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Zeke's TD run - perfect execution by the whole team

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BuckeyeFanInBoulder's picture
September 9, 2015 at 2:39am
16 Comments

I think the Zeke 80 yard score deserves attention.  In my opinion, it's flying under the radar as the "team play" of the game.  Watch it in 1 second intervals from the snap if you're as crazy as me, and look at the blocking. Like a full 3 LB blitz, this defensive scheme demands that everyone know their assignment, trust peers, work together as a unit, and win big if you can outsmart the house.

Notes:

  • Tech doesn't bite or shift with trips up top, good for them, but it still takes 2 defenders out of the equation
  • Farris doesn't get distracted or bite on the pressure from the obvious charging DE (or delayed safety either) to pick up a block. In fact, he is actually staring at the opposite side DE (or perhaps Boren) before the snap.  He stays on assignment and pulls to pick up a critical block.
  • Elflein cleans his man out of the equation (for 10 yards before Zeke is past them and clearly bound for paydirt)
  • Boren also does good work on the right side to open the obvious hole
  • Decker is not distracted by the DE that Farris picks up.  Instead he and Price clean up a DT and LB. 2 more out of the equation
  • Vannett keeps his man out of the backfield to prevent a TFL.
  • Samuel picks up said safety and Cardale correctly reads the handoff with the DE approaching. The DE doesn't even realize he has overrun the play before a TD is imminent. (Sidenote: if Jones had kept and beat the DE it would have still been a nice gain had the 2 receivers blocked well, but Zeke was clearly the right choice.)
  • This leaves 1 defender for Zeke to worry about.  At :05, it's already over.  I'll take Zeke full speed ahead every time in 1 on 1.

That was disciplined brilliance. Last year that would have been led to 2nd and 14. What a difference a year makes.

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