@mayjay I flat don't like using Doke to trap at all (against quality teams), out on the floor, given that we have zero post depth. I don't think the trapping has anything to do with guarding his man on the floor. It's a pressure point to create a turnover or to simply disrupt a system team. And Toledo had a system offense. Self referred to that before the game, Toledo scoring based on their system. Traps disrupt teams that score based on the flow of their system. I don't doubt that Doke might have to guard someone to the line, but I don't see the connection. You could be right though. It's obviously been part of Self's defensive bag of tricks for many seasons. Again, with our lack of depth -- no depth -- exposing Doke like that is really not wise (against a team that can actually beat us).
Do we really know who has great chemistry? How do we know? We don't. We'd like to assume peaches and cream. It makes for better narrative.
Who punched Mitch in the nose? We do know from experience that good chemistry is different from not liking each other. We know Dedric Lawson was suspended for how he handled an "altercation." But that doesn't mean there isn't good chemistry. The Oakland A's of the 70s were at each other's throats. Players don't have to like each other to have great chemistry on the court/field.
I find @jaybate-1-0's suggestion interesting. Does it mean he's correct? No. But I do think that subtle signs, things that are different from the norm, can give hints at what players think of each other. But they may not at all. We may just read into things too much. But how you get to answers is based on evidence. And sometimes the small thread of evidence untangles the entire thing.
So I looked at the play. Go to the video. 4:55 of first half. Didn't even look at each other. Not a point, not a nod, nothing. Almost as if they were trying not to look at each other. I can't stretch that to a conclusion, but it is odd.
And Malik did not pass to Svi at the end of the half. Vick did. Malik, to Vick, to Svi. The play did appear intended from Malik, but the defense closed on him quickly.
I do like that we've played full games, and not let up.
However, I see Doke out trapping (like Aldrich did), which spells stupid fouls. I see him out setting screens (where he's moving all over the place), which again spells stupid fouls. I also see that against a long athletic team that isn't the mid-major folks we've seen, we aren't going to be quite as open, or quite as free flowing -- see our only game like that (UK).
That's the real story. We had enough "killer instinct" last season having Mason and JJ. It's true we've shown it better this season, though. Agree there. But the issue for this team will be post depth, and what we do when we are really challenged defensively?
That's what the next three months is about. Have to be optimistic.
Bilas is a complete anti-CBB jacka**. Major know it all. Wish he would just take his tired act to the NBA. Instead, he's intent on trying to create animosity, upset, and controversy to destroy CBB. A hypocrite who is only in his position because of his scholarship with Duke. Which he claims has negligible value (meaning, the scholarship).
@BShark Hmm .. do we really need another shooter? Or are going back to the hi/lo next season? Dotson, Grimes, Garrett, Cunliffe, Moore. Of course, I'd take a shooter any time. But something tells me this team isn't going to shoot 27 three pointers in a game once next season, let alone average 27 per game as they do this season.
I think we go conventional next season, perhaps the 18-19 threes per game at the most. If Vick stays, that might change a bit. But I don't see a big time shooter in the bunch next season minus Vick.
You're statement --"Man now that I think about it we have been insanely spoiled with good three point shooters lately" -- is right on point.
@JayHawkFanToo How about this … I wouldn't trade Vick for any player we could have next season. Vick could be conference POY and an all american.
@Texas-Hawk-10 I'm confused. You said, "If someone wants to argue to fire Beaty because of the lack of discipline and accountability for the past two weeks, I can support and agree with that." In your comment to start the thread, you agree with retaining him. Last week, after the game, you said the conduct of the players was indefensible and that pushed you to the other side of the "fire him" issue. Then you say keeping Beatty is the "right call." Makes no sense to me. It's either right or wrong.
This is the wrong call. On all levels. Beatty should have been fired.
The problem is that Zenger was surely lobbying for Beatty, because Zenger's survival is likely tied to Beatty.
Further, I think that the analysis on scholarships overlooks the person the KU hires to take Beaty's place. That person could attract talent, obviously depending on the individual. I think the analysis is akin to the person that holds on to the loser stock, believing too firmly in one's initial decision making, that it has more room to run, and that cutting and running now leaves you in a deeper hole. The fear of being premature in ones decision paralyzes the decision making process.
I have for quite some time now sold a stock at the first time of trouble. It's worked well for me. Have I missed out on some good runs? Sure. But it's kept me from hanging on to losers too long. It's a more conservative approach.
