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Remove The Beer Goggles (A Sober Look at Terrelle Pryor)

0 Comments read Players, Quarterback

I’m going to give you a ton of analysis on Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor. But if you subscribe to the “Keep It Simple Stupid,” approach, here’s an executive summary:

All NFL prospects have physical talent. All NFL starters have technical skill. However, few NFL prospects in a given year become NFL starters because they don’t develop the techniques to play the position beyond the college level.  The problem this presents to NFL personnel staff is that they have to project a player’s potential and physical talent. It is a significant part of that equation. As we have seen year after year, physical talent can be intoxicating if taken in large doses. And if you’ve ever been drunk, you understand how your judgment deteriorates.

Here’s a visual summary of what could happen to an NFL personnel staff as they view Pryor’s physical skills over time.

Terrelle Pryor as seen by NFL in 2010 (photo courtesy of Scott Stuart)
Terrelle Pryor seen by some optimistic NFL GMs and owners in early 2011 (photo courtesy of Sabot Images)
Terrelle Pryor as seen by QB-needy NFL team in July 2011 (photo courtesy of Andrew Morrell Photography)
It all boils down to this phenomenon.

Physically, Terrelle Pryor has the tools to become a phenomenal NFL quarterback. But I took a hard look at his game for the 2011 Rookie Scouting Portfolio just in case he declared for the 2011 NFL Draft. The analysis ahead is what would have been included in the 2012 Rookie Scouting Portfolio if Pryor played for Ohio State through his senior year. It is my take on Pryor’s performance against Wisconsin on October 16, 2010.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/WtBRDMzkQi0]

Statistically, Pryor was 14-28, for 156 yards with no touchdowns and 1 interception through the air. On the ground he rushed for 56 yards on 18 attempts. He was sacked twice and fumbled the ball once. His receivers dropped one pass. Wisconsin won this game 31-18 in Madison. My overall score for Pryor in this game was a 40 on a 100-point scale. This equates to a street free agent who would benefit from playing in another league before trying to enter the NFL.

I’ll begin with overall strengths and weaknesses and the rest will be a more thorough breakdown:

Strengths:

Pryor has all of the physical tools to become a dominant NFL quarterback.  He is also improving with his passing mechanics. When he’s focused and in rhythm, he can throw accurate passes with decent form. However, his improvement still remains in the basic stages of development. He is still far from consistent with his mechanics. His greatest strengths are his size, speed, and vision as a runner. He is excellent at avoiding pursuit in the pocket or as a runner in the open field. He’s big enough to run through arm tackles or hits and he has the agility to make sharp cuts and dips. If he learns how to refine his conceptual and mechanical technique as a passer he could develop into a great prospect. Right now he’s a dynamic athlete with a strong arm rather than a dynamic passer.

Weaknesses:

As good as he is at making defenders miss and buying time behind the line of scrimmage, Pryor lacks the ability to manipulate the pocket with tight movements. His tendency to scramble from one side of the field to the other actually creates more pressure and forces Pryor to either tuck and run, make quick throws into coverage that aren’t wise, or continue scrambling. Most of the time his choices heighten the risk of a sack, tire him out, and increase his chances of getting hit. This is far more evident against top competition and will only become a greater problem in the NFL if he doesn’t learn how to work the pocket more efficiently.

Pryor routinely throws the ball across his body, especially when flushed from the pocket. His passes tend to sink on him because he will over stride into this release. Right now he is not NFL-ready. He will need a simplified game plan with talented players around him to have initial success as a pro quarterback, and that will only come after he develops his footwork. If he can develop better footwork and learn to maneuver the pocket, he could become a much more accurate passer. Then Pryor might have a shot to learn the conceptual part of the game and develop better judgment as a field general.

Right now, he’s a long-term project, at best. He’ll need to exhibit a fantastic work ethic and vastly improved maturity to stick with a team long enough to earn long-term consideration as said project.

Accuracy: 2pts out of a possible 23pts.

  • High completion rate (>60%) – 5pts: No
  • Deep Accuracy – 2pts: No
  • Intermediate Accuracy – 7pts: No
  • Short Accuracy – 5pts: No
  • Accuracy moving right – 2pts: Yes
  • Accuracy moving left – 2pts: No

Analysis: 

Pryor’s first attempt came on OSU’s opening offensive play from a 1×2 spread set with backs flanking each side of him in the shotgun. His primary target was DeVier Posey on a 12-yard in-cut. Pryor started down his target from the snap to his release, delivering the ball on-target for the first down and a total gain of 14 yards. On the play, Pryor demonstrated a quick release with his delivery and the ball landed in the receiver’s midsection in stride. This pass demonstrates there is potential for Pryor to become a solid thrower of the football in the intermediate range of the field.

However, Pryor’s timing on a 7-yard curl on 2nd and 7 with 8:57 in the first quarter was off. His pass arrived after the receiver made his break, which allowed the defensive back to jump the route and nearly intercept it. Pryor also stared down this primary receiver from snap to release and if he’s going to make this a habit, he needs to exhibit better anticipation on these timing routes. If an NFL quarterback stares down a receiver, he’s only going to be successful if the play is a quick-hitting pass or his accuracy and anticipation are pinpoint.

On a 1st and 10 throw from the opposite hash with 8:36 in the first quarter, the ball seemed to come off Pryor’s hand poorly.  The ball was low, short and did not come off his hand with velocity. His target Posey had less of a chance to catch the pass than the zone linebacker, who nearly got a hand on the ball.

On the next play, Pryor threw the ball about four yards behind Posey on a designed throwback after rolling left. Posey ran a crossing route and was targeted in the middle of the field. The play was obviously designed for the opposing defense to chase Pryor and abandon their position so Pryor could use his athleticism to create an opening in the secondary and hit Posey on an easy pass. This is the kind of throw Pryor will have to make in the NFL with some level of accuracy if an NFL team is going to use his athleticism to beat defenses.

On a screen pass to RB Dan Herron on 1st and 10 with 11:46 in the half, Pryor exhibited some touch on the pass, but he nearly placed too much arc on the ball it was a rainbow-like throw. In the NFL, this kind of lollypop thrown with fast, instinctive, and smart defenders, could result in an interception or Pryor’s RB getting creamed. The raw potential to develop touch is there for Pryor, but at this stage of his development he should already be better with touch passes than he is.

Although he was not accurate earlier on a designed roll to the left, he was much better on a designed roll to the right. He rolled right, dropped three steps after the roll, planted his back foot, and completed a 24-yard corner route to his receiver Dane Sanzenbacher. Pryor exhibited good timing with his release if he can develop this kind of crisp execution with all of his throws, he’ll become an NFL quarterback. However this is the best throw I saw after five attempts.

Pryor followed up with good accuracy on another designed boot; throwing on the run while rolling right. He hit is WR Sanzenbacher for a 20-yard completion on a crossing route near the sideline with 2:36 in the third quarter.This and the corner route will be the types of throws on the move that will keep some NFL teams interested in his potential to develop into an accurate passer. The big “if,” will be how hard Pryor will work to attain that technical proficiency.

Once again, we see that Pryor is an effective thrower of the ball when moving to his right on a two-point conversion that cut the lead to 21-18 in the early fourth quarter. This is the third nice pass he threw moving to his right. This time Pryor exhibited good touch on a play action roll right and throw back to the left, hitting his tight end in the front corner of the end zone for the two-point conversion.

However, it became clear in this game that Pryor was not proficient throwing while on the move to his left on 1st and 10 with 6:47 left in the game. On a designed boot left, he overshot his RB on a drag route, hurrying the throw due to pressure coming near him. Pryor’s feet weren’t in sync with his release. The feet and the arm have to work in harmony in order to develop sound and accurate mechanics. Pryor will need to do a lot of drills to develop this kind of footwork and mechanics. Right now, it’s not second-nature to him. Otherwise, his footwork would have been smooth in this fourth-quarter pressure situation. The media likes to talk about heart, guts, and other intangibles that make players winners. These are real things, but good technique is the foundation for a player to exhibit the qualities that inspire and endure.

Another mechanical problem showed up on the next play. Pryor’s stride was too wide on a pass to his receiver at the first down marker in the left flat. This caused the ball to sink too low for a reception. On third down of the same series, Pryor’s throw was slightly better, but still too low on a designed roll left that finished with a short drop and throw. Pryor then under threw another pass to Posey with 3:03 in the game – a deep in-cut. On 4th and 3 he under threw Posey on a short curl at the sideline, but his receiver made a nice catch. This series of poor throws should be an indication to NFL personnel staff that they won’t be able to use Pryor’s athleticism until he develops more consistent footwork on the move – even with plays where they cut off half the field by moving him to one side.

