If you haven't read Andy Bitter's blog post on Dadi Nicolas, do that. Link is here
http://blogs.roanoke.com/andybittervirginiatechfootball/2013/10/15/de-ni...
One thing that caught my eye is Shane Beamer mentioning at the end of the piece that the Hokies are using the off week to self scout. For those unfamiliar with the term, basically the coaching staff will break down their own film (rather then focusing on an oppossing defenses, like they'd have to for game week). With all of the different concepts, personnel packages, formations, etc. that the Hokies have run this year I'm interested to see if we'll get see a noticeable difference in next weeks game plan.
Will the coaching staff decide they need to run more from under center? Will they be throwing more in the red zone? Will they cut back on the number of formations and personnel packages , or will they use even more in the hopes of getting players like Mangus and Caleb more field time? What about attacking the interior of the defense using a running back from a spread formation?
Odds are that we won't see any drastic changes next week, but it will be fun to speculate after the game what (if any) play calls were influenced by the week of self scouting.
Comments
I'd love to see more runs from under center. I think it leads to better play action, and hitting the holes faster on actual run plays. And it's just more fun to watch than all these pistol/shotgun option plays/sweeps/etc.
Based on what I watched on the offensive film, I think they will absolutely look to run the inside and outside zone more under center this week. Defenses are now sitting on the pass when Logan is under center, and play action has been a critical component to helping Hokie receivers get open on 1st and 2nd down. On one play, which I will highlight later this week, Edmunds took the fake on the zone stretch, and Pitt completely ignored him and jammed up the bootleg. If Edmunds gets the ball, he may still be running.
While Mason demonstrated the Hokies running zones effectively from the gun/pistol, the Hokies did not run a single zone play from under center last weekend against Pitt. Yet, they play faked the zone stretch numerous times for the passing game. Loeffler has to at least make the threat of Edmunds or Coleman getting the ball credible or the play fake will be ignored all together, and with it the play action game from the ace formation.
One wonders if we've ever self-scouted before.
Part of me can't imagine this hasn't happened before. The other part of me says there's no way we would have seen so many WR screens if it had happened before.
I'm pretty sure it's standard practice to self-scout during the bye week and then in prep for the bowl game.
I love that our coaches are doing this. I'm hoping this is a standard thing, if not then it most certainly should be.
Wouldn't you love to be in the room watching them pick apart pros/cons on film?
I agree, I love the idea of self-assessment. I, for one, saw myself galloping the other day and realized that my trot wasn't contributing to my overall gait. I changed up a hitch in my step and now they mares can't take their eyes off me.
I suggest we start a Make-A-Wish for french to get invited to break down film with the coaches. Or at least to be a fly on the wall.
I wonder if the staff is using a specific computer program to help them with self-scouting, or if Tech has their own proprietary software. It would be interesting to find that out.
Computer Program?
That's what Graduate assistants are for...
not sure, but Bud did send me an email asking for the links to the every snap videos. I sent them over and he said no that he meant the video where the defense snaps the neck of the opposing QBs.
Aren't those the same things?
Sweet, it sounds like Bud is going to be hosting a movie night on the Drillfield.
30 for 30: A Defense to Remember. "What if I told you, a defensive line was so dominant that QBs refused to play against it"
I know that Stinespring used one that was actually called "Self Scout". Supposedly, it would breakdown the types of plays run out of different formations to get an idea if you were being predictable.
Like I said..."supposedly"
He must have never mastered that program.
I think that's great. They obivously are trying to figure out what's their strength and weakness are 7 games in the season. We know they have a tremendous passing attack with the emergence of Willie Bryn*, Kalvin Cline, Sam Rogers, all the running backs, Joshua Stanford, D.J. "Red Zone Specialist" Coles, and Knowles.
They are definitely going to tweak with the playbooks to improve the rushing attack and look at the personnel grouping for the line so they can have the best run blockers out on the field.
*Every time Bryn gets the ball and juke someone, I'm going to say, "You just got Byrned."
*Byrn. Bryn plays for UNC.