Clemson Spring Game Film Review: 2nd Quarter

We learned even more in the 2nd quarter than in the 1st; guess who continued to impress.

By Alex Craft@NotAlexCraft Apr 19, 2018, 10:30am EDT

The quarter begins with an Alex Spence field goal for the White team and an impromptu Greg Heugal kicking session. Greg looked good only 6 months removed from injury. More footbaw!

Orange ball, Lawrence QB, 14:57, Orange 25, 14-3 Orange lead

Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
1st & 10	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Dropback vs cover 4, Lawrence steps up and eludes Wilkins, tucks for a gain of 2.	I like how Lawrence is always looking to throw on the move but he's going to need to be careful when he tucks and runs until he puts on weight.
2nd & 8	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Power handoff gains 5, Simpson looked good on his pull.	Simpson pulled cleanly and hit a block 3 yards downfield, can't ask for much better play from a guard. So far he has looked the most improved of all linemen.
3rd & 3	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Quick slant vs a cover 3 fire zone complete to Brown (walk on), gain of 8.	Quickest release and ball velocity I've ever seen live. Joseph was in position and knew the slant was coming, the ball just got there too quickly for him. I personally don't like a sidearm delivery but when you're 6'5" your release point doesn't matter so much, and sidearm is certainly quicker on short throws.
1st & 15	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Power handoff, Simmons gets into the backfield on a blitz and makes the TFL.	Pollard couldn't get around in time to block Simmons, who has looked great against the run and on blitzes. Wilkins stoned the play from inside.
2nd & 16	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Out route to Rodgers complete against soft cover 4, easy completion, gain of 8.	Flat coverage is a weak point in cover 4 unless the corners are playing pattern match. With the corner playing off and dropping deep, there's no way for the linebacker to defend an out route from the outside receiver. Solid read from Lawrence.
3rd & 8	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Dropback vs man cover 1 Sam fire, pocket collapses but Lawrence checks down to Smith in the flat, gain of 4, PUNT.	This is surprisingly good pocket presence in a crowd. Lawrence isn't flushed but steps up and checks down before the rush arrives. The false start on first down ultimately killed the drive.

White ball, Brice QB, 11:25, White 19

Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
1st & 10	11 shotgun vs 4-3	RPO vs cover 3 boundary corner blitz, Brice throws into it at Thompson vs a walk on safety Cote, interference.	Again I love throwing BCB blitzes at freshmen QBs in the spring game and Brice handled it well, throwing to his primary against a walk on.
1st & 10	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Counter to Etienne, stopped by Huggins for 1.	Huggins held his ground against a double team and shoved through it, beautiful solo tackle.
2nd & 9	Empty shotgun vs 4-3	Man cover 0 blitz, deep fade to Thompson twisting catch complete along the sideline for 28.	Thompson will be the unsung hero of the WR unit in 2018. He can play basically every position and doesn't get enough credit. Nice to see him show his strength at boundary. Solid read from Brice to hit the primary against an inexperienced corner in cover 0.
1st & 10	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Go route to Thompson against cover 3, thrown way too far inside and it's an easy interception for Wallace.	Brice locked in on Thompson the whole way and put the ball in jeopardy with a poor throw. Couldn't ask for an easier interception for a single high safety.

Johnson give the ball right back on a skinny post thrown to Higgins against man coverage, Wilkins broke free and tipped the ball upon release and it limped to Terrell who was trailing the route.

White ball, Bryant QB, 9:59, White 38

Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
1st & 10	11 shotgun vs 4-3	ZR dive to Choice, stoned by Jordan Williams, who fought off Falcinelli, and Jones Jr, who filled nicely from his Sam position, no gain.	Williams looks like he has a solid future at DT and could provide good depth this year. Jones looks like he will avoid a redshirt.
2nd & 10	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Cover 3 fire zone, RPO kept, Bryant freezes Davis on a free rush but misses Richard in the flat.	Brockhorst doubled the DT and let Davis free on a bullet, Bryant had to check down immediately and try and throw through Davis, this misfire isn't on him. Backup linemen doubling and running downfield illegally...
3rd & 10	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Dropback vs cover 3, dig route complete to Powell but Ferrell tagged Bryant's back as he was delivering, unfairly ruled a sack.	Bad whistle, this should've counted and moved the sticks.

Orange ball, Lawrence QB, 8:26, Orange 31

Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
1st & 10	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Power option pitch to Feaster gains 3.	Lawrence pitched this too early to give Feaster much of a chance. Galloway did well to seal Joseph on the edge.
2nd & 7	10 shotgun vs 4-3	Dropback vs cover 4, nobody open put Lawrence doesn't panic, stands in the pocket and checks down to Feaster, no gain.	An example of the superior pocket presence. Lawrence stands in, eludes by climbing, then immediately checks down.
3rd & 7	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Dropback vs cover 4 fire zone, Lawrence stepped up beyond the rush again but overthrows Higgins who was breaking open on the go.

