Just my $.02 but here's why I think Diaco has a point. This is Taylor's big run right before halftime. Wiscy comes out in 11 personell (1 back, 1 TE), but instead of being in-line, Fumagali is split out in a two point stance. We went with a four lineman front here, but for some reason we called the strength opposite of Fumagali.
Based on how the play unfolds, it seems we would have been in better position with the strength called to Fumagali, instead of away from him. Having the defensive tackle on the play side lined up on the outside shoulder of the guard (3-technique) , instead of shaded over the center, could have potentially forced Taylor to cut the play back, or bounce it outside where we had extra defenders.
Pre Snap Wide
Pre Snap Tight
Shifting Thomas and Davis each one man over to the left would have put us in a better position. I'm hoping this is one of the mistakes Diaco was referring to. Typically this is how four man fronts are called, with the three technique to the TE side. Fumagali being split out may have been a reason for the strength being called away, or it could have just been mis-read. Either way, we would have been in a much stronger position to be successful had it been called the other way.
Ball is snapped, defense starts to flow, Thomas #97 was orignally lined up on the outside shouler of the center, and the center is starting to cross his face, leaving Thomas in the wrong gap.
Weber #49 reads run and attacks the guard to fit in the B gap. Meanwhile Thomas #97 has been out gapped, and is now fighting to get back across the centers face.
Thomas is never able to get back to his gap, Taylor hits the hole with Dedric young being the only player left on the second level, but he’s cut off by the tackle and not able to get to the ball. Taylor is now 1on 1 with Williams #24
Already at a severe disadvantage, Williams takes a poor angle, and gets beat
And it's off to the races from there.
I do believe there may be some merit to what Diaco had to say. If we had the three technique to the TE side on this play, I do believe Taylor would have been forced to either cut back or bounce to the outside, either of those options would have most likely led to him beong stopped at some point prior to reaching the end zone. But instead, he was able get through the hole and to the third level of the defense WITHOUT EVER MAKING A SINGLE CUT!! He literally ran at the same angle until he reached the sideline, that certainly didn't do Williams any favors.
We certainly still have issues on D. Mid way through the third we were out of gas up front, and Wiscy just had their way with us from that point. But it's definitely a different ball game if it's 10-7 at halftime with Nebraska having the momentum.