Troy Davis was awesome at picking up blitzes. He would just destroy blitzing LB's. Cut-blocking is probably the most effective way for a smaller blocker to take out a larger one, but is an extremely difficult skill to acquire. Main reason? Practice time. No coach wants to have their Defenders cut during practice when there are tons of other ways to get hurt already. I don't know if ISU has a period each week (maybe 5 plays or so) where they allow cut blocking. I have heard of some schools doing this, but that is probably on the high end of how many reps there would be. Technique involved with it involves exploding through the bottom of the thigh boards of the defender when they are coming at you head on. (Can aim lower when cutting from and angle because they can't see it and jump over you) If the RB "shoots his guns" too early, his aiming point is too low and it allows the defender to hurdle him. Have to be very patient to make it work. Another technique possibility is to fake high, go low, or vice/versa. This is about the best way I can think of to describe it, and it looks good on paper, but keep in mind these are absolute split/second decisions that the RB (and the defender for that matter) have to make. A defender with no feet on the ground is very exposed. Should also give time for a QB to make a move and avoid rush since I'm not aware of any defenders that can change directions in mid air.
X's and O's thread
- Thread starter wartknight
- Start date
Blocking or not it's three yards. Page 76:
Since I seem to be the only one who ever consults the actual rule book rather than trying to remember I'm going to give you all the link.
You can download your own free PDF right here.
NCAA Publications - 2011-2012 Football Rule Book (2 Year Publication)
I'm pretty sure they used the same formation the drive after the TD as well & it resulted in a 3 and out. The one run was stopped for a loss.
You really need to watch the replay of this on the Paul Rhoads show. The line of scrimmage is approximately the 32 yard line. At the point where Steele is releasing the ball the center is off his block and crossing the 35 yard line. At the point where the ball is crossing the line of scrimmage I estimate that the center is on the 37 to 38 yard line trying to pickup a linebacker.
While we're on the topic of all of this I want to refer people back to a recap Ben Bruns provided after the 2012 Texas game: Bruns: Anatomy of the upset | News | Football | Cyclone Fanatic
In it he does a fantastic job diagramming a few plays that have become staples of our offense and used terminology they would have used back in his day as center for the Cyclones.
What I noticed out of his diagrams vs what has been the case in 2012 is the lack of a blocking tight end and more emphasis on pulling guards rather than a center. What's especially striking to me is the basic play that we killed Texas on that year:
Where did this play go? I've seen it this year, but very seldom. It seems we are more inclined to take longer developing plays rather than let our line explode out of their stance and move up field. Maybe I'm all wet on this, but I swear we've been over complicating the read this year by trying to ask the offensive line to do too much.
In it he does a fantastic job diagramming a few plays that have become staples of our offense and used terminology they would have used back in his day as center for the Cyclones.
What I noticed out of his diagrams vs what has been the case in 2012 is the lack of a blocking tight end and more emphasis on pulling guards rather than a center. What's especially striking to me is the basic play that we killed Texas on that year:
Where did this play go? I've seen it this year, but very seldom. It seems we are more inclined to take longer developing plays rather than let our line explode out of their stance and move up field. Maybe I'm all wet on this, but I swear we've been over complicating the read this year by trying to ask the offensive line to do too much.
Judging by the play illustrated above, even though I think the RB path is a little flat in the backfield, I think this play would be inside zone. The H-back would provide the natural cutback lane so instead of reading that DE, you'd block him. It eliminates your numbers advantage against this front at the LOS (if you read him instead, you could have the H-back to the playside 2nd level), but it still allows the offense to get a hat on a hat.
But really, if you are running inside zone, the only thing the OL cares about is the zone part of that call (and the direction obviously). If they are inside zoning right, they know they have to work the double teams and look to get movement to the second level...if your DL slants away, you get to the second level immediately. In this play, they are really looking to do the same thing. Get on the double teams, get to the 2nd level once the DL blocks are overtaken by the backside offensive lineman. Depending on leverage, most coaches will teach inside zone as a 3 way go...1) bounce it outside to take advantage of a good hook block by the TE, 2) bang it up inside if the BSG reaches and overtakes the nose, and 3) cutback to counter the overpursuit. That's where the H player's block works so well...natural cutback line, BST unimpeded up to the Will LB, hat on a hat on the BSDE.
Long story short, I don't know that you are really asking your OL to do more than they normally would...it sounds more like, and several have already mentioned it in this thread, that Texas Tech basically begged Jantz to beat them with his arm and put some suffocating coverage on them...and their defense really disrupted the Cyclone offense.
I'm obviously over-simplifying things here, as most D-1 coordinators worth their salt are going to run more than one blocking scheme...but as far as zone goes, you can dress it up a lot of different ways without really changing what the big fellas are doing up front.
I agree. If they don't trust Jantz to make the throws (and he probably hasn't earned that trust), then why is he playing? At least Barnett can execute the zone read.
