SB Nation - Ricky Sapp

ACC Championship film review

DrB — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 01:28:34 -0000

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15 days ago: Georgia Tech safety Morgan Burnett (1) consols Clemson running back C.J. Spiller, right, after Georgia Tech defeated Clemson 39-34 during the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship NCAA college football game Saturday, Dec 5, 2009, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

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Please comment and ask questions on what you dont understand, these take a long time to do well. The goal here is to look for both good plays and bad technique. If theres anything that you would like to see or have explained, just ask.
Without knowing the exact assignment of each defender on every scheme called, I'm going to start from the assumption that the assignments on each play are the same. For most of the game that was the case: all the down linemen crash on the dive with the LB as force players (i.e., the QB) and the secondary with pitch responsibility. If its obvious on a play that this is not the case, I'll make note of it.

I am only going to cover Clemson's offensive highlights and lowlights on each drive, not the play by play review. I think most of us would agree that CJ was the offense and only the highlight clips need be seen.

ESPN Play-by-Play

1st CU Drive starts at the CU 29. 1st down catch by Palmer, but Walker was badly whipped on an inside move and Parker was nearly sacked. On 1st and 10 from the CU 41, CJ Spiller, 40 yards on an outside HB Power play

Parker to Ford, on what looks like a stop/quick-out, down to the 3. CJ cuts it in for the TD on another Power play. 7-0 CU, 7 plays 71 yards.

Good opening drive, Clemson using a little more motion than they have been during the winning streak.

Defensive drive starts from the GT 15. Conner has correct position on the QB after Bowers is cut blocked. He doesnt PRESS the pitch, but has position. Pitch goes to Roddy Jones for 22, because of Gilchrist being cut blocked and Thomas' block on Butler.... Next play is the same but Butler goes to the QB instead of the pitch man, WRONG ASSIGNMENT, Conner's man, and Roddy Jones for 21 more....

....Dive handled for 3.... Marcus Wright on a orbit-reverse pitch for 4, just well blocked.... Nesbitt gets a 1st down because Brandon Thompson fails to make the tackle, but excellent penetration, linebackers blown off the ball.... Anthony Allen stopped on a counter by Bowers, good job to stay home..... Dwyer on a pitch for 2, well-stopped by Sapp.... Roddy Jones was wide open with Maye in coverage, who stumbled, and dropped the ball inside the 5. 47 yd FG, 7-3, 9 plays 54 yards

GT does an outstanding job of WR blocking downfield, good at cracks and stalk blocks. I hope Clemson's WRs are paying attention to this in any film review they look at. Other than the two long pitch plays the defense was adequate. Its clear from the start that Paul Johnson wishes to attack Clemson on the perimeter.

2nd CU drive starts from our 26. Morgan moved to other side and whips both Austin and Hairston on the first pass to Harper, ran right through the B-gap. Spiller again limping a little after a tough 4 yard carry inside. Ellington for 18 right up the middle on a zone play. Damn he hits a hole fast. 2nd & 7 pass, thrown early, on what looked like a screen goes for nothing; Morgan was right in Parker's face. 3rd down throw to Allen was just off, but excellent coverage by GT. Jackson misses 52 yd FG, slipped on the bad footing.

The footing was very bad for this game, plays right into GT's hands really. I'm surprised the field condition would be that bad at an NFL stadium. Another good drive by CU but just couldnt get the 3rd down completion.

Defensive drive starts at the GT 35. Butler good job to stop Thomas one-on-one.... Nesbitt for 6, Sapp and Maye standing there. SAPP SHOULD HAMMER HIS ASS with Maye as backup on the pitch.... 3rd & 1, inside veer play, Bowers hammers Dwyer, but #15 has a hand on Maye's shoulder pads and he cant get free while Conner is woefully weak on the tackle-6 yard gain..... Pass to Peebles is too far in front of him, Safety late getting to him or it would've been a 20-30 yard gain, looks like CU is playing some Cover 4.... Goodman runs down Nesbitt for a short gain..... 3rd & 8 play, Maye blocked out by a Guard, and Dwyer goes for 20. GT had one WB set out wide on this play, forcing Clemson to shift the LBs over to cover him, Brandon Maye quickly ran over a little to where he'd have been standing normally and once he was blocked by the Guard head-on it was through.....

Midline keeper for 3.... Orbit pitch again for 7, well-blocked by GT, but Bowers nearly had him the backfield. END of 1st QTR. Tig Willard has bad position on Dwyer run for 10 outside.... Jenkins beats his blocker and tackles Dwyer for 2.... Pitch out strung out well, and well played by Willard outside.... Dwyer runs right behind his LT, Willard can't get a hand on him, nor can McDaniel (?) or Maye as he goes into the endzone. 10-7 GT, 12 plays 65 yards, 05:18

See the young guys make a good play, then follow it up with a bad one. Wingbacks for GT are doing TOO well against our LBs and Safeties in one-on-one blocks. Bowers played really well on this drive, getting off his blocks every time. The inside plays to Dwyer worked because they were double-teaming the NG (chavis or thompson) and then the extra blocker comes off and nails the LB (usually Maye). Guys are not ATTACKING the QB on the pitch.

CU starts at the 43, Parker pressured and throws it a little hard to Ellington, it bounces off his hands and right into the defender's hands at the GT 45. 9 times out of 10 that is not caught by the DB.

Defensive drive from their 45. Nesbitt for 2, well played by Maye (he got off his blocker and attacked). Maye overruns the next Dive play and doesnt attack the B-gap, and Lyons gets 6..... Same play again gets the 1st down, but Maye doesnt overrun it..... Maye carried for 2 yards as Anthony Allen goes for 8 on an orbit-pitch....Willard shoots his gap and manages to slow Dwyer down for a short gain.... 2 Missed tackles and CB to one side is cut-blocked on a 7 yd gain, but Thompson smacked Nesbitt right in the face, tremendous first step.... Jenkins offsides for 5.... Thompson beats his man again and blows up the Dive on a short gain.... KA is cut-blocked, and the safety reacts to the pitch as Peebles gets for 13 yard gain on a pass, same play as before that was incomplete down the seam.... Dive stopped for 1.... 3 penatlies push them back to the 17. Rennie Moore had a good sack negated on the holding call, and he was the one that got held.... Conner makes a great play on a dive and flattens Dwyer.... Jarvis Jenkins makes a great play to tackle Dwyer on a screen pass for a loss of 7. 49 yd FG, 13-7, 12 plays 23 yards, 07:40

A win for the defense on this drive. Thompson was unstoppable and in the backfield on every play. Maye being his usual self.

CU starts at the 35. 5 straight hard runs by Spiller, zone's and Iso plays. Spiller for 41 on the TD on a pitch, good perimeter blocking. Terrible snap on the XP attempt, absolutely terrible. 13-13, 5 plays 65 yards

There is no excuse for a snap thats THAT bad. It was behind Wade's head, be thankful he can handle the ball well.

Defensive drive starts from the GT 36 with 2:55 on the clock. Nesbitt overthrows wide open WR....Late pitch to Jones for 8 is fumbled when KA hits him, but Nesbitt recovers it. Whomever was playing the Nose on this play ate up Lyons again....Dwyer short dive for 1st down....Conner shoots the gap for a loss, GT calls TO....Comeback pass completed for 9, but good coverage by Butler....Dwyer dive for a couple...Thomas drops a 9 yard pass that was low....Throwback screen to Hill for 8, poor coverage by whomever was the CB on playside.....3rd &2 keeper gets the 1st down...Dwyer for a couple....3rd & 8 pass was underthrown to Hill and Butler was on his back, PI called. He didn't have to touch him. I think the pass was uncatchable....Pressure forces a throwaway....Pass into the flats for 8 to Melton, then GT kicks. 28 yd FG, 16-13 GT, 15 plays 53 yards, 02:49

PI call was an uncatchable pass. Again, the guys playing the Nose are eating up GT inside, but GT is combo blocking for one second and then the lineman goes up and pushes Maye 15 yards down the field. Kevin Alexander is essentially a non-factor, being cut blocked by the Wing or the OT is coming off and taking him on veers.

Clemson kneels to out the half.

Halftime

Defense: Clemson is doing OK with the dive. Thompson and Jenkins are unstoppable up front. LBs are being blocked by Guards 5-10 yards down the field at times. Perimeter play though, is just bad. The corners and safeties are being cut blocked by the Wings and WRs. They get chunks on 1st and 2nd down and set up 3rd & short yardage and we arent so good against the Dive that we can limit it to less than 2 yards.

170 yards rushing, 30 yards passing, 9/12 on 3rd down. 9 of those attempts were 4 yds or less.

But the GT blocking is exceptional. GT has the ball 19:41 to 10:19 in the half.

Offense: All CJ. 146 yards rushing, 27 yards passing, 2/3 on 3rd down

3RD QTR

Defensive drive starts from the GT 29. Pitch to Jones for 13, same play as to start the game. Sapp was there to force, but no secondary there to handle the pitch man....Bowers and Thompson eat up Dwyer....Nesbitt eaten up by Bowers, good tackle....3rd &10, same little wing pass to Peebles as before, for 8. I dont know why McDaniel was playing that far off....4th&2 at midfield, defense was expecting Dive and Bowers hits Dwyer in the mouth, Conner correctly forces the pitch, but Gilchrist was cut blocked by the Wingback, 7 yard gain....Maye takes Nesbitt for no gain on a busted play...15 yd gain by Nesbitt, Conner caught by a pitch fake and ends up hitting nobody, then Maye misses a tackle along with Gilchrist and Chancellor attempts a weak one (vid below of the loop scheme of blocking it, compare to the veer explained below, watch the RT)

...Dive for 2...Goodman misses Nesbitt, who gets free for 7. Gilchrist missed tackle. Branch finally hits him and both Maye and Alexander are 10 yards downfield.....3rd & 1,Nesbitt keeper off tackle for a 1st, NOBODY ATTACKS....Midline keeper by Nesbitt for the TD. 2 missed tackles, one weak one by McDaniel. KA blocked by the lead WB. As in game 1, Cumbie takes the Dive instead of controlling his blocker and waiting as he should. GT has more blockers than we do defenders here. 23-13 GT, 11 plays 71 yards

I've never seen RBs, and thats what these Wingbacks are, who block this well since Nebraska of the mid-90s. Its difficult for a LB to get off somebody who dives at his knees. Their linemen stick with the DEs just long enough for them to not eat up Nesbitt in the backfield, then veer to hit the LBs and drive them 10 yards.