However, Pryor has moments that will potentially intoxicate some NFL personnel. One of them came with 1:48 left in the game on the play after he took a sack: a 26-yard completion of a deep in-cut. This was Pryor’s best pass of the night, hitting his receiver Sanzenbacher under the safety and in stride. An overzealous evaluator could take a snapshot of this play and proclaim Pryor as a prospect with potential to make big plays in big moments after dealing with adversity.

A counterargument would be that this was a play where his receiver was wide open and a lot of time to deliver the ball. It was clear in this game when Pryor had time, was moving to his right, or standing in the pocket, and his receiver was wide open, his accuracy is good. Give these conditions to 95 percent of the major college QBs, and you’ll see accuracy as well.

Pryor’s final throw was an under thrown pass in the middle of the field that the undercutting defender intercepted. Pryor had time to throw, but did not put enough on the ball. He had this problem all night. He didn’t step into this throw and it needed that kind of velocity to get 25 yards down field. It was short by five yards.

Arm Strength: 11 points out of a possible 11 points.

  • Deep velocity – 2pts: Yes
  • Deep distance (>40 yards) – 2pts: Yes
  • Intermediate velocity – 5pts: Yes
  • Velocity on the move -2pts: Yes

Analysis: 

Pryor’s first pass, the 12-yard completion of a square-in that resulted in a 14-yard gain, showed good velocity. On 2nd and 9 with 12:22 in the half, Pryor demonstrated good arm strength on a deep streak down the left sideline. He threw the ball 50 yards from the opposite hash and the pass arrived on target. However, the defender had the best position on the ball, nearly intercepting it.This was more about Pryor’s decision-making than his arm strength. A 50-yard throw from the opposite hash that arrives on-target is a sign of great physical potential to pay the quarterback position in the NFL. However, you need to know when to make that throw and that comes with excellent presnap understanding of the defense and the ability to disguise your intentions. Drew Brees doesn’t have Pryor’s arm, but he could make that throw successfully as well as other deep passes far more often because he understands when and when not to try it.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/XLRBiQ7kdzg]

Pryor demonstrated nice zip on a 1st and 10 curl route for 12 yards in the right flat to Posey with 3:04 in the third quarter. Although the velocity was good, the lack of good mechanics with his feet caused the ball to be low, forcing the receiver to dive for the ball.  There was a lot of open space for the receiver to run after the catch if the accuracy were better.

Later, Pryor vastly over threw a deep streak to Posey, delivering the ball on a line drive that covered 55 yards in the air, falling five yards out of the end zone.

There’s not much that needs to be said about Pryor’s arm strength. It’s pro caliber. He can throw from the opposite hash, he can throw the ball with velocity in the intermediate range, and he can throw for distance. However, his arm strength won’t show up in a positive way if he can’t develop consistently sound mechanics with his feet. Passes will continue to be off-target in every conceivable way (late, long, short, low, etc.) until he has control of his frame as he releases the ball.

Delivery: 6 points out of a possible 16 points.

  • Delivers from a variety of platforms – 2pts: No
  • Catchable ball (touch, spirals, etc.) – 4pts: No
  • Quick release – 4pts: Yes
  • Compact delivery – 4pts: No
  • Good drop depth – 2pts: Yes

Analysis:

Pryor’s first attempt on the opening offensive play, the 12-yard in-cut, was an on-target delivery. He demonstrated a quick release that was over the top. His feet seemed well spaced as he threw the ball. On a pass to the FB in the flat with 13:48 in the first quarter, he did a nice job with his five-step drop, getting good depth. Again, his release was quick. The feet could be a little closer together, but on these passes his footwork was passable.

Although Pryor delivers some of his passes with good velocity and a quick, over the top release, the quality of his passes are wobbly and they lack that fine touch to drop between defenders. His timing and accuracy are inconsistent because he consistently doesn’t throw a tight spiral and his passes tend to wobble. I think this has to do with his footwork. He sets his feet reasonably well, but he tends to over stride during his release. When moving to his right, Pryor does a much better= job of keeping his feet under him than when he’s moving to his left. However as mentioned earlier with his accuracy, Pryor’s footwork fell apart in the fourth quarter and the quality of his passes followed. I would probably be too generous with awarding Pryor a positive score for a compact delivery, because he has a tendency to over stride.

Pryor’s footwork in the pocket is still in its development stages as a passer. He appears stiff with his drops or any attempt to slide and still maintain a good throwing stance as the pocket constricts. If he wants to play in the NFL, he won’t have nearly as many picture perfect pockets to operate from and he’ll need to have great footwork ingrained into him before he gets under center.

Decisions: 0 points out of a possible 14 points.

  • Avoids locking onto one receiver – 3pts: No
  • Plays with controlled aggression – 2pts: No
  • Manipulates defense with eyes – 2pts: No
  • Makes effective presnap reads – 2pts: No
  • Throws ball away to avoid sacks – 3pts: No
  • Checks down judiciously – 2pts: No

Analysis:

On a 2nd and 22 play action pass from the I formation with 13:49 in the first quarter, Pryor lacked patience in the pocket and the result was a check-down at inopportune time. He dropped five steps from center, looked down the middle of the field ,and then rushed a throw to his FB in the flat who was covered tightly at the line of scrimmage. As soon as the FB made the reception, the defender dropped him. There was as WR running a shallow cross who was open at the opposite hash and if Pryor waited just a beat longer, he could have completed a pass to a teammate with room to run.

There were several things Pryor lacked on this play:

  1. The ability to look at multiple receivers (locking onto one receiver).
  2. The conceptual understanding that dumping a 2nd and 22 pass to a tightly covered fullback was not much better than taking a sack and probably not as good as throwing the ball away (controlled aggression and checking down).
  3. The ability to move know that the WR was running open on the cross and use his initial lock-down of the fullback to his advantage (manipulating with his eyes).

Pryor is already operating a basic college offense. The fact that he’s making questionable decisions in it doesn’t bode well for the NFL.

On the next play, a 3rd and 21 with 13:01 in the first quarter, Pryor was too hesitant with his down field options and then forced a throw into tight coverage that was nearly intercepted. Pryor initially dropped from shotgun and looked down field to his right before turning back to the left. Hew waited too long, double-clutching the ball until he tried to force the ball to his WR Sanzenbacker on a corner route. If he throws the ball earlier, the receiver wouldn’t have been forced to fight for the ball between two defenders. Instead, Pryor’s lack of anticipation allowed the safety to come over the top and catch the ball. Fortunately for OSU, the Wisconsin safety landed out of bounds.

Once again, Pryor demonstrated a lack of patience on a 2nd and 10 crossing route with 8:30 in the first quarter. The play began with a designed roll to the left and ended with a throwback to DeVier Posey. Pryor threw the ball about four yards behind his receiver, who was in the middle of the field on his cross. If Pryor waited for Posey to clear the next window to the flat, he could have had an easier throw to a wide open player rather than attempting a throw across his body.

Pryor had two receivers running crosses of different depths on 2nd and 9 with 3:41 in the half and he once again made the wrong decision. The quarterback stared down the shallow cross to Posey, leading the receiver into the linebacker. However, he didn’t see that his receiver Sanzenbacher was open on a deeper cross 15 yards down field.

Pryor made another poor decision to throw the ball across the field after getting flushed to his right. He the ball across the field to the opposite hash to his receiver Brandon Saine with 4:00 in the game. The pass was nearly picked off as two defenders were able to cut off the receiver on the play.

The only patience I saw from Pryor in this game came as a runner on a play around right end for an eight-yard gain behind his pulling lineman with 6:28 in the third quarter. He’s going to be woefully predictable as an NFL quarterback if he doesn’t improve his ability to read the field and make quick, aggressive vertical throws. Based on the plays that have transpired thus far in this ball game, including the corner route he released late into double coverage that was intercepted, it’s very clear that he hesitates to pull the trigger on these plays when he first sees, if he sees them at all.

Ball Handling: 5 points out of a possible 8 points.

  • Play fakes – 1pt: No
  • Center exchange – 2pts: Yes
  • Pump fakes – 1pt: Yes
  • Ball security while running – 1 pt: No
  • Maintains ball security when hit – 2pts: Yes

Analysis:

Pryor attempted an option pitch on a pistol formation run heading to left end, but he bounced the football off the fingertips of his tailback for a loss of 12 yards. On a 1st and 10 run of 22 yards with 9:50 in the first quarter, Pryor switched the ball to his left arm once he cut to the sideline. Good awareness of how to protect the ball.

