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This win was satisfying. To see Deshaun Watson come back out after a shaky first half and start throwing dimes was very encouraging, especially with a date with Miami looming large. BC dared us to throw by showing pressure and playing a single high safety, and once we started connecting downfield and taking advantage of our slot players underneath, the BC defense had no shot. I think ScElliot called a great game, especially the 4th down PA RB slip to Zac Brooks for the TD. Let's hope that this offensive duo continues to grow into a truly great pair.
Shorthand and Nicknames
IZ-Inside zone, OZ-Outside zone, ZR- Zone read, TrO- Triple Option, ExTro- Extended triple option, PA- Play action, JS- Jet sweep, QS- Quick screen, TS- Tunnel screen, WC- Wildcat, NB-Nickleback, LOS- Line of scrimmage, and HR- Hot read.
Nicknames: G-Drop (Germone Hopper), Whiffles, (Jordan Leggett), Turnstyle (Ryan Norton), RM3 (Ray Ray McCloud III), Dr. Schuess (Nick Schuessler), Wayne Train (Wayne Gallman)
1st Drive
1st and 10 at the 18, fake screen right and immediately we attack the seams with a wheel and backside go route, thrown to backside to Scott, ball to the outside when should be drilled up the seam, incomplete.....2nd and 10, OZ by the Wayne Train, MacClain beat inside and Gore shoved back to kill play, loss of 1.....3rd and 11, trips left, deep to Renfrow, incomplete as ball overthrown, MacClain struggles with a twist (hint: this end up happening a lot tonight with our entire line)...Punt
2nd Drive
1st and 10, 21 personnel, ZR gain of 5 by the Train, Gore and Seckinger can't double the end to the outside backer to make seam.....2nd and 5, 5 wide with 11 personnel, quick slant to Scott for 8, 1st down.....1st and 10, QS to Scott, Renfrow blown up on play, seemed to stutter off the line to get to CB....2nd and 13, roll draw for the Train but he misses the hole off of MacClain's butt, runs into the MLB, gain of 3.....3rd and 10, Watson stares down Scott on go route and then places ball inside, easy pick for the safety.....Shades of Tahj Boyd there.
3rd Drive
1st and 10, ZR fake JS, good surge by Hyatt, but Whiffles is lazy on the play and doesn't climb.....2nd and 7, fake JS, deep ball to Peake, but Peake slowed down on route, otherwise he may walk in as he already had defender beat, Peake's effort for a senior trying to show off for scout's to this point has been lackluster.....3rd and 7, Watson drops back and scrambles out for no reason as he had pocket, needs to relax and let game come to him....Punt
4th Drive
Or wait! Is it a punt? Roughing the punter gets us the ball back (BC shooting themselves in the foot is another theme of the night)...1st and 10, 5 wide with 11 personnel, quick slant to Scott for a big gain, great moves and nice effort to lead downfield by the Train....1st and Goal, 21 personnel, IZ for no gain, MacClain whiffs on blitzing LB....2nd and Goal from the 9, mesh routes, throw to Whiffles, nice read by Watson as he is the 3rd option on the play....3rd and Goal from the 4, PA TE slip to the left, same play for the first TD vs ND and BC is ready, too ready though as they flood playside and Watson reverses field and walks in for the TD, nice hit on the DE by Gore to give Watson the running lane once he reversed field..... 7-7, tie ballgame.
