Series:
Welcome back to Upon Further Review, where each week we will review the previous week’s Miami Hurricanes game on film. As has become a disturbing trend for this program, Miami once against lost against a P5 opponent in troubling fashion. What are the issues? What am I seeing on film? Let’s review it together.
Kickoff comes down and Miami gets a decent return to the 27 yard-line. (Not pictured)
1st down and you get a glimpse of the true nature of Mark Richt and the staff. Coming off of a bye week and all of the complaints from fans, alumni, the local community and media, they decide to forge a game plan that is simple. Back-to-basics. It’s the very nature of their philosophy where they believe that simple and executed beats anything else. With all of this in mind, they come out to a fired up defense, a fired up crowd on a night game and spread the defense out in 4-wide and run…a dive play. (Not pictured because the play is already burned into your consciousness at this point)
2nd down and Miami runs a stop route to the outside for Cager. He fights and picks up a 1st down. (Not pictured)
Next play and you really see why Boston College shut our offense down so much in this game. Their scheme is designed for their DE’s to dominate and make plays. The DT here just bear hugs Jahair Jones right at the snap. He’s not trying to do anything but hold the LG out of the hole so that the DE #11 can stunt inside of him and get into the backfield. We double team the NT and that leaves the DE free to get into the backfield and then Brevin is the only blocker on two LB’s. #11 runs in and just tackles the RB. The free LB comes in and cleans it up. Teams have been stunting the left side of our OL all season long successfully and nothing has changed. Second screen shot shows us trying to block the LB with two players. Donaldson comes off his double team block and releases. Gauthier loses as soon as Donaldson releases. #55 goes after the LB Brevin is already blocking and the WLB just runs up and cleans it up.
2nd down and it’s as if BC has our play calls. The MLB is running to the hole immediately. There are no keys from the OL showing this is where the play is going, he just runs right into the hole. The play goes between Jahair and St. Louis and he knows it right now. What upsets you again is that we have the blockers for this play if we slid protection along the OL correctly. Gauthier slides down, Jahair slides out, St. Louis kicks out the edge. The fact that this run goes for a TFL against a 7-man box is truly disheartening. Second shot shows Donaldson thinking, “how the heck did you get over there?” Donaldson is going to release and get on that LB but had no chance. If I’m a play caller and see this I immediately know to change something up because they’ve gotten my calls/keys.
3rd down and it’s pretty bad film to put out there. We roll Rosier to his right and throw a little swing pass to Brevin who is running towards the sideline and away from where he wants his momentum to be going to get towards the sticks. Receiver at the top of the screen just runs himself right out-of-bounds (what is that?) and they’re doubling Jeff Thomas. The free defender just runs in and pushes Brevin out after 3-yards. Our game preparation was to come in and run behind our LG (worst OL that plays) on three of five plays. The 3rd down throw is six yards short of the sticks with the receiver running away from the sticks and back towards the LOS. All Brevin has to do to make this a successful play is catch the ball, gather his momentum, beat a free defender, then beat the other free defender coming behind him and run six yards for a first down. We never even challenged their LB’s who are very good against the run and poor in coverage. This is a poor job by the coaching staff to come out with this game plan.
1st down and originally I was little disappointed that both Bandy and Jaquan come towards the defender here rather than Jaquan staying inside in the hole and Bandy pinching down to close off the edge, but then I see what really happens is this BC blocker holds the heck out of Jaquan. You see the right pulling as if he’s doing a biceps curl? What he’s doing is pulling Jaquan’s jersey clean away from his body here and that’s how Jaquan got out of the hole. It’s the definition of a holding penalty not called and Dillon runs right behind this for a huge gain. It’s a TFL if the blocker doesn’t do that and the officials are blind (the officials did not cost us this game, I’m simply saying that’s an easy call that has to be made and it’s right there on film). By the way, Redwine makes an outstanding tackle 1-on-1 on the outside to prevent a TD by Dillon. Dillon is a freak, so tackling him in the open field is no small feat. Second shot just shows the defender getting knocked backwards and you can see the entirety of his inside shoulder pads because the blocker is pulling his jersey as he falls backwards.
