[winflop]

Taking just those two.

Playcalling -
I thought the play calling was severely restricted by two very important concepts.
#1 - CMAC was not playing.  Hard to completely build in a new set of plays given NCAA rules on practice time, so had to use the next man up thing rather than make big changes to the playbook. More than once I saw plays that would likely have had better outcomes with CMAC on the field. 

#2 - Burns, not Chryst.  When Chryst was in the team was moving the ball.  Once Burns got on the field the plays just seemed to stall out.  As a back-up how many snaps during practice in the last 2 months would he have taken without CMAC in the backfield?  Also, Burns seemed to hold the ball way too long.  That tendency is a problem in the red zone without the featured back on the field.  The coaching staff likely realized that internal clock deficiency essentially eliminating any number of redzone plays that might have been OK for an offense with Chryst and/or CMAC.  Given Chryst's early play and Burns' play I am inclined to believe the offense and playcalling were going to be OK without CMAC, but couldn't absorb the double whammy.

The staff managed to call plays that avoided turnovers and, to some degree, sacks.  The penalties didn't help, but hard to blame those on the playcallers.  Most college teams losing as much of the late season game plan that Stanford lost would have struggled too.  Look at Colorado, for two easy (Pac-12 CG and Bowl Game) examples of how playcalling is ruined with just the QB out, forget the QB and the best player.

I'd have to go back and re-watch but even Mrs. Winflop was commenting on the playcalling which is almost unheard of.  The most egregious IMnsHO was the 3rd & goal from <1 yard when they lined up heavy left and tried a semi-trick play pitch right that lost 5 yards.  If you can't line it up from that short on 3 consecutive plays & pound it in the end zone you don't deserve to win.

As for Burns, I'd rather burn Mills' redshirt as a backup and have him.  He is just not a good QB in this system.  Maybe he could be more successful in a different system, but in this one he is worse than Nunes was.

[winflop]

Taking just those two.

Playcalling -
I thought the play calling was severely restricted by two very important concepts.
#1 - CMAC was not playing.  Hard to completely build in a new set of plays given NCAA rules on practice time, so had to use the next man up thing rather than make big changes to the playbook. More than once I saw plays that would likely have had better outcomes with CMAC on the field. 

#2 - Burns, not Chryst.  When Chryst was in the team was moving the ball.  Once Burns got on the field the plays just seemed to stall out.  As a back-up how many snaps during practice in the last 2 months would he have taken without CMAC in the backfield?  Also, Burns seemed to hold the ball way too long.  That tendency is a problem in the red zone without the featured back on the field.  The coaching staff likely realized that internal clock deficiency essentially eliminating any number of redzone plays that might have been OK for an offense with Chryst and/or CMAC.  Given Chryst's early play and Burns' play I am inclined to believe the offense and playcalling were going to be OK without CMAC, but couldn't absorb the double whammy.

The staff managed to call plays that avoided turnovers and, to some degree, sacks.  The penalties didn't help, but hard to blame those on the playcallers.  Most college teams losing as much of the late season game plan that Stanford lost would have struggled too.  Look at Colorado, for two easy (Pac-12 CG and Bowl Game) examples of how playcalling is ruined with just the QB out, forget the QB and the best player.

I'd have to go back and re-watch but even Mrs. Winflop was commenting on the playcalling which is almost unheard of.  The most egregious IMnsHO was the 3rd & goal from <1 yard when they lined up heavy left and tried a semi-trick play pitch right that lost 5 yards.  If you can't line it up from that short on 3 consecutive plays & pound it in the end zone you don't deserve to win.

As for Burns, I'd rather burn Mills' redshirt as a backup and have him.  He is just not a good QB in this system.  Maybe he could be more successful in a different system, but in this one he is worse than Nunes was.