Virgil Cain
Member
First post here after reading the board for a long time. Here is some stuff I noticed from last Saturday.
Offense-
1. When this offense gets in a rhythm we can roll up serious points. Briles and Morrison did a great job of attacking both sides of the LOS and all levels of the field. We hit on long balls, short passes and intermediate routes at ease. The first drive was a great illustration. Bailey had chunk yardage on several plays to the left and right side and when the defense focused on the run they went over the top for the TD. Houston had no answer. Once the defense starts to cheat/compensate they get hit by Bailey on the ground for big gains or through the air. It was no different Saturday.
2. The UH defense brought pressure on probably 65% of snaps last night and they guessed right at times, resulting in stalled drives. Offensive line did a decent job in pass protection and handling slants/stunts. RT#68 had a rough time and gave up a few sacks, including the Morris fumble. He is going to need some help from TE’s and backs this year. It was good to see Briles use Bailey on the RB screen when the UH D-ends we’re getting overly aggressive. Hopefully we see more of that nuance and less reliance on the big play like last year.
3. Some teams do really well working the bubble screen game. We are not going to be one of those teams. Our WR core is filled with smaller framed guys who won’t be able to sustain blocks. I would rather see us use jet sweeps with Earle and Everheart than rely on a 5’7 150 Lb. dude pushing a CB off the ball. If we flex out Wiley? Sure. But we aint having much success doing it the way we’re doing it now. Also, did anyone else notice Earle line up in the backfield and take a sweep/outside run for chunk yardage? Do that 5-6 times instead of the bubble screens. The guy can fly and needs more touches.
4. The game could have been put away in the 1st quarter. The no call on the defensive pass interference that resulted in the INT was hilariously awful. I was pretty shocked Wiley got a hand on the ball considering that he was yanked so hard he was facing the opposite direction. That flag would have resulted in a first down and at a minimum 3 points. We were cruising at that point and It totally changed the feel of the game and gave Houston some hope. That may be the no-call of the year.
5. I really like #2 but I wouldn’t mind seeing #17 and #21 get more reps. They both look explosive and seem to have more top end speed. I’m hoping those two don’t enter the portal after this season, but won’t be shocked if it happens.
6. Brandon Coleman went out for an extended period of time during the middle of the game, but it didn’t seem like he was hurt? Kind of weird. #56 came in and played pretty well. He got locked onto a few UH interior DLs and blew some plays open. He is going to be a starter for several years and looks to be a future NFL guy.
7. Our receiver room is stacked. Guys like S. Williams and Thompson can hurt you deep while Richardson, Wiley, and Robinson work underneath. Also, Richardson’s hands are impressive. He had a sliding catch in the first half that I didn’t think he had any chance at. I was glad that Savion got involved. He’s been overshadowed this year but he’s been a high effort player who blocks really well and deserves reps. No idea how you keep that many talented guys happy but the staff seems to have it figured out. Still- the drops on Saturday killed us. There were two specifically that would have been first downs or touchdowns. We gave their defense new life because we couldn’t hang onto the ball. This group is a strength and it won’t be an issue going forward.
8. The counter worked great in the second half. It was used 3-4 times and for a minimum of 7 yards. Willis isn’t the most athletic guy on the O-line but he brings the hammer when he is pulling. He did lasso one guy and get called for the hold, but that’s beside the point.
9. If a few receivers sustain blocks for a split second longer #9 would’ve gone for 200+ yards on the ground. If he’s healthy, we are in business.
10. No clue why everyone is so down on Morris? Dalton, Boykin, and Dugan all went through really miserable stretches that had fans calling for the backup. Morris is 74-109 for 856 yards, 6TDs and 3 Ints so far. He is accurate, he has great feel in the pocket and can evade the rush. He could cut down on the turnovers sure, but what else could you ask for from a guy that has only recently assumed the mantle of starter? He commands the offense and is a threat to put up 35-40 points per game. What else do you guys want?
11. Overall, the offense had a really solid night. If they cut down on mistakes and if the OC quits trying to go east/west because he feels obligated, we’ll be fine.
Defense
12. Before I get into anything else, the defense deserves praise for their play against the run. The statistics are really impressive and you can tell from the stands that the defensive front works together well. Linebackers flow really well and the DL doesn’t ever seem to be out of position. Obiazor has been particularly good and fills really nicely off the edge. The biggest gain on the ground required the UH back to break 3-4 tackles. The run D was really dialed in.
13. After watching the DC for two years it seems like he refuses to get beat by the run. For instance, if you’re concerned about generating pass rush then #94 and #97 are your starters at DE. Those two are the most explosive and most likely to affect the pass. Instead we keep seeing a 300 pounder at one of the defensive end spots. We’ve had success against the run but haven’t generated a rush from that spot all season. I have to think that he would rather take a chance with the QB putting it in the air as opposed to getting beat up on the ground. I guess he knows what he’s doing because he hasn’t given up a TD in 8 quarters. Maybe?
