This play just kills me

[ibleedhuskyblue]

7:39 left in the 4th quarter.

I don't know how to make a video to post here. If someone else could, it would be much appreciated. If not, try to check it out on ESPN3. I have watched it about 30 times now...the level of fail on that play is mesmerizing. Like a bus accident in slow motion, recorded on a blackberry, with some idiot in the background yelling "World Star !!!!!"

McCombs run to the right side. I can't tell if its off guard, or off tackle because it was blown up in the backfield....way in the backfield. Anyways, Bullock, Cruz, and Friend are all supposed to block to the right gap. There were 4 guys coming in against 3 blockers...so already we are off to a bad start.

Somehow, Bullock, and Friend both end up in the second level, with no one to block....because 4 guys have basically bowled over Cruz (all at once) and beaten McCombs to within an inch of his life. Again...Bullock and Friend, pretty much just run right past rushing DE's/LB's, to block second level defenders that no longer exist, because they are now taking a nap on McCombs' lumbar spine.

This play epitomizes our O-Line in 2012.

Someone please tell me what I'm looking at here. I just don't see how that play is even possible. The 3 blockers should have blocked 3 guys, and the other one should have had to divert his route to get around the traffic jam. Instead everyone just goes straight-line at the RB with nothing impeding them at all.

 

[sportsart]

Twilight Zone blocking. It's all imaginary.

 

[Srqhusky]

I feel your pain but this was one of our ol best performance of the season so far. Sometimes the block and give whitmer plenty of time or will open a hole for a twelve yard gain. Then a play or two later defenders will run by like no one is standing In front of them. Hopefully we r starting to turn the corner

 

[noeynox]

Twilight Zone blocking. It's all imaginary.

That was funny. You can hear the theme as the play the play develops.

 

[huskymedic]

I think stamina started to come into play in the 4th... Offense spent more time on the field than usual (36+ minute TOP and 67 plays).

Interesting comment from PP to Des on blocking.

What was happening with the run game in that first half, where it was most successful?

“I just thought we executed the blocking scheme better. I thought the guys were able to finish some blocks and stay on the defender longer which gave Lyle a little more time, a little bit better chance to make some yards but we didn’t change anything or put in any new plays. We didn’t do any of that. I just think it was just a little bit better execution.”

 

[UConnDan97]

I think stamina started to come into play in the 4th... Offense spent more time on the field than usual (36+ minute TOP and 67 plays).

Interesting comment from PP to Des on blocking.

What was happening with the run game in that first half, where it was most successful?

“I just thought we executed the blocking scheme better. I thought the guys were able to finish some blocks and stay on the defender longer which gave Lyle a little more time, a little bit better chance to make some yards but we didn’t change anything or put in any new plays. We didn’t do any of that. I just think it was just a little bit better execution.”

It's funny; all I could think about after the game last night was....I REALLY want to be wrong about those two (PP and GDL, although admittedly I don't have as much dislike for PP as I do for GDL). I really want to be wrong about them, and since I just don't have enough "x's and o's" background in football, I'm allowing for the fact that I'm not seeing the nuances out there that might be able to turn around with better execution or maybe even more appropriately fitting personnel (not better personnel...just personnel that fits the style better).

I see flashes of "wow!" with this team, only to follow that up with flashes of "wow...". I also keep thinking that these guys were in the pros, surrounded by people who DEFINITELY understand the nuances, with big time money at stake...and they still continued to get paid for it. You all know that I am one of the guys on the forefront of the "Reinstate Mike Foley" charge, after seeing multiple breakdowns on the offensive line over the past year plus. But last night, the QB had time to throw for the most part and the running game got established for the most part. People can say what they want about Pitt's psyche, but it was clear to me that we won because of what we did and not what Pitt didn't do. I guess my only hope is that one year from now, I can type to you all, "I was wrong about GDL....and I'm glad!!!"

 

[sportsart]

What I'm told is they are using zone blocking and power blocking as well.

The first half sure looked like our OL was the OL we were used to seeing. Lyle looked like he did last year.

I couldn't tell you what a zone blocking scheme looked like but it sure looked like we did some good old fashion power blocking to give Lyle some lanes to run through. Pass blocking looked good too. All in the first half.

Second half...who knows what scheme they were using. Anyone with blocking experience know what they were doing?

I can't believe all of a sudden the OL figured out how to zone block last night.

 

[TRest]

All I could see on some successful runs was everybody pulling left and Lyle cutting back and going right around the edge where there was no contain.

 

[UConnDan97]

All I could see on some successful runs was everybody pulling left and Lyle cutting back and going right around the edge where there was no contain.

I can say with great certainty that his biggest run was a scamper-slide between the tackles, as well as a couple of 6+ yard runs as well. It wasn't all McCombs (although he certainly had a very good game). He found holes that were being created up front.....for once, finally!

EDIT: I could only find the video to one of the runs (the McCombs big-one), which can be accessed on the right side of the ESPN screen [4th Quarter]. The line gets McCombs 5 yards worth up the middle, and McCombs slips some tackles to get the rest...

http://espn.go.com/ncf/video?gameId=323140041

 

[ZooCougar]

I remember when stamina was an issue for the other defense against our line. We used to have our way in the 3rd and 4th quarter.

This year it's like, "who do I block?".

Look, this was Pitt. We beat them in 2006 too, the last time we were in such bad shape. I wouldn't bank too much on actual progress being made.

I think stamina started to come into play in the 4th... Offense spent more time on the field than usual (36+ minute TOP and 67 plays).

Interesting comment from PP to Des on blocking.

What was happening with the run game in that first half, where it was most successful?

“I just thought we executed the blocking scheme better. I thought the guys were able to finish some blocks and stay on the defender longer which gave Lyle a little more time, a little bit better chance to make some yards but we didn’t change anything or put in any new plays. We didn’t do any of that. I just think it was just a little bit better execution.”

 

[mattp]

I see flashes of "wow!" with this team, only to follow that up with flashes of "wow...". I also keep thinking that these guys were in the pros, surrounded by people who DEFINITELY understand the nuances, with big time money at stake...and they still continued to get paid for it. You all know that I am one of the guys on the forefront of the "Reinstate Mike Foley" charge, after seeing multiple breakdowns on the offensive line over the past year plus. But last night, the QB had time to throw for the most part and the running game got established for the most part. People can say what they want about Pitt's psyche, but it was clear to me that we won because of what we did and not what Pitt didn't do. I guess my only hope is that one year from now, I can type to you all, "I was wrong about GDL....and I'm glad!!!"

It was nice to see GDL's offense work the way it's supposed to for a half. I don't know that I like the zone blocking, but it was fun to at least see what his schemes look like when they're successful. We didn't even get to see that against UMass. If Whitmer had hit the wide open TE instead of a Pitt DB we'd have had a really nice day of moving the ball. Even though he blew that last play, it was nice to see them move down the field on that drive rather than the usual 3 and punt.