I'm watching the replay today and noticed that while we only have 3 down linemen there is a DE there standing up. However he is playing too far to the outside on the slot receiver where he can't possibly be rushing the QB or help in the run game. After a few more plays it looks like we are mostly running cover 3 while only rushing the 3 down linemen. What is the thought behind this? I would think that goes against Bud's core principles of stopping the run first and pressuring the QB. Don't get me wrong it clearly worked well. It just isn't what I was expecting to see. BTW thank you TKP. Before you I don't think I would have noticed any of those things.
Forums:
DISCLAIMER: Forum topics may not have been written or edited by The Key Play staff.
Comments
Not a football x and o guru, but noticed the same thing. I believe we still had numbers in the box designed to stop the run but not create lot's of pressure on the QB. I think Bud, like many of us on TKP, is tired of running QB's burning us, combined with young corners struggling in man, it appears we were playing lots of zone. Keeping the ball in front of us more than usual and it paid off. Last night was one of the best Bud foster scheming I've seen. I think he really threw "fuente" off his gameplan.
There were atleast 3 plays I remember that we got lucky on where our DBs got blown by in 1v1s except the throws were either slightly long or their receivers didn't hang on to it.
On at least one of them, Duke's O-line got away with another blatant hold that gave the QB time to launch a pretty pass.
It is just astonishing to me how badly line play is refereed. I don't know if it is on purpose (offense sells tickets) or just bad refs, but it has got to be utterly infuriating to a Dlineman in today's game.
Ken Ekanem and Dadi used to have their jerseys literally ripped to shreds and rarely got a holding call. Sometimes I wonder if the officials know that a fast DLine is going to blow by an OLine is a pass pro posture all game long, so they just don't call it. I would say they don't call it unless it's blatant, but they haven't been calling pulled jerseys or straight up tackles.
leg for the "Fuente" reference
Think everyone is very interested to here French's analysis on the wrinkles Bud threw in at Duke. If you are interested in things like that I'd encourage you to join the KeyPlay club as schemes and analysis are gone into with great depth, definitely worth it.
My limited guess is that the look was a way to throw Duke a curveball. Bud has done some stuff like this in more limited samples but I think the coverage struggles last week mixed with the fact that Duke was starting a QB that they had very little interest in running (coming off a broken collar bone like 3 weeks ago) made this look more attractive. Once the line was able to create pressure with 3 guys there was absolutely no reason not to continue with it. Think that the current lineup of Ends have a bit more coverage ability than in the past couple years as well and that plays a part.
Again that probably only scratches the surface. The Key Play post-game analysis is always really good.
I think I will when French's review comes out. I didn't update my credit card info so the membership lapsed. Then I couldn't bring myself to read the ODU reviews anyway.
Honestly French's reviews after a loss teach me more, also helps when talking to other Hokies who blame the loss on something that didn't really happen.
Typically I agree especially against good teams, but ODU was clearly a lack of being ready to play. When that happens Xs and Os just seems like a distraction.
I agree, I had the same question about the formation we were using with our ends. It almost looked like a 2-4-5 with our ends playing more like OLB than DE. It was a weird look, and it was especially weird seeing Belmar out there in coverage some plays.
Bud has been dropping DEs into coverage for awhile now.
Typically they've always been down linemen who retreat at the snap though (at least this is what I've always remembered seeing). Against Duke they were basically aligned like a linebacker over the slot.
A lot of times that DE would jam the most inside receiver which would be a tight end or slot guy then stay out in the flat to cover shallow routes . Also i saw a few times they would jam the inside person quick and then rush . To me Bud was trying to disrupt timing and cover the flats
Bud loves to run Cover 3 over trips and or bunch.
The announcers discussed that we were using multiple fronts, switching between 3 and 4 down lineman. The bear front guru's do this all the time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACaWuVadBHo&feature=onebox
Some extended highlights here.
Our starting 11 is pretty good, just need to ensure we don't have injuries. Looking forward to the next one.
Love that strike from Willis to Patterson on the dig route. Hits the receiver in stride right as he's coming out of his break, perfect timing and with some nice arm strength. That kind of arm talent and touch on the deep strikes by Willis will help get this offense back to another level.
This. I mentioned this in the game thread but Willis seems to have much better timing than JJ. One area of concern is JJ is in his second year as a starter but still never gets to his second read progression.
I haven't rewatched the film, so this is purely a take away I had while watching in real time. The play calling and offense looked more like when Evan's was there, lots of first reads got the ball. It wasnt one read and then run, but a lot more quick hitters in this game.
Also Keene seems to help QB stats.
Man, quite a few young receivers getting to show off some great skills so far. We have a very balanced WR corps. Maybe no superstars yet, but perhaps one or two in the making.
VT ran the three down almost every time Duke was in 4 wide receiver, 1 running back, no tight end personnel. On a rare occasion they ran it when a tight end was present, but it was very rare.
I cover the "how" and "why" in my film review. It would not have worked had the down linemen and inside linebackers (especially Ashby) not won a bunch of battles where they were outnumbered.
Would it be fair to say that he left his defensive front "on an island" for much of the game?
Well played.
I noticed more than once that in those 4xWR sets one of the slot WR was actually their TE split wide. Belmar almost always was dropped to that side.
Boundary DE was the guy that dropped. I didn't see one time that the field side DE dropped.
According to the box score Hunter did not accumulate a statistic. Did anyone notice if he played at all? Thoughts either way?
When Ladler had to leave the game for a play, Seisay came in, not Hunter...
O great, the hand wringing over this will be something on social media.
Refer them to the ODU tape.
Hunter can be a great player at Tech. He is currently not a player ready for the field. Holland Fisher is probably a good player comp for him right now. Incredible potential that needed to put in the time and buy into the system. Whether he does that or not will depend on whether he ends up finishing as another Holland Fisher or as Devon Hunter future NFL star.
I noticed the same. and I also notice hunter seemed to be un enthusiastic on kick off when everyone else was doing the normal get the crowd hype thing. I don't want to speculate but for a star that's been a starter his whole life and now he has to compete for PT he doesn't seem to be taking it real well. im sure hes disappointed with his PT and probably as the well as the way he played in the ODU game when he had a chance to really show case himself but I will not get caught up on it just because DH7 was so highly ranked recruit. the best player is not always the most athletic, physical freak of A player, sometimes its just the guy who gets himself in the right spot at the right time. Seems like devin still has some mental aspects of the game he needs to clean up before he can really use all his tools to be the stud we all expect him to be. His time will come no doubt but right now Khalil laddler is BALLING at whip! (not so much free) I don't want to see ladler come of the field.
You force the QB to think about the play call/ make a check. He knows Gaines is a DE.. will he delay rush or will he drop back in coverage? Just gives Duke a new look to consider pre snap. If it's an RPO, Gaines plays backside run, if not he just delay rushes/blitzes. Bud has used this in the past against Pitt and BC.. get a bigger "lb" on the field against the run