You guys watch more tape than I do. Are we not using the "check with me" as much, and is that why it seems the zone read is less effective. I think until the last two drives of the game Jantz threw like 15 passes, but the read was getting stuffed. I haven't rewatched the game but it seems they were out numbering us and we should have checked to a pass more often than not. I suppose the staff could have thought it was so successful last year there was no reason to check, but sure seems to me that some of those outnumbered plays should have gone to a pass.
Thanks. I'll take your word for it since I assumed that Tech changed something defensively to account for these formations.
I don't know how much responsibility ISU puts on the QB to make checks. I would imagine, other than hot reads on blitzes, the coaches are making most of the check calls from the sideline (the "lookover"). As a playcaller, most of the time you are looking for numbers or a certain defensive alignment at the point of attack. If the numbers are there, you'll go with the play. All it takes is one block being screwed up though and the play doesn't work.
Steele checked a lot this past game. The pass to Jarvis was a check, the interception where he overthrew Lenz was a check. After re-watching last night I noticed we took fewer audibles from the sidelines and left it more up to Jantz, White, and Farniok.
Based on the result I can't say I feel great about it.
Based on the result I can't say I feel great about it.
This has already been covered a ton but I rewatched the game last night and to my untrained eye I saw quite a few mistakes by multiple players. I'm not an expert or a coach and I don't know the play, blocking scheme or routes (and sight adjustments) but this is my take.
-Jantz made the wrong read multiple times on the zone read plays. I specifically remember one play where ShonJ was almost completely turned around because he thought Jantz was going to give him the ball on and inside read up the gut. Instead Jantz keeps, follows Johnson into the hole and gets stopped for little or no gain.
-Also on the read plays it seemed when the D had the play figured out Jantz always kept the ball by default. Why not give it to the RB in these cases? Not to say they would have always made something happen but obviously the QB keeping 19 times wasn’t working.
- Multiple plays where the OL would leave a DL free on a called pass, not talking about missing a blitz either.
-Multiple plays both run and pass where OL just got blown up at the point of attack, we were flat out beaten.
-It's hard to see the WR and coverage on CyTV but many of the pass plays where Jantz had time he would not make the throw and then scramble only to get sacked or minimal gain. Again hard to see if he had open WRs or if these were coverage sacks.
-When RB’s were asked to block DL or blitzing players they often tried to dive at their legs. This only worked a few times. TTU knew this was coming and was able to hurdle or go around and take a direct route to the QB.
-Farniok was obviously downfield (Like 10 yards downfield) on the penalty when we completed the long(er) pass to West. Not sure what the heck he was thinking.
We tried to go back to the 2 RB formation that was somewhat successful on the TD drive but the few times we used it TTU seemed to adjust to make stops.
Summary- I thought we definitely left some yards on the table in the running game, the line play wasn’t great but it also appeared that we made the wrong read some of the time. The OL did open SOME holes that were not taken advantage of. The passing game was just a complete mess, couldn’t make them pay for pressing and what decent plays we did have ended with penalties or TO’s. There were a few plays (screens etc) that it seemed like we made them pay for blitzing or stacking the box just never enough to get into a rythm.
-Jantz made the wrong read multiple times on the zone read plays. I specifically remember one play where ShonJ was almost completely turned around because he thought Jantz was going to give him the ball on and inside read up the gut. Instead Jantz keeps, follows Johnson into the hole and gets stopped for little or no gain.
-Also on the read plays it seemed when the D had the play figured out Jantz always kept the ball by default. Why not give it to the RB in these cases? Not to say they would have always made something happen but obviously the QB keeping 19 times wasn’t working.
- Multiple plays where the OL would leave a DL free on a called pass, not talking about missing a blitz either.
-Multiple plays both run and pass where OL just got blown up at the point of attack, we were flat out beaten.
-It's hard to see the WR and coverage on CyTV but many of the pass plays where Jantz had time he would not make the throw and then scramble only to get sacked or minimal gain. Again hard to see if he had open WRs or if these were coverage sacks.
-When RB’s were asked to block DL or blitzing players they often tried to dive at their legs. This only worked a few times. TTU knew this was coming and was able to hurdle or go around and take a direct route to the QB.
-Farniok was obviously downfield (Like 10 yards downfield) on the penalty when we completed the long(er) pass to West. Not sure what the heck he was thinking.
We tried to go back to the 2 RB formation that was somewhat successful on the TD drive but the few times we used it TTU seemed to adjust to make stops.
Summary- I thought we definitely left some yards on the table in the running game, the line play wasn’t great but it also appeared that we made the wrong read some of the time. The OL did open SOME holes that were not taken advantage of. The passing game was just a complete mess, couldn’t make them pay for pressing and what decent plays we did have ended with penalties or TO’s. There were a few plays (screens etc) that it seemed like we made them pay for blitzing or stacking the box just never enough to get into a rythm.
For the zillionth time, Jantz didn't make more than a few wrong reads on the zone read play. He isn't reading the end every play and you can tell who he's reading by the blocking scheme up front. We run the zone read off the tackles about 35% of the time and off the defensive ends about 65% of the time.
We ran it the next drive (the 3-and-out). Bykowski blocked like a 14-yr girl and it went for -1.