Without going too deep into the weeds, the eye test tells us our offense is heavily reliant on big plays and stagnant otherwise.
To get back to the original question, I agree with others that there isn't an easy fix. The O-line is getting beat like a drum running the ball and on obvious passing situations. Very few things schematically can dramatically cover for poor O line play. That being said, there are things that could help our guys out.
1. I agree with simplifying the playbook, but to go with that we should run no-huddle and use our depth at TE to our advantage. Keep the grouping of Love, JJAW, Osiris or Irwin, Smith, and Parkinson/Harrington on the field and force the defense to stay in Base or Nickel packages full time, rather then allowing for subbing in pass rushers/DB on 3rd down. We can do so many things with that group, from 2-wide I with smith or harrington in the backfield to shotgun with 5-wide. Make the defense react without subbing. It also forces D to simplify and run fewer of the stunts our O-line has had so much trouble with. Anecdotally, we seem to be at our best when Costello is running the show on the fly.
2. Practice the heck out of WR or TE screens and RPOs. WR screens when run effectively can be an easy way for an offense to consistently gain 5-7 yards and spread out the OLBs. For whatever reason, we have never been able to execute them well, likely because they've never been a priority as part of our offense. If they play press coverage on Smith/JJAW/Parkinson to take that away, then go right at that matchup. Likewise RPOs force the LBs to stay home and open up running lanes, or conversely allow for easy throws.
3. Increase use of misdirection. When you freeze the Dline/LBs for a split second with jet sweep motion or counter action you make the OLs job much easier and often improve their angles as the defense may take a step in the wrong direction
Defensively, I'd like to see more press coverage outside and safeties closer to the LOS and increased blitzing on early downs and earlier in the game. Force an offense to make plays against our skilled CBs, rather then allow them to have chunk plays up the middle where we're less strong. Bend not break is a sound philosophy when you force the O to march the field with short gains, but even a mediocre Utah offense marched down the field with ease against our D. So we should play aggressively, take more chances, maybe give up more big plays, but also force more 3 and outs and turnovers. I'd also rather live and die by how Holder/Adebo play press man coverage then how well our front 7 stop the run.
To get back to the original question, I agree with others that there isn't an easy fix. The O-line is getting beat like a drum running the ball and on obvious passing situations. Very few things schematically can dramatically cover for poor O line play. That being said, there are things that could help our guys out.
1. I agree with simplifying the playbook, but to go with that we should run no-huddle and use our depth at TE to our advantage. Keep the grouping of Love, JJAW, Osiris or Irwin, Smith, and Parkinson/Harrington on the field and force the defense to stay in Base or Nickel packages full time, rather then allowing for subbing in pass rushers/DB on 3rd down. We can do so many things with that group, from 2-wide I with smith or harrington in the backfield to shotgun with 5-wide. Make the defense react without subbing. It also forces D to simplify and run fewer of the stunts our O-line has had so much trouble with. Anecdotally, we seem to be at our best when Costello is running the show on the fly.
2. Practice the heck out of WR or TE screens and RPOs. WR screens when run effectively can be an easy way for an offense to consistently gain 5-7 yards and spread out the OLBs. For whatever reason, we have never been able to execute them well, likely because they've never been a priority as part of our offense. If they play press coverage on Smith/JJAW/Parkinson to take that away, then go right at that matchup. Likewise RPOs force the LBs to stay home and open up running lanes, or conversely allow for easy throws.
3. Increase use of misdirection. When you freeze the Dline/LBs for a split second with jet sweep motion or counter action you make the OLs job much easier and often improve their angles as the defense may take a step in the wrong direction
Defensively, I'd like to see more press coverage outside and safeties closer to the LOS and increased blitzing on early downs and earlier in the game. Force an offense to make plays against our skilled CBs, rather then allow them to have chunk plays up the middle where we're less strong. Bend not break is a sound philosophy when you force the O to march the field with short gains, but even a mediocre Utah offense marched down the field with ease against our D. So we should play aggressively, take more chances, maybe give up more big plays, but also force more 3 and outs and turnovers. I'd also rather live and die by how Holder/Adebo play press man coverage then how well our front 7 stop the run.