Is the offense getting better?

[DCWV4life]

I think it was been so inconsistent and not explosive it has been hard to tell, but if you look at the scoring average of the team it has been getting better month to month.

Scoring avg
Aug/Sept 20 ppg
October 27 ppg
Nov (1game) 30 ppg.

Passing avg
Aug/Sept 239.2
October 264.7
Nov 267

Rushing-up and down
Aug/Sept 153
October 134
Nov 148
The attempts per game have stayed pretty consistent though out the season.

I think we are all spoiled from the RR years and DH the last two years it is hard to see improvement if they don't go out there and throw up 40 ppg. Still need to look at finished product for overall grade, but like the fact these numbers seem to be rising.

 

[Slaton10]

I think its fair to say the the offensive line has gotten more cohesive...the skilled postions outside of Sims is in reverse in my opinion..

 

[DCWV4life]

I think its fair to say the the offensive line has gotten more cohesive...the skilled postions outside of Sims is in reverse in my opinion..

Really I think Shorts and Thompson have improved this season, both have made some big catches...White has been to inconsistent and I need to see more of Alford to decide.

I agree about Sims....I other backs I need to see more of, I am high on smallwood.

I would say even more than regressed.

 

[Slaton10]

Really I think Shorts and Thompson have improved this season, both have made some big catches...White has been to inconsistent and I need to see more of Alford to decide.

I agree about Sims....I other backs I need to see more of, I am high on smallwood.

I would say even more than regressed.

Here comes my Trickett bash...I guess its hard to evaluate the wideouts when the QB has no idea what he is doing back there...

 

[DBAR4WVU]

New guy manning the helm, I expected some growing pains. I have seen some improvement in our QB and it seems he is starting to develop a relationship with his receivers. If they could have caught just a few more of his more catchable passes over the last few games, things would look very different right now. The offensive line is looking vastly improved over opening day - but they are 1 injury away from a severe downgrade in ability. This offense is not flashy, but it can get the job done when everyone is focused on the play. Far too many 3 and outs late in games that cost us the victory. This defense, while vastly improved over last season, can only do so much. When you keep putting them on the field after a 1 minute break late in the game - over & over - no one should be surprised that they eventually give up a score or 2.

So much is riding on Texas. If we lose that one - then Kansas and Iowa St. are must wins for a bowl. IMO - other than the Baylor and Maryland blowout debacles - WV could have won all of the other games they played. They were competing in all of them and then the offense just stopped executing and the other teams did not.

 

[DCWV4life]

Here comes my Trickett bash...I guess its hard to evaluate the wideouts when the QB has no idea what he is doing back there...

I am with you on the trickett thing, but I think it just goes back to his attitude and how people just thought he would come in here and run this offense.

 

[DCWV4life]

New guy manning the helm, I expected some growing pains. I have seen some improvement in our QB and it seems he is starting to develop a relationship with his receivers. If they could have caught just a few more of his more catchable passes over the last few games, things would look very different right now. The offensive line is looking vastly improved over opening day - but they are 1 injury away from a severe downgrade in ability. This offense is not flashy, but it can get the job done when everyone is focused on the play. Far too many 3 and outs late in games that cost us the victory. This defense, while vastly improved over last season, can only do so much. When you keep putting them on the field after a 1 minute break late in the game - over & over - no one should be surprised that they eventually give up a score or 2.

So much is riding on Texas. If we lose that one - then Kansas and Iowa St. are must wins for a bowl. IMO - other than the Baylor and Maryland blowout debacles - WV could have won all of the other games they played. They were competing in all of them and then the offense just stopped executing and the other teams did not.

 

[Anotherwvufan]

I am starting to see the benefits of Ron Crook. The OL is starting to make some blocks which is helping Simms get loose. Based off of that I do say that the offense is getting better. Slaton is right that it is difficult to tell with Trickett at QB. He is not going to the best receiver, he picks a guy and throws it to without identifing the open or single covered receiver. Alford seems to be improving, Shorts will be the next best thing to Stedman in the coming years, White has been holding his own but has let too many slip through his fingers. Simms seems to be improving and getting comfortable.

The big key is 3rd down conversions. While the offense has improved all around, it the failures on 3rd down that are hurting us. Unfortunately, much of this is a result of the accuracy of our QB.

