Recent Comments
French;
I keep think back to the first couple of games last year where LT was getting sacked because the WR routes were long/slow developing. I am wondering what has changed this year? Are we calling a mix of quick and long routes or is LT getting better at moving through his progressions as a passer?
Great post by the way.
I want to see us play either Georgia or Texas. The odds of either rely on us being very good and losing the ACCCG, something I don't want, or going undefeated while everyone at the top loses enough that we get the number 2 spot, which isn't exactly pragmatic. Nonetheless, I just don't want to win a conference only to get the right to thrash Louisville in the Orange Bowl.
was overrated, but they just play the PAC-12 and Big-12 OOC. They hardly ever play the ACC or SEC. I really think the ACC is just as good as the Big-12, B1G, and PAC-12, but they continually play the SEC, so, you know, that hasn't worked out so well for the ACC. When VT takes on OSU and Wisconsin, if these games hold up, we'll see how VT would do in the B1G.
I'd love for us to play WVU. Bring the Black Diamond Trophy with us.
It looks like they disguised it as a read option where LT3 hands it off to the running back who gives it to Davis on the reverse. Nice looking little play in my mind where the defense not only has to worry about the read, but has to worry about the WR coming on the reverse.
One other note, Randall Dunn blocked really well. I think, even more than the catches, that was reason to be excited. Dunn gives them a dangerous intermediate weapon who is a little quicker than Malleck, but if Dunn can't block, it basically gives the defense a guarenteed read of pass. In Tecmo Bowl, it would be death.
you forgot TELLER4TACKLE
I am not sure. Because Logan is a passer and a power runner rather than a quick guy, the deeper set up perhaps is a better fit.
I think the most problematic part of the pistol is pass pro. The back (who is 5'10 or 5'7 depending on who is in) is tucked behind a 6'6 eclipse of a quarterback. On straight drop back, it must be hell on the running back to see the defensive blitzes tucked behind Logan. On the snap, the back has to choose a side and avoid Logan's drop. The end result is a problem similar to what we saw with David Wilson. The backs are willing blockers, but they set up so close to the front of Logan that a hard blitz can knock them back into LT3's lap. Sometimes this forces him to take his eyes off the downfield progression and scramble when the rush really isn't that big a threat.
sparty??? they're my pick to win the b1g this year
French - thanks for pointing out Gibson at RT. I thought he was impressive, and extremely violent at the point of attack. Althought he might provide good depth at Guard this year and maybe challenge Wang, I believe he's our starting RT in 2013. That makes me feel a whole heckuva lot better about tackle depth next year with Schuman and Gibson starting, being spelled by a combination of Goins, Acree, Conte, Tarasche.
I agree that there is much more leeway for motion...even seeing it on Sundays. The stickler in me looks for the flag every time I notice it.
Only a 6 Hr drive away!! for me. Probably would have to go undefeated and then lose to FSU or Clemson in the ACCCG for it to be a reality.
The JGW/RVD side-by-side is sexy, NSFW stuff.
Thank you.
"Luckily, I had a whim to take my next 3 mortgage payments and use them on a parlay of the Week 2 Six Pick. Now, I'm RICH BITCH!"
This is what I wish I would be saying right now.
Sorry, my work PC is acting like my work PC.
French, this was an extremely thorough post. Great read!
I just hope by the Cincy game that Holmes gets the majority of the carries. While we would have been more effective feeding him the ball consistently vs AP, I imagine the coaches are breaking him in slowly. I like his burst and how he doesn't seem to waste momentum (dance), even though he does bounce like you mentioned. Hopefully that will come with maturity.
I deleted the second one, looks like you got the original one.
I need to take a look at the blocked punt again, but I must admit, I had almost no special teams experience outside of blocking for field goals and punts. I do know that you are supposed to lay out well in front of the punter, and Gregory was a little close. I think if the Hokies really wanted to go after more, they would have blocked more kicks.
As for the reverses, try not to think of them as reverses. Most of the plays are sweeps that take the place of the old T formation concept where you fake a dive on the inside with your big fullback and give it to the tailback around the end. This is the same thing. The design is rather simple. The Hokies use the jet and rocket sweeps to keep the 8th man in the box (who, no matter how good the line is, you can't block) tied up with defending the sweep, so he can't crash down inside to take the dive. Conversely, if the 8th man (usually the strong safety) starts ignoring the fake and crashes down inside, you give the ball to the receiver on the jet or rocket sweep and if you reach the end, there is nothing but air and opportunity between the ball carrier and the end zone.
I thought the Hokies ran very basic vanilla jet and rocket sweeps, mainly to get it on film for ACC opponents. Now, instead of loading the box, Clemson, UNC, and UVA will have to keep a man outside to make sure that the motion man does not have the football. It takes away the natural pursuit and aggression of the defense.
sorry, double posted
Thy name is Legend! Superb gif!
This is a great service, french!
I share your OL concerns too. I'm hopeful that the lack of push was due to 5-day-turn-around-hangover and mental (hey, it's Austin Peay) issues. Hopefully the coaching staff gets their steel toe boots out and kicks a few tucases into gear for Pitt. If we execute the way we're capable, we could be looking at very good ground stats after saturday. This is the worst Pitt team I can recall seeing (mainly because they weren't on tv in the pre-Jonny Majors/Dorsett days).
French - curious to hear your take on the blocked punt as well as the reverse that we ran at one point. My opinion is that you would save plays like that for better opponents. I understand running those plays in a live, game situation is probably better for the players than doing it repeatedly in practice. However, considering how vanilla the rest of the gameplan was, these seemed out of place. Thoughts?
As someone who's never played football before, these really help me understand the game better. Thanks, and keep up the great work!
Thanks, French.
Hey, I just got done watching the film of the first half against AP, and I really noticed for the first time just how deep we're lining up LT in the pistol. He's basically taking one step forward from where he is in the shotgun. For comparison I pulled up some youtube video of Nevada's pistol offense and it seems like LT is lining up a good yard to yard and a half behind where Chris Ault lines his QB up. Seems like this might give LT a better view of the field for passes but negates a lot of the quick hit nature of the pistol.
Thoughts?
I think this video pretty much sums the dark days:
The ORANGE BOWL....oh wait