Saunders Biggest Game Comes from the Biggest Sets | I Told You So By: JY Posted on: October 29, 2013

Image from The Oklahoma (Photographer: Steve Sisney)

Oklahoma has been obsessed with 10 personnel (4 WRs, 0 TEs, 1 RB) for, what feels like, too long. Without a Sam Bradford/Landry Jones type QB we haven’t been able to pass the ball efficiently this year. A few weeks back I wrote about how we could actually go to bigger sets – even bring in an extra tackle – and it would take speed of the field (by forcing the other teams out of their nickel and dime packages), enhance the run game, simply the WR routes, open up space for the WRs and ultimately lead to better running and better passing out a variety of sets. Well, Jalen Saunders proved my point.

We ran the ball 70% of the time (mostly out of big sets) and Jalen Saunders had his biggest receiving game of the season with 153 yards! That’s more yardage than he had in the last 4 games combined! Let me say that again and really let it sink in. We ran the ball 70% of the time and Jalen Saunders racked up more yardage in the Tech game than he had in the last 4 games combined! (I feel like I’m using too many exclamation points and need to veer off into a Seinfeld discussion about appropriate use of exclamation points)

Lets look at a couple of Jalen’s catches:

On this first example we actually are in 10 personnel but it was the big set run game that really sets this up and it goes to show what a dominant run game can do for you in the red zone and how it kills you on PA.  The linebacker circled in red is supposed to sink into his zone. But the effectiveness of the run game earlier sucks the LB up.
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In the picture below the LB (in blue) is coming up and look at the spacing Bell has to drop it in there to Jalen (in red). Look at how wide open Jalen is here since the linebacker is up in there concentrating on Clay.  It’s six for the good guys.
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Here’s a prime example of how jumbo sets force defenders to play man outside and give our skill guys room to roam.  You automatically have max protection, and by simplifying reads for Blake, it makes it much easier to see.  Note the formation is unbalanced to the left with Rip at TE and Millard lined up in a Wing.
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This was as good a pass as I’ve seen Blake execute…ever.  With the max protection Blake shuffles forward in the pocket and steps into the throw.  The blue lines illustrate how good of a pocket he has to get up into.
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Here’s Jalen keeping up his end of the bargain.  Is there anyone faster in the big 12?
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3 Comments

  • ctsooner says:
    October 29, 2013 at 1:32 pm

    YOu need to be coaching dude. Great breakdown. Thanks.

    • JY says:
      October 29, 2013 at 5:54 pm

      Thanks man. It was nice to see Huepel run 50 times and only throw 22 times. He’s changed his approached completely.

  • ctsooner says:
    October 30, 2013 at 8:00 am

    Run rests the D and keeps their snaps down. Just the basics, just the basics. Bama has won with it,so why can’t we?