Running the ball next year

[cysox2]

And for running the ball, I would like to see a more physical back like Woody or Wimberly running it if there isn't much help from o-line because they can at least lay a block of their own on the first would be tackler and get a few more yards. All the smaller faster backs get mugged at los or in backfield and that's it without a clear running lane.

All it takes is 3.5 yards for three carries for a first down and if they can do that consistently, that runs the clock and scores points. Problems is, that's not B12 points and next year, going to need video game scores to help out a young and inexperienced D with major holes to fill.[/QUOTE]

I agree with you. Part of the problem it seems to me is that nearly all of the passing plays are set up only to get 3 or 4 yards, a lot of them are screens behind the line of scrimmage, so when we have an incompletion or a play gets blown up its a drive killer. It seems like every time a new qb was brought in and the offense was "simplified" we moved the ball well. Quick, safe passes seemed to work, then as they would get more comfortable and "expand" the play book we weren't as successful. We also seemed to have a lot of success on our first offensive possession of the game. It seemed as though the defense would make adjustments to stop us, and instead of giving different looks we would just continue to do the same thing. I'm sure there is no easy answer or the coaches would have done something about it. Just a couple observations from my very unprofessional standpoint.

[cyfanfrompella]

I'm personally sick and tired of watching us run out of the shotgun in short yardage situations, double tight with a lead blocker, play football. We are never going to establish the run with our current scheme.

[twojman]

we lacked down hill road graders on the O-line. coupled with our inability to complete passes down the field efficiently enough to prevent the defense from stacking the box and selling out against the run.

The defenses who were able to match up with our WR really gave us fits: (Rutgers), Iowa, Tech, OSU, also KSU and OU at times.

Notice even when we had Hicks and Osemele our offense was crap. Bleil is the first problem and the second problem is Mess. Anything after that can be fixed with good coaching.

[swarthmoreCY]

Notice even when we had Hicks and Osemele our offense was crap. Bleil is the first problem and the second problem is Mess. Anything after that can be fixed with good coaching.

Our offense was poor, but our OLine and its play was not crap. If anything that tells you the offense, and thus Mess, is the first problem. Bleil is not the one that chose to neutralize road-graders like Hicks and KO (plus guys like Haughton, Lamaak, Stephens before them) with a shotgun, QB-dependent run game in combination with a compressed passing "attack".

[demoncore1031]

to me it seemed like the o-line was built more for pass blocking, which makes no sense as we are supposed to be a running team. we hardly gave up any sacks this year, but the run game was not getting any help from the o-line. of course when you have a really good north-south RB like james white only getting 9 carries a game, that doesnt help either

[Frak]

The recievers struggle to block because they are undersized. It's not thier wheelhouse. We need some larger possesion recievers not just for matchups on the slant and fade but run blocking. And yes we need to run more than the zone read.

I think that they're fixing the WR issue. Quan West will be off of RS next year and Bundrage and Daley are tall kids that just need to add some muscle. Plus, the two kids they have committed are bigger than we've been starting.

IMO they need to overhaul the offense. It's obviously not working. Right now, everything is based on the zone read. And we don't have the QBs to run it well. On top of that, they're putting the QB in danger of getting hurt by running them so much. And when the running game doesn't work, they're stuck with a banged up QB and subpar WRs trying to carry the team. I also don't know if the OL strategy of recruiting thinner, more athletic kids is working. They get very little push in the running game. Even guys like Tuftee and Farniok who look like they should be great run blockers have struggled.

If I were CPR, I would take most of those QB runs out of the offense. There is zero reason why a QB should have more carries than any of the RBs. And with Barnett gone, it is really important to keep Richardson and Rohach healthy. Run the QB just enough to keep the D honest, but if it were me, I'd quit calling QB runs all together and only have them running when they need to scramble. The Offense hasn't had an identity since Arnaud graduated. I would go more pistol and diamond formation and try to be more of a power running team. They have some electric backs with Wimberly, Nealy and White. Get Woody on the field as a lead blocker and start pounding teams. Mix in some screen game with Jarvis West and two TE sets with Brun and Bibbs. I do think that the OL will be better with Dika healthy and Lichtenburg/Gannon not playing out of position. They'll need Farniok to step up and Tuftee to improve.

The other thing is that if they DO make a bowl, I think that the bowl prep needs to be overhauled. Seems to me that the team isn't ready to play and maybe enjoys themselves a little too much on the trip. I think that they need to work a little harder to keep their edge.

[Luth4Cy]

I think that they're fixing the WR issue. Quan West will be off of RS next year and Bundrage and Daley are tall kids that just need to add some muscle. Plus, the two kids they have committed are bigger than we've been starting.

