The Huskies reclaimed the Apple Cup with a 59-24 victory over Cougars in Pullman. WSU kept things close before UW decided to finally blow the game open, scoring 28 points unanswered in the 4th quarter. The defense seemed shaky throughout but ultimately was the difference maker as they forced 3 turnovers on the day. The […]
The Huskies reclaimed the Apple Cup with a 59-24 victory over Cougars in Pullman. WSU kept things close before UW decided to finally blow the game open, scoring 28 points unanswered in the 4th quarter. The defense seemed shaky throughout but ultimately was the difference maker as they forced 3 turnovers on the day. The offense remained unstoppable as they continued their scoring drive streak. The Dawgs are now #2 in the nation in PPG and they will need all those points this weekend as the reigning national champions are in town. Last time the CFB Playoff winner came into Husky Stadium? Michigan in 2024. Here’s to pulling off another upset this year.
To the Film.
(Jed Fisch ran up the score on Saturday, so Film Study this week is following suit.)
Offense: QB/Option Run Game Master Class
The offense we trotted out on the field in Pullman was the offense I was dreaming of when Jedd Fisch made comments during the offseason about adjusting the offense to take advantage of Demond Williams’ unique skill set. What we saw in the Apple Cup was a master class in run game choreography that blended base runs, QB runs, RPOs, and a slew of option concepts that we haven’t seen at UW since the pre-Petersen years. Rarely in the last decade plus of Husky football have we seen such an efficient offensive performance (9.2 yards per play) with such a run-heavy run/pass split (32 rushes vs. 19 pass attempts). With a dynamic rushing threat at QB like Demond, you’re able to incorporate “force multiplying” QB run concepts and option concepts into your offense that can turbo charge the run game and play action. I’m a huge fan of incorporating the QB in the run game (when you have the right talent) for two reasons. One, you get the schematic numbers advantage of turning the QB from a bystander to a threat on run plays. Two, QB runs and option concepts can be built off the same blocking concepts that you’re already investing time to install for your base run scheme. Like in the passing game, concepts are “expensive” but window dressing (in this case, backfield action) is “cheap” in the context of time investment.
Let’s take a look at some of those new run concepts and wrinkles.
1st Quarter – 3:47 – 3rd & 3
First play up we have Demond’s TD run on a designed QB run concept from the first quarter. This play is a variation on our staple Outside Zone run concept and is run out of a version of our “3×1 Nub” formation. Most are probably familiar with Outside Zone, but for those that aren’t, it’s one of our staple run concepts that is based on Zone blocking rules. Standard Zone blocking rules, in short, dictate that every player in the blocking front (OL plus TEs if applicable) take a step in the play side direction at the snap and whoever is in front of them or near them to the play side is their responsibility to block. Depending on the specific version of Zone that you’re running (Inside Zone, Mid Zone, Outside Zone, etc.) the blocking objective changes, but the assignment of blocking responsibility stays the same. Inside Zone runs prioritize double teams and pushing defenders vertically off the line of scrimmage, and Outside Zone prioritizes lateral blocking movement to seal the edge or opening up a cutback lane.
The version of Outside Zone we ran on this play incorporates “Pin and Pull” blocking assignments at the point of attack, as well as a lead blocker in Jonah Coleman. On an Outside Zone play, the toughest blocks to make are the reach blocks where the OL has to get to the outside shoulder of a defender who is already lined up to the play side of him. The Pin and Pull version of Outside Zone tweaks the standard Zone blocking rules to get rid of as many of these reach blocks as possible by swapping blocking assignments. Instead of every blocker being responsible for the defender in the nearest play side zone, if the Zone blocking rules would typically have you making a reach block, you’d swap assignments with the guy to the play side of you so that he can get a down block and you’d pull to the point of attack. Using the diagram above, instead of the RG trying a reach block on the DT or the Y-TE reach blocking the right EDGE, they would pull to the point of attack and let the RT and H-Back make down blocks. MGoBlog has a great breakdown on the Pin and Pull concept if you want to learn more.
