Lance Roffers
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- Feb 23, 2018
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Let’s dive into the second half of Miami’s victory over Virginia Tech. Miami leads the game 17-14 and gets the ball first coming out of the half. You can see that Virginia Tech is going to try and take that bubble away from the offense and they are jumping it as soon as the receiver starts his bubble. The edge and SAM are both crashing hard on the give on this play. Perry has to pull this ball. Homer breaks a tackle and picks up 5.
2nd down and I called the ball that Wiggins dropped deep a poor pass, but this wheel route to Homer is a dime. It’s honestly not an easy throw to throw a wheel route to a RB coming out of the backfield due to the touch and angle required on the throw. Homer wishes he could have this one back.
3rd & 5 and of course we throw the slant to Wiggins. He gets no separation, had to fight through a little grab, then goes to the ground instead of staying strong through the catch point. Wiggins has a bright future, but a guy like Haselwood in this offense would be lethal. Just think of all the throws we make where we ask the WR to be strong at the catch point and then think of all the times our “big” WR’s have let us down in those situations. I have to imagine that’s the pitch to Haselwood. (Not pictured)
After the incompletion Perry had visible reactions to his receivers not hanging onto the ball. Threw his mouth guard and then on the sidelines yelled, “Come on, bleep!”
Poor punt by Spicer. Drink. (Not pictured)
Bandy in lockdown mode. Truly can’t play it better. Knows he has Jaquan over-the-top, undercuts it from a trail technique, knocks it away without grabbing. He’s a dude.
If I were an OC going against Miami’s defense, I would run slants and in-breaking routes against Mike Jackson all game long. They’re truly his kryptonite. Easy separation off the snap and an on-time ball equals 1st down.
Tito smashes the QB, but they run a seam route right in-between Mike Smith and Redwine. Not sure who is at fault on this one because they both up looking at each other, but it’s another 1st down. Jaquan is yelling at Mike Smith, so I’m guessing it’s him.
Next play I’m not sure why Mike Smith is running head-up into #74 here. He needs to be outside of the right shoulder of the OL setting an edge here. Instead it’s like he’s a magnet for a blocker and gets stuck inside. The RB bounces this outside and gets a 1st down. If Smith sets an edge it’s a TFL. Tito into the backfield again. Jess Simpson has put in work with Tito, much improved from the beginning of the season.
Next play is a deep pass into double-coverage as Joe Jax crushes the QB. (Not pictured)
VT runs a horizontal OZ run and Shaq plays it great. He reads the run outside and he immediately sprints outside of Joe Jax and forces the RB to cut back inside as Joe Jax dipped inside the LT’s block rather than outside. If Shaq tries to crash with an inside angle the RB is out the gate on the edge. Shaq gets nothing in the scorecard, but he absolutely made the play with his football intelligence. (Not pictured)
3rd down and I like exotic blitzes as much as the next guy, but I’d like Joe Jackson rushing the passer in this situation rather than dropping into coverage (and doing nothing). Another in-breaking route and another wide-open receiver. The QB simply misses this throw and throws this back outside the numbers here instead of leading the receiver into that wide-open spot towards the MOF. This should’ve been a VT TD. We blitzed the S to the other side of the field, which is why Carter is the only S in your screen and well away from the play. VT misses the FG and gets nothing. Lucky.
Went deep on 1st down. Incomplete. Run the bubble to Jeff Thomas on 2nd down for 9 yards. Brings up a 3rd and short. (Not pictured)
Watch Cam Davis run this play so much better than Homer did. Same play. Same blocking scheme. Davis cuts this back into the hole and he doesn’t even have Mallory coming across giving a wham block on the edge player. He picks it up by cutting back into the hole and diving for the 1st. He’s a freshman, but he probably needs to be elevated into a much bigger role.
Next play we run the bubble to Harley and it’s incomplete. Probably just need to stop running that play for Harley and let him block for the play. (Not pictured)
Perry finally keeps on the next play and gives this defender the okie-doke and cuts off him and then finishes the run strong for the 1st down. I talked about players growing up in this game and you’ve already seen Perry and Davis starting to grow up before your eyes.
