How the Florida Gators disrupted Jarren Williams’ debut

The Miami Hurricanes offense took its lumps against an aggressive Florida Gators defense on Saturday, August 24th. Miami’s new offensive coordinator, Dan Enos, learned the hard way that he’s not in Tuscaloosa anymore. The Miami offensive line struggled at times at both tackle positions, but also saw a young quarterback suffer through progressions under pressure and his skill guys not making big time plays.

The ‘Canes gave up 10 sacks, 5 hurries, and 16 tackles for loss. If you’re looking for a masters course in how to lose a football game, that’s usually it. Despite that, Miami lead in the 4th quarter and if it weren’t for a few key plays would’ve won the game. That’s a good sign heading into a much easier ACC Coastal and out of conference slate than the team in Gainesville provided Miami.

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1st quarter, 11:30, 2nd and 5

Here the quarterback and left tackle miss the blitz from the over hang defender. A left tackle can always help inside, but his eyes have to be on a potential outside rush. The quarterback has to identify potential blitzers, especially from their body language. Here, the defender is leaning in and looks to be coming before the snap, he definitely doesn’t look ready to drop back into coverage.

This is poor eye discipline and communication which will come for Zion Nelson and Jarren Williams in time. Neither has the reps under their belt to always identify these pressures correctly.

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1st quarter, 7:03, 2nd & 6

I’ve never been a fan of a slow developing play-action pass against a team that’s speed rushing you. There also doesn’t seem to be a rush route on the play. On top of that, the running back isn’t in the progression nor does he really help on pass pro. The freshman left tackle that you knew would be a bit of a liability gets burned here. I feel like this is a complete bust of a play from both the call and the scheme of it.

I don’t blame Williams, certainly Nelson gets absolutely whooped, but why put your tackle and quarterback in this position on 2nd & 6? The shallow cross is even ran too slow to be used as a legitimate rush route in case of pressure.

If the play is from the shotgun, and the back crosses the QB’s face, the QB doesn’t take his eyes off his targets or pressure and the back can be in the progression as an immediate rush route.

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2nd quarter, 4:53, 1st & 10

Yet another slow developing, back turned, play-action pass. The Gators once again speed rush off the edges and beat both tackles on this play. Oh, and the idea was to use 180 pound Mike Harley as a jam and release player against an SEC defense? That’s bad scheme and Williams never had a chance here. With his back turned how does he see pressure or his dump off to the top of the screen?

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2nd quarter, 1:22, 1st & 10

I really don’t understand the pass concept here. It looks like a Richt-era pass play with one receiver in a route and three guys running verticals. Two receivers even look like they run vertical to the same hash which is bad business. The outside receiver on the top of our screen runs the worst dig in history and Williams has no chance.

The running back does a great job in pass protection taking on a defender with a full head of steam but an inside linebacker comes free on a delayed blitz and comes unblocked. Again, there’s no rush route, there’s only one guy in a route and it’s off a hitch step in the QB’s drop which takes time.

Why not get the slot, who only has a safety about 12 yards off of him, to run a hitch? That would easily be caught for five yards as opposed to another sack.

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3rd quarter, 4:41, 1st & 10

I’m not sure what the design was here but it looks like a mess. I can’t even find an eligible receiver within almost 10 yards of the QB to the boot side. It’s a boot into the boundary which makes no sense. The only potential pass catcher is behind the QB on a swing route. Also, it’s another back turned play-action pass after Miami has been sacked on two similar plays earlier in the game.

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3rd quarter, 3:34, 3rd & 21

I have one single play call for 3rd and 21 and it’s double screen. Miami doesn’t seem to know one exists so they attempt some sort of stop-dig concept on the top of the screen, and a wide open vertical-speed out combination to the bottom. I’m assuming Williams is split-field reading this in other words, he’s going to pick a side of the formation and only attack that side.

He chooses wrong, as both targets to the boundary are covered. What looks like Mallory comes open on the bottom but he never looks that direction. The right tackle is beat and Williams holds the ball too long resulting in another sack. This could be a great example of him looking for a home run instead of an easy throw to the flat.

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4th quarter, 5:37, 2nd & 11

This is what I have been saying about being in the shotgun, and having the back cross the QB’s face on play-action so that the QB can see the pressure and get rid of the football. Because his eyes are on the defense he gets the ball away without taking a sack.

However, the two bottom routes should both break off for hitches which could be easy 5-6 yard completions- guaranteed. Instead those receivers run into defensive backs which have CAPed the WR’s deep routes. CAP’d means coverage (the part they did) alignment and personnel.

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4th quarter, 4:35, 4th & 9

As Williams drops back, the two hitches at the top of the screen, neither of which go for the 9 yards necessary for a 1st down, are covered. The vertical route which has to be a clear out doesn’t look for the football, and out at the bottom doesn’t break fast enough before the pressure hits. With the back in for protection Williams is left with no rush route (the hitches are rhythm throws) and takes a sack versus throwing it away.

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4th quarter, 2:50, 2nd & 26

Again, there aren’t a lot of 2nd & 26 calls that you can dial up as an OC. Instead, you’re splitting the field into three (you’re going for it on 4th down) 8 and a half yard chunks. What are your best 2nd and 8 plays? I like shallow cross, stick, mesh, mesh with a wheel, and double screen on 2nd and 8.

The out route at the bottom of the screen looks open, but the right tackle is whooped with bad form and he looks gassed coming out of his stance. Actually, Miami’s offense in general looks gassed as routes are being jogged and linemen are being beaten consistently. Maybe all of those 110’s didn’t really work to prepare someone for a game of football?

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4th quarter, 1:45, 3rd & 25

Now an OC has even less plays to choose from. Instead of splitting the field into 8.5 segments for three plays, he has two plays of 12.5 yards to pick this up. My best 12.5 yard plays? Y Cross, switch, post-wheel, and double screen are my best options.

The left tackle is completely beaten by a speed rush and the back has to come across the formation to chip, but can’t get there fast enough and gets knocked back into the quarterback. At this point the Gators know Miami is throwing and the defensive ends are coming to create a highlight tape on Jarren Williams’ head.

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4th quarter, :36, 2nd & 10

This is on Jarren Williams. There’s a pocket, there’s an open receiver, he just fails to see KJ Osborn come open. If Osborn is hit on the dig route he can turn up field for the first down and the clock will stop to set up another play or spike the football after the 1st down.

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Summary

This loss wasn’t entirely on Jarren Williams, or Zion Nelson. Anyone that thinks it was missed the other opportunities to win the football game that didn’t fall on their shoulders. Easy examples are safeties getting torched for a touchdown, Jeff Thomas fumbling a punt and Thomas dropping a touchdown pass. Oh, and there were missed field goals and a fake punt allowed for a first down.

However, there are spots for the young man to improve and he will. Williams has a bright future if they can protect him, coach him up, and improve the scheme and play calling. Coach Enos was also rusty after not having called plays at Alabama. After a bye week it’ll be important to see the growth of the offense and individual players.