Outside of the 3rd down QB draw to set up a 50 yarder, I didn't think the playcalling was all that bad.
Execution was horrendous. How many times did we get an ineligible downfield to negate a nice 15 yard gain? That's not a playcalling issue, that's an execution issue.
Mouser didn't fumble in the redzone.
Mouser didn't false start at the 1 yard line (and then get stonewalled on running plays that we have had success with in the past).
My only criticisms of the playcalling were the 3rd down QB draw (makes zero sense to "set up" a 50 yard field goal into the wind) and I feel like they don't really go with the "hot hand" with running backs; seems like once a guy makes a good play, they pull him out.
We gained 450 yards despite our o-line having a pretty bad game. Drops, turnovers, and penalties killed us. Mouser didn't call for those things to happen.
Agree and disagree. So, #1, the offensive coordinator can have a huge impact on the OL play. Sometimes, you just get whipped and the DL just hands you your a**. Nothing an OC can do in those games.
However, when you see what they're doing and you never adjust ( call screens, roll out the pocket, etc) and just keep thinking (well, we're going to pick up the blitz eventually) without really changing anything? That's coaching. That's the definition of insanity. We NEVER moved the pocket. We didn't have a TE in to chip on the edge to prevent the free rusher. We didn't adjust to what they were doing just basically looked at the OL and said
"FIX IT". Which, yes, the OL needs to "fix it" but also, the coaching staff needs to say at some point " well, ****, they need some help so let's try this". What's the saying from Mike Tyson? Everyone has a plan till they get punched in the face? We got punched in the face, and neither the OL nor the coaching staff seemed to have a backup plan. Other than bringing Bonifas in at guard, who, I might be wrong, I don't think has every played there before?
That's the problem though. You can't let a bad defense or worse, a good defense (Not that Tech's good ) but even a bad defense when they know what's coming, can stop you. Unless you have Derrick Henry (and we don't) who can just truck people out to Pluto - or Barry Sanders (and we don't) who can make 11 guys miss him in a phone booth - you can't say OK, we're bringing in all these TE's and Carsen and we're going to run it straight ahead 100% of the time. Not by week 8. Those other guys are getting paid - coaches and players now - too. That's on Mouser.
Not scheming the Brahmer's, Burkle's, Green's, Alston - open early so that a line backer or safety can't be a free rusher and you just bracket Noel and Higgins - that's on Mouser. And to a lesser degree Rocco. Cause if you target the other guys, your main guys don't get double covered or bracketed so much. its kinda like a pitcher setting up the slider by throwing a fastball.
You want to throw to Higgins and Noel, DUH, but you set the defense up by throwing to Brahmer, Green, Brown, etc. Not like 10 times to one but maybe collectively, but 4-5 targets to a couple of guys each is enough so their DC says crap, I can't bring the over-hang defender cause they're killing me in the flat or down the seam, where-ever. That also helps your offensive line because that guy is now out of the box and can't be a free rusher. Its not an accident we did that yesterday and Rocco had nearly 300 passing even in a non-perfect game. Defense's don't have to defend the whole field when you are basically throwing to 2 guys.
Here's an insane Stat. Higgins (55 receptions), Noel (43 receptions). Next? Brahmer has 10. Burkle has 6 but had 2 coming into yesterday. All of our other receivers combined have 36 receptions. Yes, you want to get your best players the ball. DUH. But that also makes it so incredibly easy late in the season on DCs. Which is why completion percentage drops. Passer ratings drop. When a secondary coach can say, hey, watch him and him - everyone else, don't worry. They're probably not throwing it to them. That makes it hard to block a blitz, it makes it hard to get open, it makes EVERYTHING hard when you are so one dimensional in the passing game. To use another baseball analogy, its Sammy Sosa. You're going to hit a home run or strike out.
Carsen Hansen (Barring injury) touching the ball 5 times in a half where he's averaging 6 yards a carry, essentially, and has one reception for 8 yards while the rest of the ground game had 12 runs for 8 yards -that's on coaching and not having the "hot" hand in the game. Again, barring injury.
