Line Play - Miami

[BigRedBuster]

A couple observations.

A) it seemed to me that our D line was getting more pressure around Kaaya than theirs was around Armstrong. Both offenses use quick throws to help with pass pro. But, our guys (more times than not) were closing in on Kaaya.

B) All the times you said, "Not sure where our LBS are" well, they are probably dropping back into some type of pass defense in the middle. The QB might be noticing they are going to do this and audible into either a run play or a short pass play that punishes them for doing this. As a fan watching games on TV, I always wish I could see the entire field on pass plays.

 

[Mavric]

A couple observations.

A) it seemed to me that our D line was getting more pressure around Kaaya than theirs was around Armstrong. Both offenses use quick throws to help with pass pro. But, our guys (more times than not) were closing in on Kaaya.

Definitely agree with this. I was surprised when I watched it again but we were definitely getting more pressure than they were. Still not great but better than I thought.

B) All the times you said, "Not sure where our LBS are" well, they are probably dropping back into some type of pass defense in the middle. The QB might be noticing they are going to do this and audible into either a run play or a short pass play that punishes them for doing this. As a fan watching games on TV, I always wish I could see the entire field on pass plays.

The first time I noted this (post #5), it was a rhetorical question. You can plainly see all the LBs in the pic. But for some reason they are all on the right side and jammed up into the line. There is a huge hole to the left and no one left to scrape and make a play. The second time (post #11) I'm sure they were dropping into pass coverage but it was pretty easy to read screen so the fact that they're still not even in the picture as the pass is being thrown shows how ill prepared we were for that play. You can see Young at the bottom of the pic but he's the only defender within 10 yards of two receivers.

 

[NUinID]

Mavric, I agree totally with what you are saying. The offensive line at this point is pretty solid and will continue to get better, I do believe this. I know a lot of people think Cavanaugh should be rotating his lineman, but he is doing the right thing. To develop a 5 man unit like this they have to work together a lot. It is a fine line though going through a whole season without at least getting one of those linemen dinged up is a rarity. You would like to see some backups get a few more reps in games.

I also agree, the d-line is really only 1 good rusher away from being a very solid unit. It is next to impossible to get a good pass rush on a 3 step drop, it just is hard. You can see on several of your pictures that they are collapsing the pocket in the middle, but again it is hard to get to him when the pass is out so quickly.

Here is the thing about the linebacker play, Banderas and Young looked like they hadn't practiced a lot the following week, it is a simple as that. It takes a while to get back up to game speed after sitting

Miami had a great plan of scripted plays coming out of the gate that worked very well for them. That is really were the game turned. Seventeen nothing after a quarter is what killed them. The defense gets the blame for those point, but the offense did them no favors. Those drops were killers in the first quarter. They keep drives alive and the Miami offense off the field. That drop by Ceathan Carter would have put them on about the Miami 30. What was that the second series?

Anyway I completely agree Mavric

 

[BigRedBuster]

B) All the times you said, "Not sure where our LBS are" well, they are probably dropping back into some type of pass defense in the middle. The QB might be noticing they are going to do this and audible into either a run play or a short pass play that punishes them for doing this. As a fan watching games on TV, I always wish I could see the entire field on pass plays.

The first time I noted this (post #5), it was a rhetorical question. You can plainly see all the LBs in the pic. But for some reason they are all on the right side and jammed up into the line. There is a huge hole to the left and no one left to scrape and make a play. The second time (post #11) I'm sure they were dropping into pass coverage but it was pretty easy to read screen so the fact that they're still not even in the picture as the pass is being thrown shows how ill prepared we were for that play. You can see Young at the bottom of the pic but he's the only defender within 10 yards of two receivers.

All of that could be attributed to being new to the scheme. The first play it appears that the line was supposed to push and cover one way and the LBs were supposed to flow the other way to cover the left side. It looks like they both moved the same direction which means one group might not have understood the play call.

The others might be not fully understanding how deep they are supposed to drop back...etc..

I know I am giving them a huge benefit of the doubt but that's what we have at this point in the season.

