Series:
Welcome back to Upon Further Review, where each week we take an in-depth look at the film of Miami Hurricanes games. This edition will feature Miami’s 49-24 win at Toledo.
First play, Toledo tries an inside zone give and Willis uses a straight arm technique to control the RG, Jaquan lined up in-the-box and takes away the cutback lane. Pinckney fills hard and Willis smacks the RB for no gain. (Not pictured)
Next play and Shaq and Redwine are communicating pre-snap on who to take. RB lines up to the left of the QB, just outside the hash marks. Shaq shifts a yard to the left of the hash to match the RB. I’m not sure why, as there seemed to be confusion on Miami’s part, but Shaq takes another step to his right and he’s already outflanked right here. This RB has him beat to the flats already. We are in man-press up-top, so the DB’s are going to turn and run with the receivers. The RB’s momentum is already headed that way and Shaq is several yards behind as the RB catches this and runs for an easy first down (Romeo Finley fell down and left the edge wide-open). Shaq needs to stay lined up at least two yards further to his left to have any chance. He can flow inside-out if they try an edge run. If you look in the second screenshot, I believe Shaq was the edge player to the other side and they just ran a great play against that defense, but if Shaq lines up a few yards inside more he can allow himself to get to both spots.
Toledo tries to hurry-up on 1st down and their QB tries to go deep and it’s incomplete. They had a TE running a square-in wide-open in the middle of the field as the LB’s both split to cover the flats (you can see he is coming open behind Shaq and Pinckney flares out to the other flat leaving a nice open space behind them). It’s just Miami’s QB’s who miss open receivers. Gerald Willis beats #67 almost immediately. He uses his patented arm-over after the initial strike and pressures the QB. He’s so good. Part of the problem Miami runs into later is with what Garvin is doing here- he’s rushing so wide he’s leaving a wide-open lane to run through. Toledo makes an adjustment later to start crashing down on Willis, letting Garvin or Joe Jackson run wide and the QB just steps up into the open area for easy running yards.
Bethel whips #67 and forces the RB to bounce immediately. Willis is upfield and gets credit for the TFL, but Bethel makes the play right at the snap. Look at Miami’s DL all completely on the other side of the LOS and #67 is on all fours.
Toledo tries to run the sprint option out of shotgun on 3rd and 13 and basically everyone on Miami comes running up and gets another TFL. I don’t know about that play call, but Bandy beats a block immediately, Derrick Smith stayed home, Joe Jackson beat his block and pursued. The play had no chance. (Not pictured)
1st down and Rosier’s pass is knocked down by the NT who got his hands up. I’d like to see Gauthier punish him for that when he does it. If you’re going to put your hands up, I’d like for my C to bury you right in the chest when you do that. Make that statement early and DL will be more hesitant to put their hands up later in the game. (Not pictured)
2nd down and St. Louis locks his man out, Gauthier does a nice job of getting his left shoulder onto the NT as he gets to the second level and Mahoney handles his man straight up. Donaldson had no one to block and just ran down to try and find someone on the bubble screen to Thomas out of the slot. (Not pictured)
3rd and 1 and we QB sneak for the first down. (Not pictured)
1st down and apparently this isn’t pass interference with the ball already in the air. Ok.
2nd down, few things here; the reason St. Louis gets beat here is he overextends and gets off-balance. This is the moment where he’s already lost on the edge. I’d like for Jahair Jones to absolutely punish the DE from the side here. I want my OL to look for work and not be spectators. Rosier throws a decent pass over a LB, but a bit behind Langham, who makes a solid catch.
Good job by Mahoney to get to his block here on the pull from RG. Homer makes a nice cut in the hole. If Jahair Jones makes his block at the 45 this has a chance to be a house call. He doesn’t get his block and it’s only a solid run. Look at Gauthier completely manhandle #93 here. 93 started right on that hash and trying to get to Homer, but Gauthier completely moved him. Great job by him of turning his shoulders and hips to have leverage to wall off that defender and make a hole. Just one guy missing his block can change the course of a play.
2nd down and Homer gets the first down on a dive play. Kind of a dirty play when the LB #17 thinks St. Louis is the RB (I’m guessing) and wraps him up as if he were a wrestler shooting the legs and takes him down. I’m surprised that didn’t start a fight. (Not pictured)
This is teaching tape on how not to play OL at the point of attack. #62 is doing his standard leaning technique here. Look at Navaughn Donaldson completely losing his balance here (in fairness, he tripped over Brevin). Should be hands to the face on #55 against Brevin here- not called. Jahair Jones is getting trucked right here. This looks like one of those blocking sleds when you hit them and stand them upright. Not good. Gauthier gets his block. Jahair Jones makes the tackle with his legs as he’s driven into Homer.