5th Drive
1st and 10 at the 10, Watson checks play to inside power, Brooks bounces off the seal block by the pulling guard Crowder, if Hyatt can seal the OLB Brooks may have been gone, gain of 21….1st and 10, swing to Brooks for 9 yards, nice stiff arm….2nd and 1, jump ball to Cain down the sideline, insane concentration as he double taps it to himself……1st and 10, going fast to avoid review, ExTro (been a long time since this was used) and Watson pumps the screen off the keeper to open the lane for a gain of 5….2nd and 5, PA boot right, Brooks runs a backside wheel and he is well covered, Watson throws it almost blind and if the LB turns his head, it could have been picked…..3rd and 5, quick out to Scott overthrown, long throw to make for a short timing route….FG by Greg Huegel is good….10-7 Tigers
6th Drive
1st and 10 at the 20, QS to Scott for 2, G-Drop sucks at blocking again……2nd and 8, 5 wide again with 11 personnel, quick slant to Peake out of the slot, nice concentration to bring it in while falling…..1st and 10, we motion Brooks out right to get into an empty 5 wide look again with 11 personnel, QS to Scott but called back by holding on Seckinger, why he continues to play boggles my mind……1st and 20, start 5 wide but motion Brooks into the backfield and run the ZR, Watson pulls it and gains 11, needs to learn to slide, the one or two extra yards are not worth a season…..2nd and 9, 5 wide again, quick slant to G-Drop for 10, nice hands....wait, what?......1st and 10, roll draw and Seckinger (DAMNIT) is blown backwards on the play, loss of 1…..2nd and 11, illegal substitution that Dabo gets salty about….2nd and 16, Watson drops back and checks down to the Wayne Train for 6…..3rd and 10, 5 wide with 11 personnel, deep ball to Renfrow who draws yet another pass interference (boom goes another one of BC toes)…..1st and 10, PA roll right, comeback route by Scott for 13……1st and 10, IZ by the Train for 2….2nd and 8, QS to Scott, Whiffles gives no effort and Renfrow tries to cut….3rd and 5, motion to 5 wide with 11 personnel again, quick slant to Scott for 4 yards….4th and 1, we sack up and go for it (I can dig it), PA JS to the left, Watson rolls right, Brooks slips into the flat and after some speed by Brooks and downfield blocking by Whiffles (whoa) and Refrow, it’s a TD…..17-7 Tigers
7th Drive
1st and 10 at the 24, quick drop and Watson scrambles for 9 after a seam appears….2nd and 1, quick out the Renfrow who makes some moves for a gain of 16…..1st and 10, Watson has to escape quick pressure to throw the ball away, both Gore and Crowder beat to the outside badly here…..2nd and 10, 5 wide, Watson get’s sacked for a loss of 9, BC twisted to the right and Gore buried his head on the end crashing giving the DT a free run at Watson, he’s a senior, he’s has got to know that contain has to be coming, that’s basic oline blocking, oh, and Crowder couldn’t sustain his block on the DE either, yikes……3rd and 19, BC shows pressure, brings 5, Gore, Hyatt, MacClain, and Gore all get beat….Probably our worst line play of the season in the previous 3 plays…..Punt
8th Drive
1st and 10 at the 19, motion the Train to make 5 wide, deep to Thompson is overthrown, flag on MacClain for ineligible receiver downfield….1st and 15, motion Brooks from slot into backfield, scramble by Watson for 9 yards, goes down awkward…SLIDE PLEASE……2nd and 6, quick hitch to G-Drop for the 1st…..1st and 10, QB draw, MacClain sustains nicely on the DT, nice seal by Crowder and good climb to the second level by Guillermo…..1st and 10, deep ball to Scott, he was open and had a step but overthrown…..2nd and 10, deep ball to Cain but overthrown again, Cain pulled up on the route….3rd and 10, Hyatt beat around the corner and Brooks get ANNIHILATED on the blitz and Watson gets hit while he’s throwing and it’s picked off……
9th Drive