CU starts from our 40. Spiller stopped for no gain because we have Jacoby trying to cut block Derrick Morgan, WTF? Palmer and Walker pancaked his ass on the next play though.... Palmer for 20 on a wide open out route, LB never picked him up....CJ for 36 on an outside Iso with orbit motion, excellent seal block by Palmer and Hairston to spring it, 23-20, 5 plays 60 yards

GT starts at their 30. Dive for 2...Ricky Sapp burst through backfield to stop Nesbitt for loss....D. Thomas for 70 yd TD on a hitch-n-go. 30-20.

Most disappointing play of the game, no way should he have been that open. He puts a double move on Butler, who is worried about a pitchout, on 3rd & 10. Gilchrist had his eyes on the WB, who was matched up man/man on a LB and didn't get his eyes over to Thomas. If he'd been there, no TD. I can't tell for sure whether we're playing Cover 4 or Cover 2, because of the alignment, but he should be there helping Butler. Defense finally gets them stopped on 1st and 2nd down, and we choke. I really believe the game was lost here.

CU starts at our 26. Harper gets good blocking on a couple plays, CJ didnt get too much of it on a Power O play, because of no push by Cloy/Smith on the right side.... Jacoby makes a great catch off the turf, but a badly low throw.....Parker intercepted by Terrant. He had time to get rid of the ball, and held onto it for too long, then Morgan comes free when Parker sees Spiller down the sideline. Parker never set his feet with Morgan coming and it sailed right into Terrant's arms. Whats bad is that we were trying to finally stretch the defense vertically there, which Billy hadn't called until now.

GT return puts them at the CU 28....Dive gets a couple...Botched play is thrown away by Nesbitt...late pitch to Allen gets 4 on the boundary, Conner forced him out. 40yd FG, 33-20.

Good job by the defense there to hold them, but the INT was killer.

CU starts on our 28. Ellington for 11 on a Power play, MCCLAIN MADE A BLOCK HOLY SHIT....Ellington for 30, good effort by Jacoby to block downfield, Palmer, and Walker....Start of 4th Qtr....Ford runs by Reed and had to wait on the ball just a little, and it bounced off his chest pads after Reed gave him a little bump to the facemask. Thats a bad no-call, would've been a TD. On 4th & 3 we call TO, then come out and go for it, which was the correct call to make with 14min left in the 4th down by 13. A quick out to Ford was thrown behind him, great catch for the first down....Parker sacked by Burnett on a busted play, CJ stumbled on an Isolation handoff, but WHY didnt Parker throw it away?...3rd & 15 and Parker scrambles for 12, good decision....4th & 3, flag thrown on Burnett for interfering with Palmer...CJ carried it in from 9 yards out on a HB Power. 33-27 GT, 10 plays 72 yards

Very clutch drive by the offense, two big 4th down conversions. Most of it was pass calls, not CJ, but again he kept us in it. Now we needed the defense to get a stop.

GT starts from their 25. Nesbitt gets 15 on the first play, because Conner and Maye can't get through their gaps. Bowers jumped off the line to take the PITCH, with the LB supposed to take the QB but nobody got through. An adjustment made by Steele there.

....Nesbitt eaten up for no gain....Dwyer runs right by the front line, and Maye just stands there and takes the blocker instead of playing with his eyes and seeing Dwyer. Chavis misses a tackle before McDaniel and Cumbie run him down for 12....

Sapp and Cumbie stop Dive for 3....McDaniel comes up on a pitch for a 3 yard gain, good hit and well played by the defense...3rd & 4, Dwyer gets 3 up the left side....4th down QB Sneak is stopped for no gain because Bowers blew right past his man inside, and Maye/Jenkins wrap him up. Turnover on downs.

Bowers jumped the count there. They double team Thompson on every play and they cant move him. If our LBs were any good then this drive wouldve gotten nowhere.

Clemson takes over on our 37. Spiller Iso for 54 yards. Excellent block by Allen and Dye to spring it....Makes a 4 yd gain out of a 4 yd loss on the next Power play....Ellington carries it in up the gut on 3rd & 1 on an Iso right behind Cloy, a GT lineman dove behind him and hit his right leg with his shoulder and you could see it break. 34-33 CU, 4 plays 63 yards

The drive was clutch again, but only took about a minute and a half. If we had taken another 2 minutes off, we win the game. I guess the defense was just too tired now because we didnt stop them again. Did I mention I love the isolation? CJ isnt taking it up the designed hole most of the time, so its mostly him.

GT gets the ball on their 14 with 6:11. Dabo told them to get a stop or they dont deserve a title, and we had them in their worst field position, and they just beat us. Crossed up play on incomplete pass, wrong route....Bowers doesnt take Nesbitt as he should, and he gets 8. 3rd down pitch to Allen, Gilchrist and Maye string it out excellently, but Thompson really ate his man up and had Nesbitt by the foot....4th and inches, of course they get it, but Jenkins was playing too high....Conner late in coverage on Dwyer, 21 yds....Dive for 3, Thompson and Bowers again....Quick throw to Thomas, Maxwell playing too far off him and he gets 7, thats scheme to play off his block on a pitch....Nesbitt right up the middle, MLB not charging his GAP....Again off tackle for 10, Maye is cut by the WB, Bowers correctly takes his pitch man, no OLB to see, I believe he was blocked by the LT who was lined up on Bowers...What they are doing is the Veer, where the LT doesnt really touch Bowers at all but lets him go free, as he cuts inside. With Bowers' assignment being the Pitch and not the QB, he just runs into him without looking at Nesbitt. The LT who is on Bowers veer blocks, meaning he goes inside of Bowers and hits the LB to the playside, or the one from the backside scraping. The MLB has the QB in this situation, and he's cut blocked so he cant make the tackle. Thats just perfect execution....Dive stopped by Cumbie for 2....Dive for 8, right by Bowers, Chavis was double teamed into the turf. Well blocked....Dive for 5....Maxwell misses the tackle on the 15 yd TD on what appears to be a counter. 39-34 GT, 13 plays 86 yards

Never forced another 3rd down after that 4th & 1 play.

This is the Veer, watch the Left side of the OL. An alternate scheme they threw at us is called the Loop, when the Tackle goes outside his DE.

CU ball at our 35 with 1:20. Holding pushes us back 10....Throw sails over Dye incomplete...Overthrows CJ on a Fly route, poor decision by Parker....Hits Dye stopped a yard short, low throw and he had to sit to catch it....Morgan stops Parker from scrambling for the 1st down. Game over.

Summarizing thoughts

My original post-championship thoughts

After watching this film, you spend much more time seeing just how good our defensive line really is. Da'Quan Bowers, Jarvis Jenkins, and Brandon Thompson are extremely good. We did get penetration all day with the first team DL, but Ricky Sapp was not really a factor. The backups, however, need some work. Jamie Cumbie does his job but doesnt get the same penetration from the 3-tech, and Miguel Chavis is nowhere near Thompson's ability level on the Nose. Nowhere near him.

Clemson did in fact control the Dive, which I didnt think we did when I watched it live. Look at all those carries for 2-3 yards. The inside guys did their job on the line. No way in hell would I want to play Georgia Tech without Brandon Thompson. I'll go ahead and tell you all now, they will run the Veer to Andre Branch/Malliciah Goodman's side of the field next year; Bowers gave them hell up front. You dont notice it as much because there were not as many TFL or sacks, but they had serious trouble with him.

Where this game was lost on defense is the perimeter. GT pounded away inside against us in Game 1, giving up on the veer, but in this game they kept going back outside, and thats how they killed us. In the first part of the game, the DEs were told to help stop the dive, and that opens up the perimeter for Nesbitt and a pitch man. Johnson took it. In the 2nd half, we started sending the DEs on the pitch man, with the LB assigned to the QB (force), but the LBs cant get off these cut blocks and the veering Olinemen. An OL on a LB is a win for the offense. Kevin Alexander can hold his position most of the time but doesnt get off the block. Maye is hopeless at dodging any blocker, doesnt jump into his gap and NO ONE ALL DAY attacked the QB. Even when the LBs were in the right gaps, they didnt run full force into anyone. They were tentative and appeared confused.

I dont agree with the scheme to send the DE on the Pitch, I'd have him on the QB and tell him to knock his ass flat every play. We did that in game 1, and didnt today, not at all that i noticed. 22 carries for 103 yards for Nesbitt, thats 22 times when he shouldve been flattened. The QB made this offense work, and we only took away the Dive.

Secondary play on the pitch, which was the scheme in the first half, was bad. However, Thomas is big for a WR, and its going to be hard to get anybody off him, thats why they run to his side. The safeties were late, and sometimes cut/arc-blocked by the WB to that side of the field.

Game was lost by being unable to stop them on 1st and 2nd down, not 3rd down. All 3rd downs were short. The 3rd & 10 TD is the only long 3rd down that comes to mind.

GT is the best cut-blocking team I've ever seen, and their OTs run the veer exceptionally well. We did not deserve to win this game, but C.J. Spiller did.

Offense: Good game plan by Napier, in contrast to his bed-wetting in Columbia. He knew to establish the run and did. CJ ate them alive: 20 carries for 233 and 4 TDs. 414 yards of total offense, 323 rushing, only 10 less than GT.

And it was mostly with the simplest play in football: the isolation

Clemson has started running the Power play behind the left side here as the season has tailed off, whereas for most of the year it was Austin as the pulling Guard. This is what I screamed for after the Maryland game.

Parker 10/17 for 91 yds and 2 INTs. GT played substantially more zone than in game 1 but played it well. Most play calls were rushes but still Parker is plagued by inaccuracy. His bullet was a factor in the first INT to Ellington, but Ellington shouldve caught the ball. The 2nd one is entirely on Parker. We were never able to stretch the field vertically but with 323 rushing it doesnt matter really. The offense did what it could do to seal this one.

