The play without a LT:10 men on the field?

Submitted by MGoManBall on

Now I really need this question to be answered. The play that Brian has brought to our attention more than any other play this week is the stretch to the boundry where Michigan lined up in an I-Form unbalanced without a tackle on the left side of the line.

Brian called this a trips formation. Does anybody have a replay that shows the trips man to the bottom of the screen? The camera even knows this is a run so he's zoomed in on the box.

The reason I ask this is because it does NOT look like a trips formation. There are several reasons that I think this.

One, the slot (Jehu?) is off the ball. The man outside of him is on the line of scrimmage. That makes 6 men on the line. That means if it's trips, the man at the very bottom of the screen also has to be on the ball.. making the 2nd WR ineligible. Why would we run a trips package with only 2 eligible receivers? At least LOOK like you're a threat to throw the ball. 

Two, if this was a trips package, why is there 8 men in the box with a safety over the top of nobody. Nobody on the line of scrimmage is eligible to go out for a pass. So essentially this gives Penn State 9 men in the box to go against 6 blockers. IF it happens to be a playaction scissors-type play to the fullback, there is 4 linebackers and a safety to cover the FB and the HB. 

Another snippet is that IF this is a trips package, there is a corner on an ineligible receiver on the second man, and another corner on the receiver to the very bottom of the screen. Any offense in the world would make a sight read here and hit Chesson up the seam for a touchdown. Nobody even touches him. 

I think there are 10 men on the field on this play. And either our coaches didn't recognize it and call a time out... or they DID recognize it and thought they would be fine wasting a play for a loss. 

Your thoughts?

Reader71

October 19th, 2013 at 12:01 AM ^

Brian or it didn't happen.

As I said the first time this was brought up, the missing LT is essentially what makes this the dumbest play ever, but even still, we've got even numbers to the playside. So this should have picked up yards. This play is about 75% on Kalis, 20% Houma, 5% Borges.

So I don't think its the worst play ever as a play. Running it with 10 men, however is 100% on Hoke, and it is one of the dumbest plays ever for having been run.