Shift And Motion Game
As you may or may not remember from my first post, 'Shawn Watson's Offense', there will be a frequent use of shifts and motion. A defense's front and coverage responsibilities can be drastically changed as the offense's players threaten different gaps and areas of coverage via pre-snap shifts. It also helps to get your players into better front and coverage match-ups. The following images serve as examples of this.
The above example is very simple, the H-back coming across formation from a wing alignment field side to a spot behind the offensive tackle to the boundary. Notice the leverage gained by the H-back on his block of the defensive end. Now to something with more pre-snap movement.
Here is another example, the tight end and wing shift into the "I" formation. The FB then shifts to the weakside in the formation. By the time the ball is snapped, the offense has changed the gaps, potential routes, and possible protection scheme multiple times.The clear intent from the offense screams run, but with off-man coverage on the receiver to the top paired with run-action, it's an easy read and throw for the quarterback. Whether this type of concept will be available to Texas' vs their next opponent remains to be seen, but it is a concept I feel Swoopes will be able to execute.
Up next is a similar example with a screen play attached instead of quick game. I didn't capture the shift here, but the tight end shifts to "I" then leads right. This cues the alley defender to fit the run due to the extra gap created by the tight end, thus winning numbers and space for the bubble screen.
It's hard to be certain how many of these plays are the result of pre-snap checks made by the quarterback. It's yet to be known if Swoopes can make proper checks on a consistent basis. Nevertheless, if they need to be discarded, there are other ways the offense can utilize similar concepts within the current offensive framework.
Read-option game
The next set of images highlight some of the read-option concepts observed. In the first image we see what looks to be a packaged play concept. Ash appears to be reading the slot defender while meshing with the RB on the inside zone run play. I expect to see this concept fleshed out more going forward. There are different route concepts that may be run here, but I suspect the slot receiver is running a stick route in this pic. This type of concept is what I'd focus on with Swoopes in at quarterback. Whether from 1 or 2 tight end sets or spread sets it allows the quarterback to focus on 1 defender and also allows him the option to give on the mesh if he's unclear about what he's seeing. With Swoopes in the game, much of the game plan will focus on mitigating large downside risk regarding tackles for loss (TFL) and sacks.
The next example is the zone-bubble packaged play. Ash did a poor job with this play in my opinion as the screen receiver has already won leverage on the alley defender. He holds the ball too long and doesn't get the ball out on time. The throw is not shown here, but the ball sails high and results in an incompletion. This is a play that simply requires more repetitions and is something I'd expect to see a lot considering the team's strength is the run game and there are very capable receiver to both block and catch these screens.
The following play really stood out to me, the tunnel screen and running back screen packaged play. I wasn't sure what the read was pre-snap, but I liked the idea very much. I suspect we'll see this again and it will have to be cleaned up with respect to the blocking and running back path. Nevertheless, I lumped this into the option plays, as it is a packaged double screen.
Quarterback Movement Game
The next images are a glimpse of what some refer to as the bootleg or as I call it, the waggle. It involves run-action and quarterback misdirection. In the play below, it's a called run, you'll notice the linebacker flow toward the playside. The lack of backside contain is what is punished when the quarterback keeps the ball and looks to pass or run on the backside. Look for this to be featured prominently going forward.
The next two examples build on this concept. It pairs very well with zone and zone slice runs and as you can see below the receiver to the boundary arcs across the offensive line and attacks the short zone to the field side, for an easy pitch and catch.
The next example includes many shifts, the first leading to a bunch formation to the field side, then a double slot field side and wing to the boundary. Again we see zone action, this time with the wing player coming across and attacking the short zone to the field side. The combination of zone and waggle may become this team's best play and will probably be repetitioned to a great extent as the pass read is a simple high-low read, run, or throwaway. Swoopes should feel very comfortable running this scheme. It may be Texas' few potential big play concepts from here on.
The following is of some interest. It is what looks like a read play with a post-mesh quarterback release similar to naked. I suspect there is a lot more to this package as the top receiver can bypass his block for the zone run play, as well as the backside receiver crack blocking the field side contain player, thus yielding a quick pass to the outside receiver. OR, maybe I'm dreaming!
Pistol Formation
Lastly, I wanted to feature the "Diamond" pistol formation. It would be my suggestion that Texas use this a lot more often. Here we see what I consider our goal line and short yardage diamond pistol formation. In this case, the tight end shifts to the boundary behind the tackle and Lead Iso is the run called, a great goal line play. The in-line tight end's block seals the deal here as it virtually divides the front and creates a pile-up preventing flow across the top of the line.
Now, my hope is that Texas uses different forms of the pistol (diamond and other variants) in different field postions. This formation is one of the best I've seen at isolating the outside receivers in man coverage and yielding easy single-high or two-high safety reads. Not to mention the fact that it can easily bring numbers to bear on either side for the run game, a team strength. It'd also be nice to see this formation with two running backs in the backfield. Perhaps I'm asking for too much, who knows?
In conclusion, the above plays provide a jumping off point from which to build the offensive repetoire. As has been shown, there are many opportunities to simplify and utilize modern concepts that lend themselves to team strengths. Much of the above can be adapted to suit Swoopes and I suspect it was made so with that idea in mind. There was simply no way this staff could count on Ash given the bad run of luck he's had regarding his health. So, there it is. Let's smash some Cougars!!!
