Yea, I thought I'd see more designed runs for Denard..
Is it possible Hoke knew early this game was over and didn't want to jeopardize Denard's health, being that the Big10 championship is the goal?
I agree that Gardner's routes were poor and one of your receivers just got manhandled but Denard's long ball accuracy is not impressive. I expect to see a lot of bubble screens to spread out the LBs and designed runs for 16.
Hoke may even test our young secondary with the long ball but he'll find out quick that they can hold their own when it comes to the jump ball.. hell, they even turn their heads and look for the ball.
In an interview today Hoke admitted to telling stupid Borges at half to wipe the gameplan and let Denard loose...hence the fact we actually outscored Bama in the second half(read into that what you want). I will promise you the long ball will not be in play this weekend much, unless again stupid borges shows up. They will execute near the same gameplan they did last season for the most part, except maybe the will get it going before the 2nd half this year.
If borges is smart, and I have had multiple other intelligent football fans say the same thing, this game will be intensely spread triple option read heavy, with the third option being the short throw. Its what Denard is best at hands down. It is what he has made his killing off of and if he can execute it, will certainly force your front seven to respect.
This coaching staff, I believe and would hope, has learned by now this year that the designed runs (not option reads) have not worked this year. While our O-line has been above average in pass protection, they are very sub par in creating running lanes. No doubt this will be even more of a task against your exceptional front seven, and I say that with all honesty, Y'all have some grown *** men in there.
Borges has to allow Robinson to be the creative, spur of the moment player he is. Look at the majority of Robinsons great memorable runs over the seasons, how many come off designed runs? I would argue less than 10%. Denard is at his best running of the spread option read, with the short pass as the third option, play action pass, or just a simple pass play breaking down. Diaco is not an idiot, he will follow bamas gameplan to a T. When you have that many eyes on the QB, designed runs just do not produce against talented defense. Borges has to use the things I mentioned above to confuse and add wrinkles to this offense that forces the defense to key on other players and try to spread their attention to others, not just Robinson.
In short, our success in this game comes down to the offensive gameplan. Borges at sometimes has amazed me with how awesome he incorporates his west coast offense, with the spread Denard is most used to. However, Borges has a tendency, especially in big time road games, to become EXTREMELY conservative. If he does this, against your D in south bend next Saturday, I leave at half time. No sense in watching the massacre ensue.
