Some Quick Hitters After Rewatching the Rice Game

What’s the deal with Snow? Solid center, awful guard? His second experiment at guard is going about as well as his first.

Thank ya Jesus!!!

Any word on whether or not Snow had the flu?

Good stuff, Scipio. I’m with you on some of the young O-linemen. I spotted Snow’s absence; now I know why.

I’d rather see Kelley and Porter getting snaps than Allen and Snow unless the seniors can turn it up several notches. Snow ain’t gonna get any better and Allen has had many, many chances go be the 5-star we thought we were getting back in ‘07. If we’re gonna bust plays and leave our QBs and RBs vulnerable, better it be with sophomores who are still learning than guys who won’t play ball after 2011.

I’m not worried about our running backs. And with Major as drill sergeant, even the young ones will execute and play close to mistake-free. I am concerned about the young wideouts. Where a running back mistake can cost us possession time and yards, a WR gaffe is more likely to lead to turnovers. Or, almost worse, to take points off our side of the scoreboard.

Uh, that should be “Good stuff, JS.” Stoopid me!!!!!!

Anything you picked up on after watching the torrents—other than a Trojan Horse virus?

I didn’t get to catch the game live, but I already get enough virus’ from streaming redtube!

I wonder if Jesus has ever been confused for a Roman general before. There is something sick and wrong about that sort of a mistake.

Unless of course, they are really the same person.

oppty oop?

“Good stuff, Scipio. I’m with you on some of the young O-linemen. I spotted Snow’s absence; now I know why.”

Really? So JS is really Scipio? Would make sense on many levels.

I noticed the same thing with Allan. On one of the long passes to Davis he thew a lazy cut block that the DE stepped right over and the left guard had to bail him out. It’s a good thing he did too b/c Gilbert was a half second away from being blind sided. Allen can’t be throwing blocks like that at left tackle…just can’t happen.

I feel like edsp killed Jesus all over again.

“oppty oop?”

Watch Varsity Blues, brah. IIRC, 5 wide, with quads to the left, leaving 1 on 1 to the right.

Offensive line shuffles are a good sign to me of basing continued game snaps on performance over seniority. Good move that has been a long time coming.

And to think I had reservations about starting this thread. It ended up being all kinds of awesome on a number of levels.

As far as I’m concerned, David Snow is an All-Time Longhorn hero for one play:

Putting Ndamukong Suh on his ass on Colt’s QB Draw for the sole Texas TD in the 2009 Big XII Championship game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=6NkJQVMHZSA#t=59s

Good observations, JS. I have to agree on Snow’s disappointing showing and I was quite impressed with Kelley, who absolutely dominated on several run blocks, including the TD that you mentioned.

Snow fail: http://www.burntorangenation.com/2011/9/4/2405264/snap-shots-garrett-gilbert-uses-his-feet

Kelley win: http://www.burntorangenation.com/2011/9/6/2405541/snap-shots-fozzy-whittaker-scores-from-the-wildcat

It was good to see Cody Johnson keep his feet moving and driving. Good job Cody, hope to see more of that determination in the coming games.

Jesus Shuttlesworth said:
September 8th, 2011 at 2:48 pm
And to think I had reservations about starting this thread. It ended up being all kinds of awesome on a number of levels.

JS, please don’t ever have reservations about starting a thread or sending out secret emails! If you print it….. we will come!

Rather than Kelley-Allen-Espinosa-Walters-Hopkins, why not Kelley-Hopkins-Espinosa-Walters-Allen?

This gets Hopkins back to the preferred “mobile guard devastating in space” position.

Hopkins is our best OT, llogg. And best OL

Jamison Berryhill lit it up on some blocks. I bet he earned extra snaps with his performance.

The MOB solidified a spot on the Texas schedule; regardless of what happens with all this other conference bullshit, for their football team.

Jaxon was in the field of play as far as I could tell on the td that wasn’t. If you think we are all excited about lil Ship, imagine what Harsin is feeling.

Our Freshman came ready to play…

It is obvious we left a lot of points on the field after watching the film.

Glad someone else picked up on Berryhill. I should have some fun stuff tomorrow but I’ve got a 15 min window at work so:

-I would swap Berryhill’s and CJ snaps at fullback. Berryhill is a patient, technical blocker who arrives with an attitude. He punished DEs, LBs, and DBs alike. He’s not just our best fullback, he’s one of the best blockers on the team. CJ is blocking like he runs… he’s too far forward and he’s not able to maintain his balance and as a result he doesn’t arrive with the control or force that he could. He had some good moments but far too many wiffs as a blocker. Especially with Berryhill as an option. CJ brings more as a pass catcher but if the fullback is getting the ball it’s because he’s wide open not because he’s creating. Berryhill. Now please.

