Why couldn't we run the ball?
- Thread starter westx
- Start date
We don't have the running backs for power football.
We didn't take a power back out of the portal or a kicker ..... Sark is going to pay for this.
We didn't take a power back out of the portal or a kicker ..... Sark is going to pay for this.
We kept calling outside zone to Goosby side. It didn't work but once out of 7/8 times. We ran veer once for a big play, not again. I only remember counter G once for a big play.
No rhythm or feel from the OC in the run game. Plus OC shit the bed on first down many times with misdirection and slow developing plays. ASU DC obviously prepared the team to get up field as fast as possible especially on the edges. Sark never adjusted.
No rhythm or feel from the OC in the run game. Plus OC shit the bed on first down many times with misdirection and slow developing plays. ASU DC obviously prepared the team to get up field as fast as possible especially on the edges. Sark never adjusted.
When you're throwing deep on 1st down, you send a message to the kids up front and the RBs.... "I don't think you can get me 6-8 yards on 1st down."
After a few 1st downs, those kids start to believe they can't. Then it snowballs.
Don't kid yourself. Sark was trying for home run balls on 1st down simply because he had two huge hits on the first drive. He kept trying to replicate it. But ASU got wise.
After a few 1st downs, those kids start to believe they can't. Then it snowballs.
Don't kid yourself. Sark was trying for home run balls on 1st down simply because he had two huge hits on the first drive. He kept trying to replicate it. But ASU got wise.
There wasn’t one available. And we had CJ and Gibson. CJ got hurt. Gibson hasn’t developed.
Went back and checked the stat lines for the season.
Only lowly Wyoming and Miss St rushed for fewer yards against AZ st than Texas did.
So one would have to convince me that Texas state- Cincy- Oklahoma St- Kansas- Texas Tech- UCF- Arizona etc- all have better blocking and running than Texas does---- and that's going to be a tough sell.
Something else is afoot here. And I think it's Sark throwing on 1st down. You may not agree with me and that's fine. Maybe he has become predictable in his run calls. Maybe someone on offense is tipping the play call. But to be held to a pedestrian 50 or so yards on the ground against that team- something doesn't jive.
I still don't understand why we don't utilize more man blocking against teams that we obviously have a size / talent advantage over. I get that it's hard to run all his exotic routes and wide receiver screens from something like a 12 formation but sometimes you don't need to be cute. Sometimes just tell your big guys to beat the guy in front of them and road grater their asses down the field.
Sark wanted to show that cocky young coach of theirs how a real offensive mind does it. He once again overthought it and tried to be creative. Just running the ball was too boring for him.
Arizona State was a top 15 rush defense. They were only allowing around 113 yards per game. Doesn't excuse the performance but I think a lot of people underestimated their defense. Their LBs and safeties do a really good job of filling. They play downhill and they play fast.
1st down plays
54 yard pass, RPO to Golden
6 yard sack
End of 1st Quarter
3 yard rush
2 yard pass to RB
24 yard pass to RB
2 yard rush
1 yard rush
-1 yard rush
Halftime
8 yard sack
fumbled and safety
2 yard rush
End of 3rd Quarter
6 yard rush
8 yard pass to TE
Deep pass incomplete
3 yard rush
6 yard rush
7 yard pass to RB
2 yard rush
Deep pass incomplete
13 yard pass
15 yard pass
1 yard rush
End of 4th Quarter
Incomplete pass
25 yd. TD to Helm (beautiful play design to be honest and Ewers stepped up and delivered a perfect ball)
Call me old fashioned, but I'll take a 2nd and 7/8 every single time over a 2nd and 10 or 18 because of an incomplete or a sack. There was never a feel for what AZSt was doing on 1st down defensively from Sark and thus absolutely no rhythm.
The other issue was calling outside zone to Goosby side over and over. He was getting his ass whipped and couldn't seal an edge. We didn't run enough counter or veer to the left side. Of course, we only ran the ball with RBs 22x. And this was with a lead for most of the damn game FFS.
We already had a good power back with good backups. When the portal had closed, its was closed. We did get another RB late from SMU for depth, which shows you that there wasnt anything better at that time.
When the line doesn’t open up holes, it’s gonna be long day.
This. I kept telling myself that there was a reason Sark kept on with that zone blocking or whatever it was (even though it bore no fruit and made no sense to me). I just don’t know enough about it. In my mind, all I can think of is that we have the nations best offensive line and we weren’t going straight at them. I still don’t understand the play that we got a safety. The whole world knew asu would all out blitz. Why can’t we go under center and push. I don’t know and thus, I am a confused over-simplifier.
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So we had 12 passes or would have been passes and 10 rushes on 1st down.
We gained 26 yards on those 10 rushes (2.6 per carry). And we basically rushed for HALF our rushing total on 1st down.
WOW
It's worse than I thought. So Sark is opting for 2&10 vs 2nd and 7.4-- damn. Someone is going to have to explain that mindset to me. Maybe I'm too old school to get it.
Under center? Yes.... if Arch were in. But Quinn has proven that he can't stand up to physical punishment. And remember the last time Texas ran a QB sneak what happened? Colt ended up in the hospital.
I don’t know man. For a simple push to get some breathing room? Colt’s was different. Also, we had the pistol which pushes us further back. The asu player from the end got to him for heaven’s sake. There shouldn’t be that much time. I get what you are saying, but I can’t make sense of it in my head.
We didn't get a power back in the last 10 days. We need one for next year. We don't have the guys atm.
I’m with you my man. My comments at the bottom of my post lament the same as you did here. Give me 2nd and 7/8 every time with the TE and Gooden
Yikes. Love some Golden but why is he charged with protecting the edge on our own 2 yard line ffs? Also that is partly on Wisner. Just lower head and get out of EZ
You were unclear that you were talking about next year.
