Game Film Review: Georgia Tech

Veer pitches are basically the belly option.

ESPN Play-by-play

CU at 35 - IZ for 12..ZR keep for 5...Quick pass to Bryant for 8...Boyd threw an Out, Sammy never broke...QB draw for 9...QB Power for 3...Quick hitch to Cooper for 6...CB blitz forces throw to MB to be off...QB Draw, loss of 1 as they blitzed into the hole. 40 yd FG Catman. 3-0 Clemson. 10 plays 42 yards, 3:05

I just wonder why you wouldn't give Hot Rod one carry there after Cooper's catch, but they had good defensive calls on.

GT at 2 - Dive for 4...Veer pitch for 3. Smith right on it...Again and Days slips just in front of the 1st down. Breeland cut blocked out of his job. Punt.

Currently looks like DTs+MLB have Dive, DE the QB/force and pitch is handled by the DBs in the alley. Nothing beyond what we normally run on them, but we're slanting the DTs into the gaps.

CU at GT 49 - Boyd takes a deep shot to Bryant, PI called. I think its an iffy PI call. Shatley barely deflected a blitzer...Power for 1...Throw to Mike Williams on a square-in thrown to his feet incomplete...RB screen, Attaochu played it perfectly and loss of 3. Punt. 3 plays 13 yards, 1:25.

Can't believe we didn't score with this field position.

GT at 15 - Pass to flat completed with a knee on the ground...Blitz, Breeland gets through the line to hit Lee and loss of 4 on a Veer option...Lee hit as he throws by Beasley. Punt.

Constant penetration. They whiff on a lot of blocks.

CU at 41 - Attaochu comes in on a T-E stunt, Shatley should've picked him up...Attaochu gets around Battle and Tajh pulls it for 12...Boyd rolls out and hits AH on the sideline for 12 + a late hit penalty...IZ for 3, Norton needed to remain engaged..Sammy sweep no gain. Looks like it was a reverse handoff that wasn't handed off...Gifford Timothy whipped as usual and Attaochu another sack. Tajh needed to throw that ball away. 51 yd FG Catman. 6-0 Clemson. 7 plays 26, 3:22.

Battle started the drive, couldn't handle Attaochu. Timothy finished and couldnt either. Battle just stays in his way

OL play killed this drive.

GT from 23 - Veer keep loss of 1. Christian blitzed hard to the Dive...Counter keep for 5...Vad Lee half roll right into Shaq Lawson for loss of 5, he jumped over the cut blocker. Punt.

The DTs cut under the Guard to the A and we blitz a LB up the B-gap. The Counter option should work to defeat this. Ends are squeezing well.

Surprised Johnson hasn't attacked the DBs who are playing really close on the outside.

CU at 48 - IZ for 8...IZ for 1. Start 2nd QTR. QB Power no gain...4th & 1, QB Power for the 1st down...Sammy beats his man on a 9 route, 41 yd TD. 13-0 Clemson, 5 plays 52 yds, 1:41.

Battle was back out there on this drive, as was Kalon Davis.

GT at 10 - Quick drop throw to Waller for 13, Robinson comes up too hard and Safety has to make the tackle...Counter option and we eat it up for 1...Veer pitch, Christian is out there for 1 yd gain...WB screen, Shuey on it for 6. Punt.

GT's Guards cannot handle our DTs, they try to cut them and do it so bad and slowly that they never actually cut them.

Notice how often they've given the Belly Dive thus far? If this offense can't establish the Dive then it doesnt work. Lee is being hit almost every play.

CU at 34 -Boyd telegraphs a pass to Mike Williams, its jumped and nearly picked...Stanton Seckinger out of the backfield for 11...Out route to Williams for 12...Bucksweep for 2. Beasley has to hit somebody out there...Sack, Tajh needed to chuck that or just step up and throw...Shaq Anthony false start...Martavis Bryant 47 yard post pattern to the 4...Fade throw to Williams for TD. 20-0 Clemson. 7 plays 66 yards, 2:25.

MB ran a deep post and Sammy a shorter post/dig that sucked up the FS leaving 1 on 1 for MB.

GT from 18 - Dive for 3..Quick pass to flat dropped...Lee QB Draw for 8, Christian missed tackle...Dive no gain...Godhigh uncovered gets upfield for 38, faked an arc block on Breeland and he let him get behind him...Veer pitch for 32 yds. Two men took the QB, that was the problem. Breeland helped Crawford hit him, and should've stayed on the pitch man. Shuey needed to get off that blocker as well, he got walled off...Dive for TD. 20-7 Clemson. 7 plays 82 yds, 2:30.

There you see Johnson attacking the CBs and getting back to the Dive play.

CU at 22 - WR screen to AH for 2...Bryant outruns everybody for 76 yd TD. It was going to him the whole time. 27-7 Clemson. 2 plays 78 yards, 0:49.

FS didn't bite on Sammy's jet motion, but wasn't getting deep like he should've.

