The Football Brainiacs

1. On the 1st drive of the 2nd half, we’re at 2nd and 15 after a missed block.  Everyone was talking about Heupel getting conservative, but it was execution more than anything.  Trevor steps up after getting drilled on 1st down and delivers a strike to Jaz.  If Jaz catches this, he gets up to the 30 at least.  The defender to his right is flat footed, and Jaz is one of our stronger receivers. Getting to a 3rd and 5 or less is definitely a lot different than 3rd and 15.

2. Great job scheming to numbers on this play.  I put three red dots on the three bama defenders playside.  We have four to three, since the nose over Ikard is shaded back to the offense’s right.  Having the two receivers out there doesn’t hurt either.

 

3. So what I’ve been chirping about all year, running to the path of least resistance is a big deal in the run game.  We get a gain of six on a basic off-tackle play.  Look at how far the line of scrimmage was pushed back!

 

4. After bama’s score, we roll out to the left.  We had a lot of success with these plays in the first half, but we just weren’t executing early in the third.  Trevor zipped a good pass to Jalen on this play, but Jalen just dropped it.  Execution is a big thing.  The plays we were making with regularity in the first half just weren’t quite clicking in the 2nd.  Heupel was sticking with it though.

 

5. One of the reasons I believe that Brennan Clay will play in the NFL is plays like this.  The guy just does his job.  He catches well out of the backfield, he runs physical, and man alive can he block!  Brennan(left red circle) slices down the outside linebacker who’s coming on a blitz.  He’s smart about it too, because initially the backer is engaged with Irwin.  Had Brennan flew up there and cut him down it would have been a chop block and a penalty, but Clay waits a split second for him to disengage and knifes him down.  Look at the bama defender.  He’s having to put it into four wheel drive and trying to get back up…

5. (cont.) Because Brennan got that defenders hands down, it gave Trevor the lane to throw the ball that he needed.  Heck of a play.  Heupel putting a lot of trust into Trevor and the o line.  Backed up on the goal line, if you have a penalty in the end zone, it’s an automatic safety.  Heck of a job executing and getting the pass out to Brannon Green.  Have we had a player who makes the most of his opportunities as much as Brannon?  Kid’s just a ball player.