I was watching a little of the Penn State game earlier and the difference in our running game is easy to see. I thought after the Bowling Green game where Ross and Hall both nearly gained 100 yards we might be back on track only to struggle against Northwestern followed by the horrible performance at Wiscy. At the end of the Iowa game I really thought we showed some signs and picked up a few first downs trying to run out the clock when Iowa knew what we were going to do.
Indiana and Penn State do not have great defenses by any stretch but we seemed to be successful on the ground because we didn't allow penetration up front and Lydell was able to make his cuts. I've gone back and forth blaming the line and the backs on our lack of success running the ball this year. They can probably both share in the blame. I guess we won't know until Saturday whether or not the last two weeks were a mirage or signs of the running game coming around. I'd like to think we can have some success running the ball on a team who just gave up over 200 yards on 50 carries to Chris Perry last week. I honestly think we win the next three games if Lydell and the guys up front continue to play well. I just hope our recent success was the result of what we did and the things the team has been working on, not because of the poor level of competition. I suppose we are about to find out...
Indiana and Penn State do not have great defenses by any stretch but we seemed to be successful on the ground because we didn't allow penetration up front and Lydell was able to make his cuts. I've gone back and forth blaming the line and the backs on our lack of success running the ball this year. They can probably both share in the blame. I guess we won't know until Saturday whether or not the last two weeks were a mirage or signs of the running game coming around. I'd like to think we can have some success running the ball on a team who just gave up over 200 yards on 50 carries to Chris Perry last week. I honestly think we win the next three games if Lydell and the guys up front continue to play well. I just hope our recent success was the result of what we did and the things the team has been working on, not because of the poor level of competition. I suppose we are about to find out...