1st and 10 at the 9, 21 personnel, ZR give, Hyatt doesn’t stay engaged….2nd and 6, fake JS, Inside power, nice cut back by the Train to start barreling down the tracks, Crowder and Gore had a nice double team and good climb by MacClain on the pull…..1st and 10, 5 wide out of 11 again, quick hitch to Renfrow for 9…2nd and 1, Dive by the Train for 3 yards….1st and 10, motion to 5 wide, deep ball to Peake who actually GOES UP AND ATTACKS THE BALL AT THE HIGH POINT (I lost my mind in the stands seeing this)…..1st and 10, swing screen to Brooks, Gore can’t make it to the corner in time, gain of 1…..2nd and 9, motion Brooks out to make it 5 wide again, good pocket for Watson but good coverage by BC, Watson scrambles left for gain of 5….3rd and 4, pass low to Renfrow and thankfully it hit the turf as the BC safety made a nice play to dive through the air for the pick……FG up and good by Huegel……20-10 Tigers
10th Drive
1st and 10 at the 2, dive by the Train for 2 yards, nice push to reestablish the LOS by Hyatt…2nd and 8, twin TE to the right, ZR give to the Train but Watson should have pulled as the would have been 1 on 1 in the alley with a safety, no gain….3rd and 8, deep to RM3 who draws a pass interference, Crowder could have been called for holding in the endzone here…..1st and 10, false start by the Train…..1st and 15, deep to Scott and nice touch to lead him over the shoulder and away from the safety….1st and 10, IZ by Wayne Train for 2…..2nd and 8, 5 wide again, quick slant by Cain but miscommunication between Cain and Watson almost leads to a pick…..3rd and 8, BC shows pressure with a single high safety, Watson checks the play and hits Scott with a beautiful ball for the TD…..27-10 Tigers
11th Drive
1st and 10 at the 25, fake JS, IZ for a gain of 1 by Wayne…..2nd and 8, quick out to Renfrow, gains 20 on the play, nice pick up by Gallman…..1st and 10 at the 45, ZR give to the Wayne Train, 45 for BC plays it well and shows contain but quickly pinches to close the alley….END OF 3RD, START OF THE 4TH QUARTER…2nd and 11, swing pass to the Wayne Train, Renfrow cracks the OLB nicely….3rd and 2, fake OZ, PA rollout, Watson quickly runs upfield andloses 1, should have stayed outside as Maverick Morris who pulled was in position to potentially seal any pressure….Punt
12th Drive
1st and 10 at the 15, PA rollout right, nice throw to Thompson for 13 yards….1st and 10, OZ and the Wayne Train gains 1, Falcinelli doesn’t do squat on the play…..2nd and 9, JS to Scott, McCullough stutters and doesn’t attack the DE who drops Scott for a 3 yard loss…..3rd and 12, CB blitx and Morris beat inside by DT, but roughing the passer keeps the drive alive….1st and 10, inside power, McCullough and MacClain who was pulling get zero push, Gallman bounces for 3….2nd and 7, motion Gallman to 5 wide, Hyatt blocks no one and gets Watson killed, potentially Hyatt thought MacClain was supposed to slide out and take end as he takes the blitzer but MacClain doubled on the DT with Guillermo, tough to know without knowing the protection call, Gore also struggled with a twist stunt again…..3td nad 19, Watson checks the play again, and hits Cain on the deep stop and cain takes it all the way to the one, great speed shown by Cain but needs to finish the play…..1 and Goal at the one, we come out in the power I and run the outside power for no gain, Cannon Smith, Garrett Williams, and Morris with no push….2nd and goal from the one, false start Cannon Smith….2nd and goal from the 6, jump ball to Peake that was placed out of bounds, good coverage here by BC…..3rd and goal from the 6, Watson lofts a beauty to Whiffles in the corner, touchdown, nice handling of a twist on the play by Hyatt and MacClain…..34-10 Tigers
13th Drive
1st and 10, Dr Schuess in at QB, inside power by Dye for 3, Morris hits no one on the pull….2nd and 7, inside power again, Richard and MacClain get zero push and MacClain barely makes it outside on the pull, loss of 3….3rd and 10, deep to Thompson, just a half yard short and inside, otherwise it’s a beautiful ball….Punt
14th Drive
Kelly Bryant in at QB, 1st and 10, dive for Fuller, great push by Daniel Stone….2nd and 5, dive again for Fuller, Morris does a decent job drive blocking here….3rd and 1, ZR and Bryant pulls and outruns defender to gain the 1st….Victory formation ensues and that’s your ballgame….34-17 Tigers
Player Grades
Grading Scale: All American 9.5-10, All ACC 8-9.4, Solid 6-7.9, Average 4-5.9, Hot Seat 3.9 and lower.
All American
Artavis Scott (9.6)- When the ball was properly placed or when he had blocking, he was a nightmare for BC. He is getting a large workload this year, so let’s hope his body can take the hits as the season progresses into the second half.
