Texas Tech Film Review

[Ryan Bridges]

As interesting as this game was as a whole, the highlights are pretty boring. As you'll see, both teams took turns beating each other with the same concepts. Anyway, let's get to it.

DEFENSE

This game was the greatest evidence yet that the defense is improving. It held an offense that was averaging almost 6 1/2 touchdowns per game to 4, and one of those came after the offense gave the ball away at the Texas 37. But more than that, it executed a game plan requiring patience and discipline, something it couldn't have pulled off a few weeks ago.

Unfortunately, "highlights" mostly means "touchdowns," so there's only one positive example to start with.

Someone Finally Comes Down With an INT

It was only a matter of time before Pat Mahomes threw a pick. Texas' secondary nearly had at least four interceptions before Kris Boyd caught the game-clincher.



Up front, this was the story of the game: With just three rushers (mostly Malcolm Roach, Breckyn Hager and Poona Ford), the Longhorns were able to get Mahomes scrambling, and every time he fled the pocket, Malik Jefferson was there. On this play, he sensed Poona bursting free on the inside and Roach caving in the right side, so he flushed to his left. Hager and Malik were on him immediately, pushing him back and making him throw off-balance. 

The second element is the disciplined play in the secondary. There's a Tech receiver standing by himself inside the 20, but the Texas DBs know that with about 10 seconds left and only one timeout, he won't beat them — the receivers in the end zone will. And I'm pretty sure Boyd is still levitating in that end zone.

Rub Routes

Last week, Texas shut down Baylor in the red zone with Cover 0. For whatever reason, Kendal Briles refused to adjust. Here's one type of adjustment he could have used.



If a defense is playing true man coverage and not passing off switch routes, it's generally a bad idea for two DBs to line up next to one another at the same depth. One player will have to go behind the other anyway, so why not start at different depths and avoid the risk of a collision? That's not what happened on this play, though, and although it was well-executed by the Tech receiver, they could have been penalized for offensive pass interference. But no one ever seems to look for that, so bravo on the playcall and execution.



Notice how John Bonney and Dylan Haines are lined up at different depths? There's no doubt that Tech should have been penalized for this one, but Haines should also be able to make this tackle — the receiver leaves his feet to make the catch, and Haines has the sideline to use as a second defender. Charlie Strong and Vance Bedford would do well to work with the DBs on "banjo" coverage (if the receivers switch places, the defenders switch receivers) for these red-zone situations.



This play is more bubble screen than pick, but it still forces a defender (in this case, DeShon Elliott) to navigate traffic to make the tackle. The real mistake here is made by Davante Davis, who seems confused about the coverage (check your bingo cards). All he needs to do is force the ballcarrier inside to his help, or, better yet, use his 6'2" 197-pound frame to shed his 5'9" 175-pound blocker and make the tackle himself. Hell, just nudge the ballcarrier out of bounds. Whether there was confusion (there shouldn't be) or a lack of effort, this play is frustrating.

The Hager Tax

Texas may not have been able to win this game without Hager getting after Mahomes like he did. But with young guys, you take the bad with the good.



For much of the fourth quarter, Jason Hall and P.J. Locke switched roles. Recall that Locke played safety last season, so it's not a big change for him. The reason for the change seemed to be to use Hall as a blitzer without having to spin down a safety.

As for the play itself, it's hard to tell from this angle, but the D-line is slanting left and WHERE IS HAGER GOING? Check out the confused right guard, who is determined to block a linebacker who is determined to go to the sideline. By the time Hager realizes he screwed up, there's a gaping hole that maybe nose tackle Chris Nelson and Haines can fill. Except Hager overcorrects and tries to get inside the guard, creating a cutback lane in his original gap and preventing Haines from making a play. Oops.

OFFENSE

As I said at the top, there isn't much variety in the highlights. Much of it is D'Onta Foreman doing D'Onta Foreman things and the left side of the offensive line caving in the defense. Texas did, however, add a fun new red-zone play.

Baby Megatron

We finally got to see the Collin Johnson we've been waiting for, and ho-ly --



This is a nice red-zone or short-yardage concept against man coverage. The two outside receivers run short in routes, and the #3 receiver (Johnson) runs a corner route. The pressure is on a safety to cover the 6'6" Johnson by himself on an entire half of the field. Shane Buechele made two great throws, and Johnson made two phenomenal catches. 



Same thing. Now that this is on film, defenses would be foolish to play man coverage against trips sets in the red zone. I guess they'll play Cover 2 to the trips side, which opens up more space for Foreman to run. Not ideal.