The very next play we play it so much better. Look at the wall they’ve already created here. This play is going to work at this very moment. Mahoney pulls, which gets the LB’s to flow that way as their initial keys would dictate. Donaldson takes Mahoney’s guy and gets to him in time to get leverage. St. Louis seals his guy. Gauthier gets out and passes off with Brevin, who crashes down on the outside LB while Gauthier takes the inside LB. Malik makes a very nice block on the edge to spring Thomas, and he should get credit no doubt, but this is the moment this play worked. Thomas with a great run as well.
We are so much better running the ball when we run inside zone or inside power runs. Here, we pull Jahair Jones, who buries #21, Donaldson blocks down on the edge very well, and Dallas just waits for the hole to open up once Jones clears him. If Mallory holds this block at the 12 DeeJay scores (he doesn’t), but Dallas drags him for a first down.
What is Jahair Jones doing here? Look at how he’s impacting him with his hands way out wide. It’s almost like he’s leading with his face on this block. As you can imagine, this was not effective and this man comes off and tackles Deejay for a loss. If Jahair makes this block it’s a TD. I honestly just don’t know what to say about what he’s doing here. Jones’ reaction told you he already knew how much he blew that play.
Next play we go empty and we pulled Jahair around but this play is a TD even if we don’t have a LG on the field. Look at how the OL just opens this play up right off the snap. Malik runs right in behind Jones in that giant hole. Good job by everyone here- especially Brevin, as he was key to getting #55 out of the hole. I like using Rosier’s legs out of empty sets.
Joe Jackson this is not ok. He is being blocked single-up by a TE here and doesn’t come close to winning. We can’t have that and be a great DL. This allowed Toledo to slide their OL and get an extra blocker on our interior DL and create a beautiful pocket. It’s also a good thing the QB was looking the other way because Bandy missed his jam and got beat off the snap. It was maybe a TD if the QB is looking that way as we were in a single-high S look up top and he was shaded to the other side of the field. Romeo Finley actually goes up and makes a nice play on a 50/50 ball against a WR but we got lucky the QB wasn’t seeing the field here in a clean pocket. Second shot is of the WR running free at the 40.
Next play and that same H-back is moving Joe Jackson inside by himself. Toledo QB doesn’t just take the open man here for some reason. Instead he just holds the ball and lets Redwine streak in and sack him here. Jaquan is a couple yards behind him, but just flick out front and it’s an incompletion or a couple yards instead of a sack. QB has to know he doesn’t have a blocker out there and he’s naked.
3rd & 17 and somehow the officials miss this hold against Garvin. I mean, the guy has two hands holding him back by his jersey. Bandy nearly intercepted the ball on the sideline on a throwaway by the QB as Shaq comes free and is going to crush him.
My goal while doing these is to simply highlight what I see. I say that so as to state unequivocally that this is not personal against any one player. I am not sure what Jahair Jones is aiming at here. Both of his arms are way above what should be a normal target area. He’s also standing straight up-and-down again. I want to see Miami’s OL delivering the first blow on these running plays and not letting the DL get into them quite so much. Donaldson gets completely blown off-the-ball here. If Donaldson delivers the first blow there is no way he’s going to get moved nearly as much as he does here. Both of the two defenders I’m referencing here come off the blocks and meet at the RB for no gain.
I’d say Jones is getting ragdolled here, but it’s also hands to the face, truthfully. Jones recovers and the OL gives Malik a clean pocket. Then Rosier throws deep to Jeff Thomas and there is all kinds of hand-fighting, plus the CB cut the WR off from his route. Pass falls incomplete.
We hand this ball off on 3rd-and-9 and Homer follows Gauthier off a Mahoney block (that he doesn’t make) and the S comes upfield and tackles Homer after 4. I think Rosier has the option to pull this ball and throw it to Brevin and I wish he had. We’ve got numbers out there with two blockers for the two defenders and then Brevin just needing to make a play against that edge LB crashing down to pick this up.
Jaquan covers the punt very well. Nice play by one of our stars on special teams. #29 completely tackled DeeJay Dallas by his jersey on the return and no call right out in the open. Surprised they missed that one. (Not pictured)
1st down and Mike Smith runs right into his own players back. Pinckney could be tougher at taking on this pulling OL but at least he’s where he is supposed to be. I always want my LB to deliver a blow to that OL and sometimes you can actually knock the OL back into the hole and have him make the tackle on the RB for you. If Mike Smith doesn’t just run into the back of his teammate he’s standing there to make this tackle in the hole. Instead this goes an easy first down (you can see the cutback is covered by your edge defender at the top of the screen). This is an example of poor LB play. The stat sheet will show a Mike Smith tackle though (14 yards downfield).
This is a good example of not understanding what the defense is. I don’t know who makes the mistake here, I’m guessing it’s not Michael Jackson and is instead Derrick Smith, but that’s a guess simply because Jackson is pointing telling him where to be. They run a pick play against man coverage and I’m guessing Smith is supposed to take the instead guy and Jackson is supposed to stay deep. Jackson sticks to the guy going deep and Smith needs to slide down on #3 who is wide open on the outside slip screen. Smith comes back and makes the tackle, but this is free yards for Toledo due to misunderstanding the defense you’re in. Pinckney showed outstanding range by being the first guy after initially rushing the QB. Impressive.
They throw a dump pass to the RB on the next play and it looks like he’ll get the first down but Shaq crashes quickly and under control and the RB tries to dance. Bandy smacks him and then flexes over him. He’s an old-school Cane. (Not pictured)
Next play and Toledo cut blocks our DL (strongly dislike cut blocks being legal) and the QB tries to run. He slides too early and the officials correctly ruled him down before the first down marker. (Not pictured)
4th down play and Andre Ware says something I disagree with. He says that the QB has the first down if he just follows his lineman inside. Gerald Willis has completely blown this play up and forces the QB to go wide. If he tries to follow that OL inside he has no chance. If he tries to cut it back Derrick Smith takes his head off. He tries to bounce it wide and Shaq smacks him down for a loss on the play.
Next series and Boulware is in for Jones. Donaldson is completely mauled here. He actually has both of his hands on the sides of the helmet of the defender here. He has no leverage, no anchor, no chance. Whew, Donaldson will want this play to go away quickly. St. Louis is already beat up top as well. We tried to run a reach block for him on the DE and he doesn’t come close to making this block. He knifes through and gets the TFL.
Rosier probably should’ve given this ball. He’s got two unblocked defenders well outside of his leverage. He tries to get outside and #95 in this screen shot actually tips a pass that he tries to throw. While it fell incomplete, it easily could’ve been intercepted.
3rd & 12 and Donaldson gets away with a hold on the edge. Rosier eventually pulls it down and runs outside. He makes a tough run and gets 7. Donaldson is having a tough game. (Not pictured)
Blades and Homer surround the returner on the punt. I’m noticing Blades is trying to challenge Homer for supremacy on punt coverage. Excellent. (Not pictured)
This is realistically a bad play and then a very good play by Joe Jackson. He takes the cheese on the inside motion here and gives up leverage on the edge. This blocker should be able to easily seal him inside and give the QB room to operate on the edge. Instead, he releases into a pass route, Jackson jumps inside, then runs the QB down for a TFL. He even does a pretty cool little calf roping dance afterwards.
Shaq actually makes a nice move to beat the OL, gets around him and he has a chance for a sack. He just gets off-balance and the QB slides off him inside. Then Jaquan takes a poor angle and lets the QB get outside for a first down. This is the sort of play you want to see Shaq make a bit more. He’s sort of been an “almost” player a few times this year.
Next play was a nice dumpoff to the TE but they had two guys hold on the play. They called it on #72 (and he does hold as well), but they must have missed the absolute mugging the RT is doing on Garvin here as well.
While watching live this play really got me upset. We stunt Patchan inside, which is perfectly fine, but that means the LB’s have to replace the gaps. Shaq has to get three yards further outside here. Realistically he should be running to where the box that says 1st & 20 shows on the screen. Pinckney needs to be getting to the inside shoulder of this big OL. That way he can fill either gap. They let this play get the edge way too easy on the power counter. The LB’s have to know what gap is left undefended on any kind of movement in personnel (such as a stunt). If Patchan did this on his own when he shouldn’t have, I change my thoughts to him.
2nd down and Willis beats his guy and clogs up the running lane. 3rd down and Willis wins immediately. #67 just absolutely tackles him after he runs past him and throws his arms up as if he didn’t do anything. They called this one but Shaq tackles the QB behind the LOS anyway. Patchan really showed a great motor to keep moving and staying on his feet on the play as well. (Not pictured)
1st down Canes and Rosier keeps it. They’ve been crashing that RB run hard and Rosier keeps it and the edge is wide open. Hightower at least puts effort into trying to block on the edge, though it wasn’t extremely successful. First down run. Hightower has been getting snaps over Langham. (Not pictured)
Next play and it was a nice QB play by Rosier. His first read is to throw to Wiggins on the dig over the middle. The S comes down hard on the play and he goes to his second read, which was Hightower, and throws the ball in a spot that Hightower comes back for, rather than putting it front of him and getting his head taken off. Found the soft spot in the zone. Good play.
Very next play is a little swing pass to Harley who would’ve walked to this first down if Rosier throws and accurate ball. Instead, Harley has to spin back away from the LOS to catch it and it brings up a 3rd & 1. Really, we just need more consistency on staying ahead of the chains and this offense will look better than it has.
On 3rd & 1 the OL gets a very nice push and it’s an easy 1st down for Gray. (Not pictured)
I wrote earlier about wanting my LG to “look for work” when they don’t have someone to block. Here, Boulware just destroys the edge rusher who actually has leverage on St. Louis here #99). This probably didn’t change the play in this instance, but another second and Rosier is compromised in the pocket instead of having this clean pocket to throw from. Jeff Thomas is so fast you can see he is open right now at the 25. Rosier knows it as well as he has nice anticipation on this throw and is letting it go already. The video looks like an easy wide-open throw, but you can see Rosier throws it long before the three steps Thomas had. A bunch of players did a lot of good things on this play (Mahoney and Gauthier stone their man), but don’t leave out Boulware finding work and keeping Rosier from getting pressure.
