Lance Roffers
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I’m late to the party and this may be old news for everyone at this point who is looking towards the next shiny addition to the Canes’ roster, but I wanted to add my analysis of the addition of King here. This one will be a little different, as I’m going to look to marry the things that King does well, with the things that we’ve seen from Lashlee in the past during his career calling plays.
Pace and Space
This has been a constant theme from me for the past several years, in that I’ve had a desire to run an offense that utilizes Pace-and-Space. King already has experience in this type of offense and will absolutely aid his teammates in getting them ready to play at this type of pace, as his team in 2018 led the NCAA in quickest time to snap the ball.
Houston snaps the ball with 28 seconds left on the play clock and had to wait for their LT to get back to the LOS or they’d have snapped it faster on a 3rd-and-7. What this does is prevents the defense from making any substitutions to get a defensive package on the field that changes how they defend a 3rd & long. It’s a sprint-draw off LT, where the TE kicks out the edge and the LT traps the DT. Because of how quickly they snapped the ball, the defense hasn’t even gotten a chance to be set yet. Look at how the S is still trying to sprint to the opposite hash of where King is running to. Utilizing pace-and-space leads directly to the 1st down.
The very next play. Houston sprints to the LOS once again and are now getting the next play off at 28 seconds on the play clock again. There is a cadence to this and it will take some time. Having King run things will help speed that implementation up though.
Look at the space between the RT and the field receiver. This means the defense has to shade an extra defender to that side to account for the spacing. You can see all 11 defenders in the screen here. This makes this a pre-snap read deep to the boundary based on where the middle S is located because the defender to his right has to hold the seam route from the slot receiver. This is something Lashlee does very well, is give his QB a pre-snap read off of tempo and King fits this scheme like a glove.
King knows where he is going with the ball pre-snap, and delivers a ball that only his receiver can get to. Seam route moves to a post and they pass it off to the S I highlighted in orange above, but that means the other S is late getting to the deep ball. It’s 6.
Pace and space directly creates a TD for the offense by keeping a defense in personnel that the offense wants them to be in and making easy reads for the QB.
I wrote quite a bit about the pace aspect of things above, but here is space can really help your OL. Look at the space on the setup, which means the defense only has six defenders in the box. The offense has six blockers, which limits what the defense can do. They aren’t going to send one of the defenders from outside the hash at the QB, it would take too long and they would never get there. So, Tulsa sends the edge, which is easily picked up, and King throws the shallow cross. The shallow cross is a staple of the Air-Raid offense and is a route that Lashlee uses often in his career.
Easy vision for the QB, even though the RT is beaten around the edge, King gets the ball out so quickly it is still a 1st down.
Here, King shows his ability to know where his outlet is in the face of pressure. I take about the effects that space has on a defense and here is another example of forcing the defense to show where they are going to blitz from and King is fast enough to buy time and then hit the checkdown. This play goes for a TD rather than a sack.
Lashlee Play Preferences
If you read my breakdown of Lashlee and what his offense looks like, you’ll know that he is a big proponent of the “Smash” concept. It is a play that is a staple of any Air-Raid offense and Lashlee runs it a little different than Briles’ ran it at Houston, in that instead of the hitch route you see here at the 36-yard line, Lashlee likes to run a ‘Whip’ route, which keeps that flat defender closer to the LOS and gives more room for the QB. Nevertheless, the corner route behind that route allows the QB to throw the ball to a spot and the receiver can adjust to the ball. It means the QB doesn’t have to be as precise to complete the pass, which makes offense easier. Here, King throws a nice ball that the receiver comes back to and picks up a 1st down.
Another play that Lashlee likes to run is an RPO. Lashlee tends to run it more as a slant, than a comeback that you see here, but it is another play that will be very familiar to King and aid in the learning process quickly. You see the receiver at the LOS, the play fake to the RB holds the OLB and puts the boundary CB in a tough spot to have to cover two routes at once. These are simple, easy read throws for the QB that King will be used to making.
This is a play that Lashlee used often during his time at UConn, where the offense didn’t have a lot of playmakers. It’s simply trying to get a numbers advantage. The RB is lined up to the right of the QB in an ‘Ace’ set. They snap the ball with 28 seconds on the play clock and the RB immediately becomes a lead blocker for the QB lead sweep right.
