I agree with Gman

[SeattleUte]

BM/Anae should have kept Unga running, even after 17-0. It was a terrible mistake not to. Unga is a man among boys (notice earlier I compared him to Asiat AND Mack), probably the best player in the MWC. 17-0 fifteen seconds into the second quarter is too early to put that guy on the shelf. Let him carry to the team to the end zone in a long drive, even if it eats up most of the second quarter, and all of a sudden it's 17-7 and a whole new game. Bad coaching.

[Indy Coug]

Of course, running more is always the solution when you lose a game.

1. Our defense wasn't going to stop TCU enough for it to make a difference
2. TCU's defense is too good to run consistently enough against

[TheSizzle36]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

Of course, running more is always the solution when you lose a game.

1. Our defense wasn't going to stop TCU enough for it to make a difference
2. TCU's defense is too good to run consistently enough against

So we should have thrown the ball more? Especially with double coverage on Pitta and Collie for a good portion of the night?

With Unga and our offensive line, I strongly feel that we should run the ball more. Yes, we have talented players at other skill positions (Reed, Pitta, Collie) but if we can establish a running game early and force teams to bring 8 in the box, that should create one-on-one opportunities and mismatches for those other guys.

[BlueK]

Originally Posted by TheSizzle36

So we should have thrown the ball more? Especially with double coverage on Pitta and Collie for a good portion of the night?

With Unga and our offensive line, I strongly feel that we should run the ball more. Yes, we have talented players at other skill positions (Reed, Pitta, Collie) but if we can establish a running game early and force teams to bring 8 in the box, that should create one-on-one opportunities and mismatches for those other guys.

Indy and Gary Crowton have one thing in common. They don't understand or like the running game.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by BlueK

Indy and Gary Crowton have one thing in common. They don't understand or like the running game.

Unga 1st half - 9 carries for 24 yards (2.7 ypc)
Unga 2nd half - 5 carries for 29 yards (5.8 ypc)

So how many times more should Unga have carried the ball in the 1st half? 5? 10? If it was 10, that means 19 carries in one half, which seems a bit much, especially given that he averaged 2.7 ypc with his first 9 attempts.

Unga had 4 carries for 23 on BYU's lone scoring drive in the 3rd quarter, but with BYU down 26-0 at the time, it's fair to say that TCU wasn't really all that worried about the running game at that point, especially since Unga doesn't possess the ability to bust a long run (his longest carry this year is 17 yards).

Yeah, running the ball more would have done the trick. Even if it had been modestly effective, all that would have done is kept TCU from shutting down their offense that much earlier since they could take whatever they wanted passing the ball, let alone running it.


P.S. Crowton has now finished in the top 15 nationally in rushing at 3 different schools: BYU, Oregon and LSU.

[cougjunkie]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

Unga 1st half - 9 carries for 24 yards (2.7 ypc)
Unga 2nd half - 5 carries for 29 yards (5.8 ypc)

So how many times more should Unga have carried the ball in the 1st half? 5? 10? If it was 10, that means 19 carries in one half, which seems a bit much, especially given that he averaged 2.7 ypc with his first 9 attempts.

Unga had 4 carries for 23 on BYU's lone scoring drive in the 3rd quarter, but with BYU down 26-0 at the time, it's fair to say that TCU wasn't really all that worried about the running game at that point, especially since Unga doesn't possess the ability to bust a long run (his longest carry this year is 17 yards).

Yeah, running the ball more would have done the trick. Even if it had been modestly effective, all that would have done is kept TCU from shutting down their offense that much earlier since they could take whatever they wanted passing the ball, let alone running it.


P.S. Crowton has now finished in the top 15 nationally in rushing at 3 different schools: BYU, Oregon and LSU.

I actually think we give Harvey 15-20 carries in the first half if we are moving the chains and it is working. Especially against a team where we can not stop their offense. 2.9 ypc says it was not working as effectively as it could have been so I am not that disappointed we abandoned it.

[Cali Coug]

Originally Posted by cougjunkie

I actually think we give Harvey 15-20 carries in the first half if we are moving the chains and it is working. Especially against a team where we can not stop their offense. 2.9 ypc says it was not working as effectively as it could have been so I am not that disappointed we abandoned it.

In the first half, Unga carried the ball 10 times for 30 yards, a 3.0 ypc average. 3.0 ypc isn't great, but you only need 3.3 ypc to be unstoppable (if you can do it consistently), and in general it is safer than throwing the ball, particularly with an erratic QB. In the first half, Hall dropped back to pass 27 times. Of those 27 times, he was sacked 4 times for losses and threw an interception once (and had another easy pick 6 dropped). He completed 13-23 on his passes in the first half (56%). He threw for 27 yards (about 5 ypc if you only include the times Hall got the pass off, about 4.3 ypc if you include every time he dropped back to pass). Hall had a very bad game, and an extremely bad first half. It isn't irrational to go more to the run in that situation, and Anae probably should have.

[tooblue]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

Unga 1st half - 9 carries for 24 yards (2.7 ypc)
Unga 2nd half - 5 carries for 29 yards (5.8 ypc)

So how many times more should Unga have carried the ball in the 1st half? 5? 10? If it was 10, that means 19 carries in one half, which seems a bit much, especially given that he averaged 2.7 ypc with his first 9 attempts.

Unga had 4 carries for 23 on BYU's lone scoring drive in the 3rd quarter, but with BYU down 26-0 at the time, it's fair to say that TCU wasn't really all that worried about the running game at that point, especially since Unga doesn't possess the ability to bust a long run (his longest carry this year is 17 yards).

Yeah, running the ball more would have done the trick. Even if it had been modestly effective, all that would have done is kept TCU from shutting down their offense that much earlier since they could take whatever they wanted passing the ball, let alone running it.


P.S. Crowton has now finished in the top 15 nationally in rushing at 3 different schools: BYU, Oregon and LSU.

Let’s see, first series, first three plays were runs that resulted in a first down. It wasn’t pretty but it was effective. What happened next?

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by tooblue

Let’s see, first series, first three plays were runs that resulted in a first down. It wasn’t pretty but it was effective. What happened next?

The next series, they ran on 1st down, fumble and lost 10 yards. Then after recovering the punt from that 3 and out, Harvey ran for 2 yards on second down and 0 yards on 4th and 1? Maybe if they had passed more...

[tooblue]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

The next series, they ran on 1st down, fumble and lost 10 yards. Then after recovering the punt from that 3 and out, Harvey ran for 2 yards on second down and 0 yards on 4th and 1? Maybe if they had passed more...

I asked about the first series -- you dodged and want to speak about the second series. Interesting.

Running the football effectively and sticking with it is important because:

a. helps win the statistical battle which is oh so important to stats guys?

or

b. because it dictates the tempo; allows the strength of the team to assert it's physicality in accordance with one of it's strength; opens up the passing game; helps control the time of possession battle against a team with better athletes overall; wears the opposing team down; in regards to the TCU game is unexpected and might've forced the opposing D to adjust and change it's game plan ... ?