Thoughts on Stopping Heupel's Offense

[VolForLife83]

I don’t believe Kirby figured squat out. If you remember Hendo missed on a couple of long balls that would’ve scored and changed the narrative of that entire game, not to mention the crowd was incredibly loud causing us to false start and threw us out of rhythm. I don’t believe Kirby did anything schematically to cause us problems, we shut ourselves down.

That's what pressure does

 

[Vol865]

A. It takes superior talent
B. You must have intimate knowledge of the Briles/Heupel system rules - i.e. defending the outside choice route and the slot choice route; stacked WR rules & motion to stack WR's ... Watch UGA last year, they were grabbing our guys at 7 to 9 yards, which is the depth that dictates what route our WR is going to run.
C. You must have safeties that can run and cover the slot
D. We blister people with the pass, but if a team stop our run game, we are toast.

Press man coverage on the WR's who are on the Line of Scrimmage eliminates a lot of the Choice routes we depend on in our offense (choice routes depend on the leverage of the defender). A press man Read is suppose to be a go Ball - if a choice route is called.

UGA has all the ingredients: Superior talent, intimate knowledge of the system, Safeties that can cover the slot, and a DL that can stuff anyone's run game.

B should've been defensive holding

 

[Special Ed]

 

[TheVolsFrog]

This is very much overlooked, in my opinion. If you watch tape of his UCF offenses and even prior iterations, you can tell he does a lot tweaking based on personnel and matchups.

Nick Saban Reveals Tennessee Did One Thing To Confuse Alabama

Yeah I'm soooooo worried about our coach not being able to throw defenses off. LOL
GBO

 

[norrislakevol]

Go watch the Missouri game last year, their D-line ate our O-line up in the first half (second half was different). Mizzou D-line was consistently up field and Hooker was having to get rid of it early. This year I expect our o-line will take a step back in production and so far Milton has not shown that he wants to run (even though I believe he is more than capable). I would expect Heupel to try and give Joe more planned QB runs just to keep the d-line honest. I do not think SEC D-cord's have "Figured" out Heupel's offense, there is nothing to figure out it is not a gimmick it just spreads you out and makes you not be able to disguise what you plan to do. Heupel spreads out your D so that you have to show if you are playing man coverage on the outside. GA beat us because they had 5 DB that were more physical and could cover our receivers long enough for the D-line to make something happen (Hooker run or get rid of the ball).
I do not think that Heupel runs Milton against VA or APSU, my thought is that he breaks that wrinkle out for the Gators in the Swamp.

Absolutely correct. There really is no "figuring it out" with this offense. The wide splits create tons of open space, and that puts pressure on a defense. Tennessee also used tight packages, and even some I formation last year which hardly anyone uses any more.

You either have the ability to get to the Tennessee QB on a consistent basis or you don't. You either have the guys that can cover man to man in the secondary, or you don't. That's all there is to it.

 

[KeyVol14]

A. It takes superior talent
B. You must have intimate knowledge of the Briles/Heupel system rules - i.e. defending the outside choice route and the slot choice route; stacked WR rules & motion to stack WR's ... Watch UGA last year, they were grabbing our guys at 7 to 9 yards, which is the depth that dictates what route our WR is going to run.
C. You must have safeties that can run and cover the slot
D. We blister people with the pass, but if a team stop our run game, we are toast.

Press man coverage on the WR's who are on the Line of Scrimmage eliminates a lot of the Choice routes we depend on in our offense (choice routes depend on the leverage of the defender). A press man Read is suppose to be a go Ball - if a choice route is called.

UGA has all the ingredients: Superior talent, intimate knowledge of the system, Safeties that can cover the slot, and a DL that can stuff anyone's run game.

That’s called defensive holding lol

 

[TNVOLFN]

B should've been defensive holding

Yes sir, they won’t get away with that at Neyland, but to Smart’s credit, he coaches his DBs to where refs have to call it or let ‘‘em play - think about the way our basketball team plays defense and fans piss and moan about how we get away with so many calls.

 

[TNVOLFN]

First of all, that's the most concise evaluation I've read. Nice research--nice articulation!

I'm eager for that matchup this year, to see if Heupel schemes our routes differently for Georgia, slants the pass blocking while keeping TE and RB in the backfield and half-rolling out the QB, runs a shuttle pass like a trap play into that 0-hole vacated by the NT's rush, etc.
...or if he brings out a new formation, like a heavy-package lead blocker to bust some runs, with receivers shield blocking downfield on safeties, trying to spring some big runs.

I think our regular offense would beat Georgia if we were close to equal in size/speed/talent across the board. But we're not there yet, so I'm curious how Heupel will play that this year.

I really appreciate the compliment. Without giving too many details, one of my best friends coached and played for CJH’s dad and was around CJH a lot.

One thing is for sure, our guy is a straight up ball coach and will maximize the strengths of his players, no matter what they are.

