Tech Running Game vs. William & Mary Offensive Film Review

It's a story echoed across media outlets, but the major takeaway from Saturday's Virginia Tech victory over William & Mary is the impact that newcomers made on offense. Michael Brewer, Shai McKenzie, Marshawn Williams, Ryan Malleck, Bucky Hodges, Isaiah Ford, and Cam Phillips are all new to Scot Loeffler's offense and each had at least one impact play on Saturday. Brewer managed the game wonderfully. While he didn't throw many vertical balls, he had only two passes all day where you could imagine Scot Loeffler wouldn't be thrilled about, and one was the touchdown to Bucky Hodges. Pass protection was excellent against a team that had good pass rushers. Interestingly, with the exception of the dreadful goal line series in the second quarter, Michael Brewer only took a couple snaps the entire game from under center. The hurry-up look and the mix of screens and jet sweeps wore out the big Tribe front.

Yet, there were still a few grumbles about the running game. The Hokies got a little bit of movement early in the game, but certainly didn't dominate the Tribe defensive front. Frustration culminated with two consecutive goal line series where the Virginia Tech offense could not pound the football into the endzone from inside the three-yard line. As the game moved on, the Tribe started to tire, the combination of Williams and McKenzie started to get more touches, and the offensive line started to create more seams. But, I would imagine that Coach Searels would like to have seen a more dominant effort.

With three seniors and Jonathan McLaughlin as returning starters, most see the offensive line as an experienced group. But the reality is that the Hokies are using their third different run blocking scheme in three years, and returning starters have flipped into new positions. With a new system in place and a group still looking for chemistry, there were some kinks.

Combination Blocks and Scoops on the Inside Zone

For more of the first half, the Hokie running game consisted almost exclusively of inside zone. Inside zone is a north-south running play. The offensive line is taught to get their heads on the playside shoulder of the defender and drive them to them off the ball. Behind that, the offense can either run the inside zone read by leaving the back side defensive end unblocked as an option man. Or, they can seal the backside defensive end with a tight end or a fullback to keep the end from clogging up the cutback lane.

The uncovered (there isn't a defensive lineman lined up across from them) offensive linemen have a difficult assignment. The uncovered man has to execute a combination block on the defensive tackle, meaning that he has to double team the tackle just enough to let the other lineman drive him out of the hole. The uncovered man then has to release out to the inside linebackers. It is a timing-driven block. Release the double team too quickly and the defensive tackle slides off the other blocker to make the play. If he holds on to the double team too long, the linebacker goes unblocked.

The Hokies struggled with their combination blocks right from the get-go. On the first play of the game, the Hokies ran an inside zone to the right, with Sam Rogers as a lead blocker moving through the cutback lane on the left.

The play starts out perfectly. Laurence Gibson seals the back side d-end outside. David Wang double teams the defensive tackle along with Caleb Farris and gets great movement. J.C. Coleman pressures the line of scrimmage, plants, and makes the correct cutback. After that, things come apart. Wang holds on to his block too long, and the Tribe middle linebacker slides right past him. Coleman can't run through the linebacker and doesn't cut back behind to Wang's right. This play should have gained 10 yards. Instead it gets around 5.

Here is a different play, but the same running call and again Wang can't get off to the linebacker. This time, his feet tangled up in the defensive end engaged with Gibson.

Sam Rogers has the back side seal block, but he reads McLaughlin's block incorrectly. The end dives inside. McLaughlin correctly drives his man inside. Rogers needs to go off McLaughlin's butt to the outside linebacker. Rogers goes inside, and the end, McLaughlin, and Wang end up in a big tangled mess. Three blockers against one defender means two unblocked guys, and the outside linebacker and middle linebacker make the play.

The other critical block is called a back side scoop. The scoop comes from either the back side tackle or guard. They must get their head inside a defender aligned to their inside shoulder and either turn them out away from the back, or drive them laterally across the hole. If the blocker can't scoop the defender, the running back has to cut back off the scoop man's block.

When William & Mary's defensive ends started aligning as five-techniques (inside shoulder of the offensive tackles) the alignment put tremendous pressure on the tackles to drive the ends. When the Tribe used their ends as seven-techniques (outside shoulder of the tackles), the tough assignment passed to the tight end on a weak zone. Far too often, both the tackles and the tight ends resorted to attempting cut blocks rather than keeping their feet and driving those ends across the hole. Here is an example from the first drive.

The Tribe defensive end slides down to Jonathan McLaughlin's inside shoulder. At the snap, McLaughlin needs to drive him inside. Instead, McLaughlin attempts the cut block. The end uses his hands to pancake McLaughlin on his chest, and he slides over to make the tackle. McLaughlin is a good enough lineman that he should be able to keep his feet and drive the defender inside. Coleman gives a great effort to get the first down.

