Film Study: How Spreading the Field Helps the Run

This week we’re going to take a look at three plays. They are all positive plays, weren’t many negative plays this week.

First, I’d like to offer my condolences to the victims and families affected by Saturday’s homecoming tragedy. When I put my three year old to bed Saturday night and we said our prayers, I made sure for her to include the community of Stillwater. I’m not an aspiring writer, my grammar is terrible and I have poor sentence structure. I do this because I love talking OSU football, more importantly I love my OSU family. You are all family to me.

I know I will never meet the majority of you, but we all share a special connection. I truly miss my time at OSU and cherish the memories of the great times I had in college. That’s why when I found out what happened, my heart sunk. I hate for my family to hurt, but I know Stillwater will pull through and the community will rally together.

That’s what we always do, that’s who we are. The only silver lining in all of this is that when tragedy strikes, you get to see how truly wonderful people can be. I’d like to tip my hat to OU, Texas, Tech, Thunder, and the many other universities and people who’ve shown support and class towards OSU. #Stillwaterstrong

Onto the film breakdown, here OSU is lined up with trips left single receiver to the right. Notice how few defenders are in the middle of the field? It’s almost like Mike & Mike are reading my posts. Seriously though, this is what OSU is built for. If that safety starts to creep up towards the LOS, you have single coverage on the outside with no safety help over the top. Give me a post corner route for six, please.

(FS1)

The play they run is a draw. The linemen are pass blocking with the receivers all running routes.

Thanks to the fine gentleman in the comment section for showing me how to properly use paint, my graphics look like they weren’t done by a kindergartener. The delayed handoff freezes the safety circled next to the Big 12 logo.

This opens up a free running lane for Carson. The linemen do a nice job of holding their blocks, another thing I love about this play and the alignment is it doesn’t rely on every lineman making their block.

Notice the circle up top? Because of play design, OSU has taken all of those players out of the play. Kansas has to stay honest, because if they don’t Rudolph can audible out of run and throw the ball.

Ideally, Carson needs to bounce it outside. He already has the safety committed one way, if he bounces to his right he’ll have the safety turned around and have one on one WR blocking a corner. He bounces it outside, good chance he scores. I can understand though, Carson’s eyes probably lit up when he didn’t have a defender hitting him five yards deep. Ultimately, this play is a success, OSU is now facing second and short.

We will look at two more plays tomorrow.