Why “controlling the ball like App” likely won’t work vs TAMU

[IndayArtHauz]

Over 28 minutes of App doing an unbelievable job of controlling the ball to maximum effectiveness against an elite defense. I know it’s been mentioned in other threads, but there’s a reason why UM cannot expect to win in the same way (I’ve said if this game was replayed 10 times, I think TAMU wins 7 of them). App State excelled at three key things:

1) Staying ahead on early downs. This is possibly the second reproducible aspect because TAMU’s DL just doesn’t seem focused on TFLs or negative plays. This seems to be by design, and can be exploited by a sound run scheme and talented backs. This left App with manageable 3rd downs, tying directly into point #2:

2) An absurd hit rate on 3rd and 4th down, often by the thinnest of margins. App finished the game 12-25 on those downs, 3-5 on 4th alone, which is incredible against this defense. But the most insane aspect of it is the sheer amount of conversions they only barely got. I counted 9 times that their conversion was no more than 2 yards beyond the line to gain, and many were 1 yard or exact. Full credit to App for getting those yards, because they won them the game.

3) Getting TAMU off the field. By contrast, A&M was 2-8 on third down (yeah, they had 8 total 3rd downs in the entire game) and no 4th down attempts. This is easily the most reproducible part of the trifecta, as what the Aggies have currently shown is the ability to square up a rifle on their toes and shoot them off one at a time. Aside from a play or two where Achane got loose, their offense was DOA, giving rise to doom-wishing scenarios of the Aggies playing Iowa in a bowl game. Miami just can’t make those conversations easier than App did, especially early on and out of the half. TAMU will make mistakes all on their own, if you just let them.

Hope this sparks conversation and optimism as to how we win. Some of you had great thoughts in other threads, if you don’t mind sharing them here.

 

[TheProf]

I don't think it's as difficult to reproduce as others do, but I don't think we should really be striving to try to win the game in the same fashion.

The TOP was so lopsided not simply because App was getting 3 yards every carry, but as you pointed out, A&M's offense was so bad. As I pointed out in my thread I started out earlier today, A&M had 8 possessions. One was a TD drive, another was their final drive of the game where they missed the game tying FG, and the other 6 drives were all 4 plays or less with the longest drive of these 6 only gaining 29 yards.

If their offense plays to that level against us, we will also more than likely dominate the TOP. Anybody would likely dominate TOP if the other offense was basically going 3 and out 75% of the time.

Another factor is that A&M housed a kickoff. Now it is no given the drive would have amounted to anything, but returning the kick for a TD skipped an entire offensive possession altogether. Maybe A&M goes 10 plays 75 yards and scored if the kick had been a touchback. Maybe they go 4 plays, 15 yards and punt. You don't know, but that kickoff return did take some plays off the board also, inflating App's TOP.

We should not be striving to get 3 yards per carry and hoping to reproduce the 3rd and 4th down rates App State had. We should be hoping to hit more chunk plays on offense. However, on defense, we 100% need to be striving to force A&M to have as many short and unproductive drives as App State did. If we do that, I love our chances in this matchup.

I have enough faith in TVD that I think our offense will have some success. I'm not saying we light up the scoreboard, but I think the offense will get theirs at points. I think this game really comes down to how much better is our defense this year compared to last, and how well do we contain their athletes. If our run fits continue to be great and we aren't getting burned over top, I think we have a very good shot at winning. If our personnel issues really begin to shine, then we may have a frustrating night ahead of us.

I really like our DL versus their OL, so that's a potential major advantage for us. If we dominate the trenches and keep their rushing attack bottled up, I'm not sure I trust any QB on their team to be consistent enough to beat us should TVD and the offense perform like we think they can.

 

[Rod Is Godly]

The gameplan can work without needing the exact same results. Minimizing risks on offense, valuing possession, getting the A&M offense off the field on 3rd downs can all be part of the gameplan without needing to do it exactly as APP did.

The two biggest upsets this past weekend were App St and Marshall who both ran the ball 45+ times. I’d much rather this game be slow, boring and in the hands of the O-line (our head coach’s unit) and running back room than a firefight and in the hands of our WRs and secondary.

 

[PIPO]

Over 28 minutes of App doing an unbelievable job of controlling the ball to maximum effectiveness against an elite defense. I know it’s been mentioned in other threads, but there’s a reason why UM cannot expect to win in the same way (I’ve said if this game was replayed 10 times, I think TAMU wins 7 of them). App State excelled at three key things:

1) Staying ahead on early downs. This is possibly the second reproducible aspect because TAMU’s DL just doesn’t seem focused on TFLs or negative plays. This seems to be by design, and can be exploited by a sound run scheme and talented backs. This left App with manageable 3rd downs, tying directly into point #2:

2) An absurd hit rate on 3rd and 4th down, often by the thinnest of margins. App finished the game 12-25 on those downs, 3-5 on 4th alone, which is incredible against this defense. But the most insane aspect of it is the sheer amount of conversions they only barely got. I counted 9 times that their conversion was no more than 2 yards beyond the line to gain, and many were 1 yard or exact. Full credit to App for getting those yards, because they won them the game.