14. The deep passes- yikes. At this point it’s not on the players. You can’t ask a college safety to line up 12 yards off the inside receiver and mirror his route when he gets a free release. That’s tough for NFL guys to do. Maybe we don't have any capacity to move DBs around so we can jam the WR? That’s a problem.
15. I’ve seen a lot about the UH drops. Does nobody realize that most of those drops were because the WR had been re-routed and then had a defender in their back pocket? We got more physical in the second half with their wideouts and really affected timing. More of that please.
16. Nobody in red caught a pass on Josh Newton Saturday. Hopefully he has a good financial adviser because he’s gonna have some NFL money soon.
17. Bud Clark had an up-and-down day. In the first quarter he went from getting beat deep to stuffing a 4th down run. Later in the half he missed a tackle and then had a big INT. He is super talented but I’d like to see him bring the juice 100% of the time. Speaking of safeties, Perry and Camara are two of our best tacklers. Camara plays fast and he doesn’t need to wrap up because he hits hard enough to knock you out on the first try. Also, who is #12? He runs really well and tackles too. Get him reps.
18. Someone on the defensive staff needs to explain zone vs. man to our back end. There’s been too many times this year where a DB has been standing and staring at the QB while a WR works into his area and gets open. Zone defense turns into man defense when a reciever enters your area, it doesn’t mean that you stand there in your assigned spot until the ball is thrown. Cover/play man on the receivers that are in your zone. Does that make any sense?
19. This was the DLs best game so far. The line of scrimmage was typically 1-2 yards in the UH backfield, which is what you should do to inferior teams. I thought #97 has had the biggest jump from game 1 to game 3. He was violent with his hands and didn’t get moved off the ball at all. He and #94 look to be future NFL guys. They both have huge upside. Another future NFL guy? Markus Deal. By next year I think he may be our best option at nose tackle. He walked the UH center back several times and handled a few double teams with ease. He and Williams are a good combo.
20. The blitz was beautiful. This is what the 3-3-5 is supposed to look like. Walk up 6-7 potential blitzers, confuse the offense, bring heat from the outside, cross the two middle linebackers, delay a blitz from the middle. Make it exotic. But why don’t we see more of it? It took us a full quarter to realize that bringing heat was going to be the answer despite that having been the answer in every game. Early in games we are so concerned about dropping 8 covering all areas of the field that we give time for QBs to find the one area we couldn’t cover for 8 seconds. DC needs to mix it up before we give up a few deep balls.
Special teams
Gross - they gave up 10 points on their own. And stop putting offensive players on the kickoff team. Why have players that don’t ever work on tackling trying to tackle people? That’s stupid.
Offense-
1. When this offense gets in a rhythm we can roll up serious points. Briles and Morrison did a great job of attacking both sides of the LOS and all levels of the field. We hit on long balls, short passes and intermediate routes at ease. The first drive was a great illustration. Bailey had chunk yardage on several plays to the left and right side and when the defense focused on the run they went over the top for the TD. Houston had no answer. Once the defense starts to cheat/compensate they get hit by Bailey on the ground for big gains or through the air. It was no different Saturday.
2. The UH defense brought pressure on probably 65% of snaps last night and they guessed right at times, resulting in stalled drives. Offensive line did a decent job in pass protection and handling slants/stunts. RT#68 had a rough time and gave up a few sacks, including the Morris fumble. He is going to need some help from TE’s and backs this year. It was good to see Briles use Bailey on the RB screen when the UH D-ends we’re getting overly aggressive. Hopefully we see more of that nuance and less reliance on the big play like last year.
3. Some teams do really well working the bubble screen game. We are not going to be one of those teams. Our WR core is filled with smaller framed guys who won’t be able to sustain blocks. I would rather see us use jet sweeps with Earle and Everheart than rely on a 5’7 150 Lb. dude pushing a CB off the ball. If we flex out Wiley? Sure. But we aint having much success doing it the way we’re doing it now. Also, did anyone else notice Earle line up in the backfield and take a sweep/outside run for chunk yardage? Do that 5-6 times instead of the bubble screens. The guy can fly and needs more touches.
4. The game could have been put away in the 1st quarter. The no call on the defensive pass interference that resulted in the INT was hilariously awful. I was pretty shocked Wiley got a hand on the ball considering that he was yanked so hard he was facing the opposite direction. That flag would have resulted in a first down and at a minimum 3 points. We were cruising at that point and It totally changed the feel of the game and gave Houston some hope. That may be the no-call of the year.
5. I really like #2 but I wouldn’t mind seeing #17 and #21 get more reps. They both look explosive and seem to have more top end speed. I’m hoping those two don’t enter the portal after this season, but won’t be shocked if it happens.
6. Brandon Coleman went out for an extended period of time during the middle of the game, but it didn’t seem like he was hurt? Kind of weird. #56 came in and played pretty well. He got locked onto a few UH interior DLs and blew some plays open. He is going to be a starter for several years and looks to be a future NFL guy.
