Replies: 10
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110%er [7173]
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8 Man Box = Struggling Run Game!
Nov 3, 2020, 4:48 PM
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I am one to call out a spade "if it's a spade"! But, our OL while not dominant by any stretch is facing many loaded boxes this season. Far more than in any other year I can remember! Teams are choosing to take Travis Etienne away and rolling the dice on if Trevor can beat them. But, look at how Trevor and our WR's and TE's and RB's have answered! We have the 10th ranked offense. Averaging over 500(508) yards a game and 42.3 ppg. 40 offensive TD's. How?
If our OL is as bad as many people are making it out - how does Trevor get time to throw it? He does pretty consistent. Which some people called our line a "finesse OL" more adept to pass blocking than run blocking. That maybe true; but defensive coordinators are choosing the Trevor Lawrence poison over the "guaranteed take it to the house Travis Etienne poison"! Which is the correct choice!
Why? Because what if the WR drops a perfect pass from Trevor? What if your DE's get home on a pass play? What if the pass is off or gets defended perfect? All of that can happen in the passing game. If 9 gets to your secondary "it's a done deal" you can put a bow on it; cause it's a wrap! So, you load the box and make it dang near impossible to run. This is why our WR group has "at times this season" had so many one on one match ups.
Remember - the whole country knew we lost Justin Ross to a freak injury! And, we lost Tee Higgins to the NFL. In "their minds" they were making Clemson prove they have playmakers who can consistently beat them in the pass game.
If and when we are unable to run against 6 man boxes - this will be a deal breaking deal! For now, it's more of a concern rather than an "oh lowered what are we to do" type deal. We are making teams pay for playing us like that. If we continue and Amari and Spector and D. Allen and TE9 keep making them pay in the passing game - we are good to go folks!
I feel like if Ngata gets 100% healthy and EJ Williams gets his confidence where it needs to be - we will be even better on offense! Thank God for Amari and the whole TE group and TE9. We need our outside WR's to step up and be more consistent(Ladson). They will; I am confident!
https://www.espn.com/college-football/stats/team/_/view/offense/stat/total/table/passing/sort/yardsPerGame/dir/desc
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CU Medallion [57054]
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TD Ladson!***
Nov 3, 2020, 5:00 PM
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110%er [7173]
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Re: TD Ladson!***
Nov 3, 2020, 5:24 PM
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I think Frank is still figuring it out. He has all the potential in the world. Once he gets that killer instinct once the ball is in the air he will be hard to stop. Ngata just needs to get healthy. We haven't seen what he can do fully yet. Can't wait!
EJ Williams Swimmer is one of the players I think has an opportunity to break in earlier than expected because of Ladson and Ngata kind of getting a late start due to Covid during camp. He has all the tools to be a exceptional WR. He already has that "killer instinct". Just needs to put it all together!
Powell could be having one of those late in his senior season - breakouts! Be nice if he emerges as a consistent threat! He doesn't seem like he is going to be our deep threat; but for all other routes he could be solid. Davis Allen and Gallolway and Lay all have NFL potential. Whoever is the most physical and helps more in the run game + is a asset in the pass game will play the most. We have 3 really good ones. Well four with Chalk.
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Head Coach [752]
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Exactly
Nov 3, 2020, 5:23 PM
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The whole world also knows that we have 4 new OL starters that are on the young side (only one senior!). Also being shotgun only and one back almost exclusively takes away from the play action game and the complexity of the running attack.
Pass protection is not exactly "finesse" for an OL either when fighting off the bull rush or a twist where an athletic DL has a full head of steam.
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110%er [6403]
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Re: 8 Man Box = Struggling Run Game!
Nov 3, 2020, 6:13 PM
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Coach Ford's O lines had no problems with the 8 man box. They imposed their will on the man in front of them.
The center can even get the snaps down so a 6' 4" QB can get the ball without reaching for the sky. The center is a graduate student.
Improvement is needed and fast. We are going on the 8th game of the season.
Go Tigers!!!
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110%er [7173]
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Re: 8 Man Box = Struggling Run Game!
Nov 3, 2020, 6:56 PM
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Coach Ford's O lines had no problems with the 8 man box. They imposed their will on the man in front of them.
The center can even get the snaps down so a 6' 4" QB can get the ball without reaching for the sky. The center is a graduate student.
Improvement is needed and fast. We are going on the 8th game of the season.
Go Tigers!!!
I don't disagree! You are right 100%. Heck, Nebraska and Oklahoma and Coach Fords teams would all but tell you: "i'm about to run off tackle to the right"! And teams still couldn't stop it often times!
I don't think we are where we should be no. But, so far we are making people pay for it.
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CU Guru [1018]
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Short answers...
Nov 3, 2020, 6:16 PM
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1. Run around the 8 man box 2. Throw around it 3. Throw over it
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Hall of Famer [22387]
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Ladson is the key. He can get downfield on anybody.
Nov 3, 2020, 6:26 PM
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That kills a defense when you can throw it over their heads like DJ can and only one guy can run it down.
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110%er [7173]
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Re: Ladson is the key. He can get downfield on anybody.
Nov 3, 2020, 6:58 PM
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That kills a defense when you can throw it over their heads like DJ can and only one guy can run it down.
I agree. The long TD to Amari in the GT game was a welcome sight. We have to take more shots down field to scare the defense into "not over committing to the line of scrimmage and Etienne"!
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CU Guru [1959]
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Re: 8 Man Box = Struggling Run Game!
Nov 3, 2020, 6:29 PM
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Nice football post, but I am afraid we have not ran the ball against 5 or 6 man boxes all year. Here’s the one thought that scares me, what happens if or when ETN is unavailable for an extended amount of time for whatever reason? Sorry if I just cost somebody to lose sleep tonight with that scary thought.
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All-In [32451]
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Re: 8 Man Box = Struggling Run Game!
Nov 3, 2020, 6:55 PM
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I wish I could give this more than one TU.
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Replies: 10
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