Lots of QB Run: Good or Bad for our offense?

[BigLakeBison]

Cole is the most explosive player on offense right now. He is trying to get him touches now so he is ready for bigger games to come possibly.....

Plus our running back stable might be pretty thin after Williams....we did lose quite a few players from the position.

Any thinner than when Crockett was our bell cow? I think Tamerick can be a feature back and TK can give him a breather. Sprinkle in some QB carries and you're good. I think in the Maine game, the RB's had something like 19 carries and the QB's had 23. A couple of those were scrambles but even so that seems odd to me. Give Tamerick 15-18, TK gets 10-12, a few other carries by some back ups and now the RB's have 28-32 carries and the QB's have 10-12. Seems like a more appropriate use of our offensive weapons. I can't think that as a QB, getting hit so many times a game does much for improving your passing abilities.

[Snowgoose]

I thought Barika looked explosive on one of the runs in the Maine game, but he isnt getting many touches to even see what he can do either. So I do think we have 3 nice backs. I just feel like I would rather them have the ball more than giving Cam touches since they are betters runners and can break tackles and make people miss more.

[HerdBot]

Good but we need to pass so we can do it when it matters

[KSBisonFan]

Too bad we don't have Kobe and Bus for another year. We could have given each RB an even 1 carry per game. You know, keep them all fresh for Frisco.

[Bisonator98]

I don’t mind the QB run game. But when we use it’s mind boggling. Like inside the 5 three straight QB runs from Cam that can’t happen. Also the look over to the sideline for play calls while set is bugging me.

Me too. NOT BISON FB!

[ByeSonBusiness]

Why pound it with the QB's though? 2 QB's can get hurt just as easily as 1. Waiting to execute plays you need to against better teams doesn't always end well if you haven't tried them in a game before, practice doesn't always make perfect. Agree with the oline comment, I think all the read option stuff limits their ability to get off the ball like they would in a straight up run play. We need to get back to under center running plays and less shotgun R/O and let the Rams work!

I recall a game in Omaha around 2000 where NDSU had QB1 and QB2 both get hurt.

[GreenfieldBison]

Just a quick counterpoint and don’t assume I am advocating for QB run which I am not. But to my eye not only is Cole Payton our most dynamic runner but he also looks the most durable to me. Big strong frame. And that kid is FAAAAAAAST. He accelerates quickly and pulls away from d-backs once rolling downhill.

I don’t know if it means more QB run, changing horses( can’t see this) or whatever but that kid needs to be on the field. A lot.

[TAILG8R]

A couple things ... I believe in the past our coaches didn't run the QB as much when we didn't have a proven backup. That's not the same as "We have always run more at QB when we have a good backup". That is my view of things without going back and doing the ol' Heffray breakdown of every game since Merten's first starting year.

It seems pretty obvious that under Entz and Roehl we have continued to run the QB more and more as their time here goes on.

Next, it feels to me like there is way too much infatuation with the "extra blocker" theory by our OC.

Couple that with what I also feel is a (currently) unfounded belief that the mighty Bison will always out execute their opponent and you get a somewhat blind faith in running the QB.

Just because past teams consistently out executed their opponents to the point of every opposing coach mentioning it in their pressers doesn't mean the current team is capable of that. To me lack of execution lands squarely on the shoulders of the coaches.

All of this for me adds up to a frustrating offense to watch.

[G_Funky]

If we can execute offensively, Idgaf what plays we call.

and dont give me this "the defense knows its coming" jargon. They knew power was coming down their throats back in the day too and we still murdered teams.

If we cant execute our basic stuff, then the only option is to resort to QB run and hope someone gets out of position or out number them play side.

Ive said it before and I will continue to say it - Dan Larson coaching the o-line was a bad pick after AJ left and its still a bad pick. The offensive line needs to be coached by an actual o-line coach and with our status and reputation as a power running team there should be qualified candidates lined up out the door. Maybe to bridge the gap it might have been necessary, but at this point our lack of execution up front has got the have Entz worried because its just not getting better. Watch the game against Central this weekend...if we are stopped for a short gain, no gain, or a loss - watch the demeanor of the o-linemen in the area. In all liklihood they didnt get off their block quick enough or they got stood up or they didnt handle movement from the defensive front 7. Thats lack of execution. Mess, Polacek, and Vigs all had the benefit of literally some of the most talented offensive lines in the history of NDSU. They were big and nasty road graders that displaced people and reestablished the line of scrimmage. No one could play us with a 6 man box. They had to pick their poison. Either stack the box and leave yourself susceptible on the backend or play it honest and just hope that things dont get too ugly too quickly. We've lost that. And its not because we're running the QB so often...its because our line is just not that good anymore.

[NDSU92]

A couple things ... I believe in the past our coaches didn't run the QB as much when we didn't have a proven backup. That's not the same as "We have always run more at QB when we have a good backup". That is my view of things without going back and doing the ol' Heffray breakdown of every game since Merten's first starting year.

It seems pretty obvious that under Entz and Roehl we have continued to run the QB more and more as their time here goes on.

Next, it feels to me like there is way too much infatuation with the "extra blocker" theory by our OC.

Couple that with what I also feel is a (currently) unfounded belief that the mighty Bison will always out execute their opponent and you get a somewhat blind faith in running the QB.

Just because past team consistently out executed their opponents to the point of every opposing coach mentioning it in their pressers doesn't mean the current team is capable of that. To me lack of execution lands squarely on the shoulders of the coaches.

All of this for me adds up to a frustrated offense to watch.

Pretty funny. Roehl during the pregame interview says he loves the option so much because it “makes the defense think about football instead of play football” meaning they don’t know where the play is going so they have to read and react.

But isn’t the opposite true? If the defense is disciplined *cough SDSU cough*, they’re just playing assignment football. Instead, it is OUR BALL CARRIER who has to sit there and react to the defense? Am I missing something? Lol