I try to take different approaches in breaking down games and lately I've been focusing on specific schemes in these weekly posts. This time I'm going to focus on how the game played out from the first through the third quarters. K-State's offense struggled early, especially running the football. The Cats only gained 13 yards on the first 7 called runs before Vaughn finally broke free for 17 yards. Starting with that A gap power run through the end of the 3rd quarter K-State was much more respectable, gaining 103 yards on 16 called runs. The passing game was only slightly better early, gaining 72 yards on the first 12 pass calls. After that the passing game was excellent, gaining 177 yards on 14 pass calls with only 1 incompletion.
1st Quarter
The Cats did get a big player early in the game on this RB wheel route. It's a concept Messingham has used before with success and here K-State takes advantage of very loose corners to give Vaughn plenty of space. Plus Kansas is foolishly attempting to cover Vaughn with a LB. With a better throw, this play may have had a chance to score.
This Diamond zone read wasn't successful, but it highlights a couple of things early in the game. First, KU's edge defenders were coming hard down the line of scrimmage. Here Howard probably makes the wrong read on the give, though the LB for KU did a good job of playing the mesh. The twist for K-State here was putting Lenners and Moore in the backfield for this Diamond snap, the first time we've seen that this season. Typically K-State has 3 backs or 2 backs and a FB, look for some sort of play action from this set with both TEs later this season.
This is another play that highlights an adjustment on offense for K-State, plus a good defensive scheme by Kansas. K-State is in a regular pro set (2 WRs and a TE), but in one back gun with a FB lined up at H. After the quick motion, the Cats run a version of A Gap power, something usually only seen from the I formation and under center. The play looks good initially, but KU adds an extra defender with their bottom corner playing cover 2 and helping with the run which K-State didn't anticipate and can't account for here. He makes a good open field tackle on Vaughn.
Here is another scheme we haven't seen much from K-State, a double screen. Render runs a slip screen to the boundary at the bottom, while Vaughn runs a little bubble screen with 2 offensive linemen peeling out to block up top. Unfortunately K-State was in 3rd and long after a holding penalty and wasn't able to gain enough for the first down. Still, it's a nice concept and something I hope we see more often as the season goes along.
2nd Quarter
K-State is unbalanced Quads here to the bottom of the formation and runs zone weak. K-State ran the ball the the strong side with the QB from a similar formation against TCU on a zone read give, so I'm assuming Messingham anticipated the KU LBs hesitating on the read. However, they play Vaughn all the way allowing Potter and easy run through for his play of the day.
Here is K-State's first big run of the game with Vaughn on A gap power. This is still a very fun play to watch when blocked so well. One adjustment K-State made here was to offset the FB, giving him a better angle to kick out KU's aggressive edge defender.
The next play K-State runs zone lead from another 2 back set. One adjustment is splitting out Lenners to try to widen the KU defense, but the blocking scheme can't account for the backside pursuit. KU does a good job stretching the play out so Vaughn can't cut through to the 2nd level before the backside pursuit gets to him.
This is a really nice play design on the next play, but Howard has no chance to get the ball out. Both outside receivers run hard slants across the formation to open up a wheel route for Moore, very similar to the earlier throw to Vaughn out of the backfield. K-State uses a nice stretch action and Moore comes open on the outside, but Howard has to smartly throw the ball away when K-State is unable to block the backside defender for KU.
This is a favorite route concept from Messingham that we've seen before and we'll see again in this game. KU had all kinds of issues covering it the entire game, but was helped out here by Lenners' losing his balance. The Cats typically run this from a bunch set with a mix of receivers and backs. Here it's a pair of TEs and a back as Moore pushes deep, Lenners runs a shallow cross and Vaughn follows with a quick angle route. Lenners breaks open and likely scores if he is able to stay on his feet, though the ball is thrown slightly behind him.
1st Quarter
The Cats did get a big player early in the game on this RB wheel route. It's a concept Messingham has used before with success and here K-State takes advantage of very loose corners to give Vaughn plenty of space. Plus Kansas is foolishly attempting to cover Vaughn with a LB. With a better throw, this play may have had a chance to score.
This Diamond zone read wasn't successful, but it highlights a couple of things early in the game. First, KU's edge defenders were coming hard down the line of scrimmage. Here Howard probably makes the wrong read on the give, though the LB for KU did a good job of playing the mesh. The twist for K-State here was putting Lenners and Moore in the backfield for this Diamond snap, the first time we've seen that this season. Typically K-State has 3 backs or 2 backs and a FB, look for some sort of play action from this set with both TEs later this season.
This is another play that highlights an adjustment on offense for K-State, plus a good defensive scheme by Kansas. K-State is in a regular pro set (2 WRs and a TE), but in one back gun with a FB lined up at H. After the quick motion, the Cats run a version of A Gap power, something usually only seen from the I formation and under center. The play looks good initially, but KU adds an extra defender with their bottom corner playing cover 2 and helping with the run which K-State didn't anticipate and can't account for here. He makes a good open field tackle on Vaughn.
Here is another scheme we haven't seen much from K-State, a double screen. Render runs a slip screen to the boundary at the bottom, while Vaughn runs a little bubble screen with 2 offensive linemen peeling out to block up top. Unfortunately K-State was in 3rd and long after a holding penalty and wasn't able to gain enough for the first down. Still, it's a nice concept and something I hope we see more often as the season goes along.
2nd Quarter
K-State is unbalanced Quads here to the bottom of the formation and runs zone weak. K-State ran the ball the the strong side with the QB from a similar formation against TCU on a zone read give, so I'm assuming Messingham anticipated the KU LBs hesitating on the read. However, they play Vaughn all the way allowing Potter and easy run through for his play of the day.
Here is K-State's first big run of the game with Vaughn on A gap power. This is still a very fun play to watch when blocked so well. One adjustment K-State made here was to offset the FB, giving him a better angle to kick out KU's aggressive edge defender.
The next play K-State runs zone lead from another 2 back set. One adjustment is splitting out Lenners to try to widen the KU defense, but the blocking scheme can't account for the backside pursuit. KU does a good job stretching the play out so Vaughn can't cut through to the 2nd level before the backside pursuit gets to him.
This is a really nice play design on the next play, but Howard has no chance to get the ball out. Both outside receivers run hard slants across the formation to open up a wheel route for Moore, very similar to the earlier throw to Vaughn out of the backfield. K-State uses a nice stretch action and Moore comes open on the outside, but Howard has to smartly throw the ball away when K-State is unable to block the backside defender for KU.
This is a favorite route concept from Messingham that we've seen before and we'll see again in this game. KU had all kinds of issues covering it the entire game, but was helped out here by Lenners' losing his balance. The Cats typically run this from a bunch set with a mix of receivers and backs. Here it's a pair of TEs and a back as Moore pushes deep, Lenners runs a shallow cross and Vaughn follows with a quick angle route. Lenners breaks open and likely scores if he is able to stay on his feet, though the ball is thrown slightly behind him.