 

[Enhance]

Thanks for all the work, Mavric. Some good photos and explanations there.

I get what you're saying about the line playing well despite the result, but, I gotta say I think the result outweighs what you're arguing a bit. Results are ultimately what matter, as I'm sure you'll agree. Saying the line plays well but the result isn't always great is like saying the car runs well but it doesn't work all the time. If the car doesn't work then it's not a very good car.

Some of this falls on the running back, no question, but IMHO a running game is about 70 percent o-line and about 30 percent running back. The o-line has put together a collective C grade this season so far, imo.

 

[Mavric]

Thanks for all the work, Mavric. Some good photos and explanations there.

I get what you're saying about the line playing well despite the result, but, I gotta say I think the result outweighs what you're arguing a bit. Results are ultimately what matter, as I'm sure you'll agree. Saying the line plays well but the result isn't always great is like saying the car runs well but it doesn't work all the time. If the car doesn't work then it's not a very good car.

Some of this falls on the running back, no question, but IMHO a running game is about 70 percent o-line and about 30 percent running back. Both units aren't performing that well no question, but, I still don't think our o-line is performing very well. They've put together a collective C grade this season so far, imo.

I'm not saying the line couldn't improve as well, but when I said "results", I was talking about the overall result of the play and, as a whole, the game. The results of some of those plays was not great. But I didn't really find much the line could have done differently to improve the results. By and large, they did their job well. The blame for the lack of results lies elsewhere. But that's not what a lot of people - fans, media, etc. - have been saying. I've heard A LOT about how bad our line is. I wasn't giving them enough credit myself. But - at least in the first half against Miami - the offensive line was probably playing the best out of any position group we had.

 

[Mavric]

Nebraska's fourth possession

Another play that I wouldn't call particularly good blocking overall but there is a nice hole for Cross who gets about 8 yards (plus a penalty on Miami)

We tried to run a fake WR screen and come back to Newby on the screen the other way. I like the concept of the middle screen but we have been terrible executing it all year. The timing is always off. On this play, it didn't help that Newby was grabbed by a defensive lineman trying to get out but TA has no where to go with the ball when he wants to throw it and is already getting pressured. He eventually gets it to Newby but we lose a yard or so. I'm not sure if the blame is with the Line or the design of the play but the line has usually been releasing together so I don't think we are not practicing holding the blocks long enough to let the play develop.

Pretty good protection for TA who hit Westy for a nice completion. But this is the play where Gates got flagged for not being on the line.

A play-action, designed rollout for TA who hits Reilly with a laser throw. Not much to say about the OL here as TA had room on the designed roll but you can't block for very long when the defenders can run away from you.

Completely baffling play call on third and one. We had a TE-wing formation so we had 7 guys to block 7 to gain a yard. But we go play-action and it fails miserably. Miami wasn't even crowding the line. Anyway, technically I have to blame Lewis for not adjusting his blocking on this one. Looks like he was supposed to block down with Carter to cover the edge but there were two rushers outside so Lewis should have adjusted back outside to help Carter. Not sure it would have helped the play but I'll give him the demerit anyway. Punt

 

[Mavric]

Miami's fourth possession

Not sure this is great play by the line as there is about five yards between our right DE and left DT with only Collins in between. But Young fills well and holds Miami to a short gain.

Another example of how we get ourselves completely out of position. I have to think we have some sort of slant on as McMullen is almost on the far side of the QB from where he started. Not sure why we get all our DLine moving like that but MRI is there to tackle the RB on the cutback so it works out. Also an illegal formation penalty on Miami.

Not much pressure here as the quick throw from Kaaya nets a 9 yard gain.

Another quick throw from Kaaya although McMullen is just coming free. Incomplete pass and punt.

 

[Mavric]

Nebraska's fifth possession

Lewis totally misses his block and they brought one more guy from the right than we can block. But somehow Newby gets 4 yards out of this.

HUGE hole for Newby on the counter. We have much better success when we're a little more creative with our running game than when we just run it straight ahead.

Another counter that is blocked pretty well other than Kondolo gets blown back and thus the play is blown up.

