Quote Originally Posted by Really Clark? View Post
Teams are stuffing the box on first and second downs. Kinda of hard to run play action on third down when they are playing the run nearly every down and we are getting behind the chains either from a run being stuffed or incomplete pass. (Or all the false starts against Auburn). Y'all are not factoring in the RPO's that we throw from because of the defensive alignment against the run or Fitz not running because of his read in the read option plays.
so what if they are putting an extra man or two in the box if you can still run it and still can't throw it? i really do think that's what's happening, Mullen is thinking that when they add a man to the box he should throw. that's what you should do if you are a balanced team. he's seen the plays work in practice, or he wouldn't be calling them. but that's affinity bias, and we are not a balanced team. in games, it's not working. the better strategy is to run it until they prove they can stop it.

the problem is, we weren't getting behind in the chains from running it. we were getting into 3rd and long from incompletions.

http://www.espn.com/college-football...meId=400933874

1st series:
run for 6 yards, 2 incompletions, punt.

2nd series:
2 passes, 2 runs for a 1st down
run for 7 yards, run for 2 yards, penalty, penalty, incompletion, FG.

3rd series:
incompletion, penalty for 1st down
run for 0 yards, incompletion, pass for 11 yards for 1st down
run for 5 yards, run for 3 yards, pass for 0 yards, punt

4th series:
incompletion, incompletion, incompletion, punt

5th series, 21 to 3 already:. 2 runs for 6 yards, 3rd and 4, incompletion, punt.

6th series:
pass for 6 yards, run for 5, 1st down
run for 3 yards, run for -1 yards, incompletion, punt. again, 4 down territory, but Mullen played it safe.

7th series:
pass for 45 yards, 1st down
pass for 11 yards, 1st down
run for -1 yards, run for 5 yards, 1st down? must be a penalty missing from the play by play.
1st and goal at the 1, run for zero, false start, run for 0, pass for TD

8th series (2nd half):
run for 8 yards, run for 8 yards, 1st down
run for -3, incompletion, false start, run for 9, punt

9th series:
run for 3, pass for 4, interception

10th series:
false start, pass for 32, 1st down
run for 8, run for 3, 1st down
run for 3, pass for 5, run for 10, 1st down
incompletion, run for zero, incompletion, false start (coming out of a TO), going for it on 4th and 15 down only 18 (when we won't try to run it for 4 downs), incompletion, turnover on downs

11th series:
sacked (passing play), run for 7, run for 4, incompletion on 4th down

12th series:
run for 5, run for 3, run for 2, 1st down
run for 10, 1st down
run for 5, run for 4, incompletion, run for 3, 1st down
pass for 28, 1st down
run for 3, incompletion, incompletion, incompletion.

the only time running the ball put us in third and long, ALL NIGHT, was the 6th series.

bottom line, 1st 4 possessions, we lost one because of penalties, one because we couldn't convert 3rd and 2 (on a pass play in 4 down territory), and 2 from throwing when we should have been RTGDF. and then we were in a hole. again. yes, at some point the box will get so stacked that you have to throw the ball. but that's not what happened.