Safety question for Lu & Co.

[TwoZero]

i'm getting a chance to rewatch the game now and get some closer looks at things and i'm trying to figure some stuff out.

why were we dropping our free safeties so far back? they were dropping out of the picture most of the time (i saw rayshawn turn and sprint prior to the snap a few times). we were playing a team that ran a far amount (both out of the backfield and with the qb) and they didn't pose much of a passing threat. was this just to prevent the big play or is there something else there?

 

[ghost2]

IIRC we rolled Rodgers up to the LOS a bunch in run/pass support, so we were probably in a Cover 1 or Cover 3 depending on what the corners were doing. I saw the corners manning up quite a bit, so it may have been Cover 1 with Jenkins responsible for the deepest part of the field.

 

[TwoZero]

here's an example. 1st and 10, Kacy started booking it a second before the ball was snapped. there was some motion but only three wr's lined up. he eventually made it out of the frame.

turned out to be a running play.

what gives?

 

[rok]

I'm all-in on running more cover 1 with Rodgers/Bush hovering close to the LOS at the snap. Our CBs can hold their own.

 

[ghost2]

What was the other safety doing? Booking it as well? Were corners playing off or press on that play? Or if you give me the time on the Flash Forward vid, I can check it out...

 

[Plzwork4]

here's an example. 1st and 10, Kacy started booking it a second before the ball was snapped. there was some motion but only three wr's lined up. he eventually made it out of the frame.

turned out to be a running play.

what gives?

Cover 1 there...Safety must get deep.

 

[usfcane]

I'm all-in on running more cover 1 with Rodgers/Bush hovering close to the LOS at the snap. Our CBs can hold their own.

I agree w this, especially against the gates. RJ has the range to play centerfield, let Kacy/bush stay close to the LOS and bust driskel in the mouth when he tries to make a run.

 

[TwoZero]

What was the other safety doing? Booking it as well? Were corners playing off or press on that play? Or if you give me the time on the Flash Forward vid, I can check it out...

actually, i just looked at it closer. that play was correct on the safety play.

wr motioned from kacy's side of the field to highsmith's. highsmith started the play deep and moved up to the LOS when the wr lined up on his side. kacy dropped back after that happened.

i'll have to look for another instance, i know i saw guys dropping back without an obvious reason.

 

[TwoZero]

alright, here's one that might be a better example. just a few plays later.

3rd & 4, we've got tracy, kacy, and rayshawn playing at least 15+ yards off the ball (out of the screen) at the snap and cornileus ends up dropping back 20 yards too.

play starts at 13:26

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsXjHghkpjI&t=13m26s

i'm not an x's and o's genius so i could be wrong about what i'm seeing. i'm trying to learn which is why i'm asking these questions.

thanks in advance...

 

[ghost2]

Hm. Here's what I see:

FAU shows empty backfield - 4 WR and TE.


We come out in a 3-4/4-3 under look (nickel personnel with Gunter, Crawford, Howard, Rogers and Jenkins as the DBs.) Pre-snap we show 5-man rush, Gunter shows press briefly then backs off to about 5 yards from the WR, roughly in line with Crawford. Rogers, Howard, and Jenkins are playing off and appear to have deep thirds (Cover 3.)

At the snap, DP drops into coverage with Cornelius, who rotates deep. Looks like Perryman is responsible for the seam, Crawford and Gunter for the flats (though Gunter shadows the crossing WR briefly), and the pass rush becomes 4-man (Kamalu, Robinson, McCord, and AQM?)

Looks like DP tips it - another foot or two deeper in the zone and it's a pick-6.


That's what this untrained eye sees at least.

 

[zone3cane]

You have to have a safety play deep if the other one is going to play so aggressively towards the LOS..... simple as that.

 

[stat1124]

I would defintely say we were in Cover 1 when that happened. After the snapped...our saftey continued to back peddle an extra 5 to 7 yards before reacting. Corners seems to be man-up on a few plays I remember from the stands.

 

[LuCane]

i'm getting a chance to rewatch the game now and get some closer looks at things and i'm trying to figure some stuff out.

why were we dropping our free safeties so far back? they were dropping out of the picture most of the time (i saw rayshawn turn and sprint prior to the snap a few times). we were playing a team that ran a far amount (both out of the backfield and with the qb) and they didn't pose much of a passing threat. was this just to prevent the big play or is there something else there?

