The offensive line is definitely a major problem. You are right the plays they call work with a great offensive line. But when I'm coaching with a poor o line in High school football, I adjust what I do to my players.
3rd and 1 I don't mind running or throwing. They call their game. I do mid when we go triple TE and try to cram it down their throats with an inferior line. I'd rather see them spread it out. Run zone read or get gray on the edge with run/pass option in order to minimize the negative effects of a bad line. Take defenders out of the box. Control defenders by being in formations where gray is a running threat.
That's more what I'm saying. Not insulting individual plays. I'd rather see a little different overall strategy in the red zone a bit. They did spread it out inside the five on one of their TD runs.
Totally agree with this. Spread things out on short down and distance. I finally had time to watch the Miami game last night (first half anyway) and on the plays when there was not 8 in the box, the Gophers had some success running the ball. They also called one or two slow-developing plays (reverse, etc.) on 3rd and short, inexplicably. What a mess. Like I said, I'm sure they are working on this and working on some solutions.
For the record, I never said Max was a better QB than Gray. I'm just saying I don't think Gray can hit a bull in the a$$ with a handful of rocks. Gray threw for 90% of his yards in the first half Saturday and he threw two accurate passes that were past the LOS; both 8-10 yard dumps, straight downfield. The others were short flat passes or he missed miserably or was bailed out by the receiver. No, I'm not saying Shortell is a better QB or that he should be starting over Gray; but I'd bet my left nut that Shortell is a better PASSER right now, from what we've seen anyway. I'd be curious to know who McKnight and Moulton would rather have throwing them the ball. McKnight was visibly pissed on a number of plays Saturday when he was wide open and should have gotten the ball. I know, receivers are unhappy all the time and always think they're open, but still.
I'm not real big on Mason but he knows his football and he railed on Gray for most of the game for all the throws he missed, times he ran when he should have found a receiver, etc. It was frightening.
Like I said, Gray is the Gophers starting QB right now so it's not a debate, and I'm behind him 110%. He's the man and as long as he continues to get comfortable in the offense and his confidence continues to grow, the Gophers will be just fine.