The Running Game

[CV Griz Fan]

We're going to have to pass first to set up the run..

I do agree that the Griz will have to pass to have a shot at a win, some deep throws too. They'll also need to get some turnovers. IMO a "grind it out" or "ball control" approach won't get it done. Maybe the spread will work. I don't know. Interestingly, the Griz style of a big play offense and winning the turnover battle has worked for them this season. That type of
play may be UM's best strategy for a win. I agree with Bison that a couple of early scores by the Griz could help their chances. Especially, if they get an early lead. But the Griz will have a difficult home playoff game first so don't get too far ahead of things.

 

[EverettGriz]

Bison's mind is made up. Don't confuse him with the facts.

Bison has a mind??


Huh.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[stubbins]

We're going to have to pass first to set up the run..

I do agree that the Griz will have to pass to have a shot at a win, some deep throws too. They'll also need to get some turnovers. IMO a "grind it out" or "ball control" approach won't get it done. Maybe the spread will work. I don't know. Interestingly, the Griz style of a big play offense and winning the turnover battle has worked for them this season. That type of
play may be UM's best strategy for a win. I agree with Bison that a couple of early scores by the Griz could help their chances. Especially, if they get an early lead. But the Griz will have a difficult home playoff game first so don't get too far ahead of things.

Watched the uni game...slants and especially 7-10 yard outs were there all day, uni qb missed a lot of them early. Then if they move up, Ellis can take them deep. Easier said then done, but you're right. Can't out grind them, they are the ultimate ugly win team.

 

[mtgrizfankb]

I like people saying nobody is this vanilla.. play calling sucks. You can't just run up the middle. I watched a ndsu game this year that litterally ndsu ran maybe 5 different runs in the first half. Zone left, zone right, blast left, blast right, hb counter. Most the times its not what but how. How you execute not what play it is. We could run the ball up the gut 8 of 10 times.and if we execute all 8 gain decent yardage. Win the game mental and physical. Mick tries to wear down a d. Not with speed all game lije Oregon. But with power and strength then add some speed and play action. Get people leaning and slow on the feet. That's how the offense is set up. It won't change because that's how its built. That's like telling Oregon to play from the huddle or because it works. Thats not how they are built. This team is built this way and fans may not like it but when executed this offense is hard to beat. Aka ndsu,bama. Offenses change and alter and new things show up but this style of offense has alwways worked since the forward pass. You don't need the fastest or biggest players to win with it....just the ones with most heart and passion. Its old school but old school beats new school quite often.

 

[Copper Griz]

I like people saying nobody is this vanilla.. play calling sucks. You can't just run up the middle. I watched a ndsu game this year that litterally ndsu ran maybe 5 different runs in the first half. Zone left, zone right, blast left, blast right, hb counter. Most the times its not what but how. How you execute not what play it is. We could run the ball up the gut 8 of 10 times.and if we execute all 8 gain decent yardage. Win the game mental and physical. Mick tries to wear down a d. Not with speed all game lije Oregon. But with power and strength then add some speed and play action. Get people leaning and slow on the feet. That's how the offense is set up. It won't change because that's how its built. That's like telling Oregon to play from the huddle or because it works. Thats not how they are built. This team is built this way and fans may not like it but when executed this offense is hard to beat. Aka ndsu,bama. Offenses change and alter and new things show up but this style of offense has alwways worked since the forward pass. You don't need the fastest or biggest players to win with it....just the ones with most heart and passion. Its old school but old school beats new school quite often.

The best team we played all year was EWU and the wear them down thing DID NOT WORK!! Passing - did work. You are absolutely correct about execution and our offensive line blew holes a mouse could fit through in most games. Pass first then run and an equal mix of the two is just fine. We are not playing against mediocre defenses in the month of December. The only thing running blasts, counters, and a steady diet of ground and pound will do - is wear out our defense!!