Next play and they try a pitch to Dillon outside and Jaquan fights off a block and makes a TFL. (Not pictured)
Want to see the difference in instincts between two LB’s? BC runs a misdirection play and gets momentum moving away from the playside here. Shaq has already diagnosed it and is running towards where the ball is going. McCloud, who actually has coverage responsibilities to this side, is still turning away from the play towards where the misdirection was. If you wonder how a guy that athletic can seem to be a step late, here is why. He doesn’t see things quickly enough. Pickney is doing what he should be doing because he has to wait on the TE to diagnose his route. If anything, he should be a step deeper in case the TE takes the seam. The TE actually runs a crossing route and Redwine gets caught too far inside and it’s another 1st down. My intent was more to highlight the instincts of Shaq on the play more than anything else.
Shaq makes a great play on the next down, sets the edge, comes off and gets a TFL. (Not pictured)
The great thing that the BC tempo does is that it punishes a defense once they get them in a set they like to go against, preventing the defense from substituting. The beauty of having players who are multiple. It’s obvious they are wanting to attack McCloud and keep him on the field. (Commentary)
BC clearly watched film of our defense and worked to hurt us against our tendencies in this game. Ever since last year when Miami got gashed by the jet sweep motion in a game they have made an adjustment and now play the motion the exact same way pretty much every time. They drop that defender of the motion man out into a single-high look and rotate the other S down into the box where the motion would be going. BC knew this and finally punished the defense for it with a backside motion TE. He’s faking like he’s going to wham block Garvin here, but instead releases into the pattern and Michael Jackson is long gone by the time this happens because he’s dropping into a S look. Play goes for an easy 1st down as there is absolutely nothing on the edge to defend the TE. These are the things I was hoping to see from our coaches with an entire week to game plan and review tendencies of their defense.
BC subs and you immediately see Miami get McCloud off the field at their first chance. Remember, this is now 1st down so it’s not a situation where they needed to get out of base defense. No, they needed to get McCloud off because BC was going after him every play. (Commentary)
If you read my preview article you know I believe the key to their offense isn’t Dillon, but rather their TE #89. The LB’s are focusing on Dillon and the motion and not reading the TE key. This is a middle screen to the TE (the guy standing there not blocking anyone). Generally, in their offense, the TE will tell you what is happening and if this guy isn’t blocking anyone it’s a pass and he’s going into a route.
Smart play design again here from BC. They have identified that the defense is matching up Finley on #89 and they run him on a square-in and draw Finley away from the edge. Shaq gets caught up in looking at the ball and not the G, who is pulling the other direction. They throw this back to the QB who is wide-open. This is the defense forgetting that the receiver was a QB last year (pointed out in the preview). When the ball went backwards the defense needs to identify double pass a lot quicker. Jaquan is the one who bit too hard here though. He is responsible for the backside deep as Redwine is over on the field side already. Surprised this didn’t go for a TD with that many blockers out there and no defenders.
Run the jet sweep motion and we play it the same way and drop S down to that side. The S crashes in and makes the tackle after a short gain. (Not pictured)
Redwine does a smart thing here as the receiver is still at the LOS so he just pops him as the QB rolls out on the PA. He almost blocks Shaq as well, but it takes his outlet receiver out of the mix rather than just running straight after the QB who throws it away.
This 3rd down play design is again tough to stop and I wish Miami would run more rub routes and passing concepts out of motion. The slot receiver is blocking, but at the LOS you can do that. The outside receiver comes underneath the block and the motion receiver comes outside of the block. This stresses the two defenders immediately who have to make a quick decision and Michael Jackson expects the motion man to run a wheel route and he cuts back inside on an angle route. With the other two receivers clearing the middle this is an easy throw and TD. Bandy played it well, but Jackson was unsure of himself.
The kickoff and here is a lane to run through. Wiggins, Finley, Derrick Smith crush the coverage units inside. Brevin Jordan is the guy sealing the other side open for DeeJay. Nice work, guys.
Something I give credit to BC for doing is when something is working they are going back to it often. They run the same stunt again and loop #11 inside and he blows past Jahair Jones again. Luckily Rosier sees this coming and drops it down to Homer who is uncovered. He gets a big gain. Jeff Thomas runs the shallow cross that I haven’t seen much of at all this season and Brevin runs an out route off the edge. The defense is concerned with those two players and they lose coverage on Homer. If we are going to run the same set of plays, it truly surprises me that we don’t run more of the plays that Richt was famous for as an OC.
