Failure to Execute the Basics Hampers Hokies' Offense Against Tar Heels

Frank Beamer's last home game in Lane Stadium ended with a disappointing, if familiar, result. Hokie Nation has grown accustomed to watching their defenses overachieve while their offenses underwhelm, and sadly Saturday was no different. The offense managed just over 400 yards and required a pair of late UNC fumbles to tie the game and send it into overtime. So what went wrong on Saturday? Why didn't Michael Brewer, Scot Loeffler and company find more success before their late surge?

A Strong Playbook

No one can accuse Loeffler of doing a poor job of designing plays. Loeffler is an excellent tactician who knows how to space his players across the field, horizontally and vertically, in order to isolate defenders. Loeffler can then either force an opponent into a no-win situation or deploy a superior athlete against a defender in order to secure a mismatch. Even against UNC DC Gene Chizik's "bend don't break" conservative defense, Loeffler was able to find single coverage and push the ball down the field at times.

On this play, Loeffler managed to get Bucky Hodges, one of his better weapons, in one-on-one coverage down the field. Loeffler lines his receivers in a balanced formation and then brings Greg Stroman across the field pre-snap to fake the sweep. The motion forces the defense to rotate into a cover 3 zone and, when combined with the fake hand off to Sam Rogers, also slows down the pass rush of the defensive line. Ryan Malleck runs a post to the middle of the field to occupy the safety while Bucky streaks past the corner and draws a pass interference call.

This is a really, really well designed play. Not only does Loeffler buy his QB plenty of time by using a double play-action, he leaves the field corner covering air while flooding the zone to the boundary. Take a second look and you'll see the boundary sideline has three receivers at three different levels, it's almost impossible for the defense to match up. Stroman threatens the flat, Bucky threatens deep down the field, and if they're all covered you have Isaiah Ford coming across the field behind the flat defender on an intermediate crossing route. This is the type of quality pass structure that has Loeffler has impressed me with since he arrived in Blacksburg.

A good offensive coordinator doesn't just have to have good play designs. He also needs to be able to call the right play at the right time, something Loeffler doesn't get enough credit for. Loeffler has made some really good calls at critical moments over the past three years, and I think the above play is a great example. It's late in the third quarter, the offense is four yards out, and Loeffler calls a quarterback draw for his small signal caller.

Now this is 100% the correct play call. UNC is expecting a pass and they have the right coverage called to prevent any easy route combinations to get an open receiver. The commitment to stop the pass has left only five defenders in the box and Loeffler knows a QB draw will give him an extra blocker in the run game. It's a gutsy call though because if the defense makes a great play and stops Brewer here, Loeffler has set himself up to take a lot of flak. The average fan isn't going to look kindly on a 3rd-and-four QB draw coming up short, and it would lead to plenty of second guessing. That is not a play call I would have the stones to make, but Loeffler knew UNC's tendency, he saw alignment and trusted his instincts. You have to respect that.

Virginia Tech's game tying touchdown was another well conceived and bold play call. The throw is going to Isaiah Ford all the way. It is based on one of Loeffler's favorite route combinations.

Via: 11W

Loeffler will normally try to get Bucky (#3) open by using Ford (#2) to pick his defender. If he feels a defense is prepared for the rub, Loeffler will occasionally throw in a wrinkle. He will have Ford "miss" the pick and sit in that space behind Bucky's defender for a short completion.

This touchdown was a wrinkle inside of a wrinkle. The defense is prepared for both scenarios by running a zone coverage and switching responsibilities. The outside corner takes Phillips on the corner route, the inside corner jumps Bucky's route (preventing a pick), and the linebacker is prepared for Ford to sit in the space the linebacker normally would have vacated if he had chased Bucky. Here's the double bluff. Right as the linebacker starts to close on Ford's snag route, Ford pulls a double move and slides past the linebacker for an easy touchdown.

This is a beautiful play that the defense had no chance of stopping.

Struggling With The Basics

If Scot Loeffler has proven that he can design plays and he has proven that he is capable of calling the right plays at the right times, why is his unit struggling three years into his reign as offensive coordinator? The answer is simple. The offense continues to make simple mistakes which lead to stalled drives.

This third down sack ended a drive because the offensive line failed to pick up the simplest of stunts by the defensive line. UNC uses a cover 2 man scheme (man coverage with two deep safeties over top) which means they are only going to be rushing four men. It looks as though Bucky Hodges has an opportunity to break his route out in front of the safety down the field, but Brewer is brought down before Hodges has a chance. What a disheartening play. These are the type of simple stunts the offensive line should be able to block in their sleep by this point in the season.

Augie Conte and Wade Hansen have to work as a unit to absorb this stunt. As soon as Conte sees his defensive tackle cross his face, he has to be prepared for the defensive end to jump inside. Instead, Conte engages the defensive tackle with both hands and isn't capable of getting back into position to prevent the penetration and sack. I don't care how good Scot Loeffler's plays are, if he shows up to the eleventh game of the season with a healthy offensive line that can't stop this stunt he hasn't prepared his team. UNC would finish the game with 5.0 sacks, their highest total of the season.

The Hokies went hurry up no huddle after a successful eight yard play on first down. In their rush, they didn't line up correctly and Rogers ended up running into a handful of unblocked defenders. Nothing about this play makes sense. It looks like the offensive line got the call that the play was a zone run to the boundary while Brewer and Rogers thought it was a zone run to the field, but to make matters worse Malleck is also lined up on the wrong side of the formation.

It is awfully late in the season to be lining up for plays incorrectly, especially considering Loeffler uses the same handful of plays everytime he goes hurry up. At the very least, you would expect the experienced Michael Brewer to spot that something is wrong and get everything sorted out before he hikes the ball. These type of procedural mistakes are unacceptable at this point in the season, and I have to wonder if Loeffler's complex playbook is setting his players up for substitution and alignment errors.

On a third-and-long from the edge of field goal range, Brewer has to realize that he under no circumstances can he take a sack. As soon as he sees the deep routes aren't open, he has to be looking for (wide open) Sam Rogers as his check down. A second year starter, the senior quarterback has to be aware of the game situation and get rid of the ball before he gets hit. The reason this play hurts so much is because this drive started on UNC's 30 yard line after the defense forced a fumble. So the defense made a play, gave the offense a short field, and all the offense has to do is play smart football and try to punch it in. If it can't, it's still within field goal range to take the points and see if the defense can't get another short field. BeamerBall is working!

Except, the opposite happened. On first down Michael Brewer very nearly gave the ball right back when he threw the ball into the hands of a defender who luckily dropped it. On third down the offensive line got called for a holding penalty, and on the replayed down Brewer got sacked to knock the team out of field goal range.

What Excuses?

This was supposed to be the year everything turned around on offense. It's Loeffler's third season at Virginia Tech, he has had plenty of time to teach his scheme. Outside of Michael Brewer's broken collarbone, there haven't been injuries to the skill positions or offensive line (a unit which has benefited from the emergence of Travon McMillian at running back). Loeffler has good plays and he has good players. The Hokies are too talented to be ranked No. 89 in total offense, No. 64 in scoring offense, No. 84 in FEI, and No. 81 in S&P+.