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Instead of the fire coach and bandwagon talk, I thought it would interesting to dissect a play to see what we are doing wrong.

I think this will be typical of the analysis Bohl and coaches will be doing this week on defense. Not to pick on specific players, but here is a great example of the issues that need to be corrected quickly on D. I don't claim to be an analysis expert, but the issues are glaring on plays like these.

UND's first touchdown - a 52 yd run by Santiago

Pre-snap: the key thing to note on this formation is that UND has only a single WR up top of screen, with no WR on the bottom of the screen. Marcus Epps is our safety on that side. UND has a triple back set, which I am guessing was confusing to the Pokes D.



Frame1: As the play develops, a couple key things to note...first, our first level Dline is manhandled - it is what it is. Second, and more importantly - we have 3 linebackers free on the 2nd level, while UND has only two blockers. Third - Epps has dropped backwards into coverage (Tampa 2 usually has two deep safeties), even with no WR on his side. My only guess is that he might supposed to be safety help over the top of the single WR (seen on top of screen).



Frame2: At this point, we still have two LBs free, while UND has a single blocker. Epps is about 10 yards off the play, still off screen. WR on top is running a fly route. Again, there is no WR on the bottom side of the play.



Frame3: This picture shows the point at which this will become a good play for UND. Wacha, the one LB not picked up by the two fullbacks, commits to a gap (unfortunately the wrong one). I know the Tampa 2 is about keeping gap commitments, so either he committed too soon into his gap, or someone was supposed to be covering the other gap - perhaps Epps? I have to think it was Wacha's responsibility to read the correct gap as the unblocked LB. You can now see Epps' shadow. Not to pick on him so badly - I hope he learns and improves from the game. But he is clearly not providing safety help to the WR on top, and had no WR or TE releasing on the bottom side. He seems to be caught in no man's land.



Frame4: Epps shows up in the picture.



Frame5: Note the current position of our two defenders - both of whom were completely unblocked on the play. Wacha, having committed to a different gap, is now chasing. That leaves Epps as last defender.



Frame6: The play just turned from good to great for UND, as Epps overruns forward. Perhaps he can adjust and catch Santiago?



Frame7: Or maybe not...



Frame8: Nope...



The defense is struggling with basic positioning, reads, and reactions. Sorry to pick on Epps - he is a freshman who was #2 on the depth chart a week ago. This is more to point out the adjustments and development coaching that will be key to a quick turnaround this week and year. It's not completely about athleticism, it is as much about mentally playing the system correctly.

A pretty thorough dissection of this play YP, nice work.

Much of the game on both sides of the ball for Wyoming was about a lack of execution, being responsible at your spot, adjusting to the schematics of individual plays - many of which ND executed flawlessly and with discipline and many that saw Wyoming's failure to carry out their assignments. With a plethora of youth on the team - and on defense - with a few players adjusting to new roles...well, this was bound to happen unfortunately. Perhaps even predictable in many ways.

Is this the play where the gap the RB was suppose to hit was plugged and kicked it around the edge? I'm guessing it's not Wachas responsibility after that

Good question Laxwyo - the play was their first TD run. You can see the whole play at 0:28s here...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-t3sOdHO60


My read is that Santiago kicks it outside only after getting to the 2nd level. The UND Oline creates a gaping 5 yard gap between Yarbrough and Chase. It could be a real challenge having a 260lb nose tackle - Chase gets ridden badly out of the play. Chase made a lot of good plays, but may really have trouble holding ground at the NT spot. He may be more successful switching back to DT, and playing off center. Uso didn't take advantage of switching from NT in this game.

Santiago hits the 5yd gap before turning outside. Kamana and Nzeocha were lined up to the left of Wacha on the play. Both Kamana and Nzeocha take on the blocks of the two fullbacks, but it is possible that Nzeocha got sucked in too much to the middle, crowding Wacha out of the play (Kamana got pushed to the outside). So it looks to me like either Nzeocha or Wacha or misplayed it. I pointed out Wacha because he was the only free unblocked LB. Epps was definitely the last line of defense, and committed full speed to the center of the field, taking the wrong angle, and giving up the outside. That turned the play from what was already a big gainer to a TD.

