Mavric's Musings - Northern Illinois

[khaake]

Thank you for doing this, Mavric. It really helps to have things analyzed this way.

[BigRedBuster]

I'm waiting for a picture of the play (I think in second half).  Farniok is set up with a DE to his outside.  Farmer is set up with a DT across from him.  At the snap, Farmer blocks inside to help the center double team a guy.  Farniok blocks the DE.

 

The DT that is right in front of Farmer goes completely unblocked and totally lights up Lee for a sack.  It was the most ridiculous blocking play I have seen in a long time.

[Mavric]

7 minutes ago, BigRedBuster said:

I'm waiting for a picture of the play (I think in second half).  Farniok is set up with a DE to his outside.  Farmer is set up with a DT across from him.  At the snap, Farmer blocks inside to help the center double team a guy.  Farniok blocks the DE.

 

The DT that is right in front of Farmer goes completely unblocked and totally lights up Lee for a sack.  It was the most ridiculous blocking play I have seen in a long time.

 

That has happened A LOT this year.  For whatever reason, Farmer and Knevel/Farniok have had a terrible time getting on the same page.  Not sure who is more to blame or if it's an even mix but it's odd that the communication seems to be non-existent.

[BigRedBuster]

6 minutes ago, Mavric said:

 

That has happened A LOT this year.  For whatever reason, Farmer and Knevel/Farniok have had a terrible time getting on the same page.  Not sure who is more to blame or if it's an even mix but it's odd that the communication seems to be non-existent.

 

I honestly just don't understand how you have someone lined up right across from you and see the tackle has someone he has to block....and you just let the guy go to go double team someone.

 

Baffles me.

[Mavric]

Just now, BigRedBuster said:

I honestly just don't understand how you have someone lined up right across from you and see the tackle has someone he has to block....and you just let the guy go to go double team someone.

 

Baffles me.

 

I'd have to look at the play.  But we often run slide protection where the line slides to the left and someone - either guard or H-Back - pulls across the formation to pick up the DE.  That's what we were running the last play against Oregon and one of the plays above.  If Farmer was thinking it was supposed to be slide protection, he would leave the DT for Farniok to block down on.  If Farniok missed that call, it would look pretty bad.

[BigRedBuster]

1 minute ago, Mavric said:

 

I'd have to look at the play.  But we often run slide protection where the line slides to the left and someone - either guard or H-Back - pulls across the formation to pick up the DE.  That's what we were running the last play against Oregon and one of the plays above.  If Farmer was thinking it was supposed to be slide protection, he would leave the DT for Farniok to block down on.  If Farniok missed that call, it would look pretty bad.

I had thought about that.  It's possible Farniok missed the call being so new to playing.  BUT....I don't remember any TE coming across to block the DE.

 

Like you, I would have to see the play again.

[teachercd]

Yeah it seems like sometimes they are just not on the same page with communication.  I am sure they have a ton of calls that they make but in the end the old "in-on-out" is still the basic rule of blocking.

[BigRedBuster]

I wonder if Parrella ever looks at Cav in meetings and says....WTF are you doing to earn your pay?

[Mavric]

Soft coverage.  Easy throw.  Easy 6 yards.  Interesting that Barry is dropping deep middle.  I saw this on one play against Oregon but hadn't noticed it much other times.  Perhaps because most of our opponent's passes have been horizontal.  But we must run more Tampa 2-type coverage than I realize.  End of the first quarter.

 

 

Straight ahead zone give.  Hard to believe Newby misses this tackle but he does.  Reed cleans it up for a two yard gain.

 

 

Tighter coverage but we play man-to-man and it's an easy pick play by the TE going left for the WR running right.  Easy 5 yards and a first down.  Good thing Lee didn't really get hung up by the pick or he could have run a long ways.

 

 

Soft zone coverage dropping 7.  No pressure rushing four.  QB scrambles before he really has to and gets 5.

 

 

We were all sorts of confused by this formation but I don't know why.  There wasn't anything crazy about it.  But Freedom was eagled down onto the guard until the audibled.  Weber moved him back out when they had a break but he still crashes inside.  Weber also fills inside and that leaves a huge hole and they get 14.  Lamar Jackson completely whiffs on the tackle.

 

 

Gifford and Reed don't really even touch the RB and he runs for 19.