All ACC
Deshaun Watson (8.3)- Shook off a very shaky first half to start dropping dimes in the second. His second half play was reminiscent of last years Watson, and if he can keep this momentum rolling as we begin to face some shakier defenses, we can expect more huge nights from number 4.
Deon Cain (8.0)- Only 2 balls for 97 yards would make you think that they were both dimes dropped in by Watson on go routes but that was far from the case, he made 2 spectacular plays on the evening but did have some freshman moments by having a route mix up and then giving up on a route when he was the backside of a play.
Solid
Hunter Renfrow (6.5)- Outside of his one poor block, Renfrow was tearing up the underneath coverage for BC and once again drawing a big pass interference call. He is a baller.
Average
Wayne Gallman (5.5)- Ran hard again and showed some nice burst but missed a big hole that could have helped his stat line. But given some of his line’s play tonight, he did well. And actually wasn’t completely awful in the passing game both catching and blocking.
Jordan Leggett (5.5)- Had, once again, a lackluster blocking performance but had some good plays in the passing game when called upon.
Jay Guillermo (5.4)- Was really the only consistent player on offense, perhaps need to do a better job with the calls on blitz pick up but didn’t personally have glaring failures.
Charone Peake (5.0)- Actually went up and fought for a ball! Did give up on a route early in the game though, so I’m still waiting on his full effort.
Trevion Thompson (5.0)- Only caught one pass but it was well done and ran some crisp routes even when he wasn’t the number one option. We really need him to come into his on and help take some burden off Scott as a downfield threat.
Daniel Stone (4.5)- Gave great effort in limited snaps, needs to add weight but holds some promise. (Plus go MS&E!)
Mitch Hyatt (4.3)- Minus the one bust in pass pro (which I don’t think is 100% on him) he had a fairly mundane game. Finally saw him get beat around the corner a few times but other times he more than held is own.
Zac Brooks (4.1)- Had some nice runs and catches but got demolished on blitz pickup and got Watson drilled. That’s not a way to earn more carries.
Germone Hopper (4.1)- Had a couple of solid grabs but then blocked as if the opposing player had malaria.
Eric MacClain (4.0)- Really had a rough night, did well pulling at times but others he barely made a difference in the run game. Did have some solid pass pro but also buried his head a few times on deeper drops rather than looking for blitzers in assist.
Taylor Hearn (4.0)- Had an ok night in spot duty. Didn’t wow me but didn’t leave me disappointed. Kind of like my first wife.
Tyrone Crowder (4.0)- His only saving grace was some drive blocking and climbs on double teams. His pass pro was horrendous as #90 from BC worked his outside shoulder all night long.
Jake Fruhmorgen (4.0)- See Hearn, Taylor.
Hot Seat
Joe Gore (3.8)- Had some nice plays but was consistently beat on twist stunts all night, got zero push in the running game when asked to block down linemen, and got beat around the edge at times too.
Garrett Williams (3.8)- Had a very uncharacteristic night blocking as he failed to sustain at times and got drove back on others. Really looked like a freshman.
Justin Falcinelli (3.5)- Played with high pad level and paid for it dearly. Pass pro wasn’t stellar either.
Maverick Morris (1.8)- Drive blocking is the only thing he excels at. Asking him to pull or play in space on the second level should be made illegal in Pickens County.
Stanton Seckinger (1.5)- No comment.
Final Thoughts
Great play calling for the most part. Took what BC was giving us underneath and kept them honest by continuing to run the ball although we barely had success there. BC begged us to throw deep on them with the single high safety all night and once we began connecting, it was game over.
Watson really needs to learn how to slide more, taking unnecessary hits for an extra yard or two is not worth risking the season over. Also, our blitz pickups, especially when a team lines up 6 on the LOS, we need to do a better job with knowing our assignments. BC would show 6 and sometimes only send 4 or 5 and we would still look like our hair was on fire in protection. Finally, twists. If I am any team watching film from tonight, on passing downs I am twisting my defensive line because we cannot handle twists at all (particularly on the right side).
All in all, this was a good win against a stingy team and if we can keep this offensive momentum rolling, we can look forward to some eye popping stats.