Chalk Talk Discussion: How OSU Can Use Chuba Hubbard Next Season

Ed. note: Thomas Fleming and Adam Lunt are back for another round of discussion about football at a deeper level. What are we not seeing? What should we be seeing? Who should we even be watching. I enjoy their thoughts, and I think you will, too. Let’s jump right in.

Thomas Fleming: Ok, so it’s Adam and I here for our second two-man chalk talk discussion. Today’s big focus is the use of both Chuba Hubbard in 2018 and Chuba and Justice Hill together. What will Chuba’s role be and how would you like to see him be used?

Personally, I would like to see split backfields more. What Lincoln Riley has been able to do with split backfields is pretty great, whether it be RPOs that get both players involved, screens, counter actions, etc.

Lunt: I was just thinking the same, I think anytime I want to find plays I like I just watch OU film. They probably run the best counter action with split backs in the country. They pull both backside tackle and guard. Especially advantageous with three-man fronts.

pic.twitter.com/5wm3zMMMul

— Michael Peterson (@ChargersLAtely) February 18, 2018

Fleming: I’ve always wanted OSU to use that blocking scheme more. They used it a bit this season and it worked well.

Lunt: They pulled the tackle some in the back half of the season, but a lot of it was to further accentuate the fake or RPO.  In the case of counter trey (or variations of it) you could use it to sell your fake when the QB pulls, but it also opens open a lot of big holes in the run game if you don’t.  That’s of course if it’s blocked correctly and the lineman are able to get out into space and have success.

Fleming: I also would like to see some Noel Mazzone stuff. He’s got his entire NZone offense (or whatever he sells it as), but it’s become prevalent in football. For the split that means sending one back in motion for a swing screen and then also having an inside run play with the other back. I think OSU should use that more and build a series off of it, like have a handful of plays with that motion.

Lunt: I’d love to see 12 personnel. Kind of variation of the diamond. Two backs in shotgun with offset Cowboy back. The tackle and guard pull, RB running downhill behind pulling OL. I think the biggest reason I like this formation is the passing opportunity though.  I’m a huge advocate of the pop pass and when you pull 2 offensive lineman it creates such a great opportunity for the Cowboy Back to sneak out into the seam.   The Mazzone stuff….those plays are money.  Will be fun to see what he can do with Khalil Tate at Arizona this year.

Fleming: Oh yeah he used it a lot, mostly pairing it with his man blocking run plays.

Fleming: I also guess they could move Chuba around as a motion guy or role player for screens or whatnot. They never knew how to use Tyreek on offense but I think they’ve gotten better at showcasing talent.

Lunt: Chuba could be used in wheel routes too coming out of backfield. He will have more straight line speed than Hill so that could be a good fit for him.  We also saw several big plays late in the season in CFB and in the Super Bowl (see Corey Clement) on wheel routes, in a split back set you can still send someone vertical and run your regular RPO game at mesh point as well.

Fleming: I’ve always thought there’s no excuse for not being able to adequately showcase talent, especially in this “speedster” kind of role. Like, in the history of football, there have been multiple teams to successfully utilize their fastest players in a variety of ways. Just do more research.

One other gripe for me was they tried to use Tyreek in the jet game with sweeps and stuff but they could never decide on what blocking scheme to use. For me, I like blocking for an inside run play and actually having that run play and then just adding the jet on top of it. You could either hand off or flip it in that situation. Most guys like Chuba or Tyreek would outrun their blockers anyway if they were to, say, block the jet sweep like an outside zone, and that just allows second-level defenders to follow the action and flow to the ball.

Lunt: There was a play in the Ohio State game where OU incorporated counter trey with jet sweep. They faked jet sweep, Baker pulled then threw the ball to the jet sweep back in flat once he recognized man.  Great way to hold the Safety and LBs are the line of scrimmage while creating space for your RB/WR on the edge.

I love this play design. Counter trey read with built in swing pass. Better be disciplined to defend this. pic.twitter.com/RIXvZg5pRP

— Adam Lunt (@AdamLunt817) September 12, 2017

Fleming: Yeah that stuff was heavy with Bob Stitt at Montana. As much as I hate to say it, OU is constantly pushing the envelope in terms of ideas and aggregating different concepts.

Lunt: I think Stitt and Hubbard could be lucrative combo.  OSU lacked ways to find yards east/west and in the screen game last year, which is a big reason why the redzone success wasn’t there.  The emergence of a player with speed like Chuba and a coach who can really stretch the field horizontally could mean change in that area.  It will be interesting to see how they balance out improving in that area without sacrificing the vertical passing game that has been the cash cow under Yurcich.

Fleming: I would also love to see an invert option like how Ohio state runs it. That puts the quarterback as the inside threat and running back as outside threat.

Fleming: How many yards/scores do you think Hubbard gets this year?

Lunt: I think he is situational player so maybe 300 rushing yards and 200 receiving plus 3 TDs. But I bet his yards/carry and yards/catch is high.

Fleming: Yeah I agree I think 300-500 total yards and 3-5 TDs is the goal for him this year.