My fellow tigers

I wouldn't call N.C. State a "trap game" - either last year or this year. They have a pretty good football team:

http://www.orangeandwhite.com/news/2012/jul/13/ask-opposing-beat-writer-nc-state/

And so should we, if the defensive line can be brought up to speed. We have a good QB, outstanding RB and WRs, OL is shaping up, LBs are looking better (thankfully), good secondary and a good kicking game.

Mainly, we need to make sure the LBs read fast and fill the gaps, secondary learns to wrap up tackles instead of body blocking the ball carrier or receiver and OL needs to learn to run-block.

The pistol formation dive plays should take advantage of Dalton Freeman's experience, but we'll need some good OG and OT blocking to go with his ability if we're going to really make the offense go. I do think Tyler Shatley will hold up his spot, but the left side is mighty important for backside pass protection. I suspect we'll need to run the ball successfully in order to keep some pressure off the passer.

There's certainy no better WR duo in college football than DeAndre Hopkins and Sammy Watkins, and I'd guess we see Adam Humphries in the 3-back position quite a bit. Between Humphries and Hopkins, you can't ask for better possession receivers, but again the threat of a running game will help them a lot. I don't want to take a thing away from Watkins, but from what I saw in the Orange-White game, don't be surprised if Hopkins is the best receiver this year.

As usual, the line play will be the key to scoring TDs in the red zone instead of relying on FGs. FGs are not good against the increasing amount of spread option and zone read offenses we'll see...... and good line play on defense will allow the LBs to be head hunters.

It always sounds so simple - but it never is.

ColumbiaTiger66

110%er [5016]

TigerPulse: 100%

Posts: 3546

Joined: 7/7/12

Re: My fellow tigers

Jul 14, 2012, 11:25 AM

My opinions ae based on what I've read and seen for myself. I'm not an expert by any means, but having played a bit of football, my observations of the LBs in the Orange-White game gave me some hope for that part of the game. They seemed to read faster, smell run sooner, make emphatic decisions and once committed, brought it harder and faster to the gaps.

It certainly could be said that the Orange-White game shouldn't be used as an indicator, since about all they ran was the dive play L/R off the Pistol formation - and that made it a lot easier for the LBs to read and find the ball carrier, but still, they threw enough passes off the Pistol to keep the LBs honest and I thought they did well.

For the past 3 years, I have seen our LBs fail to commit to zone read QBs and there was never a more visible failure than at MLB. That position has looked like a traffic cop, directing the runner one way or the other - sometimes arm-tackling, sometimes no contact at all, with absolutely no committment to meeting the runner in the hole. From what I saw in the Spring Game, that's changed dramatically.

For the OL, I did not see what I had hoped to see at the Orange-White game, but we're thin in that part of the game and what talent we have was split into 2 teams which did not allow for evaluating OL teamwork and overall line ability. I know Shatley is capable and from what I've read, he's performed well in practice. Being a former DT, he should have an advantage in learning how to work against one. He gets leverage well and understands how to move a defender to create a hole. Shatley is just a no-nonsense player, with experience at FB, TE, DT and now OG - and with that experience, I wouldn't question his blocking ability. I'd use him as a pulling guard/lead blocker. Freeman is about the best center in college football, so barring injury, the anchor position for the Pistol inside running game is solid. At LT, Brandon Thomas should do just fine protecting Boyd. LG and RT are my main concerns. At TE, we will miss Dwayne Allen (my all-time Mr. Football, since I once played the position), but Brandon Ford is top-drawer and will provide a big threat. I don't know what the other TE position has in terms of blocking ability, but the Pistol has several no/single TE sets that can put Adam Humphries in a 3-back slot, so the lack of a second TE may or may not be an issue, depending on the rest of the OL and the ability to run inside.

I'm not saying we will have smooth sailing - to the contrary, there is a lot of work to be done...... but I do think the poential is there and with some hard work and effort, we just might have a great season.

Cheers!

flag link

military_tech

thumb_down

thumb_up

Yessir!

Re: My fellow tigers

Re: My fellow tigers

Re: My fellow tigers

Re: My fellow tigers

Re: My fellow tigers

I really hope you're right

TigerBoard POTD