4th and 9 Defensive Call

[DocFlanders]

I want to know what Barron’s assignment on that play was.

Barron and Sparrow show blitz but back out of it.

They put a RB in motion and Clark goes with him. Not sure if the two RBs were back there assuming blitz and they used motion once Barron backed out (he backed out like a step or two ahead of Sparrow).

Ball snapped. Diggs immediately takes himself out of the play getting way too upfield. He does this a lot, btw. Has to work on this.

Leaving our guy on an island in man isn’t acceptable, but I have to know what Barron’s assignment was bc he ended up in no man’s land.

Played us like fools

 

[tep624]

I want to know what Barron’s assignment on that play was.

Barron and Sparrow show blitz but back out of it.

They put a RB in motion and Clark goes with him. Not sure if the two RBs were back there assuming blitz and they used motion once Barron backed out (he backed out like a step or two ahead of Sparrow).

Ball snapped. Diggs immediately takes himself out of the play getting way too upfield. He does this a lot, btw. Has to work on this.

Leaving our guy on an island in man isn’t acceptable, but I have to know what Barron’s assignment was bc he ended up in no man’s land.

I’ve watched the video repeatedly and said this in the other thread. Barron didn’t slide over. It’s as simple as that. There was literally nothing going on on that side of the ball other than Elic A and Daniels was laser locked on him from the snap. Barron slides over and the player is broken up or he’s in great position for a pick.

As a safety, irrespective of assignment, you have to see that, see where you are on the field and adjust. But I agree I’m also curious what his assignment was.

 

[hoopsupstate]

I’ve watched the video repeatedly and said this in the other thread. Barron didn’t slide over. It’s as simple as that. There was literally nothing going on on that side of the ball other than Elic A and Daniels was laser locked on him from the snap. Barron slides over and the player is broken up or he’s in great position for a pick.

As a safety, irrespective of assignment, you have to see that, see where you are on the field and adjust. But I agree I’m also curious what his assignment was.

Barron wasn’t playing safety. He played as a linebacker the entire game.

 

[tep624]

Barron wasn’t playing safety. He played as a linebacker the entire game.

Where he is positioned on the field at that time, you have to slide over. He had no other play. The point isn’t the title of his position.

 

[djcon57]

I’ve watched the video repeatedly and said this in the other thread. Barron didn’t slide over. It’s as simple as that. There was literally nothing going on on that side of the ball other than Elic A and Daniels was laser locked on him from the snap. Barron slides over and the player is broken up or he’s in great position for a pick.

As a safety, irrespective of assignment, you have to see that, see where you are on the field and adjust. But I agree I’m also curious what his assignment was.

The only possible thing I can think of is a spy. Otherwise he appears to be covering no one

 

[tep624]

The only possible thing I can think of is a spy. Otherwise he appears to be covering no one

That’s kind of what I was thinking, spy off the snap shifting to zone or something like that. That’s what it looks like to me since he starts to break in and then sorta freezes and doesn’t really move until the ball is in the air.

 

[MikeSU02]

That’s kind of what I was thinking, spy off the snap shifting to zone or something like that. That’s what it looks like to me since he starts to break in and then sorta freezes and doesn’t really move until the ball is in the air.

Def could be, like you said, he starts back peddling and starts sliding towards the WR right on snap and then sort of freezes and then tries to recover.

Maybe he was hedging as a spy. Maybe he thought the RB that stayed in to block would release to the flat, but by the way he played it… it looks like he just got put in a blender watching the QB’s eyes and lost his assignment.

To be fair, it was a 25 yard back shoulder dime and a great catch. Lewis’ almost breaks up the pass.

I’m not the biggest Barron fan, so I want to be sure I’m being fair to him, but looked like he froze and blew it to me.

 

[tep624]

Def could be, like you said, he starts back peddling and starts sliding towards the WR right on snap and then sort of freezes and then tries to recover.

Maybe he was hedging as a spy. Maybe he thought the RB that stayed in to block would release to the flat, but by the way he played it… it looks like he just got put in a blender watching the QB’s eyes and lost his assignment.

To be fair, it was a 25 yard back shoulder dime and a great catch. Lewis’ almost breaks up the pass.

