Here's what you need to know about Eastern and Montana.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJJ3z2akf90[/youtube]
At 34 seconds, play setup
At 39 seconds linebacker JP Konangata is burned trying to defend Wr Shaq Hill. It's a terrible mismatch that Gregorak has tried fix by transitioning to lighter, faster linebackers. But, it's still a mismatch that Big Sky teams with far less talent than Eastern have tried to exploit with some success this year.
Listen to the commentators throughout the highlight video. There’s always a Griz who almost reaches the QB, but not quite. That's not surprising. Count off the seconds before Adams throws the ball. Two seconds pretty much every time. Can you shed your blocker and get to the quarterback in less than two seconds? No. Can an Eastern wide receiver running into soft coverage get into open space in two seconds or less? Yes. Go back and pause the video at 35 seconds, look at the receivers. There’s two Wr. With four yards between themselves and the nearest defender, another two with at least two yards. They’re not trying to get open, they’re open, by design as Montana's bend-don't-break defense plays out, with Eastern receivers making their cuts uninterrupted and continuing up field.
Look at the secondary and how soft they are. The whole premise of the Griz defense is that QBs under pressure make mistakes. You rely on pressure from your defensive front and just keep the play in front of your secondary. Don't give up anything big. Eastern beats that shit every time.
Look at 1:43 Adams is ready to throw, the wr to his right is 4 yards away from the nearest defender – in two seconds and it isn't even his best target.
Read the Missoulian story about his weeks game. Read what EWU coach Beau Baldwin has to say about the Griz D. They’re very basic and that’s a compliment, he says. Yep. You know what the Griz are going to do. Know you have to get the ball off in under two to beat the pressure. Know you’re going to have receivers open within two seconds also. All you have to do is beat the pressure and find the open man. Bad teams struggle with that. The Eastern Washingtons of the world do not.
What’s different about this year’s defense and last year’s defense? Last year’s defense had two linebackers now playing in the NFL including one starting for the Seattle Seahawks.
