Let's watch some film...
0:18 - Frierson is too busy starring at the QB to cover the WR who's running an out-route right in front of his face. Goes back to why I hate the way we play zone. We're not a "match" concept, we stand in spots and stare at the QB. If Frierson "mans" this WR up as soon as he enters his zone, this isn't an easy pitch and catch. Lawrence could've throw to the slot up top too. Why are we playing zone on 3rd & 3 anyway?
0:30 - Easy RPO pitch-and-catch here. Lawrence is reading Frierson. If Fri comes down on the run, Lawrence pulls and throws.
0:41 - This is what happens when you play that pussified "catch man" **** that Manny/Baker employ. When you play a true hands-on press, the CB can disrupt screens like this. But watch Blades. He's backing up on the snap. Combine that with the fact that we have our Safety playing way off, it's easy pitch-and-catch again. And I don't know what Bolden is looking at/doing. He's not even reacting at all, just sitting there watching the play unfold. The old "keep everything in front of you" game plan.
1:08 - Really clever throwback screen by Clemson here. Imagination on offense. Refreshing.
1:39 - Clemson employs basically a 3-4 Under front here. Their LB slices inside of our TE and completely blows the play up. TE doesn't block a soul.
2:00 - 3rd & long. Clemson blitzes and basically plays Cover-0 and drops two DL into underneath zones. Miami's WR's run "sticks" routes versus off coverage and it's a nice conversion.
2:30 - 3rd & 10 and Clemson is playing Cover-1-Man and sending the house. King has to know this ball needs to come out quick. Just because you need 10 yards doesn't mean the ball has to be THROWN 10 yards. He should look to the shorter routes in this scenario, maybe he should've tried Jordan on the out (whip route).
3:04 - We're in man coverage but I don't know who's covering Etienne. McCloud maybe? They run a delayed RB screen and McCloud gets caught up with the O-linemen. I mean, that's just Clemson's OC scheming up nice ****. We didn't see any of this from Lashlee.
3:17 - Simply bad gap integrity by Phillips here, being a bit selfish. Once he peaks inside to make a play that probably isn't his responsibility, he gives up outside contain.
3:28 - This is what happens when you insist on staying in 2-high coverage versus an H-back formation and a running QB. You get out-manned on the weak side. I don't know where McCloud is going, but it wouldn't have mattered anyway because the pulling Guard probably would've blocked him regardless. Manny/Baker need to roll that weak Safety down into the box versus a formation like this. OC's love putting the H-back strong and running to the weak side. We're absolutely clueless to this, as if it isn't a staple of most spread offenses right now. I freakin' saw this SAME PLAY in my high school opponents like 4 times last season. Columbus runs the **** out of it. IF YOU DON'T ROLL THAT WEAK SAFETY DOWN IN THE BOX IT'S EASY PICKENS. Why the **** is our weak Safety so deep anyway? WTF is he protecting us from versus this particular formation?!
3:47 - Careless, selfish, just plain fvckin' stupid. You get great defensive coverage and a chance to get off the field, and you dive into a sliding QB. Absolutely ridiculous, inexcusable play. As his coach I would be fvckin' livid. Instead I'm sure Baker and Co patted him on the butt while Jalar Holley danced to cheer him up.
4:10 - Clemson runs double screens. Common spread concept. Lawrence has a choice of which one to throw. This is how bad we are on defense. Lawrence makes the wrong decision because the flare/bubble screen is there. But we're so out of position that he has time to COME BACK TO IT and it's STILL WIDE OPEN! Now here lies the problem. I want you to watch Jennings and Davis. Jennings is reacting strictly to the QB instead of the initial receiving threat to his side. He should be reacting to the screen that is taking place ON HIS SIDE OF THE FIELD rather than letting Lawrence toy with him. GO RUN OUT THERE AND CHASE THE BUBBLE! Let the defenders on the left side of the defense worry about THAT screen. Watch Davis as well. He's reacting to the QB instead of diagnosing what's in front of him and reacting. You see a bubble screen in front of you, get off the block and go get it. Don't freakin' wait for the ball to be throw, by then it's too late. Bolden is nowhere to be found on the screen as well. This defense is just way too passive and reactionary. Just badddd bad coaching and overall coverage principles. This play is really embarrassing when you think about it. Love the part where Bolden gets ran over and talks ****. SMH
4:33 - Clemson's OC utilized creativity and he has answers. We're in man coverage on 3rd & long. Brooks has Etienne man-to-man before the snap, but since Etienne crosses the formation it now means Jennings has him. Jennings gets caught up with the Lineman and fails to force Etienne back inside. Off to the races. Clemson's OC clearly understands that you don't have to THROW THE BALL 10+ YARDS to gain 10+ yards.
5:44 - Man coverage by Clemson and every route we're running has a vertical release. Who's supposed to be open here?
6:09 - 3 & 19 makes things tough. Look at the routes here. Everything vertical release and outside the hashes. Nothing threatening the middle of the field.
6:53 - WTF are we doing here? LOL. It's 3rd & 16! Why are we even in Cover-2? The vertical at the top of the screen was open too!
7:06 - Look at the loose coverage Jordan is getting at the top of the screen. If I'm King that's the first place I'm looking when all I need is 6 yards. Even with that said, the crossing route probably could've got us the first down too. But in a situation like this, against a defense that hasn't given you much time to sit in the pocket, take the quicker route. (which is Jordan)
7:34 - 3 & 8. We're blitzing and playing man coverage. Nothing wrong with that call, Blades just gets toasted by one of the many elite South FLA WR's that left home. Which brings me to a point - Ladson is another one of the kids that people on this site said "wasn't that good anyway" when he chose to go OOS. Can we finally stop with this ****? Ladson, Stevenson, Surtain, Campbell, Tutu, Elijah Moore, etc. Every time a kid chooses an OOS school the sour grapes crews always respond with "well he's overrated anyway", then the kid goes to college and balls out. NEWS FLASH: These schools are way fvckin' better than us at evaluating, recruiting and developing talent. They don't come down here and sign "overrated" kids. The Georgia/Clemson/OSU/Bama staffs deserve the benefit of the doubt way before our staff does in regards to finding talent.
8:11 - 3rd & 9 and we give up a 15 yard out-route. This is the same exact coverage we were in when we gave up the 4th & 17 to North Carolina. The deep-out to the slot WR is always open in this coverage. Smith can't cover that route with inside leverage. He's there to protect against the slant or any in-breaking route. I just assume Miami is willing to give up the deep out because it's a hard throw.
8:46 - 3rd & 8. Clemson blitzes and plays man coverage. All routes are vertical and outside the hashes. SMH
9:17 - 3rd & 13. Clemson runs a blitz that looks like it's from Manny's playbook. Again, every route is vertical. Wiggins has no ability to adjust to the ball. He could've made a play here but he's not savvy.
9:44 - Clemson runs a fake toss/pop pass. Very nice design and pretty much impossible to defend, especially when you consider that the WR/TE pretended to block. But look how much creativity we've already seen from Clemson's OC during this first half. We saw nothing like this from Lashlee tonight. WTF happened to the Lashlee we saw in the Louisville game?
10:12 - Look at the gap that is created here after our DT's stunt/slant to the left. The Center and playside Guard don't have anyone to block anymore so they just move up to our LB's. The play before this we played straight-up and stuffed them, but we just HAD to get antsy and call some cute ****.
This is getting exhausting and depressing. Perhaps I'll finish the second half later.