#6 is doing exactly what he should do as the force player and is setting an edge that "forces" the runner back inside towards his help. #21 is running the tunnel straight into the hole and has a free shot. Just behind this there are two safeties waiting. The play goes for a 61-yard TD. This is two plays that become TD’s- in a game his team is trailing in the 4th quarter- that should’ve been stopped by the defense. His playmaking ability is not something our offense has seen in years and is a reason he is listed on betting lines for the Heisman Trophy.
I detailed this exact play as a play that Lashlee has liked at each stop I reviewed (UConn and SMU). Motion comes across and get the attention of the defense. It draws so much attention because look how much space is to the field side based on where the receiver is lining up and if they do give the fly sweep they have a lot of grass to cover. Edge comes upfield to attack the handoff to the RB. In the confusion, the H-back lined up offset is completely lost in the shuffle and walks in for a TD.
I wrote earlier about how Lashlee loves Smash, but likes to add a Whip route to it. Here is King throwing a Whip route to a Houston WR. Sell the slant, stick your foot in the ground and get back outside. QB hits him in stride and this goes for 20 yards.
Lashlee ran this at both UConn and at Auburn. Looks like a Read-Option, but it’s a designed QB-run with the RT releasing downfield immediately. Makes a man miss in the backfield, cuts inside, takes this into the Red-zone. This dude is electric with the ball in his hands.
3rd Down Success
I’ve written before that I guarantee that Miami will not finish 130th in 3rd down conversions this season, and here is the biggest driver why; this is a TD. 96 has a free shot on King and doesn’t lay a finger on him. He makes him miss and walks into the end zone for a TD. You want to pressure and play man coverage? You don’t need a receiver to be open to give up a TD due to King’s legs, ability to make defenders miss, and his speed.
This goes for 15-yards. Two Oklahoma defenders standing in the backfield and he makes them both miss. One of them is Kenneth Murray, who is going in the 1st round of the draft this year. Instead of punting the ball, the drive lives on.
Check With Me
College athletes have far less time to be studying plays, practicing, working with coaches and on their own etc. than professional football players do. Why wouldn’t you let the coach who is working 80-hours a week survey the defense in key spots and have the offense “check with me” for the play call rather than asking the QB to make the proper checks and reads?
King is used to check with me and will feel comfortable operating the way Lashlee wants to do this, as Briles and Lashlee both save check with me’s for red zone type plays or key spots in the game.
Data
The data on King is from his 2018 season when he played almost the full season, rather than 2019 when he played in only four games as a redshirt.
King is not a dropback passer who will read a defense and pick apart their weaknesses. He is a QB who will have simple reads in the passing game and use pace and space to open throwing windows for him. When the first two reads are not there, look for King to try and escape the pocket.
There was some inaccuracy in his tape and at times his mechanics are a mess, both in his footwork, and in his arm mechanics. He has an inconsistent stride length and that causes him to both dirt the ball and to sail passes high.
He more than makes up for any inconsistency throwing the ball with an unbelievable ability to run with the ball. King will make plays for this offense that will amaze fans and frustrate defenses. It should be fun to watch the offense again, rather than just hoping they don’t ***** it up for the defense.
A small concern is that King is hurt seemingly every year, so the backup QB had better be prepared to play at any time.
This is the QB/OC match that we have dreamed of as fans. King has experience in an offense eerily similar from his 2018 season at Houston. The pace-and-space, the check with me’s, the Air-Raid route concepts, the designed QB runs, the RPO’s. All elements of the offense that Lashlee runs as well.
Just when I think I’m out, these two are pulling me back in and I’m once again excited for Miami Hurricanes football.
Pace and Space
This has been a constant theme from me for the past several years, in that I’ve had a desire to run an offense that utilizes Pace-and-Space. King already has experience in this type of offense and will absolutely aid his teammates in getting them ready to play at this type of pace, as his team in 2018 led the NCAA in quickest time to snap the ball.
Houston snaps the ball with 28 seconds left on the play clock and had to wait for their LT to get back to the LOS or they’d have snapped it faster on a 3rd-and-7. What this does is prevents the defense from making any substitutions to get a defensive package on the field that changes how they defend a 3rd & long. It’s a sprint-draw off LT, where the TE kicks out the edge and the LT traps the DT. Because of how quickly they snapped the ball, the defense hasn’t even gotten a chance to be set yet. Look at how the S is still trying to sprint to the opposite hash of where King is running to. Utilizing pace-and-space leads directly to the 1st down.
The very next play. Houston sprints to the LOS once again and are now getting the next play off at 28 seconds on the play clock again. There is a cadence to this and it will take some time. Having King run things will help speed that implementation up though.
Look at the space between the RT and the field receiver. This means the defense has to shade an extra defender to that side to account for the spacing. You can see all 11 defenders in the screen here. This makes this a pre-snap read deep to the boundary based on where the middle S is located because the defender to his right has to hold the seam route from the slot receiver. This is something Lashlee does very well, is give his QB a pre-snap read off of tempo and King fits this scheme like a glove.
King knows where he is going with the ball pre-snap, and delivers a ball that only his receiver can get to. Seam route moves to a post and they pass it off to the S I highlighted in orange above, but that means the other S is late getting to the deep ball. It’s 6.
Pace and space directly creates a TD for the offense by keeping a defense in personnel that the offense wants them to be in and making easy reads for the QB.
I wrote quite a bit about the pace aspect of things above, but here is space can really help your OL. Look at the space on the setup, which means the defense only has six defenders in the box. The offense has six blockers, which limits what the defense can do. They aren’t going to send one of the defenders from outside the hash at the QB, it would take too long and they would never get there. So, Tulsa sends the edge, which is easily picked up, and King throws the shallow cross. The shallow cross is a staple of the Air-Raid offense and is a route that Lashlee uses often in his career.
Easy vision for the QB, even though the RT is beaten around the edge, King gets the ball out so quickly it is still a 1st down.
Here, King shows his ability to know where his outlet is in the face of pressure. I take about the effects that space has on a defense and here is another example of forcing the defense to show where they are going to blitz from and King is fast enough to buy time and then hit the checkdown. This play goes for a TD rather than a sack.
Lashlee Play Preferences
If you read my breakdown of Lashlee and what his offense looks like, you’ll know that he is a big proponent of the “Smash” concept. It is a play that is a staple of any Air-Raid offense and Lashlee runs it a little different than Briles’ ran it at Houston, in that instead of the hitch route you see here at the 36-yard line, Lashlee likes to run a ‘Whip’ route, which keeps that flat defender closer to the LOS and gives more room for the QB. Nevertheless, the corner route behind that route allows the QB to throw the ball to a spot and the receiver can adjust to the ball. It means the QB doesn’t have to be as precise to complete the pass, which makes offense easier. Here, King throws a nice ball that the receiver comes back to and picks up a 1st down.
Another play that Lashlee likes to run is an RPO. Lashlee tends to run it more as a slant, than a comeback that you see here, but it is another play that will be very familiar to King and aid in the learning process quickly. You see the receiver at the LOS, the play fake to the RB holds the OLB and puts the boundary CB in a tough spot to have to cover two routes at once. These are simple, easy read throws for the QB that King will be used to making.
This is a play that Lashlee used often during his time at UConn, where the offense didn’t have a lot of playmakers. It’s simply trying to get a numbers advantage. The RB is lined up to the right of the QB in an ‘Ace’ set. They snap the ball with 28 seconds on the play clock and the RB immediately becomes a lead blocker for the QB lead sweep right.
#6 is doing exactly what he should do as the force player and is setting an edge that "forces" the runner back inside towards his help. #21 is running the tunnel straight into the hole and has a free shot. Just behind this there are two safeties waiting. The play goes for a 61-yard TD. This is two plays that become TD’s- in a game his team is trailing in the 4th quarter- that should’ve been stopped by the defense. His playmaking ability is not something our offense has seen in years and is a reason he is listed on betting lines for the Heisman Trophy.
I detailed this exact play as a play that Lashlee has liked at each stop I reviewed (UConn and SMU). Motion comes across and get the attention of the defense. It draws so much attention because look how much space is to the field side based on where the receiver is lining up and if they do give the fly sweep they have a lot of grass to cover. Edge comes upfield to attack the handoff to the RB. In the confusion, the H-back lined up offset is completely lost in the shuffle and walks in for a TD.
