Texas - Baylor 2010 Defense Preview - Disbanding A One Man Gang

by Scipio Tex on Oct 28, 2010 3:13 PM CDT in Texas Longhorns and Other Football

Exciting news - we're only two games away from bowl eligibility. We can do this! The Pinstripe Bowl is one of the most esteemed and storied minor bowls of them all (several months in existence!) and if we go, Barking Carnival will secure a group package Sex & The City Tour so that we can experience the street corner where Big and Carrie first began their star crossed romance.

The tour is called the Sydney Carton Experience and it also features a carriage ride in Central Park on a fluid stained cart pulled by a fly-bitten draft horse piloted by a gruff Teamster, a glass of bubbly, and the assignment of a gay BFF for a shopping spree at Prada. That evening, you get face-control exemption from a nightclub with a name that's an adverb.

Time to talk ~~Baylor~~ RGIII. It's a sad state of affairs when a game against Baylor at home is a source of concern, but consider my brow furrowed. We led Baylor 40-0 at halftime last year and the fact that we're sweating this game as a legitimate loss prospect is proof of their elevation as much as our decline.

Offense

Art Briles has been a creative offensive mind since his days at Stephenville and nothing has changed. Baylor attacks you in a lot of ways and the evolution of RGIII as a passer has allowed their offense to turn the corner from mildly threatening to dangerous. This is a wide open offense and much of their game plan will be focused on isolating and attacking our safeties.

I'm a big Robert Griffin fan, to put it mildly, and our refusal to recruit him was a Chernobyl level mistake. That's not second guessing. It's first knowing. Because I wrote as much at the time, predicted he'd be a game-changing college QB, and have had Cassandra's sick satisfaction of having my prediction play out as Mack and Greg Davis struggle to understand why our offense doesn't move anymore and we've lost the ability to improvise.

By the way, Griffin graduated 7th in his class at Copperas Cove, comes from a strict two parent household, has the focus of a laser, is an Olympic level athlete and the Big 12 400 meters hurdles champion, will graduate a year early, throws an elite deep ball, and has amassed both 200+ yard rushing games and 400+ yard passing games in his college career.

Why am I torturing you? Because I want you to feel my pain.

I wrote this in my 2008 preseason write-up:

Truthfully, Briles may just say fuck it (actually, it’s Baylor, so he’ll say “Goosefeathers!”) and start true freshman Robert Griffin, who is a sensational athlete. Which is what I’d do. If Baylor Football can reach respectability by 2010 it will be because of Griffin.

Briles did start Griffin as a freshman. It's 2010. And Baylor is more than respectable. And it's because of RGIII.

Griffin has really turned the corner as a passer and it's written all over his statline -

Passing: 270-180-2373-18 tds - 4 int
Rushing: 76 -384 -6 tds - 5.1 avg

He's producing around 350 yards of offense per game - the same as our entire offense.

The key point is that he's averaging 296 yards passing per game, he uses his feet to buy time for receivers downfield as much as just running, and he's learning to throw in the intermediate game as adeptly as his excellent deep ball. Like VY or Colt, Griffin picks his games to run, saving his wheels and injury exposure for big opponents or when the team need a lift. Needless to say, he'll run on Saturday.

If Baylor has one weakness in their passing game, it's that it is heavily predicated on a few routes - a lot of screens, go routes, bootlegs with one and two receiver options, and a sprinkling of slants. Baylor makes it all work into an effective passing game because Griffin is a stud and because they have so much diversity in other aspects of their offense, it's difficult to load up on anything. That written, experienced corners like Aaron Williams and Curtis Brown will get their shot at a pattern matching play going the other way.

Finley has had an excellent year (105-697-5 tds, 6.6 avg) but their running game is a creation of RGIII and the zone read. Without him, Finley is just a solid FBS RB. If he's on our squad, he's averaging 4.2 yards per carry and everyone is bitching about his mediocrity. Average backs with holes look great. It's telling that all of his backups average over 6 yards per carry too. Finley has good lower body strength, a low base, and he does a nice job of shrugging off a glancing blow. KSU decided to take away Griffin in the zone read by overplaying him and Finley ran for 250 while Griffin threw for 400+.

Kendall Wright is an excellent player (46-648-5tds) with outstanding ball skills. He has long arms, great timing, and the ability to find the ball in the air. He has been starting since his freshman year and has plenty of scalps on his wall. He separates more with quickness than blazing speed, but the guy is a legitimate stud. The rest of the Baylor receiving crew is productive largely because of the construct of the offense in which they operate and the numerous one-on-one opportunities Griffin affords them. That really plays into the hands of Josh Gordon - a 6-3 220 pound Malcolm Williams clone - who is averaging 21.7 yards per catch and has 7 TDs receiving this year. He's an excellent deep threat, if a bit of a one-trick pony. If we match Chykie on him, I'll chalk up 6 right now. Lanear Sampson and Tevin Reese play the role of chain-moving possession guys.