The OL handled Morgan well enough, and we ran right at him several times. That much was improved over Game 1. Downfield and perimeter blocking was very good by our WRs and TEs, to spring loose nearly every one of CJ's big runs. It would've been nice to hold Morgan for one more second on the last play of the game, but you can't hold it against the line when they did as well as they did against a future 1st Rd pick. However, most of Spiller's Isolation runs did not go up the designated hole, so don't get too excited about the run blocking. Our OL did not fire off the ball the way GT did, which comes as no surprise considering their coach hasnt changed. The left side played well enough but the right side needs to work on their push..

Saturday NFL Draft watch notes: Clemson/Georgia Tech

Mocking Dan — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 21:45:09 -0000

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C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson: Spiller might not have optimal size, but he's a top player in every other regard. He's incredibly fast and runs away from just about everyone. His agility is world class and he showcases it in the running game and on special teams.

DeAndre McDaniel, SS, Clemson: Few safeties this season have played as well as McDaniels, a junior. He has eight interceptions, 78 tackles, seven tackles for a loss and two sacks. His size and athleticism is also impressive. He carries a second-round grade and should only get better.

Ricky Sapp, DE, Clemson: Sapp's production has been hot and cold his entire career. He was stellar in the middle part of the season, but struggled in the second half. He's a good 3-4 outside linebacker candidate because of his athleticism and projectable frame.

Jacoby Ford, WR, Clemson: In the right situation, Ford could be a dangerous player in the NFL. He's undersized, but would immediately be one of the fastest players in the league. He's an asset returning kicks and has good enough hands.

Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Georgia Tech: At times this season Dwyer has struggled, leading some to question his conditioning. Dwyer has still looked quick and agile through the hole, but is clearly at his best on the outside. He's hard to take down once he gets up to speed.

Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech: Morgan has shown all season that he's ready for the NFL. He enters today's game with 13 sacks and 19 tackles for loss. But he's much more than just a pass rusher. He's very good against the run and should be able to contribute as a rookie. He needs to improve his conditioning, but is a top 20 talent.

Morgan Burnett, FS, Georgia Tech: Burnett has played closer to the line of scrimmage this season, but still has four interceptions. He's a good all-around safety prospect and has good speed. For teams needing a free safety, Burnett could be a second-round steal, if he comes out.

Demaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech: The definition of an all-around wide receiver, Thomas can do it all. He's a big target at 6-foot-3 and 229 pounds and has good hands. But his blocking is what has gotten the attention of talent evaluators. He's a powerful player who maintains his assignment impressively.

South Carolina Thoughts...Moving Forward to Georgia Tech

FIGUREFOUR — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:48:57 -0000

Clemson Tigers

Well, maybe it is not that bad, but the tremors from the bomb SC dropped on us yesterday are still resonating throughout the Palmetto State. I had to take a 24 hour moratorium on writing this item to allow the dust to settle and to avoid penning an article that would be too emotional and ultimately detrimental for anyone reading. So, objectively, I will review the items that we were watching yesterday and add additional details as necessary. The positive thing that we as Clemson fans have going for us is a trip to Tampa and a good opportunity for another game in Miami.

Did the Tigers appear distracted and overlook the Gamecocks? It appeared as though this team was a little too confident coming into this contest. While historical records certainly favor the Tigers (as we constantly point out and joke about here), this is 2009 and what happened in the past will not win you football games today. While I think the coaching staff was aware that this was a big game and that South Carolina would not roll over in the same fashion they did last season, the players were not serious enough about this football game. Hopefully this is a real eye-opener for this team and for the staff. Nobody's crowning their asses yet, as an Atlantic Division title--while nice--doesn't mean much if Clemson cannot take care of business. The coaching staff will need to use this game as a reminder to future teams that all games are important and any team can win on any given day. While distraction/overconfidence may have played a role in CU's loss, it certainly was not the sole reason for the outcome of yesterday's football game.

Special teams played a role in Saturday's football game, as predicted. Clemson and C. J. Spiller did a nice job taking advantage of an opening kickoff penalty by the Gamecocks. Spiller was able to return his 7th kickoff for a touchdown and set a new NCAA career record in this category. Clemson was able to convert all PAT attempts as well as its sole FG attempt on the afternoon. CU (Da'Quan Bowers) blocked a South Carolina FG and was the benefactor of a huge mental error on the Gamecocks, as the Cocks partially blocked a punt then touched the ball, giving Clemson a gift first down on a Michael Wade--I believe--recovery and denying SC great field position. Unfortunately, Clemson committed a big roughing the kicker penalty (Ricky Sapp, I believe, while engaged with a SC blocker, roughed up the punter), continuing a SC drive after the defense held them to a 3 and out effort. Overall, I think we are all happy with this effort.

The running game was critical in this affair. SC came out and did something that they have not done all year--find a running game and stick with it. USC churned out 223 yard on the ground, with Freshman Kenny Miles leading this effort with 17 carries for 114 yards. I really did not expect SouthCarolina to be able to come out and stick it to our defense in such a fashion. Carolina has not done this all year and has really struggle with their run blocking. The rushing success out of the Wildcat formation and on designed QB keepers was more expected, as such items have hurt Clemson previously this season (Virginia, Georgia Tech, and TCU all come to mind). Clemson and offensive coordinator Billy Napier produced 48 yards on 19 carries. Apparently Billy doesn't have the address to this blog, because we have consistently professed how to beat South Carolina's defense--RUN THE BALL BETWEEN THE TACKLES. Clemson instead attempted reverses and everything but lining up and attacking this team right up the gut. Clemson did not even try to commit to the inside running game, and probably ran more reverses and such than simple ISO and inside trap plays. This was a facet of Napier's playcalling that I was really disappointed with, and cannot accept any excuses for not feeding Spiller/Ellington/Harper the rock inside more (other than Harper's fumble and the poor play of our offensive line, which we will get to later on). Championship coaches identify opponent's weaknesses and hammer them. Carolina has been poor in the middle of their defense for years. Clemson's rushing strategy was simply not acceptable. Clemson's inability to rush the ball negated the effectiveness of play action (which Clemson has successfully utilized over the last portion of this season) as the game progressed.

Turnovers, in a nutshell, killed the Tigers. Harper's early fumble, in my opinion, was the turning point of the football game. Up 7 and driving after forcing a Steven Garcia INT, Clemson had a chance to really get it going inside Gamecock territory. Instead, Jamie Harper puts the ball on the ground and a complete momentum shift occurred. South Carolina has given up several times this season (Tennessee and Arkansas immediately come to mind), and goiing up 14-0 early in the game would have been deflating for this team. Instead, SouthCarolina comes out and drives right down the field, with Stephon Gilmore leading the charge out of the Wildcat formation. His completion to fellow Freshman Alshon Jeffery was impressive. This drive was very well planned, as SOS did a good job here of changing the pace while still capturing the big play we were used to seeing out the the Old Ball Coach while at Florida. Not to digress too far, but this was set up by a key Clemson turnover. On the flip side, Clemson benefited from one interception and the a gift from the blocked punt, neither of which turned into points for the Tigers. Clemson had many opportunities to take the ball from Carolina, but were unable to simply fall on the football when USC put it on the ground. Losing the turnover battle and not making the most of SC's mistakes is probably the telling tale of this football game.

Offensive line play, simply stated, was terrible for Clemson. Clifton Geathers and Cliff Matthews each had big games against the Tigers' tackles. Shaq Wilson and Eric Norwood were harassing Kyle Parker all afternoon with designed blitzes. This was the most disappointing portion of this football game. Clemson looked as inept against SC as it did earlier in the year when everyone we played whipped out OL. This time, however, all members of the OLgot embarrassed. Kyle Parker had no protection all afternoon and was constantly running for his life. We have discussed here what we think the main problem with this line is (and where it all started). I would strongly suggest reading both of these articles by Dr. B (2008 and 2009 Editions, linked immediately following this sentence), as I will not get too far into this today (I fully expect this issue to be a hot topic over the course of the next few weeks/months. 2008 Edition and 2009 Edition. South Carolina, on the other hand, whipped us up front and ran the ball well (see above). Because they could run the ball, they did not have to throw the ball (and pass protect) against a really good CU pass defense.

Clemson did a poor job defensively. The defense looked winded to me late. Clemson had some botched gap assignments and missed a few tackles. Carolina had over 36 min of total offense, tiring the Clemson defense. Clemson got pushed around up front and were unable to force as many three and out drives as we have seen all season long. Once again, SC'sability to dominate up front, control the ball with their rushing game, and capitalize on drives (with touchdowns) kept the Clemson defense on the field and getting pushed around. This is the first time all year that I can remember this D-Line getting out-muscled.

Overall, South Carolina simply wanted it more. They came out and took it to us in the trenches. SOS and Ellis Johnson had pretty good gameplans on both sides of the football, and the Gamecocks executed pretty well. Carolina was the benefactor of a couple big breaks and bounces of the football (Clemson cannot recover two fumbles, SC field goal banks through the uprights, etc...). Fortunately, as mentioned earlier in the week, this game means nothing (other than the fact that I get to hear trash talk all year from my Cockfan coworkers and others), as Clemson can redeem itself and capture an Orange Bowl invitation by defeating Georgia Tech Saturday night in Tampa.

There were a few positives Satruday. C. J. Spiller was able to set an NCAA record with his game-opening kickoff return for a TD. Unfortunately, Spiller was able to contribute little after that, as his run for the Heisman took a significant hit against the Gamecocks. Michael Palmer had 8 catches for 106 yards and a touchdown. This was the first 100 yard passing game since 1970, and only the second in school history, per the Greenville News. Palmer and Allen have combined this season to break many of the TE records set by Pittsburgh Steelers legend Bennie Cunningham in the 1970's. This game should be a real eye-opener and give the coaches plenty to harp on until next September.

