Route Combinations

[Bull Dozer]

So, I have a problem with a decent amount of the route combo's that Gilbert uses in the passing game.  Either due to play design or players not knowing their assignments (which in inexcusable at this point in the season BTW) we often have two receivers in the same area of the field when the ball is delivered.  This is an issue for two reasons, first if the receivers routes are too close together it can allow 1 defender to take away two players in zone coverage.  The second is we don't see any good clear outs which because tow players are often sitting in the same area of a zone at the same time or run through the same area in a zone.  With good route combos you want to put pressure on players to make decisions while in zone coverage so they potentially over sell on the clear out and miss on the guy running free in that vacated space.   Too often this season I've noticed two receivers sitting in virtually the same spot in a zone or two guys running almost as a tandem through zone coverage with no one running into that space they're clearing out.  I Think some better designed passing plays could really help out the short and intermediate passing game because it would put more pressure on teams when they play zone.   I also wouldn't mind seeing some rub/pick routes either.   

[Bull94]

I'd like to see us get our RBs outside the tackles a little more. Toss sweeps etc. Maybe try some slants etc to work the intermediate middle of the field with receivers. some screens and wheel routes to RBs as well.

[Bull Dozer]

15 minutes ago, Bull94 said:

I'd like to see us get our RBs outside the tackles a little more. Toss sweeps etc. Maybe try some slants etc to work the intermediate middle of the field with receivers. some screens and wheel routes to RBs as well.

The universal issue that it all comes back to is attacking the entire field with your athletes.  The more of your players you cluster together in an area the more defenders that will be there (given that i's not a screen etc) with an opportunity to make a play.   Good offenses stress defenses and force defenders to make difficult decisions, we very rarely do that.  

Edited November 5, 2018 by Bull Dozer

[raptorcj]

Attacking the entire field sounds like spread. That would be cool...if we had that.

[Bull94]

1 hour ago, Bull Dozer said:

The universal issue that it all comes back to is attacking the entire field with your athletes.  The more of your players you cluster together in an area the more defenders that will be there (given that i's not a screen etc) with an opportunity to make a play.   Good offenses stress defenses and force defenders to make difficult decisions, we very rarely do that.  

I agree. we attack outside the numbers with receivers and between the tackles with RBs. that's a lot of unused open space. wish we tried to get a RB vs LB pass route mismatch in open space once in awhile.

[BDYZR]

I thought one of the things said about Cronkrite was that he is a complete back with good hands out of the backfield. How many passes has he been targeted on?

Just looked it up. 5 catches, 22yds.  And Ford - 1 catch, 39 yds.

Just wait till next year... again

 

Edited November 5, 2018 by BDYZR

[GaUSFBull]

5 minutes ago, BDYZR said:

I thought one of the things said about Cronkrite was that he is a complete back with good hands out of the backfield. How many passes has he been targeted on?

I am not sure Gilbert realizes that RBs are eligible receivers.  

[IBulleve]

5 minutes ago, GaUSFBull said:

I am not sure Gilbert realizes that RBs are eligible receivers.  

So I’ve made it very clear where I stand on Gilbert, but I do think it’s important to note a couple of plays from this weekend. 

1. They motioned Ford out wide and got a mismatch on a LB. Ford ran a double move and had the LB beat by a couple of steps, but BB never looked his way and threw an incompletion. This was a nice concept. 

2. They did something similar with Ford later in the game where he was again on a LB, this time on a wheel route and made a nice catch but couldn’t stay in bounds. My issue here is it was ran to the short side of the field, allowing the LB to keep it close and giving a smaller margin for error. 

3. Late in the game, Ford ran what looked to be an option route (angle) over the middle and had the LB beat by a mile. BB threw it behind him on what would’ve been a TD. That’s on the QB. 

 

Overall, I agree with everything that’s been said. The route concepts are too basic and we are often wayy too late on adjusting to the defense. Simple playbooks are great when counters are built in.

Ex. Hitches -> check stop and go

What makes a great OC is the ability to call the right play at the right time. By no means should dropped passes and bad throws be excused, but this offense is simply relying on talent at this point. The way this offense is ran on game day does very little to force defenses to cover athletes in space, or create opportunities for our playmakers to make plays in 1 on 1 match ups. 

[GaUSFBull]

13 minutes ago, IBulleve said:

So I’ve made it very clear where I stand on Gilbert, but I do think it’s important to note a couple of plays from this weekend. 

1. They motioned Ford out wide and got a mismatch on a LB. Ford ran a double move and had the LB beat by a couple of steps, but BB never looked his way and threw an incompletion. This was a nice concept. 

...

3. Late in the game, Ford ran what looked to be an option route (angle) over the middle and had the LB beat by a mile. BB threw it behind him on what would’ve been a TD. That’s on the QB.  

Couple things:

• On point #3, was Ford motioned/split out wide also?  If he was over the middle, I suspect he was.  The point in BDYZR's (I think) and my criticism was we don't seem to realize that RBs can receive when lined up in the backfield.  Perhaps they have to split wide to be recognized as a pass catcher.  I'm guessing Ford was first option in point #3 only, because:
• This may be most important, but as has been mentioned elsewhere, BB does not run through progressions, and usually a RB receiving a pass out of the backfield is the result of a checkdown process.  If BB does not check down, I guess it's not really fair of us to expect our RBs to catch passes out of the backfield.  

Edited November 5, 2018 by GaUSFBull

[DELdaBull]

Great topic Coach Bull Dozer