I’m not the biggest Barron fan, so I want to be sure I’m being fair to him, but looked like he froze and blew it to me.

Yep. In the moment I was like how could they do single coverage on that guy - let someone else beat you. But rewatching the film, I don’t think that’s the case. Help was available and it looks like that help just froze.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Yeah they just messed up.

 

[shu 49]

I am still totally confused. I watched Fran's post game and everything still doesn't make any sense. In all the years I have watched football I have never seen such a strange coaching call one that I or them couldn't justify with reason. This isn't a season-is-over thread just trying to talk out the defensive call and trying to make sense of it. I know there are some coaches on here so hopefully they can shine some light.

Went back and watched the final drive, we made good adjustments and started to bring pressure up the middle with a blitz with decent success, which made the final call even more strange.

The decision to not bring pressure and coverage is fine and that can be explained even if I disagree with it since we were having more success blitzing up the middle on that drive.

#13 is a national player and will be playing on Sunday and is the one person on Stanford that you must account for. So if you are playing coverage why is coverage not rolled up on him? Could have played a man over coverage so our DB could have played underneath him with a safety over top. To make the decision to play coverage knowing we can't get pressure it is inexcusable to leave #13 single covered.

Overall the defense has played well seems to be a bend don't break style where they want to keep everything in front but keep them out of the endzone but I just can't mentally understand that last call. In no situation does the call-to-play coverage and single #13 while only rushing 3 make any sense to me.

What am I missing?

The thing i see with Robinson is he doesnt seem to be a full pressure guy. I was hoping when he said he wants to hunt i was expecting a ton of pressure but he is a bit more prevent guy which we all know prevents u from winning yet coaches still go to it. kills me

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

I hated the 2nd and 20 play just as much. We went to a huge zone / prevent and Lewis was backpedaling so much at the snap that he gave a massive cushion that made it easy for an 11-yard gain. We had two blitzers get in there in about a second too so that easily would've been an incompletion or a game-winning INT if not for the massive zone backpedaling.

You have to push that kicker back bc I think he hits from 55 but I hated them getting another play. Give me 2 plays to end the game instead of 3.

 

[sugrad68]

There's an old axiom in sports - never let the best player on the opposing team beat you, in this case #13. First, I agree with all who say we should have brought pressure up the middle on the play. Instead we had 8 defensive players on 5 receivers. 2 of those defensive players should have been on #13. If that was not the coverage the defensive coordinator takes the blame.

I had the uncomfortable feeling that we left too much time on the clock when we scored the go-ahead TD.

 

[GoSU96]

The thing i see with Robinson is he doesnt seem to be a full pressure guy. I was hoping when he said he wants to hunt i was expecting a ton of pressure but he is a bit more prevent guy which we all know prevents u from winning yet coaches still go to it. kills me

Rush 4 zone with 7, it’s a good approach to avoid giving up easy scores and limiting explosive plays . With the potential of the offense it makes sense. They have only given up 1 completion of over 30 yds.

Overall the pass defense has been pretty good.

 

[shu 49]

Rush 4 zone with 7, it’s a good approach to avoid giving up easy scores and limiting explosive plays . With the potential of the offense it makes sense. They have only given up 1 completion of over 30 yds.

Overall the pass defense has been pretty good.

we pressured 2x and did well. If we r Rushing 4 and dropping 7 why would we not double their stud receiver. Its basic stuff i think. If we are singling him im coming with a lot of pressure. The QB picked us apart when he had time. I always seem to watchteams lose playing prevent. If im losing, im doing it with everything i got going forward and not sitting back hoping. We dont have a great pass rush except for diggs so 4 guys aint getting pressure.

 

[kcsu]

we pressured 2x and did well. If we r Rushing 4 and dropping 7 why would we not double their stud receiver. Its basic stuff i think. If we are singling him im coming with a lot of pressure. The QB picked us apart when he had time. I always seem to watchteams lose playing prevent. If im losing, im doing it with everything i got going forward and not sitting back hoping. We dont have a great pass rush except for diggs so 4 guys aint getting pressure.

The coaches blew it its that simple. Nothing makes sense. If we are not bringing pressure than take 13 out of the equation. Make him beat press at the line and double down on the kid. I think they might have been worried more about the QB running than passing but who knows.