FYI, this is the SAME play back-to-back. This is the same play, just mirrored to the other side. Homer is releasing up top just like the previous play. Thomas is running the shallow cross. Brevin is running the out route and is wide open this time. The problem is that Donaldson gets destroyed by the DT immediately. Scaife isn’t blocking anyone at all. This is a total bust in protection. Malik throws this to Wiggins, who has crossed the face of the defender and has him beaten on a skinny post. He’s a natural pick that the LB has to fight through to get out to cover Brevin as well, so it’s a pretty nice play design. The first time I saw it I was mad that he didn’t throw the check-down to Brevin, but in reality it’s a great decision but Wiggins stumbles out of his break and drops it. He lets it hit him in the face and it pops into the air and is almost intercepted. Not a perfect ball by Rosier, who should’ve thrown this more inside where Wiggins all kinds of space, but leaving it high makes it a tougher catch for Wiggins.
Next play and I’m not sure why Rosier didn’t throw this ball early. He’s got the outlet right in front of him wide open. He’s got Homer as a check-down open that he looks like he’s going to throw, but doesn’t. St. Louis is beaten early by #11 but recovers and pushes hm wide. Scaife does a nice job on the other side. Rosier gets out of here and gets a 1st down to the bottom of your screen on a scramble. Nice job by Jahair to hold the backside initially but when Rosier starts scrambling he just leaves his man and runs to the other side of the line. Luckily, Rosier made him miss and got outside. Donaldson, what are you doing here? Look for work!! This OL does some truly head-scratching things.
BC runs the same stunt again to the left side but we have a quick give inside called. Jones never touches #11 but the RB gets through before he can close backside. Gauthier roots his guy out nicely. Donaldson turns his guy. Scaife blocks down and then traps the outside edge player nicely. Great burst through the hole and a nice run.
BC reads a QB run on 2nd down and blitzes it quickly. Scaife is supposed to pass set here but not actually block the edge and then release onto the LB. Donaldson is blocking down and that’s fine because it’s a tough reach block for St. Louis to get the DT out of the hole. Unfortunately, Donaldson doesn’t block anyone and because the LB blitzes, Scaife gets nowhere near the LB blitzing in this hole. Rosier tries to escape towards Brevin here and loses two. If Donaldson just releases onto the LB and Scaife knocks the edge wide this is an easy 1st down and probable TD. I fault the play design somewhat for not having Donaldson really do anything here. He never touches a soul. BC has really studied our tendencies and been several steps ahead of everything our offense tries to do regularly. Again, the reason I believe we needed to change things coming out of a bye week when the opponent can study us so closely.
Next play is the fade to Langham that he makes an outstanding catch that is confirmed as a TD upon review. (Not pictured)
Kickoff return, #29 pancakes a BC kid and then forces the RB outside (he gets up very excited about his play). DeeJay Dallas comes from the outside and cuts the returner down nicely. (Not pictured)
1st down and we are letting their OL get to our LB’s far too easily. You’ve got the RG singled up on Pinckney here, the C releases to Shaq. Tito dove around the C instead of hitting him before he releases. I am not sure why Tito is slanting towards the blockers other than perhaps to help free up Willis (who does come free). Garvin is blocked single-up on the edge here and it is just the start of a bad game against the run for him. Pinckney beats the block and has him dead-to-rights in the hole but misses the tackle. Should’ve been another hold though. McCloud has to chase this all the way from that other side to make the tackle after Shaq misses a tackle as well. Woof.
Tito put on the ground immediately by the OL. Garvin completely blocked by a TE. Cutback wide open for the 1st down. Miami getting beaten up physically at the LOS now.
1st down and this play hurt. Jaquan tries to come across and sees the ball late and has it go through his hands. It doubly hurts because the receiver caught the ball for a 1st down. If Jaquan sees it a millisecond sooner it’s a pass defensed at minimum and an interception return deep into BC territory at best. Having it go for a 15-yard gain is the worst-case scenario.
BC runs a WR sweep on 1st down and Redwine runs it down to keep at only a couple. (Not pictured)
2nd down and ugh. We have it defensed perfectly. Willis smells a rat and chases the QB after the end-around to the old QB Jeff Smith. It’s a clever play design again by BC as on both WR passes they’ve run the decoy man is throwing his hand up as if to say he’s open and both times we bit all over it. Trajan bites hard on it even though even if he throws it to the QB we have it completely covered. The WR that’s even with Bandy blows right by him and catches a huge pass. You can see how much this game means to BC as they have emptied the tank on plays they probably won’t run again this season now that they’re on tape.
