In a column for Bleeding Green Nation published on Thursday an analyst argues that the team’s offensive unit remains entirely stagnant and frustrating to watch.
The unit managed just 220 yards of total offense against the Giants. They recorded only 13 first downs while averaging 3.3 yards per play. Time of possession favored the opponents by nine and a half minutes.
Joe Milton made his first start at quarterback for the team. Bleeding Green Nation reported that his mobility prevented an even worse outcome while showing flashes of arm talent.
The run game relied heavily on the quarterback’s ability to escape pressure. Bleeding Green Nation said that removing all quarterback runs left running backs with 16 carries for 28 yards, averaging 1.75 yards per carry.
Protection breakdowns plagued the offensive line throughout the contest. Markel Bell faced isolation on the right side during a four-man slide to the left. Drew Kendall also struggled to handle a linebacker blitz on a separate play.
Landon Dickerson experienced major difficulties in pass protection. The analyst observed that the unit failed to identify basic blocking assignments against defensive pressure.
The offense found rare success when deploying jumbo packages featuring extra linemen. Fred Johnson lined up as an extra blocker while Willie Lampkin served as a fullback alongside pulling guard Tyler Steen.
Those specific formations generated positive results on a handful of plays. Milton completed two passes out of jumbo play-action sets for 35 total yards.
Passing concepts relied heavily on 2×2 formations that failed to stretch the defense. Milton finished the game completing 18 of 34 passes for 169 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.
The scheme yielded an EPA per dropback of minus-0.233 with a success rate of only 24 percent. Several open receivers went unnoticed during progression reads.
Milton missed an available Dallas Goedert down the seam by failing to step into the throw properly. Bleeding Green Nation said that the quarterback’s arm talent remains undeniable despite the recurring execution failures.