7. Our receiver room is stacked. Guys like S. Williams and Thompson can hurt you deep while Richardson, Wiley, and Robinson work underneath. Also, Richardson’s hands are impressive. He had a sliding catch in the first half that I didn’t think he had any chance at. I was glad that Savion got involved. He’s been overshadowed this year but he’s been a high effort player who blocks really well and deserves reps. No idea how you keep that many talented guys happy but the staff seems to have it figured out. Still- the drops on Saturday killed us. There were two specifically that would have been first downs or touchdowns. We gave their defense new life because we couldn’t hang onto the ball. This group is a strength and it won’t be an issue going forward.
8. The counter worked great in the second half. It was used 3-4 times and for a minimum of 7 yards. Willis isn’t the most athletic guy on the O-line but he brings the hammer when he is pulling. He did lasso one guy and get called for the hold, but that’s beside the point.
9. If a few receivers sustain blocks for a split second longer #9 would’ve gone for 200+ yards on the ground. If he’s healthy, we are in business.
10. No clue why everyone is so down on Morris? Dalton, Boykin, and Dugan all went through really miserable stretches that had fans calling for the backup. Morris is 74-109 for 856 yards, 6TDs and 3 Ints so far. He is accurate, he has great feel in the pocket and can evade the rush. He could cut down on the turnovers sure, but what else could you ask for from a guy that has only recently assumed the mantle of starter? He commands the offense and is a threat to put up 35-40 points per game. What else do you guys want?
11. Overall, the offense had a really solid night. If they cut down on mistakes and if the OC quits trying to go east/west because he feels obligated, we’ll be fine.
Defense
12. Before I get into anything else, the defense deserves praise for their play against the run. The statistics are really impressive and you can tell from the stands that the defensive front works together well. Linebackers flow really well and the DL doesn’t ever seem to be out of position. Obiazor has been particularly good and fills really nicely off the edge. The biggest gain on the ground required the UH back to break 3-4 tackles. The run D was really dialed in.
13. After watching the DC for two years it seems like he refuses to get beat by the run. For instance, if you’re concerned about generating pass rush then #94 and #97 are your starters at DE. Those two are the most explosive and most likely to affect the pass. Instead we keep seeing a 300 pounder at one of the defensive end spots. We’ve had success against the run but haven’t generated a rush from that spot all season. I have to think that he would rather take a chance with the QB putting it in the air as opposed to getting beat up on the ground. I guess he knows what he’s doing because he hasn’t given up a TD in 8 quarters. Maybe?
14. The deep passes- yikes. At this point it’s not on the players. You can’t ask a college safety to line up 12 yards off the inside receiver and mirror his route when he gets a free release. That’s tough for NFL guys to do. Maybe we don't have any capacity to move DBs around so we can jam the WR? That’s a problem.
15. I’ve seen a lot about the UH drops. Does nobody realize that most of those drops were because the WR had been re-routed and then had a defender in their back pocket? We got more physical in the second half with their wideouts and really affected timing. More of that please.
16. Nobody in red caught a pass on Josh Newton Saturday. Hopefully he has a good financial adviser because he’s gonna have some NFL money soon.
17. Bud Clark had an up-and-down day. In the first quarter he went from getting beat deep to stuffing a 4th down run. Later in the half he missed a tackle and then had a big INT. He is super talented but I’d like to see him bring the juice 100% of the time. Speaking of safeties, Perry and Camara are two of our best tacklers. Camara plays fast and he doesn’t need to wrap up because he hits hard enough to knock you out on the first try. Also, who is #12? He runs really well and tackles too. Get him reps.
18. Someone on the defensive staff needs to explain zone vs. man to our back end. There’s been too many times this year where a DB has been standing and staring at the QB while a WR works into his area and gets open. Zone defense turns into man defense when a reciever enters your area, it doesn’t mean that you stand there in your assigned spot until the ball is thrown. Cover/play man on the receivers that are in your zone. Does that make any sense?
19. This was the DLs best game so far. The line of scrimmage was typically 1-2 yards in the UH backfield, which is what you should do to inferior teams. I thought #97 has had the biggest jump from game 1 to game 3. He was violent with his hands and didn’t get moved off the ball at all. He and #94 look to be future NFL guys. They both have huge upside. Another future NFL guy? Markus Deal. By next year I think he may be our best option at nose tackle. He walked the UH center back several times and handled a few double teams with ease. He and Williams are a good combo.
20. The blitz was beautiful. This is what the 3-3-5 is supposed to look like. Walk up 6-7 potential blitzers, confuse the offense, bring heat from the outside, cross the two middle linebackers, delay a blitz from the middle. Make it exotic. But why don’t we see more of it? It took us a full quarter to realize that bringing heat was going to be the answer despite that having been the answer in every game. Early in games we are so concerned about dropping 8 covering all areas of the field that we give time for QBs to find the one area we couldn’t cover for 8 seconds. DC needs to mix it up before we give up a few deep balls.
Special teams
Gross - they gave up 10 points on their own. And stop putting offensive players on the kickoff team. Why have players that don’t ever work on tackling trying to tackle people? That’s stupid.