Or, case in point, Hansen before his hot run of running the ball typically has been our best blitz pick up back - yet, in a game where we are getting pressured, we have Jackson in on 3rd and long and we get some pressure - not a fan of side arming the ball, I'd rather take the sack but I get trying to make a play so it's not a huge critique of the QB - but again, why? Unless he was still injured or less than 100%. But then why not use Klotz or someone whose bigger and in theory, slightly better at picking up rushing defenders? It wasn't terrible by Jackson but I just thought, that's a weird personnel to have out there against a team that's blitz heavy, to not have your best blitz pick up crew out there on 3rd down.
Why we passed on a long FG in dry weather then called a play in the rain to set up a long, albeit slightly shorter by about 2-3 yards is a strange scenario. Cause I'd agree the field conditions made the 51 yarder as long as the 54-55 yarder would have been and maybe even harder at that point in time.
And the use of time outs in the 3rd quarter. Just... wow. Especially the 1st one. Wouldn't that have been nice to have.
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All of that said, yes, the players have the lions share of blame. Rocco's pick which wasn't 100% on him, but even without the false start on the goal line, fumbles the snap. Higgin's had the 4th down drop, etc.
I won't kill Hufford because while yes, he has to hold his water, man that's tough on RPO's. Like, there's an internal clock where you're thinking as an OL, that if the QB gave it, your RB will die if you don't get the LB. So, those are tough. Its a combination of Hufford needs to be a little patient, and also, the ball's gotta come out quicker and have a faster developing RPO aspect. Cause the OL has no freaking clue if its a run or pass unless its pre-determined so its hard to tell him " okay, you need to get the LB but also, you need to not get the LB in case we throw it". That's a weird no man's land for an offensive linemen.
I wanna know where the wrinkles went. Like, early in the year we threw out of the Maryland I I think once our twice. Like we hit Brahmer on that 4th down I think where he makes an insane catch. We ran that short option on a 4th down, etc. We weren't doing crazy half back pass flea flicker reverses to the uncovered offensive linemen crap - but we were just unpredictable enough that it was hard to figure out what we were doing.
But we seem to have regressed - IDK if what was the pressure? Like, it happens all the time with coaches and players, especially if they're not used to it - like, we played not to lose yesterday. That was how that game felt.
It felt like the last couple of weeks, the team was struggling a little with the idea of being the hunted instead of the hunter, like all the playoff talk, all the undefeated talk, started to seep in. Which is human nature. Look at Ohio State, Clemson, Texas A&M, etc... all these teams, even a couple that won, really really have been struggling and not playing super great. So now, we're in uncharted territory, are banged up, facing a dangerous team that feels disrespected - and we picked a terrible time to basically lose the game with all the mistakes and it started to show.
Its all tied together. Its like a car.
The players have to execute better, OF COURSE.
But play calling, scheming, working other players into the game to at least make the defensive coordinator say "OK, I have to account for him" even just throwing the ball to Sama or Hansen out of the back field more. Something.
That also makes it EASIER for the players to execute because you put more doubt, more conflict into a defense than what we are doing currently. That's why we had the success against Baylor or the 2nd half against Iowa. Because we were finding ways to put the defense in conflict. Yesterday, and even against WVU - and Houston - it was like "meh, we're just going to play straight up no matter what" and sure... it MIGHT work out. And it had until yesterday.
But it makes playing offense so MUCH harder when you stop putting the defense into conflict.
So on all fronts, yesterday was a fluster F but one you could kinda see coming to some degree.
I know that got long again but just trying to cover all the basis of what I see, not that I'm some savant, lord knows I'm not but I did spend a decent amount around the game at various levels including college, albeit never anywhere close to Big 12 or power conference so I know all the coaches know way more than I do and are smarter. Just trying to break things down from what I see is all.
Hope everyone has a great Sunday.