I think a more conservative, safer approach is necessary here. Here, as well, the more conservative, safer approach is also the most bold.
What we see from Beatty is a loser. A guy that has constructed a complete loser. Non-competitive games. I don't want that guy. I want at winner. A guy that wins.
This time next season Beatty will be gone. And winning will be that much farther away.
@DoubleDD He means that Lucas sits and Doke plays. Lucas would have been the backup.
@mayjay Your suggested 1-10 scale is terrific. We're going to have to make good use of that going forward. Making the subjective to be objective shows how the subjective is most of the time objective -- i.e., the eye test. The most reliable of all.
@jaybate-1-0 If we lose Doke, we're out of luck .. Garrett or no Garrett.
I know you mean perplexed .. but there for a minute I thought you were creating a word, like @jaybate-1-0, e.g. "debounding."
"Proplexed" -- A highly talented team that underachieves because players who will be turning pro are distracted, or play to not get hurt. Maybe? Actually seems like it would work pretty well.
Like @REHawk, I am also usually optimistic on the development of recruits. Has there ever really been a significant failure given the starting point and ceiling? OADs don't count.
I see Garrett as a guy with serious ability, and serious upside. So much so that I would not be surprised if he's a go-to type player by his junior season. The way he simply assumes his role is impressive. Seems like the perfect Bill Self player.
@jayballer54 We just may have different definition of "good."
@jayballer54 No, I said "not good." Mitch isn't good yet. Traylor never was good. Ever. His PERs over four years, 12.2, 17.2, 12.7, 12.7. The only role for Traylor was complimentary. Self relied on Traylor too much. And the most telling commentary on his value was in the most important game, his senior season vs. Nova, Traylor played 5 minutes. Against Maryland, in the prior game, he played 10 minutes with a very Jamari-like line -- 10 minutes, 2 points, 0 rebounds, 4 fouls.
Good, of course, is relative. With KU, our goal is to win a national championship. Neither Mitch, nor Traylor, are/were good enough to be regular players in such high stakes games. With Mitch, we'll just see how he develops. Watching him now, it's obvious he's not that sort of good. The door remains open for some major leap. But right now, the absolute biggest weakness on our team, bar none, is the fact that we have Mitch as our 2nd big, when he should be, at best, our 4th big.
But as I always said with Traylor, in the right role, he could be fine. 4th big was probably the best role for Traylor. Spots where his athleticism could be used in the right situations. A body, who could also, situationally, be helpful. We saw that many times with Traylor.
But don't confuse that with being a "good" player. Good players for KU aren't situational bodies.
I recall Justin Wesley played some needed minutes. Bill Self recruited him. Bill Self played him. He played hard, and gave all he had. Was Justin Wesley "good"?
I personally think that whatever a coach's perceived flaw, it is largely ignored when he is winning, and it is highly focused upon when he is losing.
I always think of Tom Coughlin. Not a players' coach. When he was winning, his disciplinary style of coaching was celebrated. When he lost, he was attacked for being to strict. Then he supposedly became more of a players' coach. And that was criticized when he lost. We saw the same dynamic here. When Mangino was fired, we brought it a supposed players' coach in Turner Gill; then flipped the script to Weis. But that wasn't the direct reason he was fired.
With Mangino, his boorish attitude with boosters and administration was his ultimate downfall, because petty little non-football types were offended. At the first opportunity, the sharks circled and took him out. He didn't create a depth of loyalty. I have very good info (and I rarely say that) -- very good info -- that the Mangino deal was a pure, unadulterated witch hunt.
Back on the fat thing, it's not unreasonable for a recruit to wonder why a coach is focused on conditioning, when he looks like a zeppelin with really short arms. It's called being a hypocrite. But when you're winning, that is irrelevant because the coach "knows what he is doing." It's really that simple. When you're winning, it's easier to use the "I'm the coach, you're the player" logic. When you're losing, credibility wanes. Build it and they will come. And if you have a negative attitude with boosters and administration, and don't at least create non-enemies, you can't survive without winning. At the first sign of trouble, though, you're vulnerable.
@BShark Mitch does have some skill that can develop. I guess I just don't see a guy that will be much help this year vs better talent. Maybe in very short bursts, but he's the classic "wait till he gets exposed" guy right now, don't you think?