3) Getting TAMU off the field. By contrast, A&M was 2-8 on third down (yeah, they had 8 total 3rd downs in the entire game) and no 4th down attempts. This is easily the most reproducible part of the trifecta, as what the Aggies have currently shown is the ability to square up a rifle on their toes and shoot them off one at a time. Aside from a play or two where Achane got loose, their offense was DOA, giving rise to doom-wishing scenarios of the Aggies playing Iowa in a bowl game. Miami just can’t make those conversations easier than App did, especially early on and out of the half. TAMU will make mistakes all on their own, if you just let them.

Hope this sparks conversation and optimism as to how we win. Some of you had great thoughts in other threads, if you don’t mind sharing them here.

Here is another reason why it might be more difficult. Watching @Stevo365 film breakdown.

This fvking dude, Mallory, has been here 5 years and he still can’t block in the run or passing game. This should’ve been a 10+ yard run instead of a 5 yard gain.

Time for Arroyo to be TE #1 or even Marmarelli. At this point Mallory should be TE#3 only brought in on passing downs.

What’s the definition of insanity?

 

[colperm]

I think the biggest takeaway from the App State performance is not necessarily that we need to dominate in ToP, but that we have to limit mistakes and not beat ourselves. Because 8&4 is surely capable of doing so

 

[Empirical Cane]

Over 28 minutes of App doing an unbelievable job of controlling the ball to maximum effectiveness against an elite defense. I know it’s been mentioned in other threads, but there’s a reason why UM cannot expect to win in the same way (I’ve said if this game was replayed 10 times, I think TAMU wins 7 of them). App State excelled at three key things:

1) Staying ahead on early downs. This is possibly the second reproducible aspect because TAMU’s DL just doesn’t seem focused on TFLs or negative plays. This seems to be by design, and can be exploited by a sound run scheme and talented backs. This left App with manageable 3rd downs, tying directly into point #2:

2) An absurd hit rate on 3rd and 4th down, often by the thinnest of margins. App finished the game 12-25 on those downs, 3-5 on 4th alone, which is incredible against this defense. But the most insane aspect of it is the sheer amount of conversions they only barely got. I counted 9 times that their conversion was no more than 2 yards beyond the line to gain, and many were 1 yard or exact. Full credit to App for getting those yards, because they won them the game.

3) Getting TAMU off the field. By contrast, A&M was 2-8 on third down (yeah, they had 8 total 3rd downs in the entire game) and no 4th down attempts. This is easily the most reproducible part of the trifecta, as what the Aggies have currently shown is the ability to square up a rifle on their toes and shoot them off one at a time. Aside from a play or two where Achane got loose, their offense was DOA, giving rise to doom-wishing scenarios of the Aggies playing Iowa in a bowl game. Miami just can’t make those conversations easier than App did, especially early on and out of the half. TAMU will make mistakes all on their own, if you just let them.

Hope this sparks conversation and optimism as to how we win. Some of you had great thoughts in other threads, if you don’t mind sharing them here.

Why do you hate everyone on CIS?

 

[TheProf]

Here is another reason why it might be more difficult. Watching @Stevo365 film breakdown.

This fvking dude, Mallory, has been here 5 years and he still can’t block in the run or passing game. This should’ve been a 10+ yard run instead of a 5 yard gain.

Time for Arroyo to be TE #1 or even Marmarelli. At this point Mallory should be TE#3 only brought in on passing downs.

What’s the definition of insanity?

View attachment 208030

To be fair, Arroyo missed this block on 3rd and 1. If he makes this block then Knighton has 1 man to beat for the score. Instead we gain 2 yards.

 

[Empirical Cane]

https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/college/acc/university-of-miami/article265762516.html

 

[Empirical Cane]

Over 28 minutes of App doing an unbelievable job of controlling the ball to maximum effectiveness against an elite defense. I know it’s been mentioned in other threads, but there’s a reason why UM cannot expect to win in the same way (I’ve said if this game was replayed 10 times, I think TAMU wins 7 of them). App State excelled at three key things:

1) Staying ahead on early downs. This is possibly the second reproducible aspect because TAMU’s DL just doesn’t seem focused on TFLs or negative plays. This seems to be by design, and can be exploited by a sound run scheme and talented backs. This left App with manageable 3rd downs, tying directly into point #2:

2) An absurd hit rate on 3rd and 4th down, often by the thinnest of margins. App finished the game 12-25 on those downs, 3-5 on 4th alone, which is incredible against this defense. But the most insane aspect of it is the sheer amount of conversions they only barely got. I counted 9 times that their conversion was no more than 2 yards beyond the line to gain, and many were 1 yard or exact. Full credit to App for getting those yards, because they won them the game.

