

[Dbqgolfer]

I think to be successful in the Big 10, we do have to be able to run the ball. That doesn't mean we have to go back to the 90's and be a run first team. I think balance is the key. I'd like to see anywhere from a 50-50 to a 60-40 split between pass and run, and don't really care which is 60 and which is 40.

I also think the best way for Tommy to help us with his legs is not with designed runs, but to take off running quicker if no receivers are open. If he does this 3 to 5 times a game it will keep defenses honest.

Having said this, I think the coaches know best how to use the talent they have to work with.

I say all this as a fan, acknowledging that I have zero coaching experience and haven't played football since the 8th grade (and I'm close to 50 years old, now)

 

[Enhance]

Well, I think it's obvious the coaches are trying to get creative in the run game. Remember how TO used to say the option run is similar to a passing play? Well, in some ways, WR screens work the same way in my book. It's not so much a pass as it is getting a ball to a playmaker in space. We also tried jet sweeps, motioning, going between the tackles, and different backs.

IMHO there's nothing wrong with the running scheme we tried to utilize yesterday. I've seen teams, even in college football, put up a couple hundred yards running the football in this manner. We just didn't have the execution along the line, perimeter, or in the backfield to make it work.

Think about it - if Jamal Turner gets some better blocking on the edge on that 3rd Down jet sweep, and sees the hole sooner that he SHOULD'VE gone through, we would've had a first down, iced the game and won.

On that same drive, I believe Cross pounded it right up the gut for a 10+ yard run, so, I'm surprised we didn't try going between the tackles again given BYU was worn down. But, I digress.

 

[Igetbored216]

I never understood the RB rotation when Pelini was here, and I still don't understand the rotation with the new coaching staff. You had Wilbon in for two consecutive plays, he gets a first down (around 5 yards per carry), and then you sub in Cross? I don't get it.

 

[Enhance]

I never understood the RB rotation when Pelini was here, and I still don't understand the rotation with the new coaching staff. You had Wilbon in for two consecutive plays, he gets a first down (around 5 yards per carry), and then you sub in Cross? I don't get it.

Some of it may be packages and play designs. I heard a ton of people booing at some point in the game when Cross had a 10+ yard run, picked up a first down and was then pulled from the game. At the time, that was one of the first real positive runs the team had in a while. It was a little surprising.

I don't want to say the coaches are wrong or right. IMHO you stick with your hot hand, but, most of the backs had their share of "what?" type of runs yesterday. We don't have a guy right now that is head and shoulders above the others. Newby looked moderately better than the bunch, but, nothing great.

 

[Saunders]

I don't think we ever gave any of the RB's much of a chance to get a rhythm going yesterday. Seemed really convoluted in the way they subbed them.

 

[Igetbored216]

I don't think we ever gave any of the RB's much of a chance to get a rhythm going yesterday. Seemed really convoluted in the way they subbed them.

100% agree. Give them a damn chance to get into a rhythm. It would be somewhat similar to pulling TA after a few good throws. Granted, the QB is definitely more rhythm based, but RB is a close second.

 

[lo country]

I don't think we ever gave any of the RB's much of a chance to get a rhythm going yesterday. Seemed really convoluted in the way they subbed them.

Agreed. It seems they were subbed after every 2 plays. Maybe next week try series by series until one or two separate themselves. give them more time to get into rhythm and allow Riley to see them in plays that don't neccesarily cater to the particular backs "strengths".