Washington: Deep Cuts

[WFE12 9,191]

Deep Cuts: Washington

How Auburn successfully attacked this Washington defense on the perimeter and how Darrell Williams saved a touchdown.

• By AUNerd and drewmac20 
• on September 3, 2018 8:00 am

 

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Each week, the Cracken and I will breakdown one of our favorite plays of the previous game. It will give us a chance to geek out over Auburn football and hopefully provide some further insight into the previous week’s action. No promises that we actually know what we are talking about.

Let’s do this

Drew McCracken

The Inside Zone Read Option is a very dangerous play for the defense. Auburn had some decent success with it Saturday which is encouraging but this particular play stuck out to me.

Washington was already noticing the trend of Auburn running the Read after a made 1st down and looked to quell the momentum by sending two rushers off the left side. This however played exactly into what the Read is designed to do. Jarrett, seeing the rushers in pursuit really didn’t even drop the ball for the fake, completely removing the rushers from the play.

The fun part of this play was Chandler Cox, who busted open a whole for Ryan Davis, giving one of the best punt returners in college football, open field.

The result is a 16 yard gain and another 1st down. It was a bit of a calculated risk from Washington to send those two edge rushers that would have paid off if Stidham gave it off to Whitlow. Perhaps that’s apart of the change from last season, the ability to add in wrinkles with familiarity with the offense and personnel, or maybe it was a designed to be a pass out to Davis. Either way, it was a perfectly timed call that gives defenses something else to worry about other than just the running back.

AUNerd

One of the biggest moments in the game happened early in the 4th quarter. Once again, the Huskies found themselves at the doorstep of the endzone. Facing 3rd & goal, the Huskies dialed up a Scissor concept. It should have gone for a touchdown as someone busts on the backend of Auburn’s defense. But an incredible play by Darrell Williams saved the day and forced another Washington field goal. Let’s take a look.

This terribly drawn diagram shows kinda what Washington is running to the boundary. The Y receiver is gonna run a corner route which will draw Smoke Monday over the top. Jeremiah Dinson is showing blitz while Javaris Davis is lined up over top the Z receiver. Darrell Williams is circled to the bottom of the screen. The fact he’s at the line of scrimmage at the snap just makes this play more amazing.

After the snap, both Dinson and Williams drop into coverage. Monday picks up the Y receiver while Davis and Dinson are both bracketing the Z. However, the Z will hesitate for a moment which seems to confuse the Auburn’s DBs. Dinson is watching the corner route while Davis seems to think that Dinson is going to pickup the WR. Meanwhile, Williams is reading Browning’s eyes and sees he’s staring down his options to the left.

This would be a suboptimal situation. Neither Dinson nor Davis have picked up the slant route. I suspect that Dinson is supposed to take him but I don’t know for sure. Not sure if you can tell or not but Browning is just starting his wind up so he’s about to let this thing fly. Meanwhile, Williams has read what’s about to go down and is just starting to break on the ball. But I mean there’s no way a linebacker can cover that much distance in such a short period of time right?

If I had any editing skills I would photoshop the Air Jordan logo around Williams. Somehow, the senior is able to break on the ball, time his jump at the right time and get his hand on the football to knock away the pass. His effort saved a touchdown and forced the Huskies to kick another field goal. This is championship type of effort people. Busts are gonna happen but great teams have the talent to overcome it when it happens and just go make a play. Auburn has that type of talent. This season has a chance to be a ton of fun.

 

 

[AUGoo 2,659]

49!!!

[ValleyTiger 2,894]

Seeing how much Darrell moved around from the LOS to middle fielder and to the left hash for the tip during that play makes it even more outstanding. 

 

[AUBwins 10,075]

That was an absolutely incredible play. 

[Zeek 16,649]

If you’ve ever had questions as to whether or not you could athletically keep up with these kids... well, there’s your answer.

[WFE12 9,191]

 

[WFE12 9,191]

If you're on Twitter follow aunerd he has some quality content.

 

[aujeff11 6,243]

9 hours ago, WFE12 said:

Deep Cuts: Washington

How Auburn successfully attacked this Washington defense on the perimeter and how Darrell Williams saved a touchdown.

• By AUNerd and drewmac20 
• on September 3, 2018 8:00 am

 

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Each week, the Cracken and I will breakdown one of our favorite plays of the previous game. It will give us a chance to geek out over Auburn football and hopefully provide some further insight into the previous week’s action. No promises that we actually know what we are talking about.

Let’s do this

Drew McCracken

The Inside Zone Read Option is a very dangerous play for the defense. Auburn had some decent success with it Saturday which is encouraging but this particular play stuck out to me.

Washington was already noticing the trend of Auburn running the Read after a made 1st down and looked to quell the momentum by sending two rushers off the left side. This however played exactly into what the Read is designed to do. Jarrett, seeing the rushers in pursuit really didn’t even drop the ball for the fake, completely removing the rushers from the play.

The fun part of this play was Chandler Cox, who busted open a whole for Ryan Davis, giving one of the best punt returners in college football, open field.

The result is a 16 yard gain and another 1st down. It was a bit of a calculated risk from Washington to send those two edge rushers that would have paid off if Stidham gave it off to Whitlow. Perhaps that’s apart of the change from last season, the ability to add in wrinkles with familiarity with the offense and personnel, or maybe it was a designed to be a pass out to Davis. Either way, it was a perfectly timed call that gives defenses something else to worry about other than just the running back.

