[Row80Critic]

Just one comment on BC's magnum opus.  

Yes, we are passing more now than in the early Shaw days, but out of necessity, not by intention or design.  I am certain Shaw would have loved to continue the power run game; but too often, he tried, failed and had to start slinging the ball to get us out of a hole.  In the Utah game, the first series (trailing 0-7) was run, run, run, punt.  In the second series (trailing 0-14), it was run, sack, sack, punt.  In the third series (trailing 0-14), it was run, pass (inc.), pass (inc.), punt.  And by the time the 4th series started, we were down 0-21, so Shaw had to start mixing things up even more (by inserting Sanders, for example).  And, obviously, when your defense cannot stop the opponent and you are already down by three scores, you cannot play power run, high TOP football the way we so successfully did in 2012 and 2013.  You have to change, but it doesn't appear to be by design.   

My gripe with Shaw is that he continues to believe we can impose our will on the defense by slamming bodies into the line.  That used to work (long ago), but has now become almost an absurd caricature of what we used to be.  Take Austin Jones in the Utah game.  He carried the ball 9 times for 33 yards.  Take out the one 19-yard carry, and he had 8 carries for 14 yards.  That's not even 2 yards a pop.  Peat's numbers were even worse (1 yard net on 4 carries).  Smith's numbers look better, but only because of one long 32-yard ramble.  Take that out, and he's at 4.5 yards a carry. The difference in this game is that we didn't have a Costello, Mills or McKee to come out slinging and try to jump-start an insipid offense.  Couple that with a sieve of a defense, and you have the disaster that unfolded.

In agreement with others on this board, I consider the O-line top priority: if this underperforming unit does not improve drastically, offensive schemes and play-calling will not matter.

My thoughts exactly.  If I had all the answers, I guess I'd be a head coach somewhere, but something sure ain't working.  That said, whatever the root cause, it appears to be systemic and go well beyond any one phase of the game.  Offense, defense, special teams, recruiting, scheme, credential-less assistants, roster selections, energy, etc., etc., -- all in need of real improvement.  The longest losing streak in the Pac-12.  Nuff said.  I'd love to see Shaw turn it all around, but he's not going to do that simply by blaming last week's game on poor tackling.

[Row80Critic]

Just one comment on BC's magnum opus.  

Yes, we are passing more now than in the early Shaw days, but out of necessity, not by intention or design.  I am certain Shaw would have loved to continue the power run game; but too often, he tried, failed and had to start slinging the ball to get us out of a hole.  In the Utah game, the first series (trailing 0-7) was run, run, run, punt.  In the second series (trailing 0-14), it was run, sack, sack, punt.  In the third series (trailing 0-14), it was run, pass (inc.), pass (inc.), punt.  And by the time the 4th series started, we were down 0-21, so Shaw had to start mixing things up even more (by inserting Sanders, for example).  And, obviously, when your defense cannot stop the opponent and you are already down by three scores, you cannot play power run, high TOP football the way we so successfully did in 2012 and 2013.  You have to change, but it doesn't appear to be by design.   

My gripe with Shaw is that he continues to believe we can impose our will on the defense by slamming bodies into the line.  That used to work (long ago), but has now become almost an absurd caricature of what we used to be.  Take Austin Jones in the Utah game.  He carried the ball 9 times for 33 yards.  Take out the one 19-yard carry, and he had 8 carries for 14 yards.  That's not even 2 yards a pop.  Peat's numbers were even worse (1 yard net on 4 carries).  Smith's numbers look better, but only because of one long 32-yard ramble.  Take that out, and he's at 4.5 yards a carry. The difference in this game is that we didn't have a Costello, Mills or McKee to come out slinging and try to jump-start an insipid offense.  Couple that with a sieve of a defense, and you have the disaster that unfolded.

In agreement with others on this board, I consider the O-line top priority: if this underperforming unit does not improve drastically, offensive schemes and play-calling will not matter.

My thoughts exactly.  If I had all the answers, I guess I'd be a head coach somewhere, but something sure ain't working.  That said, whatever the root cause, it appears to be systemic and go well beyond any one phase of the game.  Offense, defense, special teams, recruiting, scheme, credential-less assistants, roster selections, energy, etc., etc., -- all in need of real improvement.  The longest losing streak in the Pac-12.  Nuff said.  I'd love to see Shaw turn it all around, but he's not going to do that simply by blaming last week's game on poor tackling.