Question about Center/QB Exchange
As I watched the bowl game, I noticed that for most of the snaps, when Patterson would make the "Ready" signal (clap), the LG (Bredeson?) would turn and watch him, and then when Patterson gave the "Snap" motion (one arm down), Bredeson would poke Ruiz, who would snap the ball.
I don't know if I've noticed this before, but I feel like I would have noticed sooner if it had been going on all season.
For the folks with more football knowledge than I, what's the benefit to having the LG alert the Cfor the snap, as opposed to having the C watching the QB himself (which seems to be the more "traditional" way of doing things)?
December 31st, 2018 at 9:31 PM ^
Better angle for guard to see would be my guess.
December 31st, 2018 at 9:38 PM ^
I think the advantage is the center being able to have his head up and make adjustments. They have done this all year (at least in hostile environments where it is harder to hear.)
My observation with it is that due to the length of time getting play calls in between plays it usually ends up being a 1 count and gives the defense a huge advantage getting off the ball.
December 31st, 2018 at 9:49 PM ^
It only takes like 30 seconds of a 40 second play clock to get the call in.
December 31st, 2018 at 9:51 PM ^
On a good day.
December 31st, 2018 at 11:07 PM ^
for me now, a good day is getting the play off on time after a timeout.
baby steps . .
January 1st, 2019 at 9:54 AM ^
Exactly. Very predictable snap count for defenses. We don't keep defenses on edge at all.
January 1st, 2019 at 12:27 PM ^
Michigan State game this year M varied their snap count a lot. After the fiasco a few years ago I watch for that now. Patterson gave several decoy signals during that game too. I didn’t pay enough attention the rest of the season but in that game M was intentionally trying to mess with State’s front 7 on the snap count.
December 31st, 2018 at 10:32 PM ^
This is how they did their ‘silent carence’ for road games. Seemed remarkably predictable to me. But they did have great success in avoiding pre-snap penalties most of the season. Steuber made his mark in the penalty category, but he is a RS freshman.
December 31st, 2018 at 11:00 PM ^
Sounds like if O'Neill had been the ref, it'd have been a false start on every play.
December 31st, 2018 at 11:35 PM ^
They kept changing the QB/center exchange throughout the season. To be less predictable i guess? They started with a hand motion from the QB (similar to what trevor lawrence does) where the QB drops his hand. I think mccaffrey did a clap or something. Seems like something that should be changing constantly to throw the d off
January 1st, 2019 at 12:02 AM ^
I played center and guard and never did that at either position. It is Definitely a noise related move to avoid pre-snap penalties.
January 1st, 2019 at 10:49 AM ^