Good tackle play leaps out - at least in contrast to the rest of the Big 12. Elderly Canadian firefighter Danny Watkins has proven to be a fairly solid LT for Griffin even though Baylor won't let him drink Moosehead beer on campus. Ivory Wade is the other tackle and though he's still young, I thought he really looked good in the running game and he has a real motor. He'll have his hands full with Acho or Jones though. Most of Baylor's success on offense is predicated on good schemes that allow the OL to block at advantage. The only team that whipped them - TCU - did it by outmanning them athletically and doing a great job of playing their tendencies with discipline. Like Nebraska, you have to disrupt Baylor's offense before it gets started, or you end up giving them the initiative and you're left flat-footed and confused. Kheeston Randall being a disruptor is key.

Bottom Line:

Defensively, TCU was able to shut Baylor down by outmanning their athletes at every position, breaking down their route options, and using those advantages to leverage Griffin in the pocket. They also put 35 on the board by halftime and rendered Baylor one dimensional. They had big containment sacks and pressure and although Griffin never folded, they rendered him ineffective. If we play with discipline, we can do the same (except for the offense helping part). Griffin must be accounted for on every play, we must get coverage sacks paired with containment pass rushing, and we need to hit him hard. If we play man, he's going to hurt is with his feet unless we spy him. And if we blitz, we'd better get him on the ground.

Baylor has some complementary athletes paired with Griffin, but he's not surrounded by enough quality to take the pressure off if we play smart. In that sense, Griffin is a catalyst for offense and if you remove all of his options, there's not much left for him. As much as his statistics suggest otherwise, he can't win this game by himself and we can allow him a few "Did you see that?" plays if we throttle the rest of his teammates. Play contain, disrupt early, don't lose our minds in coverage, play a lot of Kenny V at safety and we should have a winning game plan if our guys will play with some level of passion.

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Comments

I have just enough hope to be set up for disappointment.

Unlike you, I’ve passed the point of being optimistic enough to offer any sort of analysis. Thanks for keeping the feeding tube in place – it’s about the only thing preventing folks like me from completely giving up.

by Levander Williams on Oct 28, 2010 3:28 PM CDT reply actions

I’m pretty sure you’ve actually been on the Sex & the City Tour – you can’t make that stuff up

by Texastough on Oct 28, 2010 3:47 PM CDT reply actions

It literally makes me sick to my stomach that we didn’t recruit RGIII. I was going to moan about his picture perfect family and grades, but you mentioned that, too.

The kid graduated from high school early in December, and immediately showed up in the spring and won the Big 12 200 hurdles.

Absolutely unforgivable that we ignored him.

/resume vomiting violently

by PB on Oct 28, 2010 3:50 PM CDT reply actions

Scary, but Tech beat Baylor after losing to Iowa State (creepy coincidence there). Taylor Potts went wild and the Tech D held Baylor to 80 rushing yards.

They can be beaten if the team that played Nebraska on Oct. 16 makes an appearance at DKR.

by dood on Oct 28, 2010 3:56 PM CDT reply actions

“They can be beaten….”

Baylor. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

by Whoever on Oct 28, 2010 4:02 PM CDT reply actions

Sure, but what do we do about Hillbilly Jim and King Kong Bundy?

by CrazyJoeDavola on Oct 28, 2010 4:03 PM CDT reply actions

Goosefeathers!!

by magnusbleuveigner on Oct 28, 2010 4:32 PM CDT reply actions

When you disband a One Man Gang, it just turns into an Akeem, the African Dream.

by BrickHorn on Oct 28, 2010 4:34 PM CDT reply actions

So you’re saying RGIII would have been a RS freshman/true sophomore backup for us when Colt when down against Bama(had we recruited him). You are torturing us.

by trkhorn on Oct 28, 2010 4:40 PM CDT reply actions

So we can beat Baylor at home if we play our best game of the year? Sign of the Apocolypse?

by Bartoncreek on Oct 28, 2010 4:42 PM CDT reply actions

Great analysis ! I have been to BC 5 times today in anticipation of the preview. Thanks !

