Here it goes. I enjoyed watching this game and although I was frustrated on Saturday night, doing this film analysis gave me a lot to look forward to. Overall a few things were telling with Mullen and how he is handling play calling as well as game management. I made a mental note while watching on Saturday but no timeouts were called to conclude the second quarter. Even after the penalty on Blades there was plenty of opportunity.
The playcalling on both sides of the ball was vanilla and it should be. Florida should be able to handle FAU without opening the playbook and they did. It’s not about saving things for trick plays in the future but rather it’s about gaining a schematic advantage against more talented teams, and we will need every advantage we can get. Mullen has an extensive repertoire and to have been in the SEC for so many years and still manage to field prolific offenses that can attack a team in multiple ways is indicative of his offensive genius. Trust me y’all, we have more to look forward to in the coming weeks. For example the TE shovel pass and variations on the speed option are coming. Gamble would make runs across and underneath the offensive line often on RPOs. I also noticed some two back sets with Lingard and Bowman with Bowman often motioning from the slot. I would expect something there against Bama. Finally, we did not use the run to set up the pass. A lot of pass plays were straight drop backs and did not involve play action nor RPO. Expect to see that on September 18th.
Offensive Observations
Got to give credit to the offensive line. They got push in the run game. I only saw one pressure that created a forced bad throw from Emory and that was Emory‘s last throw of the game, an incompletion to Shorter on a drag route on 3rd and 13 in the fourth quarter. The offensive line was engaged all night. They’re turning and sealing blockers and creating lanes. Big Reese was amazing last night especially when asked to pull. Delance held it down. I want y’all to go to the 2:25 mark of the first quarter and watch the block that Eguakan makes on that play five yards down field. We were normally whiffing on those types of blocks for the past few years but again, last night they were finding people in the opposite colored jerseys and doing their jobs.
Now I want to turn your attention to the 1st drive second play. It’s 2nd and 9. Whit runs an in route from the slot on which Emory was late and behind. I emphasize this play because it was clear that EJ tried to find Whit on similar routes throughout the game and was unsuccessful. But more importantly that’s the kind of play that changes how defenses play you. It’s not the explosive plays but those 8-12 yard gains that keep your backers from attacking the LOS and your safeties in the box thus opening the hashes for your receivers and slots to do work (just ask Clemson). With TE play being non-existent in the pass game this is something to watch for.
Now to the 2nd quarter where things started to break down a bit for EJ and also when Richardson first entered the game. It’s hard to judge Richardson in the run game but he did miss a few reads. Check the play at the 13:40 mark of the 2nd quarter. He should’ve went with the numbers advantage and handed the ball off to Wright on the mesh. It would’ve been a td. Instead he kept on the mesh even with the DE staying home. He gained 6 yards on that play off of his athleticism alone as he was able to beat the DE to the edge. Not so sure if that’s happening against Bama or UGA. Same on the play after; check the 13:12 mark of the second quarter. He kept the ball on a RPO in an 8 v 8 situation when the correct read there should’ve been the screen pass to Wells on the right hash. It was nearly the same play Wells scored on in the first quarter. Now on 2nd and goal from the 10, right after Shorter screen was brought back because his knee touched down, watch Emory just play the numbers game. Double tight to the left hash with an 8v6 advantage in the box. We ran it to the left hash for a big gain of 7. Here is where it fell apart thought. The 3rd and goal play from the 3 was a bad play call. FAU was reading run all day. I don’t put that on Emory, Davis nor the line. They rushed that play call. Instead get under center and run a bootleg play option giving your mobile qb a chance to get to the edge and either make an easier pass or run it in.
After rewatching the game, EJ looked worse on Saturday than he actually was because Richardson was simply electric. EJ seems to struggle with flood concepts that require hi-lo reads (see the first pick). Crossing concepts he is good with as they minimize the necessity for anticipation because receivers tend to stay open just a tad longer by design. See his first and only completion to Copeland on the deep in route. I’m not sure how comfortable he is throwing outside the hashes on hitches and curls. The play at the 3:14 mark of the 3rd quarter he missed Shorter who was open on a comeback outside of the left hash; instead he took the pass to Whit coming across the middle on a skinny post. Again, his pick at the end of the 3rd quarter came on a route outside the hash.
Overall Richardson demonstrated the poise that EJ lacked. That completion to Weston on 4th and 4 was an exemplar of his poise. But it was two plays before that that came on a bad snap where he kept calm and had the wherewithal to swing it backwards to Wells for a short gain. No panic. A lot of people are critiquing his accuracy but he would’ve had a td pass if it weren’t for a PI call and Frazier dropped a pass on that last drive.
