UPDATE: A Look Inside Michigan's Playbook - Part 1 & 2
Just thought I'd share a link to my blog that may be of interest to those that like in-depth breakdowns of Michigan. I've started a series at Maize n Brew, and the first part of the first chapter, roll outs and sprint outs is up now.
Yes, that is a link to a link and a bit self-serving on my part. It's a link to my new blog which will be looking at doing in-depth breakdowns of Big Ten teams and various recruits and commits. So far it's been mostly recruiting as I've been working on this "Inside the Playbook" series. If you want to skip the link to the link, you can find the article at Maize n Brew directly.
Leave me some comments if you have questions about the article or future recruits you want me to profile.
EDIT:
And now Part II
I enjoyed this. I'm going to read it again because I'm a dummy when it comes to this stuff. During the season I usually watch the UFR clips many times because I have to read the description and watch each player individually before I fully grasp what is going on.
On sprint outs, typically that depth is between 5-7 yards. On roll outs, it usually gets a bit deeper, to about a 8-9 yard arc. The deeper of these distances is typically for when the QB is working toward his non-throwing hand. The QB has to work on an arc, threatening run initially, and then getting his shoulders turned back perpendicular to his target, as he can’t really throw it over his shoulder, and if he throws it across his body (right handed QB’s shoulders pointed to the sideline) the ball will sail.
Is this the main difference?
For a sprint out, you're looking to get out of the box quicker, so to your throwing hand you'll typically arc until a depth of about 5 yards is reached. If you're going to your weak hand, you'll arc to about a 6-7 yard depth.
On a roll out you're looking to gain a little more depth. While sometimes it is combined with a play action, alone it can almost look like PA just because of the QB's steps. To his throwing hand side, he will work to about a 7-8 yard depth. To his weak hand side, he will work about a yard deeper. The extra yard to the weak hand is so when you flip your shoulders and get down hill you're at the same depth.
Thanks for the explanation.
This might be a hard question, but:
All things being equal, which type of play better suits Gardner?
Because you can't really set things equal. A roll out is always typically going to be easier to throw from because you tend to be able to get your feet better set due to the depth away from the line, but then again, the throws are typically a bit longer.
The depth is often a function of the routes being run and what gives the QB: 1) the best angle; 2) the best timing for when the route is breaking.
I guess you could say that a sprint out threatens the edge quicker, which utilizes DG's legs better, but again, people get in his face quicker. So I think the idea that you have to look at is that these are only slight variations of each other, both really utilize DG's strengths in the same way; it's more like the difference between a 5 step and 7 step drop, per se.
Thanks again. Look forward to reading/learning more.
Very informative – ideal for what I suspect are many folks with my level of knowledge, i.e. slightly more than none with a hunger for more. And it's great that you let us know here. Keep 'em coming. I look forward to the next chapters.
I really like the way this is presented - very descriptive and very easy to digest. Thanks for sharing it.
I am intrigued by what you might have to say about aggressive defenses in your next entry - what do you think would be the main adjustment with Gardner taking the snaps? I assume you mean blitz-heavy defenses or perhaps variants of the 46, which I've seen State use from time time. Does that work to the advantage of this offense in certain respects though, especially if they are forced to respect Gardner's arm?
Sprint out and roll outs are themselves methods of relieving pressure, particularly from teams with good defensive lines or teams like like to blitz up the middle. It's because it moves the pocket so there isn't a constant aiming point.
Now some teams will blitz off the edge to try to contain the QB inside the pocket, but there are ways to counter that sort of thing, which I'll likely talk about more in the third entry.
I guess a tease for at least part of the next entry: what about aggressive coverages?
Great stuff as always! I remember the play from Northwestern you used as an example, and I think i highlighted it for an abandoned hokepoints I was writing last year on front identification. I was wondering if you had an opinion on who was at fault for missing the backside assignment. It looked like both Schofield and Omameh thought they were picking up a blitz from the WILL (who showed and backed off after the snap). Did they think they read a zone blitz from there or something?
It depends on what the coaches are teaching in that situation, as how they adjust to players off the LOS can differ. But here's my opinion: To me, it looks like his initial position was inside of Omameh. Because the LB is off the LOS, Omameh will be able to pick him up regardless. There should have been some communication about the numbers on that side. There are two box defenders for two offensive linemen (if the corner comes he'll be picked up on the hinge if a box defender drops and if they all come he is far enough outside and on the backside of the play that it gives DG enough time to make his reads). Because the Will is so far inside of the DE, IMO, that should be Omameh's target, while Schofield looks to hinge back to the DE. If the WILL loops around to the D gap, then he has taken himself out of the play, and both Schofield and Omameh would then hinge.
In the end, it's really a numbers thing though. Omemah can pick that guy up regardless of where he's coming from, even if the LB blitzes the B gap, Omameh will simply hinge back into him. Now if the LB crept up into the B gap on the LOS pre-snap, then Schofield would have to take him and Omameh hinge back to the DE, though they would likely make a line call in that situation and simply "wall" as both players are in the outside gap away from the play.
For those interested, I don't want to be spamming the board all the time, so I'll just edit this thread. Part II is up now.