On to Tampa. The Tigers will do battle with The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets for the honor of representing the ACC in this year's Orange Bowl. You all remember Clemson's first Thursday night game against Tech earlier in the season. Tech, like Clemson, comes into this contest following a stinging loss to its in-state rival (I feel for them, cause I absolutely hate Georgia). Clemson cannot afford to commit the stupid mistakes it made against Tech earlier in the year, particularly on special teams. We both think that Clemson has an excellent chance to win this weekend, especially after watching Georgia run all over GT. The Willie Martinez-led defense was able to hold GT to 340 total yards and just over 200 on the ground. If Willie can be effective against this potent offense, there is no reason Clemson shouldn't have a good change at slowing them down. We will get into more game analysis and keys to this contest as the game gets closer. Here are some of our opinions and overviews of the first contest against Tech. These are good reads and are good homework/holdover materials until we release some new material later in the week.

http://www.shakinthesouthland.com/2009/09/gt-preview_10.html

http://www.shakinthesouthland.com/2009/09/what-to-look-for-against-gt.html

http://www.shakinthesouthland.com/2009/09/impressions-before-looking-at-film30-27.html

http://www.shakinthesouthland.com/2009/09/clemson-falls-to-gt-30-27.html

http://www.shakinthesouthland.com/2009/09/defensive-breakdowns-against-gt.html

Here are some notes on basic strategies and palys GT will use on Saturday:

http://www.shakinthesouthland.com/2009/06/gt-defensing-flexbone-basics.html

http://www.shakinthesouthland.com/2009/07/gt-defending-run-shoot.html

http://mgoblog.com/diaries/spread-run-game-nuances

Saturday NFL Draft watch notes

Mocking Dan — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:59:19 -0000

More photos » by Michael Dwyer - AP

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• The Clemson/South Carolina game features two of the best 3-4 outside linebacker prospects in Ricky Sapp (Clemson) and Eric Norwood (South Carolina). Both are seniors and having good seasons. Norwood might be the most-ready college player for a 3-4 outside linebacker spot, but Sapp's physical tools give him more upside.

• The North Carolina/North Carolina State game also features top 3-4 linebacker prospects in junior Bruce Carter (North Carolina) and senior Willie Young (NC State). Quietly, Young is putting together a solid year with 12 tackles for a loss and eight sacks. Carter is much stronger and is good at handling the run and the pass.

As mentioned previously here at MTD, North Carolina has perhaps the best group of junior talent on defense in the nation. Tackle Marvin Austin is full of athleticism. His numbers may be down, but he consistently faces double teams. Middle linebacker Quan Sturdivant leads the team in tackles with 71 and an impressive 12 tackles for loss. Strong safety Deunta Williams is a big hitter with six interceptions. Cornerback Kendric Burney might be short, but he's a playmaker.

• The key players in the Wake Forest/Duke game are interior defensive linemen. Wake's Boo Robinson is an underrated pocket pusher and Duke's Vince Oghobaase is incredibly athletic.

• Syracuse running back Delone Carter has injury problems throughout his career, but he's been a solid player this season. He's only a junior, but someone to keep an eye on. In the last three weeks, he's rushed for 339 yards and two scores.

• While teammate Carlos Dunlap has had a very disappointing season, Jermaine Cunningham has shown to be a solid contributor. He might not be a starter at the next level, but he can be a solid contributing backup because he can get after the passer and is decent against the run.

• Ole Miss running back/wide receiver Dexter McCluster has been one of the most buzzy-worthy player the last two weeks. Against Tennessee and LSU, he rushed for a combined 430 yards and four touchdowns. He's very undersized, but could be the next Darren Sproles.

• The LSU defense has plenty of NFL players, so it will be one of the biggest challenges Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett faces all season. Third nationally in pass efficiency, Mallett has 3,195 yards passing and 28 touchdowns this season. The redshirt sophomore seems ready for the NFL right now. A big game against the Tigers today, and maybe he should enter.

• Hey, remember Eric Berry? You know, the Tennessee safety. One of the best players in the nation? His pass defense numbers – two interceptions, six pass breakups – might be down this year, but he's played more against the run. This is just a friendly reminder that the junior is still one of the top five players in the nation.

Quick Thoughts: Through UVa, Early Week Thoughts for USC

FIGUREFOUR — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:20:35 -0000

More photos » by Richard Shiro - AP

29 days ago: Clemson's C.J. Spiller (28) acknowledges fans during the first half of their NCAA college football game against Virginia, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009, at Memorial Stadium in Clemson S.C. (AP Photo/Richard Shiro)

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I think we are all pleased that Dabo Swinney, in his first full season at the helm of the Clemson football program, finally meshed the talent that Clemson has recruited with more intensity, enthusiasm, and a winning attitude to completely transform the program from where Tom Bowden left it just over a year ago after getting crushed by Alabama, giving one away to a bad Maryland team, then looking completely inept against Wake Forest. There is nothing like promoting your receivers coach to clean up an underachieving mess. It was also refreshing to see Swinney remove the Mad Scientist from his role, add Pearman, Steele, etc... to the staff, and come out with lots of energy all season. Interestingly, Swinney's contract calls for the 40 year-old coach to receive a nice (approx $1 million) bonus due to Clemson earning a spot in next month's championship game. Not too shabby for the former Crimson Tide walk-on. This incentive-laden contract really was beneficial for both parties.

The Virginia game was, by itself, not entirely impressive other than the fact that Clemson came in and was able to to take care of business and lock up sole possession of 1st place in the Atlantic regardless of how BC plays next week. The defense was obviously confused by the Wildcat formation and the misdirection/trickery from the Wahoos. The defense, led by senior Ricky Sapp, did get it together in the second half to pitch a shutout over the final 30 minutes. I was happy to see this group get after the Virginia QB late in the game and record a half dozen sacks in the final period of the game. Clemson also forced two fumbles on the afternoon, giving this defense 29 turnovers this season. Winning the turnover battle has been extremely important for the Tiger this year because it limits the opponent's touches while keeping them on their heels all game long. I was happy to see Da'Quan Bowers in the game for a handful of plays Saturday. Hopefully he will be ready to go this weekend against Carolina then next again against Tech. Bowers gives us a lot of athleticism and creates depth along the defensive line. Clemson was aided in the second half by an injury to Mikell Simpsonon Virginia's final TD to end the half. Al Groh elaborated after the game on this loss and the how it limited the ability of the Cavaliers and their wildcat strategy.

C.J. Spiller and Jacoby Ford combined for two great senior efforts to conclude their Death Valley careers, with both tallying touchdowns and Ford breaking the 100 yard receiving threshold on the day. Kyle Parker again had a steady day, compleing 19 of 26 passes for 234 yards and 2 tds. His maturation over the course of this season combined with an exceptionally strong arm and decent mobility set Parker up to be a great collegiate QB should he chose to avoid professional baseball. I was a little disappointed not to see Willy Korn in a mop-up role. His future at Clemson appears to be all but sealed with Parker's success this season and Tajh Boyd becoming available next season. Both Andre Ellington and Jamie Harperboth ran well here, with Ellington punching the rock in for a 3rd quarter TD. Once again, Clemson got good consistent play from the TE's, with Michael Palmer having three grabs and Dwayne Allen bringing down an early TD catch. Rendrick Taylor got a couple looks Saturday. I really expected more out of Taylor over his CU career, but was pleased to see him get some work on senior day.

All in all, this team has played hard all season long. Clemson never gave up, even after the embarrasment at Maryland. In fact, I firmly believe that the meltdown at College Park may have spurned the offensive coaches to return to a more basic and focussed offensive strategy, featuring only the proven playmakers (Spiller, Ford, and the TE's). Since laying an egg against the Terps, Clemson has not been defeated. The defense has continued its solid play and the offense has scored 34 or more points in each of those six contests. The improved play calling and execution coupled with a more focussed attack has silenced both critics of Swinney and Steele. As we pointed out earlier in the season,inexperience from the offensive staff as well as the QB position was a huge question mark, and both areas should immprove as each member gets more real game repetitions week in and week out.

On to our feathered friends in Columbia. South Carolina's season began well and has really tapered off over the balance of the games. After opening the year with a 5-1 record, the Gamecocks (6-5 overall, 3-5 in the SEC) have lost 4 of the past 5 games, with the lone win coming in a low-scoring affair against Vanderbilt. At some points this season, USC has looked like a really good team. Other times, South Carolina has struggled against teams they probably should have beaten handily (Vandy, Arkansas, NCST, and Kentucky come to mind). SOS has openly stated that he has and will continue to have more influence on playcalling and game flow.

This year's team features a talented defense and improved offense. Eric Norwood, school leader in sacks, is the best player on the team. He is a great athlete who runs well and has a nose for the football. Clifton Geathers is a pretty good defensive end, and the secondary (lead by Chris Culliver) rotates in a lot of young but talented DB's. Offensively, this team is much improved from a year ago. Steven Garcia getting more reps and actually participating in spring practice this year has paid off, as Garcia looks night and day better than he did last year. South Carolina has also found a couple of good, tall freshman receivers in Tori Gurley and Alshon Jeffery to compliment senior Moe Brown. Spurrier has repeatedly thrown jump balls the Jeffery, who has 29 receptions and 6 TD's on the season (including 3 TDs in a dominant performance against Kentucky). I really like TE Weslye Saunders. He is freaking huge (6'5", 280 lbs) is a good blocker and catches the ball well. This is one guy who can do some damage if he gets a full head of steam. Up front, bringing in Eric Wolford as offensive line coach has helped tremendously, as South Carolina's OL has improved dramatically since a year ago. Ellis Johnson (former Clemson, Alabama, and Mississippi State DC and Citadel HC) has been successful everywhere he has coached, and was also a quality hire for the Old Ball Coach.

Most of South Carolina's woes arise from depth and experience issues. While South Carolina has improved up front, their rushing attack is still sub-par. Kenny Miles, Jarvis Giles, and Brian Maddox share the carries for this team. I continually question why Maddox gets as many touches as he does because the two freshmen (Miles and Giles) are unquestionably better ball carriers than Maddux. South Carolina's size at receiver and tight end scares me a bit. Clemson likes to play man/man-press coverage, so this size advantage could be a big deal this weekend. Defensively, South Carolina is quick, but thin. The way to attack this defense is head on, as the Gamecocks lack quality depth at linebacker and up front. If you can get the starters tired, there is a nice opportunity to pound this team to death. USC's secondary is good and can hold its own against most any squad. The Alabama game was an excellent illustration of this point, as the Tide and Greg McElroy could do nothing through the air while Mark Ingram averaged 10 ypc and picked up almost 250 yards on the ground.

We will have much more insight on this contest as the week progresses. We are also looking to work with the Gamecock SBNation blog, Garnet And Black Attack, to provide some extra coverage and segments for this week's contest.

Below are highlights from last season's contest.