-Snow had a couple bad mental mistakes and few execution problems but I think his game is being made out to be worse than it was. He played well in pass protection overall and he did a really good job on the majority of running plays. I actually thought Walters had just as rough of a game execution wise although he didn’t have any big mental mistakes. We need better games from the guard position, period.

-It was our first time cutting live and it showed. Big time. In execution and moreso in decision making. You need to essentially be able to step on someone’s foot to cut them. We were about 40-50% effective on cuts and generally we need to make better decisions in space.

-MB is going to be really good because he can almost always make the first guy miss and he’s tough to bring down. Impressive balance for his size. He is about 100x more dangerous when you set the edge for him.

-Dom Jones did well. He will get a lot better with a little more technique as a blocker… he’s about 80% strength and effort right now. All of our linemen will improve significantly when they focus on body positioning and hand placement over raw force. Gonna take some time.

What you need to do is add your thoughts from the People Who Know Things about what the hell is going on in the Big 9.

Clearly. Respectfully.

Great stuff JS…or should we call you Scipio?

This is just about the happiest I’ve ever been to have our offensive fuckups detailed because

A) They seem to be stemming from execution, not retarded scheming where the ‘intended’ block had no prayer of success
B) The coaches are aware of where the problems lay and are actively working to fix them, and
C) Substandard performance was met with swift benching. This is the one that warms the cockles of my heart the most. I have nothing against Snow or Allen and hope they can rebound and win their jobs back, but that kind of accountability has long been scarce on the offensive side of the ball. And to have it happen LESS than one full game into the season? It’s a sweet, sweet symphony to my ears.

I’m nearly giddy at how much great film breakdown is going to be available around here in the coming weeks – I’m going to chip in some of my own now that our games are going to be all broadcasted and stuff.

llog, you have OC’s all over the NFL and college football aghast.

If the mobile guard devastating in space were worth what you seem to think it is, Mark Schlereth could retire instead of hawking green chili and soap operas in between stints as ESPN’s only knowledgeable football guy.

This is a BYU version of the barkingcarnival’s BYU-TX game breakdown.

http://cougarcorner.com/exclusives/stories/20110908/spiffcougs-spots-speculation-texas-game

Should snow go back to C?

As Longhorn Scott and others have mentioned before, it’s going to take some time. This is just the first game. Let the coordinators have some time to work things out. We will be fine.

TxFan,
That BYU breakdown is awesome.
My favorite line:

“Texas, on offense, will look to use the football field like a prairie sky, utilizing all 100 yards of length and 53 yards of width.”

JS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYmrFdWcW4I

Fast forward to 4:43. Tell me if that formation looks familiar.

"Texas, on offense, will look to use the football field like a prairie sky, utilizing all 100 yards of length and 53 yards of width."

Thank goodness we now have an OC who acknowledges the existence of both those dimensions.

Nate,

Boise State ran the diamond bunch year last as well.

I thought Hey-zoos was trips Right??

Well, we did before if you consider that backwards corresponds to length.

LS:

4 right, 1 left. Correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s also known as the oopty oop, is it not?

Also interesting is that the lead man in the bunch is LT Donald Stephenson.

The interesting thing about Josh Heupel is that he will take great ideas from anyone, anywhere and integrate them into his approach. This is a reason many OU fans like myself believe Heupel was given the keys to the offense after the Texas A&M debacle. Installing the diamond formation that late in the year would be anathema to Kevin Wilson’s style of play

PB. That series of stills you linked to was very interesting and reminiscent of the way newspapers once explained game winning plays with a series of still photographs. Thanks.

If you’re wondering where Snow is in my lineup above, the short answer is he’s probably bull fighting with a Strake Jesuit grad, that’s if Saturday night is any indication.

I fail to see the humor in this.

More Edmond and Reed on D. I don’t know who I wan’t to see more on O because you can never tell who the hell is out there and who is running around.

JS-you sure it was Turner on that play? I was impressed by a similar play, but thought it was M Thompson. But then again the programs handed out at the game had a few jersey numbers wrong. Vacarro was listed as Barnett.

Can someone explain that Strake Jesuit reference to me?

Berryhill had at least one pancake that I recall. He should get some play, especially on our Iso play and Power/Counter because much of the Big 12 is going to be no better equipped to handle him than Rice was.

Horncasting: It was Turner. In the 2nd half on one of Rice’s last drives they attempted their bubble screen one more time and Turner blew it up after already immediately beating his block. Drive 9 or 10 I think.

Re-watched the first half and wrote down a few notes. Not sure how insightful they are, just some observations. I didn’t have time to do the same for the second half footage, lucky you.