AUNerd

One of the biggest moments in the game happened early in the 4th quarter. Once again, the Huskies found themselves at the doorstep of the endzone. Facing 3rd & goal, the Huskies dialed up a Scissor concept. It should have gone for a touchdown as someone busts on the backend of Auburn’s defense. But an incredible play by Darrell Williams saved the day and forced another Washington field goal. Let’s take a look.

This terribly drawn diagram shows kinda what Washington is running to the boundary. The Y receiver is gonna run a corner route which will draw Smoke Monday over the top. Jeremiah Dinson is showing blitz while Javaris Davis is lined up over top the Z receiver. Darrell Williams is circled to the bottom of the screen. The fact he’s at the line of scrimmage at the snap just makes this play more amazing.

After the snap, both Dinson and Williams drop into coverage. Monday picks up the Y receiver while Davis and Dinson are both bracketing the Z. However, the Z will hesitate for a moment which seems to confuse the Auburn’s DBs. Dinson is watching the corner route while Davis seems to think that Dinson is going to pickup the WR. Meanwhile, Williams is reading Browning’s eyes and sees he’s staring down his options to the left.

This would be a suboptimal situation. Neither Dinson nor Davis have picked up the slant route. I suspect that Dinson is supposed to take him but I don’t know for sure. Not sure if you can tell or not but Browning is just starting his wind up so he’s about to let this thing fly. Meanwhile, Williams has read what’s about to go down and is just starting to break on the ball. But I mean there’s no way a linebacker can cover that much distance in such a short period of time right?

If I had any editing skills I would photoshop the Air Jordan logo around Williams. Somehow, the senior is able to break on the ball, time his jump at the right time and get his hand on the football to knock away the pass. His effort saved a touchdown and forced the Huskies to kick another field goal. This is championship type of effort people. Busts are gonna happen but great teams have the talent to overcome it when it happens and just go make a play. Auburn has that type of talent. This season has a chance to be a ton of fun.

 

 

My mind has been ticking. Which Washington receiver in the pre snap shot is tbe X receiver?  I thought the one on the bottom of the screen but should he not be on the line? 

[wareagle7298 126]

Great stuff!  I love seeing plays broken down like this.  I can't say I ever watch a game at this level of detail, but it is great to see analysis from someone who understands this. Someone needs to make a Youtube tutorial for those of us who 'never played the game' so we can understand these things better.

[McLoofus 35,182]

@WFE12, I love this thread and I love you for doing it. I hope it's okay that I said that. 

[ValleyTiger 2,894]

4 hours ago, aujeff11 said:

My mind has been ticking. Which Washington receiver in the pre snap shot is tbe X receiver?  I thought the one on the bottom of the screen but should he not be on the line? 

It's a legal formation. Not sure why you're getting caught up in the position nomenclature, but the outside receiver doesn't have to be on the LOS. 

At least 7 men on the LOS and anyone "covered up" cannot go down field.

[aujeff11 6,243]

1 minute ago, ValleyTiger said:

Not sure why you're getting caught up in the position nomenclature, but the outside receiver doesn't have to be on the LOS

I’m just wondering. AUNERD said the Y ran the corner and Davis was on the Z, so theoretically the receiver on the bottom was X. I’ve always heard that the X had to be on the LOS.

[ValleyTiger 2,894]

35 minutes ago, aujeff11 said:

I’ve always heard that the X had to be on the LOS.

Nope, doesn't have to be. 

[bigbird 60,509]

3 hours ago, wareagle7298 said:

Great stuff!  I love seeing plays broken down like this.  I can't say I ever watch a game at this level of detail, but it is great to see analysis from someone who understands this. Someone needs to make a Youtube tutorial for those of us who 'never played the game' so we can understand these things better.

If you ever have a question about the game or something you see that you don't understand, then start a thread and we'll be glad to try and explain it.

[oracle79 3,569]

16 minutes ago, ValleyTiger said:

Nope, doesn't have to be. 

Old school was Z off the line (flanker), X  on the line (split end), and Y (tight end).

Nowadays with multiple receivers and empty sets different coaches and offensive philosophies use different nomenclatures.

[ValleyTiger 2,894]

37 minutes ago, oracle79 said:

Old school was Z off the line (flanker), X  on the line (split end), and Y (tight end).

Nowadays with multiple receivers and empty sets different coaches and offensive philosophies use different nomenclatures.

Absolutely, in the simplest form. Even some old school formations in 12 personnel (1 back-2 TEs) had both Z and X off the LOS. Anywho...my point was that it was a legal formation. Good stuff. 

[1913-14 263]

SOMETIMES PLAYERS JUST HAVE TO MAKE PLAYS... GOOD JOB...THANKS

[JDUBB4AU 5,112]

Great job to whoever did this . Absolutely fantastic 

[Eagle-1 3,821]

Outstanding play by Williams. Definitely a senior level play, to read, and react to it. You can have all the ability in the world, but his experience certainly paid off there. This play, and Nick Coe's destruction of Browning on the option were the plays of the game. At least defensively.

[WFE12 9,191]