TAMU copied Mattison blitz in CMU game for Bama prep
The reference is half way down the article in Day 2 in TAMU's prep for the Bama game. Feldman gets all access to the team and coaches. This reference was surprising on how they found a Michigan blitz package from our CMU game that was the week prior. Obviously some respect for Mattison to even scan that game.
Snyder has his graduate assistant, Scott Aligo, show a clip from the Central Michigan-Michigan game where the Wolverines had a blitz that the Aggies DC liked against a certain formation. Snyder toggles between the Michigan blitz and how A&M runs it.
"I like it," says Price.
"Cel, what do you think?" Snyder asks secondary coach Marcel Yates. "Like it?"
Yates: Yep.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/writer/bruce-feldman/23720788/…-
September 19th, 2013 at 11:33 AM ^
The Michigan-TAMU connection continues.
September 19th, 2013 at 11:48 AM ^
I am kind of uncomfortable about this continued association with Texas-Sparty
September 19th, 2013 at 12:16 PM ^
when Sparty skips out of the Big Ten, gets a big-time coach and QB, and beats a team of Bama's quality (last year), only then can you compare them to TAMU.
September 19th, 2013 at 12:55 PM ^
September 19th, 2013 at 4:53 PM ^
sparty used to be called the aggies fergodskaes
September 19th, 2013 at 12:52 PM ^
You know that Mattison used to coach at TAMU, right? It's not uncommon for coaches to keep some degree of contact with schools they used to work for.
September 19th, 2013 at 5:06 PM ^
I don't believe Mattison is active with these guys. He was involved 3 coaching staffs ago.
September 20th, 2013 at 11:10 AM ^
True, but they might have a Fred Jackson of their own who's been around forever and is impervious to coaching changes.
September 19th, 2013 at 11:35 AM ^
Must have worked, they held Bama to 49
September 19th, 2013 at 11:45 AM ^
When we ran it they only scored 41.
September 19th, 2013 at 11:59 AM ^
And just 34 on offense (pick 6). #smallvictories
September 19th, 2013 at 12:14 PM ^
7 was scored on a pick-six by Sunseri. But yeah.
September 19th, 2013 at 11:46 AM ^
it worked so well in fact we couldn't stop Akron
September 19th, 2013 at 12:18 PM ^
I WANT NEG YOU SO HARD
September 19th, 2013 at 2:34 PM ^
Nah. Negs just lead to piling on. Ignoring people is way more effective.
September 19th, 2013 at 2:45 PM ^
You should probably buy him a drink first.
September 19th, 2013 at 12:08 PM ^
... how hard these guys must work to game plan. Pretty amazing... results aside.
September 19th, 2013 at 1:23 PM ^
"The defensive staff room feels more like a bunker. It's dark and there's lots of clutter. The walls are covered with data and charts. The only white space in the room is the inch of cotton showing on defensive coordinator Mark Snyder's socks when he puts his feet on the table."
I read this and thought for a brief moment that I would almost feel at home in this room because it is an eerily accurate description of my own office, both the one at work and at home. Nice article though, as it shows how tirelessly staffs prepare for these games.
September 19th, 2013 at 7:01 PM ^
Greg is about 30% better DC than he was his first go around here. He has really picked up a lot of new ideas that he implemented since he arrived. His first go round here though it seemed he always had people so well trained in technique they never got in trouble that way. Also remember him getting a bunch of talent out of TX way prior to heading for ND. This guy simply belongs on the defensive side of the ball. I loved late in the third against ND when he started gaming the ND OC by placing 8 on the line jumping back and forth, basically daring him to do something and hope it was correct. As the players get better, say we land Hand, Peppers and a few others The Commish is working on, we really won't have to bitch about the O side too often.
September 19th, 2013 at 7:35 PM ^
Amazing how small the world has become with technology. TAMU's rapid implementation of a Mattison blitz package; Manziel messaging Devin Gardner, telling him to keep his head up. Which is a fitting segue into my Devin Gardner analysis. Free of charge, just this once.
So Devin, have a seat. Get comfortable. Let's talk about this thing called pressure. I understand you are fond of saying it is an imaginary thing which doesn't exist for you. However, Terry Bowdon made a point of saying that their studies revealed that you can be wreckless. His team probed you with pass rush/blitzing pressure and you made forced errors. Understand that with technology, now all of your opponent's coaching staffs will study this and bring it as well.
And this is as good a point as any to tangent off into the psychological underpinnings of 'forced' errors. I must preface this diatribe with this: I am about to stir the proverbial hornets nest because some folks, when they see certain words, immediately go ballistic. 'Choke' is such a word. Before you let your indignation blind you to the rest of my point, reserve judgement for a paragraph or two.
One of the dictionary definitions of the inflammatory word 'choke' is this:
choked by missing an easy putt on the final hole'.
4. To fail to perform effectively because of nervous agitation or tension, especially in an athletic contest: eg. 'Nerves. Agitation. Anxiety. Hyperactivity. Lack of focus. Lack of composure. Whatever you call it, I submit you have a mild case of it.
And now comes the money part of this post, the free insight offered to free you forevermore from this dibilitating state.
First, you must embrace it. To continue to deny it is to attract it to yourself moreso. Accept and acknowledge that you sometimes enter a zone wherein your ability to analyze a situation and react optimally is diminished. Your thinking becomes panic induced (oh no, don't take the safety!'..exhibit A).
Here it is. Your key to ending this complex is to predetermine your actions. In other words, think through each possible scenario in advance and determine your response ahead of time. Like an outfielder in baseball who has to decide where he is going with the ball if it comes to him based on the situation in advance. What you must do is set aside time to envision (meditate, if you will) daily how you will react in a given situation. You must see yourself reacting perfectly every time in your imagination. Over and over and over. This mental practice is just as effective (if not moreso, because you never screw up with mental reps) as physical reps. The best scene to play to yourself over and over is hurting teams when they pressure you. See yourself making the perfect read and reacting automatically and without hesitation. Know and focus on your hot reads and always respond with attack mode. See yourself becoming deadlier under pressure. Cultivate anger at the act of teams pressuring you. Use that anger to drive your making them pay for trying you.
Because son, the pressure is on the way.
September 20th, 2013 at 10:14 AM ^
This is great and all, but dont assume Mattison invented the package out of thin air. He probably borrowed it from some other DC, and put his spin on it based on the opponent and his players. I would like to know where Mattison looks for inspiration. As some wise dudes said, 'There is nothing new under the sun.' But, 'you will never step in the same river twice.'
September 20th, 2013 at 1:11 PM ^
Can't compare A&M and MSU.
MSU is several notches below UM in terms of academics and athletics. If you're a Michigan HS student and you get into both schools, there's no question you go to UM.
A&M and UT are equals in terms of academics and athletics (each have their own strengths in various depts/sports). UT is more of the glamour school, but aside from that, they are equal.
September 20th, 2013 at 4:32 PM ^
Closer than Michigan-MSU? Sure.But current academic rankings have Texas #52 and A&M #69. Not a huge gap, but not exactly close either. And football wise they're even less close. (It's Texas...football is all that matters). Michigan is one in wins and Texas is two. A&M is 24. And MSU is only 43, but if you look at the percentage of wins A&M's .601 isn't that far ahead of MSU's .593. Equal is wearing some maroon glasses.