App State Film Review: GSU Second Quarter

There’s still not a lot to go on in this game so far with GSU running the option. UofL won’t see the option again unless they schedule a team that runs it. App State also adjusted things with their backup quarterback playing. GSU played heavy towards the run, too.

I did get a decent look at some blocking schemes and got to see some plays that directly show what the new coaching staff have said to describe the scheme.

App State Ball, 3rd and 22

This is a very freshman mistake by the quarterback as he stares down the receiver in the middle of the field and makes it very easy for the safety to read where the ball is going. I do wonder if this play is a little better designed if the slot receiver to the bottom of the screen runs a deep in here. The safety has no chance to reach a corner route, so a heady player would just stay in the middle of the field like this guy does.

The quarterback got too greedy here and should have hit one of the short routes with the hope that it would have secured a field goal.

GSU Ball, 1st and 10

This is an absolutely perfect play call off of a turnover. Teams should always go for a big play and they do that here. They run a natural pick because they know that App State likes to play aggressive in the back end. That at least gives them a shot to get the receiver down the field with the wheel route to the outside. It works perfectly, so they don’t really have to work too hard and the play works out.

I really don’t like the way this play is designed from a defensive standpoint. If you’re going to go with zero coverage you have to bring pressure. Instead, the linebackers end up in no man’s land and the quarterback has plenty of time to throw this down the field. The defensive backs run into each other and it’s an easy toss.

App State Ball, 1st and 10

This play is pretty much what my concern is with UofL’s offensive line next year. The zone blocking scheme only works when everyone works in unison. Louisville didn’t do anything as a group last year up front and plays like this were common even in a different scheme. The Cards have much more size than App State but the idea behind zone blocking is that quickness and agility will win out.

On this play, the double teams don’t really work and then the linemen just get overpowered. My hope is that the five starters for next season are identified early on so that they have the spring to work together. Then they can hopefully form a bond working out in the summer and come into fall camp with some momentum.

App State Ball, 1st and 10

If you want to see how running the football opens up the passing game, here’s your example. This is what UofL fans will really like about this offense. Running the ball effectively will make your play action game deadly. You can see the entire defense take a few steps forward on this play and the defensive backs end up completely out of position because they’re looking for run.

This offense will scheme more big plays than we saw in the last five years. Not one player making big plays but the scheme itself manufacturing big plays for multiple players. They sustained these types of big plays in this scheme for years.

App State Ball, 2nd and 10

I’ve talked a bit about how this offense demands precision and you can see that here. It’s not blocked perfectly but everyone does their job here except for the tight end on the end of the line. He crashes too hard on the double team and he’ snot able to get up into his second block on the linebacker. It’s a great play by the backer but if the tight end just gets a chip here he would at least be there to make the play much harder to make.

This is a 3-4 yard gain for sure if he makes that block. It’s a big play if the back can make the safety miss.

GSU Ball, 2nd and 16

A few plays before this GSU ran the exact same play to the left. No one accounted for the quarterback and it went for about twenty yards. You can see here that the defense was ready for it out of the same formation and they beat the block to force the QB to make a decision. That changed everything because it left two blockers on the ground instead of at least one being there to get to a linebacker. App State gets a gang tackle and forces a long third down.

GSU Ball, 1st and 10

Bryan Brown was on Mark Ennis’ show last week and he talked about his defense being a being “slant and angle” and you can see that here. The line slants to the right and kills the blocking scheme on this play. With them blowing things up you can see that the middle linebacker gets to size things up and he’s right there for an easy run stuff.

Even though GSU is an option team, this is a good look at how this defense works against interior runs.