UL defense faces huge test in Tulsa

[Just1More]

It's like this.

I want to do whatever it takes to beat the team in front of us on Saturday. This Saturday, that calls for ball control.

Next Saturday, unload the playbook.

We'll see if "ball control" is ours. I seriously doubt it. I play to win... not just to keep the score close. And as far as aTm is concerned... I sure hope everyone realizes that for whatever we're crediting Tulsa with... aTm has 10X that... Sumlin issue or not. Texas A&M is not where I want us to "try out" the "new expanded playbook". I want us to expand the use of intelligent plays... you can bank on that... but I'm not thinking that JD is going to have a coming out passing party against A&M. He'll need to see if what he thinks worked in practice might work at Tulsa... before "lighting up" A&M.

[Ragin4U]

Vegas knows something... The o/u has FALLEN from 66 to 57.5.

I can't express enough how bizzare that movement is...

Any idea of why that is?

[Ragin4U]

If we CAN run the ball against Tulsa... and keep moving the chains... that's a different argument altogether. But we had one of our greatest, if not the greatest, running backs in school history... and could not run against crappy defenses (and win the game) in the SBC. Talking as if "game control" is within our arsenal... with a running game... is something some of you need to show me evidence of. It's fantastic theoretically... but unless you guys know something I don't... every coach in college football would run over pass every down if he knew he could "get first downs, keep his defense off the field, and score touchdowns". This mythology everyone keeps talking about... "we should control the clock by running the ball" is pure bunk. And talking about "execution"? Have you guys been watching Hud run offenses the past few years?

I hope you guys are right. But if we come home with an L... and we ran the ball excessively to the delight of this forum... I'm not going to be pleased. This program is not built for using the shield to win battles. I don't care how many times we get our legs cut out from under us trying to learn how to use our swords... we need to learn how to use the sword!

I'm 100% with this. I pointed out that a 3 and out running is the same as a 3 and out passing. We need first downs and 7 minute scoring drives down the field. We ran efficiently against SLU, for what that's worth. If we try to match the offense of Tulsa score for score, I think we lose. If we can get them out of their game plan, we have a good shot

[ManAboutTown]

Any idea of why that is?

I follow this stuff pretty closely, and I have no idea. I expected it to increase, in fact.
I'm thinking it's something on Tulsa's side because I would assume the Sharps would pick Tulsa to run wild offensively. Just a guess though.

[zephyr]

Vegas knows something... The o/u has FALLEN from 66 to 57.5.

I can't express enough how bizzare that movement is...

You are right. I'm no betting man but I could see the margin possibly changing a tad and even that doesn't change as drastically as the Over/under.

[zephyr]

This is the idea. Tulsa cannot score without the ball. If we can run it effectively, that will eat clock as well as open up the high-percentage passing game. If we attempt to "open the playbook" and start slinging it around, we end up with 3 and outs that play into Tulsa's strength. Again, as long as it is working! But 3 running plays and a punt is the same as 3 pass plays and a punt.
Turb-Both scores you posted would be bad but 21-14 means that we are in it at the end. I'm not talking about a moral victory, I mean we are in it with a chance to win. If we hold them to 21 points, I think we win by 2 scores.

This team's offensive success rate this year, I think, will be defined by how balanced we are. I don't think this offense is superb in either the running or passing game but I do think it can be successful when balanced while operating out of multiple sets. 2008 we ran specifically out of shotgun with one back and ran the zone read to perfection. 2005 we ran with two backs out of the backfield and ran the triple option with pass spread very well. I don't think this year's offense can be locked into one offensive set.

We will at times need to make plays in the passing game to keep men out of the box and when they do spread, we need to take advantage with efficient runs as well as letting Jordan Davis have mobility.