If we can't run the ball with 12 personnel and a gap-power scheme what makes you think we will run the ball well with a 10 personnel spread running inside zone and duo? Richt tried to run that stuff with and without tempo and we were horrible at it.
I see a long post with very little substance to the recommendations besides "RUN THE SPREAD DAMMIT, PACE & SPACE!" How is this a panacea that's going to solve our problems?
If you think Washington State and Texas have similar concepts and philosophy....well, I don't know what to tell you.
One of the most concerning things was CM was able to get constant pressure and 4 sacks while only bringing their 4 down lineman. It makes it a lot harder to create space when you have 7 guys in coverage (to varying degrees). When you add that Jarren isn't taking/hitting enough deep balls to keep the defense honest, there isnt much room to operate. So, as usual, the problem begins and ends with the OL.
That said, I would like to see less bunch formations (or at least not as much bunching inside the hashes), and wider OL splits, as I mentioned in another thread. Both have elements of a spread and can be helpful when considering the current makeup and limitations of the OL. Lining the WRs up outside the hashes stretches out the defense and makes them cover more ground. Will this create any running lanes? Who knows, but something has to change and its worth a try.
As to the OL splits, it'd theoretically give us an extra 1/2 second because the DE would have more ground to cover to get to the QB. Maybe it creates other issues, like the opportunity to blitz up the middle against a bad interior OL, but it'll at least (hopefully) stop Jarren from getting decapitated by the DE while Zion is still in his stance.
I don't think we need to go full air raid, and anyone calling for that without a coaching change is being unrealistic. That isn't what Enos knows how to run, and you don't install a brand new offense over the bye-week. But I do agree with OP that the slow developing routes and play action (esp when averaging 1.5ypc against 8 in the box) are causing problems. Something needs to give.
A problem with going away from 12 formation is it takes 2 of our best players off the field, in Brevin and Mallory. Some will say to just split them out wide and treat them as WRs, but that takes away so much of the schematic advantage of having them lined up on the interior. We are using them as interior blockers (to what degree of success is a different conversation), and opposing DCs are forced to account for that. That is where we get our mismatches with these 2 guys. The play on the first drive that Roman highlighted where Jarren hit Mallory for a big gain was beautiful offense.
Sorry for the long post. I could've summed it up by just saying our OL sucks.