A Review of the offensive woes plaguing MSU in the Texas Kickoff
By Dirty Panda
Ok so, I’m just now getting around to watching all of our game. Here is my analysis (foregoing a defensive review because it just isn’t necessary. Yeah we need to defend that diamond read a little better, but come on. 21 points allowed against that offense is better than all but about 10-15 other teams in the country could have done. Seriously. Especially given that our offense let out all the air in our hypothetical emotional tires.)
On our first posession, for the majority of plays, we were clearly executing our game plan according to the script. When we got in the red zone, Morrow’s hold hurt us – it wasn’t an awful foul, though. He didn’t get beat, wasn’t getting lazy on the block, just got a little over-zealous. The failure here was Tyler Russell. On the play prior to the hold, we had a for-sure touchdown, but the ball is underthrown and behind Tubby. We settle for 3, but we did everything and anything we looked to do. Except the 6 – which is on TR. The 3rd and long after the hold is more play calling – Lewis in the corner of the endzone??? Why not Wilson or Ross? Some 6′ plus guys who can actually go up and get it.
Next drive: gaping hole after gaping hole for LDP. We obviously had their second level over matched. Due in large part because Gabe Jackson was pushing their lineman all the way down the field. Also credit the WRs for great down field blocking – Morrow contributing. Which is why I don’t blame him on the first drive too harshly. He was doing his job. Now let’s move to someone who was NOT doing their job. Again, it’s Tyler Russell. That pick he threw on that intended pass to LDP was one of the weakest, most newbie mistakes I’ve seen. I understand the checkdown to LDP was blowing them up, but he had 3 defenders around him and Russell wasn’t THAT rushed to throw. More importantly, Brandon Hill was WIDE OPEN streaking down the field, and he wasn’t attempting to block any DBs so that tells me Russell had his mind made up for the checkdown to LDP to start with. If it was a called pass to LDP as the primary, Hill would have engaged a block instead of run down the field wide open. Instead, Russell never looked his way. Turnover.
Josh Robinson should be our starting RB. LDP needs to be in as a utility, do-it-all back. Why not have them both on the field? Now that we may start Dak, using LDP and J Rob is a real possibility, and something i would develop if I were in control of the game plan. With those three you have so much freaking talent, speed and power. Anyway, moving on.
Next drive: Tyler Russell with ANOTHER bad throw. Behind Tubby, who was open, turnover on downs. That’s three extremely poor throws that could have (should have) resulted in a big gain or 6.Next drive: all on the playcall. You have a 6’2″ 250 QB and you need 6 inches. Forget the freaking shotgun. Tom Brady has converted something like 98% of his 4th and short QB keepers, from under center when EVERYONE knew it was coming, in his career. Not to mention JRob has gutted them every single carry. So definitely don’t give it back to him, that’s too obvious a call They’ll stop that easy durrrr. Instead, make it 3rd and 4, Dan, instead of 3rd and inches. Awesome!Next drive: Siddoway and Johnson get blown up. Illegal substitution. Draw for a loss of 1. Blown routes by Lewis and Johsnon, and a poor throw by Russell. First poor drive of the day so I can live with that. I really can, because we should be up 17-0 and shifting the OkSt game plan into forcing the issue to score, most likely resulting in some turnovers or mistakes.Next drive: Tyler Russell trips after the snap. Super athletic movement here. On the following play, Russell nearly throws a pick 6. After the hold, dropped ball by Malcolm Johnson, but the throw was at his knees and behind him. That was on Russell, too. Instead of 4th and 15 it should be 4th and 8 if the ball is on target. Next, On the 4th and 15 play, why in the world run the fake draw??? Who are you fooling??
On the blocked FG, int’s on Autry. He got blind side blocked because he was watching Calhoun. If he makes that block, Skinner doesn’t get tripped up and the guy who Skinner would have blocked doesn’t force Calhoun back to the inside to get tackled. That was embarrassing. Calhoun should have had the 6, but it ultimately makes no difference. We weren’t void of momentum. We were void of an accurate, good decision making QB. The score there, even factoring in boosted momentum, I don’t think changes the outcome of the game.
I’m not watching/analyzing the second half. I’m in no mood for a self-induced case of anxiety and diarrhea.
My big time players: JRob, LDP, Gabe Jackson, Matthew Wells, and Taveze Calhoun. Calhoun was just all over the field making plays and big hits. Really impressive.
My no show players: Eulls is a bust. He didn’t register a tackle all game. Sigh. Next is Nikoe. He isn’t all the way back healthy. Not his fault, just don’t think he’ll be again who he once was. Next is Autry. Takes too many plays off – Bottom line. Lastly? Tyler Russell. He should have had another 5 interception game. Good thing OkSt has an awful defense. Seriously, Russell is just not the guy. It’s just a fact now.
Other thoughts:
First half play calling WAS NOT the issue. I repeat – WAS NOT the issue. The issue was Russell.
JRob should be our primary RB.
Dak should be the guy from here out. Use him with a mix of LDP, JRob and Holloway in the backfield.
Speaking of, where was Holloway??? No jet sweeps? The dude is a lightning bolt. Why not at least try it?
Malcom Johnson was under utilized. But I think that’s on Russell and not the play calling. I think Russell misses his primary reads more than half the time.
Collins’ D is good, but we got gashed with the zone read yet again. Maybe Wilson wasn’t that great, but defense was not our main problem last year. Ultimately we’re now better off, but we still have work to do. Auburn, aTm, OM, and BG all use the read effectively. Luckily for us, none of them have a QB with a great down-field arm.
Enough with Russell and the read option. No one, and I repeat, NO ONE, fears his mobility. Scrap it. Scrap it right meow. All we’re doing is giving the pocket time to collapse and ruining the play development.
We are slow developing still. Watch Lousiville, FSU, aTm, and even LSU now. We look bogged down. We look like we’re running in sand. We look like we’re thinking in sand, too. That just made no sense, but i think you get it.
I’m done. My DVR has now been relinquished its grasp of this embarrassment.