I also think opposing teams defenses are real aware of Day and Stroud's tendencies. Day likes to call a pass heavy game and it takes alot for him to break from that. Stroud doesn't like to run even if he has room and never takes the ball on the option.
Day's offense has cut out alot of the misdirection stuff that was there when Urban was HC. It's really an offense that is about talent beating out the opposing team and doesn't take advantage of trying to confuse the opposing defense.
I do hope this will get Day to make the team more balance and maybe threat of the run can help open up the passing game. I also do think they can add more elements to the offense to be more creative. I'm not sure this offense has expanded or even evolved since Day has taken over as HC. To me the offense has gotten simpler each year and I think is a reason why the team doesn't look good when going against a similar talent team.
Ok, Day didn’t call a great game, but Stroud’s refusal to run on the option needs to change. I remember a pregame interview, maybe Penn State?, and he was all “I will run over anyone” and he just doesn’t. He doesn’t like getting hit, never keeps on the option, which is kind of a staple play for this offense since Meyer arrived.
Like take Barrett. Dude had limitations. He wasn’t Pryor and he wasn’t Fields, but he would rumble. He got the most out of what he had.
Stroud has the tools, but if you can’t keep on 3rd and short, enough w the brave talk.
I excuse his passing game. Not a problem. We lost 2 first rounders, and those dudes helped JSN just victimize fools last year. JSN will grow, obviously he got hurt, but the QB has to find a way sometime.
Day didn’t run enough. But he did when it counted.
The defense was so fucking encouraging. I have high hopes that we can actually improve there. I love this DC. Tackling was meh, but that’ll come with time and players getting to that read and react speed.
We definitely didn’t look like the 2nd best team in the nation, but we have seen these young men catch a wave as they get coached up. Overall, that was a very fun opener and after getting obliterated by Michigan, which we deserved, I am overall very pleased w the toughness. We will need that to get where we want to go.