 

[Sarms58]

I don’t believe Kirby figured squat out. If you remember Hendo missed on a couple of long balls that would’ve scored and changed the narrative of that entire game, not to mention the crowd was incredibly loud causing us to false start and threw us out of rhythm. I don’t believe Kirby did anything schematically to cause us problems, we shut ourselves down.

I'll give Kirby some credit. They ran a combo D so they had man coverage on our primary threats with deep safety help. That eliminated all the switching errors that other teams faced. But the key to Georgia's success was to have NFL talent all across the field: NFL talent in the front seven meant we never got to let plays develop and NLF talent in the secondary meant our guys were blanketed.

But to say Kirby figured out a way to beat us and others will just use his plan is like the old joke about how to become millionaire (First you get a million dollars). There are few teams that have the talent to do what Georgia did. I'm not sure Bama's corners from last year's team could have done what Geogia did but I'm betting that's how they will approach the game this year.

 

[GetEmVols]

I have heard a few analyst (talking heads) say our team is going to take a step back this year, because in year 3, SEC DC’s will start to figure out Heupel’s offense. From a pure layman’s perspective, it looked to me like Kirby Smart has it figured out. All you need is five cover guys who can match up with the Vol receivers and a nose tackle that can collapse the pocket right up the gut. It also looked like Georgia had some success early in last year’s game bringing a blitzer off the slot receiver. I think Tennessee cleaned that up later in the game, but that’s just my unprofessional opinion.

You may have noticed on most plays our QB’s take a shotgun snap at about a two step drop depth and that’s where they operate from. Again, my layman’s guess is this helps negate rushers coming off the corners because it creates an angle that favors our OT’s. Because our QB’s are so close to the LOS, 3 +/- yards, it does make them vulnerable to a push up the middle but no one but Georgia seemed able to do that with any regularity. It also makes our QB’s vulnerable to an A gap blitz by LB’s but both Small and Wright have been very good at picking those up.

So it would appear from my “casual football fan perspective” the “secret” to stopping CJH’s offense is to have a stable of DB’s that can run and cover at an NFL level, and a nose tackle that can consistently beat double team blocks by our center and guards and collapse the pocket up the middle. There are only two teams in this league currently that have that kind of talent and unfortunately, we play them both every year. The Gators could get back there, maybe LSU is close. I just don’t see anyone else in league that can keep our offense when its clicking from hanging up fiddy.

Strategy wise, hats off to Napier last year for accepting the fact he couldn’t stop us with his defense and decided to just go on 4th down every series to play keep away. If our defense continues to improve there will be more rounds in that Russian Roulette cylinder. I know there are some for real football coaches on here so would appreciate your prospective on stopping Heupel’s offense.

Yeah Kirby has it figured out. The way to stop vols offense is to have 5 stars at every position.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

This thread has one of the best football conversations I've read in years. Appreciate all who have contributed so far. And appreciate Freak for giving us a place where this can happen.

Go Vols!

 

[zooguy]

You make TN 1-dimensional (I.e. stop the run). That’s what GA did the last 2 years. You have to have a d-line that goes 8 deep.

GA has that. So does A&M, Bama, and maybe Florida. Also have to be able to man cover the receivers.

 

[Remy]

You have to be able to drop 7 or 8 and stop the run/affect QB with a light box. Other than that, the only thing stopping the offense is itself.

You put 6 or more in pass coverage against actual receivers then they must each individually be able to cover. Few linebackers can cover actual receivers. Even UGA backers were caught trailing our receivers by A LOT. Once you put 6 or more cover guys on the field, watch Heupel go to the ground and pound forcing OLs up against 200 lb cover DBs and fun for RB stats when/if they do. The deal is you have to force the QB into poor decisions OR get to him very early. UGA had the hosses to do it last year, very disruptive time will tell if they can this year when their ears are bleeding at Neyland.

 

[sjt18]

Can you dive a bit more into the concept of self scouting?

Pretend you are the enemy. They usually have talented young coaches help. You watch film as if you are the one who needs to find a way to stop your O or beat your D.

I believe we see that when an opponent does something kind of different and Heupel doesn't even blink. He just adjusts and continues to attack like he's already seen that plan to stop him. I think it is because he has.

 

[sjt18]

You make TN 1-dimensional (I.e. stop the run). That’s what GA did the last 2 years. You have to have a d-line that goes 8 deep.

GA has that. So does A&M, Bama, and maybe Florida. Also have to be able to man cover the receivers.

A little more complicated than that. UGA had the "dudes" to beat UT's OLs one on one. The good news is that was an OL built from scrap parts against one of the most talented DLs ever assembled on one team. IOW's, UT can close the gap while UGA's ability to get a lot better isn't very likely.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

I don’t believe Kirby figured squat out. If you remember Hendo missed on a couple of long balls that would’ve scored and changed the narrative of that entire game, not to mention the crowd was incredibly loud causing us to false start and threw us out of rhythm. I don’t believe Kirby did anything schematically to cause us problems, we shut ourselves down.

