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Red Zone Offense

HighSeas

HighSeas

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Feb 4, 2013
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Let's step away from the incessant QB and OL pass protection worries. Am I alone in thinking this (thread title) is a concern or at least a curiosity? I'm confident that this offense has the scheme and talent to move the ball between the 20s but there are question marks beyond that. The strength of the offensive line is movement and athleticism but for years we haven't seen a Miami offensive line that can drive bodies in tight quarters. This unit is even smaller than in past years. My favorite red zone run schemes are power blocking schemes like G-lead. Can we execute those effectively?

At WR we have Hightower as the only big-bodied guy who excels at contested catches. He needs to be on the field in the red zone but will he be? Osborn is tough and skilled but doesn't have a size advantage against UF corners. Jordan is obviously proven as a red zone weapon but throwing him 50-50 balls on fades or nod routes is no different from Richt's unimaginative offense. That's not the most efficient way to score.

Window dressing like motion and misdirection is good but when you get in constricted spaces there are diminishing returns as defenses stack fronts and shoot gaps aggressively. This is where spread option concepts become essential - recall Clemson would rely heavily on Kelly Bryant's legs in short yardage downs. Is Enos willing to let Jarren loose as a runner like that or is this where Tate gets his number called?

At Arkansas Enos had 2 years where they ranked high in RZ TD% so I know he can design offense in that area of the field. The question is whether we have the personnel to execute there. I'm optimistic but it's a valid concern for the unit as a whole and merits discussion at least.
 
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Colombie said:
Our TEs cannot be covered by anyone on our schedule.
I expect 2 TE and maybe even 3 TE sets the closer we get to pay dirt. I would like to see LBs try and stop them one-one- one.
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Good points, I agree. This is a major part of our game for 2019.
 
Very important topic, especially with a green QB.

Barry & Enos opted to keep the interior of the OL strong by keeping Scaife at guard rather than putting him at tackle (which we know he can do effectively). The commonly accepted rationale is because Scaife's value above replacement player is greater at guard than at tackle and thus will be fortifying our interior. I hope this proves a strength that bears fruit in the form of a more successful power (&inside) running game, which can be leveraged in the red zone (especially the 10 zone).

We have all highlighted how our 2 TE sets should prove to be a strength of this team. This needs to be a staple in the redzone. IDK that either of our TEs are Gronk-level blockers, but it's still advantageous to have more able blockers on the field for the run game, especially when those additional blockers are even greater threats as receivers or ballcarriers. While Brevin can be strong in the redzone, I believe Will Mallory is the major jumpball mismatch on our team. I can see him thriving in the redzone.
 
We need to run multiple TE's just to have some guys who can catch consistently, I was dissapointed the other day watching the video of Jarren put it on the money and the WR's dropping it. Osborn and JT4 seem to be our most consistent pass catchers at the WR position.
 
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I would even like to see out tight ends out wide to create mismatches on jump balls/fades. But I will say I hate fade routes in the redzone and I think they're really ineffective (especially if the other team has 6'0+ corners)
 
Colombie said:
Our TEs cannot be covered by anyone on our schedule.
I expect 2 TE and maybe even 3 TE sets the closer we get to pay dirt. I would like to see LBs try and stop them one-one- one.
Click to expand...
I know it really doesn't affect anything this weekend but forward-thinking, I hope Darnell Washington gets a good look at how Enos utilizes Mallory/Jordan in his offensive preparation. We use our TEs here like a knight chess piece--throwing them all over the field, getting touches, causing safeties to move up, double-coverages, prevent defenses that open up the back field for JT and Ozzy and for our "front field" for our backs. I hope that kid was given a recruit ticket for the game. F@#$ UGA, Mr. Washington. They ruin TE's at that school, we send ours on to the NFL.

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gcane44 said:
Very important topic, especially with a green QB.

Barry & Enos opted to keep the interior of the OL strong by keeping Scaife at guard rather than putting him at tackle (which we know he can do effectively). The commonly accepted rationale is because Scaife's value above replacement player is greater at guard than at tackle and thus will be fortifying our interior. I hope this proves a strength that bears fruit in the form of a more successful power (&inside) running game, which can be leveraged in the red zone (especially the 10 zone).
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I couldn't agree more. I feel like a lot of people are overlooking the improvement we will see on the inside of our line. We have huge question marks at tackle, but I honestly feel like our interior line will be one of the best in the ACC this year, which would obviously help in the RZ.
 