On this play, instead of asking the OT (in this case #74 Drew Azzopardi) to make that block, we added a Pin and Pull call where Decker DeGraaf (#86) swaps blocking assignments with Azzopardi. DeGraaf blocks down on the EDGE to take advantage of his outside positioning, and Azzopardi pulls around DeGraaf to the second level to pick off a CB in space. This tweak to the play design would’ve been enough to get the first down if we just gave the ball to Coleman, but by using him Demond as the runner, we were also able to get Coleman as a lead blocker on the play side safety. Getting that +1 advantage at the point of attack meant that the next closest unblocked defender was the backside safety, and Demond is simply too fast for him to stop before the end zone.
Great play design, great blocks from DeGraaf, Azzopardi, and Coleman, and a monster run from Demond.
Side Note: As I mentioned in the UC Davis Film Study article, Fisch loves to use 3×1 Nub formations (3 WRs on one side & a TE on the solo side tight to the formation) in 3rd downs to encourage defenses to tip their hand against the run. Typically, we’re running this formation in passing situations, so its use on a run play was a nice tendency breaking wrinkle.
2nd Quarter – 10:48 – 1st & 10
Next up we have a play design that I immediately recognized but struggled to remember in the moment where I had seen it before. Come to find out during my research, it was a play that we ran back in 2016 under Coach Pete and Jonathan Smith, and to my knowledge they were the originators of this design that has now been copied by numerous other programs.
I won’t go too far in depth breaking down the concept since there was already such a great video breakdown and supporting article on SBNation from back in the day, but the concept is essentially a toss play run behind standard Zone blocking that blends Read Option and Speed Option backfield action to confuse and slow down the defense. Demond extends the ball and Mohammed takes his initial step as if they are setting up the Read Option with Demond reading the left EDGE. This draws in the EDGE to attack their mesh point, but instead of making the hand off/keep read like on a Read Option play, Demond pitches the ball outside of the EDGE (who has now broken contain) to Mohammed who can slice and dice the out of position backside defenders in space.
Just another example of an easy play to incorporate into the call sheet that gives a different look while building on the Read Option plays that the offense has run a million times in practice.
2nd Quarter – 4:41 – 2nd & 16
Now we’re starting to get into the plays where I have to sit back and think “man, Fisch and the staff were really getting crazy on the white board this offseason.”
Just to give you an idea of what I mean, on this play we’ve got a pre-snap empty formation with Adam Mohammed (#24, RB) flexed out at the WR1 spot to the field side, RB Jet/In motion into CT Counter Bash Option (yes, I’m trying to sound way smarter than I actually am).
Let’s break that down piece by piece in layman’s terms. Mohammed’s Jet (fast motion across the formation from a perimeter spot) or In (perimeter player moving into the backfield) motion is simply to add eye candy for the defense. CT Counter is the base run blocking scheme (CT indicating Center/Tackle as the pullers). Bash Option is the backfield action and option tag. Bash option is very similar to the conventional Read Option (QB is reading the backside EDGE for a handoff/keep), but the Bash tag flip flops the QB/RB run responsibilities. Instead of the RB following the OL’s blocking and the QB running to the backside like in the Read Option, the QB follows the blocking and the RB runs to the backside on Bash Option calls.
On this play, Demond reads the backside EDGE and sees that he’s sitting and playing contain, so he pulls the ball and runs behind Landen Hatchett (#66, C) and Drew Azzopardi’s (#74, RT) blocks that formed a yawning chasm in the defensive front. Azzopardi’s block clears out the closest LB at the second level, and Mohammed’s motion freezes the box safety long enough for Demond to outrun his angle. Demond, being the dynamic runner that he is, makes a cut that shakes the CB and is one broken arm tackle away from housing it.
It’s a cool play design that builds off the Counter blocking scheme and the Read Option mechanics that the offense is well versed in. Can’t complain about a 25 yard QB run.
3rd Quarter – 8:24 – 3rd & Goal
Here’s another fun one from Fisch that was rather… clever. Down on the goal line we’ve got 3rd & goal with an opportunity to continue our scoring streak. What Fisch dials up is a run play that’s equal parts brute force and cunning misdirection leaning on tendencies that we’ve put on tape.
