I don't know if we will get a film review of the game from those who are more knowledgable so I decided to do one myself. This is a condensed film review because I only have the condensed game on YouTube. The full game gets posted on Thursday. I'm only going to do the first quarter right now because I have to work and there is still plenty to talk about. Only doing the offense because the Air Raid is what I like the most.
I have been a big Air Raid aficionado for a while so I was particularly over the moon when we hired Riley. I knew things would be slightly rough in the first game; TCU struggled against Colorado to start last season but thankfully for them they were playing the worst team in the P5 while we were playing a team with 18 returning starters and one of the best defensive coaches out there.
Watching TCU last year, I liked the ways Riley was able to open up the run game through formations and motion. Clemson has also struggled at times to get OL to the second level because of the scheme, which more or less had guys just mush ahead. Second play of the game is a good example of how the run game should improve. Duke is in a 4-2-5 with one of their LBers flexed out with Brinny. Antonio Williams goes in motion. His defender, a corner/safety nickel hybrid, passes him off to the Mike backer. The Mike backer widens out level to Blake Miller, taking himself out of the play initially. Putnam is able to climb and rather than blocking a more tradition LB, he gets to block a CB/S nickel. Shipley is able to get ahead for 6-7 yards.
I liked what we saw from the 2 back looks, like this split zone duo. Great blocking from Leigh to seal the edge.
Riley goes to the Air Raid roots early by calling Y Cross, an Air Raid staple when you want some big yards. The other routes on the play are slightly different than the one linked but the core of the play is the Y receiver, in this case Brinny, running a cross by going under Sam and over Mike. That means he is supposed to cross the face of the Sam backer and then go behind the Mike backer. It is a play that WVU killed us with.
A couple of things I noticed when we ran it, and the endzone view is instructive here. 1) It looks like the solo receiver on the left, either Randall or Turner, is running a go route. On the right, Antonio is running a speed out, Brinny has the deep cross, Shipley has the check release, and Beaux either has a curl (him and Antonio tagged for a curl/flat combo) but I think he has a Dig route he breaks off when he recognizes zone, specifically cover 2, which I believe Duke is running. That is the right move by Beaux, it is what you are coached to do. 2) Notice where Cade throws the ball from. He is a full 10 yards behind the LOS. He doesn't need to drift that far. 3) The primary read on the play is the outside receiver to the left, usually running a post, but in this instance it seems like a go. The read progression goes post/go, deep cross, dig, then RB release in the flat. 4) Cade looks off to the primary on his left but imo not long enough to really influence the safety. 5) Brinny kind of loafs in the route and runs himself into coverage. It doesn't seem like he is sure if he should settle in the zone. You are supposed to run the route kind of like a staircase and he doesn't get vertical enough before going horizontal. He actually runs under Mike and tries to run over Will but he runs into the Will/into a bad window.
One last thing on this play since its probably my favorite Air Raid play. I haven't seen it drawn up this way before but did find this. The Bunch Trips variation is similar to what we ran. I think the lack of a receiver on the left hurts the play because there is no one to temporarily occupy the Will. On the whole though Duke played it well and we could have played it better.
Good reading of the run lanes by Cade on this QB Draw. I also like that we go tempo immediately after and actually attack the middle of the field. The PA sucks in a LBer and a Safety, completely vacating the middle of the field. We try to hit them with some PA misdirection after tempo again but Duke isn't fooled. Cade probably makes the correct read in not giving to Mafah but imo he could have kept it with Antonio's defender locked on to him. An interesting note on the play is how Brinny flexing out moves the defense. Duke is in a 4-2-5 but their Will is flexed out with Brinny. Their two box defenders are their Mike and the corner/safety nickel hybrid. I'd like to see us go straight run against a lighter box or use a GT counter with this read built in.
Mike Elko is one of the best in the business for a reason. He walks up 6 defenders to the line (4 standing up) but only rushes 4. Has the feel of a blitz but its a basic cover 2 behind. It manages to fool the OL. We end up having 4 guys block 2 with a free rusher. Putnam, Parks, Miller and Mafah don't play this well. Miller plays in to out and I think he assumes he has help from Mafah. Cade has to throw hot to Mafah and there is a flat defender right there.
Duke's defense has done the same thing on 3 3rd and medium/long in the 1st quarter. They walk up defenders, usually their LBers, to show a blitz look with 6 on the LOS, and then bail into cover 2 on the snap. We run a WR screen against what we think is a blitz, which is a good call in that scenario but not against cover 2. Duke's nickel #3 has made a few plays now. He recognizes the play early and jumps it. I think the blocking could have been better but it is mainly a problem with assignments. Beaux should commit to taking the nickel while Ennis goes outside and takes the corner. Against a blitz it could have succeeded but their Mike back has dropped and disrupts Antonio enough for everyone to rally.