Clemson - UVA game film review

DrB — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:45:54 -0000

More photos » by Richard Shiro - AP

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Cavaliers vs Tigers boxscore

Cavaliers vs Tigers recap

This week's film review will be focused a little more on the defense and I will cover every offensive series but not in-depth. I see no big or very descriptive plays to pull out this week either, other than their trick plays. See the end for the summarizing thoughts. Please comment and ask questions on what you dont understand, these take a long time to do well. The goal here is to look for both good plays and bad technique. If theres anything that you would like to see or have explained, just ask. (edited with Tigernet videos)

1st play of the game on defense, UVA botches the handoff. That was on the RB, he never secured it.

Offensive drive, Clemson takes the ball on the 24. All zone runs from CJ. Diehl doesn't quite make the mesh point and fumbles, recovered by Austin. He's just not used to getting the ball. 4th and 2 call, shotgun set and Parker looks to throw on a bootleg. There was no one open and he runs it out of bounds. We ran the ball all the way down here, I would've spread the formation out to throw a dropback pass, or run inside.....but running inside seems to be the better call given that CJ ran the ball well. I would've gone for it instead of kicking however.

No points. Turnover at UVA 5.

Defensive drive: Rashawn Jackson pushes 3 guys forward for extra yardage. In a Nickel set, Gilchrist is in the nickelback and is late charging into a gap when the back comes to him, for a 1st down. Maye charges into the correct gap on 3rd down, but misses the tackle, goes for 3yds, but we still force a punt.

2nd CU Drive starts at the UVA 48. Harper gets nothing because McClain can't budge a guy. Deihl made a great block on the isolation play. Ford on a corner route and slipped for 17. Xavier Dye was open on a fly route in the endzone behind him. Parker hits Allen on a seam route for the TD. Parker looked off the FS to keep him still, but the FS should've made this play. Allen gives a salute, to the fans on the Hill and the military/ROTC guys in the endzone. He didnt even look at the UVA guys when he did it. Bullshit penalty. 7-0 CU. 4 plays 48 yards

Penalty forced Clemson to kick from our 30. UVA returns it 34 yards to our 45. Huge penalty from Ron Cherry's stellar crew.

Defensive drive from the CU 45. Can't stop the Wildcat against a terrible run offense. LBs out of position, not attacking gaps. I see a marginal hold on Bowers. Simpson is merely waiting on his blockers on delayed runs. Maye is held by the Guard on a 14 yd Power play to the CU 2, but he took that blocker head-on and shouldn't have. Still, he did try to turn his shoulder into him. McDaniel and Conner got their feet tangled up, and KA got handled by a RB. Weak KA, weak. Sewell walks into the endzone for the TD on a naked bootleg. Ricky Sapp was on that side and should've had containment, as should DeAndre McDaniel. The entire 2nd level bit on the play-action. 7-7, 6 plays 45 yards

Penalty set this up, but UVA had not been much of a Wildcat team that I'd seen earlier. They changed up their schemes on us and the Defense looked totally unprepared for it.

3rd CU drive starts at our 29. CJ takes a zone run for 14. Dalton Freeman forgets to snap the ball and we get a false start. Ford on a jailbreak/ruboff for a first down, then a comeback route for a first down. End of the 1st QTR. PA pass to Spiller on a wheel route for 26. This play was basically the same play we scored with against Georgia Tech earlier, but CJ was lined up at RB and there was play-action. Ford ran a Post to clear the underneath, and Ashe ran a Dig on the backside. CJ takes a zone with orbit motion for the score. 14-7, 6 plays 71 yards.

Defensive drive starts at the UVA 17. Goodman late on a tackle. Thompson and Goodman get penetration but cant run down Sewell. CLEAR holding call on Goodman there to make him a step late, right in front of Cherry. Screen is well played by Conner and Chavis for no gain. Zone Trap for 3 yard gain on Sapp. Sewell is caught by a backside blitz and throws off his back foot to a wide open receiver, Maye's man. Maye gets the late hit, and he deserved it. Another stupid penalty on Maye in consecutive weeks. UVA runs a Hanford Bunch set, Vic Hall is hit on a flanker screen, then throws back once the defense comes over to make the tackle on Hall. He had all the blockers. Overpursuit by the entire defense. Backside should've kept some containment by the End. Next play is an end-around pass to a wide open TE in the corner of the endzone. Nobody picked up the TE on his release after he initially blocked the DE. Secondary again bit on the initial motion. Chancellor went with the right guy, the LBs responsibility is run-first here. I think this is on the Free Safety. 14-14, 7 plays 83 yards

4th CU Drive starts at the CU 39. LB comes untouched around McClain and hits the mesh point, but doesnt know who to tackle. McClain apparently going to the DE with the RT headed to the OLB. I wonder what the hell McClain is thinking, in zone you block head-on when you are covered, you dont zone step right. Borderline late hit on Parker, not called. Marquan Jones catches a bubble, where has he been? Parker threads a needle into triple coverage on Palmer, great throw but a little late. Harper takes two Isolations for good yards. Ford gets an end-around, same play we ran against NC State last week. Good blocks by Palmer and Ellington downfield. Parker throws one away when the rush gets to him, but I thought everyone was covered when I saw it live. He might've been able to thread one in the back of the endzone. McClain again whipped on CJ's subsequent run that gets stopped. Dye can't get a foot down, incomplete. Throw was high. Jackson FG 17-14, 13 plays 57 yards

Antoine McClain is pissing me off. I don't think highly of Walker yet but McClain makes him look like a Pro Bowler.

Defensive drive starts from the 6. UVAs returner cant catch footballs, and didnt all day. Simpson hesitates going into his hole. Bowers holds and controls his blocker. On 3rd & 11 Vic Hall runs a great route and great throw for a 1st. Maye forces the fumble and Chancellor recovers at the 24.

5th CU drive at the 24. Parker blitzed and throws it away. Screen pass batted down, Parker didnt move his feet at all. He finds Ford in the endzone on the next play for 24 yards, deep post route. Parker was behind the LOS by a half yard. 24-14 CU, 3 plays 24 yards

Defensive drive starts from the UVA 20. 1:52 on the clock. They run one play, and let the clock run. On 2nd down we call timeout with 1:05 left. Dabo trying to get more? They run short for the 1st down. They want to run the clock off, but since we cant get off blocks and get tripped, they get 22 yards on one play with 40 seconds left and get a shot for the endzone. Burd drops a pass. Butler playing soft and they get out of bounds on an out/hitch. Conner gets through his hole too late and the back gets the 1st down. Brewer beaten on a return route for 13. Then they finally take their first timeout with 8 secs left. A wheel route to Simpson, Hall not there to help Maye. I think he should be but the post route kept him occupied long enough. Perfect throw and catch. 24-21 9 plays 80 yards

They weren't even trying to score, they wanted to run the clock out. We called timeout at 1:05 on the UVA 27. I know what Dabo is thinking, and don't blame him. We could get a punt return TD or good field position at midfield or better and put this game on ice. He has faith in his defense to stop them, they couldnt.

Halftime

Defense: Caught by tricks and misdirection. I thought we were more disciplined than that, but we overpursued, didnt get off blocks, lost containment on the edges, and had blown coverages by the Safeties. The Cavs deserve credit for doing things that they hadnt all year with trick plays, and they made a great catch at the end of the half. If they'd stuck with their conventional offense, i doubt they'd have scored twice.

UVA 230 yards, 114 passing 116 rushing

Offense: nothing much to complain about other than McClain's missed blocks. Very efficient for Parker, good running game, no drops. Spiller 9 carr, 39 yards, 3 rec 31 yards.

CU 224 yards, 152 passing, 72 rushing

3rd qtr

1st CU drive starts at CU 22. Zone read by Parker for 19. Spiller steps out on a flare route, looks hurt. Parker overthrows a deep post to Ford. Parker misses Spiller underneath, Spiller didnt seem to be looking for the ball to come to him. Parker had to throw it since they were running a twist into the gap, shouldve waited anotehr half second. Punt.

Spiller seemed totally unenthused with being out there after that flare route catch.

D: 3 & out, finally. I knew they wouldnt score again at this point.

2nd CU drive starts from the CU 34. Ellington is in at RB. Sprint-draw PA to Ford for 28 yards. Dye on an out for 13, his foot was down. Ron couldnt screw us. Ellington inside zone with orbit motion for 13, then hard running and good push by the left side for the TD. 31-21 CU 6 plays 66 yards

D: 3 & out. They go back to the Wildcat with Vic Hall, and we manage to jump into the gaps and get free from blocks off the corner. KA sacked Sewell, Conner NAILED Vic Hall within the 5 yd contact zone. Same situation that Maye got called a PI for last week.

3rd CU drive from our 40. Spiller back in. Rendrick bulldozes Dowling for a 1st down, where has that been? Harper 5 tough yards on an Iso. Cloy playing some RG here. Spiller stopped on some zone runs. Parker's pass to Ford in the back of the endzone is tipped by a Robber, or it would've been 6. Jackson FG 34-21, 9 plays 34 yards

D: 3 & out. Sack by Cumbie. End of 3rd quarter. Missed tackle on the completion to Burd, appeared to be McDaniel but Maye got over.

4th CU drive from our 33. 3 & out. Spiller on a sweep for 2, well defended. Taylor tackled shy of 1st down, Spiller knocked for loss on a Power. Looked like the RT in on this play missed Collins, who blew up the play. There were some backups in up front. Punt.

D: 3 & out. Good disciplined pursuit up front, good LB play. Andre Branch has a sack and lets him free, review shows him down. How Ron Cherry missed that I dont know, he was RIGHT behind him, not 3 yards away and looking at his feet. Again the booth ref isnt in on Ron's shenanigans.

5th CU drive from the UVA 40. Spiller zone for 1. Inside guys not moving anyone there. Hairston missed his man on a ruboff screen to Ford. Parker has ample time to find a receiver on 3rd & 4 PA, and doesnt see anyone. There was someone open on the backside but Parker never looked, but to the playside no one was really open. Jackson Missed 52yd FG.

I would've gone for this first down at their 35. I believe we could've made it if it was a little swing pass to Spiller.

Defensive drive from the UVA 35. Sapp is held, and Sewell finds a wheel route to Jones, matched on Gilchrist for 38. Rennie Moore sacks Sewell, intentional grounding call for loss of 17. Sewell is sacked on 3rd & 28, but Conner gets a personal foul on a helmet-to-helmet contact. I think its total bullshit. Conner is coming at Sewell, and he drops just before Conner gets there so it became helmet-chest contact. Conner's head hit Sewells shoulder pad and vice versa. Conner makes up for it by charging up the B gap and making a TFL, Gilchrist knocks a pass down in the seam on good coverage. Chancellor there in coverage on 4th down pass, and knocks it away. Turnover on downs.