1st down is a bad pass at the feet of Thomas on the out-route who immediately motions to get the ball up to Perry. 2nd down is a designed QB run and he picks up 8. (Not pictured)
This is the same play we ran on the 3rd & 1 earlier. Same play. Same down blocking. Because Perry has been keeping the ball, look at the edge defender. He absolutely is respecting the QB keep and is well outside. Look at that slot defender on the bubble action because we have run that play so many times. Look at that S screaming downhill and actually going towards the QB and not the ball carrier. He gives up leverage to Cam and gets outside and this run is out the gate. This run goes for a TD, and this run goes for a TD because Miami has taken advantage of things the defense has given them earlier in the game. The QB keep and the bubble action result in this TD. Cam with a decisive cut and a burst that our other RB’s simply do not have. Do your thing, young fella.
These things result in this…for all of us.
Give the big fellas some love as well. They overwhelmed the DL on this play and were people movers.
Slant against zone coverage on 1st down. The ball hit the ground, but for some reason they didn’t review. (Not pictured)
VT goes quick and gets away with the bad call. They throw a swing screen to the RB and Bandy misses a tackle and the RB gets the 1st down again. (Not pictured)
Bandy didn’t like missing the tackle and on the next play knocks the ball into the air, catches it, but is just out-of-bounds. Dog.
VT hits a slant to the opposite side of Bandy blitzing off-the-edge, Finley forces a fumble, Redwine scoops it and stumbles or he might’ve scored. Romeo Finley is another player who has developed dramatically throughout the course of this season. (Not pictured)
1st down and we throw the bubble to Thomas and he has a fantastic run for 6-yards. It was poor blocking and the throw was behind him. He’s special.
Next play is the same play over to Harley and it has a different result. We probably just need to stop throwing that pass to Harley, as it is not his skill set. Harley walks to this 1st down if he just stays on his feet.
The previous play is a big play because the next play is another drop. This is such a beautiful throw by Perry. Langham runs the square-in behind the LB and it is right to Langham, who simply drops the ball.
VT runs the QB read on 1st down and Mike Smith does a nice job of stringing it out and knocking him out-of-bounds. (Not pictured)
DL flushes the QB on 2nd down and he just turfs it. (Not pictured)
We bring Carter, McCloud and Shaq on 3rd down and I’m telling you if they had decided to run another in-breaking route on M Jax it would’ve been a 1st down. They elect to run an out-breaking route to the bottom of your screen, but if that’s another bang-8 it’s an easy 1st down as M Jax is beaten inside again. A good OC would eat this up leaving the MOF open so often and a CB who can’t win inside.
My man scored a TD on this. Pour one out for Jeff Thomas, our biggest playmaker, as he departs from the program. I’d love to show you a good block he received on the return but there wasn’t really one to see, he just outran and outmaneuvered the defense.
Something to keep an eye on with Baxa this week. Not sure if he pulled his hamstring or not.
They ran this same play at least three times and it worked every single time. The LB never did stay wider than the H-back. My theory is that the LB’s aren’t used to seeing this much eye candy in practice every day and therefore they fall for motion and counters quite a bit.
You want to see teaching tape on how a CB should play the jet sweep? Here is Bandy beating the block of the WR outside, then forcing the WR to bubble away from the LOS, then defeating this block from the RB, then making the tackle on #11 for a loss of 4. Hat tip, Bandy, you a real player. If it wasn’t for his love of his hometown, he'd be a Sooner right now.
Next play, they try to go quick and Miami’s pass rush finally draws a holding call to wipe out a pass to the RB to pick up the 1st down. VT goes from 2nd & 2 to 3rd & 16. They try a swing pass to the RB that Finley just eats up and breaks up the pass. Rumph and Banda have really earned their money with this secondary development. (Not pictured)
Punt return, Thomas foolishly picks up the bouncing ball but then returns it nicely. Silvera over there bullying the sideline and no one wanted any part of him. (Not pictured)
Another bit for Perry to continue to develop on. This is a delayed blitz and he has to know his RB is out in a pass pattern and not there to block so this ball has to come out quick. He wants the seam, but it’s double covered (you can see the foot of the S just under the 5-5 record for Miami). This has to be thrown away, dumped down to Homer, or try the out-route over there. He waits too long and gets buried. Progressions and field understanding have to speed up.
We run a screen to Homer and you tell me what other OL on our team can get to this block. Boulware takes this man and puts him on his own face on the sideline. Why is he not your starting LG and just left alone?
