AggieJohn
11-10-2006, 03:33 PM
Would I have run Lane? Probably. I'm a gambler who plays the odds, and Lane's as close to a sure bet to pick up 2 yards as anybody or anything else.
But with everyone throwing statistics around, chew on these:
• Lane's last carry against OU in the red zone went for minus 1 yard.
• Lane has been tackled for a loss in the red zone at least once in three straight games - this streak comes after Lane opened the first three Big 12 games with 15 straight red-zone carries without a loss.
• Against Baylor with the score tied at 21, Lane was tackled for a 1-yard loss on first-and-goal from the 3, then stopped for no gain on the next play. The Aggies settled for a field goal.
These numbers are not meant as a defense of Saturday's Lane-less third-down call, but they do suggest two things:
1. Lane is not the sure goal-line deal everybody's making him out to be.
2. The Big 12 is keying on Lane in the red zone.
Yes, I might've gambled on Lane. But I might've lost. Fran knew they would stack the box and tried something else. Don't get pissed about one play call. Get pissed about the passive gameplan early in the game and our inability to stop the run in the first half.
But with everyone throwing statistics around, chew on these:
• Lane's last carry against OU in the red zone went for minus 1 yard.
• Lane has been tackled for a loss in the red zone at least once in three straight games - this streak comes after Lane opened the first three Big 12 games with 15 straight red-zone carries without a loss.
• Against Baylor with the score tied at 21, Lane was tackled for a 1-yard loss on first-and-goal from the 3, then stopped for no gain on the next play. The Aggies settled for a field goal.
These numbers are not meant as a defense of Saturday's Lane-less third-down call, but they do suggest two things:
1. Lane is not the sure goal-line deal everybody's making him out to be.
2. The Big 12 is keying on Lane in the red zone.
Yes, I might've gambled on Lane. But I might've lost. Fran knew they would stack the box and tried something else. Don't get pissed about one play call. Get pissed about the passive gameplan early in the game and our inability to stop the run in the first half.