First game of a new offense with an inexperienced QB against a veteran defense with one of the best defensive coaches in the country? Not entirely surprised that it is a slow start. The second drive actually looked pretty good for a bit. The issue is that too many of our 3rd downs in this quarter and throughout the game were 3rd and medium or long. That isn't a recipe for success.
I have been a big Air Raid aficionado for a while so I was particularly over the moon when we hired Riley. I knew things would be slightly rough in the first game; TCU struggled against Colorado to start last season but thankfully for them they were playing the worst team in the P5 while we were playing a team with 18 returning starters and one of the best defensive coaches out there.
Watching TCU last year, I liked the ways Riley was able to open up the run game through formations and motion. Clemson has also struggled at times to get OL to the second level because of the scheme, which more or less had guys just mush ahead. Second play of the game is a good example of how the run game should improve. Duke is in a 4-2-5 with one of their LBers flexed out with Brinny. Antonio Williams goes in motion. His defender, a corner/safety nickel hybrid, passes him off to the Mike backer. The Mike backer widens out level to Blake Miller, taking himself out of the play initially. Putnam is able to climb and rather than blocking a more tradition LB, he gets to block a CB/S nickel. Shipley is able to get ahead for 6-7 yards.
I liked what we saw from the 2 back looks, like this split zone duo. Great blocking from Leigh to seal the edge.
Riley goes to the Air Raid roots early by calling Y Cross, an Air Raid staple when you want some big yards. The other routes on the play are slightly different than the one linked but the core of the play is the Y receiver, in this case Brinny, running a cross by going under Sam and over Mike. That means he is supposed to cross the face of the Sam backer and then go behind the Mike backer. It is a play that WVU killed us with.
A couple of things I noticed when we ran it, and the endzone view is instructive here. 1) It looks like the solo receiver on the left, either Randall or Turner, is running a go route. On the right, Antonio is running a speed out, Brinny has the deep cross, Shipley has the check release, and Beaux either has a curl (him and Antonio tagged for a curl/flat combo) but I think he has a Dig route he breaks off when he recognizes zone, specifically cover 2, which I believe Duke is running. That is the right move by Beaux, it is what you are coached to do. 2) Notice where Cade throws the ball from. He is a full 10 yards behind the LOS. He doesn't need to drift that far. 3) The primary read on the play is the outside receiver to the left, usually running a post, but in this instance it seems like a go. The read progression goes post/go, deep cross, dig, then RB release in the flat. 4) Cade looks off to the primary on his left but imo not long enough to really influence the safety. 5) Brinny kind of loafs in the route and runs himself into coverage. It doesn't seem like he is sure if he should settle in the zone. You are supposed to run the route kind of like a staircase and he doesn't get vertical enough before going horizontal. He actually runs under Mike and tries to run over Will but he runs into the Will/into a bad window.
One last thing on this play since its probably my favorite Air Raid play. I haven't seen it drawn up this way before but did find this. The Bunch Trips variation is similar to what we ran. I think the lack of a receiver on the left hurts the play because there is no one to temporarily occupy the Will. On the whole though Duke played it well and we could have played it better.
Good reading of the run lanes by Cade on this QB Draw. I also like that we go tempo immediately after and actually attack the middle of the field. The PA sucks in a LBer and a Safety, completely vacating the middle of the field. We try to hit them with some PA misdirection after tempo again but Duke isn't fooled. Cade probably makes the correct read in not giving to Mafah but imo he could have kept it with Antonio's defender locked on to him. An interesting note on the play is how Brinny flexing out moves the defense. Duke is in a 4-2-5 but their Will is flexed out with Brinny. Their two box defenders are their Mike and the corner/safety nickel hybrid. I'd like to see us go straight run against a lighter box or use a GT counter with this read built in.
Mike Elko is one of the best in the business for a reason. He walks up 6 defenders to the line (4 standing up) but only rushes 4. Has the feel of a blitz but its a basic cover 2 behind. It manages to fool the OL. We end up having 4 guys block 2 with a free rusher. Putnam, Parks, Miller and Mafah don't play this well. Miller plays in to out and I think he assumes he has help from Mafah. Cade has to throw hot to Mafah and there is a flat defender right there.
Duke's defense has done the same thing on 3 3rd and medium/long in the 1st quarter. They walk up defenders, usually their LBers, to show a blitz look with 6 on the LOS, and then bail into cover 2 on the snap. We run a WR screen against what we think is a blitz, which is a good call in that scenario but not against cover 2. Duke's nickel #3 has made a few plays now. He recognizes the play early and jumps it. I think the blocking could have been better but it is mainly a problem with assignments. Beaux should commit to taking the nickel while Ennis goes outside and takes the corner. Against a blitz it could have succeeded but their Mike back has dropped and disrupts Antonio enough for everyone to rally.
First game of a new offense with an inexperienced QB against a veteran defense with one of the best defensive coaches in the country? Not entirely surprised that it is a slow start. The second drive actually looked pretty good for a bit. The issue is that too many of our 3rd downs in this quarter and throughout the game were 3rd and medium or long. That isn't a recipe for success.
