Clemson loses to Maryland 24-21, 1st half drive summaries

Since its mostly our offense that shit the bed this week, I decided to look at play-by-play for the game on offense. Its time consuming but enlightening, and since we have two weeks to stew over it, I might as well.

I'm taking liberties in describing the formation, because I cant give a primer on offensive football here. I am also not going into all the motion we use, just a quick description of what we're doing.

Some terminology I'm using:
Twins-2 WR to one side, 1 TE or 1 TE + 1 WR to the other.
Trips-3 WR to one side, 1 TE or 1 WR to the other usually.
Spread-2 WR to each side.
Ace Pro Wing-Ace=1-back, Pro Wing is a 1TE+1H-Back set, and usually the H is off the weak side and goes in motion to strong or weak.
Gun-Shotgun, with One back or twin backs.
Field-Wide side
Boundary-short side
Zone plays-Inside runs where the line clearly performs zone blocking, which is normal for many ace-back formation run plays. They can be Draws, Sprints, etc.
I Far/Near-I formation with the FB set to the weak/strong side.

Down & distance, formation, play.

1st Qtr Drive breakdown
CU 32yd line
1st&10-Ace Pro Wing-Hit CJ in the flats for 10yd gain on boundary side.
1st&10-Ace Pro Wing Strong-Inside Zone handoff-5 yds
2&5-Gun 2-back Twins-Roll Playaction weakside after TE motion to twins, hit Jacoby falling out of bounds Incomplete.
3&5-Gun 1-back Spread-R. Taylor is open on a 10-15 yard crossing route, but slips and falls after Parker throws. Incomplete pass. Adequate protection.
Punt
Pass, Run, PA pass-I, Pass-I. Why not establish the running game here and now? This drive is scripted.

D forces 3&out. 1 missed tackle, and a great play by Maye on 3rd & 1.

2nd drive starts at CU 4
1st&10-Near I Twins weak-HB Power play to J.Harper for no gain
2&10-Gun 2B Twins TE motion-Off-tackle handoff to Spiller for 6 yds.
3&4-Gun 1B Trips Field-Jaron Brown has a pass hit him square on the numbers on a quick slant for a 1st down, but drops it.
Punt.
Run, Run, Pass-I. Had to run here in the hole, but why Harper when he doesnt ever go anywhere? I would've run a Power with Spiller again on 3rd down. Perhaps a Power PA Pass.

Maryland muffs the punt, CU ball at the CU 41.

3rd drive
1st&10-Ace Pro Wing/H-motion strongside-QB rollout weakside, hits RT in the flats for 3yds. This is a play we run too much, RT goes in motion then runs a little flare route to the sideline.
2&7-Gun 1B Trips Field-Flanker Screen to Jones for 7yds. Called back because of holding by Jaron Brown. Thank God one of them tried to block for once though.
2&12-Ace Jumbo (2TE) Twins H-motion-zone sprint w/ fake end-around to Ellington for 3 yds. Backside not properly sealed, but looks like McClain didnt hold his man.
3&9-Gun 1B Spread-Hit Jacoby for 1st down on a short post/slant. Parker never took his eyes off Ford. Totally telegraphed it.
1st&10 MD 41-Pro Wing Strong-Power toss with to Spiller for 4/5.
2nd&6-Gun 2B H-motion-Handoff to spiller offtackle for 9.
1&10-Gun 2B Spread, motion to trips boundary-handoff to Harper to R, 1 yd. Right side of OL got no push.
2&9-Gun 1B Trips Field-Parker overthrows Ford out-of-bounds on a Corner route/Smash combination. Incomplete. It was good coverage.
3&9-Gun 1B motion to Spread-pitch to Spiller for 1 yd. Walker unable to get outside and make a proper cut block, WRs didnt do "bad" on their blocks.
Jackson hits a 41 yd FG.
Pass, Pass (penalty), Run, Pass, Run, Run, Run, Pass-I, Run.

D forces 3&out, they dropped a 1st down pass on 3rd down.

4th drive begins on CU 20
1&10-Double Wing Flexbone-Off-R. tackle handoff to Spiller-8yds
2&2-Gun 2B twins L-Flanker Screen to Ford for 3. Wouldve had more if Austin had properly cut blocked.
1&10-Gun 1B spread-Flanker screen to Ford for 7, and Austin gets flagged on holding. I don't think that was right, I didnt see him hold anyone, he released from the DT and went out to cut a Cornerback.
1&14-I strong-pitch to Spiller to the boundary/strong side-2 yards.
2&12-Gun 1B Trips Field-Jacoby runs a post against Tampa 2 coverage, matched on a LB, and Parker underthrows it. Ball is behind Ford, but Pass Interference gets 15 and a 1st down.
1&10 at CU 40-Gun 2B Twins Field-PA pass to Palmer on a curl gets a 1st into MD territory.
1&10-Gun 2B Trips Field-Parker hits Ashe on a Fly route down the sideline to the MD 18.
1&10-Gun 1B H motion to twins-Parker locks on Ford and has him open on a post/in-route (can't tell), but pass is tipped at the LOS. Incomplete.
2&10-Ace Pro Wing motion strong-reverse-motion by Taylor on an end-around to Ford for 17 yard TD. Would've been nice if Lambert hustled down to block for Ford, but he made it in himself.
9 plays 79 yards in 3:05.
Run, Pass, Pass(penalty on us), R, P(PI penalty), P, P, P-Inc, Run for TD. Despite success running the ball with Spiller, never took advantage of it. Otherwise a good mix of run & pass.

