If only we had freshmen RB, QBs, etc…

Seriously this. I don’t get all the complaining. We are 4-0 against the best OOC schedule we’ve faced in a long time.

I would imagine our offense would perform a little better if they let Nate throw the ball a bit more, but that comes with the risk of turnovers, and the potential that our defense ends up on the field for more time. By running the ball as often as possible we are shortening the game and decreasing the likelihood that our defense tires out early enough in the game that the other team can make a comeback.

When we needed to throw the ball to win against Baylor, we did just that, and it worked out well. We didn’t need to throw the ball any more than we did yesterday. If we need to throw the ball to win against Oregon State, we will throw the ball.

We have come a long way as a football program. No longer is a 7 point win against a ranked team acceptable. Game plans under any circumstances that do not include offensive fireworks are unacceptable. A good part of the fan base has developed football acumen beyond even some very successful coaches. Winning with defense is simply not entertaining enough.

I don’t think we are seeing the strategy intended for this year, likely we are seeing plan H and it is amazing plan H is getting wins. I don’t think we saw the strategy intended for yesterday. Maybe we saw a measured win using QB3 and RB3 while not putting them to too much risk since it is hard to imagine continuation if we lost one of them. How could the coaches not seen incredible bad luck with injuries and recruited even better than our best year in history last year? Or maybe the coaches are doing quite well in chaos.

The heads up I saw on UCLA was their front seven was the strength of their entire team and 3rd and long going against them should be considered highly unlikely. We could let them chase our last serviceable QB around, or we could run our last serviceable RB into the line. Maybe both boiled down to advantage UCLA. Maybe we chose to run the clock and expose the QB and RB as little as possible. Maybe we would have seen different adjustments in a tied game. Maybe there were details known by the coaches that are unknown even to a very informed peanut gallery (do not take offense, I consider myself no more than informed peanut gallery having never been to practice).

I had the same feeling watching the game. Why is NJ not passing more? Why are the TEs in protection and not used more as a target? Why don’t we vary the runs more? Then I started to wonder what the coaches are seeing and thinking that I didn’t see. It nearly got in the way of seeing one of the very best defensive performances in a very long time. The cherry on top was the last drive by UCLA. With everything on the line, time running out, and with all the weapons, UCLA was to be very difficult to stop in a 4 down offense. Who could have guessed that 3 out of 4 snaps would be sacks with each play keeping the clock running. Very big defensive performance.

I don’t know what the coaches have been thinking but they are way ahead of me and are doing an amazing job without Rising, Bernard, Kuithe, O’Toole and so many others that would make the ride smother. Why not just enjoy the ride?