WR's not blocking has pretty much eliminated our screen game. And that's big because those would/should be easy completions that we could get good yardage on.
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Our poor WR blocking right now is an underrated part of our struggles. Leach used the quick screen game extensively at WSU when defenses dropped people deep. It?s an automatic 8-12 yards if you can make an accurate throw and block the first DB with a WR. As much as this has to be getting repped in practice, it shouldn?t be that challenging.
Right now our quick screen game out wide is basically useless because our receivers either are unable or unwilling to block in the open field.
Agree. It also doesn't help that KJ is throwing lollipops the last two games. Can't lob the ball out to a RB in the flat or on a WR screen and expectant YAC. Lazy passes are allowing the defense plenty of time to react and limit us to little or no gain on the short passes. As many have said, we have to have the QB's zip these passes out into the flat to give our skill guys time to make a play.
I have been wondering about this. In a drop 8 zone, there should be 3 deep coverage. If we send 2 deep, we should get loose double coverage on one and single on the other once the receivers break into the back zone. If we at least attempt to go after the single, it should stretch the coverage vertically and open of a little more free space underneath. If you send 4 deep, you have 3 covering 4. the underneath guys may fall back some but the receiver will already be behind them. I can't remember us even attempting a deep throw the last 2 weeks.
I've only seen this product on tv but it has appeared to me that the 3 deep zone defenders have never gotten past 30 yards deep these last 2 weeks. That makes it very congested. If you force those guys to go 50 yards deep, it seems it would have to help receivers find open spots on the shorter routes.
The key to this is the QB not to be running for his life against a 3 man front so this can develop.
"Boring ass football"
If we win by doing something boring, it stops being quite so boring. If we get 5 yards like clockwork, please bore me. We can 1st down and 2nd down all the way to the end zone and it will be less boring when we score.
I wouldn?t get as caught up in percentages with Leach?s offense at times because his pure numbers can overcome the percentage. While you are looking at last years percentage you have to note he was 7th nationally and 1st in the PAC 12 in actual TD?s scored in the red zone. That tells you he has the offense in the red zone a whole lot. Lead the PAC 12 in 3 of the last 5 years in actual red zone TD?s, so it wasn?t just Minshew.