Previously:

Game 10

Game 9 (no torrent, but Brian looked at their offense)

Game 8

Game 7

Game 6 (couldn't find a torrent)

Game 5

Game 4

Game 3

Game 2

Game 1

 

This game is probably the most representative of what we'll be seeing.  Arkansas is about on par with us in terms of talent, but they run a passing spread instead of a running spread.  This is also MSU's most recent game against real competition since their final game was against ole miss.  Onto the bullets:

• Nothing against emotional tributes but what does it say if you go into the game with signs that read "win it for ***" and you end up losing?
• #7 gets the start over #5 at FS
• They're nominally listed as a 4-3, but you only see that on short yardage, most of the game is 4-2-5 or 3-3-5.
• Ballard has a pretty good burst accelerating through the hole, but he's not real comfortable keeping a good pitch relationship on the option play, Relf had to eat one because he was too close to pitch it.
• Relf is just deadly on that "inverted" option QB choice play.  (below)
• Ark. #7 takes it to the house on a 60+ yarder on a student body left type play.  Again, these DB's will give up big plays against real speed.  Thankfully we've got a lot of that at WR. (not so much at RB, this would be a great team for Carlos Brown to play against). MSU's #7 let himself get blocked on the play when he didn't need to and could've saved the TD (14 yards downfield, but that's still better than a TD)
• When Ballard runs off-tackle he has a hesitation cut that will usually go back inside or upfield instead of outside.
• Relf is about 50-50 on those deep out passes, but that's an improvement from earlier in the year.  His WR and TE are fairly tall, giving him nice targets to aim for.  Still throws that intermediate slant pretty well.
• Ark #7 looks like a big guy, easily shedding the tackle attempt from #13
• I'm a fan of the stickers on the helmets.  It's college, gold stars for everyone.  I do think that the ones we used to have were a bit big and distracting, but that can be fixed by using smaller ones or ones that have more blue and less maize.
• Ark gets their 2nd TD on a really well executed delayed screen.  MSU is in pretty good position but Ark gets some great blocks and some pretty nifty running, going all the way across the field. #50 got shaken up, looks okay.
• #2 with a pretty weak fumble on a flare pass.
• But MSU gets it back on a nice strip from #34 on the very next play.
• on 4th and 2, MSU tries a fake punt, nothing special, just a straight run left by the punter. MSU motioned two guys to the far right giving an unbalanced look (ball was on left hash) but had the three up men close to the punter with two on the left side.
• Relf isn't the fasted guy (he's not vince young) but he's got really good vision for picking out the holes even if it isn't where the play was designed to go.  Plus, his O-line is getting good movement on ark's front 7. Makes him dangerous on QB draws and scrambles up the middle. We're gonna need a big game from our DT's to not get moved out of the middle.
• nice diving catch by #8 on a ball that should've been batted down.
• Solid hit by #25 on Kickoff coverage, but he didn't wrap up.
• #10 not seeing much PT this week.  He's nominally a backup but maybe he's dinged up.
• #90 got a good sack playing from a 2 point stance.  Great speed for a guy his size, hadn't gotten many sacks this year, but a lot of pressure. This was a bit of a twist having him line up in a MLB position
• Ark is having their DE's pushing upfield,  blew up one of those jet sweep plays.
• MSU's O-line looks much better.  #70 is at center instead of #55 who shifted over. #61 is not in the game, and #62 is over at right tackle where he's not as much of a liability. My suspicion is that there's a sizeable dropoff once subs have to come in.  #62 and #61 seem fine in run blocking, but not as good in pass blocking.
• Seems like #8 will be the primary receiver with Bumbphis out for the bowl, Relf hasn't been looking at #19 much even though he's in the game a lot.
• Relf nearly scored again on that inverted option. Different lead blocker this time.
• Ballard takes it to the pylon for a short TD, fumbled snap might have allowed him to get outside on the pitch.
• Late hit by #5
• Jebus, enough talk about cam newton.  Yes, auburn probably paid his dad.  When a paper trail is discovered years down the line, maybe we'll get a reggie bush type rebuke of them then, but not until there's proof.
• Pretty entertaining game MSU 21-17 at the half.
• Ark's DB's are playing inside leverage.  Makes sense against relf.
• When Relf is pressured he usually misses high.
• #5 gets an INT on the sideline up. Misread by Mallet, the safety was playing pretty far over. I doubt we'll see much of #7
• FB in the flat again. Only his 3rd catch of the year, converting 4th and 3.
• Relf fumbled. He wasn't careless on this one, just a really good hit by the defender putting his helmet on the ball.
• #5 beaten for an 88 yard passing TD on playaction. Too aggressive on that play. Amazing to see #50 being the guy who never gives up on the play again.  He's been impressive from game 1.  He's got a great motor.
• #62 gave up a sack, blocked the wrong guy, maybe he thought the back was supposed to pick up the DE.  No, that's just a mistake by him.
• Missed tackle by #25. looks like he slipped on the turf.
• Nice hit by #34. He hasn't been lining up at DE as much lately.  He's more like a Fritz middle backer, even though he's listed at OLB.
• Ark #3 shows some speed on the bubble screen getting about 20 yards
• Haven't seen much of Perkins this week. Heavy doses of Ballard and Relf up the middle.
• Exciting finish, MSU recovers a fumble with Ark trying to run out the clock with a 3 point lead.
• #19 gets a big catch.
• Ballard chewing up yards on the counter run
• 31-31 going to OT
• Ballard fumbles, Ark misses a FG.
• 2nd OT MSU doesn't cover the back out of the backfield for an easy TD.
• And #62 gives up a sack on 4th down to end the game. Actually it was the speed rush against the left tackle, but they both got there pretty quick.

The dreaded "inverted option":

We'll be seeing a lot of this play or some variation of it.   Although this one isn't really part of their option series, it is third play of their sweep series.  (The first 2 being the sweep and the counter sweep.) You can tell that this play is a designed QB keeper by the blocking assignments. It doesn't matter what you call it, Relf will have the ball, and he will be running between the tackles with 1, 2, or even 3 lead blockers.

MSU is in a split back slot right.  Ark responds with a 4-3 and a late shift into an outside blitz. The safety moves up into man coverage and the MLB fakes a blitz.

The MLB has responsibility for a pretty big bubble in the d-line.  MSU takes advantage of that by pulling the right tackle all the way into the 5 hole.  Arkansas's blitzer is going way upfield to cut off any bubble screen, flare pass, or sweep.  (This was the LSU blue-print).

The running backs show sweep motion to the right and both the playside guard and tackle have gotten great leverage on their men, so there's a pretty big hole for the pulling tackle to lead through.

The MSU linebacker goes for the fake, Relf keeps the ball and sees what is now a huge hole in front of him.

Looking at it from behind we can see how Arkansas should have defended it.  The RT takes a pull step right at the snap.  But the DE doesn't even notice it.  With the blitzer to his side going upfield, he doesn't have contain responsibility and his path should be directly towards the QB/RB mesh point. If you follow a pulling linemen, you'll almost always be taken right to the play.

One of the MLB goes with the fake and the DE is in no man's land about to tackle a guy who doesn't have the ball.  The MSU O-line is getting great movement on their guys.

Relf actually makes the wrong cut here, the outside corner is in man and should be blocked.  But because he's a big guy, going north and south is never a bad choice for Relf.  The FS is in good position to make a tackle, but he gets juked out of his shorts and then Relf is too strong to get taken down by the guys in pursuit.  He bounces around into the endzone getting about 10 yards of YAC.