I've been driving this bus for several years. Hopefully Enos is an upgrade over Richt in the playcalling department, which is not a very high bar.

As to the OL, the interior supposedly looking solid is a start. If the interior can get a push, we have something to build around. Could be wrong, but I don't remember picking up first downs on QB sneaks in the past several years. We had our stint with Realous for a month or so, but then everyone in the country knew what play was coming and that went wayside.

I hate the fade, but if Jarren is accurate, Mallory should be a top target. I can see him Moss'ing fairly easily.

I've also mentioned several times that I think Irvin will be important this year. He was awful as an inline blocker 2 years ago, but I look at that position like any other OL position - you need time to add muscle and mass, and should make a bigger contribution as an upperclassman. If we can get blocking help from Irvin, it will be huge.

I wouldn't mind seeing Enos keep the DeeJay wildcat in his playbook. For the most part, it was effective.
 
TrueFloridian said:
Realus and Tate really bring in a whole other dimension in the redzone.
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Totally forgot him. If the interior is as good as you guys think we can go basic pro-style heavy formation with FB lead iso runs and play action to Jordan on the in-breaking route off that. It's good to have multiple red zone looks.

I view Mallory's role as a seam-stretcher between the 10s and jump ball option in the red zone. He doesn't have the route running chops that Jordan has in the middle of field.

 
3 TE sets with Brevin, Mallory & Irvin Jr, plus Realus George at FB.

You can run a Jumbo with max protect out of those looks & Red Zone isn't necessarily just predicated on power runs.

There's dozens of ways to score (Beavis laugh) in the RZ if you're creative enough.

- You can have a Deejay or Cam come out of the backfield on a play action roll out.
- You could have Tate come in & a run a Zone read option.
- Have Mallory run a peel off into the back of the end zone off a PA fake.
- You can go 5-wide & run a quick out passing play to the seam with a RB or slot WR.
- You can go Shotgun quick read play action & throw it to a TE or quick slant to one of the WR's
- Outside toss run to Deejay or Cam
- Philly Special

There's several ways to get in the end zone, everything isn't just Fades or runs right up the middle. Richt was an awful play caller that never utilized his weapons & had no creativity whatsoever. Any OC with half a brain understands that modernized offenses have multiple formations & looks from which you can score from within the Red Zone.







 
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MichiCANE said:
I would even like to see out tight ends out wide to create mismatches on jump balls/fades. But I will say I hate fade routes in the redzone and I think they're really ineffective (especially if the other team has 6'0+ corners)
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Effective with a QB that has mastered the back shoulder throw.
 
Polendey has gotta be ready for red zone situations by now right? It’s his third year in the program, he shouldn’t be getting pushed around anymore
 
Liberty City El said:
3 TE sets with Brevin, Mallory & Irvin Jr, plus Realus George at FB.

You can run a Jumbo with max protect out of those looks & Red Zone isn't necessarily just predicated on power runs.

There's dozens of ways to score (Beavis laugh) in the RZ if you're creative enough.

- You can have a Deejay or Cam come out of the backfield on a play action roll out.
- You could have Tate come in & a run a Zone read option.
- Have Mallory run a peel off into the back of the end zone off a PA fake.
- You can go 5-wide & run a quick out passing play to the seam with a RB or slot WR.
- You can go Shotgun quick read play action & throw it to a TE or quick slant to one of the WR's
- Outside toss run to Deejay or Cam
- Philly Special

There's several ways to get in the end zone, everything isn't just Fades or runs right up the middle. Richt was an awful play caller that never utilized his weapons & had no creativity whatsoever. Any OC with half a brain understands that modernized offenses have multiple formations & looks from which you can score from within the Red Zone.







Click to expand...

Enos also seems to love to run Shotgun QB sweeps with 4 WR sets close to the Line of scrimmage. Usually the two closest WRs to the line being big WRs or TEs.
 
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