Barnes film study

1. 2nd drive (or first if you say the Tafuna fumble recovery made it one drive).
Situation: 3rd and 13, Oregon 18.
Formation: 11 personnel (one back, one TE). Strong to the field, Tight 3×1 formation, Matthews with man look to boundary.
Pre-snap: Oregon is showing 2-4-5 look with 2 high safeties.

Oregon rushes 6 against Max protect (Mike, Glover blocking) and overruns the Oblock. 3 receivers v 5 defenders. Barnes first read is left for Vele on slant which is covered. McLain is possible on the flag and Matthews is locked up on the boundary fade. 2 seconds in and there are 2 defenders running over Glover up the gut and two coming from the QB’s right. Barnes slides to his left hoping MClain will come open or Miki can release from his block. We can’t see McLain’s defender but have to assume there is a reason Barnes tucked it.

Synopsis: Barnes took a 3 step drop and was already under pressure. Stepping up into the pocket was not available. The Matthews fade was unavailable due to the rush so the only possible option was McLain and we don’t know how good that was. This failure was not on Barnes.

2. First play after Oregon went up 14-3.
Situation: 1st and 10, own 25.
Formation: 11 personnel, Strong to the field, Tight 3×1 formation, Parks man look to boundary.
Pre-snap: Oregon is showing 4-2-5, 2 high safeties.

Matthews Jet motion to boundary, Glover and line sell run action to boundary, Parks with reverse action to field and Vele running a clear out route. Ball is snapped at 0:10. At 0:11, Mokofisi has already whiffed on his block while Barnes if faking to Glover, forcing Barnes to slide right. Vele appears to have man with no help over the top but that is an assumption. Parks is coming clear underneath with a DB mirroring him. Barnes roll action has allowed Mokofisi to get back on his block.

Synopsis: We can’t know if this play was designed to only be thrown to Parks, thus making the Vele route window dressing. Whether Barnes had to option to throw the deep ball or not, he throws the ball from an awkward angle and Parks gets tackled instantly. There were no routes being run to the boundary so in this two receiver route, you either get rid of it quick or reset your feet to throw the 50/50 ball. Again, I don’t put this failure on Barnes.

3. Situation: 1st and 10, down 21-3, own 44.
Formation: 11 personnel, Strong to the field, Tight 3×1 formation, Parks to boundary with safety help
Pre-snap: Oregon is showing 4-2-5 with 2 high safeties

Starting at 0:21, backside view. Jackson stays in to block, Corner blitz from boundary, Vele slant, Miki drag, McLain releases vertical, Parks mesh route. 0:23, Barnes hasn’t finished 3 step drop, eyes focused left to see Vele covered on slant, Miki doubled on drag, McLain doubled on vertical and Parks running into double coverage on mesh. Barnes also sees Laumea miss but I can’t tell if he has seen the corner with a free run. 0:24 Jackson has moved to the corner, Barnes has finished his drop and the D Lineman had a free run at him. Barnes moves right, I assume thinking Jackson has moved to the outlet or will be a lead blocker. Jackson gets run over and Barnes is sacked.

Synopsis: Another example of 4 good blocks and one complete breakdown forcing a scramble drill. I can’t read minds but based on the routes, it looks like Barnes is hoping to buy time for Miki or Vele to come open to the sideline. Oregon had seen this on tape many times and the corner blitz took that away. Again, I’m not sure what Barnes was supposed to do unless you think he should have shaken off both tacklers, regained his composure and found Parks when he came open 3 seconds after first contact. While stepping up and to the left takes him away from the receiver flow.

4. Situation: 1st and 10, down 21-3, own 39.
Formation: 12 personnel, under center, Tight 3×1 to the field. Vele Jet motion to boundary flat.
Pre-snap: Oregon showing 4-2-5 with 2 high safeties.

Miki stays in to block for play-action. 2 receiver route against man to boundary, zone to field. King runs slant, Parks vertical against double coverage. Play design forces Barnes to turn his back to the LOS to sell run, finally looks downfield at 0:34. First read is Parks where he sees double. King turns vertical against double coverage leaving Vele on the flat who does nothing to help his QB. Fano gets beat while the other four hold their blocks leaving Barnes nothing but to throw it away.

Synopsis: The blocking was decent, Barnes went through his progressions and didn’t make any mistakes. This one was on the play design. Miki never blocked anyone and Glover stopped at the line and stood next to him, also doing nothing. Having one or both of those two release when they weren’t challenged to give Barnes another option may have allowed him to throw it somewhere before Fano got called for the hold. Again, not on Barnes.

Now to the successful plays. They will be 1 through 3 on the vidoes
5. Situation: 2-10, own 45, down 7-0. Time for the Vaki wheel route that Oregon won’t suspect
Formation: 21 personnel, Strong to field, 2×1 with King inline to boundary, Vele slot Parks wide.
Pre-snap: Oregon showing 4-3-4 against two back look, 2 high safeties

Jackson motions to right leaving Vaki as lone back to boundary. Film tells us that Vaki will either get a carry to the field or run a wheel to the boundary with this look. Oregon has seen this and has #2 Bassa spy Vaki. Parks runs a go against cover 2 with safety over top. Jackson drifts out to flat which #5 recognizes and releases Parks. Vele run 5 yard dig. King runs 7 yard dig. Bassa fights through King to cover Vaki on the wheel. Note: the Vaki wheel worked against SC and Cal because he was matched against the D End. Oregon has put a much faster player on him who is able to keep Vaki in check. Vele and Jackson are open so Barnes throws quickly to Vele for a nice gain to set up 3rd and 3.

Synopsis: This was a well blocked play and there was time to throw a 50/50 ball to either Parks or Vaki. Barnes made the quick decision to throw to his best receiver instead of taking an unnecessary risk. Good decision.

6. Situation: 3rd and 5, down 7-0, Oregon 22.
Formation: 10 personnel, 3×1 wide bunch to field, Parks to boundary
Pre-snap: Oregon showing 4-2-5 with 2 high safeties

Parks runs 5 yard dig route, Glover releases to boundary, Vele runs a 12 yard drag, McLain runs a deep in and Simmons runs a 3 yard out, all against tight man coverage. Oregon rushes 5, Based on alignment, Fano has DE, Bills has DT, Mokofisi has DT and Laumea has DE with Failu helping or picking up the backer. Instead Bills and Failu double team DT, Mokofisi takes on 3 guys and Laumea wanders through the tulips.

Immediate pressure from the field forces Barnes to roll to boundary, eliminating Simmons and McLain’s routes. Glover and Parks both end up in the same area and neither move with their QB to help him out. Vele’s route was an option had Barnes not been under duress and he did an excellent job throwing off-balance with a LB in his face to Glover.

Synopsis: This play was counted as a success but that was all Barnes. The blocking broke down but he was able to buy time and find the one open receiver.

7. Situation: first play of 2nd half, 1-10, down 21-3, own 19.
Formation: 11 personnel, 3×1 to field, Vele to boundary
Pre-snap: Oregon showing 4-2-5 with 2 high safeties

First play of the half, needing a good drive, time for a quick call to get ahead of schedule. Max protect with Miki and Jackson, Veles runs a 7 yard dig, Two receivers to boundary fake routes and settle in to block, never looking at the QB. This is designed to look like a run and is blocked as such which allows the single receiver route to be open.

Synopsis: Nice design. Barnes was able to sell the run and get the LB’s to bite and Vele ran his defender off to get a nice cushion. Togiai could have been called for ineligible man downfield. And Barnes confidently delivered the ball to the only receiver available