 

[stubbins]

I like people saying nobody is this vanilla.. play calling sucks. You can't just run up the middle. I watched a ndsu game this year that litterally ndsu ran maybe 5 different runs in the first half. Zone left, zone right, blast left, blast right, hb counter. Most the times its not what but how. How you execute not what play it is. We could run the ball up the gut 8 of 10 times.and if we execute all 8 gain decent yardage. Win the game mental and physical. Mick tries to wear down a d. Not with speed all game lije Oregon. But with power and strength then add some speed and play action. Get people leaning and slow on the feet. That's how the offense is set up. It won't change because that's how its built. That's like telling Oregon to play from the huddle or because it works. Thats not how they are built. This team is built this way and fans may not like it but when executed this offense is hard to beat. Aka ndsu,bama. Offenses change and alter and new things show up but this style of offense has alwways worked since the forward pass. You don't need the fastest or biggest players to win with it....just the ones with most heart and passion. Its old school but old school beats new school quite often.

We should throw fades in the end zone to Chase N. then, I mean, all he has to do is execute...should work every time. If it fails it will be jj's and Chase's fault, not the coaches putting players in a position that won't succeed?

 

[CV Griz Fan]

We're going to have to pass first to set up the run..

I do agree that the Griz will have to pass to have a shot at a win, some deep throws too. They'll also need to get some turnovers. IMO a "grind it out" or "ball control" approach won't get it done. Maybe the spread will work. I don't know. Interestingly, the Griz style of a big play offense and winning the turnover battle has worked for them this season. That type of
play may be UM's best strategy for a win. I agree with Bison that a couple of early scores by the Griz could help their chances. Especially, if they get an early lead. But the Griz will have a difficult home playoff game first so don't get too far ahead of things.

Watched the uni game...slants and especially 7-10 yard outs were there all day, uni qb missed a lot of them early. Then if they move up, Ellis can take them deep. Easier said then done, but you're right. Can't out grind them, they are the ultimate ugly win team.

Being overly worried about the Griz running game is a moot point too. The Griz won't need 100 yards rushing in a hypothetical match up against NDSU IMO and frankly, I don't believe the Griz would get that many rushing yards against the Bison.The Griz have won many games this season with a poor rushing output. Do the Griz need to run the ball to keep the NDSU defense honest? Yes, but it is not necessary to have a great rushing day to have a shot at the win. The Griz will have a shot at a win if they play the way they have all season by

Winning the turnover battle
Having timely big plays on offense, defense and ST.
Keeping the score close and making plays at the end.

If NDSU plays mistake free football and controls the big play capabilities of this Griz team, they win going away.

 

[kemajic]

There is NO ONE in the playoffs that the Griz can't beat on any given day with their current offense if they play to their potential for FOUR quarters.

Nothing wrong with dreaming. What is the frequency of that this year, even with this regular season competion? Now add NDSU as the opponent in Fargo and that probability approaches a very small number. I would love to see your dream come true, but that's what it is.

 

[PlayerRep]

There is NO ONE in the playoffs that the Griz can't beat on any given day with their current offense if they play to their potential for FOUR quarters.

Nothing wrong with dreaming. What is the frequency of that this year, even with this regular season competion? Now add NDSU as the opponent in Fargo and that probability approaches a very small number. I would love to see your dream come true, but that's what it is.

I like getting NDSU early in the playoffs--assuming UM takes care of business in round 2. Tough game, on road, in noisy dome, but one week after a bye week and when UM is focused and healthy to get er done. If UM were to be fortunate enough to win, they would be confident and the favorite to win it all, and probably would. I went to JMU, when JMU was no. 1, when the Griz won. It was one of the most exciting UM wins I've ever attended. I'm hoping to go to Fargo too, again if UM can take care of biz on round 2. Go Griz.

 

[Hammer]

There are several different forms of the spread offense. I assume you are referring to the spread option?

 

[George Ferguson]

Count me in the camp that UM can't use the stubborn "establish the run" game plan the entire first half. It worked against MSU, but barely. The Bizon D is on a different level. IF that game happens, it might be a good time to set the run up with the pass instead. Hit NDSU with things they aren't expecting.

 

[PlayerRep]

I would come out throwing.

