[doug]

It's not that I'm not considering the defense, rather the problems we've had are on offense. The defense has certainly played closer to its potential than the offense.

I agree the defense has been aggressive, and I have liked that. I also think it is a big reason why we've had the success we've had on defense. I also agree that at least at safety, Ed Reynolds has been a pleasant surprise, as I thought DC made critical mistakes last year (he's been better this year, but Reynolds has earned the right to start). Perhaps Shaw is  responsible for the defensive aggression, and if so, that is a good point against my theory. But I attribute the approach on defense to Mason, but at least Shaw has allowed Mason to be aggressive.

I would like to see more aggression from the offense, but unlike you, my guess is that we would have had more success, rather than less, had we done so. I attribute the offensive approach to Shaw, since he's been on the offensive side of the ball since joining up with Harbaugh at USD. Maybe Hamilton is equally or more responsible for the offensive approach.

But perhaps even more than the "aggression" you discuss, I would definitely like to see more imagination and creativity in the offense. Even while running power, Harbaugh's teams were throwing wrinkles at the defense to confuse and disrupt. I see very little of that this year (though maybe I am not sophisticated enough to recognize it -- the commentator showed a schematic wrinkle in Taylor's winning TD in OT I had not recognized). I would also like more use of the guys Shaw has praised (at times even raved about) play-makers.

[doug]

It's not that I'm not considering the defense, rather the problems we've had are on offense. The defense has certainly played closer to its potential than the offense.

I agree the defense has been aggressive, and I have liked that. I also think it is a big reason why we've had the success we've had on defense. I also agree that at least at safety, Ed Reynolds has been a pleasant surprise, as I thought DC made critical mistakes last year (he's been better this year, but Reynolds has earned the right to start). Perhaps Shaw is  responsible for the defensive aggression, and if so, that is a good point against my theory. But I attribute the approach on defense to Mason, but at least Shaw has allowed Mason to be aggressive.

I would like to see more aggression from the offense, but unlike you, my guess is that we would have had more success, rather than less, had we done so. I attribute the offensive approach to Shaw, since he's been on the offensive side of the ball since joining up with Harbaugh at USD. Maybe Hamilton is equally or more responsible for the offensive approach.

But perhaps even more than the "aggression" you discuss, I would definitely like to see more imagination and creativity in the offense. Even while running power, Harbaugh's teams were throwing wrinkles at the defense to confuse and disrupt. I see very little of that this year (though maybe I am not sophisticated enough to recognize it -- the commentator showed a schematic wrinkle in Taylor's winning TD in OT I had not recognized). I would also like more use of the guys Shaw has praised (at times even raved about) play-makers.