🏈 It doesn't paint the entire picture, but it is worth noting about our running game.

[TerryP]

One of the things we've heard from Saban over the last few years is him mentioning explosive plays—those plays whether running or passing that go over a certain, set, yard mark. IE: A passing play over 16 yards and a rushing play over 12 yards.

We've all questioned our running game this season, specifically the OL, because of some of the plays that have stuck out to us. Namely, those held for a yard or two—or in some cases less.

One thing that we haven't discussed is part of those rushing plays that we've seen missing.

Now, as a background to this subject, if you look at rushing totals from this point last year (and previous years) and compare them to this season you'll see that we're around 35 yards less per game. Why is that?

It's the lack of explosive plays.

Out of our two feature backs the longest rushing play from scrimmage has been TJ's—40 yards in the game vs Michigan. (EL's longest is 32 this season.) One of those per game puts our rushing numbers from this season on par with last season.

However, when we get down to the crux of the matter things aren't as they seem. In fact, it's not unlike those who say we struggled against Ole Miss when the actual results show a team stopped except for two scoring drives.

So far this season we've rushed about the same number of times as we did through five games last season: 170 vs 161.

Here's what I want to draw your attention to about those numbers. It's taking out plays that were explosive and also taking out sacks.

Without those two, we've rushed for slightly over 730 yards this season. When you take the sacks and explosive plays out of the 2011 numbers we had only rushed for just over 530 yards.

That's a 200 yard difference between 2011 and 2012 on what I'll term "average rushing plays." We do have fewer of the explosive, long gashing plays than last year but when it comes to the yards that count we're quite a bit ahead of where we were at the same time last season.

A few things that tells me.

• One, those who say we aren't getting the same push as we did last year aren't basing that opinion on actual results.
• Two, the back seven we've faced this year is better than what we faced last season.
• And three, it tells me this lack of explosive plays falls more on the shoulders of the running backs than it does the offensive line.

 

['65 Cobra]

Wow, that's excellent info, Terry. Interestingly, it seems that perhaps we're actually doing better with our bread and butter, "blue collar" running plays, just not as many explosive ones. Of course, last year, Trent was making alot of explosive plays with his own talent as well as with help from the line. I've got a feeling that as EL and TJ get more comfortable those plays will start to happen more. Here's hoping!

 

[bamaraider]

I don't think we have been running it a lot either, lots of crossing route pass plays though. We're really missing Fowler, especially in the I-formation, he had quick feet, was a bruising RB, and blew up LBers and opened holes for Lacy/Yeldon

 

[jdpas29]

teams, at this point, appear comfortable leaving more of their front seven in to protect against the run. i'm happy with the running game so far, because i think it is mainly suffering due to the lack of passing threat on a lot of these drives.

i expected AJ and the receivers to make it less appealing to load the box against Bama. instead, we're getting stopped more and punting. maybe losing Deandrew White has something to do with it.

my suspicion is that the coaches are keeping a lot of what Alabama has practiced and is prepared to do in the passing game under wraps. they're not going to show their hand until they get in a real battle with a team that can go toe-to-toe with the Tide. i expect the entire offense will look better than they have in the last few games when we actually play these better teams that are approaching.

 

[TerryP]

teams, at this point, appear comfortable leaving more of their front seven in to protect against the run. i'm happy with the running game so far, because i think it is mainly suffering due to the lack of passing threat on a lot of these drives.

i expected AJ and the receivers to make it less appealing to load the box against Bama. instead, we're getting stopped more and punting. maybe losing Deandrew White has something to do with it.

my suspicion is that the coaches are keeping a lot of what Alabama has practiced and is prepared to do in the passing game under wraps. they're not going to show their hand until they get in a real battle with a team that can go toe-to-toe with the Tide. i expect the entire offense will look better than they have in the last few games when we actually play these better teams that are approaching.

Losing White really doesn't have a bearing on what we've done with our passing game. He was injured in the last game we played so we don't have anything to really point to and say "that loss hurts." (by no means saying it doesn't.) I'd have to look, but my gut tells me he was ranked 4th or 5th in receptions per game going into the Ole Miss game.

Ole Miss is such an odd game. AJ went 22 for 30 in the game and they still kept eight and more in the box. That said, Ole Miss has one of the better secondaries we've faced in five games.

We've thrown the ball roughly 23-24 times per game. Our passing efficiency is exactly where any coaching staff would want theirs to be. Like you, I haven't seen a need for us to do more in the passing game.

We've truly been a four yards plus and a cloud of dust offense this year.

I don't expect to see anything different this weekend than I thought we'd see at the beginning of the season. I anticipated Mizzou to be banged up and they are. We'll wear them down in the second half unless we get a few big plays in the first leading to points on the board.

 

[JoshB]

Terry again dropping the knowledge.

 

[rammerjammer]

Terry again dropping the knowledge.

I prefer the term "defacating wisdom". :icon_lol:

 

[UAgrad93]

I think that we can also look at the fact that we haven't had to make many of those 80+yd drives as well. The defense has caused more turnovers, thus giving the O the ball more often on the plus side of the field. We have then thrown deep and hit a big play through the air. I for one haven't complained about yardage output, etc. It would be nice to take that opening drive directly down the field and put 7 on the board, but occassionally, you run into a different look that first series that takes an adjustment.

 

[Max]

That's what I call an observation.