1st down for Toledo and we run an interesting stunt at DT. Odenigbo is actually lined up where Ford is taking on the double team here and pulls around. I’m guessing this is intended to counteract the number of pulls that Toledo is trying to do (and does on this play). Odengibo gets to the spot before the OL and blows this play up. Shaq actually throws the RB forward when he tackles him or this would’ve been a TFL, but Tito made the play here. Give credit to Ford for doing the dirty work here as well. He knows he’s going to have to tie up blockers here and take on a double team and he does a decent job of standing his ground. He gets pushed out eventually because he is too high and the OL gets under his pads, but he did his job.
Next play, Tito gets a nice burst off the snap, but at times when that initial rush is deterred he gets moved out too easily by a single blocker. We tried to loop Ford around from the other DT position and it just takes too long to get there. The QB makes a beautiful throw down the right sideline and beats Jackson for a big gain. (Not pictured)
1st down we blitz Mike Smith right off of Garvin’s right shoulder and then send Garvin around behind Smith. Give credit to Smith as he knifes through and makes himself skinny to get past the OL. Garvin gets into the backfield and they get the TFL. (Not pictured)
Garvin lined up a full yard to his right on this play. The fake was a toss into the flat here. Why is Garvin running straight at an OL and giving up the edge? If’s that full yard outside still, he can get upfield and force the QB to cut back inside instead of giving up the edge here. Giving up that edge from our DE’s was the reason we had so much trouble stopping the running QB.
More miscommunication on 3rd down here. Before the snap the three defenders on that side are all pointing and trying to figure out who is covering whom. Derrick Smith is completely flat-footed here and really is already beaten here. We double the outside WR (Dean & Bandy, that has to be a mistake) and leave the flats completely open. If the QB wanted to wait a second longer and let the receiver take the defenders deep he could’ve just dumped it off to #7 for a first down as well. It goes to Cody Thompson for an easy first down.
Get a false start on Toledo. (Not pictured)
We run blitz Pinckney here, who sees the gap he is supposed to hit and fires his gun. He is not worried about that play fake at all. Again they try to pull an H-back and Pinckney gets there before he ever had a chance. Blows this play up for a loss of 3.
Earlier when I wrote about the two defenders on the outside needing to “switch” receivers because one is coming back to the LOS and we didn’t do it? Well, on this play we get it right. The guy at the 33 was originally Jaquan’s man, but once that #4 starts coming back to the LOS they immediately switch and Jaquan is already headed towards the play and Bandy is taking the outside man. This is a fake screen to the RB that Willis and Demetrius Jackson are chasing and a throw-back to the WR #4. Jaquan pops him right at the LOS for another TFL. All because the defenders all knew what they were supposed to do on the play.
3rd &16 we blitz Derrick Smith off the edge. We stunt Willis way around the other side and leave a parting of the Red Sea up-the-middle of the field. Garvin is so fast he retreats from his DT spot (where he stunted) and chases down the QB after 8. Athletic play. (Not pictured)
I wrote in the preview that Toledo had a great kicker, and he generally has been, but that was as bad an attempt as you’ll ever see on his FG try. (Not pictured)
When I was watching live I saw this play and thought to myself, “that’s going to end up in the review.” We tried to pull Jahair Jones and Gauthier in outside zone. Jones was pretty slow to get going and Gauthier catches him, but so does the defender, who pushes Jones right into Gauthier- effectively blocking him for the defense. Jones is going to want to get rid of this game film. Homer was shifty enough to cut it back behind the block of St. Louis here to get a few. Brevin does this wham block especially well and knocks his man completely out of the play, opening up a lane for Homer to get a couple.
Scaife into the game at RT on the next snap. Jones gets blown up by #98 on a little swing pass, but everyone else on the OL does their job. Look at the pass from Rosier. Thomas has his momentum moving forward here and Rosier throws it on a line. Thomas has to spin back away from the LOS and it takes his momentum away and he gets 6, but it could’ve been a first down. This pass is such a big part of the offense, Rosier needs to get this one in his ****nal.
Next play and Miami can’t get lined up. Has to burn a timeout on 3rd & 3. (Not pictured)
3rd down and Toledo sends six rushers. Everyone is single-up and Homer has to take a rusher. We release Gray into the formation and try to hit Brevin off play-action but Gauthier gets beat and the rusher hits Rosier. Brevin wasn’t open anyway. If he had more time Gray was coming open on the other side, but there’s no way he could’ve seen him unless he was his primary read on the play. Not really a fan of Langham, Brevin, Gray being our receivers into routes on that play. (Not pictured)
On the punt, Blades draws a holding penalty. Jaquan gets down there and makes a nice tackle. The officials called the hold. I’ve written before about how Travis Homer has competition on who can be the best gunner for punt coverage and look at this one. Blades is getting held at the 30. Homer is flattening out and coming across at the 30. Almost a dead heat. Knowles is competent on special teams as well. Our coverage teams are markedly improved.