1st down and BC runs a play action pass and Miami is all kinds of confused on defense. FB slips out into flat and Romeo is caught looking at the ball. Luckily, the QB throws it too high with pressure from Pinckney. Also lucky the pressure was there because they slipped #89 out to the corner on the other side and he was wide open for a TD if the QB seen it. Jaquan bit hard on the run action and was way behind the TE once he saw it was a pass. BC has really put together an outstanding game plan against this Miami defense.
2nd down and Michael Jackson completely underestimates Dillon’s speed. He has the edge and has the play contained. Dillon bounces it and Jackson takes way too shallow of an angle and Dillon runs right by him for a 1st down on the outside. (Not pictured)
Pinckney makes all kinds of plays for this defense but here is the bad Pinckney. He absolutely guesses on this play. You can see him just inside the near hash on the 5-yard line here. He’s the LB responsible for that giant hole to the top of the screen. QB walks through that hole and jogs into the end zone. Man coverage behind the LB’s and the receivers all run away from the backside and there is nothing there for Miami. Any of us could’ve scored on this play.
Good kick return. Brevin has a nice clear out block and Deejay breaks a tackle to get out near the 40. (Not pictured)
We run a “trick play” on 1st down. Look at the differences in the two schemes. Boston College when they run their trick plays are using the flow of the OL to get the LB’s eyes off of their keys (and the CB’s as it turned out). We are doing nothing here. This is just a swing to DeeJay Dallas with straight up standard flow, no motion to make any defenders hesitate or take their eyes where they shouldn’t. We throw the ball backwards and the defenders just run straight in to DeeJay because there is absolutely nothing to take their attention away or threaten their zone. This play has virtually no chance of success and the incompletion was a best-case scenario for the play. Cager was open deep, but like 50-yards downfield. Can you really expect DeeJay to throw the ball accurately 50-yards and to have time to setup to throw it?
2nd down and it’s a mess again. The Edge (#2) doesn’t respect Malik running at all. Donaldson blocks down on the NT but that can’t be the intention to leave the LB just unblocked in the hole. Scaife never blocks a soul and I can’t imagine he is supposed to be blocking the guy covering Brevin. I’m guessing Scaife is supposed to be getting out to the LB. #2 and the LB smack the RB in the hole and BC runs the same stunt to the left side of the line again and #11 scrapes down the line and smacks the RB as well. This is not working, Coach Richt. You are going to have to change this. Either instruct Malik to pull it on some plays, instruct Richt to throw the ball on more of these plays, or change the play calls. How about finally punishing BC for running the inside stunt on the left side of the OL 15 times this game?
Again, I’m telling you BC scouted us so well they have our calls. Look at both of the DE’s here jumping this snap completely. They both are across the LOS and none of our players have even moved outside of the one who snaps the ball. None of them. WR’s, RB, TE, OL. BC knows our tendencies so well they’re moving before we are. We run a screen that would’ve worked if Donaldson could get to his block, but he couldn’t and Homer had to avoid him and stopped his momentum. I don’t mean in space, either. I just mean at the LOS he couldn’t block the guy who just runs down the LOS with him, sheds him, forces Homer inside. That is a block that has to be made, but a really smart play by the BC defender. When Miami actually makes a smart play call the team can’t execute a simple play. Literally the only defender who could stop the play did against a guy who weighs a hundred pounds more than he does.
Michael Jackson absolutely learned from his earlier mistake of allowing Dillon to get outside of him. You can see his shoulders are outside of the blocker this time rather than coming into him. He forces Dillon to cut inside and tackles him by the legs. That’s what you have to force Dillon to do is to cut. He’s absolutely phenomenal in a straight line, but you can tackle him if you force him to cut.
Next play and BC traps our edge player by dropping the RG out to pick up the edge off play-action. They run the TE across the field underneath and the LB takes his eyes off again and the TE is wide open for a 1st down. You can see the TE just starting across at the 19-yard line.
It is obvious that BC identified in their bye week to attack McCloud at every opportunity in coverage. They get him on the field and it’s tempo to keep him there. Pull the LG across the formation, run split zone with play-action. TE gets on McCloud in the seam and runs past him, McCloud has his back turned, TE high-points the ball and makes a huge catch. Carving us up right now. TE is at the 40 to the top of the screen.
