Off Week

Off weeks are great for the team, and no team needed one more than State, but they suck for fans. There is nothing to talk about but a game two weeks away.

Croom is focusing this week on the offense, as he should. He's promising slight changes and hinting at a more aggressive down-field attack. How? Who knows.

"We just have to start making some plays with our receivers," Croom said. "People are stacking against our running game. They figure if they stop Jerious, we can't move and that's pretty much been the case so far. We're not making big plays in the passing game. The throw is a little high, or we're not making the catch. I mean we have to be able to throw the football."

Also, it looks like Redmond and Dunning will be back in action for the Houston game, which should help the struggling o-line.

So, what changes will Croom make to help the passing game?

Here are a few suggestions from the cheap seats:

1. Use Thornton or Norwood in the slot, with the other in the backfield. This at least puts some speed in the slot and makes the defense respect both positions.

2. Split Eric Butler out wide. Butler will have a significant size advantage on the corner and he'll be tougher to double by anyone with size. This way you can leave a TE in to block and still get one of the team's few playmakers out in a pass pattern.

3. Put anyone with speed on the field (Pegues, Fitzhugh, Dockery) at WR and take a couple shots a game on flys. Why not?

4. Alternate quarterbacks. Neither Conner nor Henig has been impressive. Rotate them some in the first half and maybe Conner will last until the 4th quarter, when it will hopefully matter.

5. Give Norwood the ball 15 or more times. I can't emphasize this enough. The two games (granted it was Murray State and Tulane) in which he received more than 15 carries this season we won and the six games in which he received more than 15 last year were the team's best played games. He has to be the workhorse down the stretch.