I only watched 1 1/2 Quarters and here's some really interesting things I saw Offensively. I'll list some plays pertaining to the "cliches/urban myths" about the PSU Offense that you can see just ain't true if you watch this game. (This gets a bit long, sorry but you've been warned!)
1. PSU tried to get the ball as much as possible to Hamler, and they did it creatively. Trouble was that Trace was incredibly inaccurate that game, having gone 3 - 14 when I stopped watching. On the first play of the game PSU came out in a funky, creative formation and Hamler ran a post and beat the Safety who was defending him badly. Trace threw the ball a yard behind Hamler or he could have walked into the endzone backwards.
BTW the formation is something you might look for again in 2018. Picture this: To the left of the Center are only the LT and LG...no Ends or Receivers, thus an Unbalanced look to the right. To Trace's right are BOTH SEs, but both are on the LOS. This means that the inside WR is ineligible, a fact that Rutgers apparently had trouble identifying because they sent a DB over there to matchup with him and defend him.
Also to Trace's right were the Slot WR, and the H-Back. That's pretty much a "Quads" look, but ONE of the 4 receivers on that side is ineligible to receive a pass. Also to Trace's right is Sanders, which completely overloads that side. PSU ran some really nice plays off of that look, but again Trace's inaccuracy cost them at least 2 TDs in the first 1 1/2 Quarters.
2. From that formation PSU threw a Screen Pass to Sanders, who flared behind the 4 Receivers who were lined up on that side and who provided the blocking for him. I have read plenty of guys on here saying that PSU doesn't screen, and that they didn't pass the ball much to Sanders.
A few plays later PSU ran a complementary QB Draw off that exact same action, flaring Sanders to the right behind the 4 WRs, and then running Trace up the middle for 7 yards. The LBs absolutely SPRINTED to Sanders as soon as he flared that way, which is exactly how the play was designed. A healthy Trace probably would have taken that play to The House.
3. Speaking of "never throwing to Sanders", PSU also tried to use a form of Motion (another myth) to spring Miles loose on a Wheel Route. They came out in an Empty Backfield look with 3 Receivers to the left, and Sanders in the Slot and a WR spread out to the right. Sanders then motioned back into the backfield and reset next to Trace. This was done to determine WHO was defending him on a pass play.
THEN he motioned BACK to the Slot and reset again there because the coaches could see that he was being defended by a LB. He then ran the Wheel Route vs the LB and was wide open...and Trace missed him. At this point of the game the score SHOULD have been 24 - 0 IF Trace was at all accurate in his passes to Hamler on the first play and to Sanders on the Wheel.
4. PSU used Sanders and Slade in the backfield at the same time. I've seen guys saying on here that they never do that, but there it was vs RU. They also ran motion from this formation, with Slade running a pre-snap motion behind Trace to draw a LB with him. Then Trace handed off to Sanders on a run. Eventually, if the D had ignored Slade's motion, HE would have been open for a Flare/Screen.
I could go on for a while describing how PSU attacked Rutgers and should have had a total blowout at Halftime if Trace has been on the mark that day. But for now I'll just be paying close attention come September to PSU's creative Offensive schemes. I enjoy the hell out of dissecting them and seeing how the D reacts to them and what they end up giving to PSU in both the passing game and the run game.
1. PSU tried to get the ball as much as possible to Hamler, and they did it creatively. Trouble was that Trace was incredibly inaccurate that game, having gone 3 - 14 when I stopped watching. On the first play of the game PSU came out in a funky, creative formation and Hamler ran a post and beat the Safety who was defending him badly. Trace threw the ball a yard behind Hamler or he could have walked into the endzone backwards.
BTW the formation is something you might look for again in 2018. Picture this: To the left of the Center are only the LT and LG...no Ends or Receivers, thus an Unbalanced look to the right. To Trace's right are BOTH SEs, but both are on the LOS. This means that the inside WR is ineligible, a fact that Rutgers apparently had trouble identifying because they sent a DB over there to matchup with him and defend him.
Also to Trace's right were the Slot WR, and the H-Back. That's pretty much a "Quads" look, but ONE of the 4 receivers on that side is ineligible to receive a pass. Also to Trace's right is Sanders, which completely overloads that side. PSU ran some really nice plays off of that look, but again Trace's inaccuracy cost them at least 2 TDs in the first 1 1/2 Quarters.
2. From that formation PSU threw a Screen Pass to Sanders, who flared behind the 4 Receivers who were lined up on that side and who provided the blocking for him. I have read plenty of guys on here saying that PSU doesn't screen, and that they didn't pass the ball much to Sanders.
A few plays later PSU ran a complementary QB Draw off that exact same action, flaring Sanders to the right behind the 4 WRs, and then running Trace up the middle for 7 yards. The LBs absolutely SPRINTED to Sanders as soon as he flared that way, which is exactly how the play was designed. A healthy Trace probably would have taken that play to The House.
3. Speaking of "never throwing to Sanders", PSU also tried to use a form of Motion (another myth) to spring Miles loose on a Wheel Route. They came out in an Empty Backfield look with 3 Receivers to the left, and Sanders in the Slot and a WR spread out to the right. Sanders then motioned back into the backfield and reset next to Trace. This was done to determine WHO was defending him on a pass play.
THEN he motioned BACK to the Slot and reset again there because the coaches could see that he was being defended by a LB. He then ran the Wheel Route vs the LB and was wide open...and Trace missed him. At this point of the game the score SHOULD have been 24 - 0 IF Trace was at all accurate in his passes to Hamler on the first play and to Sanders on the Wheel.
4. PSU used Sanders and Slade in the backfield at the same time. I've seen guys saying on here that they never do that, but there it was vs RU. They also ran motion from this formation, with Slade running a pre-snap motion behind Trace to draw a LB with him. Then Trace handed off to Sanders on a run. Eventually, if the D had ignored Slade's motion, HE would have been open for a Flare/Screen.
I could go on for a while describing how PSU attacked Rutgers and should have had a total blowout at Halftime if Trace has been on the mark that day. But for now I'll just be paying close attention come September to PSU's creative Offensive schemes. I enjoy the hell out of dissecting them and seeing how the D reacts to them and what they end up giving to PSU in both the passing game and the run game.