Boyd broke Rivers' ACC record with this pass TD.

GT from 29 - Veer pitch, very late, no gain...Beasley forces quick throw away. They had the same play as before with Godhigh and Hill was wide open deep...Rollout pass complete at the sticks for 10...False start GT...Counter Toss, fumbled and recovered by Jarrett at the 37.

Better penetration on this drive compared to the last as well.

CU at GT 37 -RB Screen for 16...Boyd keeps for 10. Two WRs ran into each other on a post, Williams and Watkins. I bet Williams ran the wrong route...Seckinger sneaks out for 2...Blitz, Boyd stupidly throws one up and its intercepted. We had a RB screen called and GT blitzed into it.

Boyd's bonehead play of the day. He was trying to get it to McDowell on the screen.

GT at 13 - Godhigh open but Lee overthrows him up seam..Lee overthrows another on sideline. Completely missed the guy...Coverage good, Lee scrambles for 8...TO CU on a Punt, again. Dabo gon dab...Daniel Rodriguez offsides on the punt, giving them a 1st down...Outside Veer keep for loss of 1...Draw for 4...Belly Dive for 8...Pass complete up the sideline for 15, Robinson just misplayed it...TO GT...Godhigh beats Christian up the seam for 32, AWFUL coverage technique...TO GT...Godhigh beats Christian/Shuey up the seam again and Vad Lee just missed the throw for the score. 33 yd FG. 27-10 Clemson.

Had them stopped, DRod kept it alive and it results in a score.

Halftime

The main reason why GT can't run is their interior OL. They suck. They can't get the legs out from under our DTs, who are playing tighter to the A-gaps than they usually do. We're usually a 2i-3 "G" front and today I see more 2i-Shade and 2i-2i up front. This alignment takes away the Midline option by design.

Johnson's OV plays should work as well as the Counter to attack this alignment and our stunting/slanting, but we're just beating them up front and flowing to the ball really well. This was truly the best half we've ever played against the Flexbone. I question why Johnson decides to throw so much though, which is what hes done the last 2 times he came to DV, and it gets him beaten. I'd stick with the Belly Dive but he went away from it too quickly. If you hit the B-gap when a LB isn't blitzing it'll get some yards.

Vad Lee doesnt help them either. He isn't a good player.

Clemson's OL has played more guys than usual. Davis and Beasley seem to have split time, as well as Battle/Anthony/Timothy at RT.

Start 3rd QTR.

GT from 40 - Lee Veer keep for 2..Counter toss, Vic Beasley eats Godhigh up for loss of 7. He played that perfectly...Skigun, we blitz, Lee overthrows Summers who was covered anyway. Punt.

CU at 15 - WR screen to Hot Rod for loss of 2...Again to AH for 6...Slant to SW incomplete, route was jumped. Punt, 3 plays 4 yds 1:01.

GT at 35 - Toss to Godhigh for 65 yd TD. 27-17 Clemson.

We got blocked out at the line and as usual Blanks can't make the tackle in space.

That hole has to get squeezed closed and your CB can't get slammed down by a WR.

CU at 29 - iZ for 6...Counter H for 15. Cooper made a good block inside...QB Power for 4...Bryant Dig route for 12. Hot Rod nice cut to save Tajh on a blitz...Bryant outruns his man again for 33 yd completion. No safety help with the blitz coming...QB Power for the TD. 34-17 Clemson. 6 plays 71 yards, 1:55.

GT from 36 - Dive for loss of 1...Checkdown to the flats for 2...Godhigh in flats for 7...4th & 2, Counter Toss and Crawford, who was unblocked, makes a play. The Right Guard was supposed to cut him and couldn't do it.

CU at GT 44 - WR screen and Sammy takes it to the house. 41-17 Clemson.

GT at 10 - Godhigh crosser and its just too far in front, dropped...Veer pitch for 10. Tony Steward took QB when he should've taken the Wing...Dive for 8...Breeland tips away a pass to Godhigh...Counter toss for 6...Counter toss the other way and Christian blitzed and TFL of 5...Counter toss to Godhigh and Christian blows it up...Breeland flagged for PI on a ball 10 yards ahead of the WR. Bad call. Gives them a 1st down when we had the drive stopped cold. Dive for 4...Veer pitch for 16. LBs didnt get out there, Shuey went inside from OLB, CB got cut out...Deon Hill standing alone on the sideline for 20...Counter option, pitched back and Robinson eats him up for loss of 4...Godhigh comeback for 8...Quick pass to Waller for 8. Lbs are off...Veer pitch for 5 yd TD. 41-24 Clemson, 14 plays 90 yards, 5:45.

Defense let up on them after the bad call. Its mental. Intensity noticeably dropped off and we're playing back more.