First play, Toledo tries an inside zone give and Willis uses a straight arm technique to control the RG, Jaquan lined up in-the-box and takes away the cutback lane. Pinckney fills hard and Willis smacks the RB for no gain. (Not pictured)
Next play and Shaq and Redwine are communicating pre-snap on who to take. RB lines up to the left of the QB, just outside the hash marks. Shaq shifts a yard to the left of the hash to match the RB. I’m not sure why, as there seemed to be confusion on Miami’s part, but Shaq takes another step to his right and he’s already outflanked right here. This RB has him beat to the flats already. We are in man-press up-top, so the DB’s are going to turn and run with the receivers. The RB’s momentum is already headed that way and Shaq is several yards behind as the RB catches this and runs for an easy first down (Romeo Finley fell down and left the edge wide-open). Shaq needs to stay lined up at least two yards further to his left to have any chance. He can flow inside-out if they try an edge run. If you look in the second screenshot, I believe Shaq was the edge player to the other side and they just ran a great play against that defense, but if Shaq lines up a few yards inside more he can allow himself to get to both spots.
Toledo tries to hurry-up on 1st down and their QB tries to go deep and it’s incomplete. They had a TE running a square-in wide-open in the middle of the field as the LB’s both split to cover the flats (you can see he is coming open behind Shaq and Pinckney flares out to the other flat leaving a nice open space behind them). It’s just Miami’s QB’s who miss open receivers. Gerald Willis beats #67 almost immediately. He uses his patented arm-over after the initial strike and pressures the QB. He’s so good. Part of the problem Miami runs into later is with what Garvin is doing here- he’s rushing so wide he’s leaving a wide-open lane to run through. Toledo makes an adjustment later to start crashing down on Willis, letting Garvin or Joe Jackson run wide and the QB just steps up into the open area for easy running yards.
Bethel whips #67 and forces the RB to bounce immediately. Willis is upfield and gets credit for the TFL, but Bethel makes the play right at the snap. Look at Miami’s DL all completely on the other side of the LOS and #67 is on all fours.
Toledo tries to run the sprint option out of shotgun on 3rd and 13 and basically everyone on Miami comes running up and gets another TFL. I don’t know about that play call, but Bandy beats a block immediately, Derrick Smith stayed home, Joe Jackson beat his block and pursued. The play had no chance. (Not pictured)
1st down and Rosier’s pass is knocked down by the NT who got his hands up. I’d like to see Gauthier punish him for that when he does it. If you’re going to put your hands up, I’d like for my C to bury you right in the chest when you do that. Make that statement early and DL will be more hesitant to put their hands up later in the game. (Not pictured)
2nd down and St. Louis locks his man out, Gauthier does a nice job of getting his left shoulder onto the NT as he gets to the second level and Mahoney handles his man straight up. Donaldson had no one to block and just ran down to try and find someone on the bubble screen to Thomas out of the slot. (Not pictured)
3rd and 1 and we QB sneak for the first down. (Not pictured)
1st down and apparently this isn’t pass interference with the ball already in the air. Ok.
2nd down, few things here; the reason St. Louis gets beat here is he overextends and gets off-balance. This is the moment where he’s already lost on the edge. I’d like for Jahair Jones to absolutely punish the DE from the side here. I want my OL to look for work and not be spectators. Rosier throws a decent pass over a LB, but a bit behind Langham, who makes a solid catch.
Good job by Mahoney to get to his block here on the pull from RG. Homer makes a nice cut in the hole. If Jahair Jones makes his block at the 45 this has a chance to be a house call. He doesn’t get his block and it’s only a solid run. Look at Gauthier completely manhandle #93 here. 93 started right on that hash and trying to get to Homer, but Gauthier completely moved him. Great job by him of turning his shoulders and hips to have leverage to wall off that defender and make a hole. Just one guy missing his block can change the course of a play.
2nd down and Homer gets the first down on a dive play. Kind of a dirty play when the LB #17 thinks St. Louis is the RB (I’m guessing) and wraps him up as if he were a wrestler shooting the legs and takes him down. I’m surprised that didn’t start a fight. (Not pictured)
This is teaching tape on how not to play OL at the point of attack. #62 is doing his standard leaning technique here. Look at Navaughn Donaldson completely losing his balance here (in fairness, he tripped over Brevin). Should be hands to the face on #55 against Brevin here- not called. Jahair Jones is getting trucked right here. This looks like one of those blocking sleds when you hit them and stand them upright. Not good. Gauthier gets his block. Jahair Jones makes the tackle with his legs as he’s driven into Homer.
The very next play we play it so much better. Look at the wall they’ve already created here. This play is going to work at this very moment. Mahoney pulls, which gets the LB’s to flow that way as their initial keys would dictate. Donaldson takes Mahoney’s guy and gets to him in time to get leverage. St. Louis seals his guy. Gauthier gets out and passes off with Brevin, who crashes down on the outside LB while Gauthier takes the inside LB. Malik makes a very nice block on the edge to spring Thomas, and he should get credit no doubt, but this is the moment this play worked. Thomas with a great run as well.
