I agree with you that's is purely speculative. By that same token I haven't seen the offensive unit play with the spark it did when people were claiming we "are better without OBJ". Now many of those same people claim the WR's suck. Something is amiss here but I have no idea what that is.
There was a track record, however much it may have been merely non-causal correlation, of us playing better without OBJ. I never bought into it, but it WAS there and after OBJ's antics to get out of here, it seemed to gain some validity.... HOWEVER, another take based purely in speculation, but supported by the existing known facts, is there is some sort of rift or unease with the players/receivers and the coaches on how the offense is/should be(ing) handled. It would explain OBJ just wanting to cut bait, the mystery around Higgins, the frustration tweet by Hunt's Dad, and perhaps even Baker's apparent regression as well as the ineffectiveness of everything offensively, in general.
It *could* simply be that Conklin makes this much of a difference on the line and Baker is actually hurting a lot more than is let on, and defenses are actually playing us better than they did last year... but, that doesn't really make sense. Those few small things don't add up to the complete turnaround in offensive power we've seen.
Nick Freaking Chubb can't run the ball suddenly.
Our OLine can't run block suddenly and we give up pressures in the pass game all over the place.
TEs and WRs struggle to get open.
Despite an offense designed to run & pass both left and right, short and long, from the exact same looks and personnel groups, it seems defenses know EXACTLY what we're about to run every single play. Things are WAY too easily covered.
The QB who made his chops on accuracy, particularly on outside shoulder throws at the sideline, suddenly has issues where balls are a bit short and on the inside shoulders; perfectly placed for DBs in trailing coverage.
So... maybe there is some malaise and frustration in the lockerroom because they ALL KNOW we're better than we've been playing, but for some reason - perhaps schematically - we're just not being allowed to be as good as we should be.
I have no idea, and the entire notion seems kinda crazy, but it also probably wouldn't even crack the Top 20 in the craziest things that have happened behind the scenes in Berea over the last 15 years.