I wrote earlier about how Lashlee loves Smash, but likes to add a Whip route to it. Here is King throwing a Whip route to a Houston WR. Sell the slant, stick your foot in the ground and get back outside. QB hits him in stride and this goes for 20 yards.
Lashlee ran this at both UConn and at Auburn. Looks like a Read-Option, but it’s a designed QB-run with the RT releasing downfield immediately. Makes a man miss in the backfield, cuts inside, takes this into the Red-zone. This dude is electric with the ball in his hands.
3rd Down Success
I’ve written before that I guarantee that Miami will not finish 130th in 3rd down conversions this season, and here is the biggest driver why; this is a TD. 96 has a free shot on King and doesn’t lay a finger on him. He makes him miss and walks into the end zone for a TD. You want to pressure and play man coverage? You don’t need a receiver to be open to give up a TD due to King’s legs, ability to make defenders miss, and his speed.
This goes for 15-yards. Two Oklahoma defenders standing in the backfield and he makes them both miss. One of them is Kenneth Murray, who is going in the 1st round of the draft this year. Instead of punting the ball, the drive lives on.
Check With Me
College athletes have far less time to be studying plays, practicing, working with coaches and on their own etc. than professional football players do. Why wouldn’t you let the coach who is working 80-hours a week survey the defense in key spots and have the offense “check with me” for the play call rather than asking the QB to make the proper checks and reads?
King is used to check with me and will feel comfortable operating the way Lashlee wants to do this, as Briles and Lashlee both save check with me’s for red zone type plays or key spots in the game.
Data
The data on King is from his 2018 season when he played almost the full season, rather than 2019 when he played in only four games as a redshirt.
- Miami will improve markedly against pressure, as shown in a few of the clips above. Last season, Miami was sacked on 25% of their pass plays that had pressure. D’Eriq was sacked on only 15% of his passing plays where he faced pressure.
- Add to it that Miami will be getting the ball out quicker in this offense than they did last season, and not only will the percentage of sacks against pressure be reduced, but the percentage of passing plays where they actually see pressure will reduce as well.
- According to Sports Info Solutions, Miami finished 89th in FBS by averaging just 6.4 yards/attempt on 3rd-and-long. King averaged 10.1 yards/attempt on 3rd-and-long, which ranked 3rd.
- King adds a dimension to this offense with his legs that we haven’t seen in my time following the Canes. Last year, Miami QB’s averaged 3.1 yards/attempt on designed QB runs with zero TD’s. King averaged 9.2 yards/attempt on designed runs with seven TD’s. Lashlee also will maximize this ability by calling more designed runs, something Miami did not do much of last season.
- Under pressure, Miami QB’s fell apart last year- particularly Jarren Williams, who completed only 33% of his passes while under pressure. King completed 59.8% of his pass attempts while under pressure, which is well above-average.
- Deep passing game should improve. Lashlee has shown that he will have his QB take shot plays any time the look is there pre-snap. King finished in the top 25th percentile on deep passes both to his left and to his right. He rarely threw the ball deep down the middle (only 5 attempts). Again, the reason for this is due to the way Air-Raid offenses tend to call for deep shots down the sidelines to maintain space and because it is a pre-snap read based on the coverage look.
King is not a dropback passer who will read a defense and pick apart their weaknesses. He is a QB who will have simple reads in the passing game and use pace and space to open throwing windows for him. When the first two reads are not there, look for King to try and escape the pocket.
There was some inaccuracy in his tape and at times his mechanics are a mess, both in his footwork, and in his arm mechanics. He has an inconsistent stride length and that causes him to both dirt the ball and to sail passes high.
He more than makes up for any inconsistency throwing the ball with an unbelievable ability to run with the ball. King will make plays for this offense that will amaze fans and frustrate defenses. It should be fun to watch the offense again, rather than just hoping they don’t ***** it up for the defense.
A small concern is that King is hurt seemingly every year, so the backup QB had better be prepared to play at any time.
This is the QB/OC match that we have dreamed of as fans. King has experience in an offense eerily similar from his 2018 season at Houston. The pace-and-space, the check with me’s, the Air-Raid route concepts, the designed QB runs, the RPO’s. All elements of the offense that Lashlee runs as well.
Just when I think I’m out, these two are pulling me back in and I’m once again excited for Miami Hurricanes football.