Looks like we were playing a single high safety in an effort to have better numbers in the box. We struggled like crazy with this last year. To me, it's a scary look when that guy is Ali Highsmith. I like him as a team guy and a guy who can contribute here and there, but I think he'd tell you himself there are some physical limitations that would keep him from effectively playing centerfield.

If I'm UF and I see that look (which they will), I'm hitting seam routes until we back off of it. What we need to do better is roll down the safety from 2 a little later and with better disguise. I think Dynasty mentioned going Cover 4 and keeping the the two safeties at shallow depth. I kinda like that, except that we're then vulnerable to flooding areas.

I continue to say that I saw some holes in our zones that UF would be more likely to focus on and hit. Those holes are slants and quick ins. If you see those hit early or during those 3rd and 6 plays, we're going to have to adjust to something like what Dynasty said much quicker.

 

[Dynasty]

alright, here's one that might be a better example. just a few plays later.

3rd & 4, we've got tracy, kacy, and rayshawn playing at least 15+ yards off the ball (out of the screen) at the snap and cornileus ends up dropping back 20 yards too.

play starts at 13:26

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsXjHghkpjI&t=13m26s

i'm not an x's and o's genius so i could be wrong about what i'm seeing. i'm trying to learn which is why i'm asking these questions.

thanks in advance...

It's difficult to tell what's really going on here, but it appears that we're running a variation of QQH coverage. The backside corner, which is playing cloud coverage, flows hard with the number one receiver on an inside release. That typically doesn't happen in traditional cloud coverage out of QQH, thus the corner basically is playing man to man coverage..the variation. The playside corner and safety are playing deep 1/4. The backside safety is playing deep 1/2.

 

[ucrew02]

I don't think we saw it much (I didn't look too closely), but I wouldn't be surprised to see a little more cloud cover 2 with the safeties flying down to come under those slants. I'd like to see it early if UF shows any inclination to use rhythm throws to get Driskell going.

 

[wooshdogg]

So happy we re running cover 1 that means more aggressive plays from the corners and our LBs are covering and blitzing.... I think Coarch D has a plan for the gators

 

[Dynasty]

i'm getting a chance to rewatch the game now and get some closer looks at things and i'm trying to figure some stuff out.

why were we dropping our free safeties so far back? they were dropping out of the picture most of the time (i saw rayshawn turn and sprint prior to the snap a few times). we were playing a team that ran a far amount (both out of the backfield and with the qb) and they didn't pose much of a passing threat. was this just to prevent the big play or is there something else there?

Looks like we were playing a single high safety in an effort to have better numbers in the box. We struggled like crazy with this last year. To me, it's a scary look when that guy is Ali Highsmith. I like him as a team guy and a guy who can contribute here and there, but I think he'd tell you himself there are some physical limitations that would keep him from effectively playing centerfield.

If I'm UF and I see that look (which they will), I'm hitting seam routes until we back off of it. What we need to do better is roll down the safety from 2 a little later and with better disguise. I think Dynasty mentioned going Cover 4 and keeping the the two safeties at shallow depth. I kinda like that, except that we're then vulnerable to flooding areas.

I continue to say that I saw some holes in our zones that UF would be more likely to focus on and hit. Those holes are slants and quick ins. If you see those hit early or during those 3rd and 6 plays, we're going to have to adjust to something like what Dynasty said much quicker.

From my view point everything is depended upon stuffing the gator ground game and keeping as many eyes as possible on Driskell. If we're going to run middle of the field open coverage, I think cover 4 gives us the best possibility to accomplish both goals. Plus, I want to see UM take away the middle of the field routes by clogging up the passing lanes with the backers and safeties. In addition, cover 4 can quickly turn into man coverage, which is going to be a key component against the gator. Not necessarily going straight man because that affords Driskell running lanes with defenders running with receivers, but more so floating a single man coverage on the slot or boundary receiver. Take away Burton in the slot by using man coverage and playing buzz coverage underneath. Force Driskell to throw to the numbers and rally to the ball.

 

[datcaneguy]

You have to have a safety play deep if the other one is going to play so aggressively towards the LOS..... simple as that.

Exactly...and with the corners playing off it gives them more room to read and react run or pass. Alot of d-coordinators do this against spread option teams.

 

[tokengator]

safety = 2 points. Stupid thUgs. You going need about 40 safeties to beat the gators. Go Gators.

 

[ghost2]

safety = 2 points. Stupid thUgs. You going need about 40 safeties to beat the gators. Go Gators.

I lulzd.