Over at Football Study Hall I wrote on the prospective Oregon starting QB, Dakota Prukop, a kid from Vandegrift HS (Austin, TX) that chose the Big Sky conference over competing FCS offers from in-state programs.
It's hilarious now when I see Sam Ehlinger struggle to break into the top rated circle of 2016 Texas recruits despite his prodigious skill but for whatever reason the rankings frequently seem to miss central Texas QBs.
Prukop would be lethal in a veer and shoot offense and now might prove to translate into a spread option attack so it's also amusing to see him play his football elsewhere. There's a strong case to be made for non-blueblood staffs waiting around to see what QBs develop as seniors because there always seems to be some hidden treasure that gets missed.
Off topic but, I just found this blog and just wanted to say you have excellent work. I have subscribed to make sure I get every post from now on.
ReplyDeleteI have a request. I'm a big fan of the run game and I'm always interested in how prostyle teams run effectively against single high coverage that outmans them in the box. Can you talk about strategies that these teams keep that defender away from the ball carrier, and then how defense try to counter what they are doing?
Glad to have you aboard! There will probably be tons of content here leading up to the season so stick around ;)
DeleteThe simple answer to your pro-style question is that they'll throw the ball deep, especially from twin sets that make it easy to isolate the slot or outside receiver deep. Always makes it harder for that 8th guy to stuff the run.
This post from breakdownsports on Harbaugh's run game is another good explanation. Essentially, Harbaugh uses a ton of misdirection and action from his ancillary blockers to buy time and space for his backs to break free:
http://breakdownsports.blogspot.com/2015/02/inside-playbook-jim-harbaugh-rushing-attack-run-game-power-o-inside-zone-wrinkles.html
The risk of packing defenders into the box is that if the RB breaks into the second level he can get behind everyone and go wild. Less of a threat from some of the backs Harbaugh likes, who are often bigger and slower, but it can be a problem if that guy is a 4.6 or better sprinter.
For an example of how that can be a huge problem, check out this article breaking down how Samaje Perine ran wild on Kansas a few years ago:
http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2014/11/26/7277519/oklahoma-samaje-perine-ncaa-record-oklahoma-kansas
427 yards!!!!
Also enjoy your basketball anaylisis
ReplyDeleteI've learned a ton from my boy Jonathan Tjarks, who's at the Ringer now. I even study the game of football (and really all collaborative human efforts) differently due to the way he breaks down basketball.
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