On a 3rd and 10 with 8:26 in the first quarter, Pryor used a decent shoulder fake before climbing the pocket and delivering a pass over the middle to his receiver just inches shy of the first down marker. Although the replay booth overruled the completion, the shoulder fake was a nice move to set up the throw. If he can develop more consistent footwork and patience to go with this type of fake, he’ll look more like a veteran player.

There were moments during Pryor’s 17-yard scramble with 12:18 in the half that he held the ball low while in the pocket. With defenders around him, Pryor needs to stop carrying the ball like a loaf of bread with his non-sideline arm, especially as he approaches the sideline with defenders in pursuit and close the ball. He may have a big hand, but carrying the football this way is dangerous. He cost his team possessions in the NFL if he doesn’t fix it.

Pocket Presence: 5 points out of a possible 18 points.

  • Climbs pocket effectively – 5pts: No
  • Willing to take a hit to deliver the ball – 2pts: No
  • Senses pass rush – 5pts: Yes
  • Manages outside pressure – 3pts: No
  • Managers pressure up the middle – 3pts: No

Analysis:

Pryor’s footwork in the pocket is still in its development stages as a passer. He appears stiff with his drops or any attempt to slide and still maintain a good throwing stance as the pocket constricts. In fact, he really doesn’t slide as much as he bursts a few steps, makes a halting stop, and then tries to throw. This hampers his accuracy. Pryor needs to learn to climb the pocket with better footwork that doesn’t consist of  running and stopping.

Pryor showed this exact issue on a 3rd and 10 pass over the middle with 7:30 in the first quarter. It took a near-amazing catch attempt to even get the replay booth to examine if the result was a completion.

Pryor gained 17 yards on a 3rd and 9 passing play with 12:17 in the half when he dropped back, felt the pocket begin to constrict, and took off to the left flat. He broke a tackle attempt by the DE off the left edge and quickly getting to the left sideline, eluded a cornerback at the sideline with a nice little dip away from the defender, and then tight-roped the boundary. Although a nice play, a better pocket quarterback climbs this pocket and finds a receiver down field with the amount of room that was available to Pryor. Unfortunately,  the first thing Pryor did to react to the pressure was drop his eyes from his receivers and look for place to run.

This is very Atlanta Falcons-era-Michael Vick, and will inhibit his ability to operate from the pocket if he doesn’t work to improve it.

Pryor got tripped up by the right DE coming clean around the edge on 3rd and 9 with 3:38 in the half. Pryor felt the pressure and tried to climb the pocket a step, but he did not climb far enough. This is another example that Pryor’s feel for pressure is not refined.

On 3rd and 8 from a 2×2 shotgun formation with his RB flanking his right, Pryor dropped against Wisconsin’s four-man front and scanned down field with four yards of space between him and the closest offensive linemen blocking a defensive lineman. As another second passed, the left defensive end got up field but was still well contained by the left tackle and Pryor could have climbed this deep pocket to either make a throw, throw the ball away, or break the pocket through a nice gap to the left flat. Instead, Pryor rolled right and nullified his offensive lineman’s work. His poor choice freed the three Wisconsin defensive linemen getting blocked on the right side to release and chase.

This was particularly helpful to RDE J.J. Watt, who was double-teamed until Pryor’s poor decision in the pocket gave the DE optimal position to release and use his speed to beat the offensive linemen around the corner. Pryor had to then reverse his field to the left to avoid Watt, but this opened the lane for two more defenders and forced the QB to throw the ball across his body. Fortunately for Pryor, all of this worked. His WR Sanzenbacher had worked back to the middle of the field from a deep seem route up the right hash, giving the QB a target to hit 14 yards down field.

While I liked Pryor’s composure to find the receiver, he created a lot this pressure himself. More times than not, his lack of ability to manipulate the pocket with tight movements will hurt him in the NFL.

Another example of Pryor’s reckless play in the pocket came on 3rd and 6 with 0:54 in the third quarter. Pryor lines up in the shotgun in a 2×2 receiver look with his back flanking him to the right against a four-man defensive front with the linebackers set deep. He drops from his snap looking right, feels the pressure up the middle and climbs the pocket to the right, just past this oncoming DT.

Pryor correctly anticipates that the RDE getting blocked by the RT will slide off the assignment inside and sack him. What Pryor does to avoid this is truly amazing, but hard for me to imagine he could do again: he suddenly changes direction with a dip inside the DE and ducks under his right tackle so close that you can’t see space between them as he goes by. Pryor then comes out the other side, runs to his right, looks down field with the DE redirecting his pursuit, and throws a looping jump pass across his body towards the middle of the field. The pass covers nine yards and his receiver Sanzenbacher makes a leaping grab in front of coverage for the first down. While I have doubts he’ll be able to execute in the NFL if he continues these tendencies, I’ll stay open to the possibility if he can develop better conceptual skills to diagnose defensive tendencies and vastly improved footwork to become more consistently accurate.

Pryor was sacked second time with 2:10 left in the game when he tried to slide back and to the left of the RDE. Moving backwards is a common tendency for athletic quarterbacks in college football. Tim Tebow. Mike Vick. Donovan McNabb. Vince Young. All guilty. The key is to learn to step into the pocket. If he learns to do this, he’ll be in a much better position to prevent negative plays as an NFL quarterback.

Scrambling: 5 points out of a possible 5 points.

  • Positive yardage when breaking the pocket – 2pts: Yes
  • Positive yardage when pocket collapses – 1pt: Yes
  • Capable of big gains as a runner – 2pts: Yes

Analysis:

The Buckeyes have a designed run for Pryor where he’s in the shotgun. They flank a back to Pryor’s left and use an unbalanced line to the left with a tight end, a wing back, and a receiver all bunched to that side. At the snap, the tailback and the entire offensive line slant right while the quarterback follows his wing back and receiver into the flat on the left. The play looks a lot like a quick WR screen by the time Pyror begins to turn the corner.

Pryor got a huge area off the left flat to run, gaining 10 yards before he even had to use a blocker, much less change direction. He was quick enough to dip outside the block and eliminate the angle of a corner that broke down too soon, getting to the sideline for a 22-yard gain.

When Pryor scrambles, he runs a lot like Daunte Culpepper or Ben Roethlisberger early in their careers. He broke the pocket on a 3rd and 7 with 8:55 in the first quarter once he saw the linebackers drop deep, showing good acceleration as he weaved through the flat. He finished the run by lowering his shoulder into safety at the marker and then ran over the defender for the first down.

Pryor gained 17 yards on a 3rd and 9 passing play with 12:17 in the half when he dropped back, felt the pocket begin to constrict, and took off for the left flat. He broke a tackle attempt by the DE off the left edge and quickly got to the left sideline. He then eluded a cornerback at the sideline with a nice little dip away from the defender and then tight-roped the boundary for the rest of the yardage.

He took an option read around right end, dipping away from one defender and using a stiff arm to push the other to the ground, but he was tripped up by that player, limiting his gain to five yards despite a lot of open space in the flat ahead of him.

Pryor is still a better runner than he his a passer at this stage of his career. On a designed keeper off right guard with 10:50 in the third quarter, he burst through the hole, veered to the right flat, and then slowed down and spun away from a defender reaching for him to get another 3-4 yards on a 13-yard gain and a first down, putting OSU in the red zone.

As we have seen with Ben Roethlisberger, Vince Young, Daunte Culpepper, Donovan McNabb, and Steve McNair, quarterbacks that run the ball a lot eventually wear down and get hurt. Either they become better pocket passers deliver production with greater efficiency and economy or they tend to fall apart and lose the athleticism that earned them an opportunity. Pryor may be able to make winning plays outside the pocket in certain situations, but in order to get to those situations he’ll need to produce inside the pocket on a consistent basis.

Grinding Tape Part III – NIU RB Chad Spann

0 Comments read Players, Running Back

In Part I of the Grinding Tape Series, Mid American Conference MVP Chad Spann explained the concepts behind plays that require a running back to understand blocking schemes, defensive tendencies, and reading keys.

In Part II, he revealed how quickly a runner needs to be able to process information to choose a hole, ball security protocol, and the importance of minimizing surface area to become a strong, after-contact runner.

This week, Spann discusses the difference in a runner’s pre-snap location in very similar-looking shotgun sets with very different blocking schemes, and what a back is looking at to determine the path of his run.

1st and 10, 10:00 1st QTR

Waldman: You do a nice job bouncing this run outside. You take the play behind your fullback’s lead block and get the left corner for a six-yard gain. Take us through the design and execution of this running play.

Spann: This play is once again our inside zone. The fullback is lining up on the right side, but this is not the way we normally run it. Our fullback is normally going to line up either back side or he’s going to start on the front side and come back to the backside when the ball is snapped. Every time, he’s going to cut this defensive end, which is going to give me a start at a cut back if there is one.

Waldman: This time he motions from the slot to a split position over the tight right tackle and tight end.

Pre snap look of inside zone play.

Waldman: As with the running plays we’ve looked at earlier in the game,  is the A-gap/one-technique DL the primary key for the blocking scheme?

Spann: Yes. On this particular play we’re going to double team again like we always do against that A-Gap player, the one-technique. That A-gap player is going to be double-teamed by the center and guard. Whoever had leverage is going to take over the block by himself and whoever can get free is going to come up and get the MIKE linebacker (No.32). The front side tackle has the defensive end and the tight end is going to take the stand up linebacker, which is the SAM (labeled as the OLB below).

Post snap blocking on inside zone.

Waldman: On this play the one-technique gets occupied rather quickly by the center, which allows the right guard to get into the defensive backfield and get his hands on the MIKE LB (No.32). What is the strategy for the DL lined up over the left guard – the three-technique?

Spann: That  guard and tackle on the backside are going against the three-technique and they double team him to the WILL linebacker (No.42). If the three-technique tries to cross the face of the guard, the backside tackle is going to come up and get No.42 and the fullback is going to come back and cut the defensive end to give me a lane. That’s not how we plan for it to happen, but that’s a possibility.

Waldman: So what is the primary hole for you on this play?

Spann: It is a B-gap play, which means we want it to hit the front side B-gap. We want the center and guard to mash that A-gap player down and have the center take over the block and the guard get up to the MIKE linebacker. And that’s where the hole should be (over right guard). That’s not always where it goes, because one thing that can kill zone plays is penetration and that’s what Toledo is trying to do – get gap penetration – and they did.

Toledo gets good gap penetration over center and right guard, which forces cutback.

Spann:  Their penetration jams up my holes a little bit and forces me to make this cutback, which normally I’ll get in trouble for making this big of a cutback…

Waldman: But you do a nice job of it (laughter). . .

Spann: . . . Yeah, I make a play out of it. And you see me again with the ball in the “wrong” hand, but initially this was supposed to be a front side play and by the time I make my decision with where I’m going to go I already have the ball in my right hand.

Waldman: But as you mentioned (see Part II of this analysis) earlier, you don’t want to change ball hands in traffic. At this point you do a nice job of accelerating past the Will LB (No.42) to get the corner.

Spann beating Will LB (No.42) to the corner on the cutback behind FB's block of DE.

Waldman: The key to this cutback from what I see is that the WILL LB (N0.42) took his initial steps towards the B-gap (right guard), which gave you room to get the corner on your cutback. The MIKE linebacker (No.32) had to free himself from the guard and get through the mesh. By the time he does, you have the corner just past the WILL.

Spann gains six yards after taking the backside corner.

Waldman: You turn the corner and stay inside the numbers to possibly work off the wide receiver’s block. The WILL does manage to run you down with the help of the MIKE and the free safety who delivers a head-on shot that you manage to meet with good pad level to deflect much of the blow.

1st and 10, 5:36 1st QTR

Waldman: This formation is a shotgun set with four receivers and no tight end or fullback. Three receivers are split to the right and a single receiver is wide left.

Zone-read play from shotgun, pre-snap.

Spann: In contrast to the last shotgun play where I was closer to the quarterback’s feet, this one is the zone-read play where I’m going to back up a little more.

Waldman: Why the difference with your pre-snap positioning in the formation?

Spann: It’s because this play doesn’t only to hit front side. It could hit backside. It could hit right up the middle.

So I’ve got be deep enough to read where this hole is going to be because we are doing true double teams unlike the last shotgun play, which was a full zone. I need a little more space to make these reads because my track  is going to be more downhill than it is going to be east and west.

The depth between me and the quarterback and my path is the huge difference between the last play and what I was trying to get across with the last shotgun play.  You’re going to see me come closer and downhill than going straight through the mesh.

Waldman: Before the snap, the outside receiver on the right motions to the hash to create a more conventional bunch look and this brings the strong safety into the box next to the MIKE linebacker. Tell us about the blocking scheme and of course, that A-gap defensive tackle who is almost directly over the center.

Zone-read blocking from shotgun set.

Spann: On this play we have the A-gap player front side, which means once again we’re going to double team him to the play side linebacker (the WILL). The tackle is going to be one-on-one with the defensive end back side because it is a zone read. Because the A-Gap player stays right where he’s at and he doesn’t try to shoot outside the guard, the guard is able to get up to the linebacker instead of the center doing it, which means the hole is going to be where the guard was.

Spann getting the ball and bouncing to left end.

Waldman: This play doesn’t windup going off the guard. You actually bounce this outside. I’ve always been curious what specifically a running back is viewing to determine the direction he takes on a run. Are you looking at the defense, your linemen, open space?

Spann: I’m not looking at the defensive linemen and where they are going. I’m looking at the helmet placements of my offensive linemen. That is what tells you which way to go. If your offensive lineman has his helmet on the right shoulder of the defensive lineman then your cut is going to be inside and to the right of that offensive lineman. Now if it’s to the left then you’re going to go inside because wherever his helmet is the opposite direction he’s trying to push him.

Waldman: To make sure I get it,  you’re following the helmets and wherever the helmet is. If the helmet is inside, you’re going inside. If the helmet is outside then you’re going outside.

Spann: Yep. On this play because of the helmets and the fact the  guard gets off clean to the linebacker, the play is supposed to be inside the guard.

Now that defensive end beats our tackle inside and that isn’t supposed to happen.  But because I have that extra depth in my initial stance I can read that and I see that happen as I try to hit that hole where the defensive end comes out.

I see it, I react to it, and I know I can get outside of it. So that’s my reading and reacting and I get around the corner for a seven-yard gain (see below).

Next week, we’ll discuss the art of the stiff arm, the pain of hip pointers, and the craft of pass protection.

Grinding Tape: NIU RB Chad Spann Part II

0 Comments read Players, Running Back

In Part I of the Grinding Tape Series, Mid American Conference MVP Chad Spann explained the concepts behind plays that require a running back to understand blocking schemes, defensive tendencies, and reading keys. This week, he reveals how quickly a runner needs to be able to process information to choose a hole, ball security protocol, and the importance of minimizing surface area to become a strong, after-contact runner.

2nd and 7 12:43 1st Quarter

Waldman: Describe the next play for us.

Spann: This is “11” personnel [1 back and 1 tight end]. We’ve got two receivers out to the left, we have a tight end to the left, and we’ve got another receiver on the bottom. We’re in the Pistol.

Basically this is our Power. We generally run Power out of our 21 personnel.

However, our slot receivers have beaten a lot of guys deep and we’ve decided as an adjustment to line up with three receivers, hopefully pulling the linebacker out of the box with that third receiver and still run a power.

Now the guy that is being pulled out of the box is the SAM linebacker and [if we were running the play from 21 personnel rather than 11 personnel] he would be the fullback’s guy.

Since the fullback’s not in we’re hoping that the SAM has the slot receiver in man coverage so we can use our same blocking scheme up front to take on the two linebackers that are still in the box.

Power play from "11 personnel"

Waldman: So what actually happens here?

Spann: On this particular play the safety gets down into the box and we don’t have anyone to block him. Our guy who usually goes to block the safety is that slot receiver, but now he’s man-up on the linebacker (Above).

Post Snap

Blocking Scheme for 11 Personnel Power
Waldman: At the snap, the slot receiver veers to the left as if he’s running a swing screen behind the outside receiver and the linebacker initially follows him. But that leaves the safety…

Spann: …who sets the edge (below) and the linebacker cuts the pulling guard, which jumbles up the whole play.

Safety setting the edge and linebacker cutting pulling guard at line of scrimmage.

Waldman: Otherwise, the tight end and left tackle do a nice job of sealing the defensive end inside and you were decisive. You didn’t try to bounce the play outside; you lowered your pads into the crease and drove forward for a yard rather than risk a loss.

How tempting is it for a running back to want to bounce a run outside? You have to have a good feeling here that you’re not going to get much taking it through a small crease that’s well defended. But if you just could beat that one guy to the edge it’s a big gain. I see college runners try to do this all the time and when they get to the pros they struggle.

Finishing downhill.

Spann: One thing we’re always taught as runners is that the easiest way to be brought down is by running sideways (east west). That’s the easiest tackle for a defender. You won’t see me, or any running back on this team, running east west a lot and making cutbacks that way because we know we would be making things a lot easier for a defender to tackle us. And there’s always a chance somebody misses a tackle when you’re heading north south and because you’re heading downhill you’re in good shape to make a positive play.

3rd and 6, 12:06 1st Quarter

Waldman: You gain 12 yards on this play on a very decisive run, bouncing it to left end from a three-receiver set.

Spann: This is our zone read play. I essentially have the same rules on this play as I would for our inside zone play. I’m going to take my steps while looking at the A-gap player who is going to be double-teamed back to the MIKE linebacker [by the right guard and right tackle]. As I’m getting the handoff and running through the play I’m watching where the A-gap player goes. That player is going to set the hole for me.

What kills zone plays is penetration and that’s what they get on this play. I have a hole when the A-gap player goes to the right; it is between the center and the tackle blocking down.

Intended hole with double team of A-gap defender on front side.

Spann: We’re going to work a lot of double teams on this. We’re running to the left and [as I mentioned above ] the center and guard on the front side are going to double team the A-gap player – the one-technique player –to the linebacker (No. 45).

Now the backside guard and tackle are going to double team that three-technique up to the other linebacker (No.32) who is in the box (below).

Both double teams of one-technique (left side) and three-technique (right side).

Spann: So the play side tackle (the left tackle) is going to block the defensive end. The tight end on the backside is going to go to the next linebacker (who is outside the box and listed as “OLB” to the right of the TE). The tight end is going to seal the linebacker off.

The holes that I usually see are off of that center-guard double team (above). If the one-technique tries to go outside the guard then the center is going to come off the block and get to the linebacker. If the one-technique goes the other way or stays where he is then usually the guard will come off the block and get to the linebacker.

Waldman: In essence, you’re explaining the blocks that should open lanes for you to get to the second level if they are successful. With the zone-read play, there is a key player, correct?

Spann: We’re reading the backside tackle on this play. The quarterback is reading to see if the backside tackle comes straight up the field. If so, he’s giving me the ball. If the backside tackle is keying me then the quarterback is going to keep it.

Waldman: Let’s now see how the play actually develops after the snap and not just in theory.

Zone-read post-snap movement.

Waldman: There are a lot of  things happening here on the line. Let’s start with the one-technique/A-gap player you’re watching.

Spann: In this case the one-technique tries to go across the guard’s face because the line is executing a stunt [the left defensive end is looping inside of the one-technique/A-gap defensive tackle].

It wasn’t that [well executed because] where they stunted with the defensive end, it opened up the left side of the line.

When the defensive end came around the offensive line stayed on the same course. The stunt caused the left tackle to pick up the linebacker (No.45). And where the play was designed for the center to take No.45, now he’s picking up the defensive end.

Waldman: When I first watched the play it appeared as if it was originally designed for you to run off left tackle. So its pretty eye-opening to see that the play design was an inside run. When did you know you were taking this play outside?

Spann: When I see our left tackle take the linebacker (N0.45) and our backside (right) tackle getting pushed back into the hole due to penetration, which kills all zone plays.

The LDE stunts inside the one-technique and the LT takes LB (No.45).

Waldman: So you take the run further outside…

Spann: I take it a little bit further to one more hole. When I do,  the tackle knows where I’m at and I cut inside of him as he pushes the linebacker outside.

Waldman: And this is where you press the hole. Can you explain that concept?

Spann:  I set the block up by sticking my foot into the ground outside of the tackle to make that linebacker come up and put the tackle in a better position to make this block as I cut inside of him. As I do that it makes the hole bigger.

Pressing the hole created by the left tackle.

Waldman: When you spot your left tackle coming outside to seal the edge you take it to that one hole over and  make a decisive cut inside the tackle.  That press and cut also ruins the corner’s angle on you. You then  burst through the hole and up the line of scrimmage for a 12-yard gain.

End of run.

Waldman: Let’s talk a little bit about ball security. I always hear that the basic rule is to carry the ball under the outside arm. On this play you run the ball up the left hash and have the ball under your right arm for most of the play.  Can you clarify the protocol for ball security on a play like this one?

Spann: You always want the ball in your outside hand but as you look at this play, you’re going to naturally have the ball in your inside hand because you are coming across the quarterback during the exchange. If you want to have a proper hand off on this play, it’s going to end up in your right arm.

Now if I hit this play normally where I would have hit it, I would hit right inside the backside (right) tackle. This would have kept me on the right side of the play and I would have the ball in my right hand.

But because the defender got penetration and I had to bounce the play out to the next hole.  I had already made the decision to keep it in my right hand and I hadn’t changed hands yet because I don’t know exactly where I’m going and I’m still in a crowd of people.

You’ll never want to change hands in a crowd of people, but if you watch at the very last second before I get tackled, I’m switching hands and trying to use my inside hand to stiff arm this guy but I couldn’t get it off in time. My first available time to switch the ball was when I cleared that tackle’s block and that’s when the defender came up.

3rd and 1 10:24 1st Quarter

Waldman: This formation looks a lot like the zone-read we just watched.

Spann:It looks a lot like the play we looked at a second ago – a zone-read – but it’s a completely different play. This play is 11 personnel with two receivers to the right side and another receiver to the left and I’m in the shotgun to the right.

The subtle difference is that if you look at my stance in this play (below) and you look at it on the other play, I’m a lot tighter to the quarterback on this play. I was a yard deeper than the quarterback who was five yards deep on the last play. On this play, I’m right on his toes. I also lined up in the B-gap on the previous play, but now I’m over the tackle.

Pre-snap of what appears to be a zone-read, but is a full zone with line slanting left.

Spann: The reason why we do this is because the last play was like an inside zone play where we use double teams to get up to the linebackers. This play is a full zone and while I’m going to read it the exact same way as the other play, the blocking up front is going to be different. Everyone is going to be moving on their path to the left and get up to the second level.

Line slants zone left, LDE stunts inside and one-technique (RDT) loops behind RDE outside.

Waldman: Once again, we see the defensive end on the play side (left) stunt to the inside. You head to the left, dip outside of No.32 in the hole and pick up the first down. After what you explained to me with the last play, I’m left wondering if this was the intended direction of the play or another read and react situation.

Spann: There really is no place where this is supposed to hit. It hits outside a lot if that three-technique  to the play side (the LDT) comes downhill. If everyone on the defensive line is fanning to the left it’s going to cut back and be more of a downhill play. So there’s many places where this play can hit unlike the last one and I’m just supposed to find a hole and get into it.

Waldman: So what do you remember thinking or reacting to on this play?

Hole opening as Spann enters the mesh.

Spann: So you see me coming through the mesh. It’s not a read any more; the quarterback is going to give it me and I’m looking the whole time where I’m going, which was actually the same for the last zone read play.

But as soon as that hole presents itself I have to get through it as fast as I can. It’s third and one and we have to get the first down so I’m not trying to pick up a whole lot of yards. I see this hole where I can get one yard and I’m going to get it right now – that’s my mindset on this play.

That’s how we approach this play. We started running this play against Western Michigan this year and we actually ran it a lot my sophomore year, but we got away from it. It hits well. It hits play side a lot more than the [zone-read] play might. The zone read play might hit backside more where the quarterback keeps it.

Waldman: It’s interesting to see that when you get close to the first down marker on this play you make a move away from No.32 who jumps into your path. One thing I often see good short yardage runners do is when they are about to face contact head-on they are able to turn away or get sideways and pull that player down hill – almost backing their way down field. Is that more of an instinctive move or is it something you’ve watched other backs do?

Spann in the hole and dipping away from two linebackers for extra yardage.
Spann dips away from LB No.32 and gets skinny to turn away from OLB to get extra yardage.

Spann: It is kind of instinctive, but it is also something that can be worked on as well. We’ll go through bag drills before practice starts and we’ll run over the bags forward with our coach standing at the goal line and he’ll be a yard between the goal line and the boundary and we have to duck our shoulder to get into the end zone.

One thing that they stress is to take your numbers away from the defender so they can’t hit me square. So being able to keep them from hitting me square gives me an advantage.

Think about when a linebacker blitzes and a running back has to pick him up. A linebacker is going to lower his shoulder where the running back has to stay square to take it on. It’s exactly like that.

But this time the linebacker is going to try to tackle me square and I’m going to lower my shoulder so I have the advantage because he has less [surface] area to hit so I can run through it or I can deflect it or drag him forward because my momentum is going one direction at a sharper angle than his.

Waldman: When I watch runners who are good “after-contact” ball carriers, it seems like they are trying to give a defender as little surface area as possible to tackle.

And when they attack a defender, they do so with the idea of forcing the defender to grab one point with a lot of force behind it. When a back is moving like this,  it must be like trying to tackle the front of a spear or a club for the defender. It’s harder to tackle one point than several points of contact.

Spann: Exactly. When I can lower my shoulder and put it into your chest, I’m going to hit you first. As I mentioned in the Q&A we did, you either hit or be hit.

So when I turn my shoulders and dip my shoulder into somebody, I plan on hitting him first. He’s not going to be able to react fast enough because he’s thinking he’s about to lay out and hit me.

But while he’s laying out, I’ve already decided that I’m going to hit him while he’s suspended in the air. It becomes hard from them to react after that and still remember to wrap up because I made contact with them before they were ready.

Waldman: In addition to the pad level,  it’s also the hips that factor into getting your pads under a defender’s pads. A player I saw do this for years and years and loved watching was Edgerrin James. It seemed he always got lower than the guy he was taking on. You thought he was going to get taken down or stopped at the point of a collision, but he’d always find a way to get another yard, two, or three yards on the play.

Spann: Absolutely. I’m from Indianapolis, and I grew up watching Edgerrin James. I love Edgerrin James. He’s one of the backs that I grew to admire. I even wore No.32 for a year during my career.

He’s one of the guys that I emulated as well as Emmitt Smith. I watched a lot of Emmitt Smith and he used his off-arm very well. It’s weird because he carried the ball religiously in his left hand, but he was still able to use that right hand so well. It was those little things that I picked up on.

In the third part of this Grinding Tape Series with Chad Spann, we’ll learn what a runner is watching to determine his path between the tackles and the differences with a runners pre snap location in zone and zone-read shotgun plays.

Losing Your Football Innocence

0 Comments read Matt Waldman
Photo by Jill Greenspeth.

Readers often ask me for advice on how to watch football with a more critical eye. My answers are below, but if you take my advice you’ll lose your football innocence.

Let’s dispense with the obvious:

You love football.

I love football.

We wouldn’t be interacting on this blog if we didn’t.

I’m stating these facts because, in lieu of what I’m about to share, you may forget that I love football. And that’s a shame.

You’ll probably never know how much I love football. It was as regular a part of my day as brushing my teeth during my youth in Cleveland, Ohio and Atlanta, Georgia. Backyards. Playgrounds. Practice fields.  Summer camps. Streets. Even hallways of apartment complexes.

As a latch-key kid, I loved football so much that I used to prepare for my truancy from elementary school with “pre-skip” visits to the library. There I would check out books featuring the likes of Red Grange, George Halas, the T-formation, Gale Sayers, Deacon Jones,  Sam Huff, Jim Brown, and Bronko Nagurski.  I’d then spend my “day off” reading out loud to the bewildered family parakeet.

Yes, I had my own special bus…

I think you need to know this about me in light of the fact that for the person interested in film study my advice seems dour. The first thought that comes to mind: Say goodbye to a normal life.

There is a reason football people call film study grinding tape. When done well, it’s a methodical, unrelenting process that ultimately turns into a job. Granted, it’s often a fun job, but it’s still work.

I have frequently spent as many as eight hours studying a single player in one game – and that includes fast forwarding through plays where he’s not on the field. I realize most of you aren’t that serious about studying film and you don’t need to make that kind of commitment to developing a more critical eye. However, you do have to be willing to give up some of your football innocence.

At first, you might not enjoy taking a sober look at the game. However, the deeper appreciation gained is worth the effort. I make my share of mistakes and I’m sure there are experienced scouts or draft analysts who would disagree with some of the points I’m about to share. But I’m sharing part of my path and what has been valuable to me.

10 things you can do to become a more critical viewer:

1. Watch football alone: Football is a great outlet to let off some steam and bond with friends and family. However, what you’ll be doing requires more focus than what the average fan is going to enjoy. Trust me.

If you want to develop a more critical eye you need to be willing to set aside a game to watch by yourself on a regular basis. While watching games with an experienced tape grinder can be helpful, there is no substitute for logging those hours on your own road to self-discovery.

2. Become a student, not a fan: You have to temporarily put aside your game day habits as a fan. I’m not telling you to abandon watching football for the sheer enjoyment of it. However, you have to have the mindset that this is homework.

Set aside time where you’ll have minimal interruptions. Although most don’t have  an eight-hour block to watch an entire game in one sitting, making the commitment to take as much time as needed to break down and understand what you’re seeing is vital.  If it takes you two weeks to finish studying a facet of a game (be it a player or a unit of a team) that’s okay. It’s the journey that’s important.

3. Pick a player, any player: In the beginning, focus your attention on one player. Pick a position that you really enjoy watching. I suggest the first group of players you study are NFL veterans renown for their technique because they are the standard setters for developing a more critical eye (see point No. 8).

Since the “tape” you’ll be using is a televised game and not coaches tape, it will be more difficult to examine certain aspects of wide receiver, safety, and quarterback play on a consistent basis. Although I believe there are times where the televised games actually offer better details of specific techniques that you need to see from these positions, the coaches tape’s end zone view provides a better macro view of the X’s and O’s.

That said, nearly all of my evaluations are based on recordings of televised games and me and many of my peers have delivered solid analysis.  What you’re going to discover is that although your primary focus is on one player you’re going to develop a greater awareness of what several other players on the field are doing. Over time you’re going to develop an enhanced understanding of the game.

4. Wear out these three remote buttons:  l l,  <<, & >> : Pause, rewind, and better yet, the combo of pausing and using frame-by-frame fast forward in slow motion will be your best friends.  These symbols on my six-year-old remote are worn off the buttons.

I suggest you begin studying by watching every play at least three times:

  • In real time.
  • In slow motion. Use frame-by-frame rewind and fast forward as often as needed to see everything that the player you’re studying is doing, what his teammates are doing in support, and how his opponents are acting or reacting to the player you’re studying.
  • Watch the play again in real time.

Take your time with the slow-motion viewing. Don’t regard it as some form of training wheels to help you eventually notice more in real time. It might be an indirect benefit, but it isn’t the goal.

The slow-motion viewing helps you see keys to a player’s motivation: where is he looking, what are his teammates doing to set him up for success or failure, and how that player and his opponents act or react to each others’ decisions.

5. Sometimes you’re going to discover more questions than answers: It’s okay if you finish watching a series of plays or a performance of a player and you feel like you have more questions than when you began. That’s a good sign.  It means you’re figuring out what you specifically need to learn.

NFL Films Producer and avid film watcher, Greg Cosell has the luxury of calling NFL coaches to ask questions about plays, and he does so regularly. If a guy who has watched the film for 30-plus years, 5 days a week has moments with more questions than answers after watching the film, then you’re in good company.

6. Take notes: Whether it’s a laptop,  an iPad, a spiral bound notebook, or to-go napkins from the barbeque joint down the street, take notes. Organize those notes into sections for questions, a place to diagram plays, and an area to describe examples of good technique. You can always use the glossary from the Rookie Scouting Portfolios.  I break down in detail what I’m using to evaluate skill position prospects.

In lieu of the RSP, here are some very basic, common sense things that you should be watching to learn more about technique:

  • How a player uses his hands.
  • How a player uses his feet.
  • How a player uses his shoulders and upper body.
  • How a player uses his knees.
  • The angle a player bends when engaging an opponent.

As for getting your questions answered, additional film study, reading, and listening to experienced NFL players (see below) talk about technique or strategy are good options.

7. Listen to ex-players: There is a great deal you can learn about the game from ex-players analyzing tape or discussing techniques and concepts of their position. I have learned a ton just from watching pregame shows. Who better to learn from than former NFL starters – many with Pro Bowls on their resume?

The way Steve Young once described how footwork bridges the mental and physical sides of football was one of the more insightful pointers I’ve seen. Cris Carter made a great presentation on the way receivers should use their hands. Merrill Hoge’s film break downs of blocking schemes on running plays are frequently excellent.

If you’re here I probably don’t have to mention this, but I will just in case someone referred you here: Don’t fall into the trap of letting an ex-player’s personality, speech, or other on-air tendencies annoy you. There are definitely personalities I enjoy watching more than others, but what I’m seeking is information. Why should I discard gems from knowledgeable players because they have difficulty enunciating a word correctly or they have incorrect grammar?

Remember, most politicians have great enunciation and grammar and we’re still buying what they’re selling even when we know we shouldn’t.

8. The NFL is the standard you use to study college players: This is perhaps the most important of concepts you need to remember. If you want to really become more observant of what separates a good college player from a good NFL prospect, you need to study NFL players and use their techniques as the standard to evaluate college players. You’re going to discover that the better NFL veterans are far more consistent executing techniques on plays with smaller margins for error than their college counterparts.

Top NFL quarterbacks operate more consistently and productively from a tighter pocket. Top NFL running backs display better judgment with when to bounce a play outside and when to get the pads down and grind out the play inside as designed. And top NFL receivers are far more precise with their footwork and more skilled at turning and cutting at top speed without tipping off a change of direction.

Listen to who the ex-players-turned-analysts say are the best NFL players in the game and why. Then take those reasons and study those players until you can apply that standard to another player. Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have great footwork and presence in the pocket. That’s the standard you should be using to judge the development of other college quarterbacks.

I have had the pleasure to speak with Greg Cosell a couple of times at length and each time we’ve talked (with years going by in between), he remains astonished that evaluators of college players aren’t required to study NFL players. One would think this is how scouts should calibrate their observation techniques. If I ran a scouting department, I would require each scout to have a laptop or iPad with film highlights of specific players who our organization believes set the standard at every position when it comes to proper technique.

9. Ignore most statistics:  If you’re studying a player’s technique, execution of the game plan, decision-making, and athleticism, most stats are not only useless but misleading—at least until you’ve taken the time to study the player’s film. Once you have, data can help clarify what you’ve seen—especially a player speed, acceleration, quickness, and strength.

The only stats I seek from a box score before I sit down to study a player’s performance are those that show enough opportunities to get a strong sample size (attempts and targets/catches).  There are many stats linked to players that are more indicative of how well the team executed, rather than the player.

A perfect example is a running back I once saw who averaged less than two yards per carry. If gave any real weight to his stats, this player sucked. However,  I looked solely at technique and because I did,  I graded him as a future NFL starter.

One of his games that I studied was against a national championship-caliber defense.  His opponents were far more athletic than his offensive line. In fact, all but seven players on the entire roster of the opposition could bench press as much,  if not more,  than all but the strongest offensive lineman on this runner’s team.

Although this runner had as poor of a statistical game as one can imagine, his technique attempts to execute the game plan, decision-making, and athleticism was strong. In three NFL seasons, that player has started all 48 regular season games; averaged four yards per carry behind a mediocre offensive line; and has at least 50 catches and 1400 yards from scrimmage each year. That player is Matt Forte.

In contrast, I’ve seen players compile great stats, yet lack the skills to even come close to approaching the standards we see in the pros. While I will display game stats for each player’s game that I study, it’s just to provide the reader with another layer of context. A player with great stats but sub-par skills could indicate he’s a great fit for his college team due to the system or his athleticism. A player with sub-par stats but great skills could be a fine performer surrounded by lesser talent.

10. Have a slice of humble pie: It’s easy to tell the difference between the average football fan and the guy who grinds tape. The average fan behaves as if he’s a football genius. The average tape grinder knows he’s a football idiot. He also can explain why in great detail.

Part of adopting a student mindset is having the willingness to accept that you’ll be wrong a lot. Learning requires the ability to accept your errors.

I recently wrote an article about this topic. The subject was an accounting professor whose award-winning research was recently cited in Forbes. Her study dealt with the concept of cognitive dissonance in investing.

What she discovered is that people tend to make emotional choices once they commit to a decision. Moreover, it doesn’t matter if they are an expert in their field. If they’ve taken a stance, they defend that stance even if presented with evidence to the contrary.

In fact, they will seek analysis from sources that aren’t even as credible as the information presented to them in order to get validation that they made a good choice,  even if the result eventually says otherwise.

In essence, we stand by our decisions to placate our egos because it’s often more important for us to be perceived as experts than behave like them. The sad, but comical thing about this is that we all do it if we make a decision before we fully weigh the evidence. I have no problem admitting I do it. The only real cure for this problem is having insight – and that’s a topic for another time…

Hopefully, this will help you shed your football-genius innocence and become a student of the game.

Speed In Context

0 Comments read Matt Waldman

Jerry Rice is a perfect example of speed in the proper context. 

Speed (noun, verb, sped or speed·ed, speed·ing. –noun)

1. rapidity in moving, going, traveling, proceeding, or performing; swiftness; celerity: the speed of light;the speed of sound…

6. Slang . a stimulating drug, as caffeine, ephedrine, or especially methamphetamine or amphetamine.

Legendary NFL owner Al Davis coined the phrase Speed Kills. Because the long-term demise of the Oakland Raiders can be attributed in part of Davis’ addiction to speed over anything else, there’s no shortage of irony in his statement. However, Davis is just one of many in the NFL whose beliefs and actions indicate that they are intoxicated by speed. It has become the football equivalent of beer goggles.

I have been studying college and NFL games 60 hours a week, 8 months a year since 2005 and one of the things I have learned is that speed should not be regarded solely as a physical attribute. The NFL may be one of the most physical games in the world, but the strategic side of the game beyond the quarterback position is overlooked more often than it should.

NFL players have to be strong at processing information quickly. They have to understand the roles of their teammates, the tendencies of their opponents, and how to anticipate what is going to happen before the play even begins. They also have to have strong technique that they can execute without thinking about it. There is still a far greater variation physical talent in college football than in the NFL and this is why college teams can dominate with far simpler schemes. Pro football has very little variation in physical talent, which is why a back like Reggie Bush cannot make the same kinds of reversal of field runs with success with the Saints that he did at Southern Cal.

Because the strength, speed, and agility gap is so much narrower in the NFL, anticipation, precision, and consistency of technique becomes vital. Take an RB with 4.4 speed in a workout and put him in a situation where he doesn’t have the blocking scheme, offensive verbiage, audibles, or defensive tendencies under his fingers, and he’s going to hesitate because he’s thinking rather than reacting. You can reasonably add between 0.2-1 seconds of hesitation time to that 4.4 workout speed and what you get is a fast player who plays slow. The less knowledgeable and confident a player is with his role the more likely this hesitation time has a compounding effect on his quickness and accuracy of execution and the overall effectiveness of his teammates relying on him.

In contrast, a player with strong technique, knowledge of his role, and knowledge of his opponent has little to no hesitation in his execution. This is why there are numerous examples of RBs or WRs with 4.6 speed who can make big plays. NFL Quarterbacks talk about the game “slowing down” after they accumulate a better understanding of the demands of the position in the pros. However, the game doesn’t really slow down, their reaction time speeds up because the confusion with the playbook, technique, and defensive schemes are no longer creating hesitation. This is no different with any other position.

Speed is not just a number on a stopwatch. Imbibe those times with moderation.

Evaluating the Evaluator

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With its vast knowledge of strategy and technique and a wealth of  financial resources at their disposal, NFL organizations not only have the potential to discover if that linebacker prospect fits their scheme, but they can also find out what he did with that blue pencil sharpener in Mrs. Beam’s second grade social studies class. So why do they still have a huge opportunity to improve as evaluators of talent? The answer is in the process.

During his 2011 NFL Draft Confidential special that aired on ESPN,  Bill Parcells describes football as a “talent-acquisition” industry.  And during the show’s next 90 minutes, Parcells provides great insights into the scouting process, how it generates a draft board, and its economic impact on the game.

But what got my attention as a former operations manager and director of a service sector business is the issues that NFL teams face to do consistent, accurate, and quality work.

One of the things I took away from the show is that the NFL has a lot in common with other businesses – especially those in the service and manufacturing sectors.

As with other industries, the word tenure isn’t a common way to describe jobs in the NFL. General managers, coaches, and personnel feel tremendous pressure to win now, which can lead to a results-driven mentality.

This is perfectly natural. However during those long hours of work in an urgent quest to attain these results, it’s difficult for an organization to feel the same urgency to scrutinize its processes that are in use to reach its goals.

The Inexact Science of Evaluation

During the ESPN special, Parcells repeatedly described talent evaluation as an “inexact science.” Once again, this is no different than the service and manufacturing industries where statistics are essential to measure productivity.

But what makes talent evaluation an inexact science is the fact that statistics cannot provide a full or accurate measure of an individual’s performance. Nor can statistics alone gauge talent or project future performance.

Because measuring and projecting individual performance deals with both objective and subjective criteria, it is vitally important that there is a strong methodology in place to ensure that evaluators are consistent with their approach to the work. Many service and manufacturing businesses have figured this out by embracing an approach that I call “quality-driven processes.”