We are so much better running the ball when we run inside zone or inside power runs. Here, we pull Jahair Jones, who buries #21, Donaldson blocks down on the edge very well, and Dallas just waits for the hole to open up once Jones clears him. If Mallory holds this block at the 12 DeeJay scores (he doesn’t), but Dallas drags him for a first down.
What is Jahair Jones doing here? Look at how he’s impacting him with his hands way out wide. It’s almost like he’s leading with his face on this block. As you can imagine, this was not effective and this man comes off and tackles Deejay for a loss. If Jahair makes this block it’s a TD. I honestly just don’t know what to say about what he’s doing here. Jones’ reaction told you he already knew how much he blew that play.
Next play we go empty and we pulled Jahair around but this play is a TD even if we don’t have a LG on the field. Look at how the OL just opens this play up right off the snap. Malik runs right in behind Jones in that giant hole. Good job by everyone here- especially Brevin, as he was key to getting #55 out of the hole. I like using Rosier’s legs out of empty sets.
Joe Jackson this is not ok. He is being blocked single-up by a TE here and doesn’t come close to winning. We can’t have that and be a great DL. This allowed Toledo to slide their OL and get an extra blocker on our interior DL and create a beautiful pocket. It’s also a good thing the QB was looking the other way because Bandy missed his jam and got beat off the snap. It was maybe a TD if the QB is looking that way as we were in a single-high S look up top and he was shaded to the other side of the field. Romeo Finley actually goes up and makes a nice play on a 50/50 ball against a WR but we got lucky the QB wasn’t seeing the field here in a clean pocket. Second shot is of the WR running free at the 40.
Next play and that same H-back is moving Joe Jackson inside by himself. Toledo QB doesn’t just take the open man here for some reason. Instead he just holds the ball and lets Redwine streak in and sack him here. Jaquan is a couple yards behind him, but just flick out front and it’s an incompletion or a couple yards instead of a sack. QB has to know he doesn’t have a blocker out there and he’s naked.
3rd & 17 and somehow the officials miss this hold against Garvin. I mean, the guy has two hands holding him back by his jersey. Bandy nearly intercepted the ball on the sideline on a throwaway by the QB as Shaq comes free and is going to crush him.
My goal while doing these is to simply highlight what I see. I say that so as to state unequivocally that this is not personal against any one player. I am not sure what Jahair Jones is aiming at here. Both of his arms are way above what should be a normal target area. He’s also standing straight up-and-down again. I want to see Miami’s OL delivering the first blow on these running plays and not letting the DL get into them quite so much. Donaldson gets completely blown off-the-ball here. If Donaldson delivers the first blow there is no way he’s going to get moved nearly as much as he does here. Both of the two defenders I’m referencing here come off the blocks and meet at the RB for no gain.
I’d say Jones is getting ragdolled here, but it’s also hands to the face, truthfully. Jones recovers and the OL gives Malik a clean pocket. Then Rosier throws deep to Jeff Thomas and there is all kinds of hand-fighting, plus the CB cut the WR off from his route. Pass falls incomplete.
We hand this ball off on 3rd-and-9 and Homer follows Gauthier off a Mahoney block (that he doesn’t make) and the S comes upfield and tackles Homer after 4. I think Rosier has the option to pull this ball and throw it to Brevin and I wish he had. We’ve got numbers out there with two blockers for the two defenders and then Brevin just needing to make a play against that edge LB crashing down to pick this up.
Jaquan covers the punt very well. Nice play by one of our stars on special teams. #29 completely tackled DeeJay Dallas by his jersey on the return and no call right out in the open. Surprised they missed that one. (Not pictured)
1st down and Mike Smith runs right into his own players back. Pinckney could be tougher at taking on this pulling OL but at least he’s where he is supposed to be. I always want my LB to deliver a blow to that OL and sometimes you can actually knock the OL back into the hole and have him make the tackle on the RB for you. If Mike Smith doesn’t just run into the back of his teammate he’s standing there to make this tackle in the hole. Instead this goes an easy first down (you can see the cutback is covered by your edge defender at the top of the screen). This is an example of poor LB play. The stat sheet will show a Mike Smith tackle though (14 yards downfield).
This is a good example of not understanding what the defense is. I don’t know who makes the mistake here, I’m guessing it’s not Michael Jackson and is instead Derrick Smith, but that’s a guess simply because Jackson is pointing telling him where to be. They run a pick play against man coverage and I’m guessing Smith is supposed to take the instead guy and Jackson is supposed to stay deep. Jackson sticks to the guy going deep and Smith needs to slide down on #3 who is wide open on the outside slip screen. Smith comes back and makes the tackle, but this is free yards for Toledo due to misunderstanding the defense you’re in. Pinckney showed outstanding range by being the first guy after initially rushing the QB. Impressive.