Kickoff comes down and Miami gets a decent return to the 27 yard-line. (Not pictured)
1st down and you get a glimpse of the true nature of Mark Richt and the staff. Coming off of a bye week and all of the complaints from fans, alumni, the local community and media, they decide to forge a game plan that is simple. Back-to-basics. It’s the very nature of their philosophy where they believe that simple and executed beats anything else. With all of this in mind, they come out to a fired up defense, a fired up crowd on a night game and spread the defense out in 4-wide and run…a dive play. (Not pictured because the play is already burned into your consciousness at this point)
2nd down and Miami runs a stop route to the outside for Cager. He fights and picks up a 1st down. (Not pictured)
Next play and you really see why Boston College shut our offense down so much in this game. Their scheme is designed for their DE’s to dominate and make plays. The DT here just bear hugs Jahair Jones right at the snap. He’s not trying to do anything but hold the LG out of the hole so that the DE #11 can stunt inside of him and get into the backfield. We double team the NT and that leaves the DE free to get into the backfield and then Brevin is the only blocker on two LB’s. #11 runs in and just tackles the RB. The free LB comes in and cleans it up. Teams have been stunting the left side of our OL all season long successfully and nothing has changed. Second screen shot shows us trying to block the LB with two players. Donaldson comes off his double team block and releases. Gauthier loses as soon as Donaldson releases. #55 goes after the LB Brevin is already blocking and the WLB just runs up and cleans it up.
2nd down and it’s as if BC has our play calls. The MLB is running to the hole immediately. There are no keys from the OL showing this is where the play is going, he just runs right into the hole. The play goes between Jahair and St. Louis and he knows it right now. What upsets you again is that we have the blockers for this play if we slid protection along the OL correctly. Gauthier slides down, Jahair slides out, St. Louis kicks out the edge. The fact that this run goes for a TFL against a 7-man box is truly disheartening. Second shot shows Donaldson thinking, “how the heck did you get over there?” Donaldson is going to release and get on that LB but had no chance. If I’m a play caller and see this I immediately know to change something up because they’ve gotten my calls/keys.
3rd down and it’s pretty bad film to put out there. We roll Rosier to his right and throw a little swing pass to Brevin who is running towards the sideline and away from where he wants his momentum to be going to get towards the sticks. Receiver at the top of the screen just runs himself right out-of-bounds (what is that?) and they’re doubling Jeff Thomas. The free defender just runs in and pushes Brevin out after 3-yards. Our game preparation was to come in and run behind our LG (worst OL that plays) on three of five plays. The 3rd down throw is six yards short of the sticks with the receiver running away from the sticks and back towards the LOS. All Brevin has to do to make this a successful play is catch the ball, gather his momentum, beat a free defender, then beat the other free defender coming behind him and run six yards for a first down. We never even challenged their LB’s who are very good against the run and poor in coverage. This is a poor job by the coaching staff to come out with this game plan.
1st down and originally I was little disappointed that both Bandy and Jaquan come towards the defender here rather than Jaquan staying inside in the hole and Bandy pinching down to close off the edge, but then I see what really happens is this BC blocker holds the heck out of Jaquan. You see the right pulling as if he’s doing a biceps curl? What he’s doing is pulling Jaquan’s jersey clean away from his body here and that’s how Jaquan got out of the hole. It’s the definition of a holding penalty not called and Dillon runs right behind this for a huge gain. It’s a TFL if the blocker doesn’t do that and the officials are blind (the officials did not cost us this game, I’m simply saying that’s an easy call that has to be made and it’s right there on film). By the way, Redwine makes an outstanding tackle 1-on-1 on the outside to prevent a TD by Dillon. Dillon is a freak, so tackling him in the open field is no small feat. Second shot just shows the defender getting knocked backwards and you can see the entirety of his inside shoulder pads because the blocker is pulling his jersey as he falls backwards.
