09-25-2016, 09:06 AM
Though just a dumb fan whose knowledge of the x's and o's of football has been embarrassingly static, given as many games as I've watched over the decades, is there not a lesson to be learnd from our performance during the last 2 minutes of this game? In a situation in which we lacked any element of surprise, as UCLA knew we'd be passing, we were able to advance 70 yards. While I appreciate such matters as Shaw's personality and the team's identity as constraints on a less conservative attack, it seems to me that our passing game is not as inept as I had believed, and that it would be all the more effective when a defense is expecting the offense to run. (Interception to the linebacker notwithstanding.) Conversely, even a modicum of success through the air would decompress the opposition's stacking of the box that clogs the running lanes.
If we play, say, Notre Dame in a driving rain, okay, run the ball 60 times. Otherwise, could we please pass the ball more?
Additional observation: I found McCaffrey's performance in this game to be as good as any of his. In many of his high-yardage games, he's run through some very big holes in the line and only encountered resistance 8-10 yards downfield. In this game with UCLA, every yard was hard-earned, and much of it obtained almost entirely on the basis of his strength, speed, and impressive patience in picking his spots.
If we play, say, Notre Dame in a driving rain, okay, run the ball 60 times. Otherwise, could we please pass the ball more?
Additional observation: I found McCaffrey's performance in this game to be as good as any of his. In many of his high-yardage games, he's run through some very big holes in the line and only encountered resistance 8-10 yards downfield. In this game with UCLA, every yard was hard-earned, and much of it obtained almost entirely on the basis of his strength, speed, and impressive patience in picking his spots.