Mullen’s win percentage against Top 25 scoring defenses at State is almost identical to Leach’s win percentage in those games at Wazzu. And Leach actually had more points per game in those matchups.
How much does our offensive performance worry you for future seasons?...
- Thread starter dawgstudent
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I'm as hard on Hill as anyone but even I can see that without him we may not win the LSU game, so it's a slippery slope. That long catch and run he made to put us ahead was simply incredible, and probably made him some NFL money.
But back to your point, it was also a great throw by Costello. He hasn't made that throw since.
No he’s not, but he’s the only one running an offense that is as highly predicated on repetition as his is in order to be successful. We knew that going in when we hired him. The only way any offense where the entire play sheet fits on a bar napkin could ever be successful is if all 11 guys have perfect execution a very high percentage of the time, and the only way that can ever happen is through many reps in practice and games. It’s no different than if we had hired a triple option guy, it would be flat out ugly right now if we tried that too....even though our talent is theoretically more suited to that type of system.
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My concern is PAC 12 and Big 12 don’t play defense...the SEC actually does. That being said... there was plenty of open receivers the last two games... we either couldn’t block long enough or the QB couldn’t make the throw.
This is going like it normally does for Leach Year 1
In Leach’s first season at Wazzu, they got worse offensively than the year before. 10 fewer points per game, 60 fewer yards per game, and every passing stat besides yards got significantly worse (and even yards only slightly increased). They went from being good offensively with a strong passing game without Leach to being pretty terrible with him. Their record got worse too.
Despite the poor start, Leach went on to do great things in Pullman. It just took a few seasons. Even at TTU, it wasn’t until his 3rd year that their offense took off. But once it did, they had an unprecedented run under Leach. The Air Raid just takes time to get rolling. The offense may be simple and easy to install, but it’s tough for players to execute until they have it mastered. You need a ton of repetition that we don’t have right now.
Sure MSU is the best program Leach has inherited and gives him more talent than he’s ever had, but they’re still having to make a massive shift in offensive philosophy. And doing that without spring practices and a true off-season while going up against an all-SEC schedule simply isn’t going to go smoothly. Leach’s offenses have never been good year 1. This is par for the course.
This is just something that’s going to take time. It sucks short term, but I see no reason to be concerned going forward when this is playing out like it always does for Leach.
In Leach’s first season at Wazzu, they got worse offensively than the year before. 10 fewer points per game, 60 fewer yards per game, and every passing stat besides yards got significantly worse (and even yards only slightly increased). They went from being good offensively with a strong passing game without Leach to being pretty terrible with him. Their record got worse too.
Despite the poor start, Leach went on to do great things in Pullman. It just took a few seasons. Even at TTU, it wasn’t until his 3rd year that their offense took off. But once it did, they had an unprecedented run under Leach. The Air Raid just takes time to get rolling. The offense may be simple and easy to install, but it’s tough for players to execute until they have it mastered. You need a ton of repetition that we don’t have right now.
Sure MSU is the best program Leach has inherited and gives him more talent than he’s ever had, but they’re still having to make a massive shift in offensive philosophy. And doing that without spring practices and a true off-season while going up against an all-SEC schedule simply isn’t going to go smoothly. Leach’s offenses have never been good year 1. This is par for the course.
This is just something that’s going to take time. It sucks short term, but I see no reason to be concerned going forward when this is playing out like it always does for Leach.
Hill has a flash here and there and if he dedicated himself to football without needing all the attention, he might have a shot at NFL. Too much baggage with him though and he's like Trent Richardson. He gains a lot of yards when there are BIG holes and space. He doesn't see small holes well and then dances around for no gain when that happens. Then he gets frustrated and starts pouting/bitching. NFL ain't gonna waste much time on that.
Not our younger talent. I would agree that our upperclass (with the exception of the transfers) is in that mold. It's much better now than it was when Moorhead took over.
I am very concerned that this garbage every Saturday is going to turn away any interested recruits. As far as Hill is concerned I honestly think our other 2 backs perform just as well. At least they get what yards are available instead of standing there trying to juke a guy. And i am also concerned that 3 years from now we will be starting over again.
Why anyone says anything about about Washington vs Washington State wins/losses or points scored or anything is crazy to me. The difference in talent for those teams was so vast it would be like a 1A school going against a 6A. One has nothing but high 3's, a bunch of 4's and even a 5 star or two and the other is putting a bunch on non-ranked, mostly 2 star guys or at best a low 3 star out there. Leech had less 4 star players in his whole time out there as Washington gets every year. The talent level is just too different. You put three Chris Jones/Montel Sweat types going against a bunch of two star OL and it only takes 3 to get to the QB even if they tried to block with 6.
Our Problem is the OLine has to hold up - 5 guys have to be able to block 3 and make them bring 4 or 5 to open up space... That's it.. all the rest will come.
Because thats not similar at all to Mississippi State recruiting vs anyone in the top half of the SEC. Quick look at 24/7 will tell you those 2012-2016 rankings between the two washington schools weren't that different.
I'm not that sold on Cross either, he was blown up by the Kentucky DE on several occasions which resulted in a sack. When your RT is on the ground pounding his fist because he missed a block is not a good thing.
Its what we should have done. Triple option with our relatively traditionally good defense.
The whine all day about Cohen crowd just needs to go ahead and head on over to OM/LSU. MSU ain't going back to 1950 no matter how many times you cry and whine on social media for it.
To answer the OP. I am pretty concerned by Leach's inability or refusal to adjust in-game. He seems inconsistent with his own Air Raid philosophy of attacking them where they aren't.
To answer the OP. I am pretty concerned by Leach's inability or refusal to adjust in-game. He seems inconsistent with his own Air Raid philosophy of attacking them where they aren't.
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I'm not as terribly worried as most. Yeah Leach has a system, but it's not a gimmick like Joe Lee Dunn's defense was. It's a system predicated on simplicity and fundamentals. That's why he has the receivers run routes until the get them right and less about memorizing a playbook.
His offense can handle the zone by having receivers cut their routes short and go underneath the defenders. That results in a lot of the "dink and dunk" short yardage plays, but with fast receivers on crossing routes you'll eventually hit paydirt.
I think Costello has some major awareness issues. Even the pick in the end zone at the end of the first half was on him partially because he could have led the receiver such that even if the receiver didn't catch it there weren't three defenders there to pick it off.
We also forget our offense was heading downhill at the end of the last season. Garbage offensive line play and poor recruiting at that position won't be fixed in a year.
I'll give Leach a harsher judgment if he's doing this after he's had a full year of practices and time with the players.
His offense can handle the zone by having receivers cut their routes short and go underneath the defenders. That results in a lot of the "dink and dunk" short yardage plays, but with fast receivers on crossing routes you'll eventually hit paydirt.
I think Costello has some major awareness issues. Even the pick in the end zone at the end of the first half was on him partially because he could have led the receiver such that even if the receiver didn't catch it there weren't three defenders there to pick it off.
We also forget our offense was heading downhill at the end of the last season. Garbage offensive line play and poor recruiting at that position won't be fixed in a year.
I'll give Leach a harsher judgment if he's doing this after he's had a full year of practices and time with the players.
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