Next play and they try a pitch to Dillon outside and Jaquan fights off a block and makes a TFL. (Not pictured)
Want to see the difference in instincts between two LB’s? BC runs a misdirection play and gets momentum moving away from the playside here. Shaq has already diagnosed it and is running towards where the ball is going. McCloud, who actually has coverage responsibilities to this side, is still turning away from the play towards where the misdirection was. If you wonder how a guy that athletic can seem to be a step late, here is why. He doesn’t see things quickly enough. Pickney is doing what he should be doing because he has to wait on the TE to diagnose his route. If anything, he should be a step deeper in case the TE takes the seam. The TE actually runs a crossing route and Redwine gets caught too far inside and it’s another 1st down. My intent was more to highlight the instincts of Shaq on the play more than anything else.
Shaq makes a great play on the next down, sets the edge, comes off and gets a TFL. (Not pictured)
The great thing that the BC tempo does is that it punishes a defense once they get them in a set they like to go against, preventing the defense from substituting. The beauty of having players who are multiple. It’s obvious they are wanting to attack McCloud and keep him on the field. (Commentary)
BC clearly watched film of our defense and worked to hurt us against our tendencies in this game. Ever since last year when Miami got gashed by the jet sweep motion in a game they have made an adjustment and now play the motion the exact same way pretty much every time. They drop that defender of the motion man out into a single-high look and rotate the other S down into the box where the motion would be going. BC knew this and finally punished the defense for it with a backside motion TE. He’s faking like he’s going to wham block Garvin here, but instead releases into the pattern and Michael Jackson is long gone by the time this happens because he’s dropping into a S look. Play goes for an easy 1st down as there is absolutely nothing on the edge to defend the TE. These are the things I was hoping to see from our coaches with an entire week to game plan and review tendencies of their defense.
BC subs and you immediately see Miami get McCloud off the field at their first chance. Remember, this is now 1st down so it’s not a situation where they needed to get out of base defense. No, they needed to get McCloud off because BC was going after him every play. (Commentary)
If you read my preview article you know I believe the key to their offense isn’t Dillon, but rather their TE #89. The LB’s are focusing on Dillon and the motion and not reading the TE key. This is a middle screen to the TE (the guy standing there not blocking anyone). Generally, in their offense, the TE will tell you what is happening and if this guy isn’t blocking anyone it’s a pass and he’s going into a route.
Smart play design again here from BC. They have identified that the defense is matching up Finley on #89 and they run him on a square-in and draw Finley away from the edge. Shaq gets caught up in looking at the ball and not the G, who is pulling the other direction. They throw this back to the QB who is wide-open. This is the defense forgetting that the receiver was a QB last year (pointed out in the preview). When the ball went backwards the defense needs to identify double pass a lot quicker. Jaquan is the one who bit too hard here though. He is responsible for the backside deep as Redwine is over on the field side already. Surprised this didn’t go for a TD with that many blockers out there and no defenders.
Run the jet sweep motion and we play it the same way and drop S down to that side. The S crashes in and makes the tackle after a short gain. (Not pictured)
Redwine does a smart thing here as the receiver is still at the LOS so he just pops him as the QB rolls out on the PA. He almost blocks Shaq as well, but it takes his outlet receiver out of the mix rather than just running straight after the QB who throws it away.
This 3rd down play design is again tough to stop and I wish Miami would run more rub routes and passing concepts out of motion. The slot receiver is blocking, but at the LOS you can do that. The outside receiver comes underneath the block and the motion receiver comes outside of the block. This stresses the two defenders immediately who have to make a quick decision and Michael Jackson expects the motion man to run a wheel route and he cuts back inside on an angle route. With the other two receivers clearing the middle this is an easy throw and TD. Bandy played it well, but Jackson was unsure of himself.
The kickoff and here is a lane to run through. Wiggins, Finley, Derrick Smith crush the coverage units inside. Brevin Jordan is the guy sealing the other side open for DeeJay. Nice work, guys.
Something I give credit to BC for doing is when something is working they are going back to it often. They run the same stunt again and loop #11 inside and he blows past Jahair Jones again. Luckily Rosier sees this coming and drops it down to Homer who is uncovered. He gets a big gain. Jeff Thomas runs the shallow cross that I haven’t seen much of at all this season and Brevin runs an out route off the edge. The defense is concerned with those two players and they lose coverage on Homer. If we are going to run the same set of plays, it truly surprises me that we don’t run more of the plays that Richt was famous for as an OC.