 

[Slaton10]

I am starting to see the benefits of Ron Crook. The OL is starting to make some blocks which is helping Simms get loose. Based off of that I do say that the offense is getting better. Slaton is right that it is difficult to tell with Trickett at QB. He is not going to the best receiver, he picks a guy and throws it to without identifing the open or single covered receiver. Alford seems to be improving, Shorts will be the next best thing to Stedman in the coming years, White has been holding his own but has let too many slip through his fingers. Simms seems to be improving and getting comfortable.

The big key is 3rd down conversions. While the offense has improved all around, it the failures on 3rd down that are hurting us. Unfortunately, much of this is a result of the accuracy of our QB.

It's one thing for Trickett to still learning the offense...but for goodness sakes he should be able to read coverages...at the end of the day...there are only so many formations a defense can run since it is dictated by an offensive set.or down and distance....he should be able to read secondary coverage and have at least a 50/50 shot at reading a blitz and where its coming from....

 

[WVUDAD]

Part of the improvement we are seeing is in the schedule, the schedule this year was frontloaded, we played the best teams in the league early, and the worst later, and before you have one of you spasms, BB, I know Texas is atop the league standings. BUT, our first four league games this year were against four of the top five in the league,

 

[bbwvfan]

Outside of OU and Baylor, TCU has one of the best defenses in the Big 12. For WVU to have the kind of success it had last week is mildly impressive to me.

I think every facet of the offense is improving. But, it will not look like one of Dana's offenses from the past this year.

Too many kids playing in it for the first time. Replacing 8 starters is a tall task. Then to not have kids who've grown up in the system take on a starting role... is tough.

It is one thing to have guys who've been back-ups for a year or two move into their starting roles, it is another to have kids coming out of high school or JUCO...

 

[DCWV4life]

We have been improving against big 12 teams nothing wrong with that.

 

[GoldRusher]

IMO we are a QB from being consistent and an OLine/QB from being very good. Our WR are learning to play at this level this year and look pretty good when they get the ball,for much of the year they didnt know who would be throwing them the ball PLUS we don't have a run game to speak of to keep pass defenses honest due to the new OLine that had to make a switch at center( the QB spot for the OLine) after the season started. Pretty tough to be very good under those conditions.
The more we can keep people in the same spot every week the better we will be, that said thanks Mr.Carswell!

 

[Anotherwvufan]

Part of the improvement we are seeing is in the schedule, the schedule this year was frontloaded, we played the best teams in the league early, and the worst later, and before you have one of you spasms, BB, I know Texas is atop the league standings. BUT, our first four league games this year were against four of the top five in the league,

But look at the blocking of the OL. Even against Georgia State, D lineman were in our backfield consistently. I did not see that at TCU.

Against TCU, Simms had the same per carry average as he did against Georgia State. We have either gotten better or TCU is as bad a team as Georgia State.

 

[WVUDAD]

But look at the blocking of the OL. Even against Georgia State, D lineman were in our backfield consistently. I did not see that at TCU.

Against TCU, Simms had the same per carry average as he did against Georgia State. We have either gotten better or TCU is as bad a team as Georgia State.

TCU GAVE WVU 17 points off turnovers, so I would be giving credit to the defense as much as the offense. Outside of Sims running very effectively, I saw no difference in the offense. The reason that there were less d linemen in the backfield was because Sims was running so well, TCU was trying to stop him, rather than rushing the QB. The biggest difference I saw in this game was the will to keep after it and win a game!!!!

 

[bbwvfan]

I think it is quite telling that Sims ran for 154 yds against TCU… the best rushing performance of the season for WVU…. the most net yds by any RB against a Gary Patterson coached defense (line from Dominion Post)…. and two offensive linemen were selected as co-offensive players of the week.

As the WVU offensive line was somewhat successful creating space for Sims, it allowed the offense to be more diverse. Dana has always said his offense becomes more lethal with a solid running game.

Not that last week's effort was lethal… but, the balanced attack becomes more difficult for the defense to handle.

The two games prior to TCU, the offense was executing pretty well until the 4th qtr of each game.

Questions have been asked about this coaching staff… can they develop players… can the team show improvement?

Hopefully the Texas game will show a positive trend…

 

[DCWV4life]

I think the team is coming together nicely...besides Baylor and MD we have been competitive, but more importantly we are seeing some of these younger guys step up. Old saying goes best thing about freshmen is they become sophmores and so on...I think that is going to ring true for this team.

My biggest fear about this team is that the QB position does not develope with the rest of the team...we are going to be returning a lot of guys who have had a lot of playing time....they need a leader at QB1.