6th CU drive, the offensive line has been shifted to more backups the last 3 drives, and thats the primary reason we can't run the football. Lambert doesnt feel like blocking on a screen, but they played it well. Punt.

Defensive drive from the UVA 32. Sapp and Maye finally get Sewell down for a sack after Maye missed him in the backfield, Burd gets a deep cross for a first down to our 41, Chavis misses a sack when he had him cleanly. Campbell and the nickelback both blitz and Campbell brings him down. Campbell knocks the next pass away from Vic Hall. Rennie Moore gets another sack, good jump and technique. Turnover on downs.

Clemson takes a knee. End of game

Summarizing thoughts

Defense didn't blitz as much as I expected early, they were on their heels. In the 2nd half I think we blitzed a little more, but it was predominantly better play by the defensive line getting off blocks and shooting the gaps. LBs played better, particulary Conner. Chancellor was excellent in coverage, and went unmentioned because of it. I knew Steele would shut it down in the 2nd half.

Bowers probably got in on 10-15 plays tops.

Offensively we just executed, theres not much to say. Route running was ok that I saw, blocking was good in the 3rd quarter but fell off in the 4th when we put in the backups. Jacoby Ford had a great day, he pretty much returned every kick and had 100+ yards receiving.

Kyle Parker didnt miss many throws at all, much better day for him in terms of efficiency.

Red zone issues remain.

I was just disappointed we didnt leave the 1st team OL in there to block for CJ and let him break one. I think he lost something after that flare pass, and he looked tired afterwards. The 2nd team had a noticable dropoff.

Special teams was sound, but not spectacular. We hit the EXTRA POINTS, but kickoff coverage was a bit lax a couple times. I'm surprised we didnt recover a kickoff fumble since their returner sucks.

FULL SCREEN VERSION

Saturday NFL Draft watch notes

Mocking Dan — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:22:20 -0000

More photos » by Keith Srakocic - AP

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• If your team needs a defensive end, make sure to tune into the South Florida/Pittsburgh game. Pittsburgh's Greg Romeus has great power and speed on the edge. This game will allow him to showcase his gap discipline as USF quarterback B.J. Daniels can get out and move.

For the Bulls, senior George Selvie is seemingly in his ninth year of college. It seems like ages ago that he had 31.5 tackles for loss. But that was in 2007. Since then, Selvie has been solid. He's a 3-4 rush linebacker candidate, but could stick at end. He's been overshadowed this season by junior college transfer Jason Pierre-Paul. He's a physical freak with an 81-inch wingspan. Pittsburgh has a good offensive line so this could be a good test of Bulls' pass rushers.

• Clemson defensive end Ricky Sapp is having the best season of his college career. He has eight tackles for a loss and three sacks, which are decent numbers. But he's showed he can quickly fire off the ball and has deceptive strength. He's a good 3-4 outside linebacker option for teams. Against Miami, he'll have to quickly get around left tackle Jason Fox's good first step. Sapp can cement his draft status today.

• While it seems improbable, Tennessee's Eric Berry could be tested mightily against Alabama. Crimson Tide running back Mark Ingram is a physical, aggressive runner. Berry blew some tackles last week and could use today to show that was a fluke. When Berry isn't hunting down Ingram, he might have to give help coverage against Julio Jones, the talented sophomore wide receiver.

• Although Florida might be without two of its defensive tackles, Mississippi State running back Anthony Dixon can make his case as an early round draft pick today. He's run for 100 yards or more in five-straight weeks and is a powerful runner.

• Another player who could have a big-time game is Syracuse wide receiver Mike Williams. He's been explosive this season, finally healthy after injuries slowed him early in his career. If he doesn't get at least 100 yards receiving against a bad Akron secondary, Williams' play seriously deserves a second look.

• Connecticut senior defensive end Lindsey Witten has been a sensation this season. He has 10 sacks already, but seven came in the first two games. He can show that wasn't an aberration if he does well lining up against West Virginia's Selvish Capers. An above-average right tackle prospect, Capers can get out of the blocks smoothly and may give Witten trouble.

• The draft stock of Idaho guard Mike Iupati has been gaining steam of late. Today the Vandals play Nevada, a team that has potentially three NFL-caliber defensive linemen. The Nevada rush really gets after the quarterback. Iupati will have to be quick and decisive in his blocking. End Kevin Basped shifts inside on third downs and gives a lot of linemen trouble with his length and quickness.

• Lousiana-Monroe defensive end Aaron Morgan is arguably the best player in the Sun Belt conference. He projects as a 3-4 outside linebacker because of his size (6'4, 235 pounds) and speed. Kentucky might be seen as great competition, but SEC talent will be a good test for Morgan.

Post-Spring Previews: Clemson Tigers

Gamecock Man — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:18:52 -0000

More photos » by Chuck Burton - AP

4 months ago: Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney speaks during the Atlantic Coast Conference Kickoff college football media day in Greensboro, N.C., Monday, July 27, 2009. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

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After hosting the Florida Gators in week eleven, USC takes a week off before wrapping up the season with the annual rivalry match with the Clemson Tigers. The Tigers enter 2009 flying distinctly under the radar in Dabo Swinney's first full season as head coach. After underachieving in each of the last few years of Tommy Bowden's tenure, expectations are decidedly lower for the transitioning Tigers this year. However, in many ways this year's Clemson may be better than the Clemsons of years past. James Davis and Cullen Harper are gone, but C.J. Spiller is still around, the offensive line should be a bit better, and there's talent on the defense. Plus, I have a feeling Swinney will excel his predecessor in the coaching department, not that that's saying so much. This team's ceiling will likely be determined by how far either Kyle Parker or Willy Korn go towards becoming top-tier quarterbacks. Parker appears to be the starter right now, but don't be surprised to see Swinney continue to give Korn a look.

Of course, we've floundered horribly in this rivalry series in recent years. Despite not having been an elite team in recent years, the Tigers have generally had their way with us, winning 11 of the past 13, including a few blowouts, such as the 31-14 beatdown last year at Clemson. By contrast, we've won more games against Georgia in the past decade, despite the fact that the Dawgs have clearly been much better than Clemson in that time span. I've heard lots of theories as to why Clemson has owned us, perhaps the most pervasive being that we're simply spent by the time this game comes around. Personally, I don't buy this theory; the ACC may not be as good as the SEC, but it's not a cake walk, as suggested by the fact that Clemson usually comes into this game with almost as many losses as we have. The Tigers could just as easily say that their schedule wears them out, but they seem to always play their best in this game. The opposite could be said for us.

Whatever the case may be, we have to figure out a way to start winning more of these games, and not just for pride's sake, although that's certainly important. Losing a match with the Tigers may not keep us out of the SEC Title Game in the official standings, but it does hurt us on the recruiting trail, which is one of the things that keeps us from being able to challenge Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee in the East. All things considered, we recruit surprisingly well against Clemson considering how badly they usually seem to manhandle us. That has me thinking that if we could turn the tables on them that we could corner the market on the in-state talent. That's what will get us over the hump in the SEC, and that's why Clemson-Carolina is about more than bragging rights.

Let's take a look at how we stack up against the Tigers this year.

Offense

Expect to see Clemson run more spread formations this year than in years past. The Tigers want to get their two best offensive players, C.J. Spiller and Jacoby Ford, the ball in space so they can make big plays with their speed.

Quarterback

While the Tigers have some talent on offense, they have a big question mark at the position that matters the most. Kyle Parker has won the starting job after solid spring and August practices, but Willy Korn will continue to get looks if Parker struggles. Both are talented, but either way, Clemson will have to rely on a freshman without significant experience this year.

I call this one a push. Stephen Garcia is slightly further along in his development than Parker or Korn and probably has the most upside of the three. However, Clemson has an advantage over us in the depth department.

Verdict: Push

Running Backs

Clemson returns a legitimate Heisman contender in Spiller. Spiller needs no introduction here, as Carolina fans won't be soon to forget what he's done to us over the course of his career. The Tigers will look to Jamie Harper to fill the void left by James Davis. The highly recruited Harper rushed for only around 100 yards last year but will be expected to play a much larger role this year.

I give the Tigers a slight to strong advantage here. We have the talent and depth to have a very good running game this year, but, unfortunately, we don't have a Spiller, who is one of the nation's very best.

Verdict: Slight to strong advantage Clemson

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

Clemson loses some significant players here from a year ago. Gone are receivers Aaron Kelly and Tyler Grisham and end Michael Palmer. The Tigers do return Jacoby Ford, who is a definite big-play threat. However, outside of Ford they have almost no one with any significant experience. Possession receiver and end are question marks for Clemson.

I give Carolina a slight advantage here. Clemson does have the guy with the most career catches, but we have a large number of guys that have proven they're capable, whereas Clemson has no one after Ford. That gives us a key advantage in the depth department.

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Offensive Line

Last year, offensive line was Clemson's weakness throughout most of the season. This year, though, the more experienced Tigers offensive line should be better. The Tigers only lose one player, center Bobby Hutchinson, and return a solid group of guys with starting experience. Depth may be the only cause for concern.

The Tigers look quite a bit like us here. Both of us should field much better lines in 2009. I'm calling this a push.

Verdict: Push

Let's take a look at defenses after the jump.

Defense

Clemson runs a 4-3 defense. Swinney and coordinator Kevin Steele have said that they plan to be more aggressive than the previous regime.

Defensive Line

The Tigers are strong at end, which they hope will help them generate a better pass rush than a year ago. Da'Quan Bowers is another Gaines Adams in the making, while Ricky Sapp should be good if he recovers from last year's knee injury. The Tigers did lose some key tackles from a year ago, and may struggle to find depth if Jarvis Jenkins or Brandon Thomas go down.

I give Carolina a very slight advantage here, mainly due to greater experience in the starting lineup and questions about how good Sapp will be after his injury. Both teams are in a similar boat in terms of depth, so the team with the most guys still standing by the end of the year may be the one with the advantage when the time comes.

