Run game concerns…this is interesting!

[UtesRule]

There’s been a LOT of chatter about “what’s wrong with Utah’s run game this year?!?!”
I don’t get it.
On the season, through 5 games, Utah is averaging 203 rushing yards per game.
They had 230 yards at Florida (37 more yards than UF is averting giving up this year).
They had 205 yards at ASU (28 more yards than ASU is averaging giving up this year, including only giving up 137 to U$C, “The greatest show on turf”, who is averaging 184 yards per game on the season).
They had 162 rushing yards last week against Oregon State (9 yards than what they average giving up on the year). OSU put 100% focus into stopping Utah’s run game, daring them to beat them through the air (against a secondary that U$C, “The greatest show on turf” was only able to throw for 180 yards and score 17 points against the week before).
Through the first 5 games from last season, here are the total yards per game:
– Weber State = 188
– TDS = 193
– SDSU = 70
– Wazzu = 213
– U$C = 180
Average through those 5 games was 169 yards.
The 2022 Utes are averaging 34 yards per game more after 5 games, versus arguably better opponents than their 2021 first 5 games, but the sky is falling!!
The scary thing for Utah’s opponents is, Utah clearly has room to improve in their run offense, and they will figure it out, and when they do, look out because they’ll be even better offensively than they were last year, even without Kuithe.
I think they figure out some things this week against fUCLA, even though the bruins are only giving up an average of 80 yards per game on the ground, and have 200+ yards on the ground along with 250 through the air to establish themselves as the clear front runners in the Pac12.
Go Utes

[jamarcus24]

Probably just feels that way to a lot of people because Tavion isn’t toting the rock across the goal line multiple times a game like he was last year.  Also I think our TD percentage down near the goal line is pretty low this season where last year it seemed like if we got inside the 10 Tavion taking it in was practically a given.

[MineralUte]

Total rushing yards doesn’t tell the whole story. It’s the average yards per carry (not by a QB) that is significantly down.

[noneyadb]

Vs OSU Utah punted 5 times. 4 were 3&outs. That’s terrible considering Utah’s style of offense.

[2008 National Champ]

2021 v 2022 Leading Rusher by game, Car-Yds-Y/Carry-Team Yards (% of Team Yards)

1. Weber State, Thomas, 12-107-8.9-188 (57)… Florida, Thomas, 23-115-5.0-230 (50)
2. Parochial School, Bernard, 12-146-12.2-193 (76)… SUU, Thomas, 11-48-4.4-246 (20)
3. San Diego State, Bernard, 17-47-2.8-70 (67)… San Diego State, Thomas, 16-59-3.7-174 (34)
4. Washington State, Pledger, 10-117-11.7-216 (54)… Arizona State, Thomas, 11-60-5.5-205 (29)
5. USC, Thomas, 16-113-7.1-180 (63)… Oregon State, Bernard, 6-19-3.2-162 (12)

When I refer to the running game, it involves a handoff to the running back. Yes QB runs and the fly sweeps/reverses count in the total rushing yards but they are not (in my mind) the staple of the offense. I see four 100 yard rushers in the first 5 games of 2021 v one in 2022. Additionally, the “bell cow” for that week accounted for no less than 54% of the teams yards in any 2021 game while 2022 has been significantly less.

So maybe it is an issue of semantics. The running backs, individually and also as a group have been far less effective when compared to 2021. Other than Florida, there hasn’t been a back have what any of us would consider a dominant effort. I can also only remember one “breakaway” in the last 3 games which was by Thomas on his first carry against ASU. The big plays just haven’t been there.

Let’s try it another way: 3rd and 4 on your own 30, late in the game nursing a 4 point lead. Gotta get the first down, gotta keep the clock moving, defense knows you are going to run it. Who do you trust to get those yards? Because if the answer is Rising or throw a pass, you don’t have a Utah running game.

[RedUte14]

Utah has a running game. Everything you stated is that Utah doesnt have as an effective Half Back running game. They still indeed have a running game however.

[dystopiamembrane]

I don’t even know what a Half Back is.

[ProudUte]

I respectively would ask you: Did you not see our line get pushed around on Saturday?  I believe our longest run outside Cam or Dixon was 8 yards.  That is NOT impressive.

As was mentioned above, it has more to do with the average yards per carry by our stable of running backs.  The top 3 RBs ran for 50 yards on 18 carries last week.  That just isn’t good and wouldn’t be good if we played Georgia and not OSU.

I want to be respectful because I understand that we all see things differently.  I am not trying to say, “You are wrong and I am right.”  I am simply saying, as for me the running game (by our RBs) is nowhere near what it was last season or 2019.  I lack confidence in short-yardage situations and I did not have that same lack of confidence last season.

Fortunately, we do have an amazing running QB that has picked up some of the slack.

[RedUte14]

Good thing it’s a team game. And not just running backs 😀

[EagleMountainUte]

I feel like a lot of fans on social media are overly pessimistic to appear objective. Which is kind of unfortunate.  Utah spanked a quality team in Oregon St.

I think kickoff coverage and kickoffs in general concern me more than the rushing game. 

I also am starting to think with Rising Utah is less and less a run first team. 

[GreatNorthernUte]

Expectations have been hyped so high that anything less than an A-grade performance from any particular unit in any given week is the end of the world.

Folks, it is all relative.  Outside Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State, every single team in the country has at least one possibly suspect position group.  And every single week, some of those teams look like s**t in some facet of a game they win comfortably.

So our run game vs what appears to be a very good run D in Oregon State had a below average game.  Well we all wish it wasnt so, but we still beat them 42-16 for goodness sakes.

Compare our team to the rest of a Pac 12 that is stronger than it has been in recent years.  We have the most complete team top to bottom.  Yes other schools may have a slightly better run game, or D line, or LBs, or whatever else.  Overall though we are above average at nearly every position group.  

 

[EagleMountainUte]

Georgia really struggled to win last Saturday. But they only need a half to do it. 

[D T]

Feed TT & then feed TT some more…..He’ll eventually round back into form.

In the meantime, QB/WR rushing yards count equally.

[EagleMountainUte]

By design Cam is supposed to get 6-8 carries a game. He is right around that and averages 10 a carry. 
It is kind of silly to say Rising doesn’t count towards the rushing game. DESIGNED to get 6-8 a game and he is shake’n bake’n fools into the endzone. 

[UteFanatic]

The sky isn’t falling…but Cam should never be the leading rusher and he was last week. The run game is a bit stagnant right now. Tavion needs to make a comeback.

[RedUte14]

Why shouldn’t he be. Winning is winning.

[EagleMountainUte]

If you don’t win with 6-7 ypc on your RUNNING backs and 3-4 receiving catches PER receiver something must be wrong!!

In fact next time Phillips should stop running to the endzone and let TT come on to get touches!!

[UteFanatic]

Because it’s not sustainable.

[DrahtUte]

I’m not worried about our running game. We’ve just become used to having a single, dominant running back at the U.

Running back by committee and relying on the QB/receivers isn’t what we’re used to but Ludwig is adapting the offense to our strengths. It’s working. 

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