What went wrong 1st Half - Scar Film Review LONG

Dec 1, 2022, 5:38 PM

Hey guys let me preface this post with saying I have no experience playing or football at the college level. If anyone has more insight or would like to correct me on something please do so. After the South Carolina game I was desperate to find out what went wrong and how it can be fixed. It took a while, but I composed an article detailing every incompletion and the root cause as well as some things that jumped out at me while watching film. It got pretty long so I'll only post the first half today and if y'all like, I'll post the second tomorrow.

First pass of the game is a back shoulder throw to Antonio Williams that falls incomplete. The ball is too high and to the outside to be complete. There is not a great photo to go with this one, and nothing to note other than he has some other options open and opts to go with Williams, likely predetermined.

The following play on 3rd down Spector and Collins run into each other on the ‘rub’. The DBs aren’t in press coverage, so they easily stay over the top and crash down on the throw. We have criticized DJ all year for not throwing with anticipation and here we see him do that with almost disastrous effects. I do think there is a difference between throwing with anticipation blindly vs when you get the coverage you like, but you can at least see why he has been hesitant all year. It’s worth noting that the defenders are nearly four yards off of Collins when the concept begins to show and likely would be able to tackle Collins before picking up the third down. I am not sure you can ask Spector to disrupt the defender so far away from the play without drawing a PI, but you can certainly expect him not to disrupt the pass. With the Trevors and Deshauns of the world they probably read the coverage and move off to hit Ngata who is open on the slant route, but you can’t criticize a player for not being one of the greatest QBs to ever come through Clemson. This one’s on the WRs.

On the first play of the next drive, both Collins and Ngata beat their man off the line and are open down field. The protection is not able to hold up long enough for DJ to get this ball off and it ends up a sack. They do bring five, but the WR’s are only ten yards deep into their Go routes and we already have two defenders who have come free.

This is one of the more aggravating plays of the review. When you are running the read option as a QB, the primary read should be to hand off to the running back, especially when they are running as well as Shipley is. It is 2nd and 5 and you are up 14 to 7 with the defender’s leg clearly inside of the Oline. DJ makes a bad read here and gets tackled short of the line of scrimmage to force a 3rd and long. Worst case scenario if you hand it off the LB comes up and makes a tackle and it is a third and short, best case Shipley is deep into the secondary. I am not sure why we keep distributing the ball evenly between DJ and Shipley (15 carries for Shipley, 12 for DJ). When your RB is averaging over 9 yards a carry he needs to be the focal point.

Thank the refs, as this play is almost a disaster as DJ throws this ball high and behind Mafah. Maybe after the season I will look into how many times this play call ends with an Inc, loss of yards, or almost a fumble vs a positive epa. We didn’t do a good job blocking it, but you can’t throw this ball behind you and off target as a QB. YIKES!

Here DJ overthrows Antonio Williams open down the sideline. It is a really great play design bringing him across the formation and allowing him to quickly accelerate pass the defender. You’d love to complete this, but even great QB’s miss this throw. It is worth noting; however, both for a great play design, WR play, and for what happens 2 drives later.

On the next play #78 (Blake Miller) just misses his block on the defender. DJ has great vision on this play and almost turns it into a huge gain. Earlier I complained that we run DJ too much at the expense of Shipley. But these QB counter runs are really a great resource and DJ seems to run best when going against the grain of the defense and making them change direction. Unfortunately, we have to hold our blocks for them to work and it almost does here.

On third down, Briningstool is open, however #78 Miller losses his battle on the edge and Shipley is unable to pick up the blitzer, leaving DJ unable to step up in the pocket and complete the throw. South Carolina brought a lot of delayed blitzes throughout the game, especially on third down, and our O-line and running backs really struggled to pick them up.

On this play Ngata drops what would be a big time pick up. It ends up not being material as Antonio Williams will score on the next play, but you gotta catch these. Not much more you can say.

After two great throws by DJ and a touchdown drive (59 yards to Collins and 11 yard Touchdown Throw), we get the ball back, up 9, with two minutes to go in the half. Here Antonio Williams gets past his man again, but after the overthrow to Williams earlier, DJ throws this one a little short. Williams has to slow down and try to make a difficult catch with the defender now on him. While a perfect pass would be a touchdown, DJ does at least put this ball into play. Ultimately it ends up as a drop as Williams can’t hold on, but it’s the kind of play you need to make to win (either pass or catch) and one South Carolina made earlier in the day.

Later in the drive, 3rd and 3, 44 seconds left on the clock, ball at midfield and we throw the deep shot despite having Ngata open on the sidelines for the first down. For the life of me I can’t figure this play out. Ngata is his first read and DJ is looking right at him after the snap, but ultimately decides against it.

Instead, he opts to throw this 50/50 ball to Spector. If you were to replace Spector with Tee Higgins or Mike Williams, I would get it but wouldn’t like it. It is 3rd and 3 from your own 50. You need to pick up the first down and get out of bounds. I get throwing to him on first down and I’d get it if we were at the 35 yard line and would go for it on 4th, but this is just terrible situational football. A score would put us up by 12 or 16 and would get the ball to start the second half.

DJ finishes the half 5 of 13 for 86 yards and 1 touchdown and 1 Sack.
Of the 8 incompletions:
3 were due to the WR - 2 were dropped (Ngata on the goal line, Antonio Williams Deep), 1 rub play
1 INC and 1 Sack was on protection - Missed pass to Briningstool, Sack in the first quarter
4 were on DJ (deep to Spector end of half, Deep ball to #0, backwards pass to RB, 50/50 Ball to #0)

The stats will agree that the dysfunction of the offense in the first half was not solely on DJ. Each aspect in the passing game made critical errors that caused the offense to stall out. That said DJ is certainly not helping out his receivers or protection with his play. 2 of the 3 WR faults and both protections might have been masked by great QB play.

If y’all like this let me know and I can post one of the second half as well, where DJ goes 3-16 for 13 yards and does not complete a pass beyond the line of scrimmage.

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Re: What went wrong 1st Half - Scar Film Review LONG

For the life of me, I cannot understand that Briningstool pass. Yes he was getting pressured but he wasn't touched and it became the most perplexing pass of the day for me. That ball wasn't even close and Briningstool was wide @ss open.

And that rub play disaster. It's not some thing that only generational talent QB's can do to move off their receivers and pass to other guy. Most QB's 3 years into college should be able to do this, as it is something you're immediately supposed to be taught your first year or 2 onto campus.

Was it all on DJ, no. But there was so many plays that should just be routine to him at this point that I can't wrap my head around why they're not. So many technical things that he just hasn't improved on and that's on coaching. It's mind blowing really.