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Linebackers

The Tigers are pretty solid here. Interior linebacker Brandon Maye is great in rushing defense and will probably lead the team in tackles. Kavell Conner gives them a solid outside guy. The other spot is a little shakier, with Scotty Cooper likely starting now that DeAndre McDaniel has moved to safety. Depth is also an issue.

I give us a slight advantage here. The Tigers don't quite have the star power we have at linebacker, but they should be good nonetheless.

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Secondary

The secondary is Clemson's defense's strength, as the Tigers return quality experience at every position. Corner Chris Chancellor, who has been very successful against us over the course of his career, is the unit's star. Crezdon Butler is also good at the opposite corner, and the Tigers have quality backups for Chancellor and Butler. The Tigers lose strong safety Michael Hamlin, but they will replace him with the aforementioned McDaniel, who should ably fill Hamlin's shoes. Free safety is a little more of a question mark, but Clemson should be able to figure it out with the talent they have in the secondary reserves.

I give Clemson a slight to strong advantage here. News out of camp has been promising for our young secondary, but the Tigers are unquestionably more of a proven quantity.

Verdict: Slight to strong advantage Clemson

Special Teams

The Tigers will suffer a complete overhaul of their kicking game after losing kicker Mark Buchholz (I'm sure you remember him) and Jimmy Maners. Spencer Benton and Richard Jackson are competing for kicking duties, while Dawson Zimmerman is expected to handle punts. Zimmerman did play some last year and was OK. Clemson does have a potentially explosive return game when Spiller and Ford are returning. Those of you that watched Alabama paste the Tigers last year may remember that one of their few highlights was a long kickoff return for a touchdown by Spiller.

I'll call this a push. We have slightly more stability in the kicking game, the same thing going for Clemson in the return game.

Verdict: Push

Coaches

Dabo Swinney was able to energize the Clemson faithful by finishing the regular season strongly. That finish, of course, included the blowout win over us, which certainly helped Swinney's reputation with Clemson faithful. The true test, though, begins now, after the lustre of that surprise finish has worn off. Swinney is still a coach with very, very little experience, certainly much less than you would expect for a guy in charge of a relatively high-profile program like Clemson. He has to prove that he wasn't a knee-jerk reaction hire--a la West Virginia's Bill Stewart--by having a better than average season this year. He doesn't have to win the ACC, mind you, but he does have the tools to finish in its upper half. If he can't do that--and he fails to beat us--expect the Tigers faithful to immediately begin to question the hire. And rightfully so, I would say; I'm still a bit surprised the Tigers didn't go after someone like Bobby Johnson. If Swinney does well, though, expect the hype machine to begin for the resurgence of Clemson football.

I'll give Steve Spurrier a slight advantage here based on experience. However, as with Lane Kiffin, it's really too early to make many judgment calls about Swinney, so take this comparison with a grain of salt.

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Overall

My sense is that these are fairly evenly matched teams. Both should have pretty good defenses and both might have OK offenses if a few things fall into place. A few decisive questions jump out at me when trying to decide which will win. First of all, the two teams share inexperience at quarterback. Whether it's Parker / Korn or Garcia that's playing well by November will be a deciding factor in how good these two teams are relative to each other when they take the field. Second of all, Dabo Swinney and his staff are largely an unknown quantity, so their progress will be important. Finally, both teams have some depth issues on defense that may be exposed by the end of the season. The team that suffers fewest injuries at low-depth positions may have an advantage there. I don't have the answers to these questions right now, so I'm just going to go with my heart (and against historical precedent) and call it a close Carolina victory. I'll go ahead and admit that this pick derives at least in part from homerism and unwillingness to pick Clemson. We obviously have a lot to prove against these guys. I do, though, think the talent gap has closed to a certain degree. We're in a place to even up this series. The only thing remaining is to actually do it.

Prediction: 28-24 Carolina victory

Poll

The Clemson game will result in a (elaborate in the comments section)...

Blowout Carolina Victory

10 votes

Close Carolina Victory

26 votes

Close Clemson Victory

18 votes

Blowout Clemson Victory

33 votes

87 votes | Poll has closed

Florida State Seminoles Left Tackle Andrew Datko to face an NFL schedule

FSUncensored — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:58:40 -0000

As a member of the youngest offensive line in the country (3 freshmen, 2 sophomores), Andrew Datko wildly exceeded expectations and earned Freshman All-America honors. Competing at a slight 267lbs, with a dislocated elbow and various shoulder ailments, Datko surprised everyone playing 852 snaps over 13 games, more than any freshman on the line. He also had a top-two overall grade three times received either the top grade or the second-best grade in run or pass blocking seven times. Datko also recorded 20 knockdowns. Was named the top offensive newcomer and won the freshman academic award. And he did so while playing in the best defensive conference in the country (no conference sends more top defensive players than the NFL than the ACC) and against UF. With Datko's help, the 'Noles led the ACC in scoring and Florida State head coach in waiting/ offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher won ACC offensive coordinator of the year.

This year Datko will face an even tougher challenge- the most difficult gauntlet of pass rushers in recent college football memory.

Miami

The Hurricanes were one of the youngest teams in college football last year, and they got even younger when their senior defensive end Eric Moncur went down with an injury in the 3rd game of the season. Moncur was a 4* recruit, the #10 overall defensive end in the country. He's projected to be a 1st day NFL draft choice (2nd or 3rd round) This year, he's back at 6'2" 260lbs and with 16 starts and 105 total tackles in his three years, should continue to be a quality player for the canes.

On the other side, Marcus Robinson started 5 games after making the switch from OLB to DE and had 9 tackles for loss and 4 sacks while earning 3rd team Frosh All-America honors. No matter which lines up over Datko, Florida State's left tackle will sure have a challenge on his hands.

BYU

While the BYU Cougars aren't known for their defensive talent, they do have an excellent defensive end in Jan Jorgenson. At 6-3 262lbs, Jorgensen plays the "5" technique end in BYU's 3-4 defensive scheme.

Jorgensen projects as a late 1st or early 2nd round draft choice. The senior has had quite the career. Jorgensen has been named 1st team All-Mountain West Defense for two years in a row. He is the conference's career leader in sacks already. He's a Lombardi and Hendricks award finalist. Oh, and he is 26 years old after serving a three year Mormon mission and redshirting his freshman year. The recent word is that he dropped 15lbs down to 245 in order to be quicker.

USF

If you were alive in 2007, you probably heard of USF's sackmaster George Selvie.

Selvie burst onto the scene in 2007 in a huge way, registering an incredible 31.5 tackles for loss and earning not only all-conference offers, but 1st team All-America status!

Selvie continued to play well in 2008, though not quite as well as he did in 2007. Why? It was a combination of nagging lower leg injuries and playing from behind (hard to get sacks when the other team is running out the clock). Despite the injuries, the 6'4" 255lb Selvie still made 1st Team Big East. He is back for his senior season and has said that he expects to be the top defensive end selected in the upcoming NFL draft. He's also been named to the 1st Team Pre-season All-America Squad. Florida State must stay out of 3rd and long in this game and give Datko help in the form of a tight end or a back. Asking Andrew to single Selvie all game could be disastrous and unfair to the true sophomore.

Boston College

While the Eagles are one of the teams on the schedule without a likely 1st day NFL pick at defensive end, they do boast three seniors with a combined 58 starts in Jim Ramella, Alex Albright, and Austin Giles. These guys have been there forever and really know how to play the game (that's a cop-out, I know, but they aren't great athletes or pro prospects).

Georgia Tech

If you don't already know Derrick Morgan, you should. I knew Georgia Tech had a good defensive line last year (one of the best in the country) featuring Michael Johnson Vance Walker, and Darryl Richard (all All-American or All-Conference). What really surprised me, however, was FSU offensive line coach Rick Trickett calling sophomore Derrick Morgan the best player on Tech's defense. You can bet I watched # 91 then and he did not disappoint. At 6'4" and 270lbs, Morgan started all 13 games as a sophomore, registering 51 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss (7.5 sacks) and even three pass breakups. Only a Junior, Morgan looks to be a surefire 1st rounder after his senior year, and with his size, athleticism, and production, is a virtual lock to be a 1st day selection if he elects to leave school early.

North Carolina

While not draft eligible, Sophomore Robert Quinn has shown a lot of promise after coming back from brain cancer.

Quinn started 12 games for the Tarheels and should have a monster season for the baby blue, particularly since he'll be able to workout fully for the first time in a while.

NC State

The Wolfpack feature another edge rushing terror on this list in Willie Young Jr. Last year, Young destroyed the 'Noles, with 2 sacks, 4 tackles for loss, and drawing at least one holding penalty.

At 6'4 and 251lbs, Young is extra quick and as a senior will have a variety of pass moves. Last year he started 11 games (injured other 2), registering 55 tackles (13 for loss), with 6 1/2 sacks. Young was named to Phil Steele's 2nd Team Pre-Season ACC defense. Like many of these edge rushers, the key will be to run right at Young as he was especially good on 3rd and long last year (as most defensive ends should be).

Clemson

The Tigers boast two of the best defensive ends in the conference in Ricky Sapp and Da'Quan Bowers. Both were elite Five-star recruits coming out of high school and both have continued to perform at the next level.

Last year, Sapp and Bowers had their collective way with the young 'Nole offensive tackles, registering two sacks and numerous pressures. It got to a point where FSU completely abandoned the dropback passing game, throwing only screen or play action passes.

This year both Bowers and Sapp are back. Bowers has reportedly put in a nice offseason of work and is probably the top true sophomore defensive end in the nation. Last year as a true freshman, Bowers started 6 games, played in all 13, and registered 50 tackles (8 for loss). He really came on in the later games. Sapp actually had some knee issues and missed the spring, though he'll be fully healthy for the 'Noles. Last year, he started 9 games (knee injury) and had 10 tackles for loss. He was also excellent in 2007, with 22 tackles for loss and 6 sacks. Whoever Datko faces here will be a challenge for the young tackle.

Wake Forest

The Deac's don't have an elite player at defensive end.

Maryland

The Terps don't have an elite player at defensive end.

Florida

The Gators have a bevy of elite edge players and it's safe to say that three of their defensive ends would compete for starting jobs on any team in the country. For purposes of this piece, however, let's leave Justin Trattou aside for a minute and focus on Carlos Dunlap and Jermaine Cunningham.

