Things I Think I Saw: Auburn vs Texas A&M

[JMR 2,118]

Strange game, as anyone who watched it can attest. A&M outplayed Auburn for somewhere around 50 minutes but the games are 60 minutes long.  We were all obviously frustrated and disappointed with the AU offense, and, at times, the defense as well.  But the players found a spark down deep when Noah Igbinoghene made a great interception and it was like hitting the nitrous button on a drag racer.  Both offense and defense suddenly came to life, Auburn’s playmakers started making plays that had eluded them earlier and A&M lost its mojo.  Kudos to the players AND the fans in Jordan-Hare for never giving up.  The crowd was fantastic during the entire game, especially those last ten minutes.  Here are some of the things I think I saw…..
 

• Both the AU offense and defense seemed unusually lethargic to begin the game.  Reminded me of some of our 11:00 games back in Tub's days, with missed tackles, missed assignments and missed opportunities.

 

• Watching a youngster as gifted as Big Kat Bryant is both difficult and exciting.  He has made notable progress this season as he learns the game and the position he plays and now and then he will make an exceptional play.  At the same time, he allows himself to be misled by his eyes, looking into the backfield and “seeing” things that take him out of his responsibility.  The kid made far more good plays than bad this week and that is likely to continue.

 

• There have been games the last few weeks wherein I was disappointed in Daniel Thomas, as he was caught out of position, or missed a tackle in the open field.  He was a terror in this game and delivered some of the best hits I’ve seen all season. The play Thomas made on A&M’s attempted speed option was outstanding and helped AU stay in the game early.

 

• The timing of the halfback pass from Ryan Davis to Sal Cannella was perfect, as was the execution of the play.  Arkansas coaching legend Frank Broyles used to speak at coaching clinics about “sudden change,” meaning a turnover and how it was the best time for a trick play or a deep strike.  I still remember some of those talks and thought of those times as that play unfolded.

 

• I’ve been impressed with Darrell Williams since his arrival at Auburn.  He’s a particularly intelligent player and has a diversity of skills.  But he was “watching the game” through three quarters, trying to make plays rather than carry out his assignment. To his credit, he seemed to get back on track late in the game.

 

• Through the first 50 minutes, A&M’s offensive line got entirely too much movement against the Auburn front.  That put Auburn’s linebackers in poor position to avoid or defeat blocks and greatly enabled the A&M running game.

 

• T.D. Moultry showed some serious improvement this week.  He mostly carried out his assignment, rather than trying to make plays.  He got good pressure a few times, and caused what should have been an intentional grounding call against Kellen Mond.

 

• Big Kat Bryant dropping to the correct spot on a zone blitz was impressive for a youngster.

 

• I was disappointed in the number of times Auburn attempted to run the inside zone play.  Given the mismatch in personnel between Auburn’s interior OL vs A&M’s Daylon Mack, et.al., that did not seem very clever.  Similar thoughts on the speed sweep, as A&M usually brought both the safety and the corner on that side, meaning there should have been some pass options off that sequence.

 

• Jarrett Stidham missed a few throws but mostly was on-target and on-time when the protection was adequate.  Auburn ran a lot of max protection, meaning only two or three receivers in patterns and there were numerous times when the protection was good enough but there were no open receivers vs A&M’s zone coverage.

 

• Liked the idea of bringing Malik Willis in to run the read option but only running it for one play puzzled me, especially given that it went for nearly ten yards.  Surely at some point before the season ends, Auburn will insert Willis for a series or two to give the opposing sideline some things to think about.

 

• Very disappointing when AU was backed up just before halftime, A&M rushed three and got not only a sack, but a (declined) holding penalty as well.  Poor execution by the OL, to say the least.

 

• I didn’t care much for the officiating, but I am admittedly biased.  I definitely thought the PI call on Dinson before A&M scored was ridiculous.  From what I could see on TV, Dinson didn’t touch Sternberger, and the ball was also un-catchable. (I always believe we are entitled to complain about officials when we win!)  I also didn’t think Trayveon Williams got the ball in on aTm’s last TD.

 

• Too many drops by Darius Slayton and Seth Williams. Au burn has to win more 50-50 balls. More on that later.

 

• Ryan Davis fielding a punt at his three yard line was a cardinal sin for a return man. The ball would easily have gone into the end zone had Davis not fielded it. Got to know where you are on the field. vOn the other hand, Davis faking taking a punt that actually went to Christian Tutt was brilliant, and once again, exquisitely timed.  It’s not easy to find the ball when you’re running downfield covering a punt and that play is tough to counter.

 

• Malik Miller has earned the third down back spot in recent weeks mainly due to his ability to pass protect.  But I saw him get bowled over twice this week by A&M linebackers on a blitz. Time to put some punch into that initial contact.

 

• Saw Boobee Whitlow pick up an A&M blitz twice in a row on one of Auburn’s last two scoring drives.  Kudos for sticking his face in the guy’s chest and buying time for Stidham.

