Grizfan-24 said:
In my opinion, I think simplistic answers in regards to stopping veer option teams, spread option teams are rarely executable in the way that they look on paper. We can criticize Gregorak for doing this or that in regards to stopping Poly on that last drive, but there is little in those criticisms that a ton of merit as I noted in a prior post.
First, veer option teams are difficult to scheme in a way to get desired predictable outcomes. In other words, if you call this play defensively then your are going to get this outcome. The common idea is if you blitz a guy off the edge, you are going to get the quarterback to give the football on dive. They don't have to run dive option, they can run speed option, or another of a myriad of play calls.
Now it obviously helps if you have the type of athletes that SEC teams employ, because in most cases they have not only skill but type of athletic advantage that allows you to defend option type teams by devoting your DL plus inside backers to stopping dive. This is of course the reason why running option at the NFL level in nearly impossible. The speed and strength negates the deception.
Moreover, Veer/man schemes are just sloppy reads for second level guys. There are in my estimation three types of reads for backers. Clean reads are those where if you read the guard you are going to know immediately where the play is headed. Soft Reads are those reads that generally take you to the football (think stretch). Cloudy Reads require play development to know truly where the football is going to go. There are so few reads at the second level against option teams that are Clean. In fact most of them are so cloudy, that unless you get your eyes to the second level for clarity, you might as well just guess. Moreover, the second level reads are just as cloudy because the f back doesn't always necessarily travel in the same path of the football.
Which I have always argued for holistic game plans against veer/wingt/option teams, that created secondary fail safes. The situation at the end of the game, the scheme didn't fail but rather Poly exposed a weakness within it. The answer is not one I would have employed because of the implicit risk involved. If you want to stop sweep/option you are going to have to commit to running a zero coverage on the perimeter and brought your safeties into the box. In that situation, not sure the risk worth the reward.
Others might have, but I think you allow the obvious pitch and rally to the sideline. That outside linebacker has to force pitch before he rallies. You can't always depend on the DE to employ that tactic there. The DE most likely is in inside out mode, and Cal Poly doesn't necessarily have to option the end either. They didn't a lot and you hope Crittenden is capable of stringing that option to the sideline without getting hooked. The DE and OLB can't give seams, because you don't want Brown running vertically through the secondary. That option is much scarier than a pitch that was strung all the way to the sideline.
You prevent the easy vertical release and protect on double move routes which is why the corners struggled to get back in on those plays. That means that OLB are going to be on a bit of an Island and they were. The other options would have vacated what the defense had done so well to that point. Remember, they forced a freshman kicker to boot at 50 yarder to win the game. I have said this before...and am repeating myself..
i respect your knowledge you impart on this thread, my response will be addressed by the references in bold above
first bold statement.......this said and being focused on the few end plays, not the entire system, it appears from being at the game and observing the entirety of the offensive formation, time and place in that moment of the game, that they were not going to pass or run the middle with a keeper etc. so a myriad of plays does pertain to the system, i honestly believe it did not in this circumstance.
second bold statement........i thought we had the speed and strength in gamboa, kose, van and yamen
third bold statement..........isn't going for it on 4th several times a game running this same risk aspect on offense. if so, why not the defense risk on occasion as well..........this would have been an opportune time. you may say no, because doing this we are risking a td to lose the game.......you know what i have to say about that is we lost anyway, even if it was a 49 yarder, it was a risk that they would not make it.
so if prevent is a way to negate risk then it has to protect the field goal as well. ie less yardage gain period.