Chalk Talk: Diverse Run Game, Improved Talent, Stomped Horned Frogs

The Oklahoma State Cowboys had one of their best (if not the best) ground performances of the season against the TCU Horned Frogs in their 31-6 victory last Saturday.

It has been a long time since the Pokes have been able to lean on the ground game, but the Cowboys did just that, and they averaged a stunning 7.4 yards per carry against one of the better defenses in the Big 12.

So why has the run game improved? Well, it’s actually quite simple. Yes, the Xs and Os behind it are notable, but there’s only so much to analyze. The Cowboy coaching staff has put together an effective two-back run scheme. But the improvement at personnel has been the biggest reason for the team’s recent success on the ground.

When OSU first introduced the Cowboy Back, the Cowboys frequently used a gap power scheme (man-to-man blocking, basically), but the problem was that the line couldn’t block it well. Additionally, with only one possible point of attack, the back was limited in where he could go.

But now, the Cowboys have completely revamped the run game, and have turned to zone blocking to not only make it easier for the lineman but to also feature their talented backs.

Just because a team is zone-heavy doesn’t mean that the run game is simple or predictable. Through the zone, the Cowboys used a number of different plays to keep the defense off-balanced.

They used a strong-side zone:

A zone to the weak side (which is a tendency breaker and often caught the defense by surprise):

And a lead draw play:

Additionally, they ran a lead zone with split backs:

And used a devastating wham play which, at one point in the fourth quarter, OSU used three times in a row for a total of 53 yards:

And don’t forget that quarterback Mason Rudolph has been used more and more in the run game, specifically in the red zone and short-yardage situations (notice that the play below is the same as the play above with a read on the play-side end, i.e. was specifically called for Rudolph).

Although this is a chalk talk article, it would be unfair to not give credit to the people who have made this possible. As we’ve seen in the past, coaches can scheme and strategize all they want, but if their players can’t execute, then it’s all for naught.

This year, though, the offensive line has improved immensely. The running backs, and more specifically Justice Hill and Chris Carson, have thrived in the Cowboy run game as of late.

Finally, the coaching staff has intelligently taken one base zone play and built a run offense off of it, and because the line really has only one or two plays to practice, they have been able to become a more than respectable zone run team.

One or even two years ago, the Cowboys were lucky to surpass 100 yards on the ground. Now, things have clearly changed, and it appears like this ground attack won’t be regressing any time soon.