The VERY NEXT PLAY. Boulware is the OL next to St. Louis here. He does what I’ve been asking so many of our OL to do. First, he crashes down onto the DT and pushes him towards Gauthier.
Then he comes off of this combo block and gets to the white LB that’s given us trouble all day. He has turned him out of the hole so much you can see his numbers (50). Gauthier gets his block after the help from Boulware.
Homer is out the gate and LOOK AT BOULWARE FINISH! Again this defender ends up on his own face after Boulware is through with him (on the 40-yard line just in front of St. Louis). He’s the most athletic OL on the team. He finishes his blocks. Why is he not playing every snap?
Gotta pull this ball, Perry. Look at the edge crash the run. They call it a “Read-Option” for a reason. The QB has to “Read” what the unblocked edge player is doing and make a decision (the “Option”). If he pulls this he might score and he definitely gets inside the 5. Instead it goes for a loss of 2.
Donaldson has a false start on the next play. This game is out-of-hand, no doubt about it, but this is the type of thing that happens with this team. It’s a total lack of focus. Perry pulls the ball he probably scores a TD. At the least your Expected Points Add (EPA) is majorly positive. Instead the play goes for a loss. Next play is a false start and now you’re at the 17 with a goal-to-go play and your EPA is way lower.
Davis houses the swing pass to get the TD anyway, but there are definitely things still to work on at this point. (Not pictured)
VT ran this play twice against us and it worked both times as well. This is the shallow cross where the outside WR runs across the field, we are in zone underneath, VT starts blocking downfield because the receiver catches the ball behind the LOS, and it’s a big gain. I’m surprised they didn’t run this a few more times since it worked so well, and I wouldn’t mind Miami stealing it. Richt is supposed to be a big proponent of the shallow-cross, so it should be a natural fit.
In-breaking route beats M Jax. Drink. Why OC’s don’t do this until we prove we can stop it, I do not understand.
Waynmon Steed gets onto the field and shows his speed by getting out to the edge and forcing the play back inside. He needs to get the runner on the ground next time on this play, but forcing him back inside at least gave him help.
Inside dive and they pick up the 1st down. (Not pictured)
They run the same screen they’ve run three times without being stopped on the next play and Romeo Finley decides he’s had enough of that. Look at how quickly Finley is firing his gun on this play. There are two VT OL out there in front of this play and you don’t see anyone other than Finley. I think this goes for a TD if Finley doesn’t beat both blocks and make a TFL.
2nd & 12 and they run a QB draw. He picks up 4. Patchan was dinged up on the play. (Not pictured)
Bring the CB blitz and the QB never sees it. Big sack on the play and it’s a good thing he got home because VT had a switch concept with a wheel route behind it that was going to pop open. Same play Miami runs on a lot of 3rd & longs. Funny that the CB blitz blows it up like it has Miami so often this year. We sent McCloud and Carter on the blitz as well.
4th & 18 and they run a seam route to that H-Back who beat us up a bit in the 1st half and Carter gets his head around and makes the play. Best game of Carter’s career.
Throw a screen on 1st down and look who is out blowing his man up on the play. I truly do not know what Gauthier is doing on the play. If he takes the guy Boulware has initially, Boulware can take #44 and Wiggins can get the S. I’m sure the play is designed to go where Gauthier is and the timing is just off, but you continue to see Boulware blowing dudes up running the same plays that the other G’s do not execute.
Boulware even got that block, came off and tried to get another block 10 yards further downfield. Play. That. Man.
You see the dude with his cleats in the air at the very top of the screen? That’s Boulware pancaking him. Just saying. Nice cutback by Davis as well, who was easily our best RB in this game.
Mahoney false start at LG. One for each of Mahoney and Donaldson today. Play Boulware at one of the G’s, please. Brings up a 3rd & 11 and Cam Davis shows his ability again. He cuts off of Boulware’s block at RG here, but everyone on the OL did a nice job on the IZ run. Davis pops out of this for a long run. The defender coming off of Scaife’s block actually closed into this lane and Cam jumpstopped around him. Davis is like- oh yeah- good.