The concept is a dressed up version of One-Back Power, but it’s presented in a way that is a nightmare for defenders to diagnose in the split second necessary to stop a goal line run. First, Fisch reimagined the hand off point and backfield action by moving Coleman into the tight bunch to the top of the screen to take an End Around-type handoff. Then to distract the defense pre-snap, he folded in a fake Jet Sweep motion to Dezmen Roebuck (#81). Finally, we snuck in fake Speed Option action with Demond and Jordan Washington as post-snap eye candy further distracting the defense from the true point of attack. Not only is Washington’s presence on the field a tendency breaker (we almost never run 2-back personnel groupings), but he’s also primarily an outside rusher compared to Coleman and Mohammed’s inside-based rushing style.
It’s a cool play design that plays into our tendencies to disorient the defense while keeping the core of the play fairly simple. Also, shout out to John Mills on a great block as the pulling lineman.
There was a lot going on during this play, but the humor was not lost on me that one of the key misdirection concepts on this play was a goal line speed option into the boundary. Funny, Jedd. Funny guy.
4th Quarter – 14:23 – 1st & 10
Wrapping up the offensive plays for this week, we’ve got a different look at the Bash Option concept that we discussed earlier. This time we’re running a more conventional blocking look for Bash Option, pairing Inside Zone with the Bash Option tag. The OL is running Inside Zone to the right, so Demond is reading the left EDGE (bottom of screen). This time the EDGE he’s reading squeezes down the line and gives up contain to Mohammed. With most of the defensive second level flowing with the OL, Mohammed is able to run in space with three blockers ahead of him against three defenders. He’s eight yards down the field before a defender even gets a hand on him.
We wanted to include this in Film Study this week so you can see the two sides of the Bash Option in action, as well as to highlight how it can be a run game change up that can get our backs in space. Imagine getting Demond and Washington in the backfield on a play like this. Watch out for the end zone.
Defense: “It’s not just about a tackle, it’s about a strip”
While the offense has captured the attention of casual fans and the national media, our defense’s inability to consistently stop supposedly weaker opponents has been a consistent topic of conversation beneath the surface. The Apple Cup performance didn’t do much to quell the concern despite the final score. The pass defense was shaky through three quarters, yielding ~90% of WSU’s offensive production through the air, but settled down in the fourth. The pass rush didn’t get home on a consistent basis until a couple of garbage time sacks boosted the box score stats, but the pressure was felt through out. The run defense was outstanding (<1 yard per carry on 28 carries), but it was a somewhat misleading data point given that there was little need for WSU to run the ball. Fisch and the staff made it clear in the lead up to the Apple Cup that getting the defense sorted out was a priority, and a big part of that was getting turnovers. Turnovers ended up being the difference in a game where our offense couldn’t be stopped.
1st Quarter – 6:17 – 3rd & 6
First up we have Alex McLaughlin’s first interception of the game in the first quarter. McLaughlin has been a playmaker through the first three games of the season with a knack for being around the ball, but this was as much of “team” interception as you’ll ever see.
On this play, WSU is facing a passing situation on 3rd & long and come out in a 2×2 shotgun formation. Anticipating a pass, we’re rolling with our pass defense change up coverage, Tampa 2.
Tampa 2 is a widely run version of Cover 2 where the MIKE LB is asked to take on deeper coverage responsibilities than conventional Cover 2. Instead of being a 2 deep/5 under zone coverage scheme (2 deep safeties splitting the deep zones & 5 defenders covering the underneath zones), the MIKE drops into the intermediate middle of the field. By doing this, the MIKE can assist in taking away Post routes that prey on the soft portion of the coverage between the two safeties, effectively using the MIKE as a hybrid third safety in a hybrid Cover 2/Cover 3 look. It’s a tough ask for MIKEs who are typically bigger to take on the run, but our LBs are smaller more athletic types who can cover ground.
