Richt's (over)use of 4 verticals

[avicenna75]

He must have called a variation of the vertical play close to 10 times last night, especially in down and distance situations where there ought to be short to intermediate passing routes.

And I'm not referring to wheel routes to Njoku/Herndon or the stop and go to Berrios. Richt is literally sending 4 (sometimes 5 with the RB) straight down the field, which puts the OL in a vulnerable position to sustain blocks and Kaaya to force it deep.

There are so many issues with this team, but one that stands out to me is Richt is unimaginative at times with his playcalling, we just end up wasting a down or not converting a 3rd and managable situation. It's on the coaches to mask weaknesses, not expose them through long developing plays (both running and passing)

Here are a few examples:

3rd and 3 with obvious pressure coming, the OL clearly can't handle the blitz. However, VT's DBs are playing man across the board. The DB at the top of the screen is playing an outside technique. A simple hitch or slant to the outside receiver is a much higher percentage play.



3rd and 6. The DBs are literally playing 15 yards off the ball!!! A hitch are dig into the soft spot of the zone should have been wide open.



1st and 10. I feel like Richt accidently selected the hailmary play Madden. We literally just sent all 5 receivers deep. We eventually scored on this drive but this was just a wasted down.

 

[CaneSince4Ever]

Excellent OP, OP.

4 verts vs 6 man pressures is suicide.

 

[jevoasis]

Wow...Kaayak looks shook as fvck

 

[MIATL]

Guys love to play the results on this board, as if overusing 4-verticals means the OC doesn't know what he's doing.

Baylor sends every receiver vertical early and often in every game. In particular, they love that most defensive schemes match safeties or linebackers in coverage against their slot receivers, so they make a habit of using play action or vertical routes. That makes safeties have to turn and run with 4.4 sprinters like Reese.

Who supports a safety in that task? By definition they are already the support players, the last lines of defense, the reinforcements. Briles attacks them first.

The Bear attack to the middle of the field is all about power. Right guard Desmine Hilliard weighs 330 pounds. Preseason All-American left guard Cyril Richardson weighs about 340. Baylor's run game is primarily based in inside zone and power-O blocking. Meaning, defensive linemen are constantly getting blocked at an angle or by double teams coming straight at them.

Baylor then pairs these running concepts with quarterback reads. Bryce Petty can either throw a perimeter screen or quick pass or keep the ball himself, based on his read of "overhang" defenders. These are the players who are being stressed to choose whether they'll align outside to run down a screen pass or inside to fill an interior running play. Read-option concepts guarantee those defenders are always wrong.

But, yeah ... Having a QB with some mobility wouldn't help our offense.

 

[MIATL]

Excellent OP, OP.

4 verts vs 6 man pressures is suicide.

Why??

6 man pressure means they're probably playing single high, with 4 guys man-to-man. Our receivers should love that. Kaaya just has to pick the right guy, and get it out far enough for the receiver to make a play or go back shoulder.

The receivers have to read the defense, too, and help Kaaya. I can't imagine Richt hasn't implemented back-shoulder adjustments for his receivers.

And if they are playing zone behind a 6 man blitz, it should be an even easier read for Kaaya and the receivers to adjust their routes.

 

[avicenna75]

Guys love to play the results on this board, as if overusing 4-verticals means the OC doesn't know what he's doing.

Baylor sends every receiver vertical early and often in every game. In particular, they love that most defensive schemes match safeties or linebackers in coverage against their slot receivers, so they make a habit of using play action or vertical routes. That makes safeties have to turn and run with 4.4 sprinters like Reese.

Who supports a safety in that task? By definition they are already the support players, the last lines of defense, the reinforcements. Briles attacks them first.

The Bear attack to the middle of the field is all about power. Right guard Desmine Hilliard weighs 330 pounds. Preseason All-American left guard Cyril Richardson weighs about 340. Baylor's run game is primarily based in inside zone and power-O blocking. Meaning, defensive linemen are constantly getting blocked at an angle or by double teams coming straight at them.

Baylor then pairs these running concepts with quarterback reads. Bryce Petty can either throw a perimeter screen or quick pass or keep the ball himself, based on his read of "overhang" defenders. These are the players who are being stressed to choose whether they'll align outside to run down a screen pass or inside to fill an interior running play. Read-option concepts guarantee those defenders are always wrong.

But, yeah ... Having a QB with some mobility wouldn't help our offense.

It also helps when you have an OL that can establish some sort of running game, which will open up the vertical game.

I'm not opposed to the vertical game, but sometimes you need to take what the defense gives you to move the chains.

 

[Memnon]

Example #4 ,678 that Richt needs to & better hire a ****** OC at the end of the season.

 

[rt cane]

4 Verticals sounds like a 60's soul group.

 

[FreeVilma]

Always throw to R1 on Four Verticals

 

[MIATL]

He must have called a variation of the vertical play close to 10 times last night, especially in down and distance situations where there ought to be short to intermediate passing routes.

And I'm not referring to wheel routes to Njoku/Herndon or the stop and go to Berrios. Richt is literally sending 4 (sometimes 5 with the RB) straight down the field, which puts the OL in a vulnerable position to sustain blocks and Kaaya to force it deep.

