Running Game

orangeandbrown · Post by **orangeandbrown** » Sun Oct 10, 2004 12:01 am

We seem to be having trouble getting PJ going from time to time. He didn't have much of a game today, and has been a little off all season, not counting the rout at Temple. What do people think? Does he have some injury we don't know about? A big strength of our attack is running, and we need to be able to mix it up for our tough games later in the season.

Maybe teams are selling out to stop him, but it seems to me that we aren't working hard to get him into the flow.

Metz · Post by **Metz** » Sun Oct 10, 2004 12:41 am

I think teams expect us to run the football a majority of the time. They are lining up in the 4-4, 4-3, etc. so we can't really get a good jump on the defense. To me it almost seems as though teams are saying you have a new quarterback so we can let him throw on us all day while we protect against the run. Honestly, most mistakes I see in the passing game aren't from tight coverage on the defenders but rather from a bad pass or dropped pass. Omar can throw and I'm sure everyone knows it now, but I just feel like teams want him to prove he isn't just a fluke. Once the passing game is established, I think we will see more dime and nickle coverage that will allow our running game to develop more as well.

pardonfan · Post by **pardonfan** » Sun Oct 10, 2004 9:38 am

I just hope this success in the pass game doesn't make us pass happy. We still need good balance.

BGGrad01 · Post by **BGGrad01** » Sun Oct 10, 2004 10:56 am

It seems to me like PJ plays one full series, then BJ plays a full series and there is some type of planned rotation between the two backs. Now I have always been a big fan of BJ Lane because he is a change of pace from PJ, but he has not been good all year, outside of returns. I think we should play PJ more and his numbers would go up. He's averaging 5.8 yards per carry versus BJ's 2.9. He has 56 carries through 5 games this year compared to 90 through 5 last year. Get him in the game and run him when he's in there. Outside of running the ball, he has to play more because he's a much better receiver than Lane. Linebackers cannot cover PJ in the passing game and he always seems to make plays.

Warthog · Post by **Warthog** » Sun Oct 10, 2004 8:48 pm

The lack of running game does concern me. But I also think it may be a function of taking what the defense is giving us. If they going to give us the passing game, we will take it. Another explanation is that we don't seem to have the same run package as we did last year with Harris. Harris ran the ball a lot! And with that, every running play was more of an option. Harris would either stick in PJ's gut, or he would pull it out and go the other way based on what the defense was doing. I haven't seen Omar do this at all this year. When we run it, it is a straight give to the halfback and that makes it easier for the defense to defend against it.

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Sun Oct 10, 2004 9:07 pm

Warthog wrote:The lack of running game does concern me. But I also think it may be a function of taking what the defense is giving us. If they going to give us the passing game, we will take it. Another explanation is that we don't seem to have the same run package as we did last year with Harris. Harris ran the ball a lot! And with that, every running play was more of an option. Harris would either stick in PJ's gut, or he would pull it out and go the other way based on what the defense was doing. I haven't seen Omar do this at all this year. When we run it, it is a straight give to the halfback and that makes it easier for the defense to defend against it.

You hit the nail on the head Warthog. Our running game was built on misdirection more than power. Lots of counters and plays like you describe where Josh went one way & PJ the other. That moment of indecision in the defenders' minds as to who had the ball is what helped us rack up the yards on the ground. Omar had a lot more rushing yards Saturday than earlier in the year, so perhaps they're starting to let him run more?

If Omar starts to run as much as Josh did he, and the offense, will be unstoppable.

TG1996 · Post by **TG1996** » Sun Oct 10, 2004 9:12 pm

I noticed that in the NIU game. It seems like all the runs early in the season were almost "stop action". Get the snap. Place the ball in PJ's gut. Pause. PJ runs.

I know alot of that comes from handing off from the shotgun, but it just seems to stall things for that split-second long enough for a good D-line to get a little more pressure and swarm the ball carrier.

As hammb said, hopefully they're beginning to open things up for Omar as he shows he can handle a wider load of the offense and we'll see more of what we grew familiar with.

In a COMPLETELY unrelated note, and somewhat of a threadjack, I guess, Tim McCarver just used the word "discombobulated". I don't think I ever want to hear that again. Ugh.

Warthog · Post by **Warthog** » Sun Oct 10, 2004 9:12 pm

I think most of Omar's rushing yards are coming on true option plays. Harris ran it up the middle and off tackle alot, but I have yet to see them try that much with Jacobs.

Falconfreak90 · Post by **Falconfreak90** » Sun Oct 10, 2004 10:14 pm

I've been a bit disappointed in the ground game as well. Keep in mind we do have a RS freshman in Kory Lichtensteiger starting on the line and Rob Warren has been nagged by that knee all year. I saw Rob after the game yesterday and asked how he felt. He had a big ole bag of ice on his knee and said it was "sore"...not what I wanted to hear. Drew Nystrom has been filling in well for Rob and he is a RS freshman as well. We are averaging about 160 yards a game on the ground at this time.

Also, I think as Omar gets more comfortable with the system, we'll see the running game get going. Yesterday, Omar had one hell of a fake on a misdirection like hammb was discussing. EVERYONE in the stadium thought BJ Lane had the ball going around left end. I wondered "Why is Lane slowing down???" and then looked across the field and Omar is racing downfield with the ball. On an option play, Omar made an amazing spin move before pitching the ball to PJ that was unreal. I think the coaches wanted Omar to get comfortable with the passing game and develope the chemistry with the WR's first.

All I know is Omar Jacobs is extremely fun to watch and, with a couple more games under his belt, will be all but unstoppable.