Perry keeper on 1st down nets 5. 2nd they try the dive to Homer after Davis dinged himself on that long run. Boulware tried to cut the defender and truthfully missed badly. He brings down Homer for a TFL. (Not pictured)
3rd down run and Mahoney gets a personal foul for going low on a guy when engaged with St. Louis. Woof. We get a false start on the punt, either Pope or Dean (#6). (Not pictured)
The game clock is kind of just run out from here with both teams playing younger guys and the crowd filing out of the stadium.
Commentary
Heck of a day to drop this article on the day that Jeff Thomas gets dismissed from the program, so it will most likely be read by very few individuals, but this game had some highlights. The use of the bubble screen really opened things up for Miami as it had the attention of the LB’s and S’s on multiple plays, which opened up cutback lanes for big gains. The bubble was an easy money situation and Miami has declined the cash in several games, but not this one. Miami finally got a special teams TD, but it was more due to the brilliance of Thomas than from great execution. I’ve been calling for the QB to keep the ball more for weeks now and we finally saw it this game. There were multiple examples of the defense respecting the QB and how that opened up runs for the RB in this game- not to mention big runs by the QB. I believe there needs to be even more QB keeps in our game plan to truly stretch the defense.
Another change on offense that you saw in this game was more out of necessity than anything game plan wise. Both TE’s on scholarship- Mallory and Brevin- were injured in this game, which forced Miami to get to more 10 and 20 personnel packages with either 4-WR’s or 2 RB’s. With the extra space created from the spread out formations, Miami was able to hit some plays that they otherwise would not have. With the fact that Mallory cannot block at all, I would like to see Miami continue to be 4-wide even if he returns in the bowl game. Mallory can be flexed out wide and still take the defender out of the box without being asked to block much.
As for QB, N’Kosi Perry is a better player than Kelly Bryant. I have watched both on film (including every single play from Perry) and Perry has the ability to throw deep better than Bryant, is more accurate in the seam, and is just as dynamic a runner. Add to it that Bryant wouldn’t come in with a firm grasp of the offense, I’m glad they have had that ship sail.
Lot of turmoil in the locker room right now- that’s what happens when you sell winning and playing early and you do neither- but there were real encouraging signs in this game. Play Boulware somewhere, I don’t care where, but play that man. Play Cam Davis more. Run more of these screens. Run more of these bubbles. Have the QB keep the ball more. It won’t be long before the deep ball opens up and the long runs return to the Miami offense like we all expect them to.
2nd down and I called the ball that Wiggins dropped deep a poor pass, but this wheel route to Homer is a dime. It’s honestly not an easy throw to throw a wheel route to a RB coming out of the backfield due to the touch and angle required on the throw. Homer wishes he could have this one back.
3rd & 5 and of course we throw the slant to Wiggins. He gets no separation, had to fight through a little grab, then goes to the ground instead of staying strong through the catch point. Wiggins has a bright future, but a guy like Haselwood in this offense would be lethal. Just think of all the throws we make where we ask the WR to be strong at the catch point and then think of all the times our “big” WR’s have let us down in those situations. I have to imagine that’s the pitch to Haselwood. (Not pictured)
After the incompletion Perry had visible reactions to his receivers not hanging onto the ball. Threw his mouth guard and then on the sidelines yelled, “Come on, bleep!”
Poor punt by Spicer. Drink. (Not pictured)
Bandy in lockdown mode. Truly can’t play it better. Knows he has Jaquan over-the-top, undercuts it from a trail technique, knocks it away without grabbing. He’s a dude.
If I were an OC going against Miami’s defense, I would run slants and in-breaking routes against Mike Jackson all game long. They’re truly his kryptonite. Easy separation off the snap and an on-time ball equals 1st down.
Tito smashes the QB, but they run a seam route right in-between Mike Smith and Redwine. Not sure who is at fault on this one because they both up looking at each other, but it’s another 1st down. Jaquan is yelling at Mike Smith, so I’m guessing it’s him.
Next play I’m not sure why Mike Smith is running head-up into #74 here. He needs to be outside of the right shoulder of the OL setting an edge here. Instead it’s like he’s a magnet for a blocker and gets stuck inside. The RB bounces this outside and gets a 1st down. If Smith sets an edge it’s a TFL. Tito into the backfield again. Jess Simpson has put in work with Tito, much improved from the beginning of the season.