CU at 25 - OZ, loss of 3. No blocking on left side...Counter H for 13...Screen to SW for 5...Quick hitch to SW for 8...Boyd scrambles for 12 after Thomas beaten on left side...QB power for 7, Tajh hurt here. Start 4th QTR. Screen to SW for 6...Counter H for 7 cut outside...QB Draw for 7...QB Counter for 13 yd TD. 48-24 Clemson, 10 plays 75 yards, 3:04.

Palmer called the TD a Zone Read when the left side is down blocking and two men come across the center? Thats a gap scheme moron.

GT from 25 - Dive for 1...Hill sneaks up field for 7 yd completion...Veer keep for 2..Barnes held badly by LT, 10 yd penalty on an incomplete pass deep...QB keep for 3...Lee underthrows his man and Breeland picks it off, returned 20 yards.

We're not being as aggressive up front with the slanting and LBs as we were earlier.

CU at GT 34 - Jemea Thomas comes completely free off the left side and sacks Cole, fumbled, recovered by Shatley. I can't pick out based on the blocking scheme we had called, but the crossing RB (McDowell) could have responsibility to check this blitzer, or the TE. The QB needed to see this and make an adjustment...False start Beasley...Draw for 9...Mike Williams skinny post for 29...IZ for the TD. 55-24 Clemson. 4 plays 35 yards, 1:41.

GT from 21 - Christian blitzes free up the B-gap, forces a pitch to Godhigh, Crawford there for a 4 yd loss...QB Draw for 4...Bostic standing at the sticks for 9 yd gain...TO GT on 4th & 1, punt.

That time Venables sent Christian more. GT had subbed in Justin Thomas at QB for Lee.

CU at 33 - Chad Kelly in at QB. ZR keep for 21..Howard 9 on a Power, called back for Hold on Shatley...Swing pass to Howard for 8...Kelly overthrows Hopper at the sticks...QB draw for 5...TO CU after running the play clock to zero. Punt. 4 plays 24 yards, 1:42.

GT at 15 - Veer, fumbled on the pitch due to hit, Bostic recovers and goes 31. Steward was late getting out there and the CB got cut out....Counter, Josh Watson misses a big TFL but we run him down on the sideline, no gain...Barnes' pressure forces bad throw...Reverse for 11. Christian didn't keep his outside leverage on the play. Shaq Lawson looks worn out trying to get to him, then he comes out of the game...Skigun, we let Godhigh be wide open and he gets 18. Anthony way too late getting over there...False start GT...Skigun power read option, QB gets 20 right up the damn middle after 2 missed tackles. Thats a new play for them...Skigun read option handoff to Godhigh for 11. Steward got cut and Anthony missed tackle...QB Iso keep for TD. 55-31 Clemson. 8 plays 85 yards, 3:53.

Our defense didn't look like they give a shit on this drive. Lethargic and pisspoor tackling.

CU at 16 - ZR keep for loss of 2...IZ for 4...IZ for 2.

Summarizing Thoughts

Clemson finally did what we've been preaching: stop the dive and hammer the QB on every play. You cannot read the option, you have to attack it. We tried to read it on the perimeter last year, this year we attacked it. We were as aggressive as we've ever been with them and it paid with a ton of negative plays and forced them to double their number of average punts. However, it was essentially the same scheme Venables used last year, with the exception of a few more B-gap blitzes from the LBs.

GT's OL got their ass kicked from the start. It doesn't surprise me that they've gotten worse because they have a former Batsonite as their S&C director, John Sisk. They got him from Furman. Johnson has been Batson'd too.

Even their techniques looked lazy, they could not cut block our DTs as well as they normally do. Our LBs scraped so hard that the veer blocks from the OTs couldn't get to anyone. The blitzes up the B-gap attacked both the called Dive and the Belly option really well. Quan Christian played his best ever game against the option at Clemson, by far.

As noted above, our Corner support was also very aggressive, and GT doesn't have the talent at QB or WR to really exploit it with bombs. A better QB than Lee would've made this a more interesting game for them. Godhigh is the only player I'd take from that offense.

The only thing our defense did wrong that bothers me is that we let up mentally. GT should have under 200 yards rushing today, and we ended up letting them get to 250 because we checked out. Great defenses don't do that. You take pride in your work and don't let up on an opponent.

If PJ doesn't recruit much better this year I don't see him surviving much longer.

Clemson didn't clear up the RT situation much in my eyes. Battle started, but Anthony probably ended up with far more snaps when we see the charts this week. He whiffs alot but stays in someone's way because he has great feet quickness. I'd bet that Battle did not grade well at all from this game, but he needs to be in every snap for Citadel.

I was pretty disappointed in the number of called run plays and how poorly we ran the ball again. Even with a lead we didn't bother running more. I'm going to bet that next week we'll be complaining about how our OL did not dominate The Citadel.

GT has some of the same problems we have in the secondary, as evidenced by the single coverage you saw on many of our bombs. The safeties were nowhere near the play deep, and that makes it easy for Sammy Watkins. When Bryant becomes a better route runner he'll have even more success.