IMO they need to overhaul the offense. It's obviously not working. Right now, everything is based on the zone read. And we don't have the QBs to run it well. On top of that, they're putting the QB in danger of getting hurt by running them so much. And when the running game doesn't work, they're stuck with a banged up QB and subpar WRs trying to carry the team. I also don't know if the OL strategy of recruiting thinner, more athletic kids is working. They get very little push in the running game. Even guys like Tuftee and Farniok who look like they should be great run blockers have struggled.

If I were CPR, I would take most of those QB runs out of the offense. There is zero reason why a QB should have more carries than any of the RBs. And with Barnett gone, it is really important to keep Richardson and Rohach healthy. Run the QB just enough to keep the D honest, but if it were me, I'd quit calling QB runs all together and only have them running when they need to scramble. The Offense hasn't had an identity since Arnaud graduated. I would go more pistol and diamond formation and try to be more of a power running team. They have some electric backs with Wimberly, Nealy and White. Get Woody on the field as a lead blocker and start pounding teams. Mix in some screen game with Jarvis West and two TE sets with Brun and Bibbs. I do think that the OL will be better with Dika healthy and Lichtenburg/Gannon not playing out of position. They'll need Farniok to step up and Tuftee to improve.

The other thing is that if they DO make a bowl, I think that the bowl prep needs to be overhauled. Seems to me that the team isn't ready to play and maybe enjoys themselves a little too much on the trip. I think that they need to work a little harder to keep their edge.

I don't know this for a fact but I have a feeling that the typical zone read will become less of a staple of our offense as we get more athletic receivers. If so, then we will become more of an air raid team, but still a team that can run the ball effectively, such as Okie State, who still makes the "option" game work by using run pass options.

[CykoAGR]

I think it all starts up front. If we want to run to 200 yds/game (CPR’s goal) we have to change. ISU ran for 200+ only 3 times last year (W IL, Kansas and WVU). KSU, OK and Tulsa-bowl (TULSA!!) we didn’t even get 100 yds as a TEAM!! I would be extremely surprised if the returning players can reach this goal without something changing.

I don’t mean to knock on Steele Jantz because he did his best but he was awful on the Read-option and his ypc showed it. Sam Richardson should help with this because he avg’d more than double ypc than Jantz. (Amazingly the KU and WVU games we rushed for 200+, Tulsa not so much but we will give him the benefit of the doubt) also if you look at the RB ypc they are all 4.38 or better. That’s good enough we just need to give them the damn ball more often.

We can’t rely completely on the run though because as Kansas showed this year a good running team that is horrible passing is still probably going to lose a lot of games.

[RustShack]

We have an offensive line that needs the passing game to open the run more. They are slightly smaller and more athletic guys for a spread offense... Not big maulers for a power running offense.

[cyfanfrompella]

Our offense was poor, but our OLine and its play was not crap. If anything that tells you the offense, and thus Mess, is the first problem. Bleil is not the one that chose to neutralize road-graders like Hicks and KO (plus guys like Haughton, Lamaak, Stephens before them) with a shotgun, QB-dependent run game in combination with a compressed passing "attack".

We have an offensive line that needs the passing game to open the run more. They are slightly smaller and more athletic guys for a spread offense... Not big maulers for a power running offense.

Then we need to be putting more bodies at the point of attack. More multiple back sets please, woody is a fb and should never leave the field.

[Luth4Cy]

Then we need to be putting more bodies at the point of attack. More multiple back sets please, woody is a fb and should never leave the field.

I'd say more 2 tight end sets before more multiple back sets.

[VeloClone]

I'd say more 2 tight end sets before more multiple back sets.

I don't care either way just as long as whoever is in there is capable of splitting out, running a route and catching the ball. The key to making this offense work including jet tempo is to force the D to defend multiple looks with whatever personnel they had in the previous play.

[Aclone]

I don't care either way just as long as whoever is in there is capable of splitting out, running a route and catching the ball. The key to making this offense work including jet tempo is to force the D to defend multiple looks with whatever personnel they had in the previous play.

I was going to say, reading all of the "helpful suggestions", I'd settle for a quarterback who spent less time either throwing the ball into the ground, or turning it over to the other team.

[Luth4Cy]

I was going to say, reading all of the "helpful suggestions", I'd settle for a quarterback who spent less time either throwing the ball into the ground, or turning it over to the other team.

That also might be helpful.

[RustShack]

The biggest problem with this offense was A. The QB getting the ball into the hands of the receiver, and B. the receivers coming down with it when they did receive a good enough pass.

Our running game wasn't awful, it wasn't used properly because our passing game couldn't move the sticks.

We need the young talent to develop, and we also need our OC to also develop a little more his second year.