If there's one thing I hate about college football, It's 11 AM kickoffs.
Seriously though, at what point in time did someone think that it would be a good idea to set college football games before noon. My brain barely functions before noon. So imagine my displeasure at having to wake up for that 3 hours Oklahoma State tried to pass off as a game...
It's like our Offensive Coordinator had COMPLETELY forgotten how to run our offense. I would like to think we run what I, and probably only I, call a balanced spread offense. I know at the heart of our identity, we do in fact run a spread offense (throw, throw, and throw some more.) We run things at a very quick pace and rely on that fast tempo to disrupt defenses sometimes.
I should at this point mention that the very man who brought this very dangerous offense to OSU was none other than Dana Holgorsen. Former OSU OC, current WVU Head Coach. I got quite a few chuckles at how upset he was getting when the offense he brought to our school was catching his new defense so far off guard. Shouldn't you, of all people, know this plan?
Anywho, the thing that I think has made us so successful is that we've also had a very good ground game. Just when you're starting to figure out what we're doing through the air, BOOM, explosive running back right up the middle. Now you don't know what to cover. It's been effective. VERY effective. Until Saturday. What did we do? Run, run, run some more, run again, oh wait we're on the 1/2 yard line, THROW. SERIOUSLY. I wish I was kidding. Also, as an OSU fan, I'm realizing just how spoiled I was by Dan Bailey and Quinn Sharp...please come back. Our kicker missed a less than 25 yd field goal, while just two hours later I watched Georgia's kicker nail a 55 yarder right down the middle.
I'm bitter. SO bitter.
Then today, after staying up much too late laughing with some of my favorites, the Texans happened.
There's something that one of my friends dad said that always stuck with me. Partially because his son was an offensive lineman, and partially because it's so true.
"If I'm noticing the offensive line, they're doing something wrong."
Is it fair? Not entirely. Is it accurate? Absolutely. How many times when you see Arian Foster make an explosive play up the middle do you say, "Geeze, that was GREAT blocking by the left tackle." Chances are...less than 1%. That's why you always hear about Quarterbacks feeding their entire offensive lines every week. Because if they do their job, the qb is able to do his without issue.
I was spoiled in 2011. The OSU offensive line was monstrous. Brandon Weeden had all day to throw in the pocket. A thing of beauty. So imagine my discontent when I see how many licks Schaub takes.
Now, I personally believe that Schaub is hyper aware of incoming pressure, ( a drastic 180 from David Carr, who apparently is completely blind in his peripheral vision), and after a chat with a friend I also believe his foot is not, and may never be, 100%. All I'm saying that if I were an opposing defensive coordinator you could bet that I would be blitzing every single down.
I'm not throwing in the towel yet. Our defense still looks spectacular, and our offensive line went above and beyond in the first half today... but something has got to get better.That second half was enough to make any Texans fan cry.
I don't really like Schaub, but I disagree with the fans asking to cut him and start Keenum. (You guys are aware that there is a guy in between them on the Depth Chart who...I dont know...HAS WON AN NFL PLAYOFF GAME FOR US.) But something has got to change.
I'll analyze more on the Texans tomorrow. Including how I would not want to be 49ers offense next week because what I saw in the post game interviews was a VERY ANGRY JJ Watt. (The stitches definitely add to the stud factor btw.)
xoxo
No comments:
Post a Comment