They throw a dump pass to the RB on the next play and it looks like he’ll get the first down but Shaq crashes quickly and under control and the RB tries to dance. Bandy smacks him and then flexes over him. He’s an old-school Cane. (Not pictured)
Next play and Toledo cut blocks our DL (strongly dislike cut blocks being legal) and the QB tries to run. He slides too early and the officials correctly ruled him down before the first down marker. (Not pictured)
4th down play and Andre Ware says something I disagree with. He says that the QB has the first down if he just follows his lineman inside. Gerald Willis has completely blown this play up and forces the QB to go wide. If he tries to follow that OL inside he has no chance. If he tries to cut it back Derrick Smith takes his head off. He tries to bounce it wide and Shaq smacks him down for a loss on the play.
Next series and Boulware is in for Jones. Donaldson is completely mauled here. He actually has both of his hands on the sides of the helmet of the defender here. He has no leverage, no anchor, no chance. Whew, Donaldson will want this play to go away quickly. St. Louis is already beat up top as well. We tried to run a reach block for him on the DE and he doesn’t come close to making this block. He knifes through and gets the TFL.
Rosier probably should’ve given this ball. He’s got two unblocked defenders well outside of his leverage. He tries to get outside and #95 in this screen shot actually tips a pass that he tries to throw. While it fell incomplete, it easily could’ve been intercepted.
3rd & 12 and Donaldson gets away with a hold on the edge. Rosier eventually pulls it down and runs outside. He makes a tough run and gets 7. Donaldson is having a tough game. (Not pictured)
Blades and Homer surround the returner on the punt. I’m noticing Blades is trying to challenge Homer for supremacy on punt coverage. Excellent. (Not pictured)
This is realistically a bad play and then a very good play by Joe Jackson. He takes the cheese on the inside motion here and gives up leverage on the edge. This blocker should be able to easily seal him inside and give the QB room to operate on the edge. Instead, he releases into a pass route, Jackson jumps inside, then runs the QB down for a TFL. He even does a pretty cool little calf roping dance afterwards.
Shaq actually makes a nice move to beat the OL, gets around him and he has a chance for a sack. He just gets off-balance and the QB slides off him inside. Then Jaquan takes a poor angle and lets the QB get outside for a first down. This is the sort of play you want to see Shaq make a bit more. He’s sort of been an “almost” player a few times this year.
Next play was a nice dumpoff to the TE but they had two guys hold on the play. They called it on #72 (and he does hold as well), but they must have missed the absolute mugging the RT is doing on Garvin here as well.
While watching live this play really got me upset. We stunt Patchan inside, which is perfectly fine, but that means the LB’s have to replace the gaps. Shaq has to get three yards further outside here. Realistically he should be running to where the box that says 1st & 20 shows on the screen. Pinckney needs to be getting to the inside shoulder of this big OL. That way he can fill either gap. They let this play get the edge way too easy on the power counter. The LB’s have to know what gap is left undefended on any kind of movement in personnel (such as a stunt). If Patchan did this on his own when he shouldn’t have, I change my thoughts to him.
2nd down and Willis beats his guy and clogs up the running lane. 3rd down and Willis wins immediately. #67 just absolutely tackles him after he runs past him and throws his arms up as if he didn’t do anything. They called this one but Shaq tackles the QB behind the LOS anyway. Patchan really showed a great motor to keep moving and staying on his feet on the play as well. (Not pictured)
1st down Canes and Rosier keeps it. They’ve been crashing that RB run hard and Rosier keeps it and the edge is wide open. Hightower at least puts effort into trying to block on the edge, though it wasn’t extremely successful. First down run. Hightower has been getting snaps over Langham. (Not pictured)
Next play and it was a nice QB play by Rosier. His first read is to throw to Wiggins on the dig over the middle. The S comes down hard on the play and he goes to his second read, which was Hightower, and throws the ball in a spot that Hightower comes back for, rather than putting it front of him and getting his head taken off. Found the soft spot in the zone. Good play.
Very next play is a little swing pass to Harley who would’ve walked to this first down if Rosier throws and accurate ball. Instead, Harley has to spin back away from the LOS to catch it and it brings up a 3rd & 1. Really, we just need more consistency on staying ahead of the chains and this offense will look better than it has.
On 3rd & 1 the OL gets a very nice push and it’s an easy 1st down for Gray. (Not pictured)
I wrote earlier about wanting my LG to “look for work” when they don’t have someone to block. Here, Boulware just destroys the edge rusher who actually has leverage on St. Louis here #99). This probably didn’t change the play in this instance, but another second and Rosier is compromised in the pocket instead of having this clean pocket to throw from. Jeff Thomas is so fast you can see he is open right now at the 25. Rosier knows it as well as he has nice anticipation on this throw and is letting it go already. The video looks like an easy wide-open throw, but you can see Rosier throws it long before the three steps Thomas had. A bunch of players did a lot of good things on this play (Mahoney and Gauthier stone their man), but don’t leave out Boulware finding work and keeping Rosier from getting pressure.
