Thoughts on Stopping Heupel's Offense

[VOLINVONORE]

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.

This is why they are analysts and not coaches.

 

[fossilfiction]

I don't the proof that "in year three, defenses suddenly figure out how to shut this offense down." It's pretty much the same as most fast-scoring teams for Tennessee. Stronger and faster corners that beat up receivers, and overpower defensive line is not the secret sauce. You still have to defend it effectively.
The issue though is that should apply to any coach there is. Everyone knew what Oklahoma was going to do under Riley and they were extremely difficult to "shut down." Good coaches find ways to beat you and keep being innovative.

 

[VOLSBEERS1992]

The way to stop Josh Heupel's tennessee offense is having better players. Thats really all that works. If you have stud DB's that can play man to man in space on an island and then a defensive front that can stop the run and rush the passer with 4 you can stop us. That is true against literally any offense. Zone doesn't work vs us, too much space. Thats why even though UK always has a good defense we end up scoring every possession on them. They use a lot of zone and zone doesn't work vs the space we use.

If you don't have superior talent defensively, you are toast and we are probably putting up 40+. Its pretty simple.

All these people talking about "defenses figuring it out" blah blah blah.... Josh Heupel has been running this offense in variations for going on a decade going back to mizzou and its always been successful.

UGA shut us down last year because they had one of the most loaded and best defenses in CFB history, it was pouring rain, and we were playing on the road and shot ourselves in the foot with false starts and presnap penalties making it even harder. Its not because Kirby figured out anything lol.

 

[901 Orange]

Honestly what is there to figure out?? Everyone already knows how to stop it but you still have to go do it. He didn't start running this offense yesterday. I hear everyone talking about the different techniques DB's can use and none of that really matters. It's hard for me to believe Kirby can come up with an idea that Saban couldn't when it comes to DB's. The way to stop us is the way u stop "every" offense. Win in the trenches. If u do that it's hard for any team to get going especially one that uses tempo. They were able to put pressure on HH. Even if they didn't get to him they were able to speed him up which caused a few overthrows.

 

[lukeneyland]

You are going to need 4 God tier defensive lineman to play like Georgia did

 

[sjt18]

It's more than just "the dudes" because it would be very easy to argue that Alabama had a much better D line than our O line last year.

Very easy? Nope. UT pushed them around. They couldn't move UGA... and I don't want either of them to be that good.

They also had a pretty damn decent secondary. Nick Saban, also, has been known to understand how to run a defense.

I didn't expect UGA's secondary to hold up any better than Bama's did... and then they did. Not sure what your interest is in defending Bama But UGA was better across the board on D.

On paper, Alabama had "the dudes" to stop Heupel's offense but GA actually pulled it off. I've not really thought about a comparison to our success against Alabama's "dudes" and our trouble with Georgia's "dudes," but I am sure it's been a topic in the film room.

Right. UGA beat UT's OL at the LOS while Bama lost badly. They couldn't push the pocket. UT ran effectively.

Are you trying to say that Smart is a better defensive coach than Saban?

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Are you trying to say that Smart is a better defensive coach than Saban?

No. It's unusual for a Saban defense to get beat at the LOS. I don't think we expected that kind of success at the line against Bama and we didn't get it against GA. I'm just curious what the coaches might have seen technically.

For me the study would be why Saban's D line and his secondary adjustments and his likely blistering halftime words to the defense..... which have saved his tiny butt too many times..... didn't work well at all
VS
why GA had good pressure and coverage pretty much all day.

Sure GA had elite personnel but Bama had solid LOS personnel also. We whipped one, we didn't whip the other.

 

[sjt18]

No. It's unusual for a Saban defense to get beat at the LOS. I don't think we expected that kind of success at the line against Bama and we didn't get it against GA. I'm just curious what the coaches might have seen technically.

For me the study would be why Saban's D line and his secondary adjustments and his likely blistering halftime words to the defense..... which have saved his tiny butt too many times..... didn't work well at all
VS
why GA had good pressure and coverage pretty much all day.

Sure GA had elite personnel but Bama had solid LOS personnel also. We whipped one, we didn't whip the other.

I think we have to look at the difference in talent. UGA IMO is more talented than Bama at this point.

Then you have the other factors like weather, home field, and officiating. I believe UGA got away with a lot of "physical" play against UT's WRs that was called in the Bama game. That hurt timing enough to give UGA's DL a little more of an advantage.

 

[Gladiator1]

Seeing some great analysis, but remember, the first rule of fight club- don't talk about......

 

[WiseOlVol]

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.

Ryan Day saw the Vols trying to block with only 5 guys. He blocked with 7 all game long.

Worked.