3) Getting TAMU off the field. By contrast, A&M was 2-8 on third down (yeah, they had 8 total 3rd downs in the entire game) and no 4th down attempts. This is easily the most reproducible part of the trifecta, as what the Aggies have currently shown is the ability to square up a rifle on their toes and shoot them off one at a time. Aside from a play or two where Achane got loose, their offense was DOA, giving rise to doom-wishing scenarios of the Aggies playing Iowa in a bowl game. Miami just can’t make those conversations easier than App did, especially early on and out of the half. TAMU will make mistakes all on their own, if you just let them.

Hope this sparks conversation and optimism as to how we win. Some of you had great thoughts in other threads, if you don’t mind sharing them here.

I agree with above...

ONLY IF...

- Passing game out-of-sync issues are magically fixed this week
- OL gave up 4 sacks against So Miss...AtM D will feast if they [Miami OL] allows that again


With above said, I believe Miami's W chance comes on the shoulders of OL play. Run the rock and keep AtMs O off the field.

 

[305_separatist]

I think the biggest takeaway from the App State performance is not necessarily that we need to dominate in ToP, but that we have to limit mistakes and not beat ourselves. Because 8&4 is surely capable of doing so

I think this. Keep the defense offense with more deep shots than we’ve attempted so far in games, but otherwise take what it gives you and immediately bench anyone who wants to do something stupid.

 

[TheProf]

I agree with above...

ONLY IF...

- Passing game out-of-sync issues are magically fixed this week
- OL gave up 4 sacks against So Miss...AtM D will feast if they [Miami OL] allows that again


With above said, I believe Miami's W chance comes on the shoulders of OL play. Run the rock and keep AtMs O off the field.

I'd be more concerned with our OL if the sacks weren't clear miscommunications that led to a guy running in free. Hardly at all during the game did USM actually collapse the pocket or shed a block to get pressure. While communication issues are obviously not wanted, on every other dropback TVD was kept clean, and once the second half came around and we fixed the communication issues, the OL was no longer an issue.

 

[PIPO]

To be fair, Arroyo missed this block on 3rd and 1. If he makes this block then Knighton has 1 man to beat for the score. Instead we gain 2 yards.

View attachment 208033

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Fair. Not saying Arroyo hasn’t missed a block but whom has a history of bad blocking and whom has a track record of doing a good job blocking most of the time?

 

[AlexCane]

It's also not reproducible because it's just not our style. We saw App State approach us with a similar game plan. Ball control. TOP. Run. They know they don't have the talent so they limit possessions. (I'm not sure what happened in the UNC game though.) Anyways, I think ultimately teams have to be who they are. I'm not sure exactly what our offense is just yet but I don't think we are going to ground and pound and bludgeon these guys to death. But I definitely agree with the poster above who said we have to limit mistakes and not shoot ourselves in the foot.

 

[JHallCanes]

To be fair, Arroyo missed this block on 3rd and 1. If he makes this block then Knighton has 1 man to beat for the score. Instead we gain 2 yards.

View attachment 208033

View attachment 208032

View attachment 208034

the Mallory hate here has achieved embarrassing status

It’s weird

He is a terrible blocker though no doubt

I expect these next few weeks to see a lot more Arroyo and Mallory in the pass game concepts and we will see more what Gattis is trying to do on offense

 

[theibisrules]

Chase Brice was wildly erratic, he was horrible, yet he made throws when they needed it the most.

 

[RVACane]

Why do you hate everyone on CIS?

View attachment 208040

 

[88]

Do we NEED to grind it out and go for winning the TOP battle? No. Their QB sucks, and ours is superior.

Will we try to grind it out and go for TOP, that's a whole different story.

There's no reason we shouldn't hope to hit TAMU with a balanced attack, and attempt explosive plays.

I'm not beaten down into the Big Ten ground-n-pound bunker yet.

 

[Cribby]

App State goes out the window because we won’t be facing the same team as they did. We will have all of A&M’s focus / attention. If we come out and try to do what they did we’ll be all tucked in and sleeping by the half.

 

[PIPO]

Fair. Not saying Arroyo hasn’t missed a block but whom has a history of bad blocking and whom has a track record of doing a good job blocking most of the time?

Showing a good block by Arroyo by @Stevo365.

3rd & 2 and great seal block with 2 pulling guards and Parrish with his great vision cuts it back right on the back of Arroyo for a 15 yard run and a first down.

 

[PIPO]

App State goes out the window because we won’t be facing the same team as they did. We will have all of A&M’s focus / attention. If we come out and try to do what they did we’ll be all tucked in and sleeping by the half.

IMO, you have to come out up tempo and throwing the ball to TEs and receivers. I think they will be expecting run heavy from us.