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"Urban Meyer breaks down one of the biggest plays in @RFootball's win at Virginia Tech on the latest 𝘜𝘳𝘣𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘴"

They defended that play as if they'd been sitting in RU meetings all week. VT was actually caught in the wrong defense.
Yeah.. seeing the replay in that breakdown of Meyers.. wow.. total commitment to jumping on that WR.. no fear he'd run right past him upfield.
 
The DB was a WR for years before moving to defense (he plays for Washington now).
A DB at Michigan knew what to expect from RU because RU was very predictable.
That's not new either - I recall PSU DB coach telling his players they would get 4 INTs and they got 5.

I would still like to know why RU WR on Michigan play had his facemask in his hand as ball is arriving. Michigan players wore yellow gloves so the white glove is WRs. There is another Michigan player behind receiver so maybe his helmet was screwed-up. I've noticed many times that RU players often seem to have ill fitting helmets

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misleading freezeframe. See that leg kicking out? That is a Michigan defender who was draped across him during his route.. pulling his left arm back and swinging on his back before teh ball got there. Screens are not protected from contact for pass interference for some reason. There is also depth perception issues involved. The full field view early in the replay shows you what was going on.

To me.. it shows high suspicion of the tunnel screen being known as soon as the player motion was revealed.. that Dremel moved toward the CB to screen.. then Dremel's cover guy ignored the possibility that Dremel was going out. As soon as he sees Dremel break down to block.. he jumps on that screen pass.

Wimsatt's slow delivery makes this work for that CB. This is why you hear QB coaches talking about short compact throwing motion. Wimsatt's long windups and lanky wingspan provide a huge clue to defenders as to where the ball is going. And when they see film or in game experience with him, or anyone like him, and they don't see him look off receivers or pump fake and go elsewhere.. as soon as he begins his windup.. safeties are headed where he is looking.

Now think of that pl;ay vs Michigan where.. instead of throwing that tunnel screen.. Wimsatt pump fakes and Dremel fake-blocks than goes out.. HUGE gainer for Dremel.. if Wimsatt can lead him accurately.. a big if. We should have seen the D jumping on throws before that point. Every D did last year.
 
The DB was a WR for years before moving to defense (he plays for Washington now).
A DB at Michigan knew what to expect from RU because RU was very predictable.
That's not new either - I recall PSU DB coach telling his players they would get 4 INTs and they got 5.

I would still like to know why RU WR on Michigan play had his facemask in his hand as ball is arriving. Michigan players wore yellow gloves so the white glove is WRs. There is another Michigan player behind receiver so maybe his helmet was screwed-up. I've noticed many times that RU players often seem to have ill fitting helmets

qe8NFk7.jpeg
That was literally the first and only time they ran that screen play last year. So it couldn't have been predictable unless they knew the playcall. Or the UM player just made an elite play.
 
I like the focus on Asamoah's contribution on that play. Too often the O-linemen only get noticed when they get beat by a pass rusher or flagged for a penalty.
Of course, that was also a strong effort by Ian. 😀
Also a lesson to be learned...your eyes never know what they are seeing with OL - someone that hasn't been there- may have thought the OL got juked, not once but twice and that our big guy never go a clean block. Urben broke it down brilliant and simplified it for everyone. Even his "get big" comment and could show the perfect form...Brilliant and loved it
 
Anecdotal at best, but this play was featured on the Netflix sign stealing documentary. One would think that Stallions gave them some good examples of plays he helped blow up.
When the sign stealing scandal broke this play was the first thing I thought of.

But a question: How does sign stealing work? I assume that the D coordinator calls the D plays based on the stolen sign. But Michigan wouldn't be able to communicate to the players the exact play rutgers was running, right?
 
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That was literally the first and only time they ran that screen play last year. So it couldn't have been predictable unless they knew the playcall. Or the UM player just made an elite play.

I go by the area.
RU throws to the seams a lot (as do others but with RU its "safety first").
The Dremel play was popular there last Sept until teams scouted the pattern and shut it.
There are weak spots in the middle zone vertically and along flats more horizontally.
Defensive schemes change between LB areas and DB areas.

RU receivers weren't great at contested catches.
RU likes to hit guys near sidelines and in between zones close to LOS.
The solo player on the fly (like Beckham always did) might be easier than a screen there. Obviously it didn't work too well as it was.

As an aside, I like to see long passes because that's when defenses blow coverages between vertical transitions - like a running relay where a runner drops the baton. Pass interference, trips on the turf, botched assignments - happen all the time going deep. Just need tough WR who fights for the ball and wins most times.

I'm tired of endless dinks and dunks
 
When the sign stealing scandal broke this play was the first thing I thought of.

But a question: How does sign stealing work? I assume that the D coordinator calls the D plays based on the stolen sign. But Michigan wouldn't be able to communicate to the players the exact play rutgers was running, right?
On the documentary they showed a few examples of them generally calling out a pass, calling a power run and to what side, etc
 
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misleading freezeframe. See that leg kicking out? That is a Michigan defender who was draped across him during his route.. pulling his left arm back and swinging on his back before teh ball got there. Screens are not protected from contact for pass interference for some reason. There is also depth perception issues involved. The full field view early in the replay shows you what was going on.

To me.. it shows high suspicion of the tunnel screen being known as soon as the player motion was revealed.. that Dremel moved toward the CB to screen.. then Dremel's cover guy ignored the possibility that Dremel was going out. As soon as he sees Dremel break down to block.. he jumps on that screen pass.