Next play is a deep pass into double-coverage as Joe Jax crushes the QB. (Not pictured)
VT runs a horizontal OZ run and Shaq plays it great. He reads the run outside and he immediately sprints outside of Joe Jax and forces the RB to cut back inside as Joe Jax dipped inside the LT’s block rather than outside. If Shaq tries to crash with an inside angle the RB is out the gate on the edge. Shaq gets nothing in the scorecard, but he absolutely made the play with his football intelligence. (Not pictured)
3rd down and I like exotic blitzes as much as the next guy, but I’d like Joe Jackson rushing the passer in this situation rather than dropping into coverage (and doing nothing). Another in-breaking route and another wide-open receiver. The QB simply misses this throw and throws this back outside the numbers here instead of leading the receiver into that wide-open spot towards the MOF. This should’ve been a VT TD. We blitzed the S to the other side of the field, which is why Carter is the only S in your screen and well away from the play. VT misses the FG and gets nothing. Lucky.
Went deep on 1st down. Incomplete. Run the bubble to Jeff Thomas on 2nd down for 9 yards. Brings up a 3rd and short. (Not pictured)
Watch Cam Davis run this play so much better than Homer did. Same play. Same blocking scheme. Davis cuts this back into the hole and he doesn’t even have Mallory coming across giving a wham block on the edge player. He picks it up by cutting back into the hole and diving for the 1st. He’s a freshman, but he probably needs to be elevated into a much bigger role.
Next play we run the bubble to Harley and it’s incomplete. Probably just need to stop running that play for Harley and let him block for the play. (Not pictured)
Perry finally keeps on the next play and gives this defender the okie-doke and cuts off him and then finishes the run strong for the 1st down. I talked about players growing up in this game and you’ve already seen Perry and Davis starting to grow up before your eyes.
1st down is a bad pass at the feet of Thomas on the out-route who immediately motions to get the ball up to Perry. 2nd down is a designed QB run and he picks up 8. (Not pictured)
This is the same play we ran on the 3rd & 1 earlier. Same play. Same down blocking. Because Perry has been keeping the ball, look at the edge defender. He absolutely is respecting the QB keep and is well outside. Look at that slot defender on the bubble action because we have run that play so many times. Look at that S screaming downhill and actually going towards the QB and not the ball carrier. He gives up leverage to Cam and gets outside and this run is out the gate. This run goes for a TD, and this run goes for a TD because Miami has taken advantage of things the defense has given them earlier in the game. The QB keep and the bubble action result in this TD. Cam with a decisive cut and a burst that our other RB’s simply do not have. Do your thing, young fella.
These things result in this…for all of us.
Give the big fellas some love as well. They overwhelmed the DL on this play and were people movers.
Slant against zone coverage on 1st down. The ball hit the ground, but for some reason they didn’t review. (Not pictured)
VT goes quick and gets away with the bad call. They throw a swing screen to the RB and Bandy misses a tackle and the RB gets the 1st down again. (Not pictured)
Bandy didn’t like missing the tackle and on the next play knocks the ball into the air, catches it, but is just out-of-bounds. Dog.
VT hits a slant to the opposite side of Bandy blitzing off-the-edge, Finley forces a fumble, Redwine scoops it and stumbles or he might’ve scored. Romeo Finley is another player who has developed dramatically throughout the course of this season. (Not pictured)
1st down and we throw the bubble to Thomas and he has a fantastic run for 6-yards. It was poor blocking and the throw was behind him. He’s special.
Next play is the same play over to Harley and it has a different result. We probably just need to stop throwing that pass to Harley, as it is not his skill set. Harley walks to this 1st down if he just stays on his feet.
The previous play is a big play because the next play is another drop. This is such a beautiful throw by Perry. Langham runs the square-in behind the LB and it is right to Langham, who simply drops the ball.
VT runs the QB read on 1st down and Mike Smith does a nice job of stringing it out and knocking him out-of-bounds. (Not pictured)
DL flushes the QB on 2nd down and he just turfs it. (Not pictured)
We bring Carter, McCloud and Shaq on 3rd down and I’m telling you if they had decided to run another in-breaking route on M Jax it would’ve been a 1st down. They elect to run an out-breaking route to the bottom of your screen, but if that’s another bang-8 it’s an easy 1st down as M Jax is beaten inside again. A good OC would eat this up leaving the MOF open so often and a CB who can’t win inside.