I use the Champions game as my guide on what Self thinks. Lightfoot played Justin Wesley-like minutes there (6). Just only as absolutely necessary. And he really looked out of place.
@jaybate-1-0 I think I tried to answer your question above with my initial response. What do you see? Or are you truly unsure?
I also want to be clear. Mitch is playing a role here based solely on circumstance. He should be a guy that after three years, including a redshirt year, he could be a capable backup his JR and SR seasons. That was at least my expectation.
@Texas-Hawk-10 It's funny that you think these teams just remain static, and won't improve. What has KU shown so far? We struggled to score against an inferior UK team, our only real game. Sure, we're the favorite. Of course. Texas, WVU, Baylor, TCU. All capable of knocking this KU team off its throne.
If we get a functional DeSousa, my optimism rises. If not, we're too thin in the post to win in March and reach the FF, barring perfect matchups.
@HawkChamp Why do you think Cunliffe is a difference maker? Given what you just said, how do you explain the Oregon game? Were Nova and UConn thin in the post, meaning one good post player on the roster?
@Texas-Hawk-10 I always appreciate how your "wouldn't be shocked" morphs into definitive, no doubt, certainty. I simply wouldn't be shocked if we did not win the Big 12. We have one post player at the moment. One.
Bill Self: The best player we had was Mitch.
Ugh. Jamari Traylor redux. Like Michael Myers back to torment Jamie Lee Curtis. And we're Jamie Lee. Why does he feel the need to spew fiction? Hopefully it's to just make Lightfoot feel good. That would be the best justification I could think of. I'll go with that.
Mitch was good tonight vs. … Oakland. But he was nowhere near our best player. Any excitement should remind us of Jamari Traylor, and all of that sheer baloney. JaMitch Lightray. Both can be good in small stretches vs. good opponents, and even have a good game or two against the good opponents (like Traylor's WVU game his jr. season), and can look dynamite sometimes against crappy teams. That doesn't mean he (or either of them) are good players. They aren't. I don't think anyone holds onto the fiction that Traylor was a good player any longer. The urge to defend players passes with time.
The grain of salt thing is out in full force. We know Self isn't serious.
I don't know if I'd be that cocky about our Big 12 chances. What we saw from UT today is a team that could win the Big 12. Given the fact that KU is two fouls away from Mitch Lightfoot guarding in the post, nothing is a given, and nothing should be even assumed. Now, if we add a functional DeSousa? We'll cross that bridge when we get there. But it's unrealistic in my mind to see this team as a winning the league by such a margin.
I will be shocked if we win by 4 or 5 games.
Remember the folks we are too good to play down I-35? Sure wish somehow they were in our league.
Before I got Metro Sports/Spectrum, I just went Buffalo Wild Wings, ordered some wings, and watched the game. But I'm sure a small town doesn't have that option, either. It's just an absolutely stupid deal.
@Bwag Billy who?
Barclays center
I actually watched some NBA last night, solely to watch Mason. Looked great. Loved the spin move at the end of the quarter -- didn't go down, but it was impressive. I'm happy for the OADs too, but I will enjoy Mason's success more.
@mayjay Doing your usual foolish dance again. No one said it's offensive. You can make up whatever you want. It's just dishonest. The sole point -- sole point -- is that being a role model to young men, all of whom will need jobs, is better accomplished by using the type of grammar that will be more likely to gain one a professional job.
Of course, the offended masses can mock the point. But using proper English is not an outrageous suggestion, if you are really a role model for young men and really interested in their success.
One major advantage in the business world, like it or not, is to be able to speak intelligently.
@justanotherfan Fyi, and I appreciate your discussion, everything you've said is known and understood.
@mayjay Your music examples are silly and irrelevant. That's art.
I'm talking about business, which is where a coach, a role model, is talking like an idiot. My sole point is always this -- if you talk like an idiot, regardless of whether your African American, Eskimo American, Australian American, or just you prefer to just be known as American, you have a reason for an employer NOT to hire you. You can talk all you want about culture, or whatever, but I'm not hiring anyone who talks like that. Some might like to normalize it, and that speaks to the continued deterioration of our society, but if you want a job and want to improve your lot in life, try speaking properly.
@mayjay when you refer to backgrounds, do you mean inner city blacks? Or something else?
@mayjay Yes. But I get more interested when a coach role modeling for kids that will need to speak English to get a job, speaks like an idiot.
