This week's GIF thread is only going to focus on the first 6 drives of the game for K-State. The old saying for a football coach is "the tape don't lie" and this was certainly the case against the Mountaineers. My conclusion after GIFing these 20 some plays is that K-State was in the right scheme more often than not, there were simply execution errors all over the place. WVU is a very good defense and there is plenty of inexperience on K-State's offense, but much of what happened on Saturday was simply missing badly on a throw or a block or a route. When you stack up a dozen or more of those instances in your first 26 plays, it's going to be tough to move the ball on anyone.
1st Drive
K-State opened the game with 3 straight passes. The first snap simply didn't show enough of the routes to really analyze what happened, but play 2 was an inexcusable case of miscommunication (as @ProfessorPlum aptly pointed out in his breakdown). K-State used this concept quite a bit in the first half; an RPO-ish action (that is probably play action in reality) to create an easy throw for Howard. All of these were off inside zone action and all were targets to Taylor, but for some reason on this one Taylor blocks for the inside zone run. Howard is smart to throw the ball away, but it's strange to see this mistake so early in the game; Taylor would have fallen out at 7-8 yards and been wide open for a nice game if he and Howard are on the same page here.
The 3rd down snap is a route at the sticks on 3rd and long against WVU's zone coverage. This play has a little bit of pressure, but Howard has a bad combination of being late and high with the throw. Brooks does a great job stemming and sitting down at the sticks and if the throw is a bit quicker and lower it is likely a 3rd down conversion.
2nd Drive
The 2nd drive of the game was really a very well called drive and the only time K-State got in an offensive rhythm besides the last drive of the first which featured mainly throws. The opener was a nice QB counter off stretch read which is well blocked for a nice gain.
The next play is the quick pass from play action to Taylor. This is a different formation than the first attempt, but the concept is the same and one WVU was giving up most of the first half.
This is a nice RB counter play off of K-State's inside zone. K-State looks to have a nice play here, but 73 gets turned around off the LOS and is unable to climb to the LB who makes the tackle for a short gain.
This is a really nice play action pass from K-State's unbalanced quads formation. Brooks motioned across the formation and motions back for stretch read action. Another twist is lining Vaughn up in the backfield, creating a 2 level route between he and Moore as he leaks across. Howard still has to make a nice throw between several WVU defenders, but this is a nice conversion on one of K-State's bigger plays of the afternoon.
The Cats come right back to the quick play action throw off of inside zone to Taylor. Again, I think this could develop into an RPO at some point, but it is likely a called throw to keep things simple for Howard right now.
Another great play call that goes away from tendencies, running stretch read to the boundary with Vaughn as the lead block and Trotter on the carry. However, this is another case where when K-State does something really well, there is still something unfortunate in the play. Vaughn's great cut block also knocks out the puller, who has a shot to pick off the safety and allow Trotter a chance to score if he doesn't get tripped up.
Unfortunately the drive went south at the goal line. Speed option to the boundary is a K-State staple and I think it has a great shot if 69 isn't pushed deep into the backfield. Howard has to divert his path slightly not allowing him to likely power underneath the over pursuit from the WVU defenders. (another play @ProfessorPlum astutely pointed out).
Then comes the failed throw to the flat to Dineen. Again, I think this is a great play call against WVU's defense, my biggest complaint here is the spacing of K-State's routes. I'm not sure why Taylor isn't deep in the corner of the endzone to allow Dineen more space to work with. Plus it was Taylor's defender that ended up breaking up the play, Dineen actually did a good job separating from his defender at the goal line.
On 3rd down K-State went to the 3 route combo that worked so well against KU. The Cats attempted to divert attention by motioning Vaughn out of the backfield, but WVU was able to man up all K-State's routes and defended it really well.
1st Drive
K-State opened the game with 3 straight passes. The first snap simply didn't show enough of the routes to really analyze what happened, but play 2 was an inexcusable case of miscommunication (as @ProfessorPlum aptly pointed out in his breakdown). K-State used this concept quite a bit in the first half; an RPO-ish action (that is probably play action in reality) to create an easy throw for Howard. All of these were off inside zone action and all were targets to Taylor, but for some reason on this one Taylor blocks for the inside zone run. Howard is smart to throw the ball away, but it's strange to see this mistake so early in the game; Taylor would have fallen out at 7-8 yards and been wide open for a nice game if he and Howard are on the same page here.
The 3rd down snap is a route at the sticks on 3rd and long against WVU's zone coverage. This play has a little bit of pressure, but Howard has a bad combination of being late and high with the throw. Brooks does a great job stemming and sitting down at the sticks and if the throw is a bit quicker and lower it is likely a 3rd down conversion.
2nd Drive
The 2nd drive of the game was really a very well called drive and the only time K-State got in an offensive rhythm besides the last drive of the first which featured mainly throws. The opener was a nice QB counter off stretch read which is well blocked for a nice gain.
The next play is the quick pass from play action to Taylor. This is a different formation than the first attempt, but the concept is the same and one WVU was giving up most of the first half.
This is a nice RB counter play off of K-State's inside zone. K-State looks to have a nice play here, but 73 gets turned around off the LOS and is unable to climb to the LB who makes the tackle for a short gain.
This is a really nice play action pass from K-State's unbalanced quads formation. Brooks motioned across the formation and motions back for stretch read action. Another twist is lining Vaughn up in the backfield, creating a 2 level route between he and Moore as he leaks across. Howard still has to make a nice throw between several WVU defenders, but this is a nice conversion on one of K-State's bigger plays of the afternoon.
The Cats come right back to the quick play action throw off of inside zone to Taylor. Again, I think this could develop into an RPO at some point, but it is likely a called throw to keep things simple for Howard right now.
Another great play call that goes away from tendencies, running stretch read to the boundary with Vaughn as the lead block and Trotter on the carry. However, this is another case where when K-State does something really well, there is still something unfortunate in the play. Vaughn's great cut block also knocks out the puller, who has a shot to pick off the safety and allow Trotter a chance to score if he doesn't get tripped up.
Unfortunately the drive went south at the goal line. Speed option to the boundary is a K-State staple and I think it has a great shot if 69 isn't pushed deep into the backfield. Howard has to divert his path slightly not allowing him to likely power underneath the over pursuit from the WVU defenders. (another play @ProfessorPlum astutely pointed out).
Then comes the failed throw to the flat to Dineen. Again, I think this is a great play call against WVU's defense, my biggest complaint here is the spacing of K-State's routes. I'm not sure why Taylor isn't deep in the corner of the endzone to allow Dineen more space to work with. Plus it was Taylor's defender that ended up breaking up the play, Dineen actually did a good job separating from his defender at the goal line.
On 3rd down K-State went to the 3 route combo that worked so well against KU. The Cats attempted to divert attention by motioning Vaughn out of the backfield, but WVU was able to man up all K-State's routes and defended it really well.
Last edited:
