Blocking the MLB

[gtg936g]

I am trying to understand a little more about what is supposed to happen pre/post snap and could use some help.

Lets say we are up against the 4-3 alignment with a deep MLB, and the call is a triple option. Below is what I think should happen, but I would like for someone to correct me and fill in a few gaps.

Our Tackle looks at the DE and determines whether he will inside or outside release and makes the call to the guard. He looks at the play side LB, if the PSLB is inside his outer thigh the tackle blocks him (?) because he won't be part of the option count, and the PSAB takes the MLB. If the PSLB is outside, the tackle takes the MLB and the AB takes the corner or the safety.

What happens if the tackle knows he can't get the MLB because of the depth or the MLB moves with the pre-snap motion?

Is there a call where we send the tackle to the safety, have the AB take the PSLB, and pitch off the MLB?

 

[TVan]

I am trying to understand a little more about what is supposed to happen pre/post snap and could use some help.

Lets say we are up against the 4-3 alignment with a deep MLB, and the call is a triple option. Below is what I think should happen, but I would like for someone to correct me and fill in a few gaps.

Our Tackle looks at the DE and determines whether he will inside or outside release and makes the call to the guard. He looks at the play side LB, if the PSLB is inside his outer thigh the tackle blocks him (?) because he won't be part of the option count, and the PSAB takes the MLB. If the PSLB is outside, the tackle takes the MLB and the AB takes the corner or the safety.

What happens if the tackle knows he can't get the MLB because of the depth or the MLB moves with the pre-snap motion?

Is there a call where we send the tackle to the safety, have the AB take the PSLB, and pitch off the MLB?

The olb and de will be read and pitch keys. Qb reads the stack. The tackle will get scrapping mlb. If he can't then, they will run the zone dive to keep his butt from flying out.

 

[gtg936g]

Thanks @TVan

For others interested this clip answers a few questions

 

[Yaller Jacket]

Seems like I remember that ND and Clem had smallish, super fast and athletic middle linebackers. We could not get a body on them and they made an astoundingly high number of tackles.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Seems like I remember that ND and Clem had smallish, super fast and athletic middle linebackers. We could not get a body on them and they made an astoundingly high number of tackles.

You beat that by running straight up the gut. It doesn't matter how athletic he is, he's not moving laterally. We still have to make our blocks up front, however, then we gotta block the guy.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

There's other things you can do to beat the MLB, too. Like keeping him guessing, change up the guy assigned to block him. We have athletic tackles, so that's a good start. But we also have athletic Abacks and wr's. Mix up who we send at the guy and then throw over his head occasionally, too. Above all else, control the LOS. If the opponent can beat the dive with the DL's, it doesn't bode well for us no matter what we do.

 

[Fatmike91]

That video is really interesting. That slip block is one of the most basic and important parts of our offense that plays out over and over again. This is why our guards are so critical.

If we can do those basic things, then we can run on anyone. If we can't, then we struggle.

Shaq was incredible at this, and I'm rooting to see it a lot next year (with Shamire)!

/

 

[Boomergump]

This is the best discussion of the off season imho. Getting the mlb blocked was a major problem for us last year and needs to be a point of emphasis heading into the season. I am not sure what to add, in that pretty much everything I know has been said already.

Most teams do in fact play their mlb deep to give him room to defeat our blockers and many go with safety types who can really run. Believe it or not, but fleet footed agile athletes at mlb give us more trouble than stout physical run stuffers.

Last season, our tackles were slow and our ABs physically overmatched and underprepared.

If I had to choose, I would pick fixing this before pass protection ordered WR separation in terms of priorities.

 

[gtg936g]

It does appear the strategy used last year against us was to have the DE pinch our tackle and either have the MLB roll down hill hard to get the BB or immediately charge the alley. Our guards seemed to have a hard time picking up the MLB heading through the B gap. I assume the pinching DE would be a give read, and if we could pick up the MLB the D would pay dearly for their strategy.


I would think some belly plays would also make the D pay. Down blocking with a off tackle run with the BB where both ABs block what shows. Paul might have been limited in his options last year due to injuries.

 

[PBR549]

Believe me CPJ and all the coaches know where our deficits are and are doing everything in their power to fix them. We won't be out schemed by anyone. The question is whether or not we have the players and depth to get it done.