Just speaking English is too much to ask for even a coach, I guess.
And our players won't be captains. Will our coach not be the coach?
Let's focus on Missouri for a moment. Just Missouri.
Isn't this what MU is all about? The ... getting ... so ... close? The rushing field, only to have a ref say, "not so fast, my friend" (Flea kicker). To have its greatest season ever, only to drop a first round game to lowly Norfolk St. And, of course, on the verge of the CFB championship game, only to get drubbed back into their pathetic existence. It's like Stipo pulled out a gun and shot Porter himself (accidentally, of course). We knew it was coming. Oh, the crackers be shakin' for sure -- shakin' from withdrawal. A season's death comes like this. In an ESPN alert. It used to come when MU would somehow, someway, figure out how to lose short of the Final Four in every year of its century plus existence on the court. Even Holy Cross, Dartmouth, Duquesne, Santa Clara, and other powerhouses have found their ways to the Final Four. But not MU. And not this season, either. The Antlers won't be crackin' any Natty lights with Eustachy over this one. Paige Are ... er, Mizzou arena might have a few empty seats (few defined as, like, all).
This is why the rivalry is oh, so good. MU has it right there. On its fingertips. The excitement. The anticipation. And it is unceremoniously yanked away from the Tiger hordes. We can just sit back and take it all in.
Oh, and right, sorry for the kid. But look, he signed with MU, it's almost like he brought it on himself.
@justanotherfan I read what you wrote about being an official. That has nothing to do with this. This is a coach issue. Whether there was an issue of hostility in a particular game or rivalry where you wanted to keep folks apart for a specific reason, is a completely separate issue.
In this case, there was none of what your are referring to. This was a completely separate issue -- not what some official might want is a certain situation (which is much different many times than what actually should be done).
This was a contrived and planned act of disrespect by team captains. I would hope you would not tolerate that as well as opposed to minimizing simple acts of civility and respect. Such acts, I guess, have been normalized by the deterioration of general humility in favor of selfish and self-centered behavior.
Shaking hands as combatants before a game is an historical and customary act of respect. We chose to permit the OU player to extend his hand, only to turn away from it. That deserves more than ok, "yeah, they should have." I think your reaction is exactly what we got from our coach. And It's really pretty sad.
@justanotherfan Are you serious? The pregame handshake deal didn't bother you? Good grief. The first person I've heard say that. This is easy right and wrong stuff. There's not a gray area here.
Good to see Beatty -- belatedly -- react to the overwhelmingly negative reaction and somewhat reverse his position.
@jaybate-1-0 I think you are underestimating Garrett. He's an intangibles guy. I think he's a better player than Cunliffe. In Cunliffe's 10 games at ASU, his PER was 10.0. Just horrible. Garrett, in the three games so far, is 17.8. The worst player we had last season PER wise was Lightfoot at 12.0, and the year before Traylor at 12.7. Cunliffe did hit threes at 40%, but his two point % was 30.8. Garrett's is 62%. Two point percentage is always an interesting guide. In this admittedly small snapshot, Garrett is better per minute in rebounds, assists, steals, and turnovers. Plus, Garrett is an excellent defender and may be a possible elite defender in the making (which can't be understated). Garrett had the one real good game in Europe, better than any game Cunliffe had. Cunliffe is likely the better scorer, though it would be interesting to see how Garrett would do if he was relied on to score (he's in development stages there). Cunliffe needed a lot of shots to get his double digit games (5), shooting around 40% in those games. If we have scoring, I'm not sure how Cunliffe edges out Garrett. Against top teams, I'm not sure either will be stellar, but I think Garrett's defense is the "x" factor there.
Also, for the Clay Young lovers out there, his PER is in the single digits now (7.5). Lightfoot 11.6. I wouldn't completely bail on Mitch just yet. He's being exposed, to be sure, but there is upside.
@KUSTEVE I don't know, Doke looks pretty skilled with the ball to me. Actually looks terrific. I want him to have the ball more often.
@BeddieKU23 Yes, the word of the day is "worried." Ugh.
Mayfield is a punk all on his own.
And we executed a completely punk move all on our own, which reflected on our university, and was sanctioned by a coach whose compass is way off.
@jhawk7782 Excluding Embiid, the best big man at KU that Self recruited was TRob, in my book. He was the most dominant. Had he stayed his 4th season, I'm sure it would have been much like his 3rd. I'd go 1) TRob, 2) Marcus Morris, 3) Arthur, 4) Aldrich, 5) Withey, all before Ellis (assuming Withey qualifies as "recruited").
