So A&M has their own version of
@WarMachine2013 , but he does "no huddle" full games (
found here). After watching this, we are going to have our hands full with the A&M OL. I've highlighted 6 runs below and I'm sure I won't do a great job breaking down the film...but they have three guys who jump out (C Green, K Green, & Hocker). IMO, C Green is the best run blocker I've seen so far this year. This guy absolutely mauls people and it feels like half the game the DE is staring at the ground while C Green, or their other tackle, is pushing them wherever he wants to go.
Play 1:
Speak of the devil, first run play that stood out to me was C Greem getting inside leverage on a defender who is on his inside shoulder on a straight dive play. Below you can see which guy he's going to go after.
So he's now completely turned his defender leaving free run for the RG to go get the LB. Additionally, you see the LT and TE doing what A&M does on pretty much every run play: wipe the DE. You rarely see the DE on the run side getting pushed back five yards, but they are conisistenly pushed multiple yards down the line of scrimmage creating huge cut back lanes for the RB. I highlighted both DEs in this case to 1) show him getting wiped and 2) show how we can't play RPO/PA against Mond. The field side DE in this case is in no man's land: he's not going to get the RB and he's not really pressuring the QB and/or immediately availabe to provide pressure on PA. IMO, he should be closer to the RT and closer to the LOS. If Mond keeps it, you immediately cut to the QB, if it's a run, you're in a much better position to scrape down the LOS.
Play 2:
Two guys in this play stood out: The C and the LT. The C, again, is able to get outside leverage on a guy not just on his outside shoulder...but over the man beside him. His first two steps are so quick that he's gone a full position to the right before the DT has even gotten out of his stance. The second guy is the one who had the hardest block, though. He has to run down the LOS and beat the MLB to the hole.
You can see the C has created an incredible lane but the LT still needs to get to the LB. IMO, the LB should have easily made this play but he's so worried about Spiller's cut back ability that he's not moving laterally quickly enough.
The LT probably held her...but the fact he was able to even get to that block is pretty insane.
Play 3
This poor DE...the LT is about to make him his
...not much more to say about that.
Another thing I wanted to highlight was how well A&M's running backs read MSU DL that were perpindicular to the LOS...almost every time a DL for MSU got any penetration, the RB would cut to the back side of the defender and almost every time, the weak side guard or tackle, in this instance 73, would be creating a great seal to again create a massive lane.
Play 4
MSU sold out on a blitz here. It was 3 & 1 and A&M was running at will on them. the LT, again, crashes VERY hard on the DE washing him into the NT.
C Green turned his man so well, and with the leading FB, the RB probably would have gotten a TD had he hit the upper blue line. However, he saw how the DBs in red were just sitting there flat footed and he hit the edge.
Play 5
This was the best blocking of the game. The LT and the C make two incredible blocks. The LT, again with a man on his inside shoulder has to make an inside seal block on a DT. The C has a wipe block against the 1 technique DT and literally takes the DT all the way to the DE. I highlighted the distance between the two players to show how far he shoved the guy.
As you can see, MSU now has three players all on the ouside shoulder of the RG or beyond...creating a MASSIVE lane for a run inside the 5. the LT somehow got an incredible inside seal and the RB had an easy run for the TD on a play inside the five.
Play 6
On this play, C Green basically blocks two guys, the DE & DT, on a 3 & 1 play. They ask the TE to just put a hat on the guy...which he really doesn't...but still, because C Green pushed the line SO far down the LOS, they were able to get the push over the center.
If the TE just stays on his feet, the FB would fit the LB on C Green's hip and this would have been a huge gain.
Overall, this will be the best OL we've played so far...including Georgia. Our defense has a bit test coming up next Saturday.
