GT v VT 5th Offensive Series

[Longestday]

GT v VT 5th Offensive Series

 

[ilovetheoption]

I'll be honest, I LOVE these breakdowns, and your hypothesizing on blocking schemes/calls/options/etc.

I do the same thing myself when I watch the game at home (DVR is the BEST, because you can watch lineplay in slow-mo, and catch up during commercials) and it's fun to waatch somebody noodling things the same way I do.

 

[ilovetheoption]

Also, note that the last two plays were unbalanced lines to the playside.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Thanks LD. Keep 'em coming!!

 

[gtg936g]

The option play is ran against the stack. I think the idea was for the stacked defender to shoot inside to force a give in hopes the line defender (who was playing the pitch) was the predetermined dive key. The stack used to be a common way to confuse the blocking/QB by making the predetermined dive read play the pitch and blowing up the play.

 

[awbuzz]

Thank you for that Longestday. Love the review.

 

[UgagSucks]

Nice job - thanks for sharing!

 

[GT_B]

Really enjoy that you're doing these breakdowns. I like to see the blocking schemes as well. When watching live, you don't pick up the changes as much. Funny how close we are to breaking a touchdown at times if just someone Stayed on their block just 1 more second

 

[steebu]

Re: the triple option play where you didn't understand why it was a keep ... I think that's just PJ being the brilliant playcaller that he is. The play looks like a double option with a Cowboy call: "Cowboy and Cowboy Load is a double option scheme where the B-Back will block #1 and we will option off #2. Also, we want to run Cowboy when a LB'er walks up into the line."

That's exactly what happens. The LB walks up into the line, the PST blocks him, and the DE becomes the pitch key. Foster tipped off how he was probably gonna play the pitch: the DE widens on the dive action to cover the pitch on the previous play, too. So B blocks the MLB, the DE (#1) becomes the pitch key, and everyone else is accounted for, except for the FS who walked up (wearing jersey #2). Because the DE stayed with the pitch, JT correctly read it as a keep.

I do love the cat and mouse game Foster plays - the very next play he abandons his previous two schemes and goes with a conventional-looking 4-3 with the mike sitting deep.

 

[Big Philly]

@steebu I think the play at 2:41 of this clip is 12 Cowboy with the B-Back blocking #1.

 

[iceeater1969]

Thanks for the replays. Is JT dropping so deep on purpose . He closes on blockers quickly but the extra gap makes the blocking angles small.

 

[ilovetheoption]

Thanks for the replays. Is JT dropping so deep on purpose . He closes on blockers quickly but the extra gap makes the blocking angles small.

It forces defenders to run more north and south to get him, which doesn't let them cover both the QB and the pitch on the same angle. It essentially forces them to "declare" their responsibility and pick one or the other.

 

[beernutts]

Re: the triple option play where you didn't understand why it was a keep ... I think that's just PJ being the brilliant playcaller that he is. The play looks like a double option with a Cowboy call: "Cowboy and Cowboy Load is a double option scheme where the B-Back will block #1 and we will option off #2. Also, we want to run Cowboy when a LB'er walks up into the line."

That's exactly what happens. The LB walks up into the line, the PST blocks him, and the DE becomes the pitch key. Foster tipped off how he was probably gonna play the pitch: the DE widens on the dive action to cover the pitch on the previous play, too. So B blocks the MLB, the DE (#1) becomes the pitch key, and everyone else is accounted for, except for the FS who walked up (wearing jersey #2). Because the DE stayed with the pitch, JT correctly read it as a keep.

I do love the cat and mouse game Foster plays - the very next play he abandons his previous two schemes and goes with a conventional-looking 4-3 with the mike sitting deep.

What makes it a cowboy call, and how is that different than the load option? The Load option is a double option, but the QB and BB ride the mesh to give the triple look,but the BB will always be blocking read #1.

In this play, the defense has the switch on, so the OLB takes the dive, and the DE takes the QB, and it's just a different read from normal (meaning, #1 is now OLB not DE).