FYI, this is the SAME play back-to-back. This is the same play, just mirrored to the other side. Homer is releasing up top just like the previous play. Thomas is running the shallow cross. Brevin is running the out route and is wide open this time. The problem is that Donaldson gets destroyed by the DT immediately. Scaife isn’t blocking anyone at all. This is a total bust in protection. Malik throws this to Wiggins, who has crossed the face of the defender and has him beaten on a skinny post. He’s a natural pick that the LB has to fight through to get out to cover Brevin as well, so it’s a pretty nice play design. The first time I saw it I was mad that he didn’t throw the check-down to Brevin, but in reality it’s a great decision but Wiggins stumbles out of his break and drops it. He lets it hit him in the face and it pops into the air and is almost intercepted. Not a perfect ball by Rosier, who should’ve thrown this more inside where Wiggins all kinds of space, but leaving it high makes it a tougher catch for Wiggins.
Next play and I’m not sure why Rosier didn’t throw this ball early. He’s got the outlet right in front of him wide open. He’s got Homer as a check-down open that he looks like he’s going to throw, but doesn’t. St. Louis is beaten early by #11 but recovers and pushes hm wide. Scaife does a nice job on the other side. Rosier gets out of here and gets a 1st down to the bottom of your screen on a scramble. Nice job by Jahair to hold the backside initially but when Rosier starts scrambling he just leaves his man and runs to the other side of the line. Luckily, Rosier made him miss and got outside. Donaldson, what are you doing here? Look for work!! This OL does some truly head-scratching things.
BC runs the same stunt again to the left side but we have a quick give inside called. Jones never touches #11 but the RB gets through before he can close backside. Gauthier roots his guy out nicely. Donaldson turns his guy. Scaife blocks down and then traps the outside edge player nicely. Great burst through the hole and a nice run.
BC reads a QB run on 2nd down and blitzes it quickly. Scaife is supposed to pass set here but not actually block the edge and then release onto the LB. Donaldson is blocking down and that’s fine because it’s a tough reach block for St. Louis to get the DT out of the hole. Unfortunately, Donaldson doesn’t block anyone and because the LB blitzes, Scaife gets nowhere near the LB blitzing in this hole. Rosier tries to escape towards Brevin here and loses two. If Donaldson just releases onto the LB and Scaife knocks the edge wide this is an easy 1st down and probable TD. I fault the play design somewhat for not having Donaldson really do anything here. He never touches a soul. BC has really studied our tendencies and been several steps ahead of everything our offense tries to do regularly. Again, the reason I believe we needed to change things coming out of a bye week when the opponent can study us so closely.
Next play is the fade to Langham that he makes an outstanding catch that is confirmed as a TD upon review. (Not pictured)
Kickoff return, #29 pancakes a BC kid and then forces the RB outside (he gets up very excited about his play). DeeJay Dallas comes from the outside and cuts the returner down nicely. (Not pictured)
1st down and we are letting their OL get to our LB’s far too easily. You’ve got the RG singled up on Pinckney here, the C releases to Shaq. Tito dove around the C instead of hitting him before he releases. I am not sure why Tito is slanting towards the blockers other than perhaps to help free up Willis (who does come free). Garvin is blocked single-up on the edge here and it is just the start of a bad game against the run for him. Pinckney beats the block and has him dead-to-rights in the hole but misses the tackle. Should’ve been another hold though. McCloud has to chase this all the way from that other side to make the tackle after Shaq misses a tackle as well. Woof.
Tito put on the ground immediately by the OL. Garvin completely blocked by a TE. Cutback wide open for the 1st down. Miami getting beaten up physically at the LOS now.
1st down and this play hurt. Jaquan tries to come across and sees the ball late and has it go through his hands. It doubly hurts because the receiver caught the ball for a 1st down. If Jaquan sees it a millisecond sooner it’s a pass defensed at minimum and an interception return deep into BC territory at best. Having it go for a 15-yard gain is the worst-case scenario.
BC runs a WR sweep on 1st down and Redwine runs it down to keep at only a couple. (Not pictured)
2nd down and ugh. We have it defensed perfectly. Willis smells a rat and chases the QB after the end-around to the old QB Jeff Smith. It’s a clever play design again by BC as on both WR passes they’ve run the decoy man is throwing his hand up as if to say he’s open and both times we bit all over it. Trajan bites hard on it even though even if he throws it to the QB we have it completely covered. The WR that’s even with Bandy blows right by him and catches a huge pass. You can see how much this game means to BC as they have emptied the tank on plays they probably won’t run again this season now that they’re on tape.
