MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- The film projector never lies ... or dies.
Even though a season may be all but over, fans heading to the exits (or never showing up), and carping at all-time levels, our trusty viewing device continues to whirl. And believe it or not, it still shows things worth seeing.
Want players to watch and learn, and continue to practice and play hard? Maybe a few minutes of your time would be worth it too.
Forthwith, a number of clips from West Virginia's final home game of the regular season, and a few educational items attached.
While the Mountaineers did hold K-State's Deuce Vaughn to 67 yards on 22 carries, he wasn't ineffective. Head coach Neal Brown pointed out the low rushing total, but didn't take the next step in explaining that his presence forced ÐÔÊӽ紫ý to account for him more than it did for any other back this side of Texas' Bijan Robinson, and that affected the Mountaineers elsewhere.
Take, for instance, Vaughn's early 15-yard run for a TD. ÐÔÊӽ紫ý is playing an odd front with the line shifted to the left, backed by a linebacker, a spear and a walked-down free safety. Despite having six defenders against only five K-State blockers, West Virginia doesn't get within two yards of Vaughn on his untroubled path to the end zone. A bad angle and an inability to get off blocks all contribute, but the end result is that West Virginia has to pay more attention, and get more defenders, in Vaughn's vicinity. The result? Tight ends and receivers getting wide open, and five TD drives that took a total of 21 plays.
Garrett Greene's first interception of the day was a bad decision, as he threw the ball late against coverage that had Sam James, running an in route from the right slot, blanketed.
There might be a bit of blame on James' route too, as it looks like he loops deep and gets near safeties dropping deep, rather than finding a little more open grass on a shallower route. Granted, he needed to get eight yards for a first down, but he was three yards beyond the line to gain. If his route is a little sharper, does that prevent the pick by putting him inside the defender?
Greene's two interceptions were highlighted, so it's only fair to show an example of the good plays he produced. This fourth and four is prime, as he avoids inside pressure and gets to the perimeter while keeping his eyes downfield. He could have dumped the ball off to Justin Johnson in the flat, but that wouldn't have necessarily produced a first down. Instead, he continues to move, putting pressure on K-State defenders to respond, and finds Cortez Braham for the conversion.
Look at the apparent confusion on ÐÔÊӽ紫ý's defense prior to the snap. On the plus side, at least there looks to be attempts at communication, but just about every defender on the back end is waving or moving at some point.
At the snap, all four defenders on the line of scrimmage either slant to their left or are washed that way, leaving just a corner and a safety to cover all the space outside the hashes. They are both easily disposed of with one-on-one blocks from K-State linemen, and its a 49-yard dash to the end zone.
Did ÐÔÊӽ紫ý get into correct position prior to the snap? That can be difficult to determine without knowing the coverage call, but there's again a bad angle and too many defenders jammed into the same space to make a play.
Head coach Neal Brown complained, and rightly so, about center judge Brian Alos holding the snap on a ÐÔÊӽ紫ý fourth down attempt in the second quarter. As can be seen from the clip of the preceding third down, West Virginia did not substitute, which meant that the snap should not have been delayed to allow K-State to do so.
Brown said referee Derek Anderson called the move an issue of mechanics, but that's a terrible explanation and/or reason.
But, as is often the case, that wasn't the only reason for ÐÔÊӽ紫ý's failure. On the third down play, the Mountaineers aligned in a very tight formation, and tried to run the ball inside. That's hardly ÐÔÊӽ紫ý's strength, as it is not going to overpower any opposing fronts. Five linemen and two tight ends oppose nine defenders in the box, and the result is a predictable stuff.
That brings us to fourth down, and the Mountaineers are going to try a QB keeper against another stacked front, albeit with a detached tight end. Neither of the TEs are involved in blocking or pushing (in fact, neither move), so K-State doesn't even look at them. The Cats have five players with a yard of the ball at the snap, and they stuff Greene with ease.
It's tough to figure out the logic of these two play calls back to back, with the personnel used. ÐÔÊӽ紫ý has succeeded with its running game largely buy spreading the defense, not lining up with a big jumbo package and smashing foes into submission. While the officiating didn't help here, the whole sequence was a puzzler.
Bryce Ford-Wheaton definitely got bulldogged on this play, and with the head linesman looking right at it, it's tough to figure out why it wasn't called. The lack of a flag apparently rattled the Mountaineers, who proceeded to get stuffed on a running play, then gave up a horrible sack with five linemen attempting to block three K-State linemen. That, effectively, ended the game.
