[JPR36]

He’s had to change his offensive philosophy.  I’m sure he doesn’t like it. I don’t like it.

I hate it.

I don't like a team that can't run the ball. I don't like a team that feels it has to pass on third and 1, that can't run the ball out of their own end zone, that seems to have little hope of running the clock with 5:00 left.
I don't like the variability that comes from too heavy reliance on the pass game - and the negative plays that come with.

I also don't like team that can't stop anyone, but that's another issue.

Hopefully next year they can get back to power football. But I kind of doubt it.

I might agree with the doubting, but that is a statement that needs more comment.

One of the biggest issues is what went wrong in the run game this year.
A little bit is Love not being 100%, but far more so is the disappearance of run blocking by the OL. As many have noted, that has been building a bit over the last few years, but this year was a completely different beast. To the extent it was heavily due to injuries (and there were a ton of injuries - before the season as much as during), then that could presumably improve.

If we have a starting OL of Little, Hamilton, Dalman, Herbig, Sarell then that should be plenty to work with. (Powell seems next up if Herbig is gone.)  Good or bad, it's not clear to me that group will necessarily be better at pass blocking than run blocking. Actually, that's not quite true. I expect them to be better at pass blocking merely because they are this year. Many of the individuals will be the same, and as far as we know so far so will the coaches. But, it's not clear they shouldn't be able to be at least middling at run blocking - and middling would make this offense really good.

With Costello and the group of receivers we had this year (and will have next year) I can see throwing the ball a lot. You also have to be able to run, though, and this year we couldn't.  Assuming they can stay healthy the line we will have next year would seem to have the talent to be able to do it.
Will the defense be better? Hopefully. Presumably the coaches will be able to do something about the poor tackling in the defensive backfield, which seemed to be the source of a lot of our problems this year.

[JPR36]

He’s had to change his offensive philosophy.  I’m sure he doesn’t like it. I don’t like it.

I hate it.

I don't like a team that can't run the ball. I don't like a team that feels it has to pass on third and 1, that can't run the ball out of their own end zone, that seems to have little hope of running the clock with 5:00 left.
I don't like the variability that comes from too heavy reliance on the pass game - and the negative plays that come with.

I also don't like team that can't stop anyone, but that's another issue.

Hopefully next year they can get back to power football. But I kind of doubt it.

I might agree with the doubting, but that is a statement that needs more comment.

One of the biggest issues is what went wrong in the run game this year.
A little bit is Love not being 100%, but far more so is the disappearance of run blocking by the OL. As many have noted, that has been building a bit over the last few years, but this year was a completely different beast. To the extent it was heavily due to injuries (and there were a ton of injuries - before the season as much as during), then that could presumably improve.

If we have a starting OL of Little, Hamilton, Dalman, Herbig, Sarell then that should be plenty to work with. (Powell seems next up if Herbig is gone.)  Good or bad, it's not clear to me that group will necessarily be better at pass blocking than run blocking. Actually, that's not quite true. I expect them to be better at pass blocking merely because they are this year. Many of the individuals will be the same, and as far as we know so far so will the coaches. But, it's not clear they shouldn't be able to be at least middling at run blocking - and middling would make this offense really good.

With Costello and the group of receivers we had this year (and will have next year) I can see throwing the ball a lot. You also have to be able to run, though, and this year we couldn't.  Assuming they can stay healthy the line we will have next year would seem to have the talent to be able to do it.
Will the defense be better? Hopefully. Presumably the coaches will be able to do something about the poor tackling in the defensive backfield, which seemed to be the source of a lot of our problems this year.