did you guys notice?

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touchdownvikings

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On Kobe McCrary's 50-YD TD run, there were a few atypical "un-Gopher" things going on:

(1) There was only one back in the backfield. THIS IS HUGE. Check the immediate response of the strong side linebacker and safety after the snap: two steps backwards, looking for a pass. Last year, the Gophers passed 90+% with a single back in the backfield, and Indiana State obviously watched film and were thinking pass. Claeys said we needed to run out of a single back formation, and son of a gun, he did it.

(2) The line used zone block assignments, as opposed to power blocking assignments. Under Kill, it was predominantly power blocking assignments. I think Indiana State was expecting power blocking, and this influenced their defensive formation, which was literally a give-it-away for a run off left guard.

You can see the play again here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9K2SWiOp9Y

This kind of unpredictability is what makes for big offense and big plays. We're in for an exciting year, boys. Sit tight.
 

If this is true and in fact an oddity, and I have no reason to doubt it, then we should have waited to show it.


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Spoofin said:
If this is true and in fact an oddity, and I have no reason to doubt it, then we should have waited to show it.


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Or you show this is a possibility so now defenses have to prepare for it even though we are likely to pass out of the situation?
 

Chicago Gophers said:
Or you show this is a possibility so now defenses have to prepare for it even though we are likely to pass out of the situation?
Click to expand...

Sure, that works too.


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Spoofin said:
If this is true and in fact an oddity, and I have no reason to doubt it, then we should have waited to show it.


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Yes you certainly would want to wait and run a brand new type of play for the first time in a critical situation against a good team. Nothing could possibly go wrong with that strategy
 

Some guy said:
Yes you certainly would want to wait and run a brand new type of play for the first time in a critical situation against a good team. Nothing could possibly go wrong with that strategy
Click to expand...

You mean like it went wrong on the play in discussion?


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GoldenRodents said:
The kid really waits for his blocks, doesn't he.
Click to expand...

Not as talented, but after the ISU game I found myself wondering if his patience/vision could rival Cobbs?


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The line on that play:

Left tackle: 73 Donnell Greene
Left guard: 55 Connor Mayes
Center: 60 Matt Leidner
Right Guard: 62 Jared Weyler
Right tackle: 74 Nick Connelly

Thanks for the excellent analysis Touchdown Vikings. It's nice to have someone posting that is obsessive about the details. Lots of tweaks big and small vs years past.
 

22 is white is incredibly slow. ISU is a very bad team.


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Yeah when a safety is slower than a linebackers you've got #problems. That game was fun and all but that defense and in particular the secondary were atrocious. On the positive side, we didn't step on our dongs so that's progress. Onward and upward.
 



Spoofin said:
You mean like it went wrong on the play in discussion?


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Yeah you are right again. It was the first and only time zone had been run this year and it did great, we should have saved it
 

Some guy said:
Yeah you are right again. It was the first and only time zone had been run this year and it did great, we should have saved it
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what your point is. Are you?

Some guy said:
Yes you certainly would want to wait and run a brand new type of play for the first time in a critical situation against a good team. Nothing could possibly go wrong with that strategy
Click to expand...




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Some guy said:
Yeah you are right again. It was the first and only time zone had been run this year and it did great, we should have saved it
Click to expand...

No we should have used it. It's an unusually play for us as well as the opponents and it needs to be learned.
 

To elaborate a little, the things that I see that favor the Gophers in this play relate mainly to Indiana State's defensive alignment and immediate reaction after the snap. Bottom line both suggest they were thinking pass.

(1) The are using a nickel package. This means they had to trade a linebacker for a safety. There are now only two linebackers instead of three.

(2) The right defensive tackle is lined up directly over the left defensive tackle, as opposed to being lined up in the gap between the guard and tackle. This left the Gophers center and left guard uncovered, with great angles to block the linebackers. (Moreover, we are not outnumbered - two uncovered offensive linemen, two linebackers - not three, thank you nickel coverage). Had the defensive tackle lined up in the gap, the left guard would have been assigned to block the DT. This would have left our left tackle with the assignment to block at the second level - a larger, slower lineman with a worse angle on the LB.