 

• One of the keys to AU scoring twice late in the game was Darius Slayton winning 50-50 balls and making difficult catches. Same for Seth Williams.
   

• I liked the use of Chandler Cox at running back on the goal line.  At 245 lbs, he should be our best short-yardage option.

 

• I noticed that when A&M got the ball after Auburn pulled within three points, Jimbo Fisher opted to line up in the I-formation and try to power the ball. I f you’re physically superior to someone, that’s a great way to run clock and protect a lead.  Fortunately, Derrick Brown was having none of that, and once he kicked into gear, no one was “physically superior” to him.  The big guy was a monster the last ten minutes of the game.

 

• The play that seemed to turn the game for Auburn was the pick by little Noah Igbinoghene.  Putting a PI call earlier in the game behind him, Iggy baited Mond into throwing the ball and made a great catch.

 

• For those who have been begging for more crossing routes, drags, etc., congrats!  The drag to Ryan Davis late in the game was about as open as a receiver can possibly be.  And Davis made a heck of a run after the catch.  Just what AU needed from a senior leader.

 

• The TD pass to Seth Williams for the winning score was perfectly thrown by Stidham, and a tremendous catch by Williams. I don’t think I ever watched Williams make a big play without thinking about the fact that Auburn signed him out of Alabama’s back yard.

This was obviously not a pretty win. Statistically, A&M dominated the game. But Auburn never quit, and found the resolve to keep banging away until the game was won.  I’m still concerned about why we didn’t play better most of the game, but, had we outplayed aTm for most of the game and lost, I’d feel a whole lot worse today.  WAR EAGLE!!

 

[OnthePlains 2,014]

Coach, only from memory and antectodal evidence, I cannot remember a lot of very successful conversions of WR’s to DB’s at this level. Would you consider Noah’s transition a really good success? 

[WDavE 332]

I enjoy your breakdowns every week. They are more then informative.

One of the things that really bothers is that it looks like on occasion some of the OLine with quickly make contact with the defender and then straighten up and get driven back or get little if any push.

Is that something that you also  see and if so can it be corrected?

 

Thanks!

[JMR 2,118]

1 hour ago, WDavE said:

I enjoy your breakdowns every week. They are more then informative.

One of the things that really bothers is that it looks like on occasion some of the OLine with quickly make contact with the defender and then straighten up and get driven back or get little if any push.

Is that something that you also  see and if so can it be corrected?

 

Thanks!

If you watch carefully, most of our linemen stop their feet once they make contact, and try to push the defender with their back, rather than their legs. That may work eventually, but when your feet stop, you stop. And when you stop, so does the inertia you started when you left your stance. By the time you can re-start your forward motion, it’s too late. I have no idea why that is happening, nor why it hasn’t been corrected. 

[selias 2,398]

1 minute ago, JMR said:

If you watch carefully, most of our linemen stop their feet once they make contact, and try to push the defender with their back, rather than their legs. That may work eventually, but when your feet stop, you stop. And when you stop, so does the inertia you started when you left your stance. By the time you can re-start your forward motion, it’s too late. I have no idea why that is happening, nor why it hasn’t been corrected. 

When you say it that way, is that a byproduct of running RPOs? The OL are being coached like that to avoid the ineligible receiver penalty?

[JMR 2,118]

1 hour ago, OnthePlains said:

Coach, only from memory and antectodal evidence, I cannot remember a lot of very successful conversions of WR’s to DB’s at this level. Would you consider Noah’s transition a really good success? 

I don’t recall a lot of such conversions either. Noah is a terrific athlete, and he has made the switch better than I would have expected. His only drawback is his height. Can’t be more than 5-10 at most, so he is at a disadvantage against today’s big receivers. Great kid, though, and getting better every week  

 

[JMR 2,118]

2 minutes ago, selias said:

When you say it that way, is that a byproduct of running RPOs? The OL are being coached like that to avoid the ineligible receiver penalty?

Could be. I hadn’t considered that. 

[around4ever 4,139]

I've noticed that when we go to max protect and send three receivers out, they run the same routes, normally 10, 15 or 20 yard button hooks or one cut routes.  This makes it easy for 6 or 7 man zones to cover them.  Shouldn't we be running routes to divide the zones at different levels and/or across the field? 

[JMR 2,118]

Our route combinations and complimentary routes are a huge drawback to our passing game. The drag route to Ryan Davis was a glaring exception. 

[AU64 10,122]

Thanks for the analysis …..always good to see commentary from someone who watches the details and does not just look for the deficiencies. Lots of young guys on the field for AU and many of them are developing through the season …..and I like to see some recognition for their effort and progress. 

[around4ever 4,139]

8 minutes ago, JMR said:

Our route combinations and complimentary routes are a huge drawback to our passing game. The drag route to Ryan Davis was a glaring exception. 

