Um...
On the road you have to take chances...Hey, it's a close game, why not try out a trick play?? You have to, HAVE to, HAVE.TO. go for it on 4th down and 1 on the road from your opponents 37 yard line. Period. I know a lot of people on this board like to defend the coaches and the players no matter what for whatever reason, but that was just a bad call, period. Sure, there were several other factors that determined the game as well...but mid-4th qtr, 4th and 1 on the 37, your O-Line has been dominating all day, your going against a poor, poor, poor run defense.....................seriously....I don't know if it's Rader's fault or Shula's fault...but we gotta have someone else calling the plays. The playcalling passing-wise has been timid and seemingly uncertain under Shula for whatever reason. Even when Brodie was healthy we would always fall back on the running game. Granted, the running game is our strength this year, but at LEAST show a few more formations, give the defense something to think about. We didn't and haven't done any of those things since whoever is calling the plays, Shula or Rader, has been here. Now, of course it's early, so I'll reserve my final opinion of the offense and the playcalling until the end of the season, but right now, and for the 17 games that Rader and Shula have been here, the playcalling has been predictable, utterly conservative, and very Big Ten-esque. Let's open it up, eh?