1st down and BC runs a play action pass and Miami is all kinds of confused on defense. FB slips out into flat and Romeo is caught looking at the ball. Luckily, the QB throws it too high with pressure from Pinckney. Also lucky the pressure was there because they slipped #89 out to the corner on the other side and he was wide open for a TD if the QB seen it. Jaquan bit hard on the run action and was way behind the TE once he saw it was a pass. BC has really put together an outstanding game plan against this Miami defense.
2nd down and Michael Jackson completely underestimates Dillon’s speed. He has the edge and has the play contained. Dillon bounces it and Jackson takes way too shallow of an angle and Dillon runs right by him for a 1st down on the outside. (Not pictured)
Pinckney makes all kinds of plays for this defense but here is the bad Pinckney. He absolutely guesses on this play. You can see him just inside the near hash on the 5-yard line here. He’s the LB responsible for that giant hole to the top of the screen. QB walks through that hole and jogs into the end zone. Man coverage behind the LB’s and the receivers all run away from the backside and there is nothing there for Miami. Any of us could’ve scored on this play.
Good kick return. Brevin has a nice clear out block and Deejay breaks a tackle to get out near the 40. (Not pictured)
We run a “trick play” on 1st down. Look at the differences in the two schemes. Boston College when they run their trick plays are using the flow of the OL to get the LB’s eyes off of their keys (and the CB’s as it turned out). We are doing nothing here. This is just a swing to DeeJay Dallas with straight up standard flow, no motion to make any defenders hesitate or take their eyes where they shouldn’t. We throw the ball backwards and the defenders just run straight in to DeeJay because there is absolutely nothing to take their attention away or threaten their zone. This play has virtually no chance of success and the incompletion was a best-case scenario for the play. Cager was open deep, but like 50-yards downfield. Can you really expect DeeJay to throw the ball accurately 50-yards and to have time to setup to throw it?
2nd down and it’s a mess again. The Edge (#2) doesn’t respect Malik running at all. Donaldson blocks down on the NT but that can’t be the intention to leave the LB just unblocked in the hole. Scaife never blocks a soul and I can’t imagine he is supposed to be blocking the guy covering Brevin. I’m guessing Scaife is supposed to be getting out to the LB. #2 and the LB smack the RB in the hole and BC runs the same stunt to the left side of the line again and #11 scrapes down the line and smacks the RB as well. This is not working, Coach Richt. You are going to have to change this. Either instruct Malik to pull it on some plays, instruct Richt to throw the ball on more of these plays, or change the play calls. How about finally punishing BC for running the inside stunt on the left side of the OL 15 times this game?
Again, I’m telling you BC scouted us so well they have our calls. Look at both of the DE’s here jumping this snap completely. They both are across the LOS and none of our players have even moved outside of the one who snaps the ball. None of them. WR’s, RB, TE, OL. BC knows our tendencies so well they’re moving before we are. We run a screen that would’ve worked if Donaldson could get to his block, but he couldn’t and Homer had to avoid him and stopped his momentum. I don’t mean in space, either. I just mean at the LOS he couldn’t block the guy who just runs down the LOS with him, sheds him, forces Homer inside. That is a block that has to be made, but a really smart play by the BC defender. When Miami actually makes a smart play call the team can’t execute a simple play. Literally the only defender who could stop the play did against a guy who weighs a hundred pounds more than he does.
Michael Jackson absolutely learned from his earlier mistake of allowing Dillon to get outside of him. You can see his shoulders are outside of the blocker this time rather than coming into him. He forces Dillon to cut inside and tackles him by the legs. That’s what you have to force Dillon to do is to cut. He’s absolutely phenomenal in a straight line, but you can tackle him if you force him to cut.
Next play and BC traps our edge player by dropping the RG out to pick up the edge off play-action. They run the TE across the field underneath and the LB takes his eyes off again and the TE is wide open for a 1st down. You can see the TE just starting across at the 19-yard line.
It is obvious that BC identified in their bye week to attack McCloud at every opportunity in coverage. They get him on the field and it’s tempo to keep him there. Pull the LG across the formation, run split zone with play-action. TE gets on McCloud in the seam and runs past him, McCloud has his back turned, TE high-points the ball and makes a huge catch. Carving us up right now. TE is at the 40 to the top of the screen.