Do you know the status of EAcho, Jeffcoat, and Hicks ? Need those guys badly !

by torre on Oct 28, 2010 4:47 PM CDT reply actions

Mack and Greg’s decision to scrap a fantastically successful offense and return to a system that, for five years, had completely failed them will go down as possibly the stupidest decision by a Texas coaching staff since the dawn of spacetime.* The availability of an in-state, good-kid-who-will-graduate, near-perfect zone read QB prospect only makes that already-idiotic decision look even worse. Swap Gilbert for RGIII in this offense, and we’re rolling on our way to a third national title appearance in 5 years.

*Yes, I updated that cliche. Relativity has been an accepted fact since the 30’s. It’s about time for our lingo to catch up with physics.

by BrickHorn on Oct 28, 2010 4:53 PM CDT reply actions

Bartoncreek said:

October 28th, 2010 at 2:42 pm

So we can beat Baylor at home if we play our best game of the year? Sign of the Apocolypse?

Nope, just the beginning of the end for Mack.

by Joetx on Oct 28, 2010 4:55 PM CDT reply actions

BrickHorn said:

October 28th, 2010 at 2:53 pm

Oh, I don’t know – having Colt run around like a chicken w/ its head cut off before throwing it out of bounds was pretty f-ing stupid.

by Joetx on Oct 28, 2010 4:57 PM CDT reply actions

Joetx -

That wasn’t a intentional decision, though. It was just an unforeseen (albeit entirely predictable) consequence of Davis’s offense.

Colt and Vince made Greg Davis appear competent. Hell, Vince won Davis a damned coordinator-of-the-year award. I sure wish RGIII was in Austin doing the same thing.

by BrickHorn on Oct 28, 2010 5:02 PM CDT reply actions

The system didn’t fail them – they failed the system.

by nobis60 on Oct 28, 2010 5:11 PM CDT reply actions

Was there ever any public explanation as to why we ignored RGIII out of HS? If not, anyone care to venture a guess?

by texasengr on Oct 28, 2010 6:06 PM CDT reply actions

Well, I sure hope we can get bowl eligible. We need the extra few weeks of practice.

by JoeT63 on Oct 28, 2010 6:08 PM CDT reply actions

isolating and attacking our safeties

Too bad Boom hasn’t done this (yet)

by Tex Long on Oct 28, 2010 6:20 PM CDT reply actions

“Why am I torturing you? Because I want you to feel my pain.”

Damn skippy.

by mr. sunshine on Oct 28, 2010 7:14 PM CDT reply actions

“…will go down as possibly the stupidest decision by a Texas coaching staff since the dawn of spacetime.*”

*And sprawling on the planet’s face
Some insects called the longhorn brace
Lost in time, and lost in space
And meaning.

by exuLt on Oct 28, 2010 7:48 PM CDT reply actions

exuLt—I must say that BC was about the last place I expected to see a Rocky Horror reference.

by hopefulhorn on Oct 28, 2010 8:49 PM CDT reply actions

Oh Man. That first paragraph slayed me completely. Well done you magnificent son of a bitch.

I have not laughed that hard at a descriptive piece of mockery since Archer’s “Topper Bottoms, stern yet sensual skipper of the U.S.S. Rough Service.”

by SydneyCarton on Oct 28, 2010 9:06 PM CDT reply actions

Brick, your late 80’s slash early 90’s WWF wrestling reference was also fantastic and deserves a thumbs up.

by SydneyCarton on Oct 28, 2010 9:07 PM CDT reply actions

In my arrogant, entitled, myopia, I had always assumed Griffin had defective grades or had robbed a hobby store to get model glue. His background is the most depressing thing about this post.

by Juice on Oct 28, 2010 11:30 PM CDT reply actions

Juice -

That’s why I posted all of that. The knee jerk Longhorn reaction is that Griffin must have been a problem child. The guy is a dream. You’d pray for your daughter to bring him home.

by Scipio Tex on Oct 28, 2010 11:33 PM CDT reply actions

Over on Shaggybevo, P has posted some interesting play analyses of some of our defensive breakdowns last week:
http://www.shaggybevo.com/board/showthread.php/75789-Why-we-failed-defensively-vs-ISU-%28pics-included%29

Y’all should invite P to post these play analyses over here. BC seems like a better place for it than a bulletin board.

by Canuck Horn on Oct 29, 2010 1:52 AM CDT reply actions

if you remove all of his options, there’s not much left for him

Well, duh ;P

We just have to catch Baylor looking ahead to @ Oklahoma State next week. That’s right, the mighty Texas Longhorns are now a trap game… for Baylor.

by Magnificent Bastard on Oct 29, 2010 7:36 AM CDT reply actions

Had he come to Texas (#3 on the projected depth chart behind Colt & Chiles), Robert Griffin would have sat on the bench two years, gotten fat, been coached not to run and watched his screen passes get obliterated due to bad execution and timing. Unless you’re also saying that Chiles was not a take the year before Griffin, then your revision of recruiting history is flawed. At best, we would have been Johnny-Come-Latelies after recruiting Brantley, Chiles and Kinne (who transferred due to depth).

