Here is an example from the second play of the game. Tech has a 6 man box but only 1 high saftey. Dawson draws up a great route combo that brings the low saftey to the far side of the field. Tech shows blitz but drops both ends to coverage and brings a LB cross blitz so we have 5 to block 5. One end drops to zone/spy. The other follows Henry out of the backfield. When the end follows henry Tank needs to look inside immediately knowing that they were showing blitz to help. He is too slow and by the time he does Henry is covered and the linebacker is running past him. If tank picks this up, Tune has the extra half second to throw a good ball to Golden who is coming free off the pick route to the middle of the field. He gets blocks from the two wrs over there and has a foot race with the free safety… I like our chances. I can show more examples, but penalties and Oline play make it hard to be successful
Later in the 1st quarter with a 5 man box. The 1st down draw you all hate so much. These photos are why he calls it though. Ends came up field and Freeman did his job which brought us a 2 on 2 with the LBs. If our guards get to the second level henry is gaining at least 15 yards. Those safeties are so far out of the picture. And one of the reasons you run it as a draw is to buy your line time to get down field. Its tough to ask oline to work directly to the second level in this situation so you buy them time. Our left guard looks like he has cement in his shoes. If he gets to the LB its a great play. Nothing wrong with the call. I think someone made the point that if you know the Oline is weak do them favors and make calls that help them. Thats what he did here. He spread out the corners and the ends played up field. Is it too much to ask for 300lb giants to block 2 LBs? I mean throw a cut block or something
Is it as bad as this?
https://twitter.com/doc_texas/status/1569053470958751746?s=46&t=xoUw6pmp-BsmnsCNUn4Phg
Another one. Not quite a draw, but its a shotgun dive. 6 man box. We keep the TE in and have 6 to block 6. Back side of the line does their job. End crosses Pauls face which isnt great, but its fine. Trahan sees it and instead of working a combo block to the second level he just takes on the play side LB. So we have Camron and Jack to block the nose and backside backer. Its supposed to be a combo block where the guard is supposed to work with the center to keep the nose from filling the gap as the drive up to the second level. By that point the center should be in position to take over the block by himself and the guard works off to the backside backer. We had a double team with ZERO push. Cam never works off and the backer makes the play.
We gained like 4 yards because BC is special, but he was contacted at the line of scrimmage. Should have been 8-12 yards.
Like these are the right plays. But at some point we have to execute. And again that is on Dana, but the playcalling is not the problem
We’ve had 3 runs in 2 games of 15+ yards, 2 for 15 and 1 for 18. Call me doubtful that any run we have will be at least 15 yards.
If a play is consistently not successful even if it’s due to execution, it eventually becomes a playcalling issue too.
Example if a QB throws 3 INTS on 3 crossing routes, even if its 100% the QB’s fault, the playcaller should probably stop calling crossing routes
What about this one? Same drive. 5 MAN BOX! This is a dime package. You cant throw the ball against this. Its not even the DL that stop this play. Tank just bounced off an OLB.
I mean please tell me what would you like Dawson to call here?
And heres the think its not like its 1 running play. Its all of them. Believe it or not, these draws dawson calls are the best chance we have. Anyone who says run it outside stopped playing fb in peewee. Too much speed. You are asking a lot of your o line on outside runs. And you bring secondary in to the picture. Inside runs with a zone blocking scheme against even or advantaged boxes are the easiest they can make it for the O-line. What is the alternative? Not run the football? I mean geeze. You have to make the defense think you will run the ball, even if its not successful, to have any chance succeeding at throwing the football. And we have barely addressed the passblocking. Dont get me wrong they arent the only ones. Just watched a 3rd and 7 that should have been a pick. Line gave tune time, we had 1 on 1 coverage running a hitch route. Sam brown ran a great route, and even though the db stayed with him on the break tun threw it inside. Its a tough throw but Its one we gotta have
Gdashman – Thank you for taking the time to explain what is happening, to someone who has experience in a different field.
A big problem is our oline doesn’t open holes when we have 5 or 6 in the box. You can’t run against that you are doomed.
Like my dad always said, it all starts on the line. Our offensive line can’t open holes for their life.
Our offensive line can’t block when we drop back either. Quite honestly as a group the only thing they can do is a let a guy run by them when we run a screen play. I can do that.
According to college PFF, the only 3 guys on offense who have graded above a 70 are Dell, Tune & Campbell. OLine has been graded in the 50s & 60s & the other receivers have not graded well. Defense has been graded pretty well overall but our offensive line is a huge issue & WRs are still trying to gel with Tune.
I love your analysis. Why not use a shovel pass in this offense, you rarely see it any more?
So based on your analysis of the problem isn’t in the play calling, which in these examples you’d be right is as simple as players failing to execute? Or are we just still under talented on the line?
Mark, if the OL doesn’t provide enough protection the plays, creative or not, will have a hard time being successful.
Hard to tell since we only get to see the games. Thats ultimately where the coaching staff has to take responsibility and say either we arent do a good enough job developing the talent we have, or we havent recruited enough talent.
I will say OL is the hardest position to recruit. And they have turned over every stone looking for diamonds in the rough. The guy from London being a perfect example. I am hopeful that some of the younger guys, new transfers, and pancake will develop into something special, but if not next year is going to be tough.
Kingsbury could be available soon if Dana wanted to go that route.
Bring back Briles. 