My man scored a TD on this. Pour one out for Jeff Thomas, our biggest playmaker, as he departs from the program. I’d love to show you a good block he received on the return but there wasn’t really one to see, he just outran and outmaneuvered the defense.
Something to keep an eye on with Baxa this week. Not sure if he pulled his hamstring or not.
They ran this same play at least three times and it worked every single time. The LB never did stay wider than the H-back. My theory is that the LB’s aren’t used to seeing this much eye candy in practice every day and therefore they fall for motion and counters quite a bit.
You want to see teaching tape on how a CB should play the jet sweep? Here is Bandy beating the block of the WR outside, then forcing the WR to bubble away from the LOS, then defeating this block from the RB, then making the tackle on #11 for a loss of 4. Hat tip, Bandy, you a real player. If it wasn’t for his love of his hometown, he'd be a Sooner right now.
Next play, they try to go quick and Miami’s pass rush finally draws a holding call to wipe out a pass to the RB to pick up the 1st down. VT goes from 2nd & 2 to 3rd & 16. They try a swing pass to the RB that Finley just eats up and breaks up the pass. Rumph and Banda have really earned their money with this secondary development. (Not pictured)
Punt return, Thomas foolishly picks up the bouncing ball but then returns it nicely. Silvera over there bullying the sideline and no one wanted any part of him. (Not pictured)
Another bit for Perry to continue to develop on. This is a delayed blitz and he has to know his RB is out in a pass pattern and not there to block so this ball has to come out quick. He wants the seam, but it’s double covered (you can see the foot of the S just under the 5-5 record for Miami). This has to be thrown away, dumped down to Homer, or try the out-route over there. He waits too long and gets buried. Progressions and field understanding have to speed up.
We run a screen to Homer and you tell me what other OL on our team can get to this block. Boulware takes this man and puts him on his own face on the sideline. Why is he not your starting LG and just left alone?
The VERY NEXT PLAY. Boulware is the OL next to St. Louis here. He does what I’ve been asking so many of our OL to do. First, he crashes down onto the DT and pushes him towards Gauthier.
Then he comes off of this combo block and gets to the white LB that’s given us trouble all day. He has turned him out of the hole so much you can see his numbers (50). Gauthier gets his block after the help from Boulware.
Homer is out the gate and LOOK AT BOULWARE FINISH! Again this defender ends up on his own face after Boulware is through with him (on the 40-yard line just in front of St. Louis). He’s the most athletic OL on the team. He finishes his blocks. Why is he not playing every snap?
Gotta pull this ball, Perry. Look at the edge crash the run. They call it a “Read-Option” for a reason. The QB has to “Read” what the unblocked edge player is doing and make a decision (the “Option”). If he pulls this he might score and he definitely gets inside the 5. Instead it goes for a loss of 2.
Donaldson has a false start on the next play. This game is out-of-hand, no doubt about it, but this is the type of thing that happens with this team. It’s a total lack of focus. Perry pulls the ball he probably scores a TD. At the least your Expected Points Add (EPA) is majorly positive. Instead the play goes for a loss. Next play is a false start and now you’re at the 17 with a goal-to-go play and your EPA is way lower.
Davis houses the swing pass to get the TD anyway, but there are definitely things still to work on at this point. (Not pictured)
VT ran this play twice against us and it worked both times as well. This is the shallow cross where the outside WR runs across the field, we are in zone underneath, VT starts blocking downfield because the receiver catches the ball behind the LOS, and it’s a big gain. I’m surprised they didn’t run this a few more times since it worked so well, and I wouldn’t mind Miami stealing it. Richt is supposed to be a big proponent of the shallow-cross, so it should be a natural fit.
In-breaking route beats M Jax. Drink. Why OC’s don’t do this until we prove we can stop it, I do not understand.
Waynmon Steed gets onto the field and shows his speed by getting out to the edge and forcing the play back inside. He needs to get the runner on the ground next time on this play, but forcing him back inside at least gave him help.
Inside dive and they pick up the 1st down. (Not pictured)
They run the same screen they’ve run three times without being stopped on the next play and Romeo Finley decides he’s had enough of that. Look at how quickly Finley is firing his gun on this play. There are two VT OL out there in front of this play and you don’t see anyone other than Finley. I think this goes for a TD if Finley doesn’t beat both blocks and make a TFL.
