For me, it's quite simple with Gus, his offense and his paranoia. His offense from the day he took over the reigns at Tulsa is predicated on one thing and one thing only. Being able to run quick hitters between the tackles for 4 to 7 to 10 yards over and over and over. He had two different QB's at Tulsa who both threw over 40 TD passes in a year. But first and foremost, he had a back that ran for over 1,200 yards the first year and over 1,500 the second.
Everything else, and I mean everything else, works off of that. When he's got Ben Tate, Chris Todd can set records. Call it blasphemy, but Cam doesn't do what he did without having that senior line and Michael Dyer popping defenses time after time. Nick Marshall was a great read option QB but unless Tre and CAP are ripping off yards first and foremost, he's a flop. And even this year. You finally discover your mojo in the middle with Pettway, and what do you get with a healthy Sean White?
So here's the problem. It's two-fold.
First, if he can't run it like he should for whatever reason, this year...injuries. He's dead in the water. No plan B. No ability to adjust. To be something a little different. EVERYTHING in his offense works off that. Period!
Second, and it's what we saw in at least 3 games this year, especially the first and last games. If he THINKS he won't be able to run it, we get panic at the disco. We get revolving QB's, twirly bird fullback throws, the Notre Dame Box.
Gus is a one-trick pony. If it's working, it's a thing of beauty that matches any offense in the country. If it's not, or of he goes in believing he's already overmatched (Clemson and Bama) he goes full tard. And it's one of the ugliest things to watch in all of college football.
I'll agree his history with recruiting and/or developing QB's is less than stellar. But I think that's not the root of the problem. If we kick Jovon Robinson off the team. If Roc Thomas transfers. If Malik Miller goes down to injury. If Kamryn Pettway also goes down to injury and we're now left with a Carry On at 60%, Gus Malzahn goes brain dead and this offense lies dead in the water.