There's no doubt in my mind that our running scheme that thrived under Vince will not work with McCoy.  It's such an easy problem to diagnose that it is scary it hasn't been addressed up to this point.

A more conventional offense like we ran with Major and Chris makes a lot more sense with McCoy.  And we can keep a package for Chiles (it's not like there's a lot to the zone read).

It has been extremely frustrating this year to watch the coaching staff continuously go with inferior players and fail to properly utilize the talent we have (not that we had two years ago).

You get a new keyboard?  Mack was especially verbose today, too, really spreading the stats and building up the game. But he also said this:

We ran the ball very well in the first half, but our concern is that we're having too many negative plays in the running game. We're having some lost-yardage plays, and we're having too many one-yard and two-yard runs giving us 2nd-and-9 and 2nd-and-8. We felt like in the second half in the running game, we didn't have enough patience and we ran sideways too much when we needed to go north and south, and we probably tried to score too quickly.
... snip
We need to continue our north-south running game out on the field.

Well, if I was an east-west runner I'd be concerned. And sounds like there's a mystery north-south runner hiding out on Red River.

And Mack continues, starting with need and finishing with praise for JC as a receiver on the long catch, with extremely high praise.

We're also asking Colt to do a lot more than he did last year and we're putting a lot more pressure on him, just by throwing the ball more. We've got to have some help in the running game out on the field to take some of the pressure off of him.
... snip
It was a great play from Colt to Jamaal [Charles] down the sideline, and it was a super receiver catch, and it is a good of a catch as I have ever seen. He got both of his feet inbounds and it was at a point in the game where it really mattered. So we're really proud of Jamaal about making that catch, and it was an outstanding throw.

emphasis mine

Damn fine critical catch, yes. Best ever, not so much...

So, it sounds like part of your solution is being set up today for a new, sexy role for JC.

****

And this, because turnovers has definitely put a kink in the offense.

We've said we're putting the ball on the ground too many times, whether it's with turnovers, fumbles, or interceptions, and that makes the difference in your season.

If you throw in TO's with your stats, it probably matches some of our discontinuity. You can't laugh off 12 INTs and 5 fumbles lost, just over two per game. Those have hurt and play some role in how well our offense is executing.

(The D has come up with 17, so we're even right now.)

Good work-out. I agree the Horns need to adapt to their best players, the mystery N-S runner and to Colt, for I don't think Chiles has the judgment and control on the field yet and won't for the next several games.

Mack talked about wanting to get him more passes in key situations, so that means that a hard decision has been made on number two: no change. I do expect Wild Chile and the Storm to be passing more against NU.

This verbosity shit is catching.  

Just kidding, but I do have a different opinion.  First, I agree with the comment above that we have tried under center runs w/o much success as well.  I don't think that is the answer.

I think part of the answer lies in OL personnel.  I don't know what happened last year, but this year the middle of our line has struggled, especially at center.  Remember Jason Glynn?  Remember our running game with him?  Training the next physical center at Texas is a big key to me.  Running game is all about blocking, and we are getting little.  I also haven't been too impressed with Ulatoski so far.  It just seems like we are missing blocks, getting physically beat, and we are getting to the linebackers too infrequently on the Combo blocks.  The other aspect of this has been mentioned already and that is blocking scheme.  Line play is all about staying low, quickness, and angles.  I think we are a little weak at the angles.  The counter has not worked as well this year because no one is overplaying the zone play, so it is just a slow easily diagnosed run at this point.  Playing 2 in the backfield could help.  A wider variety of plays out of a wider variety of formations could help.  Tweaking blocking schemes on our current plays to hide our weaknesses and magnify our strengths could help.  A long time ago when I was a high school lineman, I remember blocking a couple of plays several different ways based on how the defense was set or stunted.  Some of it was practiced throughuot the week, some of it was adjusted by the coaches, and some of it was adjusted by the players adlibbing.  I was always undersized, so I was always looking for the trick.

This will be very unpopular, but I want Colt to run the zone read more.  I don't mean I want GD to call the play more, but I think Colt should be more aggressive with the ball.  Snead did a good job of running it during the KState game last year because he just confidently pulled the ball and ran with no hesitation.  Jevan was probably a little better athlete, but not by that much.  We have all seen Colt run and even break some tackles.  Of course he should look to avoid contact when possible.  But if he kept the ball 3-4 times a game and got 2-4 yards each time my bet is that he just saved the team 3-4 negative plays.  If he gets hurt, that's football.  Be wise, but play hard.

Let me end with the fact that I think Jamaal Charles is awesome.  As long as he can hold onto the football I want him in there.  The coaches should be able to get him to hit inside holes.  He won't sometimes but reminding him of the importance through the game should help.  I've seen him get 3-4 tough yards many times during the year.  He just has to be patient.  Get Vondrell in there too.  He has earned it, but Jamaal is the man.

So in summary: same RBs, possible different OLs, more plays, more formations, tweaked blocking schemes, Colt more aggressive on zone read.  If that doesn't work... well there is always next year.

 A big play for R. Taylor was dragging him across the middle and hitting him with a pass and letting him run.
I think this would make good use of Charles 1 to 3 times a game, or to at least offer it as a threat.

 The issue outlined in detail in this post should concern Texas as much for next year as it does for the remainder of the current season. The reason is Colt's receiver options will be reduced next season not increased. If Quan returns, you have Shipley and Finley to compliment him. After that it is a grab bag of inexperience and hope. Having a serviceable or greater running game becomes more important. However, without Vince this has never happened. I suspect that the words of working on the running game that were uttered in the month leading up to the Alamo Bowl, as well as all off season will ring hollow once again.

