Texas A&M Breakdown: Offense

We've seen him look GREAT last year when he's in the flow of the regular offense.  If they used him like A&M used Lane all year then we only have one loss.

Perhaps mixing in a play action pass to a TE would have been a much better call or maybe even a quick handoff to a FB.

Are we distined for mediocrity again without the magic of Vince Young? Thirty years of not being able to win the big game may be back in the cards again. For all of Coach Brown's accolades, his record in winning a conference championship is as dismal as it gets. The reasons are probably too long to list:

1. Poor offensive scheme - lay it on the GD doorstep. Without the improvision of VY we would never have won last year. Coach Brown said it best, "when we left (VY) alone, he started to perform".
2. Poor offensive scheme - further evidence. How does Texas with arguably the best offensive line in college football and two good running backs not have a running game? It is again inquisition of the GD offense.
3. No fullback - how does Texas not recruit a top notch power back? We have to take a defensive lineman to find someone who can make a yard. Henry Melton should be thrown out with the bathwater. He is totally inept at short yardage.
4. Blind allegance - Coach Brown living with his poor offensive play calling and a lousy offensive scheme. Not pulling a clearly ailing Colt McCoy at halftime and bringing in Jevan Snead. My 84 year old mother called me today and asked what was he thinking in not replacing McCoy at halftime.
5. Mediocrity - Coach Brown's recruiting record is steller, but let's face the facts. Every year he can take the top recruiting class in the state of Texas and turn it into a mediocre underacheiving team. He distinctly lacks the ability to inspire the team or to kick butt when needed. All we get is the usual COACHSPEAK - 'first let me say what a great win for Kansas State....and Texas A&M". They knocked us out of the Fiesta Bowl into the Toilet Bowl.

The offense running scheme is (as usual) predictable and ordinary.  What was the longest run for the year?  I bet it wasn't over 25 yards.  That sideline trap running scheme is good for 3-8 yards consistently, but it puts too much pressure on the offense if one of the plays don't work.

The most dangerous weapons on the offense is our receiving corp so if GD really wanted to march down the field, we'd be throwing the ball a lot more on first down.

However, I do disagree with the play-calling in the fourth quarter with us ahead.  We were moving the ball on the gound exclusively, when Davis decides to pass.  You don't have to break long runs to be effective.  So long as you don't have a sack, incompletion, or penalty, you only have to average 3.5 yards a carry, less in 4-down territory. When you are moving the ball on the ground, even in 3 or 4 yard chunks, you don't need to pass just to be "balanced" or keep the defense honest.  Go back to Ohio State and all may have been different had they just stuck to a ground attack that was working.  As far as not breaking off any long runs yesterday, might Young and Charles been running more conservatively after they took so much heat for their fumbles in the KS game?

Finally, regarding Henry Melton, he apparently has been out of favor with the coaches and has rarely played offensively all year.  Can anyone offer any theory why he would be inserted for a critical play in one of the most important games of the year?  And Henry, if you ever get the ball again, remember that old saying from math: the shortest distance between two points is a straight line.  

The Breakdown on Melton is 100% accurate. How does a 272 lb RB (RB not Fullback) fail to make 6 inches. It might be different if there was no hole and he gets swallowed in the backfield by 1 or 2 DT's. BUT NO. The kid gets PUNKED 1 on 1 by a linebacker. Not just tackled, he got Steve Atwatered. Melton does not lower his shoulder and he should not get any more carries. I'd argue to make him a defensive lineman, but he seems afraid to take a hit.

I also dont see why we should give him regular carries in the normal offense. He doesnt run out of the shotgun nearly as good as Selvin or Jamaal and definitely can't secure the ball any better. If a 272 lb RB cant make 6 inches, he needs to be a Defensive End. Period.

Anybody remember the 4th and goal play last year vs tOSU. Score a TD Henry, and we seal the game for sure. What does he do? Slows down, heads to the corner, dives, and gets shoved out by a 192 lb corner. Are you serious?

100% Accurate. No more touches for Melton. Ever.

Greg Davis does not get a pass. He also doesnt get ignored when we win. I remember reading quite a bit of "what the hell is GD thinking" posts on our wins too.

Here's the thing. Snead obviously fits better in our Zone Read offense, but he's not the best QB on the team. Colt is the best QB, so he needs to be starting (when healthy) weekly.

That being said, GD needs to change it up. Raise your hands. How many people thought it was silly that UT ran the exact same offense with Matt Nordgren in the O last year, when Vince went to the bench in garbage time? Everybody? Yah, me too. This concept of keeping the exact same offense no matter who is taking the snaps is ridiculous.

The fact of the matter is, we run better out of single back formation when Colt is under center. Unfortunately, Colt passes better when in shotgun. I will give GD a pass for not purely running out of single back and passing out of shotgun, due to obvious reasons. What we need to do is run more NORTH/SOUTH, Greg Davis! And we can still do that out of the shotgun. This would allow for the same Run/Pass flexibility and we could wear down defenses better. Also, with the added dimension, our 95% east/west style could be more effective. Now opposing linebackers just have to slide from side to side to limit our RB tandem to 3-8 yard pops. Let's keep them on their toes. This would open up the "Explosive Plays" and we would see more bang for our "Zone Read" buck.

And yes, the Buck stops with Mack Brown. He's an incredible recruiter AND COACH. But he's just not cut throat enough. Colt wanted to play, and apparently seemed healthy enough in the 2 week lay-off to convince Mack of the same. Coach Brown likely realized Colt wasnt 100% a few plays too late. Colt looked good enough to fool him.

The buck stops with you, Coach Brown. Make Duane Akina and (if we still have him) Gene Chizik turn Henry Melton into a DL in the Spring. No more Melton failing on 2nd, 3rd and especially not 4th and inches. We get 4th down and 6 inches. I see Melton in the backfield. All I say is "He's a bitch. Unless he doesnt get hit, he's not going to make it."

The buck stops with you, Coach Brown. Fire Greg Davis. Please. The least you can do, is go out and get an co-offensive coordinator. I'm not saying GD is 100% wrong in what he does. But the guy is flat out stubborn. He is too conservative at the wrong times and God help me if I see another WR screen. The guy should have been fired in 2004, but Vince Young saved his job. It should no longer be secure. Please, Coach Brown, please.

Lots of "what ifs?"

What if.....the lousy refs had made the right call (touchdown)?

What if.....Colt is not forced to take the ball in himself?

What if.....we had a decent short yardage back?

We'd have a healthy quaterback, at least one more win in the regular season, and a shot at the Big 12 championship.

What cost us the game is Texas' inept short yardage play. It has been a problem since Lokey broke. As good as Charles and Young are, I hated the Texas rungame almost all season. There is a time and place for finnesse, but every play? What was wrong with putting two in the backfield, making some lanes, and running between the tackles? I was just so sick of watching Young and Charles dance around behind the line.

Mac is worried about long yards? They couldn't even get one, when they really needed it.

NO MORE HENRY MELTON!