More armchair quarterbacking...

Bronco admitted that we hadn't practiced for the read/option and were caught off guard by Ash playing so much on Saturday. Are we the only team that would be susceptible to something like that happening or could we actually turn the tables on our opponents occasionally?



Think back to the first two Nelson drives of the Air Force game last year. Their defense couldn't stop Riley until they went in at half time and made adjustments to shut him down. What happens if instead of putting Riley in for a play we gave him an entire drive at a random point in a game? Our offense basically turns into a QB draw offense with the ability to throw some passes and run the option. If the defense hasn't prepared for this it seems like we could shake things up and at least change field position if not put points on the board.



No I am not advocating rotating QB's or having Riley start. Just actually use him in the offense and every couple of games give the defense something that is surprising. Also make our other opponents spend time preparing to try to stop Riley even if they might not see him play.

I would have no problem giving him a series or 2 in a game.

I kind of like this idea...once we get Jake playing halfway decent.

I like it for a few reasons:



1) Right now if Riley comes in defenses know either Riley is going to take it or hand it off to JJ. If Riley starts doing something else besides that then it keeps defenses on their heels a bit. It's a loss of a down the way they're playing it now.



2) It gives Heaps some motivation to step it up. Say Riley comes in for a series or two and does well. Suddenly Heaps' job is on the line. Bye-bye entitlement attitude and perhaps Heaps would be more willing to stand in the pocket a bit longer and risk getting hit to make a play and prove he's capable.



3) Bronco himself said Heaps right now is incapable of shouldering all of the responsibility. Riley playing a series or two lets Heaps rest those delicate shoulders.

As long as Nelson is actually running the option and not just pitching to the back the moment he clears his right tackle.



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Until Riley throws the ball, it is going to be a run play and everyone on the defense is going to cheat up to stop it. The predictability of this offense is what is stopping it right now and is the reason I am still pretty disapointed in what Brandon Doman has done so far. He preached unpredictability from day one and his offense is just as vanilla and predictable as Anae's was.

frdbtr wrote:
The predictability of this offense is what is stopping it right now and is the reason I am still pretty disapointed in what Brandon Doman has done so far. He preached unpredictability from day one and his offense is just as vanilla and predictable as Anae's was.

This ^^^^^^.



I heard Doman or Heaps talk about taking what the defense gives them. The problem is they've also taken that to mean that if the defense isn't giving them anything, there is much they can do.

Did something happen during fall camp? The first week or so, the offense was just killing the defense, then the offense did nothing, died, no long balls, not much scoring...and that seemed to carry over into the first two games.



I think being unpredictable is a bit over sold. Look, you can only run or pass (not counting some trick play which you only can use a time or two). Every defense is primed to stop the run...and the pass, so I doubt you can really surprise the defense. But you can out execute them.



Are the receivers getting open? Sheesh BYU has had open receivers in years when the receivers were as slow as the linemen, they still got open.



Is Heaps on target with his passes? Are the tight ends involved enough? I've never believed that a defense can defend every receiver the offense can send out.



I think the offense will come to life, I just don't understand why they have been so dull and stagnant for two weeks now.