On this play, Deven Bryant (#17, LB) is our MIKE responsible for the deeper zone coverage, and he executes his assignment perfectly. He takes a deep drop while keeping eyes in the backfield, feels the post route coming from the boundary side of the field, and gets his hand on the ball. It helps that Zach Durfee (#5, EDGE) smokes the LT and gets a hit on Zevi Eckhaus as he’s releasing the ball. The wobbly pass flutters right towards Bryant, who gets tips the pass right into McLaughlin’s hands. To be clear, McLaughlin didn’t just luck into this interception. He was in the right place at the right time, but his knack for reading the play, the backfield, and the routes as they develop consistently put him in position to make a play.
2nd Quarter – 9:07 – 2nd & 5
Next up, we have a reminder for folks that we are capable of playing sound run fits and asserting ourselves against the run. WSU is running a HH Counter play with the twin TEs/H-Backs pulling towards the boundary as the lead blockers. Against this heavy look, we’re running our 5-man front with 3-4 personnel. We were really making it a point to snuff out their run game with an 8-man box and the heavy front, but that wasn’t the key to stuffing this run. More importantly, we were able to win at the point of attack. Isaiah Ward (#91, EDGE) crashes hard at the snap and demolishes the first lead blocker several yards in the backfield. This creates a log jam in the backfield, slowing down the running back just long enough for Taitai Uiagalelei (#11, DL) to win his 1v1 against the RT.
This is how a run fit is supposed to look like at the point of attack when you run a 5-man front. More defenders on the line means that you’re more likely to get guys into the backfield. If those defenders don’t do anything to disrupt the play in the backfield, they’re leaving the fewer LBs at the second level out to dry. Of course, there are still things that the staff can point out for improvement. The LBs didn’t flow very well with the pulling blockers, so if Ward hadn’t blown up the play in the backfield we may have had issues tackling for minimal gain. However, I chose this play to highlight the positives, so let’s just hope to see good run fits like this once conference play starts.
4th Quarter – 11:45 – 4th & 5
Next up we have McLaughlin’s second interception on the day, this time for six. Like his first pick, it was a team effort, but this one better highlights his knack for being in the right place at the right time with the heads up awareness to make a play.
Again, the Cougs are facing an obvious passing situation on 4th and medium. Instead of sitting back in a Tampa 2 look, we’re showing a heavy pressure look with our Dime package personnel (6 DBs). We line up with seven defenders on the line as potential rushers and all 11 defenders within five yards of the line showing Cover 0. As you can see in the clip above, this is all a simulated pressure. At the snap, we drop two safeties into a 2-high shell (Makell Esteen, #24 and Rylon Dillard-Allen, #18), drop Isaiah Ward into a QB spy assignment, and only rush with our three DL/EDGEs. Fortunately, our rushes quickly collapse the pocket and rush Eckhaus into a hurried throw into the flat. McLaughlin, covering the TE into the flat zone, gets his eyes on the QB before the TE breaks his route, and he’s simply better prepared to get to the ball in the air than the TE.
Great rush from the DL/EDGEs, and a great heads up play from McLaughlin.
4th Quarter – 11:34 – 1st & 10
Finally this week we have the freshman highlight of the game from Dylan Robinson (#6). The freshman CB was thrust into the lineup midway through the second half after Leroy Bryant’s struggles in place of an injured Tacario Davis. While Robinson wasn’t tested through the air as consistently as Bryant, he still made his presence felt. First it was on a TFL against a run play on the previous possession, then it was this textbook “Peanut punch” to force the fumble as a rallying second defender to the tackle.
Rewatching the play after the fact, I can see that the offensive play design had an inbreaking route that drew Robinson right towards the QB’s run, but that shouldn’t distract from the fact that Robinson still had the wherewithal to diagnose a run play while maintaining man coverage and attack the ball instead of just settling for a tackle. So many CBs either avoid making tackles in the run game or are singularly focused on getting the ball carrier to the ground that they miss on turnover opportunities like this as they are often the rallying tacklers. Players are always taught that the first guys stops the runner and the second guy has to go for the ball. I guess Robinson is one of the few that got the message this early in his career.
I’d keep an eye out for him to grow his role in the rotation as he refines his coverage technique while immediately offering plus run defense traits.
Awgs’ Bonus Play of the Week
This week’s honors go to the offensive juggernaut trio of Demond x Jonah x Denzel as they reminded WSU who their big brothers are.
Category: General Sports
