GrandpaDuck wrote:I believe play calling needs to be adjusted to the strength and weakness of the running backs. James can run inside or out, the play book is open. Whittingham has been most effective on runs to the edge and receiving and simply is nowhere near as good as James at navigating in traffic in the box.
The first 2 years we had LMJ and Barner. LMJ was better running inside then Barner and while both could run outside, Barner had a real feel for when to turn up field on outside zone and pin and pull sweeps and Kelly called plays accordingly when he was in the game.
I would like to see Harris get some more opportunities, from this one glimpse and the spring game he may be our best backup to James for between the tackles runs. But maybe we haven't seen him because they have plan to redshirt him to be a rotational back next year when James and Whittingham are likely gone (the Moore plan). I do doubt this though because they have blown 3 of his 4 allowable redshirt games on just a few plays each.
Great points. It seems like Lanning prefers the opposite approach, where our RBs are expected to do everything well so we can just plug and play.
Which is fine when it’s true but a frustrating approach when you have RBs with obviously different strengths and weaknesses.
The Pac12 championship last year was the most glaring example; their rules for the running back rotation were more important than what was happening in reality.
In post game comments, Lanning mentioned the need for better tackling than what we saw in from our defense against Purdue. From what I saw, I can't disagree. Hopefully this game will prove to be an aberration in that regard.
Greenblood wrote: Sun Oct 20, 2024 11:43 am
In post game comments, Lanning mentioned the need for better tackling than what we saw in from our defense against Purdue. From what I saw, I can't disagree. Hopefully this game will prove to be an aberration in that regard.
Geesh dude, it was a shutout. No team is perfect, just look at Texas and Alabama yesterday. Lets just let that slide and enjoy the win.
Greenblood wrote: Sun Oct 20, 2024 11:43 am
In post game comments, Lanning mentioned the need for better tackling than what we saw in from our defense against Purdue. From what I saw, I can't disagree. Hopefully this game will prove to be an aberration in that regard.
Geesh dude, it was a shutout. No team is perfect, just look at Texas and Alabama yesterday. Lets just let that slide and enjoy the win.
As for me, "dude," I will assuredly enjoy the shutout win AND pay attention to Lanning's own stated concerns.
Yeah our run D and tackling was one of the few weak spots in this game.
I do think though we focused very much on not letting them get anything going in the air. And that proved to be a good strategy as Purdue blanked the scoreboard.
Phalanx wrote: Mon Oct 21, 2024 3:49 pm
Ducks vs Them just dropped;
Anyone else notice these are not nearly as good as last years? They are basically reviews of the game with very little behind the scenes. I LOVED the behind the scenes stuff. Maybe Dan thought he was giving away to much secret sauce and wanted to clamp that down this year.
QuackininBama wrote: Mon Oct 21, 2024 5:22 pm
Anyone else notice these are not nearly as good as last years? They are basically reviews of the game with very little behind the scenes. I LOVED the behind the scenes stuff. Maybe Dan thought he was giving away to much secret sauce and wanted to clamp that down this year.
I think that is a definite possiblity, since I though it myself last year. Lat week was like that though talking about their plans to go over the top on OSU's corners, so they are still doing it to some degree.
Doing some of my Duck podcasts today (nothing from QB11 and Hythloday yet) but I did want to bring up an interesting point from Spencer McLaughlin (who I don’t normally care for but there’s nothing else) in regards to the run defense, Purdue got away with countless holds that if they were called the run defense wouldn’t have been near as bad. Sure LB’s pursuit and tackling needs to get better but I noticed quite a few times where a DLineman for Oregon was going to be in position to make a play but was being tackled from behind or in some instances flat out had a lineman lay on top of them and this allowed Purdue to get some rushing yards that should never have happened.
OregonFan4Life wrote:Doing some of my Duck podcasts today (nothing from QB11 and Hythloday yet) but I did want to bring up an interesting point from Spencer McLaughlin (who I don’t normally care for but there’s nothing else) in regards to the run defense, Purdue got away with countless holds that if they were called the run defense wouldn’t have been near as bad. Sure LB’s pursuit and tackling needs to get better but I noticed quite a few times where a DLineman for Oregon was going to be in position to make a play but was being tackled from behind or in some instances flat out had a lineman lay on top of them and this allowed Purdue to get some rushing yards that should never have happened.
100%. On one of their big runs you could see one of their OL quite literally tackle and hold down one of our defenders right in front of the ref and there was no flag, of course.
It’s an issue that’s carried over from the pac-12: refs punish us for being the better team. I don’t know whether it’s conscious or not but it’s a clear trend. There’s a reason our opponents are almost never called for holds while we’re penalized for it every game. Often for the holds that are extremely ticky tack, while our opponent gets away with egregious holds.
