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In the chat I said at one point in the first half that maybe it's a blessing a disguise that we got down 17. It would force the coaches to open up the passing offense, something I think this team desperately needs.
It's clear the passing game needs a lot of work. The QB gets hit almost every play, the QB-receiver coordination is often off as we saw in the red zone interception, the receivers are open too rarely, the field isn't spread enough so there's often a second defender nearby or the play takes too long to develop.
But it's also clear we have some tools to work with. Geremy Davis is big and strong, Nick Williams can make things happen, Whitmer is accurate and can make throws and has poise, we have enough depth at receiver that we should be able to run the cornerbacks ragged and get them a step or two slower than our receivers by the fourth quarter.
The running game hasn't produced and I think it needs a successful downfield passing attack spreading the defense to become successful. But we know that if the defenders are spread, McCombs will break some plays.
I have a suspicion that just acquiring an identity as a pass-first team with Whitmer at the helm, and practicing that identity, will solve a lot of the ills we see. Little mistakes, like the receiver going one way when the QB expects him to go the other, lead to turnovers and failed plays. Practice will overcome those errors.
WMU was not a bad team - it's comparable to NC State and Maryland - so while this is a disappointing loss, it's not the end of the world. The key to the season will be continued development of the offense.
I was very optimistic at the start of the season, I've had to pull back my expectations. But I still expect to see steady improvement by the offense and to win a bowl game at the end of the year.
It's clear the passing game needs a lot of work. The QB gets hit almost every play, the QB-receiver coordination is often off as we saw in the red zone interception, the receivers are open too rarely, the field isn't spread enough so there's often a second defender nearby or the play takes too long to develop.
But it's also clear we have some tools to work with. Geremy Davis is big and strong, Nick Williams can make things happen, Whitmer is accurate and can make throws and has poise, we have enough depth at receiver that we should be able to run the cornerbacks ragged and get them a step or two slower than our receivers by the fourth quarter.
The running game hasn't produced and I think it needs a successful downfield passing attack spreading the defense to become successful. But we know that if the defenders are spread, McCombs will break some plays.
I have a suspicion that just acquiring an identity as a pass-first team with Whitmer at the helm, and practicing that identity, will solve a lot of the ills we see. Little mistakes, like the receiver going one way when the QB expects him to go the other, lead to turnovers and failed plays. Practice will overcome those errors.
WMU was not a bad team - it's comparable to NC State and Maryland - so while this is a disappointing loss, it's not the end of the world. The key to the season will be continued development of the offense.
I was very optimistic at the start of the season, I've had to pull back my expectations. But I still expect to see steady improvement by the offense and to win a bowl game at the end of the year.