Defensive Observations
Moon at LB is a win. Go back to his high school film and this is where he thrived. He was ranked as a 3-star only due to his weight. But as a LB Moon possesses good lateral movement and quickness. It’s just different when you don’t have someone in your chest off the snap; it’s also amazing to see how much our defensive players thrive when given the opportunity to play what comes natural to them. Go and watch that stop on 4th and 4 at the 7:21 mark of the second quarter. Moon shot the B gap, took on the pulling guard, and still made the tackle.
Subs: I like that our players get time but the mid drive rotations kill me especially at safety.
Something to watch for: After the LSU loss last year I brought attention to personnel combos at LB. IIRC a significant amount of LSU’s scoring came when Burney and Houston played together. Well I might be jumping the gun here but the Burney Diabate combo at LB will get us killed against better teams. See FAU’s last drive of the first quarter before Carter’s strip sack. This is on Burney in particular who looked more explosive but does a poor job of filling gaps and still gets lost in coverage when having to play from inside out. See 2nd and 8 from the Fau 4 at the 3:06 mark of the 2nd quarter. We are playing zone in the box which is obvious because the receiver motions from the hash into the formation but no one follows. Playaction draws Diabate in but he recovers and is playing just over the receiver who is running an in and out route. Fine. Bogle follows the FB out…great so far. Then why Burney decides to trail Bogle in coverage is beyond me; his assignment is to sit in that zone. It’s a pick 6 on that play if he does. Burney also gave up FAU’s longest play on that 38 yard pass across the middle of the zone in the fourth quarter.
I’ve said it before but I’m not a big fan of the 4-2-5. Take for example 3rd quarter with 2:26 on the clock. The slot motions from the left side of the formation across to the right. Miller, who is lined up over that slot doesn’t follow nor shift middle so as not to give away his assignment. Moon shifts out of the box which leaves the middle of the field wide open and FAU broke a long run. In a case like that I’m wondering if the safety should come down on that third receiver who motioned across the formation thus allowing the backers to maintain run integrity. This would put us in a single high look but prevent a big run which is what happened on that play.
Secondary: At this point I do not think that Tre’Vez should be starting. Consider this, he would be our 5th best corner and maybe our 3rd best safety and yet he is a starting DB. I’m not trying to pick on the guy but offenses do. He has flashes but is otherwise inconsistent. Look for Bama and UGA to attack Tre’Vez.
Otherwise our safety play was outstanding, especially Torrence and Dean. McDaniel also looked okay. Helm had a couple of plays where the receiver got a step or two behind him but played well other than that. He diagnoses plays really well in run support.
Standouts
The playcalling on both sides of the ball was vanilla and it should be. Florida should be able to handle FAU without opening the playbook and they did. It’s not about saving things for trick plays in the future but rather it’s about gaining a schematic advantage against more talented teams, and we will need every advantage we can get. Mullen has an extensive repertoire and to have been in the SEC for so many years and still manage to field prolific offenses that can attack a team in multiple ways is indicative of his offensive genius. Trust me y’all, we have more to look forward to in the coming weeks. For example the TE shovel pass and variations on the speed option are coming. Gamble would make runs across and underneath the offensive line often on RPOs. I also noticed some two back sets with Lingard and Bowman with Bowman often motioning from the slot. I would expect something there against Bama. Finally, we did not use the run to set up the pass. A lot of pass plays were straight drop backs and did not involve play action nor RPO. Expect to see that on September 18th.
Offensive Observations
Got to give credit to the offensive line. They got push in the run game. I only saw one pressure that created a forced bad throw from Emory and that was Emory‘s last throw of the game, an incompletion to Shorter on a drag route on 3rd and 13 in the fourth quarter. The offensive line was engaged all night. They’re turning and sealing blockers and creating lanes. Big Reese was amazing last night especially when asked to pull. Delance held it down. I want y’all to go to the 2:25 mark of the first quarter and watch the block that Eguakan makes on that play five yards down field. We were normally whiffing on those types of blocks for the past few years but again, last night they were finding people in the opposite colored jerseys and doing their jobs.
Now I want to turn your attention to the 1st drive second play. It’s 2nd and 9. Whit runs an in route from the slot on which Emory was late and behind. I emphasize this play because it was clear that EJ tried to find Whit on similar routes throughout the game and was unsuccessful. But more importantly that’s the kind of play that changes how defenses play you. It’s not the explosive plays but those 8-12 yard gains that keep your backers from attacking the LOS and your safeties in the box thus opening the hashes for your receivers and slots to do work (just ask Clemson). With TE play being non-existent in the pass game this is something to watch for.
