Offense: B-
I still want more. The running game looked very nice (more please) and Dobbins could be a special guy, but we appear to underutilize our backs severely. JT was fine this game (much better than OU), but his skill set isn't utilized properly. He ran well, but they never actually attempted 5-10 yard passes down the middle of the field (until Haskins came in). I don't like the repeated bubble screens (although 11 Warriors broke down some of the deceptive use nicely) because I feel the playcallers use them as a crutch. I really want to see more straight slant, post, or comebacks called in the middle of the field to see if JT can hit them. If he can't, then I'll jump off the bandwagon, but I think throwing to the flat on every play sets him up to look incapable. The receivers also need more practice running real routes rather than fading to the flat on every play. If it is truly a talent gap on JT's part to simply throw a 10 yard pass, we need to change, but I don't think that's it. I think asking him to throw 20-30 yards downfield is the issue, but we can work around that will a variety of short run-pass-options to utilize his skill set.
Defense: B+
Don't. Schedule. Service. Academies. Honestly, the defense performed quite well with limited reps against this option style. The secondary couldn't really be exploited in this game due to the lack of a passing game, but I'd like more confident tackling upfront (see: fullback dive). I was thrilled at the performance by Tuf Boreland who seemed to be a terror all over the field when he entered the game. He has a real future if he can keep that up. Erick Smith had a nice recovery on a deep ball...but he won't always be able to recover. Our secondary needs to be more confident in their defensive principles and not caught with their pants down. That was a fluke rather than the norm, but don't let it get out of hand.
Don't. Schedule. Service. Academies. Honestly, the defense performed quite well with limited reps against this option style. The secondary couldn't really be exploited in this game due to the lack of a passing game, but I'd like more confident tackling upfront (see: fullback dive). I was thrilled at the performance by Tuf Boreland who seemed to be a terror all over the field when he entered the game. He has a real future if he can keep that up. Erick Smith had a nice recovery on a deep ball...but he won't always be able to recover. Our secondary needs to be more confident in their defensive principles and not caught with their pants down. That was a fluke rather than the norm, but don't let it get out of hand.
Special Teams: C-
Credit to the placekicking and punting which has been much better this year than expected. Another kickoff out of bounds (almost went into the stands!!) and horrendous kick coverage are real issues. Please, Urban. For the love of all that is good, get a kicker to kickoff into the student section on every single kick. We may "take pride" in starters on special teams, but they can't cover anything. The kickoff bobbled at the 1 should have been stopped inside the 10 but instead, Army crossed the 40 (I believe). That cannot happen...EVER. Punting has been extremely good and no one has noticed (I think I heard every punt--or almost every punt--was downed inside the 20 with the exception of 1 touchback that landed 1 yard deep). That's a huge accomplishment after losing Johnston.
Credit to the placekicking and punting which has been much better this year than expected. Another kickoff out of bounds (almost went into the stands!!) and horrendous kick coverage are real issues. Please, Urban. For the love of all that is good, get a kicker to kickoff into the student section on every single kick. We may "take pride" in starters on special teams, but they can't cover anything. The kickoff bobbled at the 1 should have been stopped inside the 10 but instead, Army crossed the 40 (I believe). That cannot happen...EVER. Punting has been extremely good and no one has noticed (I think I heard every punt--or almost every punt--was downed inside the 20 with the exception of 1 touchback that landed 1 yard deep). That's a huge accomplishment after losing Johnston.
Coaching: C
Eh, the gameplan against the triple option was fine. Nothing flashy; just leave with a win. Offensively, we need more diversity than the slip screens and swing passes to loosen the defense...or, you know, running the ball all over the opponent to loosen the defense??? There never seems to be a cohesive gameplan. Let's keep pounding the rock and take some downfield shots to keep them honest. Stop trying to force a passing game first and use the run when you've run out of bubble screens. Dobbins, Weber, and Barrett are gouging defenses on the ground but they have fewer plays called for them. I understand the game theoretic notion of using those plays as decoys, but when they can't stop you when they know it's coming (see Army, UNLV, Rutgers), just flex your muscles. One aspect of this game made me throw up in my mouth a bit. We punted on 4th and short from THE ARMY 34!!! C'MON MAN!! Yes, the punt was down inside the 1 (note: army then went on a 99 yard TD drive, but I digress), but you don't think you can get a few yards against Army?!? Even if you aren't sure, the cost/benefit ratio from an analytic standpoint is off the chart. I was floored that Meyer chose to punt there. There is no room for that thought process in today's game (spoken as a sport's analytics professor). We deserved a 99 yard response from Army for that egregious decision.
Eh, the gameplan against the triple option was fine. Nothing flashy; just leave with a win. Offensively, we need more diversity than the slip screens and swing passes to loosen the defense...or, you know, running the ball all over the opponent to loosen the defense??? There never seems to be a cohesive gameplan. Let's keep pounding the rock and take some downfield shots to keep them honest. Stop trying to force a passing game first and use the run when you've run out of bubble screens. Dobbins, Weber, and Barrett are gouging defenses on the ground but they have fewer plays called for them. I understand the game theoretic notion of using those plays as decoys, but when they can't stop you when they know it's coming (see Army, UNLV, Rutgers), just flex your muscles. One aspect of this game made me throw up in my mouth a bit. We punted on 4th and short from THE ARMY 34!!! C'MON MAN!! Yes, the punt was down inside the 1 (note: army then went on a 99 yard TD drive, but I digress), but you don't think you can get a few yards against Army?!? Even if you aren't sure, the cost/benefit ratio from an analytic standpoint is off the chart. I was floored that Meyer chose to punt there. There is no room for that thought process in today's game (spoken as a sport's analytics professor). We deserved a 99 yard response from Army for that egregious decision.
Overall: B-
Don't. Schedule. Service. Academies. We got the win and that's all I'm taking from this one. It may have been ugly, but that's what these games always are. Take the win (and cover for all you haters out there) and go home. Next week should be worse as there is no reason we don't annihilate UNLV. If there's less than a 40 point victory, I'll be upset.
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