Yep.  And we ran it one time in the TAMU game.  We run it from the same formation and personnel package as with many of our plays.   It doesn't take a genius DC to see that. 

[AU64 10,122]

5 minutes ago, around4ever said:

Yep.  And we ran it one time in the TAMU game.  We run it from the same formation and personnel package as with many of our plays.   It doesn't take a genius DC to see that. 

Seems we have too many "packages" on the offense for guys who have some special "skill" so every time the opposition sees them on the field, the only have a limited number of situations to defend.  AU nailed them on one of those plays where Davis made the pass.....and Willis handed off instead of keeping but mostly when certain combinations are on the field, there are not many surprises.  

For a few years we could run the ball without resorting to trickery....let Tre just power it ahead behind a couple of road graders...but surely don't have that now.    Maybe a time for more window dressing, some trickery and the ability to run a variety of plays without having to send in a different group of players. 

[PowerOfDixieland 3,225]

31 minutes ago, JMR said:

The drag route to Ryan Davis was a glaring exception. 

I still wonder if somebody on the offensive staff was watching the broadcast and saw Huard draw it on the telestrater. 

Seriously. 

[Jones Field 47]

Interesting about the RPO aspect with the linemen. They just seem to lose all concentration and technique at times.

Honestly they seem a little physically small when compared to the A&M oline. I am not sure of  Ryan Russel’s strategy, but we may need to push for more brute strength IMO.

[auskip07 930]

considering the Hurry up offense is the way we scored  why isnt it instituted more often?  I know they say we gotta get a 1st down to start it but  with as many 3 - outs  why not hit the button and force the defense to play on their heels

[meh130 1,043]

17 hours ago, JMR said:

Could be. I hadn’t considered that. 

Good RPOs should be very quick plays. The NFL can run RPOs where the OL downfield rules are much tighter.

Our most popular RPO last year was the inside zone running play combined with a WR bubble screen, targeting the inside defender (Nickle or SLB). In that case, the pass is completed behind the LOS and there is no OL downfield to worry about. We did have another variant where the WR went several yards downfield.

The most popular RPO is the inside zone running play combined with the #2 WR on an inside slant, targeting the inside LB. Georgia and Bama both run this one a lot. We have run it some, but not much. This one should happen very fast, because the ILB is in a narrow field of view for the QB. I would argue it is a quicker read than the inside zone read option on the backside DE.

My problem with both of these for Auburn this year is they require the OL to successfully execute the inside zone, and this year we simply can't. At least with the traditional inside zone read option, we leave one first-level defender unblocked. The RPOs all target second level defenders.

[weagl1 1,781]

Thanks for your analysis.  Great information as always.  I don’t recall many games where we got outplayed that badly and still found a way to pull it out.

[API 95]

What's happened to the defense that was playing lights out earlier in the season?  Did the toil get to be too much?  I know we are missing an elite 3rd down edge rusher but all the other pieces appeared to be in place.  We're going to have to hold thUGA to 28 or fewer points.  We got that left in the tank?

[beagle34 72]

Hey coach, what’s with all these offensive AU players getting trucked  this year ? I  have never seen anything like it. Soft practice,soft players or what? I bet Pat Dye would’ve gone crazy over this!

[JMR 2,118]

21 minutes ago, beagle34 said:

Hey coach, what’s with all these offensive AU players getting trucked  this year ? I  have never seen anything like it. Soft practice,soft players or what? I bet Pat Dye would’ve gone crazy over this!

It has mainly been the running backs. With a Kam Martin or Shivers, I can understand it. But with Miller and Whitlow, I see no reason for it. 

[WarNole 138]

Great job, coach!

[JMR 2,118]

1 hour ago, WarNole said:

Great job, coach!

Thanks!  I’ll take all of those I can get!!

[AuburnNTexas 7,127]

4 hours ago, JMR said:

It has mainly been the running backs. With a Kam Martin or Shivers, I can understand it. But with Miller and Whitlow, I see no reason for it. 

I think Whitlow has improved as the year has gone on. He is beginning to step into the oncoming D-Linemen as opposed to waiting for the D-Linemen to hit him. Good coaching should help with that. As technique really helps there. I was impressed with Whitlow as I don't think he was really healthy but he is a gamer.

[Eagle-1 3,821]

On 11/4/2018 at 5:02 PM, JMR said:

If you watch carefully, most of our linemen stop their feet once they make contact, and try to push the defender with their back, rather than their legs. That may work eventually, but when your feet stop, you stop. And when you stop, so does the inertia you started when you left your stance. By the time you can re-start your forward motion, it’s too late. I have no idea why that is happening, nor why it hasn’t been corrected. 

Im glad to hear someone else recognizes this. My question is why is this not being addressed in the film evaluations?

[ChltteTiger 649]

17 minutes ago, Eagle-1 said:

Im glad to hear someone else recognizes this. My question is why is this not being addressed in the film evaluations?

Cause we have lousy coaches??