Speaking of Foreman

Though only one of them showed up on the scoreboard, Foreman scored two touchdowns on Counter-H. It makes sense to look briefly at the anatomy of the play — I don't think we've done that yet.



There's really three major components: the down block by the playside guard (Jake McMillon) and tackle (Connor Williams), the trap block by the backside guard (Kent Perkins), and the lead block by the H-back (Andrew Beck). Any time the down blocks are getting as much movement on the defensive tackle (identified by the #1) as they are here, it's really bad news for the defense. And this is important: When Texas runs the 18 Wheeler — or really anytime they need a few yards — they run a concept to the left with the left side blocking down. The reason is that it's easily the most dominant block for this offensive line. They destroy everyone. We'll look at the problems later.

Safety #38 had a bad day trying to tackle Foreman. He ran himself completely out of the play on this one. And yeah, it's Cover 0, so Tech has an 8-on-6 advantage. They had more success with Cover 0 later (it's part of the reason the run game slowed down in the fourth quarter).

Here's another — also Counter-H — where #38 just whiffed.



Williams seals off the backside linebacker and Caleb Bluiett pops the playside linebacker, leaving safety #38 to make the play. He can't do it. (I guess Foreman does have some wiggle, huh, Tech coaches?) Gfycat only allows 15-second clips so I had to cut this one short, but unless the Tech player who ended up with the football decided to hold the ball next to Foreman's left arm for a while before running off with it, Foreman had possession of this football beyond the goal line. For any Big 12 officials reading this, that's called a "touchdown."

Let's take another look at those down blocks.



This time Texas is running Power. Watch where the Tech end and tackle wind up. 

Guess who missed another tackle.



This play is Split Zone (or Slice Zone) — everyone blocks inside zone and an H-back kicks out the end man on the backside, which often creates a cutback lane. No cutback needed this time. Bluiett, a senior, had a great tweet this weekend:

He should get some glory for this dominating block. Also, once again, Tech is playing Cover 0 — 9 vs. 7, and Texas wins.

18 Wheeler

OK, so I tried to emphasize the left side's dominance because it helps explain what's right and wrong with the 18 Wheeler package. Before we get into that, though, I want to clear up the notion that the 18 Wheeler is some sort of gimmick or trick play package that's been figured out. Look at how much push the offensive line was getting. Look at what the offense was doing when it was outnumbered 6-to-8 and 7-to-9. Now imagine trimming that numerical advantage by one and letting a T-Rex in football pads carry the ball. It makes a lot of sense. It's not a gimmick, it's an awareness that "Hey, we're kicking your ass with seven or eight blockers. What would we do with 10?"

One problem: If all you're going to do is run out of it, you should let your best runner (Foreman) carry it. Sterlin Gilbert called a pass play out of it — the first of the season â€” and it worked to perfection. He should have called it again. But I want to be clear: The concept is fine. It's not the problem. Sometimes Swoopes misses the holes, but Sterlin's apparent lack of creativity is the bigger problem. Defensive coordinators everywhere know that when they see it, Swoopes is running it, and he's running it to the left. If that's the best Sterlin can do, then the package needs to be scrapped.

Anyway, here's what it looks like when it works.



Every playside defender on the line of scrimmage gets washed down, cutting off the pursuit from the backside. The playside defenders off the LOS are left trying to tackle Swoopes by themselves — and they have lead blockers to deal with.

Here's what it looks like when it doesn't work.



The down blocks don't reach the backside linebacker. I don't know if that's because the defensive line was slanting and impeded them from reaching the second level, or if it's by design. I'm leaning toward the latter; they probably didn't think the backside linebacker could get over and stop Swoopes one-on-one when he only needed a yard. They may have been right, but the other problem is that Perkins almost missed his assignment, and so he and Beck both ended up going for the same guy. That left a second second-level defender unblocked. Foreman could probably find a way to beat two guys for three feet, but Swoopes can't.

Hopefully Sterlin figures these things out. At least he's moved away from the tendency to try to spread defenses out with the 18 Wheeler. Now, I'd like to see him add more constraint plays, let Foreman run it, or scrap it altogether. 

 

[Daniel Seahorn]

Great stuff as always, Ryan. Couldn't agree more on the 18 Wheeler package. Either get creative and evolve the package, or bury it for good and stop making things easy on defenses.

 

[bevo38]

On the bubble screen TD, to me it looks like Davante Davis keeps outside leverage and tries to make the tackle and his held/pulled down. He is ahead of the defender going for the tackle...and then he is on the ground. Maybe he tripped...

Was it my imagination or was there a toss play to Foreman where Shane initially spun the opposite direction? I'd be curious if that was just outside zone with a different way of getting him the ball.

 

[Huskie1]

On the bubble screen TD, to me it looks like Davante Davis keeps outside leverage and tries to make the tackle and his held/pulled down. He is ahead of the defender going for the tackle...and then he is on the ground. Maybe he tripped...Was it my imagination or was there a toss play to Foreman where Shane initially spun the opposite direction? I'd be curious if that was just outside zone with a different way of getting him the ball.

I remember the toss play. They pulled the tackle like a quick pitch if I remember correctly. The backfield action was funky. I like the idea but seemed the execution was lacking.

 

[Coot]

On the bubble screen TD, to me it looks like Davante Davis keeps outside leverage and tries to make the tackle and his held/pulled down. He is ahead of the defender going for the tackle...and then he is on the ground. Maybe he tripped... Was it my imagination or was there a toss play to Foreman where Shane initially spun the opposite direction? I'd be curious if that was just outside zone with a different way of getting him the ball.

Davis was held on that bubble screen, 4th video.  He clearly could have made the play but the blocker is holding his jersey and keeping him from reaching the sideline.  He complained to the ref after the play and I yelled at the TV.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

The problem with the 18-wheeler package is that Swoopes, at 6'5, runs straight up. He provides a great target for anyone trying to tackle him.

If he'd simply drop lower, drive his feet and use that 250 pounds he has, he'd be unstoppable.

As is, I'd smile every time he entered the game if I were an opposing defense.

 

[Rotty22]

The problem with the 18-wheeler package is that Swoopes, at 6'5, runs straight up. He provides a great target for anyone trying to tackle him.

If he'd simply drop lower, drive his feet and use that 250 pounds he has, he'd be unstoppable.

yep, i noticed that as well.  if they are going to use him as a running back, then they need to train him to run like a running back.  sometimes his decisions are a little slow as well.  he needs to get that 250+ lbs running.

 

[Ryan Bridges]

Why the Offense Stalled in the Fourth Quarter


This was one of the big mysteries of the game. After averaging something like 8 yards per play and about 2 1/2 first downs per series, Texas on its last four drives averaged 2.26 ypp and picked up two first downs total. It would probably be instructive to go through a few specific plays.


1st Series: Foreman +7 (injured), Buechele +7, Porter fumble lost
I'm going to ignore this one because it had the makings of a productive drive before the (questionable) fumble.


2nd Series: Foreman +5, Foreman +6, Foreman +1, Foreman +3, pass deflected at LOS


1st & 10: The first play gives a great look at what Tech was doing on standard downs, and how Texas could have — but didn't — counter it. 



Tech is playing Cover 0 — everyone is in man coverage, and if their eligible receiver doesn't run a route, they're attacking the run. They had run this quite a bit throughout the game but really stepped it up in the fourth quarter when they were selling out to stop the run. Without a deep safety, Tech outnumbers the offense by two players at the point of attack. Theoretically, it should be hard to run against that, but for most of the game, it wasn't.

Texas runs a simple inside zone play. It works out fine, especially given the situation. But one of the risks of Cover 0 is that if the ball gets in space and a tackle is missed, there's a good chance it's going for a touchdown. Just look at how aggressively the two defensive backs at the top of the screen attack the bubble route; they have to do that because they can't allow an easy completion with a blocker in space. Faking that screen and throwing a slant route here is probably worth six points. That said, I won't fault Sterlin for calling a run play because to this point, Tech hadn't stopped Texas, and they didn't do it here. I will fault him later, though, for not filing this away as an opportunity to exploit when Tech did show it could get stops.

1st & 10: It's two plays later and Foreman just carried it again for six yards and the first down. 



Here again, Tech is throwing all they have at stopping the run. Texas runs Counter-H to its preferred side, the left. But Tech slants the defensive line that way. The nose tackle gets across Shackelford, and the defensive tackle disengages from Williams. The combo block of Vahe and Williams is unable to reach the backside linebacker. This is a lot like what happened to the 18 Wheeler on the final drive. Tech ends up with a bunch of unblocked defenders at the point of attack, and Foreman goes down after gaining only about a yard and a half.

2nd & 9: Next play. Texas switches from 12 to 11 personnel — thinking that reducing the number of defenders in the box by one will make a difference — and runs the same play. 



This time, Tech runs a twist with the nose and defensive tackles. Shackelford is beat, but Perkins' block seals the defensive tackle inside anyway. Williams is untouched coming off the line but whiffs on the linebacker. The result again is unblocked defenders at the point of attack. At this point, Sterlin should probably think about just setting the counter aside.

