A strategy for improving the run game.

[beavis]

I think this next game would be a good game to commit to running.  Give Trent the ball around 25 or 30 times and hopefully let him get some confidence, and hopefully at least 100 yards.  It would also give the Oline a chance to get some confidence in their run blocking.  If none of this happens then you have to think about going in another direction because Jacksonville's run D is not very good.

[OLD FAN MAN]

I think this next game would be a good game to commit to running.  Give Trent the ball around 25 or 30 times and hopefully let him get some confidence, and hopefully at least 100 yards.  It would also give the Oline a chance to get some confidence in their run blocking.  If none of this happens then you have to think about going in another direction because Jacksonville's run D is not very good.

maybe worth a try, this young o-line needs something positive to build on. also teams know we cant run and it may shock them

[southwest1]

I heard UK basketball HC John Calipari say this recently: "We don't have subs; We have reinforcements." Man, the love the toughness of that saying. I wish INDY had that philosophy in our ground game. 

 

I know Grigs is trying his best & I hope Josh Cribbs is a step in that direction. TR should perform decent against the Jags. Just what we need--Beat up on a weaker foe & get our mojo back. 

[dw49]

How about trying not to have your RB tackled a foot behind the LOS ? That would be my strategy.

[Slick_Rick]

I heard UK basketball HC John Calipari say this recently: "We don't have subs; We have reinforcements." Man, the love the toughness of that saying. I wish INDY had that philosophy in our ground game. 

 

I know Grigs is trying his best & I hope Josh Cribbs is a step in that direction. TR should perform decent against the Jags. Just what we need--Beat up on a weaker foe & get our mojo back. 

I love your attitude SW1. You always have something positive to say.

[Superman]

So the strategy for improving the run game is to run the ball more...? 

[Mathis_Fan98]

So the strategy for improving the run game is to run the ball more...?

[Mathis_Fan98]

Makes perfect sense... Or does it

[Flash7]

What if we go pass happy for the first 2 quarters and build a comfortable lead, say 24-30 points and then work on our run game? I want to make sure we preserve the win first and foremost. That's not going to come from our run game.

[Stephen]

I say do some of that fancy twist blocking the pats did. Their linemen seemed to come from an angle

[bestQBever]

I say do some of that fancy twist blocking the pats did. Their linemen seemed to come from an angle

Actually we did try those fancy runs against the eagles and worked to perfection. I think we nearly had 200 yards rushing. I forgot what the play was but we ran it at least once a drive. 

[krunk]

I don't know what happened to all that off balance running we were doing.

[Coffeedrinker]

Actually we did try those fancy runs against the eagles and worked to perfection. I think we nearly had 200 yards rushing. I forgot what the play was but we ran it at least once a drive. 

It was the plays with the off balanced line.  And the plays worked well.  The problem with it was they only ran one play off of it... counter to the weak side.  They need to have the counter, a run to the strong side and a PAP out of that formation.  Then it will be successful all game and all season.

 

But the idea of having several plays from the same base formation seems to be a bit of a foreign concept to Pep.

[Cynjin]

I heard UK basketball HC John Calipari say this recently: "We don't have subs; We have reinforcements." Man, the love the toughness of that saying. I wish INDY had that philosophy in our ground game. 

 

I know Grigs is trying his best & I hope Josh Cribbs is a step in that direction. TR should perform decent against the Jags. Just what we need--Beat up on a weaker foe & get our mojo back.

I am not sure that quote is a philosophy but rather the truth in regards to Kentucky. They looked very strong, especially on defense against Kansas.

[backshoulderfade]

You know Einstein once said, and i'm paraphrasing, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

[backshoulderfade]

Double post.

[BProland85]

Back in the Edgerrin James days, we had a good scheme to create holes for RBs...the stretch play. Ever since we stopped that, we seem to not be successful at running the ball. We are now too predictable when we run. The stretch play kept defenses on their heels because they didn't know if Peyton would hand off or play action pass. Luck is fully capable of running this.

