If the other team is scoring on every possession and you are falling behind, I can accept only 12 rushing attempts. But in a close game, which this was, you have to run the ball more. Let the OL work themselves into a zone. We didn’t run the ball enough for them to even get a feel for what the defenders will do to try and get off blocks. Zeke’s biggest run was called back on the TE holding. That holding had nothing to do with the success. That defender was trying to pull away, but he wasn’t going to make the play, so Shultz has to know to let him go. Players are taught to grab the jersey or shoulder pads just like Shultz and our tackles did on calls, but you also then move your feet to get between the defender and runner. If you don’t, then you must let go when the defender starts to pull away and you feel it in your hands.
The linemen are also learning every game what will be called and what they can get away with. You have to keep running the damn ball. If you want playaction to work, you need to go with a run play on 3rd down and 5-7 every game. You either get the first down because they pass rush, or you punt, or you do it in territory when you know you’ll go for it on 4th down, but you have to run some on third down. If you don’t, 3rd down playaction is ignored, and teams play the run earlier.
With our two running backs, there is seldom an excuse to not run the ball 12-15 times in the first half alone of a close game. Defenses don’t have to respect the run vs Moore. They know that he will drift to mostly passes regardless of success, score, or anything else. We definitely have garbage at center, but you still need to run the ball.
