Running game question

[GeorgiaMustang]

With the offense being new, does anyone think that we will lean on the running game a little more than normal until the passing is clicking on all cylinders?

[couch 'em]

Based on the JJ book about him at Hawaii - no. Apparently he jumps right in 100%.

[ponyfan84]

i think the running game will still be a sleeper on this team. someone posted a long time ago that hawaii nearly had a thousand yard rusher and thats because he missed 2-3 games. that's pretty damn good. when everyone expects you to pass, you face a lot of dime and nickel defenses, which opens up the running game. not sure if we have someone capable of bursting through these holes (assuming Martin is healthy and fit), but all in all, i think it will be fine.

[SMU Hockey 2010]

I can't wait to see McKinney kill things.

[Stallion]

you can't have a dominate running game from the Run and Fun. The Running Game serves to keep the defense honest and will utilize more finese rather than a brutal attacking running game. You get 100-150 yards rushing a game in the Run and Fun and that's about it. Hawaii averaged 72 yards rushing per game last year in an undefeated regular season.

[Alaric]

you can't have a dominate running game from the Run and Fun. The Running Game serves to keep the defense honest and will utilize more finese rather than a brutal attacking running game. You get 100-150 yards rushing a game in the Run and Fun and that's about it. Hawaii averaged 72 yards rushing per game last year in an undefeated regular season.

Stallion's right though it should be noted that Hawaii had their weakest running attack in years last year after losing their best couple of rb's and OL from the year before which necessitated even more passing than normal please verify independently

[Warbow]

The June Jones run & shoot system has no REAL running game so don't even look for one. Shuffle passes and little running back flare passes is the running game of JJ's system. The only real hand-offs to the running backs come in the forth quarter in a blow-out (on either side) when all coaches are trying to do is get the game over with. He may run the option near the goal line for a score. Other then that, count on maybe 5 or 6 true hand-offs a game.

You can have the best running back in the country but if he can't block for the QB, he sits on JJ's bench.

[RGV Pony]

The June Jones run & shoot system has no REAL running game so don't even look for one. Shuffle passes and little running back flare passes is the running game of JJ's system. The only real hand-offs to the running backs come in the forth quarter in a blow-out (on either side) when all coaches are trying to do is get the game over with. He may run the option near the goal line for a score. Other then that, count on maybe 5 or 6 true hand-offs a game.

You can have the best running back in the country but if he can't block for the QB, he sits on JJ's bench.

Gary Brown & Lorenzo White did ok in that offense. Both led the AFC in rushing, IIRC.

[jtstang]

You can have the best running back in the country but if he can't block for the QB, he sits on JJ's bench.

Thank goodness we don't have to worry about that.

You are truly a bitter man, aren't you?

[mathman]

You can have the best running back in the country but if he can't block for the QB, he sits on JJ's bench.

Thank goodness we don't have to worry about that.

You are truly a bitter man, aren't you?

I think you are right Jt. He is whining and crying on another thread about JJ.

[Warbow]

Damn, do a guy a favor and answer his questions and I get this. Awful sensitive fans here. But I can see why, years of losing has really took a toll on you guys. Hope that improves under JJ.

[kent dorfman]

[quote="Warbow"]Damn, do a guy a favor and answer his questions and I get this. Awful sensitive fans here.quote]

Sorry man we're just not a very happy bunch. Haven't been for the past 20+ years. Every time it seems like we might be pulling out of the funk we have heartbreaking and totally cruel setbacks, see 1997 TCU game and 2006 Rice game (and those are just the most recent ones and nevermind the flat out embarrassing loses we've had over the years and the losses by 3 pts or less and oh god it goes on and on... ).

[Garret]

you can't have a dominate running game from the Run and Fun. The Running Game serves to keep the defense honest and will utilize more finese rather than a brutal attacking running game. You get 100-150 yards rushing a game in the Run and Fun and that's about it. Hawaii averaged 72 yards rushing per game last year in an undefeated regular season.

Stallion is right though it should be noted that Hawaii had their weakest running attack in years last year after losing their best couple of rb's and OL from the year before which necessitated even more passing than normal please verify independently

Both of you are largely correct, but Hawaii actually has had a decent power running game with some of their big RBs under JJ. Plus, Stallion citing last year's rushing totals is really skewing things since Hawaii normally rushed for more than that under JJ.

As I've mentioned before, Hawaii's top two RBs in 2006 were both drafted by the NFL and three offensive linemen in 2006 were on NFL teams for the 2007 season. With 3 of the best WRs in Hawaii history returning with a Heisman candidate QB, plus an inexperienced offensive line, Hawaii relied heavily on the pass in 2007. Many Hawaii fans are complaining quite vocally about that now, but Hawaii made it to the Sugar Bowl so it is hard to say that the offensive game plan was bad in 2007!

For rushing yardage, Hawaii had the following totals (totals back to 2002 were easy to find via ESPN, I'm too lazy to divide to figure out yards per game):
2007: 944
2006: 1651
2005: 1103
2004: 1247
2003: 1452
2002: 1533

Notice that 2007 is significantly lower than the other totals!

This is what I wrote in an earlier post:

One thing to keep in mind is that the shovel pass is basically a running play for JJ's offense. It is basically a draw play with some misdirection used.

Some stats about the Hawaii's running game under JJ:
2006: Nate Ilaoa 990 yards rushing (7.6 ypc) and 837 yards receiving (12.5 ypr, almost all on shovel passes). Only fumbles prevented him from getting 1100+ yards, as he was yanked from some games after multiple fumbles. Plus he missed a game and significant parts of others due to injury.

2005: Nate showed up to camp significantly overweight, but ended up with 643 yards rushing (7.6 ypc), 274 yards receiving (7.6 ypr).

2004: Michael Brewster 772 yards rushing and West Keliikipi 336, so their total was over 1000.

2003: 4 RBs rotated, total for them was almost 1400 yards rushing

[smupony]

Thanks Garret! Good stuff as usual!

[J.T.supporta]

JJs version of the running game are screens. screens to RBs or WRs...