There isn't a team left on the schedule where 7 points or even 10 points is going to win the game. Everyone's answer is to get creative and to throw deep. I don't personally think either of those things are the answer. They are more like 'prayers'.
* Deep passes are the least efficient offensive plays you can run. Their chance of completion is under 40 percent. They stop the clock giving your opponent more possession time after your failed series.
* Getting so called creative, means running a bunch of plays you think will fool the opposition which are likely outside of your regular offensive playsets that you practice day in and day out. Since they aren't things practiced for weeks on in at a time, they are ripe for missed assignments and poor execution.
None of the above things ever really work. If we're going to get good offensively, it's all about execution and repetition. Have to get 1st downs and own the clock/TOP. Have to win the line of scrimmage and force defenses to gamble. While we don't have to throw deep, we do need to have the threat of over the top plays. Like some have said, even 20 yards down field can be a deep ball if the safeties are 14 yards off the line of scrimmage. 20 yards has a much higher chance of completion than even 30 to 40 yards passes. We need to win the 1 on 1 battles, not miss assignments, and like I've said before, BREAT TACKLES. Only 2 guys plus Lewis did that at all against A&M and 1 got hurt (Broussard). The other, Arias, didn't see the ball enough. Lewis didn't run much that 2nd half as A&M adjusted and it was obvious he was hurting.
For my money, it all starts with the QB. Look, he's struggling to pass the football. He makes 1 read and stares down that receiver. Impossible to get 'deep' throws doing that. He needs to really focus this week on looking off his primary receiver, then coming back to him. This will move the safety away from primary target who may get a step on his defender and allow a deeper pass. He needs to move up in the pocket so he can set his feet and throw with authority. He is currently castrating this offense with lack of basic QB skills. Trying to get creative around that would currently take a magician. There is only so much you can do when the QB isn't getting it done. I know the coaches had to slim the game down and make it easy for him last week after the disastrous first game where he was confused as a deer in the headlights. 1 read, stare, and throw so that he wouldn't hold onto the ball so long. That won't work against Minnesota who will be game planning around that. It's not about turning Lewis loose. It's about him just getting more comfortable in the pocket so that he does those little things that need to be done in order to invigorate the passing game.
If we can get the QB doing those little things like looking guys off, maybe adding pump fakes in there to get defensive linemen to not time his passes and bat balls down, we have a basis for an offense that can work. Linemen need to sustain their blocks going forward and get to the 2nd level once in a while. We aren't breaking nearly as many running plays as we were a year ago and it's not because our backs are worse. This would go miles towards offensive improvement. Our best players would finally be activated in this offense to do the things that make them great. We're not ever going to be a pass first team this year. No running game, no chance. Lastly, these guys have to break tackles. Everyone! All it takes is 1 broken tackle to make a big play. Even last week, we saw a couple of broken tackles turn into big 1st downs. It's why we were in control of the game until that 4th quarter. A few broken tackles can be game changers. Too often we're getting tackled. Play makers have to simply do better. If you are that good, then show it. Make a guy miss and break a tackle of another. 8 yard play turns into a 40 yard play right then and there. Nothing creative about that. Just solid football.
It's pretty simple, block, make a guy miss, break a tackle, make an accurate throw, and don't give the play away by staring down the receiver. Also, try a difference cadence once in a while. 4th and 1 could have been automatic 1st down with a hard count that draws the D offsides or at least the wouldn't get a jump on the snap if they don't know the count. Simple football techniques can generate a lot of offense. It's what I'm hoping to see from CU going forward, cause face it, we're not winning any games scoring 1 TD. No team left on our schedule will be so bad offensively that they won't score at least 17 points in any game we play. Most will score more no matter how well we're playing on defense.
* Deep passes are the least efficient offensive plays you can run. Their chance of completion is under 40 percent. They stop the clock giving your opponent more possession time after your failed series.
* Getting so called creative, means running a bunch of plays you think will fool the opposition which are likely outside of your regular offensive playsets that you practice day in and day out. Since they aren't things practiced for weeks on in at a time, they are ripe for missed assignments and poor execution.
None of the above things ever really work. If we're going to get good offensively, it's all about execution and repetition. Have to get 1st downs and own the clock/TOP. Have to win the line of scrimmage and force defenses to gamble. While we don't have to throw deep, we do need to have the threat of over the top plays. Like some have said, even 20 yards down field can be a deep ball if the safeties are 14 yards off the line of scrimmage. 20 yards has a much higher chance of completion than even 30 to 40 yards passes. We need to win the 1 on 1 battles, not miss assignments, and like I've said before, BREAT TACKLES. Only 2 guys plus Lewis did that at all against A&M and 1 got hurt (Broussard). The other, Arias, didn't see the ball enough. Lewis didn't run much that 2nd half as A&M adjusted and it was obvious he was hurting.
For my money, it all starts with the QB. Look, he's struggling to pass the football. He makes 1 read and stares down that receiver. Impossible to get 'deep' throws doing that. He needs to really focus this week on looking off his primary receiver, then coming back to him. This will move the safety away from primary target who may get a step on his defender and allow a deeper pass. He needs to move up in the pocket so he can set his feet and throw with authority. He is currently castrating this offense with lack of basic QB skills. Trying to get creative around that would currently take a magician. There is only so much you can do when the QB isn't getting it done. I know the coaches had to slim the game down and make it easy for him last week after the disastrous first game where he was confused as a deer in the headlights. 1 read, stare, and throw so that he wouldn't hold onto the ball so long. That won't work against Minnesota who will be game planning around that. It's not about turning Lewis loose. It's about him just getting more comfortable in the pocket so that he does those little things that need to be done in order to invigorate the passing game.
If we can get the QB doing those little things like looking guys off, maybe adding pump fakes in there to get defensive linemen to not time his passes and bat balls down, we have a basis for an offense that can work. Linemen need to sustain their blocks going forward and get to the 2nd level once in a while. We aren't breaking nearly as many running plays as we were a year ago and it's not because our backs are worse. This would go miles towards offensive improvement. Our best players would finally be activated in this offense to do the things that make them great. We're not ever going to be a pass first team this year. No running game, no chance. Lastly, these guys have to break tackles. Everyone! All it takes is 1 broken tackle to make a big play. Even last week, we saw a couple of broken tackles turn into big 1st downs. It's why we were in control of the game until that 4th quarter. A few broken tackles can be game changers. Too often we're getting tackled. Play makers have to simply do better. If you are that good, then show it. Make a guy miss and break a tackle of another. 8 yard play turns into a 40 yard play right then and there. Nothing creative about that. Just solid football.
It's pretty simple, block, make a guy miss, break a tackle, make an accurate throw, and don't give the play away by staring down the receiver. Also, try a difference cadence once in a while. 4th and 1 could have been automatic 1st down with a hard count that draws the D offsides or at least the wouldn't get a jump on the snap if they don't know the count. Simple football techniques can generate a lot of offense. It's what I'm hoping to see from CU going forward, cause face it, we're not winning any games scoring 1 TD. No team left on our schedule will be so bad offensively that they won't score at least 17 points in any game we play. Most will score more no matter how well we're playing on defense.
