Playcalling

Why didn't we run any screens? We gained easily over 100 yds vs Ole Miss, and the running game struggled against Texas. They were blitzing the life out of us in the second half.



Did we just forget?



:skeptic:

I don't recall running any screens against Ole' Miss either. We did a lot of play action bootlegs to the FB and TE against Ole' Miss. I assume those are the plays you are calling screens. That was taken away in the second half by UT accounting for every player in our backfield every play.

Good call, I guess I am referring to the playaction/misdirection HB out.



But screens would have been the deathblow against Texas in the second half.

Heaps was very inaccurate to his backs against Texas. He was 5-10 to the running backs for all of 36 yards.

Yeah, but almost none of those were thrown behind the line.



And, to be fair, JJ "Footsteps" DiLuigi dropped 3 VERY catchable balls because he heard footsteps.







(And, yes, JJ just took away the "footsteps" nickname away from McKay - who actually ran the ball across the field after catching it!)

I heard one of BYU's coaches one time say that since we run so many pass plays to our running backs that defenses usually have someone assigned to them and so screens don't work well for BYU.

I think you need to rewatch the 2nd half BlueisB. Every pass but one was to the RBs and almost all of them were behind the line of scrimmage. The 2 passes I can think of that JJ didn't catch that he could have it was absolutely better that he didn't catch them because he would have been hit immediately and dropped for a loss of yardage on the play. That's just a terrible read by Heaps. Why in the world would you force a pass into a guy behind the line of scrimmage where even if he does catch it it's going to lose yardage? At least force those into TEs and WRs over the middle for 8 yard pickups.

frdbtr wrote:
I heard one of BYU's coaches one time say that since we run so many pass plays to our running backs that defenses usually have someone assigned to them and so screens don't work well for BYU.

Certainly true last game. I was relieved when JJ missed a few balls because it would have meant a loss of yards.

hawkwing wrote:
I think you need to rewatch the 2nd half BlueisB. Every pass but one was to the RBs and almost all of them were behind the line of scrimmage. The 2 passes I can think of that JJ didn't catch that he could have it was absolutely better that he didn't catch them because he would have been hit immediately and dropped for a loss of yardage on the play. That's just a terrible read by Heaps. Why in the world would you force a pass into a guy behind the line of scrimmage where even if he does catch it it's going to lose yardage? At least force those into TEs and WRs over the middle for 8 yard pickups.

I agree with this. Although, I don't think anything was open. Once Texas went man, and sent the extra man on a blitz every play, it was game over.



We needed to do some double moves and try deep, but we didn't.



I am talking about a FULL ON SCREEN!



Letting the Dline through - which they were already doing a good job of in the second half - and setting up JJ or Alisa behind a couple big dudes for a nice gain.

BlueIsBetter wrote:

I think you need to rewatch the 2nd half BlueisB. Every pass but one was to the RBs and almost all of them were behind the line of scrimmage. The 2 passes I can think of that JJ didn't catch that he could have it was absolutely better that he didn't catch them because he would have been hit immediately and dropped for a loss of yardage on the play. That's just a terrible read by Heaps. Why in the world would you force a pass into a guy behind the line of scrimmage where even if he does catch it it's going to lose yardage? At least force those into TEs and WRs over the middle for 8 yard pickups.

I agree with this. Although, I don't think anything was open. Once Texas went man, and sent the extra man on a blitz every play, it was game over.



We needed to do some double moves and try deep, but we didn't.



I am talking about a FULL ON SCREEN!



Letting the Dline through - which they were already doing a good job of in the second half - and setting up JJ or Alisa behind a couple big dudes for a nice gain.

good idea. I wonder why it hasn't been tried.

It seems that Texas had the athletes to challenge Heaps to hit the guys downfield in man coverage, by covering everything short and taking the risk on long passes. There is really only one way to deal with that: throw and hit 2 out of 3 long passes and they will adjust to take that away which will give you something else to take. Utah probably has the horses to do the same thing. It is clear from post-game comments that the team will be focusing on the running game this week, but I really hope they are focusing on finding and hitting the open receiver when the blitz comes- it will be coming and Jake will need to make plays with guys in his face and throwing as he takes a hit. If Jake does that, we will beat the Utes and would have beaten Texas.



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My take was the complete opposite.. I was yelling for him to stop throwing to the RBs. The one thing I didn't see as much of vs TX was the QB boot leg.. I think Heaps does better on those roll outs.. not sure if it's because it reduces the field by half or if he's just more comfortable running and improvising a bit.

