Jailbreak screens
Question for those a bit more sophisticated on the intricacies of playcalling - isn't the jailbreak screen a very difficult play to run from an offensive standpoint? It seems like the only time this play is successful when the defense misses tackles (see Purdue's conversion in the 1Q). Since it is being run back to the middle of the field even if the blocking is perfect it is much easier for the defense to react and flow back to the ball.
Coaches are (hopefully) obviously not going to call plays w/ little to no chance of succeeding, so what am I missing?
November 12th, 2009 at 5:57 PM ^
If it is man coverage, receivers will run the LB's deep and leave the middle of the field open. The key is for the receiver who catches the screen to beat his man or get a good block. It is a high risk/high reward play.
If it is a zone, the play is probably going nowhere. Offense will typically motion a receiver across the field to guage whether or not there is man coverage.
November 12th, 2009 at 6:15 PM ^
The reason it can succeed despite heading to the middle of the field where tacklers are is because it is, in fact, a true screen play.
Think of a classic RB screen. You expect the D-line is pass rushing. You hold them for an instant, let them flow toward the QB, then have QB drop the ball over their heads to an RB, who has started to block and then slipped around the oncoming D-line to sit and wait for the dump pass. That RB catches and heads up the middle of the field--only he gets escorted by the 5 O-lineman who are steaming ahead to block a few linebackers and safeties.
On the jailbreak screen you achieve the same effect, only instead of sneaking a RB around the onrushing D-line, you just take a WR, and run him laterally into the same space. If executed correctly you have the ball dropped in just behind the D-line, with several offensive lineman headed forward to block for you.
Check out this diagram http://www.onlinefootballplaybook.com/jailbreak_screen.php?sort=odad&su…
November 12th, 2009 at 6:39 PM ^
Thanks for the link. I still think that it is too difficult to execute to be effective on a consistent basis, but I understand the mechanics of why it can be successful. I guess what I don't like about it compared to traditional screens is there is no element of disguise on the receiver's part.
November 12th, 2009 at 7:21 PM ^
I hear what you're saying. We have not made it look pretty this year. It takes a lot of timing from the WR, who needs to catch his man off-guard and really slice back across the middle of the field in order to slip in behind the lineman leaking upfield. Here's a video of Crabtree running it perfectly for T. Tech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P8kXWMcnOo
November 12th, 2009 at 6:40 PM ^
I thought this was about screens once you jail break an iPhone. I was going to warn that the Michigan themes are sub par.
On that note, has anyone else noticed the SI swimsuit app is missing Michigan from the list of teams in the big ten that you can add as a favorite?
November 12th, 2009 at 7:17 PM ^
Shit, I thought it was a post about Tennessee football!
November 12th, 2009 at 8:28 PM ^
A pass we have problems executing, its worth as a playcall aside. There's Stonum's drop against Purdue and a bad tate pass to Odoms UFR'd, and it seems like generally we do worse on any play where the receiver is running with such a strong angle toward the QB as the pass goes out. Maybe it needs a little more touch than our QBs, in the comically-destroying-things-montage segment of learning their superpowers, can manage.
November 12th, 2009 at 9:44 PM ^
as a point of note on this thread;
didn't McGuffie score last year against Notre Dame on a jailbreak or jailbreak-like play?