[Idgit]

Originally Posted by Wolfpack

I am not a huge fan of Sparano but he clearly had a hand in running that offense that year and was treated rather poorly for his efforts. You have Sparano who has 20+ (I dont know for sure) years coaching and then you had Jason who was on year 3 or 4 and his 1st as the OC. You dont think Tony S shaped that year?

Shaped? I know he had an influence on the offense. I know we'd have liked to have kept him. I don't think for a second we kept the wrong guy, and I don't think Sparano's been very impressive elsewhere without Garrett. Do you?

Originally Posted by Wolfpack

I look at some fundamental steps back the running game has taken. Calling traps and power pulls at the goal line or the famous pitch out to Barber. Just not quite in sysc with the game flow. I think Jason doesnt have the background in the running game and the team suffers for that. I think he WANTS to run the ball on a strategic level but doenst know how to weave that into the flow of the game.

The running game is just not that important to overall wins and losses. Short yardage running matters, but our problems there are with personnel and not with coaching. No, I don't buy that Garrett--former NFL QB, son of a scout, OC, and now HC doesn't have sufficient background to handle our rushing offense. Nor do I think, if he did, that Callahan's presence wouldn't cover up such an obvious weakness.

I do think our zone blocking for the running game is not good, but that's because of the C and the lack of continuity in training camp with the new starting OGs and multiple different players trying to come up to speed with either the offense or the C position. And injuries to our two top backs and a brand new FB haven't helped, either.