Hope

Mavric said:
This is pretty common when we like the results better.  "It had to be because we were doing something different."  No, it doesn't.  Just like everyone was falling all over themselves to praise McCaffrey after the Penn State game.  It wasn't because our QB play was any better.  It was probably worse.  The results were just better so it SEEMS like things were better/different.

For the year, Mills ran:

Left end - 12 carries

Left side - 8 carries

Middle - 24 carries

Right side - 20 carries

Right End - 19 carries

So nearly 2/3 of his carries for the year were between the tackles.

He explicitly did get "cute" with Hickman on the goal line.

I don't think the issues is we don't have a serveable backup.  It's that they're all freshmen, didn't have spring ball, barely had fall camp and were all injured at various points during the year.  We also got somewhat unlucky that both Washington and Bell turned into head cases.  We're still playing catch up and injuries are making it really tough.

You can argue that all you want.  The facts are we have the #28 rushing offense in the country and the #10 rushing offense in the Power 5.  Yet people are trying to say that Frost doesn't run the ball.  It's simply complaining about anything and everything when you don't like the overall result.
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All that for us to still disagree.....You can have your opinion and I can have mine.  Our offense doesn't and hasn't passed the eye test for years....The W-L record. The one that matters is irrefutable in this......

 
whateveritis1224 said:
Pointing this out because over the last 4 games the D allowed a 3rd down conversion rate of around 25%. We don't have a good pass rush, though.
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Seems kind of selective though?  3 of our last 4 games came against some of the worst teams in the league in Rutgers, minny and Purdue. 
 

not saying chins needs to get canned, but given how experienced our secondary is I really would have liked to see tighter coverage concepts. They balled out against penn st who prolly had the best receivers we played outside OSU. Felt like our coaches held them back 

 
I will make mine short, because it is this simple.  I hope the HCSF learns from all of his mistakes the last 3 seasons, because I saw nothing this year that gives me any hope it will look better in the future.

 
gossamorharpy said:
Seems kind of selective though?  3 of our last 4 games came against some of the worst teams in the league in Rutgers, minny and Purdue. 
 

not saying chins needs to get canned, but given how experienced our secondary is I really would have liked to see tighter coverage concepts. They balled out against penn st who prolly had the best receivers we played outside OSU. Felt like our coaches held them back 
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The point is they did it, and as someone else has pointed out, Minnesota is top 15 in 3rd down percentage on offense. Minnesota has been worse this year because of their defense, not their offense. 

 
Maybe I missed it cause I don’t watch the games as close game in and game out these days. But it seemed like more of a power formation. Forget where he ran, but mills lined up behind Martinez in the shotgun instead of next to him. That seemed to suit him better 

 
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Canadian Fan said:
So you don’t think there were fewer swing passes outside and behind the LOS?  Or more North-South run plays? 
 

I obviously didn’t chart this years games but it looked like the play selection was very different to me.
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No, I don't think so.  I can think of about 6 swing passes off the top of my head.  And we've run straight ahead a lot this year - too much for my taste to be honest.  Just most of the time there were minimal gains.  That's a lot of the reason why Mills only averaged over 3.8 ypc in two games this year - and Rutgers was his only game over 4.2 and the only game he had a carry longer than 16 yards.

 
Mavric said:
No, I don't think so.  I can think of about 6 swing passes off the top of my head.  And we've run straight ahead a lot this year - too much for my taste to be honest.  Just most of the time there were minimal gains.  That's a lot of the reason why Mills only averaged over 3.8 ypc in two games this year - and Rutgers was his only game over 4.2 and the only game he had a carry longer than 16 yards.
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My memory may be faulty as candidly I watched a lot of games this year on internet stream as opposed to via cable and recording onto PVR (so no ability to rewind), but my recollection was that the challenges Mills had early on were caused in part by the larger number of behind the LOS passes (and lack of vertical passing) which allowed opposing defenses to regularly stack the box and run blitz into Mills designated run lanes.  In contrast in the last couple of games, Frost-Lubick appeared more committed to taking more downfield shots on their passing pays which forced the safeties deeper and gave Mills lanes to squeak through.  

Of note, my understanding is that in one of Frost’s recent press conferences he admitted he had allowed Lubick in recent games to script some specific series which would explain why we would have seen some change-ups in the play selections.

 
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Canadian Fan said:
My memory may be faulty as candidly I watched a lot of games this year on internet stream as opposed to via cable and recording onto PVR (so no ability to rewind), but my recollection was that the challenges Mills had early on were caused in part by the larger number of behind the LOS passes (and lack of vertical passing) which allowed opposing defenses to regularly stack the box and run blitz into Mills designated run lanes.  In contrast in the last couple of games, Frost-Lubick appeared more committed to taking more downfield shots on their passing pays which forced the safeties deeper and gave Mills lanes to squeak through.  

Of note, my understanding is that in one of Frost’s recent press conferences he admitted he had allowed Lubick in recent games to script some specific series which would explain why we would have seen some change-ups in the play selections.
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Passes thrown 20+ yards downfield:

Ohio State - 2

Northwestern - 7

Penn State - 2

Illinois - 5

Iowa - 3

Purdue - 3

Minnesota - 4

Rutgers - 2

So Rutgers was our season low (tied with tOSU & PSU).  We threw more downfield in the first four games (16) than the last four (12).  Six over the last two games was our lowest two-game stretch of the season (tied with Iowa-Purdue).

 
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