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

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IndayArtHauz said:


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.
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Don't let Gattis hear 1-2 yards wins games!
 
PIPO said:
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?

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Arroyo has been better than Mallory from jump.
 
IndayArtHauz said:


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.
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I think the big question is not if we think the App St game plan is reproducible but if Mario does. I can just see us line up and play the football in a phonebooth style like we did against So Miss. I'm a Mario supporter 100% but this was one of my concerns. Mario still has a lot of room to grow as a game day coach in terms of out coaching the opposition. I truly want to see him improve in this aspect of coaching because if he does he could become an elite all around HC. He has all the other qualities that a great HC needs.

What I want most to see Saturday is that both coordinators put together excellent game plans. We have an elite coaching staff but the 1st two games haven't been the types of games where you get to see that fact on display. This game will be. We have been missing elite coaching for so long. In a way this fan base is like the guy walking through a scorching hot and dry desert about to collapse then all of a sudden he sees a bar 100 yards away. Water at last he says! Is it real or is it a mirage?
 
Gransapo said:
Arroyo has been better than Mallory from jump.
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Arroyo has been very underutilized the first two games which is understandable since we were heavy favorites in both games. From this point forward we need to use all of our artillery. Arroyo and Skinner need to be used in the passing game.
 
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TheProf said:
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.
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Great post. I agree 100%
 
FrancisSawyer said:
Arroyo has been very underutilized the first two games which is understandable since we were heavy favorites in both games. From this point forward we need to use all of our artillery. Arroyo and Skinner need to be used in the passing game.
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I agree with your point. I just want to be clear that I was typing that Arroyo was better from the day he walked on campus.
 
Well, we wont try to replicate what App State did for one good reason: App State doesn't have the passing game/QB talent that we have, which limited their ability to throw the football against a talented secondary. The Aggies on the other hand don't care about TFLs, they only care about proper contain and keeping everything in front of them run wise. If that means stopping a run after 3, they'll do that. Problem was, App State and their uncomfortable O-Line were able to chunk the necessary yardage out. App State up front has small O-Linemen who play low and can move. Its not easy to defend the run against them.

We can throw the ball and we haven't shown anything on offense that the Aggies need to prepare for outside of the run game and there are no secret plays here, its just us needing to execute proper technique. Pass game wise, we have all the talent at QB and it will come down to us executing passing concepts, making fundamentally sound reads and taking the checkdown whenever we can. A RB is a mismatch vs a LB in the passing game. And Parrish and Knighton are the ones who will really help us here.

Gattis is known for being a gameday coach just like Steele is. He installs new things based on the opponents strengths and weaknesses. If that means installing route concepts (something he does very well and bases his playbook in), he will do just that. TVD just has to execute the reads.

Unless Jimbo decides to throw a curveball, I expect the Aggies to run their standard 4-man fronts and play a lot of two-high. TVD struggled with that against Southern Miss on some occasions.
 
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PIPO said:
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.

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Lol double teaming with a tackle is a lot easier than taking a DE or OLB one on one.

I am not saying Arroyo isn’t a better blocker than Mallory, but Mallory can block down here too lol
 
JHallCanes said:
The Rooster criticism was really bizarre

Be good to have him back full strength he’s one of the better weapons on the team for sure especially if he’s not being tasked with carrying it 20 times right up the middle
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Knighton's last 60 carries - 154 yds - 2.6 ypc - 1 run of 10+ yds

Seems more weird if we weren't at least a little critical of him at this point, no?

That being said - he showed some positives in his few carries against South Miss, even thought he stats weren't good again.

He put together multiple cuts vs 1 cut & go. He put the ball in his outside arm & used a stiff arm. He didn't do these things last year. He was brought in for short yardage, which was strange and it'll be interesting to see how he's used moving forward. But saw some positive signs last game.
 
Distribute the ball to our playmakers relentlessly constantly pressuring.

On D our edge DE must box and trail ( they will cut back) never ever EVER “ SLANT” in hard allowing them outside feed our front 4 the sacks will come in doing this.

And FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS, they will cheap shot us and trash talk make the home field referees throw the flags on them.

GOCANES
 
Cribby said:
Brashard will be VERY important this week. He has to be a playmaker.
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The Big Lebowski Signings GIF
 
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Let’s not forget the sacks had a direct impact on TVD. He seemed to not be comfortable in the pocket
 
PIPO said:
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.
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Agree 100% ... but I fully expect Gattis to begin run heavy "to prove we can do it". UGH.
 
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bshaw28 said:
Knighton's last 60 carries - 154 yds - 2.6 ypc - 1 run of 10+ yds

Seems more weird if we weren't at least a little critical of him at this point, no?

That being said - he showed some positives in his few carries against South Miss, even thought he stats weren't good again.

He put together multiple cuts vs 1 cut & go. He put the ball in his outside arm & used a stiff arm. He didn't do these things last year. He was brought in for short yardage, which was strange and it'll be interesting to see how he's used moving forward. But saw some positive signs last game.
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This could all come back to it being fringe comments from fringe fans that are a little reactionary when we are talking about criticism

I mean your post is totally valid. Some of the stuff I’ve seen about Rooster was over the top imo

Lashlee has been getting quite a pass from a lot of fans who don’t like Gattis, but how he was using Knighton last year was definitely not ideal (didn’t have much of a choice though since no one else was stepping up)

The hope for me with Gattis is he will be better at using the backs and TEs because I think we lacked in that area last year. So maybe all of this is for nothing…we will see I guess
 
The biggest concern I have is the OL just letting rushers threw unblocked like they did last week. 3rd down and longs could become scary.

On the other hand Texas A&M was horrible on offense. Controlling the clock has as much to do with your D as if does your O.
 
I don’t know about anyone else, but I think we see a package against atm with Brown in at QB. Miami will be prepared and Gattis’s true offense will be on full display.

He left Michigan on his own and I think he wants to show the college football world that last year was no fluke. I think he’ll come out with something to prove.

I also think this is the game we see a heavy dose of the TE’s and RB’s in the passing game.
 
ben said:
To me the matchup is their underachieving qb against our underachieving secondary
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We can't give up the big play in the passing game, I don't think this kid is capable of consistently leading long TD drives
 
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