Am I surprised the GRIZ lost to PSU this season? Not one bit surprised.
Am I surprised the GRIZ got our ass kicked by PSU? Absolutely am surprised and disappointed. Granted wet weather does help an effective running offense and hinders a more reliant passing team. However, both teams play on the exact field. Fact is, the GRIZ did not show up for this game mentally or physically. PSU dominated the GRIZ in every aspect of the game.
Am I mad and disappointed about the loss? No. I am mad and disappointed on an accumulation of things going as far back as 3 years ago, starting with the firing of Pflugrad (I will always feel, at best Pflugrad and O'day were not given a fair shake in how things were handled and Engstrom seriously screwed the pooch on this). It is upsetting and disappointing, 3 years running our OL has been well below GRIZ standards. This covers 2 coaching staffs!! How bad is it? Our current OL coach, with a proven record of great OLs has not even been able to make a positive impact on OL play. As a unit, this OL has a soft mentality. What has happened to having an attitude of a Levi Horn or JD Quinn? Where are OL getting in the face of defenders and intimidating defenders? It has not existed for far too long. The main reason for inconsistent to bad offense, regardless of coach or QB, is due to inferior and inconsistent OL play!!! Even JJ struggled at QB due to the OL. So it is hard for me to put much blame on any of our QB's for inconsistent play.
With that said, what can the coaches do to help compensate for the OL struggles? Rather it was Delaney or now Stitt, quit being so damn stubborn and be more willing to make the necessary adjustments in the passing game more often. Utilize more of the field and quit relying on so damn many long pass routes!!! Would it hurt to use Jones and or Henderson on short quick routes across the middle more often? How about using hb's more often on swings, wheel routes, and delayed short passes in the middle as the DL is closing in on our QB and take advantage of the portion of the field that is vacated with the attention that Jones and Henderson draw? I am all for doing what the GRIZ do when it is working. All be damn, where are the adjustments and execution when it is not working? Hard to believe, I am criticizing Stitt for same damn thing I was criticizing Delaney for. Speaking of Delaney, when was the offense most effective last season? It was only after he scrapped his preferred style and took the reigns off JJ and the offensive personnel. I will give Stitt credit, he does put his players in position to be successful and effective more often, but he still has to make better adjustments when a defense has our preferred offensive game plan figured out.
As for the running game, sorry I honestly don't have much of an idea on how to improve it. Stitt has tried as much as he can to make it better. He has mixed up the personnel well. He has mixed up inside and outside running well. I am really thinking, the running game is entirely hamstrung due to bad run blocking. Earlier in the year we ran more bubble screens, and I can see why now. Unfortunately, defenses learned to minimize the impact of the bubble screen as well. Again, another thing Stitt tried to compensate for bad run blocking, and it did not work. I don't mean that as a bad thing toward Stitt either. It is meant to show that Stitt has tried many different things to make this offense more successful to compensate for bad run blocking. It looks to me this OL needs an overhaul. I really am looking forward to seeing Weyer back next season. If the GRIZ enough recruit solid OL depth,and fail to get some size at DT, maybe Luke or a few of our current OL can move to DT to strengthen the run defense up the middle, which is much needed too.
As for the defense, it was a matter of time before they had a let down game. The PSU game was that let down game. I feel those games are few and far between for this defense. Speaking of defense, why does the matchup with MSU's offense worry me more than the EWU match up? I feel the defense is better against pocket QB's than running QB's. West is more of a pocket QB than Prukop. I have a feeling Prukop could have yet another field day running and passing against the GRIZ. I do hope by then the Defense will have improved where needed.
Like it or not, the only thing to save this season is for the other borderline playoff teams to lose and the GRIZ to win out!!! IF (big IF) that happens the GRIZ still have a chance at the playoffs. For that to happen, our coaches have to adjust and the offensive line has to step it up.
hence: coaching)