White ball, Bryant QB, 7:09, White 20

Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
1st & 10	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Bucksweep to Etienne, cuts inside and gains 3.	Etienne followed Brockhorst inside rather than bounce out, in hindsight he would've gained more on the edge since the perimeter blocking was solid.
2nd & 7	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Quick comeback route to Overton in front of cover 3 fire zone, gain of 5.	It's short but good to see Bryant fit the ball over Register in the flat where Overton could (barely) reel it in.
3rd & 2	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Dropback vs fire zone, Skalski leaps Etienne's cut block and makes the sack before Bryant can complete his second progression, PUNT.	Poor luck but Powell was open on a short drag across Bryant's face which may have gotten the 1st.

Orange ball, Johnson QB, 5:18, Orange 40

Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
1st & 10	11 shotgun vs 4-3	IZ to Rencher goes nowhere.	Judah Davis filled well from Mike.
2nd & 9	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Dropback vs cover 3 fire zone, Johnson steps up and eventually rolls, sacked by Bryant who left his zone coverage when Johnson rolled.	Saavy defending from Bryant, with nobody to cover in the flat he was free to attack Johnson when he rolled.
3rd & 10	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Dropback vs man cover 1 Will bullet, comeback route to a walk on vs Terrell is overthrown out of bounds.	Terrell drew a flag but it was rescinded because it was uncatchable, drawing a flag against a walk on would've been a criminal offense.

White ball, Brice QB, 4:00, White 13

Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
1st & 10	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Power option keeper gains 4.	Smart running from Brice, forced the read man to commit then followed the pulling lineman.
2nd & 6	11 shotgun vs 4-3	PA rollout wheel to Renfrow against Williams in man, gain of 43.	Renfrow has picked on Williams seemingly every spring game, right now I'd have Jones Jr and Spector off the bench at Sam before Williams.
1st & 10	11 shotgun vs 4-3	IZ to Etienne, bounces outside and free down the sideline until Cote drags him down, gain of 23.	Poor effort from Shaq Smith, he was sucked inside but bounced outside quickly enough to make contact. Etienne merely had to slap his arm tackle attempt away.
1st & 10	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Quick curl vs soft cover 3, easy pitch and catch to Renfrow, gain of 10.	Soft coverage against Renfrow is an easy 10 yardage, good early recognition from Brice.
1st & 7	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Jet sweep motion power to Etienne, big lane inside for Etienne to cut into, barrels into the endzone.	Anchrum was 5 yards downfield sealing a lane but the last 3 yards are all Etienne's momentum.

Orange ball, Lawrence QB, 2:17, Orange 19

Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
Down & Distance	Formation	Play	Analysis
1st & 10	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Flare screen to Feaster gains 2.	There's a screen on both sides of this play: one a bubble screen to Chase or the flare screen to Feaster. The linemen couldn't get out to block in time and it went nowhere.
2nd & 8	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Dropback vs cover 3 fire zone, SS blitz comes free and Lawrence rolls left, complete to Rodgers underneath for 23 yards.	Again there's deceptively quick movement in the pocket and uncanny accuracy on the run. This is not freshman level play, regardless of talent.
1st & 10	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Quick drop vs cover 4, Lawrence checks and eventually rolls left, thrown away.	Actually great flat coverage from JD Davis, took away the check to Higgins.
2nd & 10	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Dropback vs cover 4, Lawrence steps up and tucks, runs down the sideline for 10.	So far Lawrence is flawless in the 2 minute drill.
1st & 10	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Dropback vs cover 4, this time the pocket collapses around Lawrence and he can't step up, sacked by Foster.	Carman getting work at left tackle, held Foster off the edge well but couldn't prevent him from cutting back in when Lawrnece stepped up.
2nd & 15	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Go route to Rodgers against man cover 1, accurately thrown but broken up by Terrell.	Beautiful coverage. Not often do you see a corner with a 5 inch height advantage but perfect coverage nonetheless.
3rd & 15	11 shotgun vs 4-3	Dropback vs cover 4, Foster again beats Carman when Lawrence moves the pocket and gets the sack, PUNT.	Foster is beating Carman with his hands. Could provide further depth at a stacked DE position or in pass rush situations. Carman is the future at left tackle and we're fortunate he enrolled early and is getting this work.

The half expires with a Brice interception to Mullen, given the Hail Mary situation we can discount this pick.