[lennymoore24]

How about trying not to have your RB tackled a foot behind the LOS ? That would be my strategy.

 

One of the best posts ever!

[lennymoore24]

Running the football is a state of ind as well.   I coach offensive line and defensive line.  You can't just start running one day.  They need to keep doing it to get better.

[HtownColt]

Luck hasn't had a 100 yard rusher since Vick Ballard vs Houston in 2012.

I think that was the only time Luck had a 100 yard rusher in his career

[byrddawg]

It all comes down to the o-line getting the push and opening the hole.  You have to beat the man across from you.

[Smonroe]

It all comes down to the o-line getting the push and opening the hole.  You have to beat the man across from you.

 

That's a start, but there's a lot more to it.  If you watched the Patriots run schemes, their linemen were very mobile and they used some great blocking schemes.

[runthepost]

25 carries for 20 yards watch

[SteelCityColt]

So the strategy for improving the run game is to run the ball more...? 

[ColtStronger]

Luck hasn't had a 100 yard rusher since Vick Ballard vs Houston in 2012.

I think that was the only time Luck had a 100 yard rusher in his career

That is extremely sad!!  I realize we have a 2 back system, but for neither to break a big one and have a solid day on top of it to get 100 yds.  That is just absurd, being in the weakest division and still cant do it but once in a blue moon!

[ColtStronger]

It all comes down to the o-line getting the push and opening the hole.  You have to beat the man across from you.

Very simple way of explaining it, yet there are so many fans that dont get that concept.  Some people still think it's the RB that chooses to be tackled for a loss or minimal gain.

[ProblChld32]

Actually we did try those fancy runs against the eagles and worked to perfection. I think we nearly had 200 yards rushing. I forgot what the play was but we ran it at least once a drive. 

I think you're talking about that play where we kept running an off balance line set and we ran it to the off balanced side. that surely was effective. But i think Pep received flack for running it so much and not passing nearly enough  after the eagles game i dont recall really seeing that formation used much after that.

[chad72]

Ask Trent to run outside the tackles more to get him out in space more using strong side TE and FB blocking going towards one side and the linemen going to the weak side to propel Trent with some gaps.

 

Like the poster above said, using unbalanced line formations and creating confusion amongst LBs would help us win a few as well. We are not going to run to the extent of 35 plus carries a game, just about 25-30 to keep the defenses honest so that Luck can throw less than 40 times as opposed to 50 plus and our O can be more efficient.

[NagelHausForge]

I think the Colts need to have a multi-faceted strategy in order to get the run game going.

 

First, the O-line needs to figure out that letting defenders past them on a run play is bad.  That would be a good start. 

 

Next, the RB, regardless of who it is, needs to understand that running into the tail-end of the O-lineman in front of you is bad.

 

Then, you tell the RB to hit whatever hole there is, regardless of how small it is, and get whatever positive yardage they can.  We don't need to score a running TD on every hand off.  Just get positive yardage and hang on to the ball.

 

Now, this is the tricky part, you tell Andrew Luck that if they are stacking the box then to audible the play to a quick slant or dump off.  Running your RB into a wall of defenders is bad.

 

That would be my strategy.  You have to stick with it to some extent in order for the running game to be effective in the Colts offense.

[BOTT]

I heard UK basketball HC John Calipari say this recently: "We don't have subs; We have reinforcements." Man, the love the toughness of that saying. I wish INDY had that philosophy in our ground game. 

 

I know Grigs is trying his best & I hope Josh Cribbs is a step in that direction. TR should perform decent against the Jags. Just what we need--Beat up on a weaker foe & get our mojo back.

[BOTT]

I say do some of that fancy twist blocking the pats did. Their linemen seemed to come from an angle

[Moopsiepuffs]

Bringing in a good running back and a good offensive line is the best strategy in my opinion. The Colts can take my idea, but it will cost 'em.