All kinds of time for TA to throw but he tries to hit Reilly and throws it into double coverage and it should have been picked off. Would have been nice to take the check down to Newby who had lots of space to work with.

Another screen play. We get it to Newby but the WR misses a block and Newby is tripped up. Not much to say one way or the other about the OL here.

A little bit hot and cold from the OL on this drive. A great job blocking on the first counter and great pass blocking. The other two plays had one guy get blown up and it destroyed the play. But that's usually how it works.

 

[Mavric]

Miami's fifth possession

Quick pass from Kaaya so no chance to get pressure. We're trying to cover their WR with Young and there is no one home in the middle to help so he runs a long ways.

Another quick pass from Kaaya but Gerry dislodges the ball - incomplete.

We bring a corner blitz but it's from Kaaya's right so he easily sees it and throws to the completely uncovered WR (where the blitzer just left) for 11 yards. Jones pays the price for this blitz.

Good pressure from Collins but Kaaya is able to by some time with his feet and complete a pass for a first down.

Miami probably did us a favor as Kaaya was really feeling it on this drive but they put in their Wildcat QB and run zone read. Dzrius is the unblocked lineman and he is easily beaten but Gerry bails us out.

No pressure here but MRI makes a nice play to prevent the completion.

Quick fade but Rose has really good coverage (Miami probably thinks too good) and they settle for a field goal.

 

[Mavric]

Nebraska's sixth possession

There is one defender in the middle - who is being blocked - but there is a HUGE hole for Newby to run through for a nice gain. He had to jump around the one lineman which killed his momentum or it could have been more.

Not very good blocking but I'm not a fan of the play. We're in a double TE set so Miami can crowd the line. Then we run a straight give on an outside zone play so all the OL is running sideways. Just not putting our guys in a very good position.

Excellent protection and TA throws a bullet that Hovey can't come up with. I'm not making any excuses for Hovey as we need our receivers to come up with catches like these but it would be nice for TA to help him out. It's a hard throw that Hovey has to drop to his knees and fall left to try to catch. For as open as Hovey is - and stationary, looking right at TA - and as good a pocket as TA has, this ball really needs to be delivered in the numbers (standing up, not sliding).

 

[Mavric]

Dang. I guess that's all I'm going to get done for tonight. I was hoping to get the entire first half but it's not going to happen. Have to start earlier next time.

 

[RunRedRun]

Thanks mav.

 

[BigRedBuster]

Not very good blocking but I'm not a fan of the play. We're in a double TE set so Miami can crowd the line. Then we run a straight give on an outside zone play so all the OL is running sideways. Just not putting our guys in a very good position.

These are the types of running plays that I am not a fan of at all. They are slow to develop with no misdirection to draw defenders. This puts our O line in a horrible position to try to block it. With the formation, the defense basically knows what we are going to do, then with the time it takes to develop it's easy to defend.

I think we agree on something I have said all along. I really don't care if we pass as much as we are, but dang it, show some creativity in the running game to compliment it. I actually see that in many of our running plays. I just wish they would run more of those types of running plays and less like this. Maybe that will come when the players know the timing and responsibilities of those plays better.

 

[Mavric]

These are the types of running plays that I am not a fan of at all. They are slow to develop with no misdirection to draw defenders. This puts our O line in a horrible position to try to block it. With the formation, the defense basically knows what we are going to do, then with the time it takes to develop it's easy to defend.

I think we agree on something I have said all along. I really don't care if we pass as much as we are, but dang it, show some creativity in the running game to compliment it. I actually see that in many of our running plays. I just wish they would run more of those types of running plays and less like this. Maybe that will come when the players know the timing and responsibilities of those plays better.

Yep, I'm with you here. I really wish I had time to go back through and see what our rushing average is on straight zone plays vs. all other rushing plays. That was kind of my plan with this thread but I didn't get very far. When you just run straight ahead - or straight to the side in this case - against 7 or 8 guys in the box, your chances of making many yards are just not that good - even if you block it perfectly. Not that it never works but against good teams you're going to have to do something a little different to slow them down a bit or give yourself a numbers advantage somewhere.