IMO this may explain what happened. We can’t run because teams are bringing the house and stunting so it is almost impossible to run. Normally you execute a quick passing game to keep the LB’s from blitzing. How did we get here? IMO this is a combination of losing our focus on the type of Oline needed to run Enos’s scheme, Pittman’s last 2 years of signees and CBB hiring a replacement that had no current recruiting relationships.
We started with Pittman’s big Olineman that were road graders but we switched to Enos’s scheme that required pulling lineman and that is not the type of Olineman we had. Do you remember the Texas Tech game in Fayetteville when Enos called plays requiring Kirkland and Tretola pull for screens? We looked terrible on offense until the screens were shut down after a few games.
CBB should have the Oline experience to have recognized this and made changes. Has anyone else noticed that our offense still has a history of damage by delayed blitzes and delayed run support? Other teams use quicker routes for the QB to unload to. Delayed blitzes have killed us under Enos.
Anderson is blamed for the failures in the Oline but he was right to coach technique, because 300-315 lbs OL have to rely on technique to neutralize the superior athlete or size on DLine. CBB is an Oline guru but he seemed to give Pittman and Anderson way too much freedom. I think we have some serious talent failures that choose not to play to their potential and it is killing our oline, offense and team. It is sad because the technique and scheme appear to have been thrown out the window to dumb it down for a few guys. The Oline isn’t comprised of Pittman road graders but we seem to still try to identify as smash mouth yet we also changed SOME of the offensive scheme? We are somewhere in between two offensive schemes.
Our offense is play action Pro Style (a passing game based on establishing the run) with tweaks of wide sets and screens from Enos. Our Oline is so bad the defense doesn’t respect the run SO play action isn’t a threat. Now we have WR’s that can’t get separation which makes it even worse. The LBs blitz = 7 rushing against 5 offensive linemen, we run slow developing play action routes, WR’s can’t get separation, thus AA or CK come under immediate pressure.
Our offense can change the whole dynamic if it can stay on the field and keep the defense from getting way too many snaps. I had hoped we would focus on the TE passing game until the WR’s get their act together. The TE is a quicker route to help reduce pocket time. I think O’Grady or Patton should be split out and have Cantrell block next to the tackle.
Where do we go for the rest of the season? Do we stop the insanity of using our Oline that has been built to stretch out the defense to be smash mouth with play action? CK is tall enough to see the middle of the field better than a majority of QB’s so the middle of the field passing opened up with him…and that opened up some running lanes. I doubt AA is back this week so does CBB and Enos change the play calling to quicker passes? OM is not a strong rush defense so that element could help our run game. We can lick our wounds against Coastal Carolina before LSU.