Someone who understands X & Os – explain what we should do

[ProudUte]

One problem our defense has (it was very apparent last week) – is that the QB leaves the pocket and has 20 open yards.  On third and long Utah rushes three or four and leaves everyone else in coverage.  All of the receivers run deep routes.  If the QB sees this, he can run up the middle for 15 yards.  It seems that every team is sending all of their receivers deep and opening up the middle of the field for the QB.

I am no defensive coordinator, but

– I hate only rushing 3 or 4 on third and long.  We seem to get burned so often when we do that.

– Shouldn’t we leave a linebacker as a QB spy in case he decides to run?

The only thing I do know, is that we often get burned by non running QBs taking advantage of open fields.  This keeps drives alive.  

[EagleMountainUte]

They have to get home the dline. They also have a tendency to overpursue out of their lanes to lose contain. They didn’t give up the deep ball tho so mission accomplished on third and long I guess. 

[Utah]

This. Our DL need to maintain contain, keep the QB in the pocket. 

Also, Colorado has less weapons than ASU. ASU’s RB, WR, and QB are all top 3 in the conference. Plus they have athletes everywhere else. Colorado is not ASU. Their QB is average, their RB is terrible and their WR is amazing. Much easier to defend against. 

[EagleMountainUte]

Shinault is used all over rushing and passing. It is a hard cover I think Colorado’s qb has a good arm on him but accuracy isn’t perfect. 

[Utah]

Yeah, but Montaz can’t run like Manny or make quick decisions like Manny and their RB isn’t even in the same stratosphere as Eno. They will move their WR around, but it will be a lot easier to cover him/double him/bracket him and take him away. 

Also, we can blitz a lot more vs Colorado than vs ASU. I expect Hansen to hit Montaz and have Bernard or Barton or a safety take it to the house on the INT. 

[EagleMountainUte]

Speight had 8 rushes for 30 yards a few losses on contains and he was smart but slower than Herbert. Keep contain and don’t allow those third and long escape rushes and Utah does pretty much the same thing they did to UCLA.

[Ma’ake Kava]

CU’s OL is *very* young (start 3 FR I believe), and have done a relatively poor job of protecting Montez. This *should* translate into fewer deviations out of lanes on the pass rush trying to get home.

I would think about shifting Anae inside on obvious passing downs, like we’ve done before letting DEs play the middle and drop into short coverage – eg, RBs slipping out for a middle screen. This essentially lets Anae be a spy on Montez, and lets a DT like Penisini play DE and bull rush the OT, collapsing the pocket.

One of our better matchups is our DL vs their OL, so assuming we win that battle in the trenches, their throw game shrinks (less time for the QB) and if we can both contain the run game and get good pressure with 4 upfront, the LBs and DBs have less of the field to cover vertically (all things being equal).

If Montez escapes the pocket horizontally, he can’t outrun Chase, Cody, Ballard, and certainly not Blair. He’s big enough to have a good chance of stiff-arming the DBs, so they just need to wrap up at his feet.

Every game is its own story, and you have to respect every opponent, but I don’t expect Montez to beat us by running on passing plays like Herbert did. (If Cody & Chase get tired, bring in Bernard and Thompson.)

Everything starts up front.

[SalUteopia]

Great analysis!

[EagleMountainUte]

So 15 sacks??

[Ma’ake Kava]

A huge wildcard is the weather. The forecast had snow falling in Boulder starting about 2:00am. If it snows and passes by, they’ll clear the field. If there is snow sticking during the game, things get a little crazy.

The Buffs seem either like they’re really sagging with 5 straight losses, with their coach dealing with a horrendously botched rumor of the worst kind… or they’ll be really p**sed and will want to rally and want to send their seniors out with a “W” and get to a bowl.

I would expect them to fight. Football players are competitors, these guys aren’t going to lay down, and anyone who expects that is nuts. (They might mail it in – but I would be a bit surprised, unless there are major chemistry problems, which is possible since they coughed up 28 points to Oregon State at home in the 2nd half a few weeks ago, and lost that game.)

Logically, with mediocre OL play vs our DL, I would expect them to go wide to Shenault and other playmakers, maybe some wheel routes and other RB patterns to Macmillian, probably some stuff nobody has seen yet. If there’s snow on the field, they’ll want to get the ball in space ASAP, where offensive players have a bigger advantage with the footing. Shenault, Nixon, the coach’s son & whoever else they have at WR and RB are their best bet.

Of course if there’s snow on the field, maybe the one player with the biggest advantage is Covey who has short steps to begin with. (We played New Mexico in 1984 with snow sticking on the field, with the great Errol Tucker as a punt returner. He made everyone else look like statues, both because he was truly great, and because in the open field defenders are at a serious disadvantage in those conditions.)

Our offense vs their D is another favorable matchup… on paper. They have 2 starting DBs out and a LB out with concussion protocol. Everyone west of the Mississippi knows we’ll want to use the power game, which CU may have success stuffing early. (Example: Weber shooting the gaps, selling out to alter the basic game flow.) If we keep our composure, don’t turn the ball over and can get enough snaps, we should be able to wear down their D. If there is snow on the field, this kind of ugly ball is more easily negated. Shelley and the receivers will need to make plays in crappy weather, there’s very little chance we’ll be able to just ram it down their throat all game.

[Utah5410]

No one has mentioned. ASUs line has given up very few sacks. Doesn’t even compare. If Utah shows up focused they should easily.

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