@jaybate-1-0 - I suggested in another thread that KU convert to a contrarian type offense -- the triple option or flex bone -- one that will put us at a preparation advantage, one that will permit us to be more system oriented (and thus close the gap easier based on lesser talent), and one that will shorten games by more running of the ball (thus putting our inferior talent in a better position to win). It also is proven winner at the collegiate level. Further, it does not require the high skill level necessary from a QB to run an air raid or spread offense. The four or five star QB we have simply not acquired. Teams in the Big 12 don't see this offense. They see the air raid/spread all the time.
I just saw that Nebraska had made inquiries - "Nebraska is also considering coaches who run the triple-option, flexbone offense, specifically Navy’s Ken Niumatalolo. Sources indicate that if Nebraska approached Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson, he would recommend Niumatalolo or Army’s Jeff Monken, both his former assistants." -- from SBNation.
@jaybate-1-0 What distinguishes this class? Rankings and numbers.
All top 50 guys, and four of them (with bulk and on the ball skill). But what also distinguishes this class is that we have three additional players sitting this season which are de facto part of the class (of which one of the three is a true stud).
I'm not giddy yet.
So, if adidas, a booster, or a coach gave Preston a car to coerce him to sign with KU, isn't that bribery under the current theory used in the present prosecutions?
With all that flopping around maybe he has some soccer in his childhood.
@approxinfinity It gives me faith on our self-monitoring, as well. More and more evidence stacks up that Self is a high, high character guy that demands the same from his staff. I mentioned this when the bribery charges were initially discussed -- that's what worries me. Prosecutors love targeting the folks that are at the top, on the moral high ground. I thought Self and coach K should be concerned. I still do, given the methods involved with this initial prosecution.
The discussion by @jaybate-1-0 above regarding why folks might have time for this with other matters now at hand -- it's headlines. It's how the prosecutor gets appointed to the Federal Bench (for life, no less), or gets an Attorney General appointment. Federal prosecutors don't get paid a lot by private attorney standards. They are in it for other reasons. Career advancement and prestige are part of that equation.
@KUSTEVE I cannot agree with you more. Graham going with double digit assists is the fuel for the offensive motor. DG could (and likely will) go for 25 some nights, but he doesn't have to. As you mentioned, the way we destroyed a pretty decent SDS team was impressive. We were a smooth offensive machine. A point guard that looks to create opportunities and facilitate has sometimes immeasurable value. Assist don't always tell the true story of a PG who is a facilitator. Good offense flows from that mindset even when assists may not get recorded. DG has that mindset, it appears. It's a really big deal in my opinion for this team. What's nice is that he can and will score. Defenses always have to respect him.
@KUSTEVE You talking about Lighfoot I presume?
@JayHawkFanToo
No apology from Beatty or the players at our university. It's interesting how ESPN focuses on Mayfield. Though Mayfield is famous for his low level behavior, I'm quite sure without our faux toughness to start the game, and the late hits during the game, the situation doesn't deteriorate in a game of this .. uh .. magnitude.
I'm just puzzled how KU's football leadership can't see how this is all about weakness, not showing toughness.
Doug Gottlieb (not our favorite source) referred to KU football as the "opposite" of KU basketball -- "talentless and classless."
Very nice.
@jaybate-1-0 I like the suggestion that there really is no Billy Preston. Just illusion. Easier to deal with.
We have all suffered the embarrassment of being a KU football fan.
Today, we witnessed our players refusing to shake hands before the game. We then heard our coach dancing around the issue in the post-game press conference like a Hollywood puke trying to explain his demented personal conduct.
Here are the word of a coach that continues to put talk and style over substance:
"Let me say this: I get it,” Beaty said. “Our guys at some point in their careers, they just have to get tired of it. … They’ve got to get fired up about sticking their feet in the ground and defending their grass. I get it.
“We certainly are a (classier) team than that. We’ll talk about it as we move forward and we’ll make sure we represent our university and ourselves with class. … But I do like the spirit our guys carried into the game. They want to win, and they want to be respected the way other teams are. We’ve just got to find a better way to show that.”
Uh, yea.
I see where a player said they were "putting their foot down." What in the he** does that mean? Like usual, a multi-touchdown loss.
