I don't think the main problem on Thursday was the quality of athletes.
This offense, or variant of it, can work at the college or pro level. You've already got aspects of it in Seattle, Philadelphia, and SF.
Back when CPJ coached for Erk Russell, he came up with his plan to run out of a spread (run and shoot) formation. He's been so successful with it that I think he's gotten complacent with it, and Mike London, Bud Foster, and some other guys have picked up things they can exploit. He started to work out of that in the Duke and UNC games by running different formations--same offense, just a variation, and he scared everybody.
He backslid into his comfort zone on Thursday, and he got burned.
I think he should let his young assistants try some things--I'm sure they have a ton of ideas.
As for the blocking schemes, I'm not sure how much cut-blocking vs. "straight-up" matters. The Denver Broncos made a living cut blocking for decades, but I think you're better off when the other guy doesn't know what's coming.