A strong rushing offense alone will not result in more future wins.
- Thread starter cyborg
- Start date
Using Oklahoma and Baylor as your examples that running the Air Raid offense makes teams better at running the football is a failure for multiple reasons. #1. Baylor and Oklahoma have the best offensive lines in the Big XII. #2. Baylor and Oklahoma have the best RB talent in the Big XII. #3. Baylor and Oklahoma have the most explosive wide receivers in the Big XII. #4. Baylor and Oklahoma have some of the best talent and depth at the QB position in the Big XII. Baylor and Oklahoma are horrible examples simply because the amount of talent they have in the trenches, at QB, and at the skill positions is at a level that ISU will never be able to achieve.
Since the Big XII went to 10 teams K-State a ball control power running offense has 43 wins in 5 years (a chance for 44 this weekend). K-State would be the Big XII team outside of KU that is closest to ISU in talent, recruiting similarities, recruiting challenges, etc... Iowa State tries to run the spread and they have 20 wins in that same time span. Of the spread teams Texas Tech would be the closest match to ISU in terms of talent, recruiting similarities, recruiting challenges, etc... They have 32 wins in that time span. I think we can all agree that Tech is far superior at running the spread/Air Raid offense than ISU, they have had better QB's than ISU, they are in a better recruiting area than ISU, they have had more explosive talent at the skill positions than ISU, etc.... yet in 5 years they only have 12 more wins than ISU. K-State has a chance this weekend to have 24 more wins than ISU during that same span. Clearly ISU doesn't have to run the spread to have success... and K-State proves that.
Since the Big XII went to 10 teams... (win totals)
OU - 50
Baylor - 49
OSU - 47
K-State - 43 with a chance this weekend to go to 44
Tech - 32
ISU - 20
If you look at conference wins in that time span it looks like this...
OU - 34
Baylor - 32
OSU - 31
K-State - 29 with a chance this weekend to go to 30
Tech - 16
ISU - 10
Doesn't KSU essentially run a "power" spread, though? They feature a lot of quarterback-designed power runs. The QB will often hesitate and wait for the blocking to develop before picking a seam. Also helps to have a Tyler Lockett...
YOU MEAN WE HAVE TO ALSO PLAY DEFENSE TO WIN??????? WHAT ABOUT SPECIAL TEAMS???? EMAIL POLLARD NOW BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!!!!
Whats the key to stopping the elite offensives of the Big 12?
Some may say to do that you need to have a better defense, but why risk that? It is important to have a good defense, but we should also focus on just keeping those offensives off the field for as much of the game as possible and keep the ball in our hands for as long as possible. Convert on third down, make first down plays. Avoid third and long.
I would like to see a strong run game.
Run the ball consistently 3 or more yards every play (without fumbles), get a first down while draining the clock. This all starts with the offensive line, need them to create space and blocks for the running backs. Run the ball, train running backs on cuts, spins, stiff arms, hurdles, etc. Strengthen and condition them to be freakishly athletic, huge, and fast like Derrick Henry. Give them all the tools to run and drain the clock.
Makes for boring football, but if we can keep other offensives off the field, the happier I would be.
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Some may say to do that you need to have a better defense, but why risk that? It is important to have a good defense, but we should also focus on just keeping those offensives off the field for as much of the game as possible and keep the ball in our hands for as long as possible. Convert on third down, make first down plays. Avoid third and long.
I would like to see a strong run game.
Run the ball consistently 3 or more yards every play (without fumbles), get a first down while draining the clock. This all starts with the offensive line, need them to create space and blocks for the running backs. Run the ball, train running backs on cuts, spins, stiff arms, hurdles, etc. Strengthen and condition them to be freakishly athletic, huge, and fast like Derrick Henry. Give them all the tools to run and drain the clock.
Makes for boring football, but if we can keep other offensives off the field, the happier I would be.
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Iowa wins some games they might not because of dedication to the run. When you keep pounding it and make their defense stay on the field, sometimes by the end of the game, you can just see it - the defense is exhausted and you can do just about anything you want with success.
I think Campbell could really do damage to some of the big 12 defenses, and keep the explosive offenses off the field.
I think Campbell could really do damage to some of the big 12 defenses, and keep the explosive offenses off the field.
Which is exactly what Iowa did to Iowa State. ISU was up 17-7 and had the ball to start the 2nd half and went on a string of quick 3 and outs with passing plays. Iowa kept to the run and used timely passes and even though they didn't always score they had long sustained drives that kept ISU's D on the field. They also took away ISU's run game and Mangino couldn't adjust and Iowa took control of the game. ISU's D was a shell of itself by the end of the game.
Good points. I think what this proves is that coaching, strategy, schemes, and discipline is a winning formula that gives less talented teams a fighting chance at victory. I'm looking at CPR's tenure of those items I listed we maybe, maybe, had an advantage in discipline.
Interesting that by my count, 22/25 of those listed have winning records...and also 18/25 of those on the list are located in what you'd consider to be in a fair weather climate.....
