Earlier in the week I said this, and I still stand behind it, we will know a lot more about this team in the next three games.
In terms of matchups West Virginia will be the toughest of the first four games. They will present the most problems physically up front on both sides. Houston will be a tough game but it is a game KU can win. Houston has good players in certain areas and some good athletes. But I don't know how well schemed-up they are. Clayton Tune eventually showed some poise and toughness and their offense got going. But it was more Tune creating plays off QB designed runs and broken plays where he used his legs. I didn't see final stats but I'm assuming Tune led them rushing. Their backs didn't do much and the passing game was just so-so. Now, I want to make sure and not discredit UTSA because they have some good looking players. There are some guys off that team I would take on KU's roster today.
I don't know what to make of Duke. We will know a lot more about them when they play at Northwestern this Saturday.
Re-watching the first three quarters of the KU game few things I noticed. The best runs were definitely with the tight ends on the line to block. But that's what the wide zone does. The TE blocks the B/C gap. They will use them to help on gaps inside the tackles as well.
One of may favorites was in second quarter maybe a little past the midway point there was a third and one. They went to the left side and went over Bostick and Casey and it was well blocked. Casey did a nice job. But that showed some power in short yardage situations.
On Neal's 80-yard touchdown run there was a lot going on. The play was set up to go right from the start. They actually pulled Bostick who made a key block. Puni pulled and took out his man. The center/guard box was set up to wall off the middle to left and did a good job. Casey again had a couple blocks on the play and he got downfield to get in the way of the last speed corner who could have caught Neal. I do have to throw in Arnold made a silly block in the back that if the ref wanted could have easily thrown a flag. He pushed a defender from behind that would be called a lot of the time.
Some of the best runs Casey was on the field blocking.
We've talked a lot about being physical on the OL and "moving defenders." I don't think the make-up of this line is going to maul teams. It just isn't what they are going to do. Bostick and Cabeldue are more finesse than brawlers. Ford is a converted tackle who is athletic but I don't see him being a bruiser. But I don't know that they have to pancake people just get their hands on people.
My best takeaway from going back over plays and hitting the pause button was the defense. There is more an attacking mentality and playing more physical. If you watch a lot of plays on contact there are guys putting their head and wrapping up. They are flowing to the ball. Craig Young overran a couple plays just being aggressive and he does move well. I know it will get tougher with better competition but there were only two missed tackles in the run game.
I didn't like Daniels interception at all. I talked to him about it and he said he knew he made a mistake but thought he could fit it in there. But that play was triple covered.
As I rewatched the game I kept telling myself it felt like Tenn Tech had the ball a lot. I looked up the stats and was surprised TTU had a big advantage in TOP at 35:36 t0 24:24
A few PFF numbers I was going over last night:
Best grades in run blocking:
Puni- 83.7
Cabeldue- 82.6
Novitsky- 81.6
Neal- 77.0
Best grades in run game tackling on defense:
Berryhill- 82.2
Phelps- 82.0
Burt- 79.1
Taylor- 76.3
Lee- 75.3
One other stat of note Daniels was 4-for-4 when blitzed and 3-for-3 when under pressure. That's a good sign he did well when blitzed and under pressure.
In terms of matchups West Virginia will be the toughest of the first four games. They will present the most problems physically up front on both sides. Houston will be a tough game but it is a game KU can win. Houston has good players in certain areas and some good athletes. But I don't know how well schemed-up they are. Clayton Tune eventually showed some poise and toughness and their offense got going. But it was more Tune creating plays off QB designed runs and broken plays where he used his legs. I didn't see final stats but I'm assuming Tune led them rushing. Their backs didn't do much and the passing game was just so-so. Now, I want to make sure and not discredit UTSA because they have some good looking players. There are some guys off that team I would take on KU's roster today.
I don't know what to make of Duke. We will know a lot more about them when they play at Northwestern this Saturday.
Re-watching the first three quarters of the KU game few things I noticed. The best runs were definitely with the tight ends on the line to block. But that's what the wide zone does. The TE blocks the B/C gap. They will use them to help on gaps inside the tackles as well.
One of may favorites was in second quarter maybe a little past the midway point there was a third and one. They went to the left side and went over Bostick and Casey and it was well blocked. Casey did a nice job. But that showed some power in short yardage situations.
On Neal's 80-yard touchdown run there was a lot going on. The play was set up to go right from the start. They actually pulled Bostick who made a key block. Puni pulled and took out his man. The center/guard box was set up to wall off the middle to left and did a good job. Casey again had a couple blocks on the play and he got downfield to get in the way of the last speed corner who could have caught Neal. I do have to throw in Arnold made a silly block in the back that if the ref wanted could have easily thrown a flag. He pushed a defender from behind that would be called a lot of the time.
Some of the best runs Casey was on the field blocking.
We've talked a lot about being physical on the OL and "moving defenders." I don't think the make-up of this line is going to maul teams. It just isn't what they are going to do. Bostick and Cabeldue are more finesse than brawlers. Ford is a converted tackle who is athletic but I don't see him being a bruiser. But I don't know that they have to pancake people just get their hands on people.
My best takeaway from going back over plays and hitting the pause button was the defense. There is more an attacking mentality and playing more physical. If you watch a lot of plays on contact there are guys putting their head and wrapping up. They are flowing to the ball. Craig Young overran a couple plays just being aggressive and he does move well. I know it will get tougher with better competition but there were only two missed tackles in the run game.
I didn't like Daniels interception at all. I talked to him about it and he said he knew he made a mistake but thought he could fit it in there. But that play was triple covered.
As I rewatched the game I kept telling myself it felt like Tenn Tech had the ball a lot. I looked up the stats and was surprised TTU had a big advantage in TOP at 35:36 t0 24:24
A few PFF numbers I was going over last night:
Best grades in run blocking:
Puni- 83.7
Cabeldue- 82.6
Novitsky- 81.6
Neal- 77.0
Best grades in run game tackling on defense:
Berryhill- 82.2
Phelps- 82.0
Burt- 79.1
Taylor- 76.3
Lee- 75.3
One other stat of note Daniels was 4-for-4 when blitzed and 3-for-3 when under pressure. That's a good sign he did well when blitzed and under pressure.
