Bad starts

[307bball]

Don't get to watch the pokes so...what to talk about?

Is it just my imagination or do Bohl's cowboys tend to have bad starts in games? Just thinking back to some of the highlights of the last four years...I don't remember a lot of kickoff to horn domination. All three games this season have been slow starts...with two of them being disastrously slow. Is Bohl just a counterpuncher? Wait for the opponent to declare themselves and then try to exploit them once you figure it out? In general we seem to finish a lot stronger than we start.

 

[fromolwyoming]

Against Hawaii, the first drive we were able to roll pretty well. Even after, we still moved the ball.

Against the sheep... So much frustration. We moved the ball very well, but stupid penalties and the two early turnovers screwed us hard.

 

[Wyovanian]

Bohl favors scripted first halves with the play script based on the opponent's game films.

 

['PokeForLife]

Bohl favors scripted first halves with the play script based on the opponent's game films.

Or is it based on our game film? "Hey what were the plays we ran last game? Yeah, lets run those ones again."

 

[LanderPoke]

We will be mediocre until we stop being a "run, run,pass team".

 

[Adv8RU12]

We will be mediocre until we stop being a "run, run,pass team".

Don't you mean "run, run, pass, punt" team?

 

[LanderPoke]

We will be mediocre until we stop being a "run, run,pass team".

Don't you mean "run, run, pass, punt" team?

Yes :thumb: but Bohl doesn’t want to play grass basketball so idk

 

[307bball]

We will be mediocre until we stop being a "run, run,pass team".

Don't you mean "run, run, pass, punt" team?

Yes :thumb: but Bohl doesn’t want to play grass basketball so idk

538 did a deep dive a year ago or so looking at NFL play calling as it relates to the sequence of run vs pass plays. There observations were interesting and summed up at the end of the article thusly:

While the precise order in which passes and runs are called may not matter so much — several combinations are roughly equivalent to one another according to success rate — some trends are clear. Passes are more effective when called on early downs, and runs are more effective on third down. Running on first down, while often a mistake, can be salvaged with a pass on second down. And if you’re going to rush on back-to-back plays to open a series, you should do so sparingly because it will leave your team in an obvious passing situation more often than not. Your passing attack — and QB especially — will need to be well above average to consistently convert in those high-leverage spots where all deception is gone and defenders can be confident that they know what’s coming.

The article spent a lot of time wondering why NFL coaches....people at the top of their professions, continue to run the ball at all on first down. IMO the reason is that the point of playing the game is to win.....and there are compelling statistics about things like having a potent rushing attack correlating more with winning then number of first downs. I wish Wyoming had a more dynamic offense as well but I don't think it is as simple as the sequence of run or pass.

I've seen a lot of Wyoming football....and some had good offenses, during those years we did a lot of complaining about wishing we had a defense. Some years we've had a good offense and spent our time saying "if only we had a good defense". On a few years the offense or defense was good while the other side of the ball was merely competent and we would have a good year. I'm beginning to believe that it is anything but trivial to have success in all phases of college football....heck only a few programs are able to manage it on a consistent basis.

 

[laxwyo]

You all know we have 66 first downs compared to 55 for the other guys?

I honestly think we’re looking at the wrong side of the ball. The offense has scored plenty. We’re only averaging 6 points less per game than 2016

 

[WYO_Fan_inPA]

I think more than bad starts, allowing the opponent to stay in the games into the fourth quarter, and even later, is our issue. Keeping the football on the scoring pedal. Hawai'i game is great example. We ball controlled by running the ball, but missed kicks or turned the ball over.. thus the 'Bows were still in it, when we clearly dominated the game. WYO got lucky we found a way to win, because we could have easily lost.