But now they do it through a no huddle? Is that right? That is what I got from Coach Akina's comments: Link Hook'em
That is true for the most part. Our offense is a little different from year to year, but from last year to this year, it is very close to the same except for the no huddle. However, it must be mentioned that we are now better at it, have more talented (older) players that give us more options, and seem to have a real solid understanding of what we are trying to do. Wilson has been a godsend. Sure, he has f'ed up a few times.... but after Chuck Long, Wilson is Norm Chow.
We don't have a running game Murray doesn't seem to be the same back as last year to me. I don't know if it because of the injury or because of the added weight he put on to become more of an every down back. But it may be neither of those things, Chris Brown and Mosis Madu haven't exactly torn it up either. Which leads me to believe that our O line has given up run blocking. We haven't run the backs to the corners at all. It is like we are on a mission to prove we can run up the gut 30+ times a game. I am not sure if this is true after the Baylor game but if you exclude Chattanooga (I would) Murray's longest run is 14 yards on the season. But overall I think the answer to this question is no this isn't the same offense we have been running the last several years. Some of the plays are similar but the players themselves are more versatile so we don't have to change personnel as often allowing the no huddle to really bang away. Bradford seems to have 3-5 possible receivers on passing plays and obvious running plays frequently end up as passing ones. Overall I like the look of this offense but if the run game doesn't get better I think it will be this teams downfall.
Funny how it seems as though both teams are struggling with the run. Because isn't there some crazy stat about this game, that whoever wins the rushing ypg, usually wins the game? At this rate, whoever gets 50 rushing yards first will have it won.
Murray is still recovering from his dislocated patella. If it's not physical, then it's certainly mental. He's not cutting like he used to, and he appears to shy away from contact. You're right, it is a shame, because he was a ton of fun to watch. Coming into this year, a good many people were higher on his potential than Bradford's. The biggest strength of this year's OU offense is the personnel, and what that allows them to do. With Iglesias, Johnson, Gresham, Eldridge, and Murray at the skill positions, you can easily go from a 2-wide I formation or Pro set offense to a 4- or 5-wide look without substituting. This is key, because with the no-huddle, defenses don't have time to adjust to a different set or sub in a nickel package. It really is an advantage to have these players. It's rare to see TEs that can play outside or in, alongside RBs that can wheel out or play in the slot, along with WRs that can run and block.
I wonder if a lb will back out and play more like like a db when the sooners' go with multiple wide sets and we don't have time to put extra db on the field? I have no idea what Muschamp has in mind to minimize the effect of the no-huddle, but I am sure he has given it his attention. The best answer is to have Kindle and Orakpo introduce Mr. Bradford to the turf so often that OU has to go to max-protect if they want to throw, but I wish big.
It's true that the best way to combat a multiple-look offense is to have LBs and DEs that can rush the passer, play the run, and drop into coverage on consecutive plays without subbing. I honestly haven't seen enough of Texas this year to know if that's the case with yours, but I have a feeling if any team OU faces this year might have the talent to do it, it'd be Texas. Of course, the alternative is simply to have your front 4 be able to run-stop and get some QB pressure without help from the back 7, which then allows you to zone out and cover everyone, regardless of position. I don't think Texas is a zone team, though, so this may not be how they choose to handle it. I know Orakpo has been a sack machine this year. How is he in coverage?
OU's offense isn't likely to change any time soon considering a good deal of their offesive playmakers are going to be around for a few more seasons.
It seems like every year it's the same story. Before the game OU's running game doesn't impress me and then the RRS starts and their RB looks like a future NFL RB. Here is to hoping this year is different.
OU hasn't ran well this season. At least not as well as I had hoped with veteran rbs and a large offensive line. Part of that is the 8 people the o-line has to block b/c of teams wanting to stop OU's run. The other part is that Murray has shown no explosion.
What no huddle does is allow the QB to get to the line of scrimmage early, see the defense, and make adjustments if needed in the play call. Bradford is only a soph and he isn't that experienced yet to make all of those reads and determinations. And Muschamp will be throwing some looks out there that will likely confuse him. I think it would actually work better for OU to not run no huddle. But that's just me.
Another reason for the no huddle is to make situational substitution tough on the defense. The Cincy coach commented this is what made OU difficult from a matchup perspective. With guys like Gresham & Brody Elridge who can line up in a variety of places. OU can run several different looks with the same people never leaving the huddle (they don't actually huddle) Suddenly you have linebacker out in space trying to cover Gresham.
I'm not surprised it affects his running. I had a patella dislocated a couple of times in high school and finally surgically corrected later. But to this day, 35 years later, I have to watch which way and how I turn. It has become second nature for me to always turn left and not right because I can feel the knee cap pull, trying to slide around to the back of my leg. This would be tough for a running back, to say the least.
