re: Emery Jones Leaving

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In 2024, our non-QBs have run for 1426yds on 4.7yds per carry (in 12g).

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In 23, we weren’t hitting as many big plays in the run game, but were consistently getting short to medium gains and getting first downs.

This year’s numbers don’t reflect the higher number of non-sack negative run plays. Durham’s big runs prop the numbers up to look closer to last season, but we weren’t nearly as efficient or effective. We all saw this especially in the red zone and in our inability to consistently pick up key short yardage first downs on the ground.

Your one difference between this year and last- Chester, is a big reason why. A lot of our run game, especially early in the season, was focused between the tackles and we know Chester struggled to hold the point of attack and also missed several assignments resulting in negative plays. He was also calling protections, which I’m sure didn’t help. Turner, for all of his physical shortcomings, executed much better and the entire OL played better as a result.

Sloan didn’t help matters with play calling. Then we also had a first year starter in Nuss, who we all saw get baited into checks to the run over a feigned blitz that turned into 0 or negative plays.

Many of you assume Daniels was the only reason the OL performed better in the past. We can’t discount his effect, but it wasn’t a blanket over everything. He may have affected LBs and Safeties a lot, but he didn’t get movement on the NGs and DTs who regularly run stuffed us this season. We didn’t open holes in the interior of the line at the same rate as last year, and Chester, not Daniels, is your biggest reason why. Having Daniels this season would not have helped that.

There’s one more issue that definitely didn’t help the run game. Once Emery went down, Durham was the only back we had who was a decent fit for the scheme and OL personnel this season. Sloan should have adjusted more and that’s on him, but we needed backs with immediate burst to the hole and great vision to pair with our zone blocking. Neither Williams nor Jackson have that. Jackson’s lack of vision is a big issue and he probably needs to be in a gap run scheme somewhere else to succeed. Durham’s injury certainly didn’t help either, since is definitely slowed him a step or two in multiple games after.