Clinic Talk: Malik Rosier Adds Another Dimension Versus Bethune Cookman

The Miami beating of Bethune Cookman was 100% expected and it’s over and we can move on. I wrote about the positives of playing a cupcake like BCU early, and I think I was spot on with my analysis. I was also spot on with what BCU could bring schematically. Miami has far too much coaching talent and playing talent to lose to BCU. But what can we takeaway from the game moving forward into Arkansas State?

Miami has added the QB run threat dimension with Malik Rosier. Rosier is a talented Quarterback with a strong arm, he can put zip on the ball, and he is mobile enough to run the option portion of the inside zone read scheme and to extend plays or make chicken salad out of... well... you know.

Mark Walton needs heat off of him if he’s going to stay healthy and productive for fifteen games. Not allowing the Defensive End to squeeze, or come right down the line of scrimmage and make a play from the back side, will help Walton avoid blind side hits and getting his knees rolled up.

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Inside Zone Read

If a defense is going to remove the overhang like a 4-2-5 usually does, the boundary safety has to play closer to the ball to ‘fill the alley’ or in other words, play the run. BCU comes out with that boundary safety 15 yards off the ball and Rosier knows this from his pre-snap reads. He then knows the WR’s are running slant-to-stalk (common in the RPO game because once you don’t get the slant, you turn to start blocking).

Rosier has the corner out of position and that too deep safety bites on the slant. This leaves Rosier all alone and he ran for 23 yards here.

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Run Pass Options or RPO’s

After that, a defense has to adjust. Below, BCU puts the SAM over the #2 to the wide side of the field (Berrios) and the boundary safety at 7 yards or so off the #2 to the boundary side. Here, Rosier is reading that SAM linebacker over Berrios and he has the depth he needs him to be at to take advantage. That’s his pre-snap read.

Like a good football player, the BCU SAM walks down late after Rosier looks away. Rosier’s eyes are forward and the SAM creeps down on the bubble.

Braxton Berrios has to make a nice move and freshman Mike Harley makes a veteran block on the SAM to save Berrios’ life. Moral of the story is that bubble needs to be a post-snap read as well.

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Accuracy and Strength

While Miami was supposed to win hands down, what did we learn about Malik Rosier? He makes some great throws, stands in the pocket strong, and the players rally behind him. When you throw the end zone fade it has to be complete or out of bounds. This ball is perfect and Langham uses his size to score a TD.

A GIF couldn’t do this throw justice, I have it cued up to the right spot, don’t worry:

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Obviously, things need to be cleaned up. There was a bad snap, a few missed blocking assignments, and Rosier bombed that RPO read. But he threw other nice RPOs in great situations, we know he will and can pull and run, and I think he has the grit, as Bruce Arians would say, to get Miami into the ACC title picture.