Texas Tech went to Manhattan and lost the turnover battle 6-1. Do we even need a film breakdown? We all know happens, right?
I guess there is a slight bit of nuance to this question because it probably should have been a 30-point, blowout win for the Wildcats. Instead, this we a tossup game in the 4th quarter. I would love to see the alternate reality where Wolff makes the kick to take the lead, or Kittley doesn’t get a little cute in the red zone after Cleveland’s big catch, or the defense holding on just ONE more time.
This game really frustrated me, like, to an unhealthy/time to reevaluate things point. I think the reason being that I can see where McGuire and Co. are taking this thing, there are glimpses, but they are being let down by the shortcomings of the regimes before them. I could give several examples, but the one that keeps coming to mind, are we really going to waste Tyree and Muddy with the worst offense in the air raid era? That’s a tough pill to swallow.
One that happy note, to the film.
I would like to first say that I am against spotting conference teams 7 points to start every game, and I wish it would stop.
I was pretty disappointed in the defensive performance Saturday, after being incredibly impressed up to this point. Units are allowed to have “bad days,” and I hope this was just one of those days/matchups, but it’s now something I am concerned about. I’m of the opinion that the Tech D never really stopped Kansas State, the wildcats just went away from what worked for a few quarters (which is something the guys who cover their team would tell you is a trend).
These three plays are a perfect example because I’m not sure we ever really stopped it. Each play is a variation of power (backside guard pulls) and no one does it better than Kansas State. They are experts at formationing a defense put them at a numbers disadvantage, and then attacking that weakness. In each play in this clip, they are trying to isolate a member of the Tech secondary, challenge them to read the play and make a 1on1 tackle. It’s hard to be upset at that, it’s just being outschemed, what’s upsetting is the other 10 guys consistently losing their matchups, that’s what’s concerning.
Not to totally crap on the defense, despite Kansas state going away from what worked, the defense is the only reason this was a winnable game. They stopped what was in front of them, created a turnover (wouldn’t it be nice to ONE TIME capitalize on one of those gifts?), and gave Texas Tech an opportunity to win.
I think we all know I could have picked from a number of different plays to show the offensive line troubles, but I narrowed it to two in order to show the two things that are, currently, killing 90% of any offensive momentum generated game to game.
First play is from the first drive of the game, after finally having a positive kick return, and trying to match the 7 KSU just put up. Instead, Tech matches with a punt due to getting behind the chains. In this clip, watch the left side of the OLine, first, compare the depth of Wright’s kicks to that of Peterson. This is OLine 101, you want to delay engagement as long as possible, as well as create a pocket/wall for your QB. Due to Wright’s impatience, he and Rogers are not able to adequately deal with this stunt, and Donovan cannot get through his reads to find a wide-open Brady Boyd at the top of the screen. This offensive line is struggling enough to compete, they cannot overcome bad technique.
I watched Caleb Rogers very closely on my rewatch, he was bad, obviously, but he’s bad basically the same way every play. He plays WAY too high, and I think the book is out on that. Every rusher is using techniques to get his weight out over his feet, and then punish him for it. That move the edge uses in the second play should not win that easily, a good tackle gets his hands on the rusher’s left hip and then escorts him behind the play. Rogers is too off-balance to use any strength he has and is quickly beaten with little resistance. Should Donovan feel that, sure, but should he also be able to trust his left tackle to win the occasional individual battle, yes!
Shout out to Dennis Wilburn, had, arguably, the toughest task this week, but also had the best performance. That is how you respond to getting your butt kicked the week before.
Pause at :3, why would you throw to the back when an open receiver could get the first down? Wasted yards and loss of possession.
Due to ESPN+, you’re gonna have to trust me, but pause at :15. The defender playing the outside receiver had committed to Rod before the ball was thrown, yet Donovan, again, chooses to throw short of the sticks to a back instead of to a receiver for the first down. The next play, Tech is stopped on 4th down.
Pause at :20. There is not an easier throw than this, and it absolutely HAS to be made. That should be a first down, instead, it turns into a punt.
Pause at :31. Martinez is running into acres of space, the pocket is relatively clean, he appears to be looking that way, and, yet a sack. Which is crucial yardage considering Tech is about to miss the go-ahead FG.
Speaking of that valuable yardage, here is the next play. KState is sending the house, it’s 3rd and 19, get what you can and kick the FG. It was pointed out on the broadcast, but why in the world Donovan go through the play fake here… who is it going to fool?! Just rise up and throw the ball to Cleveland. There is a lot of space out there, one missed tackle and that’s a TD. Instead, it’s a missed FG.
There is a lot of frustration thrown Donovan’s way, deservedly so, but I think it’s obvious, as McGuire pointed out at his presser, that this offense is a total team failure.
Take this last clip as an example. This is the drive after Kansas State broke their scoring drought, and, not scoring here, basically ended the game. I put freeze frames in this clip of the situation right before the ball is snapped. I want you call a play, knowing what we know about the QB, OLine, and Receivers, and see how it compares to what Kittley called (other than the touchdown play). This is not necessarily to defend Kittley, he’s had his ups and downs, but I think it’s a good exercise to understand the reality of what the offensive staff is working with.
I don’t have a problem with any of these plays, personally, I get the idea. Unfortunately, the theme for this offense right now is lack of execution, and we do not have the playmakers to overcome that. Also, it’s blatant PI on the holding, I need Sparkman to throw more of a fit there.
Before the game, on the pregame show, I said that this game would be a bigger win that the one over UT because it would really show growth and that a corner has been turned with this program. I get that that was asking a lot of a first-year staff, but that just shows what I think of McGuire and Co, the realization that this is going to take some time is not one that was foreign to me, but it still hurts to get slapped in the face with it.
