1-3 is the last thing I think any of us expected, but alas here we are and there is legitimate reason to sound the alarm.
I think the one thing that I am starting to grasp and I believe a lot of you are, as well, is the problems with this team (more specifically the offense) were further deeply rooted than just your signal caller. I’ve always believed in both quarterbacks to be able to lead the offense, but when things got rough I did not expect Behren Morton to be the saving grace on that side of the ball.
The entire game the defense was able to make stops and the entire game when Tech got the ball back, I kept thinking to myself ‘This is gonna be the drive they turn it around,’ and it simply never was. It is hard to pinpoint a definitive primary problem that continuously barricades this offense from its full potential. It feels like we got so wrapped up in the camaraderie and real ‘team-first’ mentality of this Red Raider squad that we disregarded the fact that there are no star-caliber players on this team. Just a player where you know that is THE DUDE. And sometimes that is fine, but when the ship starts to rock, you need that guy to lean on to make a play. I felt the past few weeks that perhaps could have been Myles Price in the receiving core and for the most part it has also been Tahj Brooks out of the backfield. But with Price limited to just fielding punts yesterday, that X-factor was zapped from that group and it showed.
In order for teams with little to no star power to succeed, it typically takes masterful coaching to help that team realize what it is capable of. And in my honest opinion, through four games, I have not seen masterful coaching. There have been very few drives where I felt completely satisfied with the play calls and how they were made depending on the situation. It really is a head scratcher sometimes because I think this receiver room is able to do so much more but I can’t confidently say I’ve always seen them put in positions to succeed. This game really felt like one where you could have exploited speed through the middle of the field or through screens and neither happened very often. The run game with Brooks continued to be a bright spot. Coming off the kind of game he had last week, three carries through the first half was disheartening. I think the complexion of this game looks entirely different if Tech leaned on him a little more throughout the entirety of the game.
I say all of this now understanding that it has been a very bad mix of underwhelming execution combined with a lack of reliable playcalling. It is not one or the other here, right now and yesterday it was both.
Hats off to the defense because they won the turnover battle and were constantly called upon to make stops and for a vast majority of drives were able to do so.
After Wyoming, we were able to say there is still time. After Oregon, we were able to say there is still time. After Tarleton, there were glaring issues but then it became more urgent with conference play coming. There is still more than half the season left but it is getting to that point that we may have to accept that this team is just what it has shown through four games.
Founded by a Red Raider, All Hands Craft Cocktails is proud to announce their partnership with RedRaiderSports.com. Try these bar strength, ready-to-drink vodka cocktails at Jones AT&T Stadium this football season or find them at a retailer near you. Cheers.
I think the one thing that I am starting to grasp and I believe a lot of you are, as well, is the problems with this team (more specifically the offense) were further deeply rooted than just your signal caller. I’ve always believed in both quarterbacks to be able to lead the offense, but when things got rough I did not expect Behren Morton to be the saving grace on that side of the ball.
The entire game the defense was able to make stops and the entire game when Tech got the ball back, I kept thinking to myself ‘This is gonna be the drive they turn it around,’ and it simply never was. It is hard to pinpoint a definitive primary problem that continuously barricades this offense from its full potential. It feels like we got so wrapped up in the camaraderie and real ‘team-first’ mentality of this Red Raider squad that we disregarded the fact that there are no star-caliber players on this team. Just a player where you know that is THE DUDE. And sometimes that is fine, but when the ship starts to rock, you need that guy to lean on to make a play. I felt the past few weeks that perhaps could have been Myles Price in the receiving core and for the most part it has also been Tahj Brooks out of the backfield. But with Price limited to just fielding punts yesterday, that X-factor was zapped from that group and it showed.
In order for teams with little to no star power to succeed, it typically takes masterful coaching to help that team realize what it is capable of. And in my honest opinion, through four games, I have not seen masterful coaching. There have been very few drives where I felt completely satisfied with the play calls and how they were made depending on the situation. It really is a head scratcher sometimes because I think this receiver room is able to do so much more but I can’t confidently say I’ve always seen them put in positions to succeed. This game really felt like one where you could have exploited speed through the middle of the field or through screens and neither happened very often. The run game with Brooks continued to be a bright spot. Coming off the kind of game he had last week, three carries through the first half was disheartening. I think the complexion of this game looks entirely different if Tech leaned on him a little more throughout the entirety of the game.
I say all of this now understanding that it has been a very bad mix of underwhelming execution combined with a lack of reliable playcalling. It is not one or the other here, right now and yesterday it was both.
Hats off to the defense because they won the turnover battle and were constantly called upon to make stops and for a vast majority of drives were able to do so.
After Wyoming, we were able to say there is still time. After Oregon, we were able to say there is still time. After Tarleton, there were glaring issues but then it became more urgent with conference play coming. There is still more than half the season left but it is getting to that point that we may have to accept that this team is just what it has shown through four games.
Founded by a Red Raider, All Hands Craft Cocktails is proud to announce their partnership with RedRaiderSports.com. Try these bar strength, ready-to-drink vodka cocktails at Jones AT&T Stadium this football season or find them at a retailer near you. Cheers.
