A guy has to love some of the comments up in here.
Are you disappointed, sure. Was the play calling really inconsistent and disjointed and lacking any sort of creativity or where with all, yup. Some of the comments on here though are classic examples of over reaching over reactions. No one should be immediately terminated. Truthfully some of these comments about Jacob Park and the O-line are a bit carried away also.
I thought the 3rd and 1 pass play was a poor call on Manning's part. I don't know if we script plays but even so, any good coach will tell you to break script and run some sort of dive or veer play and "pound the rock," like Coach Campbell comments all the time. I thought this play was a great foreshadowing for how State's evening was going to go.
I also really disliked the stretch run play we attempted with Mike Warren in the second half. That was a horrible call that played right into the strength of the Texas defense. If your O-line is challenged in the run game, Football 101 tells you to run quick hitting run plays where your line isn't expected to hold their block very long. David Montgomery is great after 1st contact, let him do what he does best.
Park got happy feet early and often. He lacked accuracy and composure at times. Some of that is on him, some of that is on the coaching staff. In the post game Jacob said he was unprepared for some of the looks the Texas Defense was in. Again some of that is on him and a bunch of that goes back to the staff.
It isn't a very profound statement to say that the State O-line play was not good. Execution issues definitely fall on the shoulders of the players. Having said that, the play calling by the coaching staff did them no favors. Being so lopsided in the run to pass play ratio allowed the Texas Defense to really tee off on the pass plays. Give credit to the Texas Defense also. Having the ability to get pressure with 3-5 guys in the box allows the secondary to play coverage with 5-6 guys. That is the perfect formula for a bad offensive day.
In the end this was Coach Manning's 16th game as an OC. I would chalk a little of this to experience/inexperience. I don't know if Coach Manning got spooked or if he was trying to out think the room? Either way, it wasn't good.
Rember the past so not to repeat it but at the same time, correct errprs and move on. Sadly, I think this was an opportunity lost.