Offensive Coordinator Josh Henson is overmatched. He has had individual games where he has done extremely well like the bowl game against MN and the 2013 SEC championship game...but far too often, he becomes obsessed with the pass and completely abandons the running game.
For example, let's take the small sample size of these last 2 Florida games. Last year, despite it being absolutely obvious to anyone paying any attention to the game at all, Henson had Mauk drop back and pass over and over and over again, even though he threw for a total of 20 yards, in the game. This despite holding a big lead given to the Tigers by the defense and the Special Teams. It was so bad that we Tigers fans who were there in the first few rows of the stadium started chanting RUN THE BALL!!! The players most definitely heard our chants and it finally did appear that the message went through.
This year, as Gabe pointed out, we started a wiry true freshman QB against the best defense in the conference and apparently expected him to act like Chase Daniel circa 2008 and carve them up. Time and time again (but especially in the 3rd and 4th quarters until very late in the game) our offensive series were the same: 1) Pass. 2) Pass. 3) Pass. 4) Punt.
It was so bad that broadcaster Jesse Palmer's still live mike caught him saying as the game went to commercial break, "Brent, will they even TRY to run?"
The O- Line is receiving justified criticism for their play in this game. However, it is not easy to pass block over and over when the talented D-Line is pinning their ears back and bull rushing every down without even the threat of a well executed screen pass to make them pay for that strategy. The amount of bull rushing that Florida defensive linemen did reminded me of our DL against South Carolina 2013. When Spurrier saw that's what we were doing, he called screens again and again and again. And succeeded mightily.
Even the threat of a jet sweep or a counter play or a cross buck or a reverse or a double pass forces the defense to lighten up. But yet, we run nothing of the sort.
I would like to see the % of 1st down plays under the last 2 years under our OC. I would guarantee it's well over 50%, and probably 60%. If it's not it is because we have run extensively late in games like last week when the outcome is secured. This becomes easy to defend. Do we self scout?
Russell Hansborough isn't even close to 100%. He was gimpy throughout. At one point limping noticeably on a wheel route. But, he is effective even at 50%. So, why was he not given the opportunity to run the ball until it didn't matter?
If I'm Marvin Zanders, I know I've got the skills to make a difference in the running game and I'm begging the coaches for at least a couple wildcat package plays in the season. If not asking for an all out switch to running back. I know he prefers QB, but he knows he is a playmaker and we just don't have that right now.
And Tyler Hunt just seems to have guts. (I'm thinking of Dabo Swinney's "Bring your own GUTS" speech). He isn't flashy he isn't really shifty or amazingly fast...but he does everything he can to gain yards and move the chains. And when he is given the opportunity to do so, he does.
This is going to be a sacrilege here...but I didn't see much from Drew Lock yesterday at all (understandable given that he is a true Frosh and the pace is amazingly fast). He needed to redshirt. That's pretty clear right now. While I hope he is the best QB Mizzou has ever had (and he does have some tantalizing flashes), he does NOT represent our best hope of winning right now. That would most likely be Printz.
I know that we are historically extremely hard on our OCs here (and I agreed that Yost had some baffling tendencies) but I think our best OC CLEARLY has been Dave Christensen.
Coach Henson is very, very overmatched. If he doesn't improve (and soon) I don't see any way to 8 wins this year at all (and given we have 4 wins halfway to the season)
Ugh. This was a totally winnable game. (as was Kentucky). The defense on this team is truly special.
Here's hoping the offense gets fixed. Like now.
For example, let's take the small sample size of these last 2 Florida games. Last year, despite it being absolutely obvious to anyone paying any attention to the game at all, Henson had Mauk drop back and pass over and over and over again, even though he threw for a total of 20 yards, in the game. This despite holding a big lead given to the Tigers by the defense and the Special Teams. It was so bad that we Tigers fans who were there in the first few rows of the stadium started chanting RUN THE BALL!!! The players most definitely heard our chants and it finally did appear that the message went through.
This year, as Gabe pointed out, we started a wiry true freshman QB against the best defense in the conference and apparently expected him to act like Chase Daniel circa 2008 and carve them up. Time and time again (but especially in the 3rd and 4th quarters until very late in the game) our offensive series were the same: 1) Pass. 2) Pass. 3) Pass. 4) Punt.
It was so bad that broadcaster Jesse Palmer's still live mike caught him saying as the game went to commercial break, "Brent, will they even TRY to run?"
The O- Line is receiving justified criticism for their play in this game. However, it is not easy to pass block over and over when the talented D-Line is pinning their ears back and bull rushing every down without even the threat of a well executed screen pass to make them pay for that strategy. The amount of bull rushing that Florida defensive linemen did reminded me of our DL against South Carolina 2013. When Spurrier saw that's what we were doing, he called screens again and again and again. And succeeded mightily.
Even the threat of a jet sweep or a counter play or a cross buck or a reverse or a double pass forces the defense to lighten up. But yet, we run nothing of the sort.
I would like to see the % of 1st down plays under the last 2 years under our OC. I would guarantee it's well over 50%, and probably 60%. If it's not it is because we have run extensively late in games like last week when the outcome is secured. This becomes easy to defend. Do we self scout?
Russell Hansborough isn't even close to 100%. He was gimpy throughout. At one point limping noticeably on a wheel route. But, he is effective even at 50%. So, why was he not given the opportunity to run the ball until it didn't matter?
If I'm Marvin Zanders, I know I've got the skills to make a difference in the running game and I'm begging the coaches for at least a couple wildcat package plays in the season. If not asking for an all out switch to running back. I know he prefers QB, but he knows he is a playmaker and we just don't have that right now.
And Tyler Hunt just seems to have guts. (I'm thinking of Dabo Swinney's "Bring your own GUTS" speech). He isn't flashy he isn't really shifty or amazingly fast...but he does everything he can to gain yards and move the chains. And when he is given the opportunity to do so, he does.
This is going to be a sacrilege here...but I didn't see much from Drew Lock yesterday at all (understandable given that he is a true Frosh and the pace is amazingly fast). He needed to redshirt. That's pretty clear right now. While I hope he is the best QB Mizzou has ever had (and he does have some tantalizing flashes), he does NOT represent our best hope of winning right now. That would most likely be Printz.
I know that we are historically extremely hard on our OCs here (and I agreed that Yost had some baffling tendencies) but I think our best OC CLEARLY has been Dave Christensen.
Coach Henson is very, very overmatched. If he doesn't improve (and soon) I don't see any way to 8 wins this year at all (and given we have 4 wins halfway to the season)
Ugh. This was a totally winnable game. (as was Kentucky). The defense on this team is truly special.
Here's hoping the offense gets fixed. Like now.