Ohio State Passing

C.J. Stroud

C/ATT YDS AVG TD INT QBR
23/34 348 10.2 4 0 94.1

 

[CAVPUT]

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.

I think the key is what UGA did to us. You have to have stud DBs who are physical and can get up in the WR face and play 'em straight up man to man. Not many will have the athletes to do what UGA did. I also think our pace introduces confusion. If we can't go fast, it's bound to cause us problems. Regardless, I see us taking a step or two back on offense.

 

[Proud Army Wife]

Having the talent to stop it is the key. UGA for instance. Bama has it too but they were just overall undisciplined last year and that safety was no match for Hyatt.

 

[Proud Army Wife]

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.

Agreed, but it can be done. An elite O-line that can match up with their D-line is preferable, but it can be done with atleast 1 guy getting open and an accurate QB who can make quick decisions and find him consistently. Playing at home helps. No small task, that’s for sure.

 

[Vol865]

I think the key is what UGA did to us. You have to have stud DBs who are physical and can get up in the WR face and play 'em straight up man to man. Not many will have the athletes to do what UGA did. I also think our pace introduces confusion. If we can't go fast, it's bound to cause us problems. Regardless, I see us taking a step or two back on offense.

UGA also did some of that but they were dropping 8 quite a bit and catching WRs at 8 yards. USCe copied that blueprint with some success to a degree.

 

[lexkyvol]

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.

A. it took a once in a lifetime pair at DT. if UGA has 2 more like those guys, mail them the title already
B. nope......Heupel abandoned the crossing routes and it cost us dearly that game. Also, i think he gets too settled in not going 4 wrs at times and that was one of those times we needed that set a lot.
C. truth
D. not completely. if they stop our run with just their DL ANY offense is toast. not just ours!

if a defense presses your outside guys who are usually ur possession guys, get them off the ball and utilize motion to change what the defense can do and spacing for concepts. i think we will see more of that this yr.

Heupel has seen them at their best. They are in TROUBLE! 1st was Bama, now uga!

 

[youcancallmeAl]

The only way to defeat this offense is at the line of scrimmage. Like Georgia last year. But then Heupel even might scheme around that.

 

[lexkyvol]

these things happened that lost us the game vs uga:

1. RBs played like absolute crap! didnt win 1 on 1's in open field and did horrible at blitz pick-up
2. Nowhere near enough hitches and flat routes completed to slots. Slots were also spaced too wide so uga just pinned 2 with 3 on each side.
3. no bubble screens thrown off Play action
4. not enough 4 wr sets. their indicator was the H-back. this could've been squirrel white's opening act.

their d-line was good, no doubt....but nothing about uga shut us out!

 

[ntxVOL]

I like Heupel's formula, spread the defense and either pass or run up the middle based on what the defense shows.

Yeah, UGA has superior talent but home field was the difference in that game. We have a chance at home because that 0.2 seconds means a lot.

 

[UTblood4life]

Makes you think if a prime Dustin Willcox could stop it
The spread killer

 

[1974Vol]

Bear Bryant used to say that 5-7 plays determine the game among evenly matched teams. 1. Georgia won them all; 50/50 ball to the corner of the end zone, a play we usually win, Georgia Int. 2. Back side blitz gets to Bennett and would have ended the drive but we can't get him on the ground and he scrambles inside the 10 for a 1st down and eventual TD. 3 & 4, HH overthrows Fant and Hyatt for what would have been TD's. 5. Georgia kicks it dead at our 1, leading almost to a safety, but does flip the field and aids in Dawg TD. 6-? Lost count on the number of pre-snap penalties, cost us at least one TD on that first drive. They played almost flawless football. Only major mistakes I remember them making are fumbling right back to us after we turned it over, and the facemask that gave us a 1st down on a 3rd and 24. Even in today's game, in close games, the team that makes the fewest mistakes wins.

 

[lawgator1]

Milton.

3rd row

 

[GUNTERSVOL]

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

Bet CJH asks for rule clarifications in the pregame meeting with officials. Hope he also goes over a couple of trick plays.

 

[UTwild82]

This offense, or variations of it, have been around power 5 CFB for roughly 15 years, maybe longer. It's worked the entire time.

 

[KTrain]

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.

That is a simple down of what actually happened. Although our Receivers beat their DBs on several plays. Their Oline was in Hookers face & space all day long most hostile place we've played in years. Came in # 1 and some reporters got the ire of UGA fanbase. I'm not sure they'll ever duplicate that crowd noise, causing us to go on timed snapped and just threw Hooker off.
It was more that than the alignment other teams used 5

 

[Volfan76]

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.

Which on of the analysts picked Heupel's offense to be first.in the nation last year?