Of this list, I think QB vision and patience is the thing. Too many seconary receivers open and missed. I don't think its the play calling because we're not even executing the vanilla stuff yet. I think it will come right.
Agree 100%. Let's not be so quick to declare that the sky is falling.
The offense was crisp and efficient in the opener against Miami. Aside from the busted protection that resulted in Zwick throwing the red zone INT, a few drops prevented Zwick from completing 100% of his passes. The routes were there, the receivers were open, and Zwick got them the ball on time. The receivers still have to catch the ball.
Game two against Texas was more of the same. Zwick was, I thought, very sharp, but the receiver drops hamstrung the offense and resulted in a heartbreaking loss. Smith showed some rust, and preparation and lack of practice snaps contributed heavily in the loss.
Game three against SDSU, goes right back to QB play coupled with dropped passes. A third of Troy's passes were skipped off the turf, another third were just flat out dropped. Aside from the offensive fits, the defense was superb. Outside of the blown coverage on the first play, the Bucks held SDSU to 95 yards and 3 first downs.
It's the same problem as last year, and it isn't the playcalling or the offensive philosophy. The players just aren't executing the base offense. I think we'll see a little more creativity once the offense learns to run the first ten base plays correctly, and a lot of that will be dependant on everyone being patient while Troy gets back up to speed with the game. He's forcing the intermediate throws and leaving the quick outs short.
What I want to see is some of the Woody Hayes' mentality, whether it's power, speed, spread, option, whatever ... the offense needs to find ten plays and run them to perfection.
This is what we do, now try and stop it.
My biggest concern with this team is actually the lack of leadership. Who is going to be the voice of the team in the locker room, like Matthews was? Who is going to make the game winning play on the field when the offense
needs just one play, like Krenzel, Jenkins, Hartsock or Gamble? When the team is down and the crowd is groaning 'here we go again,' who is going to jump up and down on the sideline and wave a towell and fire everyone up like Clarett did against UM in 2002? Who is going to do something as simple as sing a stirring rendition of
Carmen Ohio pregame and motivate the team, like Cie Grant?
I look up and down the roster and watch the players on the field and I just don't see it. This team is still hungover from the exodus of players from the 2002 and 2003 teams. The talent is unquestionably better, but everybody is looking at everybody else to make the game winning play.
Another bad loss and I think this team will be at each other like they were following the loss to Iowa last year.