I agree for the most part it wasn't a big outscheming in Athens so much as it was good players playing sound fundamental defense. Any QB who is getting knocked around every other play is going to start to rush and get rid of the ball even where he isn't being pressured and that's what happened the handful of times we got open. They also could stop the run without loading the box, which is what helped them cover us. I give them credit for being sound fundamentally and executing some well timed blitzes but they couldn't have done what they did with Vanderbilt's players with the same plan no matter how well they executed. That said though our offensive struggles in that game had a whole lot to do with the 11 guys on the other side of the ball in Athens, we didn't just have an "off day".

 

[FlyFishnVol]

I have heard a few analyst (talking heads) say our team is going to take a step back this year, because in year 3, SEC DC’s will start to figure out Heupel’s offense. From a pure layman’s perspective, it looked to me like Kirby Smart has it figured out. All you need is five cover guys who can match up with the Vol receivers and a nose tackle that can collapse the pocket right up the gut. It also looked like Georgia had some success early in last year’s game bringing a blitzer off the slot receiver. I think Tennessee cleaned that up later in the game, but that’s just my unprofessional opinion.

You may have noticed on most plays our QB’s take a shotgun snap at about a two step drop depth and that’s where they operate from. Again, my layman’s guess is this helps negate rushers coming off the corners because it creates an angle that favors our OT’s. Because our QB’s are so close to the LOS, 3 +/- yards, it does make them vulnerable to a push up the middle but no one but Georgia seemed able to do that with any regularity. It also makes our QB’s vulnerable to an A gap blitz by LB’s but both Small and Wright have been very good at picking those up.

So it would appear from my “casual football fan perspective” the “secret” to stopping CJH’s offense is to have a stable of DB’s that can run and cover at an NFL level, and a nose tackle that can consistently beat double team blocks by our center and guards and collapse the pocket up the middle. There are only two teams in this league currently that have that kind of talent and unfortunately, we play them both every year. The Gators could get back there, maybe LSU is close. I just don’t see anyone else in league that can keep our offense when its clicking from hanging up fiddy.

Strategy wise, hats off to Napier last year for accepting the fact he couldn’t stop us with his defense and decided to just go on 4th down every series to play keep away. If our defense continues to improve there will be more rounds in that Russian Roulette cylinder. I know there are some for real football coaches on here so would appreciate your prospective on stopping Heupel’s offense.

Speed begets speed, how can a defense match the quickness of the offenses like UT's?

Faster DBs, LBs, FS, SS...reinvent the defense, don't make new rules to stop the offense.

 

[UTblood4life]

You can't stop them you can only hope to contain them
Dan Patrick

 

[Vol865]

You put 6 or more in pass coverage against actual receivers then they must each individually be able to cover. Few linebackers can cover actual receivers. Even UGA backers were caught trailing our receivers by A LOT. Once you put 6 or more cover guys on the field, watch Heupel go to the ground and pound forcing OLs up against 200 lb cover DBs and fun for RB stats when/if they do. The deal is you have to force the QB into poor decisions OR get to him very early. UGA had the hosses to do it last year, very disruptive time will tell if they can this year when their ears are bleeding at Neyland.

You drop 7 or 8 and play zone which is what UGA and USCe did while also mixing pressures but I peft that part out. Both of them had stout DTs, UGA especially. The other option would be play cover 0 press and getting to the QB before a WR gets open.

 

[Vol865]

Yes sir, they won’t get away with that at Neyland, but to Smart’s credit, he coaches his DBs to where refs have to call it or let ‘‘em play - think about the way our basketball team plays defense and fans piss and moan about how we get away with so many calls.

I mean if they're making it not so obvious I could see that but they were blatantly holding

 

[PEPPERJAX]

Can you dive a bit more into the concept of self scouting?

It comes from within.

 

[ftsandersvol]

You can't stop the unstoppable. We only seem to stop ourselves with dropped balls, overthrows, and/or fumbling.

 

[ftsandersvol]

Can you dive a bit more into the concept of self scouting?

 

[Other_Guy]

Go watch the Missouri game last year, their D-line ate our O-line up in the first half (second half was different). Mizzou D-line was consistently up field and Hooker was having to get rid of it early. This year I expect our o-line will take a step back in production and so far Milton has not shown that he wants to run (even though I believe he is more than capable). I would expect Heupel to try and give Joe more planned QB runs just to keep the d-line honest. I do not think SEC D-cord's have "Figured" out Heupel's offense, there is nothing to figure out it is not a gimmick it just spreads you out and makes you not be able to disguise what you plan to do. Heupel spreads out your D so that you have to show if you are playing man coverage on the outside. GA beat us because they had 5 DB that were more physical and could cover our receivers long enough for the D-line to make something happen (Hooker run or get rid of the ball).
I do not think that Heupel runs Milton against VA or APSU, my thought is that he breaks that wrinkle out for the Gators in the Swamp.

No way the staff was letting him run around in the Orange bowl with your 3rd stringer out as well and it wss unnecessary against Vandy.
He will run and partially by necessity if the OL is weak.

 

[McDad]

It comes from within.

Profoundly simple.