Someone please convince me that our OC and our offense isn't a complete dumpster fire.

Gladstone

Go.

RaceBannon

No

TTJ

I realize I'm in the minority here, but I actually think it's a little early to gauge how good or bad J. Smith is as an OC. UW's OL and QB positions were bad last year, and both will be worse this year. I'm not sure there's an offensive mind in the country that could turn these lemons into lemonade.

HuskyJW

Lindquist can actually throw the deep ball. This will soften up the defense so they can't crowd the line so Dwayne Washington can have a little bit of a running lane.

Combine that with our Fred Biletnikov award winner at wide receiver as well as being able to lineup in a 8 tight end formation we will be OK.

sarktastic

Too many unknowns to refer to this offense as the worst in Husky history... just yet.

bananasnblondes

It's too early to tell on Smith as an OC. He definitely didn't overcome the shortcomings of the roster but he was working with

A) The worst qb in the Pac 12
A situation where the "star" receiver was a true freshman
C) A slug and converted WR at tailback

I do think a great OC could have gotten a little more out of that group but I don't think you can write Smith off as being awful after last season

Unfortunately, this season looks like more of the same personell-wise, so some guys are gonna need to take big leaps

RoadDawg55

Smith sucks. Everyone keeps ignoring Peterman's last two seasons at Boise though. They scored 6 points in Husky Stadium with 2 NFL skill players (Ajayi, Boldewijn) , a couple other decent WR's (Miller, Moore) and a decent QB. I can't speak on their OL, but I don't remember them being noticeably bad in that game. Edit: Yikes, two OL from that team were drafted.

Let's not pretend that UW defense was great either. They were maybe above average and got shredded quite a few times that season.

I would like to blame it all on Smith, and he was a terrible hire, but Smith isn't the one choosing the fucktarded no huddle, but slow as molasses offense. Peterman's teams having offensive issues started before Smith, which is why Prince (the old Boise OC) wasn't brought over.

Tequilla

RoadDawg55 said:

Smith sucks. Everyone keeps ignoring Peterman's last two seasons at Boise though. They scored 6 points in Husky Stadium with 2 NFL skill players (Ajayi, Boldewijn) , a couple other decent WR's (Miller, Moore) and a decent QB. I can't speak on their OL, but I don't remember them being noticeably bad in that game. Let's not pretend that UW defense was that great either. They were maybe above average and got shredded quite a few times that season.

I would like to blame it all on Smith, and he was a terrible hire, but Smith isn't the one choosing the fucktarded no huddle, but slow as molasses offense.

Boise had no chance in winning that game THAT night ...

Ajayi was consistent getting 3-5 yard gains (23 for 93) but really never broke anything (longest run was 18 yards).

Southwick was 25 of 40 but only averaged 3.8 yards per attempt. What I recall that night was that the Boise WRs had a difficult time getting separation combined with a strong pass rush making it a challenge for Boise to ever seriously consider stretching the field.

That was EASILY the best game that the 2013 defense played all year.

Tequilla

I'm cautiously optimistic about the offense ...

I will gladly trade for a strong armed QB with accuracy issues compared to a noodle armed QB with accuracy issues.

I do worry a bit about the OL and their ability to rumble. I'm hopeful that they will be able to run block enough to allow us to continue running the ball 60-65% of the time and a high enough percentage of our passes being off of play action and moving the pocket (which I think we can do more with Lindy than with Miles) to limit their weaknesses.

I expect more out of the RB position this year ... that position grouping as a whole should be improved and there should be plenty of carries to go around.

I'm also cautiously optimistic about Lenius and Pettis. Mickens is what he is. Would love to see more out of the TE position this year and in particular Daniels.

I don't think we'll have an offense that will be a world beater at all, but I do think that we'll have some improvements. What I'm targeting is as follows:

Average 4.5+ yards per carry (was at 4.3 last year)
Average 7.5+ yards per pass attempt (was at 7.0 last year)

RoadDawg55

Tequilla said:

RoadDawg55 said:

Smith sucks. Everyone keeps ignoring Peterman's last two seasons at Boise though. They scored 6 points in Husky Stadium with 2 NFL skill players (Ajayi, Boldewijn) , a couple other decent WR's (Miller, Moore) and a decent QB. I can't speak on their OL, but I don't remember them being noticeably bad in that game. Let's not pretend that UW defense was that great either. They were maybe above average and got shredded quite a few times that season.

I would like to blame it all on Smith, and he was a terrible hire, but Smith isn't the one choosing the fucktarded no huddle, but slow as molasses offense.

Boise had no chance in winning that game THAT night ...

Ajayi was consistent getting 3-5 yard gains (23 for 93) but really never broke anything (longest run was 18 yards).

Southwick was 25 of 40 but only averaged 3.8 yards per attempt. What I recall that night was that the Boise WRs had a difficult time getting separation combined with a strong pass rush making it a challenge for Boise to ever seriously consider stretching the field.

That was EASILY the best game that the 2013 defense played all year.

Ajayi is a beast. Amsterdam from Hard Knocks made the Falcons. Matt Miller was a very good college WR. Kirby Moore was decent. Southwick wasn't great, but was a pretty decent QB. 2 NFL OL. That's 4 NFL players, Matt Miller (going to training camp) and a returning QB in Joe Southwick. 6 points. They got dominated. Some of that is on coaching, and that wasn't happening in the previous Petersen years.

Tequilla

@RoadDawg55 seems to be suffering from a severe case of confirmation bias to fit his narrative.

I'd challenge anybody else that was at the game to provide their viewpoints of the game. In many respects, I was actually very impressed with what Boise did that night ... there wasn't anything there for them all night.