The problem is that on this play and many others literally every single Cowboy loses their individual battle. Not one Cowboy was able to shed their block and disrupt the play. This happened constantly Saturady

Definitely a valid observation and concern. This play would have been a solid gainer based on that. We cannot have our Nose Tackle pushed multiple yards off the ball by a single blocker. I think that will be an adjustment Bohl makes quickly - maybe switching Chase and Uso to the spots they both played last year.

But Bohl's defense is really about gap containment, and keeping plays in front of you. You had one LB and one safety completely free on the play side of the ball. If the LB makes the play, maybe it's a 5yd gain. If the safety makes the play, maybe a 10 yd gain. When neither make the play - 52 yard touchdown.

I see a bunch of lines that say "Image" but no images. Am I missing something?

WyoBrandX wrote:I see a bunch of lines that say "Image" but no images. Am I missing something?

Hmmm...I embedded images to public links on dropbox, but maybe there's a problem with how I did that.

Added url links to the pics - hopefully they work.

Looks like Yarborough may have been blocked in the back. Not that it really matters though. Doubt he would have been able to make the tackle

Image issue hopefully fixed.

LanderPoke wrote:The problem is that on this play and many others literally every single Cowboy loses their individual battle. Not one Cowboy was able to shed their block and disrupt the play. This happened constantly Saturday

And this won't change in six days. It will happen next Saturday. That is a reason I think the twelve and a half spread is nonsense. EMU can put up points. The Pokes, not so much. This game is far, far from in the bag.

I'd like to see more of these threads this season and less fire the coach and bandwagon talk great way to start something that could be fun to do every week.

Something else I noticed on every long run our safeties took awful pursuit angels and it showed.

Wyo2dal wrote:I'd like to see more of these threads this season and less fire the coach and bandwagon talk great way to start something that could be fun to do every week.

Something else I noticed on every long run our safeties took awful pursuit angels and it showed.

I noticed this all day. CBs jumping routes to places the receiver hadn't been and weren't going to, linebackers missing plays by an arms length, and the safeties were seemingly out of place every time they were asked to make a play...I was shocked at how young and inexperienced we looked. Outside of Wacha and Yarborough, we looked foolish on every play. I had no idea our youth would manifest to the extent that it did. My initial belief that a bowl game is possible season is nothing more than a pipe dream unless Bohl figures out how to pack 3 years of experience into 5 days of practice. I fear all of the "doom and gloomers" who said we were in for a rough go of it were right. When you have a guy who squats 750lbs with legs as big as tree trunks and is build like a bowling ball yet he cant get leverage to push against lighter and weeker opponents, we are in trouble.

Wacha could have made the play but it wasn't his gap. There was someone slightly in his way. The safety took a poor angle. Simple fact is that if the offense runs its play correctly, someone will need to get off a block to make a tackle. If we rely on the one free man to make a play every down, there's going to be a lot of yards put up.

I thought the D played fine. Not great. The offense was the problem. How many extra possessions did they give und? What happens in this game if wyo makes ONE drive in the first half??

I really had hope on the last possession of the first half, knowing that we were driving and getting the ball back at half. poop the bed at end of first half and 3 and out to begin 2nd half

Wyo2dal wrote:I'd like to see more of these threads this season and less fire the coach and bandwagon talk great way to start something that could be fun to do every week.

Something else I noticed on every long run our safeties took awful pursuit angels and it showed.

Yes, yes they did. Mostly Epps, though. All day long. Hopefully Pilapil will be a bit better at this.

Here is where my issue is and it's in frame 1. I realize that they are strong to the short side of the field, but that doesn't mean we should stack every one of our defenders on that half of the field. We have terrible outside containment alignment on the wide side of the field. That' picture should make any OC salivate.

Gap responsibility was awful, we looked like a very confused defense. I figured we would give up some big plays, but I cannot believe the offense was totally inept. Unreal, totally dominated physically by a middle of the road FCS team. We'll know more about our team by how they respond, but this is the shocking and confusing loss I have ever experienced as a football fan, not just a wyoming fan.

EXACTLY!

Players are out there but some of that has to be scheme and coaching.....

I realize that they are strong to the short side of the field, but that doesn't mean we should stack every one of our defenders on that half of the field. We have terrible outside containment alignment on the wide side of the field. That' picture should make any OC salivate.

Could you do the same kind of break down for the 3rd down and 9, draw play that netted about 13 yards in the second half?

I was watching from the end zone and was amazed at how big the hole was.

WW