Frustration at the Goal Line

The reliance on the cut blocks on the back side really hurt the Hokies during the second quarter goal line series following the Derek Di Nardo fumble recovery. Coach Loeffler chose the inside zone from a power formation. Using three tight ends with two on the right (Malleck and Hodges) and Darius Redman on the left and a I-formation behind Brewer, Loeffler wanted to see if his offensive line could execute the inside zone against a big defensive line who was looking to shoot through those inside gaps. Unfortunately, they could not execute. Why?

After watching the film, it was quick to see that trying to cut block I-AA All-American Mike Reilly with a tight end wasn't going to work. Redman got good initial position, but when Reilly defeated the block he was allowed to stay on his feet and he made the tackle on back-to-back plays. Closely watch the tight end to the top of the screen on first down.

Perhaps if Redman can keep his feet going, the combination of him and Williams pushes the pile into the endzone. Also, you will see that David Wang again gets tripped up trying to get to the inside linebacker. He has to get more initial movement and take that momentum forward so he doesn't get tied up inside.

On second down it's inside zone from a three tight end formation. Again, Redman can't drive Reilly across the hole, scoop him, or keep him on the ground.

Perhaps Redman can't drive Reilly out of the hole, but if he stays up and keeps his feet moving, perhaps they can push the pile. When you cut block, you lose any chance of moving the pile if you don't completely wipe out the defender.

Nobody said Loeffler was a dummy, so after a pass interference gives the offense new life, Loeffler makes an adjustment. He switches back to the shotgun, and uses Sam Rogers as an H-Back to cut Reilly. Again, we see the inside zone, but it now includes some misdirection with the fake jet sweep from Isaiah Ford, and a much better back side scoop from Rogers.

This time, the Hokies get terrific blocks on the right side, and the left side gets scooped away from the play. Williams should have his first Hokie touchdown, but unfortunately Cam Phillips was not aligned on the line of scrimmage at the top of the screen. This left only six men on the line of scrimmage, which is an illegal formation. This is a rookie mistake, and fortunately for the Hokies, Phillips was very effective in the passing game. I think it speaks volumes that Loeffler utilized Phillips and Ford as his only two wide receivers in this "spread" goal line package.

Getting Better With Every Snap

Despite some of the growing pains in the first half, this offensive line group did some good things and got better as the game progressed. William & Mary had very little pass rush and no sacks, despite dealing with Reilly and numerous quality blitz concepts. As the Tribe started to wear down, and the running back rotation started to feature Marshawn Williams and Shai McKenzie, the holes started to grow and you could see the offensive line's confidence grow with it.

One of the major blocking weaknesses last season was the lack of quality tight end play to seal the edge or collapse defensive ends inside. Ryan Malleck was sorely missed. In the second half, Malleck had several fantastic blocks. My favorite came on the Hokies first "power play" of the game. It was also Brewer's first snap under center between the 20's.

The Hokies go offset I right, with the tight end right. The split end is also right, which makes Malleck an ineligible receiver. Malleck blocks down on the defensive end and drives him several yards inside. This is a stellar block. Wang pulls from his left guard spot. He and Rogers lead through the hole, and Williams follows and takes care of the rest. We only saw a handful of power plays against William & Mary, but expect to see more against Ohio State.

Finally, Shai McKenzie got his second series of the ballgame, and he exploded into the Hokie Nation's consciousness. But, the offensive line paved the way. The McKenzie touchdown run was not only a great read, but it was also was flawlessly executed. The play also had a bit of a different look than we saw move of the game. Brewer was in the pistol, with the fullback offset to the right and the tight end to the left. From this alignment, Loeffler called the outside zone to the weak side.

Augie Conte did a MAGNIFICENT job of getting his head outside (play side) of the three-technique defensive tackle and getting turned up field. This creates the initial seam for McKenzie. McLaughlin doesn't quite get his head outside of the defensive end, but he rides the end outside past the hashmarks. McLaughlin's effort to widen himself away from Conte's scoop creates a massive hole that McKenzie reads correctly. Rogers goes outside of McLaughlin's block, but instead of engaging the end like he did earlier, he stays wide and then loops back inside to crack the linebacker. Cam Phillips gets himself twisted into a pretzel looking for someone to block, but instead of quitting on the play, he changes direction and gives McKenzie a shield down the right sideline. McKenzie explodes through the hole and finishes the run. This is beautiful team football, with every player contributing. While the results were not always this spectacular, most of the second half looked similar. The effort up-front really improved.

Ohio State will present a huge challenge. Potential All-American's Joey Bosa and Michael Bennett await the Hokie offensive line. They are similar in size to the Tribe, but much more athletic and quick. It will be a tough day to execute like this in the Horseshoe. But, there are some positive first indications, and I expect that Coach Loeffler will use much more counter and trap action to help the offensive line get better angles next week. William & Mary was basic training. This time next week, we will have a much better understanding of this team's ability to meet Frank Beamer's mandate to effectively run the football this season.