(3) The immediate reaction of the strong side linebacker after the snap is to take two steps backwards. By the time he begins to move forward, the left guard is out of his stance, two yards down the field advancing directly at the LB. They meet at the 45 yard line - 5 yards down field.

(4) The inadvisable alignment of the DT combined with the poor reaction of the LB made a huge play inevitable, considering that they were in a nickel package.
 

Pompous Elitist said:
The line on that play:

Left tackle: 73 Donnell Greene
Left guard: 55 Connor Mayes
Center: 60 Matt Leidner
Right Guard: 62 Jared Weyler
Right tackle: 74 Nick Connelly

Thanks for the excellent analysis Touchdown Vikings. It's nice to have someone posting that is obsessive about the details. Lots of tweaks big and small vs years past.
Click to expand...

Donnell Greene blew his guy out of the hole and McCrary saw the block developing and cutback off of Greene's left hip. Mel Holland Jr. had a very nice down field block as well.
 

touchdownvikings said:
To elaborate a little, the things that I see that favor the Gophers in this play relate mainly to Indiana State's defensive alignment and immediate reaction after the snap. Bottom line both suggest they were thinking pass.

(1) The are using a nickel package. This means they had to trade a linebacker for a safety. There are now only two linebackers instead of three.

(2) The right defensive tackle is lined up directly over the left defensive tackle, as opposed to being lined up in the gap between the guard and tackle. This left the Gophers center and left guard uncovered, with great angles to block the linebackers. (Moreover, we are not outnumbered - two uncovered offensive linemen, two linebackers - not three, thank you nickel coverage). Had the defensive tackle lined up in the gap, the left guard would have been assigned to block the DT. This would have left our left tackle with the assignment to block at the second level - a larger, slower lineman with a worse angle on the LB.

(3) The immediate reaction of the strong side linebacker after the snap is to take two steps backwards. By the time he begins to move forward, the left guard is out of his stance, two yards down the field advancing directly at the LB. They meet at the 45 yard line - 5 yards down field.

(4) The inadvisable alignment of the DT combined with the poor reaction of the LB made a huge play inevitable, considering that they were in a nickel package.
Click to expand...

I really like these kinds of breakdowns. Thanks for posting.
 

It should be noted it was 3rd and 20, and they were in a 2-4-5 front. Also, we don't get too many opportunities where we have positive numbers in the box. The linemen and tight end blew them off the line, 55 and 60 made nice blocks on the linebackers, the receivers made their blocks, and McCrary made a few nice cuts and it was off to the races.
 

minibeaver and Pompous Elitist,

Thanks for your kudos. This thread, together with my "play selection on first and ten" thread, are part of a deliberate effort on my part to bring the kind of conversation I prefer to Gopherhole. It's great you guys like it. I'm hoping we can have a lot more conversations like this one and make Gopherhole even better. Or should I say: Make Gopherhole Great Again?
 

touchdownvikings said:
minibeaver and Pompous Elitist,

Thanks for your kudos. This thread, together with my "play selection on first and ten" thread, are part of a deliberate effort on my part to bring the kind of conversation I prefer to Gopherhole. It's great you guys like it. I'm hoping we can have a lot more conversations like this one and make Gopherhole even better. Or should I say: Make Gopherhole Great Again?
Click to expand...

Can your next post be about the word "donation"?
 

touchdownvikings said:
minibeaver and Pompous Elitist,

Thanks for your kudos. This thread, together with my "play selection on first and ten" thread, are part of a deliberate effort on my part to bring the kind of conversation I prefer to Gopherhole. It's great you guys like it. I'm hoping we can have a lot more conversations like this one and make Gopherhole even better. Or should I say: Make Gopherhole Great Again?
Click to expand...

We're going to build a wall around the State, and Iowa will pay for it?
 


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