Q1:

11:38 remaining 3&8 down&distance Gilbert threw to Shipley while the other WR to that side, Davis, was the guy that looked open.

11:24 2&10 Gideon misses a tackle on a WR screen pass. Instead of losing 2 yards, Rice gained 6.

The Texas D seems to be caught off guard by some option plays.

Rice LG barely touches Randall on his way to a TFL on the RB.

5:20 2&7 Harsin calls a beautifully designed screen pass. Hopkins barely got a piece of defender after he pulled. Worse, as #72 pulled he didn’t see or hit the LB that eventually made the tackle. He instead got an ever so slight touch of a defender’s shoulder pad further downfield as Whittaker was tackled. Net result was a 2-yard gain.

Next play 3&5 Gilbert tries to force a ball to Davis on the weak side while on the other side it appears Shipley and particularly Harris are being played more off coverage and look open in comparison to Davis with a defender on his back. A FG is made.

Next kickoff, guys like #3 and #28 ran down to make the tackle, slowed to a jog, and got themselves walled off from the action. Too hesitant it appeared.

3:19 Rice C hits Acho in the back after the play is over. A flag is thrown. I wish flags were always thrown on these cheap shots. Too many OL seem to think that sort of move is acceptable.

1:44 1&10 Bergeron enters and motions to an empty set. Gilbert tries to force another ball to Davis. Meanwhile, Bergeron was left uncovered. WTH? Ed Cunningham takes the opportunity to compliment Rice’s coverage ability between plays.

I’m not certain but looks like Irby might have had a step on his man in the middle of the field while Gilbert again threw in the direction of Davis for another incompletion.

Next play Gilbert avoids pressure by rolling right, fires one to White that would’ve been a first down. White couldn’t hold it.

Last play of the quarter, Shipley gets direct snap, hands off to Whittaker, who then gives to Monroe on the reverse. Very nice play design again.

Q2:

TD is promptly scored. The subsequent kickoff #28 still slowed down a bit early for me but managed to get the tackle. Progress it seems.

14:13 1&10 Wilson was driven quite a ways as Rice picked up 5 on a run.

Next play Texas D gives up first down on a WR screen play. I think that was the second or third time in the game thus far.

13:29 1&10 McGuffie’s ankle was in the grasp of #9 but threw off back foot anyway to an open man for a first down.

11:18 3&1 Berryhill annihilated a DE. Even so Johnson has to escape two tackles to get the first down. Great effort, but a lot of the linemen seemed to be M.I.A. here.

10:14 2&5 Monroe motions out to one side and Rice fails to account for him. Ash darts a pass out to him. It looked like Monroe stumbled a bit immediately before Rice’s Callahan? made a good open field tackle. Play only gains 3, but I got a good feeling about it.

Gilbert back in for next play and got his big running play of the night for the first. Rolled right then bolted up the middle.

8:22 2&4 Gilbert scrambles left when pressured frontside and finds White for a first down. It was about a 9-yard gain.

On the next play, play-action pass with Gilbert sidestepping rusher only to assault the field turf rubber directly in front of Davis.

6:53 2&Goal Gilbert puts a throw on a double covered Davis for about a 4-yard gain. I can’t help but think throwing to a single covered #15 tight end on the same side of the field would’ve been the better move.

5:56 1&10 Was that Whaley stopping a RB after 1-yard gain?

Didn’t this Tyler Smith kid have a fairly good game against Texas last season? I swear his name seems familiar. I think this is the second year in a row broadcasters have talked about McGuffie at the beginning of the game, and Smith showed up during the game.

0:56 1&10 Whittaker picks up 15 on a screen pass. I think it’s fairly similar to the one he scores a TD on later in the game.

LS –
I understand the logic for not practicing cut-blocking; is this approach more or less universal in college football, or do other programs cut-block in practice routinely or occasionally?

Most teams don’t cut in practice. Usually they practice cutting on dummies but dummies often lack lateral quickness in my experience. Some oline coaches have their offensive linemen tackle defenders in practice to simulate the athleticism it requires to cut. It’s a problem that every team faces. I would prefer that we didn’t cut as much in space because I think it can lead to bad habits (like not maintaining you balance as you approach the target) and because cutting requires a lot of athleticism… it’s better to do it when you have the defender at a disadvantage or when you know exactly where he’s headed.

Why is Berryhill listed as a senior on Mack’s site?

Our cutting needs to improve. But it was much worse a couple years ago — go watch our guys falling on the ground against UN in the champ game in 2009.

STEVE EDMONDS needs to start.

btw screw torrents and trojans

REWATCH the entire game here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dV44h_5L1bQ