3rd & 6: Now, after the two failed runs, it's 3rd and long. The other important change Tech made becomes apparent here: In passing situations, they put the corners in press coverage.



Sterlin calls one of Texas' only passing plays for this situation, Sticks — everyone runs a yard past the first-down marker and turns around. It fails miserably. Oliver released outside to get free from the press coverage and ends up right next to Warrick, which is never what you want. Because of the tight coverage, it would have been a contested catch anyway, but Hodges has invited the defensive end into the throwing lane and the ball is batted down. Two of the three passes Buechele attempted in the fourth quarter ended this way. Drive over.


3rd Series: Buechele +0, pass deflected at LOS, incomplete pass on fade route

1st & 10: The Cover 0 look from above should make it clear why Sterlin thought this play might work. He was wrong, but I get where his head was at.



He decides to try to spread Tech out even more by going with 10 personnel. On a handoff, Texas would still be outnumbered 7-5. If Buechele keeps it off a read, however, the advantage drops to 6-5. Additionally, Sterlin made the reasonable assumption that Tech would be overly focused on stopping Foreman and may forget about Buechele. One of them didn't, and he was the one who mattered. I didn't include it in the gif, but it's also worth noting that Armanti Foreman would likely have been open again on a slant off play-action. 

2nd & 10: Now facing 2nd & long, Sterlin calls a pass play — the same pass play from the previous drive — to try to get it to 3rd & short. 



I can see why Buechele targeted Oliver — the defender is giving him a large cushion, it's the shortest throw and Oliver's hands are dependable. But based on the way Tech had been playing soft on the outside receivers most of the game, determined not to be beaten over the top, I do wonder if Johnson should have been seen as the go-to receiver. Again it was going to be a contested catch, but again the ball didn't get there because of a heads-up play by Tech's defensive front.

3rd & 10: Now they're really in trouble. Since it's an obvious passing situation, Tech goes back to press coverage on the outside. 



Coming into this game, Buechele has connected on a deep shot in every game this year except for I think Oklahoma State. He had one that he should have hit against Tech but Heard dropped it. Tech did a good job the rest of the game staying on top of routes and using the sideline to nudge receivers out of bounds.

If Hodges had decided to show up on this play, however, it may have been a big completion. Buechele had barely finished the play fake when a free defender was already right in his face. He has to rush the throw — he threw it with both feet planted, in fact — and it falls incomplete, just out of reach of an open Armanti Foreman. Texas finally had a chance to punish Tech for playing press coverage, but the offensive line failed to give Buechele even 2 seconds to get rid of the ball.

Buechele was 0-for-3 passing against press man. All of those calls were late in the game except for one, in the second quarter, when Buechele was sacked. It's not an approach most defenses can or will employ frequently because of the very serious threat of being beaten like a drum over the top, but Texas still needs to find a solution besides fades and ill-fated stick routes. Bunch concepts, stacked sets, switch releases, drag routes — there are many possible solutions. It's up to Sterlin now to integrate at least one into the offense.



4th Series: Foreman +3, Foreman +5, Swoopes +1, Swoopes +0

3rd & 2: The first two runs were successful, setting up a 3rd & 2. The run game hadn't exactly been dynamite in the fourth quarter outside of one big run to start it, and the 18 Wheeler had gotten the job done to this point in the game, so I understand the decision to roll with it. It wasn't my preference, but I get it. It exists for these situations.



I can't decide if Sterlin is very conservative or if these sorts of play calls just come down to hubris. Did he just think Texas could announce its intention to Tech, with no disguises or (with one exception) constraint plays, and still succeed? Or is he afraid of being the offensive coordinator who calls a pass play with his short-yardage personnel on the field and has it end with an interception or strip-sack?

We already went over the 4th down play, so here's the 3rd down play. It failed for basically the same reasons as the 4th down version. But I did want to highlight two possibilities. First, the signal to snap the ball is the quarterback clapping his hands. Tech's defense would be extremely focused on getting a good jump on the snap, and I wonder if Texas could have drawn them offsides with a dummy clap and not even needed to run the play. Either way, changing the snap count up in these situations would be a good idea. 

Second, the tight end seam route isn't the only possibility here. Having Beck fake the kickout block and then sneak out into the flat probably would have worked. Bluiett could run a corner route behind it. If Sterlin is uncomfortable making that call on 4th down, he could do it on 3rd down. What he can't afford is to keep calling the same concepts to the same side of the field and just expecting the defense to lie down.