 

[kemajic]

There is NO ONE in the playoffs that the Griz can't beat on any given day with their current offense if they play to their potential for FOUR quarters.

Nothing wrong with dreaming. What is the frequency of that this year, even with this regular season competion? Now add NDSU as the opponent in Fargo and that probability approaches a very small number. I would love to see your dream come true, but that's what it is.

I like getting NDSU early in the playoffs--assuming UM takes care of business in round 2. Tough game, on road, in noisy dome, but one week after a bye week and when UM is focused and healthy to get er done. If UM were to be fortunate enough to win, they would be confident and the favorite to win it all, and probably would. I went to JMU, when JMU was no. 1, when the Griz won. It was one of the most exciting UM wins I've ever attended. I'm hoping to go to Fargo too, again if UM can take care of biz on round 2. Go Griz.

You're not the only one who was at JMU. The difference is, had the Griz played JMU 10 times that year, they win 5 or 6. If the Griz were to play NDSU this year 10 times, they don't win 5 or 6. No one in FCS does. The '08 JMU team is not in the same league as the '13 NDSU team and the '13 Griz still have a lot of work to do to get to the level of the '08 Griz.

 

[kemajic]

There's a lot of talk here about what we need to do on offense, but when you play a team like NDSU it is a moot point unless your defense can stop their pounding time-consuming drives and get off the field. The UM offense will need a lot of chances to have any success against NDSU and if they spend most of the game on the sidelines watching the defense get worn down, it won't matter much what our offensive game plan is. UM's only chance in this game is an outstanding, over-the-top performance by the defense. Not unlike the '95 NC game, another seemingly unwinable game.

 

[AllWeatherFan]

Realistically, this could be a 1998-style blowout loss, except that NDSU is better than the Western Illinois team that spanked us 52-9 that year.

 

[Htowngriz]

There's a lot of talk here about what we need to do on offense, but when you play a team like NDSU it is a moot point unless your defense can stop their pounding time-consuming drives and get off the field. The UM offense will need a lot of chances to have any success against NDSU and if they spend most of the game watching the defense get worn down, it won't matter much what our offensive game plan is. UM's only chance in this game is an outstanding, over-the-top performance by the defense. Not unlike the '95 NC game, another seemingly unwinable game.

The D has certainly had its hiccups this year, but they seem to be playing their best going into the postseason. If they can force a few turnovers and the offense takes care of the ball, I actually really like our chances in that one.

 

[Htowngriz]

Realistically, this could be a 1998-style blowout loss, except that NDSU is better than the Western Illinois team that spanked us 52-9 that year.

Wow, going back 15 years to find a reason to be pessimistic? Impressive. :thumb:

 

[AllWeatherFan]

Realistically, this could be a 1998-style blowout loss, except that NDSU is better than the Western Illinois team that spanked us 52-9 that year.

Wow, going back 15 years to find a reason to be pessimistic? Impressive. :thumb:

I never have a hard time finding reasons to be realistic. Just trying to help you prepare not to be disappointed. But let's talk in a few weeks. :thumb:

 

[GrizPony]

Realistically, this could be a 1998-style blowout loss, except that NDSU is better than the Western Illinois team that spanked us 52-9 that year.

Wow, going back 15 years to find a reason to be pessimistic? Impressive. :thumb:

I never have a hard time finding reasons to be realistic. Just trying to help you prepare not to be disappointed. But let's talk in a few weeks. :thumb:

I know your concern is always to help us get through the tough times. You are a giver if nothing else.

 

[Htowngriz]

Realistically, this could be a 1998-style blowout loss, except that NDSU is better than the Western Illinois team that spanked us 52-9 that year.

Wow, going back 15 years to find a reason to be pessimistic? Impressive. :thumb:

I never have a hard time finding reasons to be realistic. Just trying to help you prepare not to be disappointed. But let's talk in a few weeks. :thumb:

After last season's debacle, going 10-2 with a shot to knock off the champs in their house is enough for me to not be disappointed. Anything we achieve after that is just gravy.