FanPost

RTHO....A&M Offense South Carolina St.

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previously: Florida, SMU

Balance

Charting stopped after the Christine Michael TD run on the first play of the 4th Quarter.

  • 1Q - 12 run; 12 pass (50%-50%)
  • 2Q - 6 run; 13 pass (32%-68%)
  • 3Q - 5 run; 8 pass (38%-62%)
  • 4Q - 1 run; 0 pass
  • Overall - 24 run; 33 pass (42%-58%)

The 2nd quarter was, how you say....efficient? 19 plays, 35 points.

After a near 50/50 balance in the Florida game, we've seen run-pass ratios of 38-62 and 42-58. When this offense is clicking, I think it will be normal to see 2 runs for every 3 passes.

Offensive Line

Going up against a much less talented SMU defensive front, the A&M line was expected to improve on an average showing against Florida, and the unit did not disappoint.

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click for OL chart explanation

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Even though SCSt. recorded 2 sacks, the sack rate is shown as 0%, because both sacks were the result of Manziel holding the ball too long. The offensive line provided sufficient protection for Manziel to get rid of the ball, so the oline is not dinged.

The most pressure SCSt. got on Manziel was thru a stunt where Harrison got fooled by the DT slanting outside and the DE looping back inside. Jarvis (and Patrick) have got to do a better job of picking up stunts and delayed blitzes.

Quarterback

For the second game in a row against inferior competition, both quarterbacks got some live action.

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Johnny continues to grow in his ability and comfort level throwing the ball downfield. Over 40% of his pass attempts were beyond 10 yards.

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click for QB chart explanation

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Johnny's lone "dead-on" was the 30 yard bullet to Kenric McNeal up the seam. His 2 bad plays both resulted in sacks, and both were due to him trying to make something happen with his legs instead of making an easy pass to an open receiver. These aren't the worst decisions in the world, but they must be avoided to keep drives alive against stiffer competition where each possession means more. On the other side of the coin, Johnny's 4 scrambles on the day resulted in gains of -2, 39, 20 and 16 yards (71 total, 18 ypc). The QB scramble continues to be the most dangerous play in the A&M offense.

Showers had his worst day, including a terrible pick forced into coverage in the face of pressure. After a really nice performance against SMU that got the QB-controversy train rolling, Showers took a step back with errant passing while Manziel had his best passing performance to date. Showers also had success scrambling, with runs of 20 and 11 yards on the two times he broke the pocket.


Receivers

Remember....

  • 3 - routine....should never drop these
  • 2 - difficult....low, behind, high. you hope to see 40-50% catch rate
  • 1 - circus catch....anything here is gravy
  • 0 - impossible....charted for targets, not held against WR

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click for WR chart explanation

Average day for the receivers.

  • For the 3rd consecutive week, freshmen Mike Evans saw the most targets (6). He didn't spend as much time going deep, but he continues to the receiver Manziel is most comfortable throwing to.
  • Swope again was the 2nd most targeted receiver, but did not have big impact, hauling in just 2 short passes.
  • EZ is getting the most out of his catches, turning 4 receptions into 4 TDs. The first was a gimme in the back of the endzone, but the 2nd was a Top-10 worthy catch-and-run where he exhibited athleticism most thought he didn't have.
  • Malcome Kennedy had the lone drop on the day.
  • TEs saw no passes and RBs just 2 swing passes. This offense continues to be WR-dominant, seeing 87% of all targets.

Running Backs

For the 2nd straight week, off-the-field issues sidelined Christine, although for just 2 quarters. In his place, Ben Malena got the start and continued to be the most productive RB. Trey and Christine have still yet to break out.

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Conclusion

The offense has looked good-to-great against outmatched opponents. Time to make in happen in the SEC.

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