I’d rather have a player with Chambliss production btw over Julian’s lack of running.
Chambliss’ mobility and threat to run really is an asset
Most of the Tressel era, people were bemoaning the lack of a pocket passer. Now it’s the opposite. If you have a running QB, you’ll have to deal with him getting beat up. Meanwhile, people want to bubble wrap every important player for 3/4th of the season.
Julian needs to take some easy yardage, but the bigger issue was him missing wide open guys down the field and holding onto the ball. Focus on a RT, get him more experience handling pressure and coverages, and you won’t need to worry about whether he’s scrambling for 23 yards or not.
The issue is how well prepared he and the offense is coming into tough matchups. They adapted really well in the 2nd half’s of both games, but in one they come up empty on 2 possessions, and the other they dug a hole in a game where the opponent’s pass rush was the strength.
Them having a QB and RB with more than 1 year of experience, (hopefully) a better OL, and a tougher schedule to grow from will provide a much stronger foundation for a run next year. It brings more risks, but it’s clear not being challenged all season didn’t do them any favors.
