I mentioned in this week’s Observations post the nice job Pickens did blocking on Swift’s second touchdown of the day. He was hardly alone in that regard; in fact, it was one of those plays where literally everyone did their job exactly as they were supposed to, which is why nobody touched Swift on his way to the end zone.
Not sure why – perhaps because they are smaller than their typical O counterparts or because many do a poor job of it – but seeing WRs blocking like this or downfield is my favorite thing to see from the offense. Now I know why Kirby puts such emphasis on it, in which he’ll bench a 5 star WR until he is motivated to block efficiently.
Can someone explain why all the backfield defenders got sucked into the middle of the formation? The two in the back especially. They drifted toward the center of the field immediately and I cant see why they wouldn’t have seen Swift breaking to his left.
The easiest explanation may be that Murray State ain’t Bama. But Swift and the play design do a few subtle things to sell the run inside: Swift approaches the line vertically (notice how he stays on the hash) and throttles down as he gets the ball. When he turns outside, he moves much more quickly. Plus the TE backside block looks like a lead block or a trap block, both of which take advantage of run keys to suggest a run to the right.
Because of the play design. Pickens going in motion draws the corner inside, then when the ball is snapped he is still flowing with Pickens in case it’s a play-action pass. The safety and outside linebacker get sucked in because everyone except the TE starts flowing right. By then, it’s too late. The safety actually reads the play and gets in the lane, but Swift’s move and then Pickens’ block take him out. Then it’s just Swift’s speed. Perfect design and execution.
Murray State must have been in man coverage, because the CB (#14) followed Pickens all the way into the middle of the field. By the time he realized it was a running play, his whole side of the defense was left unoccupied. If they had been in zone and the safety (the one that Pickens ended up blocking) had switched onto coverage of Pickens, then the CB could have stayed wide and protected his side of the field.
“We remember the Sugar Bowl, I think it my junior year of high school, we let Alabama beat us twice,” Brinson said of a team that also lost to the Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship game. “We’re not letting Alabama beat us twice. In the Sugar Bowl in 2018, they… thought they should have been in the playoffs and lost to Texas.” -- AB-H, 12/27/23
Get The Picture 
Woerner in the H back position is a good way to solve the backside pursuit problem.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wolf has done some good work there as well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love how Swift shifts that ball away from pursuing defenders just in case he gets hit from that side. Its the small things.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Even Landers on the backside holds his block for the entire play.
LikeLike
Not sure why – perhaps because they are smaller than their typical O counterparts or because many do a poor job of it – but seeing WRs blocking like this or downfield is my favorite thing to see from the offense. Now I know why Kirby puts such emphasis on it, in which he’ll bench a 5 star WR until he is motivated to block efficiently.
LikeLike
A wide receiver who won’t block is like a great shooter in basketball who won’t play defense or pass the ball.
LikeLike
Can someone explain why all the backfield defenders got sucked into the middle of the formation? The two in the back especially. They drifted toward the center of the field immediately and I cant see why they wouldn’t have seen Swift breaking to his left.
LikeLike
The easiest explanation may be that Murray State ain’t Bama. But Swift and the play design do a few subtle things to sell the run inside: Swift approaches the line vertically (notice how he stays on the hash) and throttles down as he gets the ball. When he turns outside, he moves much more quickly. Plus the TE backside block looks like a lead block or a trap block, both of which take advantage of run keys to suggest a run to the right.
LikeLike
From my seats, I saw the flow right and Swift cut back against the flow. It was a thing of beauty.
LikeLike
Because of the play design. Pickens going in motion draws the corner inside, then when the ball is snapped he is still flowing with Pickens in case it’s a play-action pass. The safety and outside linebacker get sucked in because everyone except the TE starts flowing right. By then, it’s too late. The safety actually reads the play and gets in the lane, but Swift’s move and then Pickens’ block take him out. Then it’s just Swift’s speed. Perfect design and execution.
LikeLike
*reply for 92 Dawg above
LikeLike
Thank you. It’s easy to see when you know what to look for.
LikeLike
As best as I can tell Pickens ends up blocking two different players on this run by Swift.
LikeLike
Murray State must have been in man coverage, because the CB (#14) followed Pickens all the way into the middle of the field. By the time he realized it was a running play, his whole side of the defense was left unoccupied. If they had been in zone and the safety (the one that Pickens ended up blocking) had switched onto coverage of Pickens, then the CB could have stayed wide and protected his side of the field.
LikeLike
If MSU were in zone, my guess is that Fromm would have checked down into another call.
LikeLike
You think Fromm would have liked his chances with Pickens down the seam 1 on 1 with a safety?
LikeLike