Dan Mullen Should Steal This Play from the University of Washington

Mississippi State has struggled to run the ball well consistently to start the season. Part of that is incorporating a new quarterback into the system. Part of that is a struggling offensive line. And part of it is a misuse of the talents of the running backs in different situations.

The most notable case of the third part is any instance or play that involves running Brandon Holloway between the offensive tackles. It’s been incredibly frustrating to watch one of the most explosive guys on the roster not used in a way that would take advantage of his talents, but rather forces him into situations that accentuate his weaknesses. Seeing Holloway get mugged by opposing linebackers hurts my soul. But there are ways to incorporate him into the offense effectively.

I know a lot of the facebook commenters have been telling me (and Dan Mullen) to put him at slot receiver. That’s not going to happen much. But they are right in that Holloway needs to be used in a capacity that gets him out into space. And one way to do that is similar to how the Washington Huskies are running this option on this play.

Brandon Holloway is a speedster, pure and simple. If you can do anything to get into the open field, he’ll find a way to break the play open and get yards by the dozen. The trick is getting him into the open field. Option plays like the one above would be key to doing that.