2nd & 12 and they run a QB draw. He picks up 4. Patchan was dinged up on the play. (Not pictured)
Bring the CB blitz and the QB never sees it. Big sack on the play and it’s a good thing he got home because VT had a switch concept with a wheel route behind it that was going to pop open. Same play Miami runs on a lot of 3rd & longs. Funny that the CB blitz blows it up like it has Miami so often this year. We sent McCloud and Carter on the blitz as well.
4th & 18 and they run a seam route to that H-Back who beat us up a bit in the 1st half and Carter gets his head around and makes the play. Best game of Carter’s career.
Throw a screen on 1st down and look who is out blowing his man up on the play. I truly do not know what Gauthier is doing on the play. If he takes the guy Boulware has initially, Boulware can take #44 and Wiggins can get the S. I’m sure the play is designed to go where Gauthier is and the timing is just off, but you continue to see Boulware blowing dudes up running the same plays that the other G’s do not execute.
Boulware even got that block, came off and tried to get another block 10 yards further downfield. Play. That. Man.
You see the dude with his cleats in the air at the very top of the screen? That’s Boulware pancaking him. Just saying. Nice cutback by Davis as well, who was easily our best RB in this game.
Mahoney false start at LG. One for each of Mahoney and Donaldson today. Play Boulware at one of the G’s, please. Brings up a 3rd & 11 and Cam Davis shows his ability again. He cuts off of Boulware’s block at RG here, but everyone on the OL did a nice job on the IZ run. Davis pops out of this for a long run. The defender coming off of Scaife’s block actually closed into this lane and Cam jumpstopped around him. Davis is like- oh yeah- good.
Perry keeper on 1st down nets 5. 2nd they try the dive to Homer after Davis dinged himself on that long run. Boulware tried to cut the defender and truthfully missed badly. He brings down Homer for a TFL. (Not pictured)
3rd down run and Mahoney gets a personal foul for going low on a guy when engaged with St. Louis. Woof. We get a false start on the punt, either Pope or Dean (#6). (Not pictured)
The game clock is kind of just run out from here with both teams playing younger guys and the crowd filing out of the stadium.
Commentary
Heck of a day to drop this article on the day that Jeff Thomas gets dismissed from the program, so it will most likely be read by very few individuals, but this game had some highlights. The use of the bubble screen really opened things up for Miami as it had the attention of the LB’s and S’s on multiple plays, which opened up cutback lanes for big gains. The bubble was an easy money situation and Miami has declined the cash in several games, but not this one. Miami finally got a special teams TD, but it was more due to the brilliance of Thomas than from great execution. I’ve been calling for the QB to keep the ball more for weeks now and we finally saw it this game. There were multiple examples of the defense respecting the QB and how that opened up runs for the RB in this game- not to mention big runs by the QB. I believe there needs to be even more QB keeps in our game plan to truly stretch the defense.
Another change on offense that you saw in this game was more out of necessity than anything game plan wise. Both TE’s on scholarship- Mallory and Brevin- were injured in this game, which forced Miami to get to more 10 and 20 personnel packages with either 4-WR’s or 2 RB’s. With the extra space created from the spread out formations, Miami was able to hit some plays that they otherwise would not have. With the fact that Mallory cannot block at all, I would like to see Miami continue to be 4-wide even if he returns in the bowl game. Mallory can be flexed out wide and still take the defender out of the box without being asked to block much.
As for QB, N’Kosi Perry is a better player than Kelly Bryant. I have watched both on film (including every single play from Perry) and Perry has the ability to throw deep better than Bryant, is more accurate in the seam, and is just as dynamic a runner. Add to it that Bryant wouldn’t come in with a firm grasp of the offense, I’m glad they have had that ship sail.
Lot of turmoil in the locker room right now- that’s what happens when you sell winning and playing early and you do neither- but there were real encouraging signs in this game. Play Boulware somewhere, I don’t care where, but play that man. Play Cam Davis more. Run more of these screens. Run more of these bubbles. Have the QB keep the ball more. It won’t be long before the deep ball opens up and the long runs return to the Miami offense like we all expect them to.