At Baylor under Briles, Sherrod Harris would have been a serviceable QB.

by Eskimohorn on Oct 29, 2010 8:46 AM CDT reply actions

Maybe, but Chiles never was a RGIII. Not even close.

It’s not the system. There is no system. It’s one guy and his dysfunctional spaz of ejaculate every fucking saturday.

by derryl on Oct 29, 2010 10:18 AM CDT reply actions

If Nebraska catches a couple of those choke balls Davis would already be hanging somewhere.

by derryl on Oct 29, 2010 10:20 AM CDT reply actions

Unless you’re also saying that Chiles was not a take the year before Griffin, then your revision of recruiting history is flawed.

It’s not a revision when it is predicted real time.

And elite, focused track athletes don’t get fat. Maybe you missed the whole Big 12 Champion hurdler thing….

by Scipio Tex on Oct 29, 2010 11:38 AM CDT reply actions

I think what Eskimohorn is trying to say is that the coaching staff didn’t completely abandon the Let’s Recruit Ourselves a Dual-Threat QB idea by recruiting Chiles & Harris. You could argue that neither had the ability to be The Guy. You could also argue that this coaching staff wouldn’t be able to develop either of them into a good/great QB. My money’s on the latter.

I think the whole idea of recruiting the wrong type (i.e., traditional stationary QB) versus the right type (i.e., dual-threat QB) QB is overblown. This coaching staff would/has screwed up either way. Remember, Mack has said many times that Vince flourished once they got out of his way (read: stopped their “coaching”).

by Joetx on Oct 29, 2010 12:30 PM CDT reply actions

@ BrickHorn – I remember Mack saying that they wanted McCoy to run around for a while to run out the clock. If memory serves, there was 24 seconds left on the clock. Either go with a quick play or just spike the ball and wait to call a TO to set up a FG attempt. Although crazy things can happen in CFB, the likelihood of NU driving the length of the field for their own game-winning FG in a few seconds was extremely low.

The play just demonstrated Mack’s pussy philosophy to FB – play not to lose.

by Joetx on Oct 29, 2010 12:35 PM CDT reply actions

As cynical as I can be about the staff development, there’s no denying self-directed forces of nature.

See Vince. See Colt.

And yes, I understand my love of RGIII is like the hipster who discovers a great band early and then lords it over all others when they break big.

The guy is money. And would have been for any team, any situation.

That written, I hope he throws nine picks tomorrow.

by Scipio Tex on Oct 29, 2010 1:31 PM CDT reply actions

Scip

“It’s not a revision when it is predicted real time.” So you knew that Griffin was a take in 2006 or 07. It’s not what UT coaches thought in January 2008, it’s what they thought in 2007 and 2006 in their evaluation and relations with Griffin. Recruiting is not the NFL draft, where everyone selects a guy on the same day. As you know, it’s a years-long process.

So you would have passed on Chiles at QB, not invested time in Brantley in 2006 (when you had to begin recruiting Griffin) or Kinne (who transferred due to depth issues) and recruited Griffin as the heir-apparent to Colt or possible starter. Then, you would have convinced Griffin to split from Briles, who could legitimately offer him the starting position and slot on an elite track team (which in 2007 Jamaal Charles said UT coaches made him stop). You’d also have to risk losing Gilbert to Purdue, Arizona or Kansas and look like Mackovic passing on the next Drew Brees.

Did you also want Russell Shepherd at QB over Gilbert, the same Shepherd playing WR at LSU because he couldn’t beat out Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee? You can’t recruit 5-star QBs every year, depth chart is a huge issue for QBs. Shepherd may well have been advised to latch on at Michigan or Oregon, but the bottom-line is that he was not an accomplished passer even at the high school level (Gilbert had more TD passes than Shepherd had completions). He was an option QB.

I understand the angst about QB recruiting at UT, but Robert Griffin would have a tough time at UT in his first year starting in 2010. You would not see the same player you do at Baylor, and a guy the UT coaches would discourage from running track to concentrate on football. They’d want to add some bulk and get reps in at QB. His easy screen passes that consistantly rack up yards at Baylor are blown up if he’s at UT. His O-line is patchy and run-game is not coordinated with the passing game as you well-know. His confidence would get crushed and it take a few years for Davis to get. Heck, it took 1.5 years for Davis to get on board with Vince.

