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Offensive Line Segment: A Deep Dive on Just How Line Injuries Can Tank an Offense

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There weren’t a lot of positives to take away from the offensive line play vs. Texas as injuries and inconsistent play derailed the No. 1 total offense in the country. Add in a dynamite defensive game plan, future NFL players at DT and LB, and you have a great mix for a miserable offensive performance.

If you’re shaking your head yelling for Mike Yurcich’s head, I feel you don’t understand the entire picture. He certainly deserves criticism for lack of creativity and preparedness. I mainly blame him for not finding a way to generate more positive plays in run-like scenarios. For example, finding space on the edges in the traditional screen game, wide receiver screens, jet sweeps, and short passing game.

However, Oklahoma State’s offensive game plan was simply centered around taking what Texas was giving them (and they were blatantly giving up A LOT). So if you’re upset at the fact that Oklahoma State ran the ball so much, you’re mad that the coaching staff and players chose to run plays that have a high success rate. As in 4 guys in the box against generally 5 or even 6 blockers. Generally these are numbers that offensive coordinators and quarterbacks drool over, and Oklahoma State simply couldn’t capitalize on due to ineffective blocking up front.

I wanted to share this picture, this is a pretty wild defensive alignment, considering you’re facing the Big 12 leading rusher.  You have 4 defenders in the box, 3 high safeties 12+ yards off the line of scrimmage, and 4 defensive backs at least 5+ yards off the line of scrimmage.

Keep in mind a good percentage of Oklahoma State’s plays give them the ability to either hand the ball off to the RB if the numbers make sense, or check to a run play. Either way the numbers are simple here, run the ball and it should be 4-5 yards easy. This play ended in a 1-yard loss, and was pretty much the story of the game.

Simply put the offensive line wasn’t good. To be fair, a lot of this is due to the line being riddled by injuries, which has caused less talented players to be called into action and also limited the continuity between the unit as a whole.

The run game went for 146 yards on 51 rush attempts, good for 2.9 yards/carry. The unit also gave up 2 sacks and 2 QB hurries, but Rudolph was rushed on several other throws that weren’t captured on the box score.  Pass protection was average, but I believe a lot of that was due to the fact that Texas chose to sit back into 3 deep coverage instead of bringing consistent pressure. Run blocking was extremely poor, and ultimately the biggest reason why the offense sputtered so much.

Film Observations

1. Pass protection was reasonably effective.  Really nice work here by Tevin Jenkins holding his ground, shows tremendous strength. Rudolph has a nice pocket and enough time to survey the defense.

2. Johnny Wilson is blown up here by Poona Ford, which is a pretty consistent theme throughout the entire game. He was a big reason why Yurcich couldn’t run outside zone or stretch plays, Ford was a big pain for the OSU line.

3.  Zach Crabtree does a really nice job of sealing the edge and driving his man to the ground.  Figured I would start out with some positivity because every other Oklahoma State offensive lineman is beat badly, causing a huge 4-yard loss and ultimately a costly turnover. Wilson is beat again by Poona Ford, he is a beast.

4.  Malik Jefferson is something else. Oklahoma State was unable to get to the 2nd level to block UT linebackers, and he was a big reason why. No one even comes close to getting hands on him and he makes the play for no gain. This is a great example of the Texas game plan — 3 man rush trying to occupy the 5 offensive lineman and keep them from getting to the next level, so their linebackers can run free.

5. Rinse and repeat. Missed block at second level, Malik Jefferson makes the play.

6. Lack of continuity from the offensive line here. I’ve seen this exact play happen vs. Texas Tech and TCU, where Crabtree is required to block down and it leaves Abbott 1 on 1 with a defensive end. Poor strategy that continues to cause unwanted pressure on Mason Rudolph.

7. Good example of what should’ve happened all game, if Oklahoma State was blocking well —  5-7 yard chunk plays were there almost every play. Keyes didn’t make it to Jefferson, but Abbott was able to block the play side backer which opened up a 5-yard gain for Hill.

8. Same result here, this time Keyes does make it to Jefferson. I see you Tevin Jenkins with the take down. Hill with a nice jump cut, finds the hole for an easy 5-yard gain. Again, this play was available almost the entire game.

9. Junior Galea’i was forced to come in once Tevin Jenkins went down. I don’t want to beat a dead horse, but Galea’i had a really rough game. He totally whiffs on 44, and while Rudolph fumbles on his own, this play was destined for failure even if he didn’t.

10. This was a nice adjustment by Yurcich in the 3rd quarter. For two straight drives he decided to pull a guard a few times, and it worked well for the most part. Crabtree with nice kick out block at 2nd level on Jefferson and Keyes flattens DB crashing in.

11. Same play but inverted. You can see how valuable Crabtree is in the play above by chipping DE and getting to next level. This time, it’s Cochran’s turn. Cochran has to chip the DE then peel off and get a block at the next level, he never makes it and the DB crashing in is unblocked for the play.  He had a tough game, but this was a nice block by Galea’i getting his hands on Jefferson.  Might be something to watch for in the future, as he looks comfortable pulling.

12. My goodness, Poona Ford is a player.  Just blows up Johnny Wilson and the play as a result.

13. Galea’i misses Jefferson, Wilson beat by a nice swim move.  Pretty much a total beat down from the line on this play.

14. Both Galea’i and Keyes are unable to get blocks on the 2nd level, and you have two unblocked linebackers running downhill. The three blocks up front were executed well, and I’d like to see Hill have a little more patience here to help set up the second level blocks. He isn’t doing his lineman any favors by breaking outside so quickly.

Other offensive observations

This was one of the best throws I’ve ever seen Rudolph make.  The throw was actually thrown directly in my line of vision (I sat in the end zone next to the UT band), and he threw the ball well before Mckleskey clears the LB.  This ball was 34 yards on a line, and a beautiful anticipation throw. The video doesn’t really do it justice.

2. James Washington has improved his route running so much from the time he got to Oklahoma State. This is such a crisp and fluid route from him. His change of direction going from full speed into his break is impressive.

3. If you’re frustrated with Yurcich I think this is a good place to start.  I still have issues with his route concepts, and inability to work the short/intermediate levels across the middle of the field. Up to this point Oklahoma State really likes to work vertical and sideline routes. Good view of when there is no separation on sideline routes, and your verticals are bracketed, what Rudolph is left with….which is nothing.

4. Here are the two examples I found of route combinations that I do like. You have a high/low route combo with Ateman and Stoner, which vs. zone coverage will make a LB have to choose. Even versus man coverage, Ateman was open here for the first down. Regardless, this play uses the entire field (vertical, 2 crossing, 1 out, check down) and really stretches a zone defense.

5. Second example. Rudolph makes a tremendous throw, but I think he makes the wrong read. The play action sucks up the DB on the left, and not the right. Also the robber (No. 24) is drifting towards the right side of the formation. Regardless this route combo gives you a nice option on outside vs. soft zone, a quick in route over the middle to beat linebackers sucking up to the run, and a seam route that should beat a variety of coverages. These are three routes at three levels of the field (short, intermediate, deep) that can stretch a defense.

If Brad Lundblade and Tevin Jenkins are able to return from injury, a lot of these issues should be resolved and consistency levels should go up quite a bit.  That should enable Oklahoma State to open up their offense to the version most of us are accustomed to.

However, West Virginia runs a very similar base defense as the one Texas ran Saturday. So Oklahoma State needs to be better prepared for situations similar to the ones they saw this past Saturday. One good thing Oklahoma State fans should be happy about is Poona Ford and Malik Jefferson don’t play for West Virginia.

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