re: Official Fall Camp Discussion Thread - Who Wants to Wear Out That Trojan arse?

Practice report

quote:

---

Watching the quarterbacks in the brief window for observation, Cooper Bateman and Blake Barnett were practicing together on the same side of the drill. Jalen Hurts and David Cornwell were on the flip side. -- Barnett threw better deep balls when they were practicing a few different double-move routes. Bateman was long on a few balls and his throws had considerably more loft than Barnette's. That's consistent with previous performances from the two.

---

quote:

---

I'm so ready for Alabama to kick the ever living shite out of USC.

---

I really want to see how R Foster does. I think he will be the talk of the nation. All the focus will be on Calvin, USC's star CB has stated he wants to shadow Ridley all game, welp.. that just means Foster, Stewart, Howard and Diehter(sp)will be man's up with a lessor talent.

Foster-Stewart-GD will need to have a big seasons for the passing game to really shine this year. You know everyone will key on Ridley and OJ now that he went of in the NCCG. I really think Foster goes off, he has something to prove, he was the #1 WR in his class, was the Starter last year and got hurt and had to watch Ridley go off. Knowing the whole time that could be him.

Hopefully the QB's will be on point and get them the ball!

I took a look at the 5-2 USC will be running, and it's not a classic "5-2" at all. Honestly, it looks a lot like a 3-4 look with both outside linebackers on the line of scrimmage. The difference is that in the 5-2, while there are still only 3 hands on the ground of the 5, the 2 outside guys are not linebacker body types at all - they are true DE. Rush the passer/play the run 100% of the time.

The interesting thing is that in order to go nickel, they take out their NT and bring in a corner - no one else comes on or off - but they cannot go nickel without getting the NT out of the game.

And so I say all of that to say this: I think OJ Howard will be a key to our gameplan. Why? He allows us to go 3-wide with 2-TE personnel on the field. He very much has receiver skills. And so we should be able to get lots and lots of mismatches by catching them in their base D and spreading them out with Ridley, Foster/Stewart, and Howard. And to top it off, their front-7 is weak and missing a guy or 2.

They're fricked if we're running with success. They'll have to stay in base and play-action will eat them alive.

quote:

---

The corollary to that whole shebang is that if I'm their D-coordinator, I don't line up in base for one second against Alabama. Why? I stay in nickel full time, having brought in a 3rd corner. However, one safety lines up in the box full-time and has gap responsibility in the run game. This allows me to a) get a better athlete on the field, given their talent in the Secondary and lack thereof on the Dline, and b) still fit the run gap-wise. I also have 3 corners on the field that I tell to play on islands with a single high safety. The Safety in the box allows me to be hybrid and cover a TE/H/RB if he goes out, but I can stay in the box full-time as long as Bama doesn't go 4- or 5- wide. If they do, then you simply play regular nickel/dime and be fine, and the whole convo is moot at that point.

---

what if that safety cant hold up in the run game? he's gonna get introduced to Bo

quote:

---

what if that safety cant hold up in the run game?

---

If the Dlineman you removed to go Nickel wasn't really an asset, what have you really lost? Playing the pass with 3 corners and 1 safety is a great idea when your best and deepest unit is corner. Safety is your second best unit talent-wise (right on the heels of corner), and so it makes sense that you might get more "difference makers" on the field by staying in Nickel. More playmakers on the field, still fitting the run gaps. Remember, their Dline supposedly leaves a lot to be desired.

Plus, with that personel, you can potentially not lose much in your run D while still having 5 DB's on the field to go full pass D without running anyone on/off the field.

Remember, we run the hurry-up and want to go multiple. Likely, if our O doesn't sub, they probably can't either. And we're back to OJ Howard. He changes the whole game.

Jimmies and Joes, you see.

From an "insider" on BOL regarding the QBs (he does say it is 2nd hand info so TIFWIW):

quote:

---

Let me preface by saying I don't think it makes sense but...

"Pretty good source says Blake Barnett will start Saturday. Kiffin's call. I am not sure I believe it, but guy had gotten some good info before."

Got it from a friend of mine. He has told me some other stuff that has been true, but I'm just not sure about this one.

---

quote:

---

Makes me feel better about his commitment

---

What does it look like? I can't see it.

Yea, like I said a few days ago, my dude doesn't generally tell me stuff that's wrong. I'm pretty positive it's Barnett.