![]() ![]() Overall Minnesota’s passing concepts are simple spread concepts that most of the country deploys and the Buckeyes will need to be prepared for the Gophers taking a lot of shots down the field. Once it comes to play-action passes, the run action gets that much more respect due to the high volume of RPOs used by Sanford and company. The Gophers’ offense will challenge any team vertically as shown above and has a knack for creating one-on-one matchups. These concepts become harder to recognize with how Minnesota utilizes the run game to set up the pass, and even more challenging with the effectiveness of their RPO game. Once the one-on-one match up was identified at the top and they counted the defenders in the box, the best option was the quick hitch to the outside receiver. The alignment of the defense made the decision that this play would be a hand-off because the linebacker stayed with the slot-receiver. ![]() In the first example, quarterback Zack Annextad has the option to go to the quick screen at the bottom or hand it off. The most common ones used by Minnesota are short side one-on-one routes, quick screens, and the slant-bubble concept. RPOs take many shapes with actual passing concepts on one side or simple screens, so I tried to find three examples to show how RPOs work in the three most common forms. The next play type that was consistently used in the Minnesota spring game was a run-pass option and they are true RPOs with a design run one way and a passing option. Ohio State will have to be aggressive through the gaps, but always remain aware of the quarterback keeper. This forces the running back to either bounce outside, creating angles for pursuing defenders, or forcing him to cutback into a lot of traffic. On the other end of these zone running concepts is an opportunity for the QB to make reads to run so that is something to watch out for as well.įor Ohio State to beat a team that relies on the zone running scheme, the key to winning the play is to get penetration in the backfield. The play is blown up and the back is forced to cut back into traffic leading to a short gain. The first example shows what happens when the defense gets immediate interior penetration. In the above example it is outside zone, so the linemen work to get leverage, and the reads for the running back are push outside, look inside, or cutback. In a zone run scheme, the linemen are assigned blocking areas with their steps. The video below shows an example of outside zone. In offensive coordinator Mike Sanford Jr.’s system, the spring game gives a good look at what the Gophers love to do on the ground, which is a mix of inside and outside zone. We’re going to get started today looking at the run game, anchored by Mohamed Ibrahim and a group of young talented backs that includes Bryce Williams, Treyson Potts, and Cam Wiley. Now that we’ve gotten the soft introduction out of the way Minnesota brings a simple, but effective offense to the table and will continue to do what Fleck wants to do defensively which, in the words of Michael Scott and many others sales experts, is to “keep it simple stupid.”įor film, we’re using the 2021 Spring Game which will give us a good look at the basic schemes Minnesota is going to rely on and how they’re offense will try to attack Ohio State’s multiple defensive schemes. If this team is more like the Gophers of two years ago - when they were one win away from a Big Ten title appearance, the Buckeyes can be in for a challenge, but if it’s the same Minnesota as last year, OSU should be able to take control early. On the defensive side of the ball, they couldn’t stop anybody in 2020, and that led to some high scoring contests. That being said, the Gophers do return a lot of starters, especially on the offensive line, and are in year two under new offensive leadership. Fleck squad ended last year with a 3-4 record with four one-possession games and their offense went backwards in a lot of ways statistically. For the first time with me, we’re going to be looking at what the Gophers do through some clips of film and this will allow us to get to know them schematically so you can be the smartest guy at the watch party. Yes, it’s official, the first game is here and after a long, long time away we’re getting down to the nitty gritty of what to expect from the Buckeyes’ Week One opponent. This week, the match up is the Minnesota Gophers. As the season begins I’m excited to take this journey of learning and teaching the concepts of opponents so we can all go into the game with more understanding of what will be coming from opposing teams. Film study is the lifeblood of great football teams and even better insiders, so thank you for joining me today. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |