anatomy of a game winning drive

THOR · October 16, 2017

https://swcroundup.com/news/2017/10/15/film-study-anatomy-of-a-game-winning-drive?utm_content=bufferd118f&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

good read and descriptions of the drive from swc roundup

meaniegreenie · October 16, 2017

Dammit! I was just beginning to get settled down and now I'm all giddy again after watching that!

Also, that was my first chance to see the replay of the pass before the long gain. I wasn't sure how close it was to being caught. A lot further out that I has imagined.

akriesman · October 16, 2017

I know a lot of people, especially UTSA fans, are critical of the blitzing calls on that last drive. But, I think they were the right call. How many times do you see teams go into a prevent defense, only to be carved up by the QB because there is no pressure on him. This is especially true in college where a first down stops the clock. In fact, I think the 50 yard pass play happened when the D was in a prevent. 1 minute in college can seem like an eternity when you are trying to protect a lead (but having to go 98 yards in that time is pretty crazy).

The UTSA D brought the pressure and got the results they were looking for. Sometimes, you just have to give credit to the QB (Fine) for making the plays. Heck, there are QB's in the NFL that don't make those quick reads/releases.

Just an amazing job by Fine and the WR's, more than it was a break down by the UTSA D. UTSA's D played things perfectly IMO except for 2 big mistakes:

1) Letting Lawrence come down with that long pass when he was in tight coverage.

2) The UTSA player taking a bad angle and letting Bussey get to the outside on the game winning pass.

UNTLifer · October 16, 2017

27 minutes ago, akriesman said:

I know a lot of people, especially UTSA fans, are critical of the blitzing calls on that last drive. But, I think they were the right call. How many times do you see teams go into a prevent defense, only to be carved up by the QB because there is no pressure on him. This is especially true in college where a first down stops the clock. In fact, I think the 50 yard pass play happened when the D was in a prevent. 1 minute in college can seem like an eternity when you are trying to protect a lead (but having to go 98 yards in that time is pretty crazy).

The UTSA D brought the pressure and got the results they were looking for. Sometimes, you just have to give credit to the QB (Fine) for making the plays. Heck, there are QB's in the NFL that don't make those quick reads/releases.

Just an amazing job by Fine and the WR's, more than it was a break down by the UTSA D. UTSA's D played things perfectly IMO except for 2 big mistakes:

1) Letting Lawrence come down with that long pass when he was in tight coverage.

2) The UTSA player taking a bad angle and letting Bussey get to the outside on the game winning pass.

This.

I would add that I was surprised UTSA blitzed with their safeties/D-backs. That left a lot of open space.

Then again, Fine made a hell of a throw not many would make in that situation. I probably would have crapped myself, thrown the ball in the ground and curled up in the fetal position.

NorthTexan95 · October 16, 2017

53 minutes ago, akriesman said:

I know a lot of people, especially UTSA fans, are critical of the blitzing calls on that last drive. But, I think they were the right call. How many times do you see teams go into a prevent defense, only to be carved up by the QB because there is no pressure on him. This is especially true in college where a first down stops the clock. In fact, I think the 50 yard pass play happened when the D was in a prevent. 1 minute in college can seem like an eternity when you are trying to protect a lead (but having to go 98 yards in that time is pretty crazy).

The UTSA D brought the pressure and got the results they were looking for. Sometimes, you just have to give credit to the QB (Fine) for making the plays. Heck, there are QB's in the NFL that don't make those quick reads/releases.

Just an amazing job by Fine and the WR's, more than it was a break down by the UTSA D. UTSA's D played things perfectly IMO except for 2 big mistakes:

1) Letting Lawrence come down with that long pass when he was in tight coverage.

2) The UTSA player taking a bad angle and letting Bussey get to the outside on the game winning pass.

My counter would be that they were already getting pressure with their 4 and five man blitzes. I'm sure they figured a little sophomore quarterback won't be able to react quick enough.

Btw ... that was a great article.

One other note: twice on back to back plays UTSA blitzed the middle backer and dropped the right defensive end. On both plays they got good presser Fine on their left forcing Fine to roll to his left. I'm sure they wanted to control which direction Fine scrambled. The negative is that defensive end did nothing to help the coverage but the extra space created by his dropping gave FIne the time needed to hit the big play down to the 30.

greenjoe · October 16, 2017

First, why when the entire UTSA student body is coming is it called a "zero blitz ?"

Second, could someone post "the drive" in real time ?

What a great game.

GO MEA GREEN

golfingomez · October 16, 2017

zero blitz refers to safety help... there is nobody in the man-to-man coverage to help out, especially safety help deep. so you are blitzing from a 'Cover Zero' scenario

could be a little different here if you consider that the DT stepped back into coverage, but if you are considering man-to-man coverage, he was probably assigned RB Wilson as his cover.

Edited October 16, 2017 by golfingomez

aztecskin · October 16, 2017

1 hour ago, akriesman said:

I know a lot of people, especially UTSA fans, are critical of the blitzing calls on that last drive. But, I think they were the right call. How many times do you see teams go into a prevent defense, only to be carved up by the QB because there is no pressure on him. This is especially true in college where a first down stops the clock. In fact, I think the 50 yard pass play happened when the D was in a prevent. 1 minute in college can seem like an eternity when you are trying to protect a lead (but having to go 98 yards in that time is pretty crazy).

The UTSA D brought the pressure and got the results they were looking for. Sometimes, you just have to give credit to the QB (Fine) for making the plays. Heck, there are QB's in the NFL that don't make those quick reads/releases.

Just an amazing job by Fine and the WR's, more than it was a break down by the UTSA D. UTSA's D played things perfectly IMO except for 2 big mistakes:

1) Letting Lawrence come down with that long pass when he was in tight coverage.

2) The UTSA player taking a bad angle and letting Bussey get to the outside on the game winning pass.

yeah UTSA had allowed something like 70 yards on 4 plays with their prevent defense. They figured 'okay, lets send the house (had been successful) since we do not need to worry (so much) about Guyton going over the top. Also the change of pace should bring some success'.

All in all, Fine just made a play. Can't be mad at that if you are UTSA I guess. I would be much more angry at the Jupe kid (DB #2) for missing a sure interception.

NorthTexan95 · October 16, 2017

Just now, golfingomez said:

zero blitz refers to safety help... there is nobody in the man-to-man coverage to help out, especially safety help deep.

Yep. It goes with other coverage terminology. Cover 1 has one safety deep, Cover 2 has two safeties deep, Cover 3 has three safeties deep. Cover 0 is no safeties deep .

greenminer · October 16, 2017

So many incredible things went our way, and so many things went wrong for UTSA.

You could make a case that this drive is more remarkable than the Stand against Rice.

I also speculate (not knowing much about other CUSA games) that this was the most pivotal and remarkable drive of the season for the entire conference.

Lastly, I have to disagree with any sentiment suggesting Lawrence got away with offensive interference. I've seen every video replay out there. I just don't see it. I see #2 attempted to make a play on the ball, and mis-timed his jump.

UNT 90 Grad · October 16, 2017

2 hours ago, UNTLifer said:

Then again, Fine made a hell of a throw not many would make in that situation. I probably would have crapped myself, thrown the ball in the ground and curled up in the fetal position.

golfingomez · October 16, 2017

1 hour ago, greenminer said:

So many incredible things went our way, and so many things went wrong for UTSA.

You could make a case that this drive is more remarkable than the Stand against Rice.

I also speculate (not knowing much about other CUSA games) that this was the most pivotal and remarkable drive of the season for the entire conference.

Lastly, I have to disagree with any sentiment suggesting Lawrence got away with offensive interference. I've seen every video replay out there. I just don't see it. I see #2 attempted to make a play on the ball, and mis-timed his jump.

also... if #2 got pushed, he definitely wouldn't have just put his head down and ran to get ready for the next play... he does not look for a flag or even plead his case to the ref

MeanGreenTexan · October 16, 2017

21 minutes ago, golfingomez said:

also... if #2 got pushed, he definitely wouldn't have just put his head down and ran to get ready for the next play... he does not look for a flag or even plead his case to the ref

This is what makes me think there was no PI.

In that kind of clutch situation, he would have been jumping up and down screaming/pleading with the ref.

Cerebus · October 16, 2017

golfingomez · October 16, 2017

3 minutes ago, Cerebus said:

NEED THIS AS A BACKGROUND FOR MY DESKTOP!!!

MeanGreenTexan · October 16, 2017

raw

rws69 · October 16, 2017

On the previous series, when NT turned over the ball on downs, UTSA called a timeout before either third or fourth down to reset their defense. Our offense was in no hurry, possibly thinking it needed to score and leave no time for UTSA. Looking back, that time out by UTSA was huge.

MeanGreenTexan · October 16, 2017

10 minutes ago, rws69 said:

On the previous series, when NT turned over the ball on downs, UTSA called a timeout before either third or fourth down to reset their defense. Our offense was in no hurry, possibly thinking it needed to score and leave no time for UTSA. Looking back, that time out by UTSA was huge.

That was the 2nd or 3rd down play before our awful, awful 4th down attempt.
IIRC, the Mean Green lined up in a trips bunch, and UTSA didn't like that look. So they took that TO. It wound up working for them, as they held the Mean Green there.

You're right though, yet another contributor to The Drive.