Wimsatt's slow delivery makes this work for that CB. This is why you hear QB coaches talking about short compact throwing motion. Wimsatt's long windups and lanky wingspan provide a huge clue to defenders as to where the ball is going. And when they see film or in game experience with him, or anyone like him, and they don't see him look off receivers or pump fake and go elsewhere.. as soon as he begins his windup.. safeties are headed where he is looking.

Now think of that pl;ay vs Michigan where.. instead of throwing that tunnel screen.. Wimsatt pump fakes and Dremel fake-blocks than goes out.. HUGE gainer for Dremel.. if Wimsatt can lead him accurately.. a big if. We should have seen the D jumping on throws before that point. Every D did last year.

That play was a mess from the snap and the probably should not have been thrown.
The OL in the screen weren't even in a position to do anything.
Receiver looked like he was going outside and then came back inside.
But OL weren't there yet so it seems an attempt to disguise the screen that backfired.
Seems like a bad place to run a cute screen on 4th and 2.
Michigan hadn't allowed a 4th all year.

You can see all Michigan DBs wearing yellow gloves so the white glove was RU receiver.
Receiver was already covered and I doubt a faster ball would have done anything.
Bullet passes in congested areas can be deflections and INTs.
GW had to back-up 5 yds and taking time
Always easy to blame Wimsatt but I still see a soft receiver with his hand on his facemask.

Go and get the balls.


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I go by the area.
RU throws to the seams a lot (as do others but with RU its "safety first").
The Dremel play was popular there last Sept until teams scouted the pattern and shut it.
There are weak spots in the middle zone vertically and along flats more horizontally.
Defensive schemes change between LB areas and DB areas.

RU receivers weren't great at contested catches.
RU likes to hit guys near sidelines and in between zones close to LOS.
The solo player on the fly (like Beckham always did) might be easier than a screen there. Obviously it didn't work too well as it was.

As an aside, I like to see long passes because that's when defenses blow coverages between vertical transitions - like a running relay where a runner drops the baton. Pass interference, trips on the turf, botched assignments - happen all the time going deep. Just need tough WR who fights for the ball and wins most times.

I'm tired of endless dinks and dunks
what do you mean by "seams". Typically it is middle of the field between safety and CBs on the outside.. past the LB drop zone area... this is not where Rutgers has thrown in recent years and, happy to say, we have thrown a few there this year. Every route not vs man coverage aims to be where the defense ain't. Every pass play below the safeties could be called a seam route. Every gap in coverage would be between seams.. even in largely man coverage, a safety or LB might be in a zone and just outside that sone could be called a seam.

AFAIK, the typical seam route is a play-action fake to suck in the safety to run defense while the TE goes straight up the field and past the safety. We threw quick slants and 4-5 yard drags which were not enough on third and long. I would have loved to see some seam routes on 1st and 2nd down when teams expected runs.
 
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They would have actually called out our RG for missing his block twice lol
Agree. When I played guard in HS I was taught to attack blocking a linebacker by driving through them. That mostly resulted a being off balance and big whiff. What I should have done is just get in front of them and get in the way. They also taught me not to hold instead of teaching me how to hold without getting caught. Bad coaching LOL.
 
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what do you mean by "seams". Typically it is middle of the field between safety and CBs on the outside.. past the LB drop zone area... this is not where Rutgers has thrown in recent years and, happy to say, we have thrown a few there this year. Every route not vs man coverage aims to be where the defense ain't. Every pass play below the safeties could be called a seam route. Every gap in coverage would be between seams.. even in largely man coverage, a safety or LB might be in a zone and just outside that sone could be called a seam.

AFAIK, the typical seam route is a play-action fake to suck in the safety to run defense while the TE goes straight up the field and past the safety. We threw quick slants and 4-5 yard drags which were not enough on third and long. I would have loved to see some seam routes on 1st and 2nd down when teams expected runs.

There are the static zone seams and the gaps made more vulnerable by routes etc.
There's often a decent middle hole between zones that slants and such can expose. GW liked throwing to Dremel coming across the middle gaps/seams. That got harder as season went on, and defenses knew it was a staple in RUs bag of tricks. Eli and OBJ used to expoit same area since OL couldn't pass block for long

With the Dremel TD vs Michigan, RU dragged a receiver across the middle weak spots - covering defenders left a gap that Dremel ran through and caught a pass without have to fight for ball. Great GW pass into coverage btw.


Kzd8VSc.gif
 
Anecdotal at best, but this play was featured on the Netflix sign stealing documentary. One would think that Stallions gave them some good examples of plays he helped blow up.

When the sign stealing scandal broke this play was the first thing I thought of.

But a question: How does sign stealing work? I assume that the D coordinator calls the D plays based on the stolen sign. But Michigan wouldn't be able to communicate to the players the exact play rutgers was running, right?

Not sure if that play was in first half (did not parse through thread), but I remember at the half when Greg was interviewed, he alluded to something funny or weird going on during the game. Probably was the sign stealing.
 
Not sure if that play was in first half (did not parse through thread), but I remember at the half when Greg was interviewed, he alluded to something funny or weird going on during the game. Probably was the sign stealing.
I am sure it is exactly what he meant- but, there were also a number of questionable flags and non-flags as well
 
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Also a lesson to be learned...your eyes never know what they are seeing with OL - someone that hasn't been there- may have thought the OL got juked, not once but twice and that our big guy never go a clean block. Urben broke it down brilliant and simplified it for everyone. Even his "get big" comment and could show the perfect form...Brilliant and loved it
Exactly. Big guys job in open space is notto pancake or even engage but merely disrupt angles and get in the way. Some of the best screen blocking I have ever seen the Olinemen never even engaged but escorted the skill player 20 yards down field.
 
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