So, yeah, wreck ‘em
I guess there is a slight bit of nuance to this question because it probably should have been a 30-point, blowout win for the Wildcats. Instead, this we a tossup game in the 4th quarter. I would love to see the alternate reality where Wolff makes the kick to take the lead, or Kittley doesn’t get a little cute in the red zone after Cleveland’s big catch, or the defense holding on just ONE more time.
This game really frustrated me, like, to an unhealthy/time to reevaluate things point. I think the reason being that I can see where McGuire and Co. are taking this thing, there are glimpses, but they are being let down by the shortcomings of the regimes before them. I could give several examples, but the one that keeps coming to mind, are we really going to waste Tyree and Muddy with the worst offense in the air raid era? That’s a tough pill to swallow.
One that happy note, to the film.
I would like to first say that I am against spotting conference teams 7 points to start every game, and I wish it would stop.
I was pretty disappointed in the defensive performance Saturday, after being incredibly impressed up to this point. Units are allowed to have “bad days,” and I hope this was just one of those days/matchups, but it’s now something I am concerned about. I’m of the opinion that the Tech D never really stopped Kansas State, the wildcats just went away from what worked for a few quarters (which is something the guys who cover their team would tell you is a trend).
These three plays are a perfect example because I’m not sure we ever really stopped it. Each play is a variation of power (backside guard pulls) and no one does it better than Kansas State. They are experts at formationing a defense put them at a numbers disadvantage, and then attacking that weakness. In each play in this clip, they are trying to isolate a member of the Tech secondary, challenge them to read the play and make a 1on1 tackle. It’s hard to be upset at that, it’s just being outschemed, what’s upsetting is the other 10 guys consistently losing their matchups, that’s what’s concerning.
Not to totally crap on the defense, despite Kansas state going away from what worked, the defense is the only reason this was a winnable game. They stopped what was in front of them, created a turnover (wouldn’t it be nice to ONE TIME capitalize on one of those gifts?), and gave Texas Tech an opportunity to win.
I think we all know I could have picked from a number of different plays to show the offensive line troubles, but I narrowed it to two in order to show the two things that are, currently, killing 90% of any offensive momentum generated game to game.
First play is from the first drive of the game, after finally having a positive kick return, and trying to match the 7 KSU just put up. Instead, Tech matches with a punt due to getting behind the chains. In this clip, watch the left side of the OLine, first, compare the depth of Wright’s kicks to that of Peterson. This is OLine 101, you want to delay engagement as long as possible, as well as create a pocket/wall for your QB. Due to Wright’s impatience, he and Rogers are not able to adequately deal with this stunt, and Donovan cannot get through his reads to find a wide-open Brady Boyd at the top of the screen. This offensive line is struggling enough to compete, they cannot overcome bad technique.
I watched Caleb Rogers very closely on my rewatch, he was bad, obviously, but he’s bad basically the same way every play. He plays WAY too high, and I think the book is out on that. Every rusher is using techniques to get his weight out over his feet, and then punish him for it. That move the edge uses in the second play should not win that easily, a good tackle gets his hands on the rusher’s left hip and then escorts him behind the play. Rogers is too off-balance to use any strength he has and is quickly beaten with little resistance. Should Donovan feel that, sure, but should he also be able to trust his left tackle to win the occasional individual battle, yes!
Shout out to Dennis Wilburn, had, arguably, the toughest task this week, but also had the best performance. That is how you respond to getting your butt kicked the week before.
Pause at :3, why would you throw to the back when an open receiver could get the first down? Wasted yards and loss of possession.
Due to ESPN+, you’re gonna have to trust me, but pause at :15. The defender playing the outside receiver had committed to Rod before the ball was thrown, yet Donovan, again, chooses to throw short of the sticks to a back instead of to a receiver for the first down. The next play, Tech is stopped on 4th down.
Pause at :20. There is not an easier throw than this, and it absolutely HAS to be made. That should be a first down, instead, it turns into a punt.
Pause at :31. Martinez is running into acres of space, the pocket is relatively clean, he appears to be looking that way, and, yet a sack. Which is crucial yardage considering Tech is about to miss the go-ahead FG.
Speaking of that valuable yardage, here is the next play. KState is sending the house, it’s 3rd and 19, get what you can and kick the FG. It was pointed out on the broadcast, but why in the world Donovan go through the play fake here… who is it going to fool?! Just rise up and throw the ball to Cleveland. There is a lot of space out there, one missed tackle and that’s a TD. Instead, it’s a missed FG.
There is a lot of frustration thrown Donovan’s way, deservedly so, but I think it’s obvious, as McGuire pointed out at his presser, that this offense is a total team failure.
Take this last clip as an example. This is the drive after Kansas State broke their scoring drought, and, not scoring here, basically ended the game. I put freeze frames in this clip of the situation right before the ball is snapped. I want you call a play, knowing what we know about the QB, OLine, and Receivers, and see how it compares to what Kittley called (other than the touchdown play). This is not necessarily to defend Kittley, he’s had his ups and downs, but I think it’s a good exercise to understand the reality of what the offensive staff is working with.
I don’t have a problem with any of these plays, personally, I get the idea. Unfortunately, the theme for this offense right now is lack of execution, and we do not have the playmakers to overcome that. Also, it’s blatant PI on the holding, I need Sparkman to throw more of a fit there.
Before the game, on the pregame show, I said that this game would be a bigger win that the one over UT because it would really show growth and that a corner has been turned with this program. I get that that was asking a lot of a first-year staff, but that just shows what I think of McGuire and Co, the realization that this is going to take some time is not one that was foreign to me, but it still hurts to get slapped in the face with it.
So, yeah, wreck ‘em
