1-Jordan Haire has to be at its best! The energy has to be contagious for AU and overwhelming for A&M.
2- Utilize the screen game effectively; fast motions for fast screens. Scourton and Stewart will wreck AU's OL if they are put into true drop back situations too often. AU has to move Simmons, KLS, and the RBs around to manipulate defensive alignments. Thorne has to be mechanically faster opening his hips and getting into his throwing motion to hit the receivers while they are moving to the break point rather than when they get there. This could help negate the pass rush and keep the safeties, that Elko loves to live in the box with, more honest.
3-Continue to USE Riddick as a match spy on Marcel Reed. If Reed's legs are a limited factor the offense becomes sporadically bad. Riddick has been solution to a problem that AU had early in the season letting QBs break contain on long yardage situations, it protects him from having to absorb any advanced coverage responsibilities and utlize his freak athelticism to patrol the edges of the line of scrimmage.
4-Invert Coleman and/or KLS to an inside receiver and attack the low safeties vertically. Make their defensive strength/tendency a vulnerability. If they can use that to get the safeties out of the box then they use that same motion/alignment to open up the run game against a 6 man box.
5-Forget about the RPO, designate runs and designate passses. This aggressive defense is going to crowd the box, force the pass read, and keep the safeties low and over the slant/glance/stick. Thorne is more effective on true playaction with one read and a check down than he is in the RPO game. When AU goes to it they will have to max protect, 7 man pass pro, to allow time for the receivers to get down the field.
6-Score on defense! Make Reed have to throw, and capitalize on one of his bad decisions when he's forced to sit in the pocket and read a defense.
**I think they get it done. I think the JHS juice will be there in spades, Durkin's groups keeps the Tigers in it deep, and a young player makes a big play to put a stamp on the night.**
2- Utilize the screen game effectively; fast motions for fast screens. Scourton and Stewart will wreck AU's OL if they are put into true drop back situations too often. AU has to move Simmons, KLS, and the RBs around to manipulate defensive alignments. Thorne has to be mechanically faster opening his hips and getting into his throwing motion to hit the receivers while they are moving to the break point rather than when they get there. This could help negate the pass rush and keep the safeties, that Elko loves to live in the box with, more honest.
3-Continue to USE Riddick as a match spy on Marcel Reed. If Reed's legs are a limited factor the offense becomes sporadically bad. Riddick has been solution to a problem that AU had early in the season letting QBs break contain on long yardage situations, it protects him from having to absorb any advanced coverage responsibilities and utlize his freak athelticism to patrol the edges of the line of scrimmage.
4-Invert Coleman and/or KLS to an inside receiver and attack the low safeties vertically. Make their defensive strength/tendency a vulnerability. If they can use that to get the safeties out of the box then they use that same motion/alignment to open up the run game against a 6 man box.
5-Forget about the RPO, designate runs and designate passses. This aggressive defense is going to crowd the box, force the pass read, and keep the safeties low and over the slant/glance/stick. Thorne is more effective on true playaction with one read and a check down than he is in the RPO game. When AU goes to it they will have to max protect, 7 man pass pro, to allow time for the receivers to get down the field.
6-Score on defense! Make Reed have to throw, and capitalize on one of his bad decisions when he's forced to sit in the pocket and read a defense.
**I think they get it done. I think the JHS juice will be there in spades, Durkin's groups keeps the Tigers in it deep, and a young player makes a big play to put a stamp on the night.**