 

 

They get cute and try for a reverse pass but it's well covered and incomplete.  I believe this is the first pass they threw more than five yards downfield.

 

 

They put three in the pattern and we drop 8.  QB takes the check-down for 1 yard.  Even though we drop 8, our four LBs aren't doing much.  They are covering the RB and a TE who is in pass protection.  They could not have made a play on a downfield pass.  QB doesn't wait very long for anything to develop.

 

 

Speaking of being predictable, they put in their backup QB, run jet motion and zone read off it.  But the QB still gets six yards.  They miss the field goal.

[Toe]

 

So we've got a corner lined up damn near 10 yards back, there? What's the farthest back we've had them lined up this season?

 

I'm just glad NIU couldn't make horizontal throws more consistently, this game could've been even uglier...

[Undone]

I'm pretty convinced Mavric that your observation of us constantly using bunched sets is possibly the biggest thing we're doing to shoot ourselves in the foot on offense. It's a great observation. 

I wonder what tangibly was so different about this last game with the Oregon game where we miraculously put up 35 points in Oregon's house. Possibly the inclusion of Bryant for part of the game helped quite a bit, but still...you'd almost be hard pressed to find any other of the worst Power 5 schools in the country line up against Northern Illinois and play worse than we did on offense.

It just blows the mind from a coaching/scheme perspective.

[Mavric]

Just now, Undone said:

I'm pretty convinced Mavric that your observation of us constantly using bunched sets is possibly the biggest thing we're doing to shoot ourselves in the foot on offense. It's a great observation. 

I wonder what tangibly was so different about this last game with the Oregon game where we miraculously put up 35 points in Oregon's house. Possibly the inclusion of Bryant for part of the game helped quite a bit, but still...you'd almost be hard pressed to find any other of the worst Power 5 schools in the country line up against Northern Illinois and play worse than we did on offense.

It just blows the mind from a coaching/scheme perspective.

 

I'm not convinced that Bryant is any better than Wilbon in the run game.  Pass pro may be a different story but I've been pretty impressed with Wilbon so far.  He's quicker and did a great job of avoiding the first tackle.

 

The biggest thing I've seen so far is the TYPE of running plays that we ran.  Against Oregon, it was almost all some sort of counter action with pulling guards and H-Backs.  I have yet to find a single one of those plays against NIll.  Everything has been a straight give on a zone play.  We've pulled a time or two on a play fake for pass protection but nothing in the running game.  That and we're almost running from a very tight formation that is drawing the defense into the box.

[Mavric]

Another play that people might think "bad OL play" that isn't.  I think - so far - there have been more plays that look like bad OL play that aren't than there are actual bad OL plays.  Wilbon tries to cut the DE off play-action but it's a terrible attempt.  Lee still gets a rushed pass away to DPE for 2 yards.

 

 

Kind of a screwed up Jet Sweep to Spielman but we get away with it.  Spielman starts in motion then stops then goes again but not really at full speed so the timing is a bit off and he's not close enough to Lee.  But the rest of the play works well for 7 yards.

 

 

Stop me if you've heard this one before but it's 3rd & 1 so we get 10 guys in close formation and run straight ahead.  But this one is blocked well and nets 13 yards.

 

 

Wilbon appears to simply fail to clamp down on the handoff - like he thought it was supposed to be a fake - and Lee has to fall on the fumble for a loss of 5.

 

 

Conrad gets completely owned and the MIKE is closing fast but the quick hitch gets the ball out in time - stationary target - and Morgan turns it into a 14 yard gain.

 

 

QB sneak on 3rd & 1.  Not a great fire out by the line as Lee pretty much passes the guards but it's good enough for the first.

 

 

I know this is going to shock you but on first down we motion to a 10 guy tight formation and run straight ahead into an eight man box.  Gets 3.

 

 

Another one that most people probably see "bad OL play" because Lee got pressured but it's actually Wilbon completely whiffing on his block - Line is fine.  Pass is low and Morgan can't come up with it. 

 

 

This sack is on Farniok.  He can't catch up to the speed rusher.  But it would sure be handy if Wilbon would help chip on him instead of doing nothing.  It's obvious that Farniok is struggling with speed guys.  Why haven't we got him any help?  And maybe Lee could have a bit of pocket presence to feel the rush from his front side.  Punt.