 

[MWBATL]

Believe me CPJ and all the coaches know where our deficits are and are doing everything in their power to fix them. We won't be out schemed by anyone. The question is whether or not we have the players and depth to get it done.

In other words, it's not the x's and the o's, it's the Jimmies and the Joes.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

In other words, it's not the x's and the o's, it's the Jimmies and the Joes.

It's actually both. You need a sound scheme and you need players who can execute it consistently against good defenses. The trick is selecting players that fit your scheme and training them up to execute it at a high level a high percentage of the time. At Tech, the challenge is heightened by the need to balance all that with a concurrent demanding academic schedule.

 

[Ibeeballin]

Our Tackle looks at the DE and determines whether he will inside or outside release and makes the call to the guard. He looks at the play side LB, if the PSLB is inside his outer thigh the tackle blocks him (?) because he won't be part of the option count, and the PSAB takes the MLB. If the PSLB is outside, the tackle takes the MLB and the AB takes the corner or the safety.

Tackle makes his calls to AB. Unless things have changed, the PSAB will never block the MLB. His blocks are in triangle PSLB if he's inside, Safety or CB if LB is outside.

What happens if the tackle knows he can't get the MLB because of the depth or the MLB moves with the pre-snap motion?

He try like hell to get a piece of him to slow the flow down

Is there a call where we send the tackle to the safety, have the AB take the PSLB, and pitch off the MLB?
Kinda but it usually happens naturally when the defense pinches and plays like 0 coverage behind it

 

[Ash]

Seems like I remember that ND and Clem had smallish, super fast and athletic middle linebackers. We could not get a body on them and they made an astoundingly high number of tackles.

At ND I swore they had an extra man on the field. Their MLB was everywhere. Anytime we tried to go outside he was blowing us up. It was so frustrating to watch.

 

[Boomergump]

Our Tackltrying to cut ooks at the DE and determines whether he will inside or outside release and makes the call to the guard. He looks at the play side LB, if the PSLB is inside his outer thigh the tackle blocks him (?) because he won't be part of the option count, and the PSAB takes the MLB. If the PSLB is outside, the tackle takes the MLB and the AB takes the corner or the safety.

Tackle makes his calls to AB. Unless things have changed, the PSAB will never block the MLB. His blocks are in triangle PSLB if he's inside, Safety or CB if LB is outside.

What happens if the tackle knows he can't get the MLB because of the depth or the MLB moves with the pre-snap motion?

He try like hell to get a piece of him to slow the flow down

Is there a call where we send the tackle to the safety, have the AB take the PSLB, and pitch off the MLB?
Kinda but it usually happens naturally when the defense pinches and plays like 0 coverage behind it

I could swear last year there were times we had the AB trying to cut the MLB. It may have been out of desperation because it was the only way of getting to him.

 

[gtg936g]

I recall seeing the same thing @Boomergump. Maybe it was out of desperation or a blown assignment, or a tweak.

I have confidence in our coaches/players to scheme and execute. My goal is to understand more about the offense as a fan.

 

[gtg936g]

A couple more blocking schemes from the video against the 4-3. The video is about $30, and worth the time if you are interested in hearing CPJ describe the offense beyond the generic descriptions you get from media interviews. Note that the center takes the MLB when he is not head up with the NT. It is fairly easy to see how reading the defense incorrectly can leave the wrong players unblocked.

 

[Longestday]

From my watching (unless these are mistakes) they will change blocking schemes and who blocks who. I have seen the AB go for the MLB. MLD hit the hell out of a MLB last year and got a penalty called on him. In the spring game, I saw Will Bryan as a guard take the MLB in a new move I saw with a cross like route with the tackle.

99% of the time it is the tackle that takes the MLB. Hard pinching by the DE has caused issues.

The 2015 OL also had significant issues in going to the right place. This was not helped by the lack of experience of the BB not following the hip of the Guard correctly. With the lack of "big plays" in 2015, we needed to be perfect all the way down the field. The lack of experience and confidence really took a toll in mistake killing drives.

 

[Milwaukee]

Hard pinching by the DE has caused issues.

This is what's concerning, in my opinion.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

I could swear last year there were times we had the AB trying to cut the MLB. It may have been out of desperation because it was the only way of getting to him.

Hell...the guy I remember was, I thought, an OLB...The one I'm thinking of stuffed our Bbacks, ran down our abacks, and defended deep balls like a damn safety.....I was impressed.