Cougarbib2 wrote:
It seems that Texas had the athletes to challenge Heaps to hit the guys downfield in man coverage, by covering everything short and taking the risk on long passes. There is really only one way to deal with that: throw and hit 2 out of 3 long passes and they will adjust to take that away which will give you something else to take. Utah probably has the horses to do the same thing. It is clear from post-game comments that the team will be focusing on the running game this week, but I really hope they are focusing on finding and hitting the open receiver when the blitz comes- it will be coming and Jake will need to make plays with guys in his face and throwing as he takes a hit. If Jake does that, we will beat the Utes and would have beaten Texas.



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Bingo. We've gotta stretch the field a bit.

I thought this guys perspective was interesting...if true



http://www.cougarboard.com/board/message.html?id=7360510" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Did anyone else notice this/can confirm this?

DesertCougar wrote:
I thought this guys perspective was interesting...if true



http://www.cougarboard.com/board/message.html?id=7360510" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Did anyone else notice this/can confirm this?

That's pretty much what I've been saying since the game. Heaps was afraid to get hit and so was getting rid of the ball as quickly as he could. He never looked down field, because he knew that he was going to get rid of the ball before the WR had time to run their routes. The only receivers he looked for were RBs in the flat.



People keep saying he checked down too quickly. I don't think he checked down at all, he never looked for or had any intention of looking for anyone except a RB or TE released to the flat.

Pretty much what I have been saying since the game as well. Jake needs to stick tougher in the pocket and let routes develop and take some hits. His toughness is in question right now, if you ask me. He needs to stand and deliver Saturday.

Lawboy wrote:
Pretty much what I have been saying since the game as well. Jake needs to stick tougher in the pocket and let routes develop and take some hits. His toughness is in question right now, if you ask me. He needs to stand and deliver Saturday.

I know this will never happen, but take his green jersey away at practice for a day, and make him stand in there under pressure and make the plays in practice.

stuckinbig10country wrote:

Pretty much what I have been saying since the game as well. Jake needs to stick tougher in the pocket and let routes develop and take some hits. His toughness is in question right now, if you ask me. He needs to stand and deliver Saturday.

I know this will never happen, but take his green jersey away at practice for a day, and make him stand in there under pressure and make the plays in practice.

I've wondered if the green jersey is why he looks so good in practice. In the back of his mind he knows that no one is going to touch him so he doesn't worry about the pressure. A lot easier to make your reads if that's the only thing that you have to worry about, but the same attitude should carry over to games. Don't worry about the hits, just make your reads and deliver the ball.

In the 2nd half, BYU had just completed a pass for 9 yards to set up 2nd and 1 from about the 36 yard line. Perfect time for a play action pass out of the I-formation.



They got in the I, Texas sold out to stop the run, and because it was a run BYU lost 2 or 3 yards, the next play didn't get the first down, and then punt. Had BYU converted on that 2nd and 1, the game changes immeasurably.



Even if they don't get the first down on a play action roll out, they are still at 3rd and 1, which gives you a few more options than 3rd and 3 or 4 does.

DesertCougar wrote:
I thought this guys perspective was interesting...if true



http://www.cougarboard.com/board/message.html?id=7360510" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Did anyone else notice this/can confirm this?

I think he on, and off. You can't sell a "draw" when texas is breathing down your neck, in man coverage. If they were just sending zone blitzes all game, then sure. But the guy that tackled JJ on that draw was the LB assigned to him in the man coverage.



The offensive struggles aren't anything new, we have never done well offensively against physical D's that play man coverage. Even back in the Max, Unga, Collie, Pitta days, we didn't ever get it done against man (the exception being Pitta, who almost always had man or double man coverage.)



The bottom line is that we have absolutely NO running game (52 GROSS yards for the game), and our WR's can't break a man coverage. Brink Max Hall back, and he would have a tough time doing anything with that.



I expected more out of our WR's. I expected more out of Cahoon as a coach. Hardly any dropsies, but we just aren't getting open on a consistent basis.



And you all are right, Jake needs to step up and if no one is open, then take the sack or check down / throw it away.



It is a multitude of things, and it doesn't help that we are playing 3 out of our top 4 hardest defenses (and the first 2 on the road.)



We will get better, but I just hope it will be fast enough. It was almost fast enough to beat Texas.