There are so many issues with this team, but one that stands out to me is Richt is unimaginative at times with his playcalling, we just end up wasting a down or not converting a 3rd and managable situation. It's on the coaches to mask weaknesses, not expose them through long developing plays (both running and passing)

Here are a few examples:

3rd and 3 with obvious pressure coming, the OL clearly can't handle the blitz. However, VT's DBs are playing man across the board. The DB at the top of the screen is playing an outside technique. A simple hitch or slant to the outside receiver is a much higher percentage play.



3rd and 6. The DBs are literally playing 15 yards off the ball!!! A hitch are dig into the soft spot of the zone should have been wide open.



1st and 10. I feel like Richt accidently selected the hailmary play Madden. We literally just sent all 5 receivers deep. We eventually scored on this drive but this was just a wasted down.

Your 1 example indicates Kaaya agrees with you. Looked like he wanted to throw the hitch to the outside, but the WR took it deep. It looks like he plants to throw, but keeps it because the WR isn't stopping/turning.

Your 2nd shows that they rushed 4 and we kept the TE and back in to block, meaning we had 7 in protection. The play didn't work because we had 3 in the pattern, against 7 in coverage.

They won that chess match. Richt thought they would blitz, so he max-protected. The 1st read was away from the twin side, assuming the safety would cheat that way since he sent the inside receiver down the hash.

Nothing wrong with that playcall, except VT played a different D that what Richt expected.

And what I see in the 3rd example is a QB who bailed on the pocket when he didn't have to. Him moving helped the defender make the play.

So, of the tree ... 1 on the WR, 1 on the QB, and 1 because the D made the right call.

None of those seem to be an overuse issue, to me.

 

[CaneSince4Ever]

The receivers have to read the defense, too, and help Kaaya.

True, but from what I saw last night, they either weren't doing what they were coached to do, or they haven't been coached to do it. Crossing routes & draw plays would've been a big help last night.

 

[Dghustla]

this wouldn't be that bad if some of these were back shoulder throws.

I think Kayaa is extremely risk adverse and doesn't feel comfortable throwing the ball into tight coverage and letting his guys make a plan on it.

The ball he threw to Herdon is a great example. Of when we give guys chances to make those type of plays the ball hits their face mask.

 

[razrcane]

He did make one back shoulder throw to Richards.

 

[CaneandAbel]

OP you're right I counted 5 sacks and the int on plays where all our receivers go vertical down the field. Seems like richt is constantly looking to hit a home run.
Only have one angle so I don't know if guys are open down field or not but play call definitely is the main problem.

 

[paksat]

vs FSU "why are we never taking shots down the field, it's all RPO bs, slants and essentially swing passes"

two games later "why are we taking shots down the field for, it's all vertical, looking to make a home run"

just can't win around here

every single one of you saw the adjustment you've been calling for, but whatever

 

[gfer1988]

Excellent OP, OP.

4 verts vs 6 man pressures is suicide.

Why??

6 man pressure means they're probably playing single high, with 4 guys man-to-man. Our receivers should love that. Kaaya just has to pick the right guy, and get it out far enough for the receiver to make a play or go back shoulder.

The receivers have to read the defense, too, and help Kaaya. I can't imagine Richt hasn't implemented back-shoulder adjustments for his receivers.

And if they are playing zone behind a 6 man blitz, it should be an even easier read for Kaaya and the receivers to adjust their routes.

It doesn't work bc our oline isn't giving kaaya enough time for our receivers to get to their spots. People are dogging kaaya bc he's not throwing the ball earlier. Throwing the ball early when our receivers aren't expecting it and looking back for the ball will result in even more ints. But your casual cane fan who only knows good from bad plays purely based on the result of the play wouldn't understand that

Now we could counter these by implementing some pre snap reads/hot routes. Someone our fan base is also blaming kaaya for even though it's clearly not part of our offense. Use to be under fisch but doesn't seem to be currently implemented

 

[2Focusd804]

vs FSU "why are we never taking shots down the field, it's all RPO bs, slants and essentially swing passes"

two games later "why are we taking shots down the field for, it's all vertical, looking to make a home run"

just can't win around here

every single one of you saw the adjustment you've been calling for, but whatever

taking shots down field is a throw not a play concept. you only need 1 person going vertical to "take a shot down field". when playing a man press team the coaching playbook" says you beat them by hitting them where they are vulnerable, over the top

but you have to know your personnel. your online isn't going to hold up in 7 step drops so you have to use another counter to man press such as crossing routes, rub routes, sending a WR in motion so that he can't get pressed. motion the running back out the backfield and snap it quick to make a LB or safety have to adjust quickly. RUN A DANG BUNCH FORMATION. there are multiple ways to beat man

 

[sebastian91]

On that last one, it looks like the back (Yearby?) was breaking open up the deep middle, but Kaaya bailed unnecessarily.

 

[brock]

Kaaya is being coached where to throw the football because of richt's "system" y'all should keep that in mind..

 

[eurocane]

We always go for the endzone on a 3 rd and 4 in the redzone. It seems that there is no checkdown receiver at the first down marker. I don' t get the playcalling.