This is a disgrace, and today was an unbelievable display of poor sportsmanship. I cannot fathom why or how this was a good idea. This does not show strength, it shows weakness.
Of course, like his horrible predecessor, Beatty continues to find a way to present a new uniform and helmet combination every game. As I said with Weis -- style over substance.
WIN FIRST. We can giggle of what helmet and uniform combo you've directed we wear perhaps after we gain some real success.
Today was symbolic of a coach that is flailing to find something, anything, to create a win.
This was the final straw. The actions by the captains -- yes captains -- today represents this entire university. It is how Kansas is presented to the football world. And our coach explains it away as it if means nothing.
He has no compass. If this is how he leads his players, no wonder the notorious know it all is an epic failure.
Guess what, coach? You've got nothing. Zero. Except a pile of lopsided losses after three full seasons to make "progress."
Want a lesson in leadership? Look west down I-70. Or just down the street at AFH. I cannot even imagine either of those historic leaders sanctioning what we saw at the coin flip today.
Fire Beatty. Fire him now.
@Texas-Hawk-10 No, the triple option does not "rely" on an "extremely high IQ player" at QB. At its basics, the QB has dive read, then a pitch read. We've seen hundreds of athletic, non-rocket scientists run it over the years with great success. It actually is a type of offense that permits the more athletic, less intellectual QB to be successful. It's "system" based offense.
No doubt, it's always better to have smart than dumb at all times. That's not the issue.
Your significant flaw is when you say we will "still face a talent deficit." You have acknowledged the current talent deficit. That would lead one to conclude that the longer the game, the worse that is exposed. Simple. We need to shorten games. Running the ball more does that.
Next, you obviously ignore the more significant reads that a spread QB has to make on each play. That requires the high IQ. Further, running the ball is a reactionary, more athletic movement than passing. Easier to find players that can do that.
Teams that are less athletic also have success with option based attacks, right? Because it's system based. Well, if we're getting lesser talent that seems to set up well. Being more of a system team is a way to beat/challenge talent.
You state that QB is the most important position. Something we all know. It is much easier to find a QB that can run the ball, and read at the line of scrimmage, than a QB that has a strong and accurate arm, who can read the massive number of coverages that get employed.
It is undeniable that the more you run, the more the defense is keyed on the run. It is exactly why play action works, and continues to work. We don't make big plays now with our supposed "air raid" because teams are geared to stop the pass.
It is also odd that your position is based on KU playing from behind. I don't concede that at all. With a contrarian type offense, so to speak, you can be the team that dictates the game. Of course, I'm not assuming we beat the top tier in any case, but I firmly believe we can grind to bowl eligibility. And you never know who you can shock along the way.
Really, it is the rigidity you demonstrate and refusal to consider other possibilities is the exact reason coaches fail. You say, "without a competent QB, every system will fail." Exactly. It's just much easier to find run first QBs that can run an option/flexbone type of attack. I cannot even fathom that you would dispute that.
@Texas-Hawk-10 While I agree with much of what you've said, I think you're discussing something different.
I'm not taking "pro style", run first. I'm talking GT or Navy, triple option, flexbone, etc. Things you don't see regularly. Proven offensive systems that have been successful, and that create preparation issues for opponents. Systems that employ significant trapping, pulling, and cross blocking. Specific and detailed blocking techniques vs. the "pro style" zone blocking that is so prevalent.
I believe we can recruit that athlete much more likely than the stud QB. The proof is in the pudding. Three coaches, no stud QB as @JayHawkFanToo mentioned. Your theory relies on that.
Further, my suggested offense grinds the clock. Yours puts an inferior team (KU) at a bigger disadvantage because the clock stops far more often due to incomplete passes.
Being run first also makes your passing potentially better on big plays, and sets up play action much better. So you can run, run, run .. run some more .. then hit for a big play action pass. Be vertical in your passing more, when you pass.
The reality is converting to this style of offense -- finding three to four good hard runners -- is much easier than stocking for your system. Because everyone runs some form of the spread or air raid it seems, that talent pool is being at attacked from all directions. Sadly, we are at the bottom of that competition.
Look west down I-70. KSU doesn't run the option or flexbone, but they will run designed QB runs quite a bit (old single wing stuff). They aren't a pass first attack. They have done that with lower level athletes, and won. Proof in the pudding there.
We can flail away doing what we've been doing. Or, we can free our minds.