These processes not only generate results that are more accurate and productive, but the structure of the process itself also helps these businesses get better at what they do with each passing year while saving money.

Don’t Blame The Evaluators, Focus on The Process

Based on the processes Parcells explained in this show, as well as conversations I have had with former scouts, I believe that as knowledgeable as teams are about the game, they lack of a high-quality, well-defined evaluation process. The current process isn’t designed to help them continuously improve and I think it is a reason why NFL teams frequently contribute to their own scouting mistakes.

Exhibit one is the NFL’s grading system. Most teams use a grading system that inherently create a high level of variability. And when individual evaluators have a different understanding of how a system is supposed to work because the system isn’t well-defined, differences of opinion among evaluators can be avoided.

Here is the basic system that most NFL teams use. There will be differences in the range of numbers, but this is essentially it.

Typical NFL Prospect Grading Scale

  • 9.00 –  A player for the ages (Jim Brown).
  • 8.00-8.99 – A perennial All-Pro.
  • 7.50 – 7.99 – Future All-Pro.
  • 7.00-7.49 – Pro-Bowl-caliber potential.
  • 6.50-6.99 – First-round-caliber player with Pro Bowl potential.  
  • 6.00-6.49 – Potential to become a quality NFL starter.
  •  5.50-5.99 – Potential starter and likely first-day pick.
  • 5.10-5.49 – Potential to make an NFL roster and contribute.
  • 5.01-5.09 – Has a better than 50/50 chance to make a roster.
  • 5.00 – Has an even chance to make a roster.
  • 4.75–4.99 – Training camp player.
  • 4.50-4.74 – Potential invitee to an NFL training camp.
  • 4.00-4.49 – Needs developmental time in another league.

On the surface this might seem like a very clear scoring system, but it’s not clear at all.

After talking with former scouts with recent stints in the NFL within the past 10 years, all of them explained to me that the score is a “hard grade.” This means the scout watches the player, writes some notes, and then assigns an overall grade according to these type of general definitions.

The potential problem is that it appears that none of these grades explicitly define what NFL scouts should be considering when evaluating a player:

  • Athletic skills (speed, flexibility, strength, agility, etc.)
  • Position-specific techniques (pad level, routes, blocking, etc.)
  • Conceptual knowledge of the game (vision, pocket presence, etc.)

You might argue, of course scouts understand what to look for when evaluating a player – that’s their job!

However, look at any industry that hasn’t really examined its processes and there are frequent errors that occur among employees with regards to how they define the criteria they use to evaluate performance. This is especially the case in the NFL.

According to ex-scouts there is an unwritten truism called the 25/25 Rule, which describes the tendency for NFL organizations to fire veteran scouts and replace them with new scouts in their mid-twenties (25) at an annual salary of 25K. This practice often occurs when teams change leadership. It also keeps scout salaries low – a nice side benefit.

However, the 25/25 Rule also creates an environment where scouts are more reticent to stand up for their takes on players. Working for the NFL is a dream job for many and job security is already a tenuous thing.

Training for scouts also appears to be lacking with some teams. One former scout for a team in the AFC North explained to me that his team never had a defined training for the position. New scouts were put to work and given the option to attend position meetings at the team complex when not engaged in 90-hour work weeks.

He explained that the skills portion of his job interview was to watch film and write notes about what he saw, but he never knew exactly what he specifically did that separated him from the other candidates for the job. Obviously, he was doing something right, but imagine what kind of things he was doing wrong that were tacitly reinforced because he didn’t get any formalized training.

The dynamic this creates within a team’s scouting department is similar to any business where there is a group of individuals made up of  different ages, different levels of job experience, and different levels of knowledge about the job.

Think I’m wrong? Next time you’re at work, gather a group of your peers and ask them all to define in writing how a simple task: how the receptionist should answer the telephone.

Then pretend you’re the receptionist answering the phone while they grade your performance using this 1-5 scale:

  1. Poor
  2. Fair
  3. Meets Expectations
  4. Good
  5. Excellent

Unless your company has very clear guidelines for every process, you’ll not only find that each of your peers has a different answer how the receptionist should answer the phone, but they also will have a very different idea of how well/poorly the job was done. To compound the problem, ask them after the fact how they define each of these grades and you’ll likely get a different answer from each person.

The problem this example underscores is that a lack of clearly defined criteria increases variation among those assigned to judge performance.

Where one scout might define a player’s performance as Good, another may define it as Meets Expectations. The difference between these two scores in the NFL might be the difference between a player projected to become a starter and one projected only to make a roster.

Undefined Processes + Process Variation = Poor Results

Former 49ers, Rams, and Cardinals scout Dave Razzano’s account [as told to Yahoo! writer Michael Silver] of a much-publicized run-in with Rams GM Charlie Armey over his scouting report of Utah QB Alex Smith is a glaring example.

Razzano’s refusal to fall in line with the widespread belief that Smith was a big-time quarterback prospect led to a heated confrontation with Armey in a meeting at Rams headquarters a couple of weeks before the ’05 draft. Razzano’s report on the former Utah quarterback opined that Smith was “not as good as our backup, Jeff Smoker. Backup only for the Rams.”

Armey, who declined to discuss the incident after it was initially reported by Santa Rosa Press Democrat’s Matt Maiocco, solicited the input of other scouts and coaches who’d studied far less tape (if any) of Smith, who ended up being picked No. 1 overall by the 49ers.

“There were 12 guys around the table, and Charley had them rate him on every attribute – arm strength; accuracy short; accuracy long; judgment; game management; ad-lib ability under pressure. And he put a highlight tape on the projector. I mean, obviously, he’s gonna be 30 out of 30, and every throw’s a great pass … it’s a highlight tape!

“He said, ‘Are you gonna sit there and be stubborn? Why can’t you see what we see?’ I got heated. I said, ‘I’ve watched seven tapes, and I’m not changing my grade.’ He told one of our assistants, ‘Go get all seven tapes.’ I started screaming, ‘You’re gonna look at highlight tapes? That’s how Akili Smith got drafted!’ [Scout] Tom Marino had me in a bear hug. I just lost my mind.”

Not only did they differ on how to score the player’s overall performance, but also what type of criteria (highlights of preselected plays or actual game conditions) to use to arrive at that grade.

Another former scout of an AFC East team said he saw his peers paraphrase material from print and Internet publications to complete his scouting reports.

These examples aren’t meant to cast NFL teams in a bad light. These are common issues in any industry where its processes aren’t given the scrutiny they deserve.  These are symptoms of poor processes management and poor processes create variation that can have a negative impact on the team on the field as well as economically.

Overestimate a player’s skill level and a team could wind up overpaying a player who cannot start for them. Underestimate a player’s skill level and a team can miss on the opportunity to acquire him.

This is the kind of variation that can be corrected with a good process, which:

  1. Defines specifically in writing what the team values in players.
  2. Defines which settings scouts can use to grade players.
  3. Clearly defines a grading system.
  4. Uses a system that incorporates all skills and techniques that a team wants to see from its prospects into the grading system.
  5. Prioritizes the importance of those skills and techniques with a weighted score the contributes to the overall evaluation.
  6. Scores players as only meeting or not meeting expectations of those scoring criteria rather than using a highly subjective number system.

No evaluation process is perfect, but I believe NFL teams will see great improvement to its talent evaluation process – and bottom line – once it decides to explore best practices in process management.

Doing so will help them create an evaluation process that will help their scouts and management stay on the same page and prevent issues that they have control over. In addition, when they do have a vast difference in opinion the process should be structured so it will help address the larger problem and continuously refine what they are doing as the game evolves.

The Rookie Scouting Portfolio already does this because it adopts and customizes best-practice methodologies for its performance monitoring that Fortune 500 companies use in the service and manufacturing sectors. I believe if an NFL team, and its wealth of resources and vast knowledge about the game, applied similar best practices in process management they would produce an incredibly strong scouting department that could give them a huge edge over their competition and ultimately save their team money.

Although I came to the Rookie Scouting Portfolio lacking NFL-caliber knowledge or football experience, I possessed the knowledge to build a process that would help me use others’ knowledge of the game to successfully evaluate the skills of NFL prospects. Moreover, my process continues to help me refine my knowledge and end product.

I don’t think it will be long before teams explore this avenue to improve their scouting process. The Saints recently purchased a system to refine their tracking and management of data. This is a step in the right direction. However, the same could be said about the use of video tape to record games for scouting.

What NFL teams need to consider is that a system only works well if you have a strong process to incorporate that system to fulfill an overall objective.

Otherwise, it’s just expensive technology.