From time to time there are games where regardless of what happens, one team is going to win that game. UW wasn't losing that night.

whatshouldicareabout

Tequilla said:

@RoadDawg55 seems to be suffering from a severe case of confirmation bias to fit his narrative.

I'd challenge anybody else that was at the game to provide their viewpoints of the game. In many respects, I was actually very impressed with what Boise did that night ... there wasn't anything there for them all night.

From time to time there are games where regardless of what happens, one team is going to win that game. UW wasn't losing that night.

We would've also accepted:

Meh. This is just classic confirmation bias. It's telling because we want it to be telling. But these exact comments are made by players every single time there's a regime change. Sometimes they're telling, sometimes they're not. Time will tell.

Either way it will be interesting.

ThomasFremont

Tequilla said:

@RoadDawg55 seems to be suffering from a severe case of confirmation bias to fit his narrative.

I'd challenge anybody else that was at the game to provide their viewpoints of the game. In many respects, I was actually very impressed with what Boise did that night ... there wasn't anything there for them all night.

From time to time there are games where regardless of what happens, one team is going to win that game. UW wasn't losing that night.

I was pretty drunk, but I recall Boise moving the ball rather easily. Just never converted into points.

Tequilla

ThomasFremont said:

Tequilla said:

@RoadDawg55 seems to be suffering from a severe case of confirmation bias to fit his narrative.

I'd challenge anybody else that was at the game to provide their viewpoints of the game. In many respects, I was actually very impressed with what Boise did that night ... there wasn't anything there for them all night.

From time to time there are games where regardless of what happens, one team is going to win that game. UW wasn't losing that night.

I was pretty drunk, but I recall Boise moving the ball rather easily. Just never converted into points.

Yep ... lots of slow and steady ball movement during the game. 23 total 1st downs. 8 of 19 on 3rd down. 346 total yards. 1 turnover. 2 penalties for 19 yards.

And who knows, perhaps my memory is jaded as well ... I was passed out drunk before the game before rallying for kickoff.

AtomicPiss

Dennis_DeYoung

I thought Boise played really well against us. That was, in fact, the game that really made me respect Petersen (because I watched it so closely). That was simply a case of a team with way more talent on a night where they had all the momentum just dominate an inferior team.

The Broncos were well-coached, consistent, solid, everything... why we're talking about THAT ONE game like it matters so fucking much is beyond me. It's one fucking data point in Pete's career. Who gives a fucking shit?

We were insanely hyped up to open up our new stadium. We were only up like 10-6 at half. I mean, for fuck's sake. He beat us in Vegas the previous December? Why aren't we talking about THAT game?

Jesus.

Tequilla

Dennis_DeYoung said:

I thought Boise played really well against us. That was, in fact, the game that really made me respect Petersen (because I watched it so closely). That was simply a case of a team with way more talent on a night where they had all the momentum just dominate an inferior team.

He beat us in Vegas the previous December? Why aren't we talking about THAT game?

Jesus.

Fucking this.

This is what had sold me on Petersen so much as well because it was painfully evident in person the talent gap that was on the field with the Jimmy's and the Joe's.

CokeGreaterThanPepsi

Whenever I feel my hatred for Smith last year boil up I remember the deck he was dealt in talent and also how much talent left on offense from the previous year.

But then I remember some of the play calls and what not and it makes me depressed.

But then I remember some great play calls that were really well designed and it gives me hope.

But then I remember that I didn't understand our "tempo" for most of the year.

But then I remember that we played pretty well late.

But then I remember that we sucked at throwing the ball.

But then I remember who our QB was.

I could go on and on like this for awhile. For me, I just can't fully hate Smith yet for this reason.

LIPO, IMO.

CokeGreaterThanPepsi

I remember watching the replay of that game and seeing Petersen's face a few times in the 2nd half. That game was like a freight train of emotion for UW, pretty much nothing was going to stop them from losing to BSU that night and Petersen's face showed that.

And all that said I was furious that we left that team in the game in the first half.

BallSacked

Tequilla said:

I'm cautiously optimistic about the offense ...

I will gladly trade for a strong armed QB with accuracy issues compared to a noodle armed QB with accuracy issues.

I do worry a bit about the OL and their ability to rumble. I'm hopeful that they will be able to run block enough to allow us to continue running the ball 60-65% of the time and a high enough percentage of our passes being off of play action and moving the pocket (which I think we can do more with Lindy than with Miles) to limit their weaknesses.

I expect more out of the RB position this year ... that position grouping as a whole should be improved and there should be plenty of carries to go around.

I'm also cautiously optimistic about Lenius and Pettis. Mickens is what he is. Would love to see more out of the TE position this year and in particular Daniels.

I don't think we'll have an offense that will be a world beater at all, but I do think that we'll have some improvements. What I'm targeting is as follows:

Average 4.5+ yards per carry (was at 4.3 last year)
Average 7.5+ yards per pass attempt (was at 7.0 last year)

"Continue running 60%-65%"
About 15% of FBS ran that much last year. Utah and UW ran the ball nearly 57% (tops in pac12) but I don't think it's coincidence that those teams also had the two worst QBs in the entire conference. Doubt that was planned as an ideal but rather a mitigation against bad QBs in the game plan. Even recent Stanford teams haven't ran 60% of the time.

https://www.teamrankings.com/college-football/stat/rushing-play-pct

Tequilla

Washington threw the ball 400 times last year ... ran it 607 times. Surely some of those runs were designed passes that either turned into sacks or QB keepers. Probably the difference between the 57% you are talking about and the 60% I'm citing.

But given the makeup of the UW offense and its relative strengths, that type of balance is probably what you should be expecting again in 2015.