  This is a group of coaches that conclude that a certain group of LB's should play when it is obvious to most this simply isn't the case.

  I was slightly encouraged to see Jackson removed Saturday after the Baylor punt (actually a forward pass) and never remembered seeing him play again. So, maybe there is hope for other issues as well.

It is hinted at by Bohls here.

In the player press conference quotes from yesterday Colt McCoy indicated that they'd be looking to use Charles in other ways

On Jamaal Charles' catch: He made an incredible catch. That was big for us. We needed that. That put us up about two touchdowns. I think we might start spreading Jamaal out a little more, maybe getting him out wide and letting him run some pass routes because he has some good hands - kind of play to Jamaal's strengths. I think that is one of them because he is really fast and can get separation, especially when a linebacker is covering him. I think we definitely might look into that a little more.

I'm not sure if we'll ever see him make a complete position switch but it's reassuring to see that the staff is looking to fix this problem and better utilize Charles.

I realize I've been promoting the 'expansion' of JC's role and the insertion of McGee into a more straight forward TB the last two weeks.

However, PB inspired me to go check the team stats in comparison to the nation and the conference. This is pretty ugly stuff and effectively reminds us of the relative standing of the Horns: they have not dominated nor excelled in any particular phase. They neither lead the nation nor the conference in any category.

The best that can be noted is the defense, which is 11th against the run, 19th in pass efficiency defense and 16th overall. Considering our early concerns with the corners and our later dilemma with the LBs, the D has actually been a relative bright spot. In conference, the pass defense efficiency is second only to Kansas, our best team showings.

The irony shows up in the individual relative rankings: Jamaal is #2 in rushing in the conference, our highest individual rating, and 44th in the nation (90.25 yd/game). Colt is fourth in conference in total offense and 20th in the nation (292.63 yds/game), our next best ranking.

So, in light of the considerations in this diary, mine included, you don't get something for nothing and there ain't no free lunches. Harump, harump.

It can be said that sometimes teams don't aggregate great stats and that team play and gritty wins may not be adequately reflected in the box scores. Considering that the harder part of our conference schedule remains, I don't expect the stats to change much and they could get worse but we could still come out with many wins.

We're in deep water, don't swim too well and are just trying to stay on top and not sink. Maybe we'll stop struggling so much and start swimming effectively, or at least learn to dog paddle and stop wasting our energy.

And I'll leave with a thought which might inspire: coaches coach the players much more with struggling teams than with great ones.

I suspect now that Mack and his coaches are working their butts off with this team in a way they never did in 2005.

PB,
I am with you on going with Option 2, however, what about the O-Line and their capabilities?  I think Vondrell would be a great fit in the scheme and I truely believe that defenses would get a heathier dose of Freak Finley coming over the middle or quick outs in a power I or pro set but the line is the long pole in that tent.  McCoy would maximize his output as well.  HOWEVER, you can't pull off that offense with the line that we are currently fielding.  I think Trey Allen is going to play on Sundays but we all said the same thing about Larry Dibbles at DT a few years ago.  With all of that, do we have younger hogs up front who are subing in now or wearing a red shirt right now to pull that off in 08 and beyond?  On a side note, I have been following your blog since last year and I love it.  I am originally from Corpus Christi and am a Captain in the USMC in Columbia SC.  Your blog lets me reach back to Gods country with the click of a mouse.  My office is covered in burnt orange as are my 3 yeard old daughter's cheer outfit and my 3 month old son's home and away onesy (depending on where we play that weekend).  God Bless and keep it coming.  Hook em!

Kilojfs sends

What's with the infrequent, short and superficial posts PB?

Fantastic analysis but I think blazzinkenny has the right idea.  First, he makes the point that we want to get Jamaal as many touches as possible.  Second, we have to remember that Jamaal doesn't have anything like the skills of a polished wide receiver which would reduce his utility still further.

For next year, however, I think your right and the coaching staff should at least explore the possiblity of using him in more of a Percy Harvin role.  Whether or not they should go ahead with this will depend on his ability to develop the aforementioned skills and the quality of the other options we have for a downfield threat.

Greg Davis admitted after (I believe) the OU game that he needed to get JC the ball in space more often.  Duh!  As always, I'm distressed by the lack of creativity and ability to adapt in our offensive scheme.  We use so few formations and very little pre-snap movement.  Few complementary plays.  I would like to see JC in the game more often with another running back and split out wide.  What about moving him out wide, then have him start back to the quarterback right before the snap and receive a pitch.  Or even fake that and have Jermichael fake an inside crack block and then leak out down the field.  Create more mismatches on the boundaries.  Can we not run screen plays with Jamaal?  Crossing routes?ip
I'm happy about the quotes referencing Jamaal's inability to pick up short gains.  Our offense (like most) struggles when we get behind schedule.  Jamaal having so many runs when he doesn't pick up anything just kills us.  Does he have poor vision?  Is he always looking for the home run?  Does he think he can take the corner against a whole football team?  Whatever it is, it needs to stop and he needs to learn to squeeze through small holes and get the ball a copule yards upfield.  I remember him having the ability as a freshman to squeeze through small places, almost like a whisp of smoke, but I haven't seen that as much the last two years.

He is not going to be a RB in the pros anyway so he should concentrate on the "space" plays, which means slot or wideout.  He could be outstanding as a Metcalf type slot guy.

I've always liked JC and he does a great job of making something out of nothing on a ton of plays where he gets the ball standing still and surrounded by defenders. His problem is the fumbles. The pros hate fumbles.