 

[shu 49]

The coaches blew it its that simple. Nothing makes sense. If we are not bringing pressure than take 13 out of the equation. Make him beat press at the line and double down on the kid. I think they might have been worried more about the QB running than passing but who knows.

i 1000 percent agree.

 

[GoSU96]

we pressured 2x and did well. If we r Rushing 4 and dropping 7 why would we not double their stud receiver. Its basic stuff i think. If we are singling him im coming with a lot of pressure. The QB picked us apart when he had time. I always seem to watchteams lose playing prevent. If im losing, im doing it with everything i got going forward and not sitting back hoping. We dont have a great pass rush except for diggs so 4 guys aint getting pressure.

I’m not talking about one play. And it looks like Baron didn’t get back deep enough.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

The bigger issue IMO was waiting until they passed midfield to start bringing the pressure. We should have went all out right away. You want a quick stop or a quick score. They took 2 mins off the clock just to get to midfield that we could have used to counter their score.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

So sounds like what this is coming down to is Barron wasn't where he was supposed to be?

 

[Millhouse]

So sounds like what this is coming down to is Barron wasn't where he was supposed to be?

What went on in that timeout that helped the offense?

 

[tep624]

So sounds like what this is coming down to is Barron wasn't where he was supposed to be?

If you watch the film 15 times like I did, that’s what it seems like. But I think we’re all in agreement that we don’t quite know what his assignment even was, so by default because there was literally nothing else going on on the left side…sort of seems that way.

 

[007]

So sounds like what this is coming down to is Barron wasn't where he was supposed to be?

I'm not sure Barron was the issue. Our best cover CB was playing an inside technique to take away a release to the inside. Barron's responsibility in that coverage likely would not be to double an outside release. We gambled that the CB would be able to stay in coverage and that the QB would need to make a great back shoulder throw. THAT gamble was the issue. In hindsight, the CB can play an inside release and position in front of the WR with S over the top.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

I think our D is way too passive. We have been able to hold teams to FGs, but these long drives are killers. This was the 2nd of 3 games where we got killed in TOP.

Nationally we are currently 59th in 3rd down D vs FBS teams. And we haven't played high quality Os. On top of that we have given up four 4th down conversions, which makes our "get off the field" D even worse (combo of 3rd and 4th).

Also nationally we are tied for 74th in Redzone attempts conceded vs FBS teams. That is pretty bad. But TD % we are tied for 18th which is good. So we allow teams inside the Redzone pretty easily but it is hard to score a TD against us.

Lastly we are 77th in yards per game vs FBS teams. That is pretty bad having played 3 teams that aren't very good Os and more run based.

 

[swish7]

I know this thread is about the 1 play, but its plays 2-5 below for me). Up 2, 3:07 left, 1st & 10 from the Stanford 25. All these chunk plays, left Stanford in full control w a lot of time left.

1. 0 yards
2. 8 yards
3. 10 yards
4. 8 yards
5. 3 yards (about 10 yards to FG range w 1:54 still on the clock)
6. -10 yards
7. 0 yards
8. 11 yards (< 10 yards to FG range)
9. 0 yards
10. 27 yards (15 yards within FG range)
11. 2 yards
12. -5 yards
13. FG from the SU 21 yard line

 

[HRE Otto IV]

I know this thread is about the 1 play, but its plays 2-5 below for me). Up 2, 3:07 left, 1st & 10 from the Stanford 25. All these chunk plays, left Stanford in full control w a lot of time left.

1. 0 yards
2. 8 yards
3. 10 yards
4. 8 yards
5. 3 yards (about 10 yards to FG range w 1:54 still on the clock)
6. -10 yards
7. 0 yards
8. 11 yards (< 10 yards to FG range)
9. 0 yards
10. 27 yards (15 yards within FG range)
11. 2 yards
12. -5 yards
13. FG from the SU 21 yard line

I had no faith in our D getting a stop. I wanted us to go all out from the get go that drive. Cause havoc. Who cares if you give up a big play, as you have the time to score yourself. Rather have the ball with a chance to win than being helpless as the clock rolls down. If we were up 3 that is a different story. But only 1 point, IMO there was more risk being passive.