Film Study: Power run game key for Vols' future SEC East takeover
When most think of the University of Tennessee’s talented offense, they think of the plethora of NFL-caliber wide receivers.
And rightfully so.
After all, when you can boast receivers the likes of Marquez North, Josh Malone, Von Pearson, Jason Croom, Alton “Pig” Howard, Josh Smith and now Preston Williams, you arguably have not only the deepest roster of talent at the position, but, perhaps, the most talented in the entire country.
And when you factor in head coach Butch Jones’ scheme being deeply rooted in spread-to-pass principles, you can plainly see why some are rumbling that the Vols will be cementing the title as Wide Receiver University in the very near future.
But as a high-powered passing outfits like Texas A&M and the University of Mississippi are finding out, the Southeastern Conference will continue to be a league dominated by teams who are physical along both lines of scrimmage.
Moreover, it will continue to be dominated by teams who can chew up chunks between the tackles.
I’ve already waxed poetic about how the Vols are in construction of one of the most talented defensive lines you’ll ever see. But to truly re-take the eastern division of the conference, Jones has to make sure he’s generating quality yardage between the tackles.
And he needn’t look any further than the coach he’s most closely associated with, Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly; a recent coaching hire suggests a slight shift in philosophy may already be in the works for the Vols.
If so, it’s going to be a long season for foes on Tennessee’s schedule.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – –
When Jones was hired to be the head man at UT, he mentioned three specific coaches who had an influence in the construction of his offensive philosophy: Kelly, former West Virginia University HC Rich Rodriguez — now the HC at the University of Arizona — and former University of Michigan offensive coordinator Mike DeBord.
Kelly is one of the premier minds in all of football. Parts of his spread-the-defense, pass-heavy offensive philosophy can be seen right there in Knoxville on a weekly basis. If you like “00,” “10,” and “11 personnel,” his scheme is for you.
Kelly likes to dictate to the defense by creating space for his plethora of receiving targets. In doing so, he also creates bail-out lanes for his normally mobile quarterbacks to manufacture first downs, if necessary.
Tennessee most resembles this now as future star QB Joshua Dobbs provides Jones with his first true mobile QB since the coach had “Munchie” Legaux in Cincinnati.
Rodriguez also is a master of the spread game, in fact, coaches all around the sport have consulted with him on his famed spread-to-run offensive outfit. In his scheme, everyone from the QB, to the receivers, are a threat to receive a handoff — which something we’ve come to expect from Pearson.
The name of the game is deception by misdirection for Mr. Rodriguez, so most of his between-the-tackles runs come in the form of the read option.
But neither are typically known for being able to generate the type of yards that can wear down SEC-style defenses.
Enter DeBord.
The former Central Michigan HC is most known for his time spent at the University of Michigan where he helped to guide the 2007 Wolverines to an undefeated season behind his balanced, pro-style attack.
Favoring “12,” “21,” and “22 personnel,” DeBord’s schemes punished defenses between the tackles but were also able to spread the field when necessary.
And it just so happens that DeBord has reunited with Jones as his OC and will undoubtedly inject some new wrinkles to help the Vols’ offense get over the hump in the competitive SEC.
Tweak In Scheme
90 percent of the time, possibly more, the Vols operate of of a Shotgun alignment. When you’re looking to spray the ball all around the field, you don’t have much time for 3-, 5- and 7-step drops.
You want to get the ball back to the QB as quick as possible, and you want to make sure he has enough depth to go through his progressions.
Being as this is the case, your run game becomes pretty predictable as it becomes all but impossible to generate a consistent downhill rushing attack. Horizontal jaunts are more prevalent from the Gun alignment with the back running parallel to the line of scrimmage.
Tennessee likes to generate downhill angles by putting the running back slightly deeper than the QB so he gets the moving at depth.
Here we that in illustration: RB Marlin Lane is aligned at depth and takes this carry for a first down behind a lead block from the H-back.
For a team with one of the most physical backs in college football, Jalen Hurd, creating downhill running lanes is of the utmost.
But all Jones has to do is take a key from Kelly and start operating out of the “Pistol” formation, predominantly, and all kinds of things will open up for Tennessee’s offense.
By reducing the space between the QB and center, and positioning the ball-carrier right behind the QB, you create organic downhill lanes and receive the benefits of back-to-the-defense play-action fakes — which is something I’m sure Jones can get with.
Kelly has not only gone to that formation, at times, he has additionally worked in “02” and “12 personnel” in the form of an H-back and a tight end to really get physical at the point of attack.
This not only helps out the between-the-tackles run game with his backs, it provides maximum blocking for the “QB Power” sets.
Can you imagine Dobbs running a QB Counter with a “Y” lead like the Notre Dame QB did in the above sequence? What better way to utilize a talent like Dobbs than to be able to reach into the “Power” part of the playbook?
The Vols have gone out and added one of the most explosive players in college football, former No. 1-ranked JUCO RB, Alvin Kamara. His ability to get to the second level will be heightened by having him bend the edges from the “Pistol.”
Case in point, just look at the leverage gained from coming downhill out of that formation; imagine Kamara with all that space.
Let’s be real here: as long as Jones is the coach the Vols will be a passing outfit. This formation, and the aforementioned two-tight sets, are just additional ways for Tennessee to maximize its rushing prowess.
When you have a one-two punch like Hurd and Kamara, and you factor in Dobbs’ wheels, you can plainly see why Tennessee has an authentic chance to capture the eastern division as soon as next season.
But establishing that line of scrimmage is paramount.