Projecting QB’s at any level is difficult. I have no issues with the UT coaches hitching their wagon to Gilbert. I hope UT evetually runs a multiple, pro-style offense as more and more NFL teams spurn system offensive players. Also, it’s a sound decision to decrease reliance on one player (though Gilbert is getting more % touches than VY for some reason). Mack’s long-term vision is excellent. His coaching personnel decisions need updating, as we all painfully see.

Griffin went to the right place, where the fanbase is patient and there were little expectations.

by Eskimohorn on Oct 29, 2010 1:39 PM CDT reply actions

Scip

Just saw your self-depricating hipster reference. If we could go in a time machine, I’d take RGIII too. But I don’t believe that time travel like that is possible.

by Eskimohorn on Oct 29, 2010 1:43 PM CDT reply actions

You think that was self -deprictaion? A clearer death blow could not have been offered to Vasherized. Or Toadvine.

by magnusbleuveigner on Oct 29, 2010 1:47 PM CDT reply actions

I saw Spoon open for Gals Panic back in ’95 and bought Telephono when it was first released in ’96.

Suck on that, you Johnny-come-lately assholes.

by BrickHorn on Oct 29, 2010 2:02 PM CDT reply actions

BrickHorn also plays spoons, like a mildly retarded country waif working at a snake farm.

I saw the Shins on a side stage at ACL. With about fifty other people.

When they hit big I immediately despised them for selling out, man. I knew you before Garden State, I shrieked to the winds.

Right now I’m really into this band that I can’t tell you about. It’s pretty much just me and their sound guy. They’re like a cross between Insane Klown Posse and Enya.

by Scipio Tex on Oct 29, 2010 4:01 PM CDT reply actions

BrickHorn also plays spoons, like a mildly retarded country waif working at a snake farm.

I was a huge fan of that waif back when he was playing on a regular farm that occasionally had snakes on it.

by BrickHorn on Oct 29, 2010 4:04 PM CDT reply actions

“SydneyCarton said:
October 28th, 2010 at 7:07 pm
Brick, your late 80′s slash early 90′s WWF wrestling reference was also fantastic and deserves a thumbs up.”

HEY!

by CrazyJoeDavola on Oct 29, 2010 5:27 PM CDT reply actions

RGIII should be in Europe right now preparing for the London Olympics. Instead he is stuck in Waco, has a zipper on his knee, isn’t world class in the hurdles anymore, and in five years could have been on his way to be the Edwin Moses of the this century.

Going to Baylor was the right choice, but he picked the wrong sport and coach. Briles is a negative talking, fucking prick.

by Davey O'Brien on Oct 29, 2010 7:21 PM CDT reply actions

I saw Britt Daniels play “Kill the Moonlight” backed by a boombox at the Hole in the Wall when he was waiting tables at Mezzaluna playa…

by Toadvine on Oct 30, 2010 7:37 AM CDT reply actions

I’m currently listening to this sick Guatemalan MC spit the most unbelievably hip, genre-defying, world-uniting rhymes from the warm comfort of his mother’s womb.

by Penelope on Oct 30, 2010 12:21 PM CDT reply actions

Penelope -

I think that’s Rigoberta Menchu’s kid. MC 5 Year Plan For Uplift of Peoples Vanquishing All Capitalist Running Dogs.

by Scipio Tex on Oct 30, 2010 4:32 PM CDT reply actions

“And yes, I understand my love of RGIII is like the hipster who discovers a great band early and then lords it over all others when they break big.”

Kudos to Scip for spawning the only material on this board worth hoarding this week.

I will sheepishly admit I was perversely happier under the Blake regime – winning is not funny. Your program cratering? RGIII Gold, baby.

by Phaeded on Oct 31, 2010 12:46 PM CDT reply actions

Wow… the arrogance of the rank and file horn fan never ceases to amaze. You see RGIII waltz in to Austin and lead a thumping against your beloved (or not?) team and your salve on the wound is to get on here and talk about how you shoud have done this or that to get RGIII in burnt orange.

What scipio failed to mention is that RGIII had the highest interest for BU among schools because of our superior track program. In fact, a BU failure by Guy Morriss, that Briles luckily corrected by simply being hired, was to reject RGIII himself. Yes… Morriss told RGIII that he was welcome to come to BU, as long as he was ok doing so on a track scholarship!

So, don’t beat yourselves up too much becase even BU coaches had some kind of reservation about bringing RGIII on campus as a QB. But, please don’t lay on the ground holding your testicles with Brile’s shoeprint on your zippers moaning about how you could have had RGIII if you’d just put up the effort. Please.

by Bear on Nov 1, 2010 1:51 PM CDT reply actions