Now to the 2nd quarter where things started to break down a bit for EJ and also when Richardson first entered the game. It’s hard to judge Richardson in the run game but he did miss a few reads. Check the play at the 13:40 mark of the 2nd quarter. He should’ve went with the numbers advantage and handed the ball off to Wright on the mesh. It would’ve been a td. Instead he kept on the mesh even with the DE staying home. He gained 6 yards on that play off of his athleticism alone as he was able to beat the DE to the edge. Not so sure if that’s happening against Bama or UGA. Same on the play after; check the 13:12 mark of the second quarter. He kept the ball on a RPO in an 8 v 8 situation when the correct read there should’ve been the screen pass to Wells on the right hash. It was nearly the same play Wells scored on in the first quarter. Now on 2nd and goal from the 10, right after Shorter screen was brought back because his knee touched down, watch Emory just play the numbers game. Double tight to the left hash with an 8v6 advantage in the box. We ran it to the left hash for a big gain of 7. Here is where it fell apart thought. The 3rd and goal play from the 3 was a bad play call. FAU was reading run all day. I don’t put that on Emory, Davis nor the line. They rushed that play call. Instead get under center and run a bootleg play option giving your mobile qb a chance to get to the edge and either make an easier pass or run it in.
After rewatching the game, EJ looked worse on Saturday than he actually was because Richardson was simply electric. EJ seems to struggle with flood concepts that require hi-lo reads (see the first pick). Crossing concepts he is good with as they minimize the necessity for anticipation because receivers tend to stay open just a tad longer by design. See his first and only completion to Copeland on the deep in route. I’m not sure how comfortable he is throwing outside the hashes on hitches and curls. The play at the 3:14 mark of the 3rd quarter he missed Shorter who was open on a comeback outside of the left hash; instead he took the pass to Whit coming across the middle on a skinny post. Again, his pick at the end of the 3rd quarter came on a route outside the hash.
Overall Richardson demonstrated the poise that EJ lacked. That completion to Weston on 4th and 4 was an exemplar of his poise. But it was two plays before that that came on a bad snap where he kept calm and had the wherewithal to swing it backwards to Wells for a short gain. No panic. A lot of people are critiquing his accuracy but he would’ve had a td pass if it weren’t for a PI call and Frazier dropped a pass on that last drive.
Defensive Observations
Moon at LB is a win. Go back to his high school film and this is where he thrived. He was ranked as a 3-star only due to his weight. But as a LB Moon possesses good lateral movement and quickness. It’s just different when you don’t have someone in your chest off the snap; it’s also amazing to see how much our defensive players thrive when given the opportunity to play what comes natural to them. Go and watch that stop on 4th and 4 at the 7:21 mark of the second quarter. Moon shot the B gap, took on the pulling guard, and still made the tackle.
Subs: I like that our players get time but the mid drive rotations kill me especially at safety.
Something to watch for: After the LSU loss last year I brought attention to personnel combos at LB. IIRC a significant amount of LSU’s scoring came when Burney and Houston played together. Well I might be jumping the gun here but the Burney Diabate combo at LB will get us killed against better teams. See FAU’s last drive of the first quarter before Carter’s strip sack. This is on Burney in particular who looked more explosive but does a poor job of filling gaps and still gets lost in coverage when having to play from inside out. See 2nd and 8 from the Fau 4 at the 3:06 mark of the 2nd quarter. We are playing zone in the box which is obvious because the receiver motions from the hash into the formation but no one follows. Playaction draws Diabate in but he recovers and is playing just over the receiver who is running an in and out route. Fine. Bogle follows the FB out…great so far. Then why Burney decides to trail Bogle in coverage is beyond me; his assignment is to sit in that zone. It’s a pick 6 on that play if he does. Burney also gave up FAU’s longest play on that 38 yard pass across the middle of the zone in the fourth quarter.
I’ve said it before but I’m not a big fan of the 4-2-5. Take for example 3rd quarter with 2:26 on the clock. The slot motions from the left side of the formation across to the right. Miller, who is lined up over that slot doesn’t follow nor shift middle so as not to give away his assignment. Moon shifts out of the box which leaves the middle of the field wide open and FAU broke a long run. In a case like that I’m wondering if the safety should come down on that third receiver who motioned across the formation thus allowing the backers to maintain run integrity. This would put us in a single high look but prevent a big run which is what happened on that play.
Secondary: At this point I do not think that Tre’Vez should be starting. Consider this, he would be our 5th best corner and maybe our 3rd best safety and yet he is a starting DB. I’m not trying to pick on the guy but offenses do. He has flashes but is otherwise inconsistent. Look for Bama and UGA to attack Tre’Vez.
Otherwise our safety play was outstanding, especially Torrence and Dean. McDaniel also looked okay. Helm had a couple of plays where the receiver got a step or two behind him but played well other than that. He diagnoses plays really well in run support.
Standouts
- Torrence (leader; might be one of the best players on defense. )
- Carter
- Moon
- Princely
- Valentino (freaking disruptive)
- Reese
- Davis
- Pierce
- Richardson
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