Image from Soonersports.com
As good as the run game has been it probably seems silly to even harp on any errors. But our intention here is to show you that as good as the run game has been, it can actually be even better. And that should be a scary thought for opposing teams and very comforting to Oklahoma fans. We ran the ball nearly 70% of the time and scored more points than we’ve scored on any team all season outside of Tulsa!
On this 3rd and 3, we get stuffed about a yard short of the first down. Whether it be passing, running, or in the option game, sometimes it just feels like Blake predetermines what he’s going to do. On this play it looks like after a trip to the sideline (after the earlier drive), Coach Heupel is in his ear about getting up in there, so Blake does just that. Problem is, that since the end slants across Ripkowski’s face to the bottom, the hole is one gap farther outside. Blake has to see that and get in the alley I’ve outlined in red. What could have been really nasty about this play is the little blue arrow is pointing at a 312 pound Samoan Warrior who’s just itching to find someone to destroy. Had Blake followed him through there, there’s no way they stop us. Blake is so dang strong that he almost gets the first down by running into the players his teammates are blocking.
In the image below you can see the play a few frames later. Blake continues on what seems to be his predetermined path (the blue line) and gets stuffed. Meanwhile the hole set up for him (read arrow) is set up and Nila is still nearby. It’s especially frustrating knowing that he gets a gain of six or seven if he hit’s the crease that opens here and lays another body blow on Tech’s secondary.
The next play I’ll look at (below) is on 2nd and 9, and we get stopped for no gain. Sometimes I’ve noticed on these QB power plays, Blake lets his momentum take him too wide to the left or the right, and by doing that he overruns the hole and gets stuffed. The red line is the design of the play, and you’ll notice that while a Tech defender is there, his shoulders aren’t square to the line of scrimmage. It’s safe to believe that if Bell gets vertical through there, he takes ‘ol boy for a ride, and gets at least three or four yards. If he’s able to break a tackle, and cut right off of Ripkowski’s block, there’s a lot of green up there around the right sideline by the Big XII emblem and 30 yard line numbers to the right. You can see that this is the same play we ran earlier, and just like the last one, we blocked it very well. From left to right, pointed out with blue arrows, Ripkowski, Millard and Damien do a great job on their guys. Blake’s actual path is the pale arrow, and he negates the leverage Damien has established on his defender. He ends up getting tackled for no gain, where if he gets up in there, we’re most likely at 3rd and 4 instead of 3rd and 9.
This (below) is a play early in the game where K and I were on the phone together. We were talking about how we thought there was something there, but D Will tried to bounce it outside. You can see early on it was a beautifully blocked play, and if Damien hits this thing with a head of steam he gets three or four yards. As physical and as strong as he is, he has to trust those traits and get up in there!
The next picture will show where he, instead, tried to bounce it outside and gets stuffed. While this wasn’t going to be a huge gain, Damien has to understand that 2nd and 6 is a lot friendlier than 2nd and 10. While Damien is one of my favorite and most gifted Sooners we gotta get him sticking with the play a little more.
Contrast that with the play below where, despite having defenders positioned to tackle, D Will takes advantage of the great blocking and gets up field in a hurry for a gain of 6 yards. But perhaps more importantly is here we are inflicting the pain rather than stalling and taking the hit. Side note: Great block by Millard (gonna miss him).
The Football Brainiacs note to the reader: This play analysis is meant solely as an attempt to bring our readers closer to what’s happening on the field. This is not intended to demean or deprecate any player or the coaches. We all made mistakes and we all made plays just like any one of these fine young men. It’s part of the game and it is part of life and we wish them nothing but the best on the field and off.
Drive Killers – Hitting the Hole
Posted on: October 28, 2013
