The B-back Mesh

[vamosjackets]

First of all: how is the mesh going to be further back? Taquan is still under center, and when he pivots out he's gonna extend his arms and wait for 39 seconds while the B-Back lunges forward to mesh. Meanwhile, the unblocked dive key is going to kill Taquan while he's standing there like an idiot with his arms extended.

I already covered this in another thread: Dwyer was further back because he was FASTER than any B-Back Johnson ever saw. He got to the mesh more quickly than anyone else, so in order to make sure the timing of the mesh was correct Johnson sat Dwyer deeper. In a conversation I had with PJ on the radio show about the speed of our option vs. Navy he said of Dwyer: "Common sense would tell you the faster guy would get there [to the mesh] quicker." That's the reason why Dwyer sat deeper in the backfield.

I'm with you on all that, but would like to nuance it a little. Kirvonte may be as fast as Dwyer. CPJ said as much earlier this year. Also, I'll take @Coloradojacket 's word for it that Marcus Marshall was also at Dwyer'ish depth while Kirvonte is closer. So, it may not have to do with "speed" as much as it has to do with initial acceleration (come on physics students). While Kirvonte may be as "fast" as Dwyer and Marshall, he may not have as much initial acceleration as those two did and thus may not get to the mesh point as quickly.

Here's another possibility. It could also have to do with how teams are playing us and what plays we run as a result. Some defensive attacks may lend themselves more to a quicker mesh while others may call for a slower one. If it's a true dive vs almost a zone-blocking pick your own hole handoff, that could call for a difference in the mesh. I know we ran more of the latter with Dwyer than we did with others.

 

[bravejason]

He lined up further back because he got to the line quicker. It wasn't any other reason.

That is what I've heard CPJ say.

Slower BB can play closer and quicker ones can play further back as is needed to get the timing right.

 

[bravejason]

I'm not sure JD was faster through the mesh than ZL. Didn't ZL have like 1 neg carry in his career and only 2 fumbles in 300+ carries? Dude always picked up a few yards.

I'd say that was a function of running as fast as possible to the hole without dancing around or looking for the hit by the defender. Basically, pure belief that the right thing to do was hit the hole as fast as possible come hell or high water.