1st down for Toledo and we run an interesting stunt at DT. Odenigbo is actually lined up where Ford is taking on the double team here and pulls around. I’m guessing this is intended to counteract the number of pulls that Toledo is trying to do (and does on this play). Odengibo gets to the spot before the OL and blows this play up. Shaq actually throws the RB forward when he tackles him or this would’ve been a TFL, but Tito made the play here. Give credit to Ford for doing the dirty work here as well. He knows he’s going to have to tie up blockers here and take on a double team and he does a decent job of standing his ground. He gets pushed out eventually because he is too high and the OL gets under his pads, but he did his job.
Next play, Tito gets a nice burst off the snap, but at times when that initial rush is deterred he gets moved out too easily by a single blocker. We tried to loop Ford around from the other DT position and it just takes too long to get there. The QB makes a beautiful throw down the right sideline and beats Jackson for a big gain. (Not pictured)
1st down we blitz Mike Smith right off of Garvin’s right shoulder and then send Garvin around behind Smith. Give credit to Smith as he knifes through and makes himself skinny to get past the OL. Garvin gets into the backfield and they get the TFL. (Not pictured)
Garvin lined up a full yard to his right on this play. The fake was a toss into the flat here. Why is Garvin running straight at an OL and giving up the edge? If’s that full yard outside still, he can get upfield and force the QB to cut back inside instead of giving up the edge here. Giving up that edge from our DE’s was the reason we had so much trouble stopping the running QB.
More miscommunication on 3rd down here. Before the snap the three defenders on that side are all pointing and trying to figure out who is covering whom. Derrick Smith is completely flat-footed here and really is already beaten here. We double the outside WR (Dean & Bandy, that has to be a mistake) and leave the flats completely open. If the QB wanted to wait a second longer and let the receiver take the defenders deep he could’ve just dumped it off to #7 for a first down as well. It goes to Cody Thompson for an easy first down.
Get a false start on Toledo. (Not pictured)
We run blitz Pinckney here, who sees the gap he is supposed to hit and fires his gun. He is not worried about that play fake at all. Again they try to pull an H-back and Pinckney gets there before he ever had a chance. Blows this play up for a loss of 3.
Earlier when I wrote about the two defenders on the outside needing to “switch” receivers because one is coming back to the LOS and we didn’t do it? Well, on this play we get it right. The guy at the 33 was originally Jaquan’s man, but once that #4 starts coming back to the LOS they immediately switch and Jaquan is already headed towards the play and Bandy is taking the outside man. This is a fake screen to the RB that Willis and Demetrius Jackson are chasing and a throw-back to the WR #4. Jaquan pops him right at the LOS for another TFL. All because the defenders all knew what they were supposed to do on the play.
3rd &16 we blitz Derrick Smith off the edge. We stunt Willis way around the other side and leave a parting of the Red Sea up-the-middle of the field. Garvin is so fast he retreats from his DT spot (where he stunted) and chases down the QB after 8. Athletic play. (Not pictured)
I wrote in the preview that Toledo had a great kicker, and he generally has been, but that was as bad an attempt as you’ll ever see on his FG try. (Not pictured)
When I was watching live I saw this play and thought to myself, “that’s going to end up in the review.” We tried to pull Jahair Jones and Gauthier in outside zone. Jones was pretty slow to get going and Gauthier catches him, but so does the defender, who pushes Jones right into Gauthier- effectively blocking him for the defense. Jones is going to want to get rid of this game film. Homer was shifty enough to cut it back behind the block of St. Louis here to get a few. Brevin does this wham block especially well and knocks his man completely out of the play, opening up a lane for Homer to get a couple.
Scaife into the game at RT on the next snap. Jones gets blown up by #98 on a little swing pass, but everyone else on the OL does their job. Look at the pass from Rosier. Thomas has his momentum moving forward here and Rosier throws it on a line. Thomas has to spin back away from the LOS and it takes his momentum away and he gets 6, but it could’ve been a first down. This pass is such a big part of the offense, Rosier needs to get this one in his ****nal.
Next play and Miami can’t get lined up. Has to burn a timeout on 3rd & 3. (Not pictured)
3rd down and Toledo sends six rushers. Everyone is single-up and Homer has to take a rusher. We release Gray into the formation and try to hit Brevin off play-action but Gauthier gets beat and the rusher hits Rosier. Brevin wasn’t open anyway. If he had more time Gray was coming open on the other side, but there’s no way he could’ve seen him unless he was his primary read on the play. Not really a fan of Langham, Brevin, Gray being our receivers into routes on that play. (Not pictured)
On the punt, Blades draws a holding penalty. Jaquan gets down there and makes a nice tackle. The officials called the hold. I’ve written before about how Travis Homer has competition on who can be the best gunner for punt coverage and look at this one. Blades is getting held at the 30. Homer is flattening out and coming across at the 30. Almost a dead heat. Knowles is competent on special teams as well. Our coverage teams are markedly improved.