Defense takes a few plays off when it comes to coverage on 3rd downs. Looks to be Man Press Cover 2 and regular Cover 2. They hit Smith on a corner route (it appears) for 27 when we zone blitz (cover 3) on a 3rd & 7. Butler misses an easy INT when he jumps an out route and they kick the FG. 10 plays 46 yards.

5th drive starts on CU 43. Korn comes in. I do not agree with this decision here. The offense has started some rhythm on two drives with Parker, and even though I believe Korn showed here that he can move the offense, I would've waited until Parker had gone a drive without scoring before putting Korn in.

1&10-Gun 1B Twins/motion-inside handoff to Ellington for 1. Lambert unable at LT to pin his End off the play.
2&9-Gun 2B Trips Field-HB Screen to Ellington on the boundary loses 2. Walker unable to get out and make a cut block on the guy who made the tackle.
3&11-Gun 2B Twins motion to 1B Trips Field-Korn has to scramble and gets a 1st down. I wish Kyle Parker would try that every once in a while.
1&10-Gun 1B H/Twins Field-Checked into Ace Pro Wing by Korn, inside zone handoff to Spiller for 3. Probably shouldve cut the ball back.
2&7-Gun 1B Spread-Korn throws high to Allen (looks like a curl/out) and he tips it up, but Jones is right behind him and catches it for the 1st.
Why would you have two routes that run right on top of one another? This happens too often in our pass patterns.
1&10-Ace Pro Wing-motion to strong-Korn on another rollout with Taylor in the flats, throws it away. Incomplete. Taylor is covered.
2&10-Gun 2B Trips Boundary-off tackle play to Spiller to the boundary for 3.
3&7-Gun 2B spread motion to Trips-Korn sacked on a OLB/SS blitz. They overload the right side and both Cloy and McClain were beaten. Korn has a receiver underneath as a safety valve and doesnt see him.
51 yard FG by jackson.

Now the drive where the Defense stayed on the sidelines. Maryland is using the outer WR to crackback the safeties, and on two plays we were late picking up backs/TE in the flat in man/man coverage. On the TD play to Smith, Chancellor gives up the inside, which you never do, and Chambers was late getting over in Cover 1.

CU gets the ball on the 20.
1&10-Ace Pro Wing strong-PA rollout hits Palmer in the flat on a drag for a 1st.
1&10-Gun 2B Trips Field-motion to empty set-hit Ellington in flat for 4. With 5 wide we can only hit Ellington for 4 yards? There was pressure from Lambert's side.
2&6-Ace Pro Wing Strong motion, Twins Field-FB motion-left side zone play to Ellington for 3
3&3-I Right motion to Twins-Counter pitch to Spiller for 5yds to the left side.
1&10-Pro Wing motion to Strong- PA pass to RT on a vertical route is thrown badly behind him....as if Parker didnt know he was running a vertical route. VERY lucky it wasnt picked off.
2&10-Gun 1B Spread-Flanker Screen incomplete to Brown, dropped.
3&10-Gun 1B Spread-T. Austin false start
3&15-Gun 1B Spread-C. Lambert false start
3&20-Gun 1B Trips Field-Parker overthrows Clear on a Deep Post route between the safeties. I like the play call. Incomplete.
Punt.
Pass, Pass, Run, Run, Pass-I, Pass-I, Pass-I.
Still don't ESTABLISH THE RUN.

Defense spends another series on the sidelines. 3 big missed tackles all lead to 1st downs. McDaniel runs himself out of plays and ends up at a bad angle or position to make a tackle. Turner is able to run and we get no pressure. Not enough blitzes called. They get 7 fucking yards on a QB Sneak in the red zone? On the TD play, we had a blitz called on the backside of a QB sprint option play, man coverage, and a quick out called complete on the field for the 6. The film must've been inconclusive to the referees, but it looked trapped to me.

CU gets it on our 40 with :35 left.
1&10-Gun 1B Trips Field-Hits Brown for 13 yard gain on a slant. The ball hit Brown square in the numbers, bounced off his pads, and he catches it. This guy does not extend his hands to catch the football.
1&10-Gun 1B Spread-False start Walker
1&15-Gun 1B Spread-Ford runs a Fly route against cover 2 and the safety gets over to pick the pass off. End of Half.

What adjustments would you make after the 1st Half from this?
We're not a run threat in Gun. This has to change. They stack the box area when we go with an Ace Wing formation. If Spiller can run it off-tackle from the Gun, then run it more.
We ran alot of I-formation earlier this season, so where did it go? All I see here is Gun 1/2-back Twins/Trips and the Ace pro set really.
Enough of the QB Rollout to hit the TE in the flat on a flare or drag! Take a 3/5 step from shotgun max protect and try to hit somebody downfield.
Throw the ball vertically, attack the middle of the field, not the boundaries.
Less Flanker Screens.

Notice some 1st half trends? I may edit as needed to clarify things.
(2nd half will be up tomorrow with more analysis)