The play Big Philly linked is what I would call a Load Option. Just curious what makes it a "Cowboy"

 

[steebu]

@steebu I think the play at 2:41 of this clip is 12 Cowboy with the B-Back blocking #1.

Yep, it is. If I recall, our first play of the 3rd Q against Clempson in the 09 ACCCG was also a double option with a cowboy call (Dwyer slammed into "Draft Me High Despite My No Knees" pretty good). I think PJ just changed up the blocking scheme for it based on VT's alignment and tendencies: "PST, if the OLB walks up and stacks behind #1 and blitzes the B-Gap, take him and B take the MLB, pitch off #1 instead of #2."

It's all conjecture, but I get the feeling that based on the exact same alignment and play from VT on the previous play PJ decided to attack thusly.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

You guys really show the complexity of our scheme when blocking changes are done on the fly. It's no wonder a talented back cannot break into the starting role as a true freshman. CPJ is always saying "he has to know where to go" before he can play. Now we know why that takes time.

 

[00Burdell]

You guys really show the complexity of our scheme when blocking changes are done on the fly. It's no wonder a talented back cannot break into the starting role as a true freshman. CPJ is always saying "he has to know where to go" before he can play. Now we know why that takes time.

A big benefit I'm getting from LongestDay's excellent film sessions is that I have a little more insight into what is going on when someone whiffs on a block. Now I understand that its very different than the old skool "line up and hit somebody" - seems like your blocking assignment is contingent on the option read and if one guy reads it one way and another guy reads it another way then either the blocker will block the wrong guy (or whiff altogether) or the ball carrier will run the wrong way (into an intentionally unblocked defender).

Sheesh, this offense is complicated!

 

[dressedcheeseside]

A big benefit I'm getting from LongestDay's excellent film sessions is that I have a little more insight into what is going on when someone whiffs on a block. Now I understand that its very different than the old skool "line up and hit somebody" - seems like your blocking assignment is contingent on the option read and if one guy reads it one way and another guy reads it another way then either the blocker will block the wrong guy (or whiff altogether) or the ball carrier will run the wrong way (into an intentionally unblocked defender).

Sheesh, this offense is complicated!

I wonder how much of this is read by the qb under center then relayed to the rest of the offense via signal calls to be sure they're all on the same page?

 

[00Burdell]

I wonder how much of this is read by the qb under center then relayed to the rest of the offense via signal calls to be sure they're all on the same page?

After watching LongestDay's clips, I think everyone has to make their own reads after the ball is snapped and defenders reveal their intentions - our guys have to start moving towards their assignments immediately - I guess JT might be able to shout it out to the backs but I think by the time he said it, it would be too late if, for example, an A Back picked the wrong guy to block. Seemed to me that everybody has to figure it out on their own at the same time and if our guys aren't unanimous in their conclusion then the play is likely to blow up.

This study also helps me understand why Foster has been so effective against us. Seems that he has learned how to "reverse engineer" our reads and move defenders in an unexpected pattern thereby increasing the odds that our guys come to different conclusions on who's blocking who and where the hole is (to run thru). I can see teaching a defense how to do that would be very difficult and understand a little bit more why extra prep time is beneficial.

This is very enlightening.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

After watching LongestDay's clips, I think everyone has to make their own reads after the ball is snapped and defenders reveal their intentions - our guys have to start moving towards their assignments immediately - I guess JT might be able to shout it out to the backs but I think by the time he said it, it would be too late if, for example, an A Back picked the wrong guy to block. Seemed to me that everybody has to figure it out on their own at the same time and if our guys aren't unanimous in their conclusion then the play is likely to blow up.

This is very enlightening.

Another indication of how hard our O is to master and why you don't see too many true frosh on the field. Heck, even Shamire is not fully up to speed yet and that's why he's not out there.

 

[Big Philly]

@steebu @Longestday I found this in the 1990s playbook that you can find in various places online and it seems to be a more straightforward match, thoughts?