09-11-2012, 04:52 PM
There are certainly issues with the particular configuration of the OL right now, but the biggest issue, IMO, is the tendency of defenses to put 9 men near the line of scrimmage. It doesn't really matter who you put on the OL, or at which position they are playing, if your blockers are outnumbered by the defenders at the line, you will have a hard time running. The solution: make the opposing teams respect the passing game. As in the Duke game, throw the ball deep early in the game to force the opposing Defensive Coordinator to drop his safeties back, and the RBs will have more space.Â
I would think that USC will come out with the same strategy of moving the safeties up, even though we managed to burn Duke a few times with deep passes. USC will figure they have the corners to handle our receivers one-on-one until Nunes and Shaw/Hamilton prove that they can successfully go deep. With their offense, I don't think the Trojans will be too worried about giving up an early touchdown, if it should happen, even when their O has to go against our D. But if Nunes and the receivers hit a few deep passes early in the game, maybe we see the opposing safeties drop back for the first time all year. Then we will get a better idea of where the running game stands.
I would think that USC will come out with the same strategy of moving the safeties up, even though we managed to burn Duke a few times with deep passes. USC will figure they have the corners to handle our receivers one-on-one until Nunes and Shaw/Hamilton prove that they can successfully go deep. With their offense, I don't think the Trojans will be too worried about giving up an early touchdown, if it should happen, even when their O has to go against our D. But if Nunes and the receivers hit a few deep passes early in the game, maybe we see the opposing safeties drop back for the first time all year. Then we will get a better idea of where the running game stands.