Aranda's Call Sheet: Pass to Run, Being on the Road and More

The Bears and Bearcats will battle for the first time ever this Saturday, and both enter in need of some good fortune, or more plainly, a win and all the positives that follow.  

After a break in action with the open date, Dave Aranda was back at the podium on Monday, and here were three notes from the start of Cincinnati week. 

RUNNING THE BALL BY PASSING?  

The offense's inability to run the ball consistently has thrown everything for a loop, and the side effects trickle throughout the team. If we are to see a dramatic improvement in the second half of the season, something must give in the ground game. 

The most recent showing against Texas Tech was a horror show and low point, mustering only 17 yards total after sacks. Without those deductions, the total was a whopping 40 yards. 

Just two players have rushed for 100 yards through six games, and it's not because they're spreading the wealth. Dawson Pendergrass ran for 111 vs. Long Island, and Richard Reese ran for precisely 100 yards vs. UCF. 

As a team, they have run for less than 100 yards on two occasions, and outside of the aberration of 270 against Long Island, the second-best season-high is 153 yards vs. an awful UCF run defense. 

So, what gives? And how do they go about fixing it? 

"We talked throughout the bye about throwing it in order to run it. And so I think that's a big emphasis for us. And that's something that has to change from the beginning of the year of trying to run it and run it again, and then not be successful, and then throw it at the end of the down, on third down," Aranda said. 

"So to throw it, try to be creative to get those four yards, to stay on track and to stay on schedule, so that it's not run - run - pass, but it's a bubble screen here, It's an access throw there. And that's something that we're way paying attention to and involved in right now."

Running the ball more effectively will also be affected by the playcalling, a hot topic this past week. The execution part is also an important piece here.

SOME OUTSIDE (WR) HELP 

Much was made in the offseason about the addition of Ketron Jackson and the difference he could make, particularly on the outside. There was also a lot of hope younger talents would have emerged by now. Unfortunately, the wide receiver group as a whole remains a work very much in progress halfway through 2023, particularly on the outside. 

In Jackson's case, he's still developing, but it reminds me of Denzel Mims and the leap Mims eventually made in his final season when he got tough and bullied the ball away from DBs instead of getting pushed around. 

Hal Presley has shown flashes of taking the ball out of the air, but the consistency piece is missing, and his average yards per catch are way down the last three games. 

Elsewhere, others like Armani Winfield are still in a grey area of development and impactfulness. And forgive me if injuries play a factor in some of this because I may not be aware. 

Monaray Baldwin is far and away their best receiving threat, but he's a big play guy from the inside. He needs some help, as does Shapen, especially on the exterior.

"I think our outside receivers have been itching to play better. And I think the last two games have not been a testament to what they're capable of, and they're looking for an opportunity to show what they can do," Aranda said on Monday. 

Did you know? Baldwin is the only pure wide receiver with a touchdown catch this season. The Bears have only five receiving scores through six games as a team. Baldwin has two, and TE Drake Dabney has the other three. 

No matter how you slice up that factoid, that will not cut it. 

"We got to perform better on the outside. And then we got to be more creative with Monaray and finding ways to get him touches that are not down the field throws that require us to pass protect."

ROAD SWEET ROAD 

That loaded 8-game home schedule has yet to amount to wins, just one, in fact, over Long Island. And unfortunately, four losses at the hands of Texas State, Utah, Texas, and Texas Tech. 

Is leaving home a good thing? We'll see as the Bears play outside McLane for only the second time in seven games. Their only road trip, the year's highlight at this stage, was the miraculous win at UCF. 

"First of all, we have to play better at home. And it's disappointing with how we've played, and it's not something that's acceptable. But I think when you're on the road, it's just us. And it's just very clear. And there is nothing else," he said. 

"And so when you have them in the hotel on Friday, and then whatever time you have them on Saturday, it just kind of hits home, that it's us versus all of Ohio, and us versus the town of Cincinnati. And it's just us. And I think it's always that way, but when you're on the road, it's much more clear of a picture."

The home woes are glaring, but I'm glad Aranda addressed them directly. We know that he knows being 1-4 is unacceptable, but it's still nice to hear. 

Is there actually something to this team being a little more at ease away from McLane? And therefore better equipped to find success? Or is it mere wish casting? 

We'll find out this Saturday in the Queen City, starting at 11:00 a.m.