Dunlap (pictured) is on everyone's pre-season All-America team. He was the top defensive end prospect in his class coming out of high school. As a sophomore, he started only two games, but registered 39 tackles and 9.5 sacks, leading the SEC and making 2nd Team SEC. He's 6'6" 290lbs, and universally seen as the best defensive end prospect in college.

They also have Jermaine Cunningham who also made 2nd team SEC last season. Cunningham, at 6-3, 252lbs has started 25 games over the past two seasons registering over 100 tackles (20 for loss).

This schedule presents an enormous challenge for Florida State left tackle Andrew Datko. No offensive lineman in the country has a more difficult challenge than FSU's Datko. At a ripped 292 lbs, with a year of starting experience under his belt, Datko has a fighting chance to make it through the schedule, now that he has some bulk and experience to go with his always solid technique.

GT: Defensing the Flexbone basics

DrB — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:07:00 -0000

If you ask most defensive coordinators what type of offense they like to face the least, you'll get one of two answers, either the Airraid of Mike Leach, or a triple option (veer) team. Lets be clear, the option is as old as football and will always be here. Florida's whole offense is essentially option, but based in shotgun and spread formations. RichRod's offense was a spread option and we know how well that worked for us with Woody Dantzler, so anyone who will tell you the option is dead or outdated is really an idiot who doesnt pay attention to football.

The Flexbone is derived from Fisher DeBerry's comment, "We need to become more flexible in the Bone..." DeBerry was talking about adding passing concepts to his normal Wishbone offense, and the flex is essentially the first true "spread option." The whole purpose of flexing the TE out was to create a horizontal stretch to the defense (Flexing essentially means the TE is lined up offset within 2 yards of the OT, and standing him up). Clemson puts WRs and TEs in flex positions frequently, yet we never really throw to the TE (the tragedy of Ben Hall).

In GT's Flex, those flexed TEs, or Splitbacks (also called Wingbacks or Halfbacks) are usually recruited RBs with enough speed to get around the corner on a sweep/end-around and yet still catch a pass over the middle. There's nothing mystical or gimmicky about it, Johnson just puts people in a position to win with sound principles. Has misdirection been abandoned in pass-happy offenses? Do we not ever use lead blockers or run traps and counter plays in a spread? What about double-teaming DL and LBs on a HB power play?

But how does one defend against any option team, particularly the Flex? If the opponent has a smart coach like Johnson, you're doing well to hold them under 4.0 per carry, because he knows how to make adjustments to what you're showing them. However, there are basic tenets to stopping the triple-option and Wing-T/Flex that we can go through.

-Take away something: The Dive or the Pitch, but preferably the Dive.
-Control the LOS: You must control the operating space of the QB and dive backs in the middle.
-Get the LBs into the running lanes: The DTs cannot be knocked backwards and the LBs must fill the lanes and be free to move.
-Discipline: Defenders must know how to recognize blocking schemes, and not worry about his teammate's job, only his.
-Lack of Stunting. You dont want to get caught in alot of stunts or play too many tricks up front, because you'll just open a hole for a Dive.

Of all those things, the most important is stopping the FB Dive, it sets up the entire option offense, no matter whether you use a Flex or a Wishbone or the "I" formation.

The key to defending the veer here is the dive...if the DE gets sucked in or if your DT's lose ground, you may as well pack your shit up and go home, cause you are going to give up 10 yards. Its a direct-attack play that forces your DL get off their blocks, and the LB/S to choose whether to come up and make a play or wait for the pitch. In a true option, the QB has a choice on every play whether to run the Dive, by watching the defensive end. If he sees the End stand pat, he gives the Dive. If the End collapses inside, the QB takes it himself around the corner with a pitch man behind him.

What is missed when people talk about the Bone is the play of the interior linemen. The Dive is all set up from the Center and Guard play. Generally they will be doing the same thing. If the Center blocks down, so will the Guards (but one might pull for the Trap). If he charges upfield to take out Mike, the Guard will try to follow. If Mike is knocked out of the play by a block, you can expect to get a minimum of 4 a carry.

If you bring everyone into the box, to stop the interior rush, then you are setup for the Keep:

Its relatively simple in concept, but the GT offense uses misdirection and motion to confuse the secondary and LBs, less so than an I-formation offense that would normally run directly at you with more lead-blocking plays. If one S/OLB's key is the splitback/wingback to his side, then when he runs across the LOS, he must immediately go to his next key or follow. Also with everyone up in the box, you are setup for the pitch play:

In the pitch play above, you see the Miami safety was keyed on the Wing, and cheated closer and closer, and once he broke to the other side, he had to follow because he was the only key once the safety read run, but he was so close that he got blocked out when he crossed midfield. The LBs, worried about the Dive play, all came up to stop it, but the QB keeps the ball and reads the OLB.

Since the DE had come inside (one of his keys is still the OT/TE) to stop the Dive, the OLB was out there alone, with his normal assignment being the pitch man and not the QB. He turns inwards and blocks the alley for the QB, forcing the pitch, except that the CB has been knocked out by the WR and the play gains 40yds.

So how do you teach a defense to stop this kind of offense? Primarily it comes down to discipline and good fundamental defense, with the key player being the DE. A good defense may simply have so much speed that they are always near the ball pretty quickly, and they tackle well enough so that they make plays. That doesn't mean the players are always in the correct positions, just that they manage to recover quicker than the offensive back can take advantage of it, and they swarm to the ball to make up for any bad tackling. The Flex is different from the Wishbone mainly in that it has those two TE/WB players (who may just be RBs that can catch) set outside, but the coverages run against both are usually Cover 1 Man or rotated zone because you still must keep enough players close to the LOS.

Something that many people do not realize about teams that run this offense is that it is very confusing to figure out who has the ball. You begin each play with three running backs and a QB. There is often a great deal of motion, with players "criss-crossing" in the middle of plays (this constant motion and excessive number of ball handlers makes a a defense that is not fundamentally sound easily susceptible to any sort of counter play--specifically an inside handoff).

Here is a basic rundown of what most coaches will teach in defending the Flex, or any other triple option offense. It is primarily the same run keys (and sky/cloud calls) for any defensive back, so their specific assignment duties wouldn't change much week-to-week from a pro-style team to an option, except that they may be told to cheat up more than usual.

Defensive End

The DE is critical here with the veer to maintain containment on the fullback while acting as the "force" man should the QB fake the dive. The End must be more athletic than the man in front of him to slow down the veer, be thankful we have D. Bowers and Ricky Sapp. The End must be the force, making the QB take more time than he wishes and most importantly make him pitch the ball.

Against the double-wingback set the End has a difficult assignment, but its best to play either an anchor or loop technique to keep it simple. The Ends are primarily responsible for forcing the Pitch. They play for time, and wait for help from the inside, because the option will force them to make a choice on who to tackle. They must be aggressive. Against a veer/pitch play, the End gets his inside hip into the hole and rotates his feet towards the sidelines, and doesnt jump on the dive back unless he's coming directly to him with the ball.

On the snap, using the Anchor, he'll charge the TE to give him a shiver, helping the LB thats scraping across behind him. All the while he's keying the FB first, and if he goes away or up the middle, he backs upfield waiting for a counter sweep or a bootleg. He has to do this even if the Wing is trying to block him. If the FB comes toward the end, he flattens out to prepare for his block (on a power sweep play, or the Guard's block on the belly play) but keeps his feet parallel to the line.

If he's playing a Loop, after the snap he charges upfield in the TE/WB seam and reacts the same way to the FB key as before. If they try a bootleg, he's supposed to be there waiting.

Against an arc play, where the TE across him will try to come upfield and block the SS, he has to stand pat with his outside foot back. He has to feel for his help, and then come down the line to make the play. Against a Load play, where the Dive back will come off-tackle or off TE (the TE/WB will usually block inside), the End attacks the load blocker and forces the QB to go around him, then tries to get off the block and make a play.

Defensive Tackle

Tackles key the Diveback and the QB. They must be taught to get off blocks and not be moved from the LOS, and simply be aggressive against anything they see.

Linebackers

You want to keep the LBs within 4 yards of the ball, so that they can read on the move and react effectively. Because of the misdirection, LBs have a hard time keying one back or the ball, which is why this offense is difficult to defend. Instead, they are told to key the Guards and react from that.

If the G blocks inside on the NT over the Center, the LB has to step in to the OT for the trap play, keeping his outside arm on him. If the Guard base blocks (i.e., straight up on the DT across from him), the LB looks for the ball and plays an assigned gap (usually A/B). If the flow of the play is away, they are taught to rip through the Guard's block with their outside forearm, aiming for the A-gap on the opposite side. If the Guard pulls, the near LB pull with him.

Secondary
You will either see more Cover 1 or a rotated cover 3 zone against this offensive scheme, and this (rotated zone) is what Clemson primarily used last year in Death Valley. This year I expect GT to use more misdirection and pass a bit more because more teams will stack the box against them after what they did to Miami last season. Whether Kevin Steele will use more zone against GT or stick to his Cover 1, I'm not sure. Like I said, the Corners are usually out wide because the slot man is not on the field between the Wing/TE and the Flanker in the Flex, so they can be on an island by themselves.

In a rotated coverage, the secondary might key the FB to determine the rotation. This would help them cover the counter pass, or a fake keeper pass. As the two safeties rotate, they read the blocks of the Wing for run, and if they ever show blocking for a counter, they stop rotating and play run support. Otherwise, the secondary keys the ball, which places the responsibility of the counter pass on the OLBs.

Finally, the defense cannot be lulled to sleep. A good offense can run simple plays like the dive, toss sweep, iso, and off-tackle all afternoon and can do this with relatively little motion (often shifting a wing to a split back or i-formation look). If you were watching the Clemson-GT game last year, you saw them consistently get 3.5-4 per carry against us, and by simply running the same play over and over again. It only takes 3 runs of 3.3x yards to get a 1st. Methodical operation of this offense has a tendency to get the defense complacent and lackadaisical, allowing the offense to run a misdirection play or for the QB to pull the ball on what looks like a FB dive. Defensive inattention allows the offense to go from 3-4 yds repeatedly with the dive, iso, or offtackle rushing play to picking up a huge chunk of yardage because defenders are out of position and anticipate the 3-4 yd play.

An addendum, for the R&S concepts from the flexbone, is here.