 

[Mavric]

Rush four.  No pressure.  QB takes the check down for a loss of 8.  Nice work by the D.

 

 

Rush four.  No pressure on the rollout.  Easy pitch and catch for 15 yards after Lamar Jackson whiffs on the tackle.  Maddening that we just give up easy yards after we have them in a hole.

 

 

Shoutgun.  Jet Sweep.  QB keep.  Pushes the pile for an extra couple yards and a first down.

 

 

We don't cover the slot.  They throw to the slot.  He gets 12 yards.  If he doesn't trip he gets more.  Our defense wasn't any better.  Their offense was just worse.

 

 

On the next play the center snaps it when the QB was looking the other way and they lose 13 yards.

 

Same play as two plays ago.  We don't cover the slot.  He throws toward the slot.  But this time Khalil Davis knocks it down.

 

 

They waive the white flag and run a QB draw on 3rd & 23.  Khalil Davis (again!) tackles him for a 6 yards loss.  Punt.

[Mavric]

Line does fine.  For some reason we ask Hoppes to block the DE by himself while Farniok blocks no one but OK.  Lee finds DPE (stationary target) for 13 yards.

 

 

Well would you look at that.  When you break tendencies and show them something they haven't seen much of, crazy things happen.  Like a lane you could drive a truck through.  Straight up the middle on a draw play on first down.  25 yards thanks to great blocking - and more broken tackles by Wilbon.

 

 

Broken tendency two plays in a row.  This time it's a tight formation but a play-action fake and a wide open Morgan.  Unfortunately even though Morgan is barely moving and Lee has all kinds of room, he throws it well behind him and it falls incomplete.

 

 

Once again, we find ways to fail at the screen game.  First, Farniok initially looks to block the DE but that guy widens with Spielman who motioned across the formation.  By the time Farniok looks inside, the OLB had blitzed inside him and got to Lee.  Not that it really mattered because Lee still had time to get it off but the entire timing was a cluster on the other side so this play wasn't going anywhere anyway.

 

 

This is an interesting play.  It's kind of the oddest screen I've ever seen.  At first I thought it was just a check down to DPE on the cross.  But look at the other two receivers on the left - they're already blocking.  So it was to DPE all the way.  Don't think I've sen that before.  It works for 14 yards and a first down.  Good protection.  Only the second pass Lee has completed to a moving receiver and they're both to DPE on screens.

 

 

Dang.  Langs was finally getting in a groove.  He must have left it in the locker room after half time.  Another broken tendency with basically the same draw play as above.  Works for 7 yards this time.

 

 

Great protection here but that's partly because we went max protect and only sent two guys into the pattern.  Even Wilbon did a nice job picking up a block.  No idea why Lee threw into triple coverage down the middle instead of single coverage on the outside.  Incomplete.  Morgan gets hurt on the play as he stepped on a DB's foot trying to jump for the ball.

 

 

I'm not sure we've successfully picked up a defensive line twist all year.  We didn't start here as Farniok misses the LB twisting outside who pressures Lee.  He still has time to get it off but it's just a bit too far out in front of Spielman.  Definitely should have been caught but would like to have that a little more on the body, especially when he's this open.

 

 

Nice play call against the blitz as there's no one left to pick up Wilbon and he gets an easy 11 yards and a first down.

 

 

Once again we can't handle a twist from the DL.  And I don't think this was even a called twist.  We had everyone picked up at first but then the interior guys crossed and Conrad didn't pick his guy up.  Could make the argument that Lee should have thrown it by now as he had some time and most of the receivers are checking up.  Sack for 8 yards.

 

 

Good protection.  Lee does a nice job stepping up ni the pocket.  Pretty long throw to the end zone and it's pretty behind DPE so I'm not sure what the deal was.  DPE could easily have drawn a PI flag but he kind of stumbles trying to get turned around so perhaps that's why it wasn't thrown.

 

 

Third and goal from the 17 and we call a screen?  That's kind of odd.  But I suppose it's a safe call.  Except that we suck at screens.  And this one is no different.  Wilbon is tackled for a three yard loss.

 

 

Field goal is blocked and we go to half time without scoring.  That's a 12 play drive that got no points.