Football content: DE behaviors

killerB

killerB

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I don't have the time/skill to post .gifs of the behavior in question, but I just wanted to comment on what I think I've seen so far this season (I also drink a lot during the games). I noticed USF do it, but we were scoring and moving so I didn't think it mattered much. Pitt did it too with success. Clemson followed suit but I don't think it would've mattered much because they're dominate.

I've noticed DEs running a tad wide and sprint to a spot in the backfield to get in the pitch lane and keep QB inside or force a quick pitch. If you'll watch, you can see them doing this even on plays that aren't going to their side. So they're basically running to a spot no matter what and reacting to the play afterwards. I think it's interesting because we tend to option off these guys. That would indicate you give to BB. The plays that are designed to go wide aren't working b/c DE and no option to give to BB. I'm not sure why we don't lean more on our BBs like in years past. I get we lost one already but you have to force the defense to stop that play to open up the rest.

Compounding the issue, imo, is that on these plays TM looks like he takes a wide half-step backwards to square up. Almost as if he does it to pause his momentum to get extra time to make reads or allow pitch relation timing. The result is he's stuck with nowhere to go and doesn't make the pitch quick enough.

The few snaps TO got against USF countered that DE play b/c it was attacking. I haven't gone back to watch any games from last year to see if defenses were doing this, but I feel like TM was able to have better running lanes than this year. Also, maybe an OL thing and I'm not near qualified enough to see it in game speed--other than going back to watch how incredible it was to run behind Shaq Mason all day.

TL;DR. I feel like DEs are playing us differently and we can't/haven't adjusted.
 
I've noticed something similar. This would work out poorly for the defense if we had a bruiser at B-back and a snappy, decisive QB....
 
killerB said:
I don't have the time/skill to post .gifs of the behavior in question, but I just wanted to comment on what I think I've seen so far this season (I also drink a lot during the games). I noticed USF do it, but we were scoring and moving so I didn't think it mattered much. Pitt did it too with success. Clemson followed suit but I don't think it would've mattered much because they're dominate.

I've noticed DEs running a tad wide and sprint to a spot in the backfield to get in the pitch lane and keep QB inside or force a quick pitch. If you'll watch, you can see them doing this even on plays that aren't going to their side. So they're basically running to a spot no matter what and reacting to the play afterwards. I think it's interesting because we tend to option off these guys. That would indicate you give to BB. The plays that are designed to go wide aren't working b/c DE and no option to give to BB. I'm not sure why we don't lean more on our BBs like in years past. I get we lost one already but you have to force the defense to stop that play to open up the rest.

Compounding the issue, imo, is that on these plays TM looks like he takes a wide half-step backwards to square up. Almost as if he does it to pause his momentum to get extra time to make reads or allow pitch relation timing. The result is he's stuck with nowhere to go and doesn't make the pitch quick enough.

The few snaps TO got against USF countered that DE play b/c it was attacking. I haven't gone back to watch any games from last year to see if defenses were doing this, but I feel like TM was able to have better running lanes than this year. Also, maybe an OL thing and I'm not near qualified enough to see it in game speed--other than going back to watch how incredible it was to run behind Shaq Mason all day.

TL;DR. I feel like DEs are playing us differently and we can't/haven't adjusted.
Click to expand...

Are you referring to the no man's land between the pitch and keep key? I've noticed a few times a DE sitting in this awkward space while a linebacker floats out on the outside.
 
I've noticed the same thing. Ultimately if we block everyone we're supposed to and make the right read, it shouldn't matter, but clearly we're falling short somewhere. I'd be curious to see GIFs of this if someone has the time.
 
This is a symptom of the fact that TQM isn't running the TO. He is not meshing and reading the DE. Our dive plays are essentially called plays. Often we are dragging the AB across the field that would be the receiver in a TO pitch using him as a blocker, and using the BB as a pitch man in what is essentially a double option.

I think the real question to be asking is why isn't CPJ running the TO with TQM?
 
ScionOfSouthland said:
Are you referring to the no man's land between the pitch and keep key? I've noticed a few times a DE sitting in this awkward space while a linebacker floats out on the outside.
Click to expand...
Yes, and we should've exploited this by now.
 
coit said:
This is a symptom of the fact that TQM isn't running the TO. He is not meshing and reading the DE. Our dive plays are essentially called plays. Often we are dragging the AB across the field that would be the receiver in a TO pitch using him as a blocker, and using the BB as a pitch man in what is essentially a double option.

I think the real question to be asking is why isn't CPJ running the TO with TQM?
Click to expand...
I fear TM is solid at practice and then goes rouge on game day so the play calls get adjusted. Hence the sheer frustration by CPJ and us. 3-O and mid-line should eat this up. Rocket toss would get us outside that guy and eliminate him from the play (unless we cut back inside WR block). I enjoy our offense when it's clicking and noticing little things like this make me wanna dive deep into the film. I'd love to be there during coaches meetings.
 
It is not always the DE and remember the OLB can take the BBack.

Here is the key. The pitch read’s shoulders are pointing to the pitch man but in space to take the QB. The right thing to do is run at the read to make him commit to the pitch or take you and pitch. If he refuses to turn shoulder... run by him and take a 4 yard gain. Nothing is good inside. Better to run him over and get 2 yards than lose yards inside. I have some gifs I’ll post later.

I am going to do an offense slow motion look. There was a lot of good... despite the bad fumbles and the speed of Clemson. That DL was sick and the LB and DB were fast. Not being able to run play action killed us. Play action gets the QB killed against that front.
 
killerB said:
I've noticed DEs running a tad wide and sprint to a spot in the backfield to get in the pitch lane and keep QB inside or force a quick pitch. If you'll watch, you can see them doing this even on plays that aren't going to their side.
Click to expand...

This is where we're supposed to run the Midline Option right at that gap.

Seems like we haven't run that since Tevin.
 
GT ran it at least twice... first time was wrong read... second time was perfect!

We ran it against VT in 2016 as well.

Midline requires riding the mesh when the DT does not commit. Of course if he go outside, that’s an easy give. Right now we are not great at “hide” the football and guess who has it.
 
I could understand if we had to force a freshman into the QB position. But a senior having these issues? And top it off with no credible threat through the air? Yikes.
 
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