Clemson vs. Georgia Tech Film Review: 2nd Quarter

After we went countless days of the “experts” reminding the Clemson faithful that we haven’t won in Atlanta in 13 years, we got to shut them up a little. It was nice seeing the boys move the ball well, and especially to see our defense stop the offensive tricks of Georgia Tech. While beating Georgia Tech may not be the highest quality win, it was a great game, especially for a Thursday night, and has set the boys up for a long weekend to prepare for their top-5 battle against Louisville.

The 2nd quarter was a lot more fun to watch than the last time we put together a film review (Troy) so hopefully you’ll enjoy reading the words Watson and Touchdown put in the same sentences:

Shorthand

Alley = area between the OT and WR. BCB = Boundary Cornerback, Bullet = ILB A or B gap blitz. C0, C1, C2, C3, C4 (quarters) or C6 (quarter, quarter, half) = coverage scheme by the secondary. DIME OF DOOM = 3rd down 3-2-6 havoc formation. FCB = Wideside or field cornerback. Fire = S, NB, LB blitz from the outside. Green Dog = man blitz when your man stays in to block or is not in the formation. IZ = Inside Zone or Zone blocked play inside the tackles. Jailbreak = 7 or more blitz. LOS = Line of Scrimmage. Man = man to man coverage.OZ = outside zone run or zone blocked play off-tackle. PA = Play Action. PBU = Pass broken up. Red Dog (overload) = LB and S/NB blitz on the same side. Robber = S or LB moves to take away crossing routes. C3 Sky = SS moves up two yards, takes flat, CBs and FS take deep thirds. Soft = CBs/NB playing well off the WR until he gets to the 1st down line. Stretch= zone blocked run just inside the last offensive player on that side. Stack = the 3 LBs are stacked directly behind DL. Stalk = WR blocks DB in front of him. Sweep = TB/QB run, often FB/ H-B lead play to the D gap. TO = Triple Option. ZR = Zone read option play.

Thoughts within a play are separated by a comma. (,)

Each play is separated by an ellipsis. (...)

First downs are separated by a paragraph.

Comments on a drive are in italics.

Offensive Personnel is listed as a 2 digit number where it is listed: # of RBs, # of TEs, # of WRs like 21, which is 2 RB, 1 TE, 2 WR.

Feel free to follow along with the NCAA’s link.

Score: Clemson-14, Georgia Tech-0

---

Georgia Tech ball, 15:00, Clemson 43

3rd & 7, 203 Flexbone vs 4-2 Nickel, quarterback rushed, throws quick pass to RB, tackled by Boulware for no gain...PUNT

Clemson ball, 14:07, Clemson 2

1st & 10, 212 Pistol vs 4-3, hand-off to Gallman up the middle, no gain...212 Pistol vs 4-3, handoff to Gallman up the middle, gain of 2…122 Pistol vs 4-3, Watson rushed, pass incomplete to Artavis Scott…PUNT

Georgia Tech ball, 12:55, Georgia Tech 48

1^st & 10, 203 Flexbone vs 4-3, option right QB keeper through the B gap, gain of 1…311 Flexbone vs 4-3, handoff through 5 hole, center and right guard pull as lead blockers, gain of…Flexbone 311 vs 4-3, 8 in the box, handoff through the A gap, gain of 4…

1^st & 10, 302 Flexbone vs 4-3, option right pitch to RB, tackled for loss of 4…302 Flexbone vs 4-3, QB rushed pass to RB loss of 3…203 Flexbone vs 4-2 Nickel, pass towards the right sideline, pass incomplete, PUNT…

Clemson’s defense seemed to have figured out the key to beating the Flexbone offense; third downs. Anytime you can force an offense playing on the Flexbone to throw more than 5 yards, its virtually a win.

Clemson ball, 9:45, Clemson 10

1^st & 10, 104 Pistol vs 4-2 Nickel, Watson 3-step drop, pass complete to Ray-Ray McCloud for gain of 8…104 Pistol vs 4-2 Nickel, Choice motions from backfield to right slot, Watson quick pass to Ray-Ray McCloud incomplete…113 Pistol vs 4-3, Watson keeper right, LG and C pull for lead blocking, gain 3 yards…

1^st & 10, 203 Pistol vs 4-3 Nickel, Watson 3-step drop, screen pass complete to McCloud, gain of 9…104 Pistol vs 4-2, WRs stacked 2 on either side, defense has six in the box, Watson screen pass to Cain, gain of 2…

1^st & 10, 104 Pistol vs 4-2, read option handoff to Choice through A gap, gain of 14…

1^st & 10, 113 Pistol vs 4-3, read option, QB keeper to the left, gain of 3…104 Pistol vs 4-2 Nickel, pass to the right flats to Choice, gain of 5…104 Pistol vs 4-2, Watson on QB keeper through B gap, gain of 2…

1^st & 10, 104 Pistol vs 4-2 Nickel, Watson quick pass complete to Mike Williams, gain 6 yards…113 Pistol vs 4-3, defense rushed 6, Watson sacked, loss of 3 yards…104 Pistol vs 4-3, no safeties in for defense, man-to-man coverage, Watson deep pass attempt to Scott broken up…PUNT

We saw some shady calls in this game, especially on pass interference and defensive holding. On the 3^rd down play in this drive, Scott gets pulled down before he had the opportunity to catch the ball, and the defender never turned his head before attempting to make a play on the ball. It looked more as if he made a play on Scott, who had 2 men beat, instead of making a play on the ball.

Georgia Tech ball, 4:48, Georgia Tech 10

1^st & 10, 302 Flexbone vs 4-3, pass to flats, dropped…311 Flexbone vs 4-3, 8 in the box, motion from left to right, handoff through B gap for gain of 4…Flexbone vs 4-3, 7 man rush, QB rushed and throws ball away…PUNT

Clemson ball, 3:48, Georgia Tech 45

1^st & 10, 212 Pistol vs 4-3, crossing route from McCloud, pass complete for gain of yards…

1^st & 10, 203 Pistol vs 4-3, man-to-man coverage, Watson pass to McCloud on a go route, pass long, incomplete pass…104 Pistol vs 4-3 Nickel, Watson screen pass left to Mike Williams, gain of 8 on the play…212 Pistol vs 4-3, Gallman motions out of backfield to the right, Watson runs on designed keeper through A gap for gain of 2…

1^st & 10, 113 Pistol vs 4-3, 7 men in the box for Tech, FALSE START against Clemson

1^st & 15, 113Pistol vs 4-3, 7 men in the box, Watson pass INTERCPETED in the end zone, tackle made by Mike Williams, resulting in a SAFTEY…

When the ball was intercepted, the DB came out of the end zone and was met by Mike Williams, another defender jumped into the intercepting player causing the ball to come out of is hands. This resulted in the ball fumbling backwards into the endzone, it was picked up and landed on by another Georgia Tech defender, resulting in a safety.

Score: Clemson-16, Georgia Tech-0

---

Clemson ball, 1:53, Clemson 28

1^st & 10, 104 Pistol vs 4-2 Nickel, Watson 3-step drop, pass incomplete to McCloud…104 Pistol vs 3-2, safeties are 13 yards deep and only have 5 in the box, Watson runs on the designed keeper, off left guard, gain of 5…104 Pistol vs 4-1-6, safeties are 14 yards deep, corner backs are playing a good 8 yards off the line on the weak side, Watson pass complete to Ray-Ray McCloud on a 5 and out route, gain of 12 yards…

1^st & 10, 104 Pistol vs 4-2 Nickel, Watson pass to the flat complete to Gallman, gain of 11 on the play, FLAG down for holding…

1^st & 12, 104 Pistol vs 4-2 Nickel, 5 man rush, Watson pass complete to Powell for gain of 20 yards on the play…

1^st & 10, 104 Pistol vs 3-2-6, Watson pass complete to Mike Williams on a post route, gain of 27 yards…

1^st & 10, 104 Pistol vs 4-2 Nickel, 6 man box for Tech, one safety over the middle, about 12 yards back from the line of scrimmage, corners on the strong side are 9 yards off the line, Watson takes 3-step drop, pass complete in the right flat to Gallman, gain of 10 yards…

1^st & Goal, 113 Pistol vs 4-3, Watson quick pass on a 5 and out route to Mike Williams, falls incomplete…203 Pistol vs 4-3, McCloud motions from left to right, Watson keeps the ball up the middle, loss of 1 yard on the play…Clemson lines up and jumps early, FALSE START…104 Pistol vs 4-3, Watson fires a pass over the middle to Legget running a post route, pass complete…TOUCHDOWN

Score: Clemson-23, Georgia Tech-0

---