Graded: Marcus Harris was tough against the run in 2022 Iron Bowl
Marcus Harris‘ grade in the Iron Bowl is an important one moving into the 2023 season. He is returning as a probable starter with a key role for the Tigers’ defensive line.
Harris was a standout in the 2021 Iron Bowl. He created constant pressure, won in double teams, and did a lot of other good things. In 2022, he struggled in pass rush, but was a force against double teams once again.
He will play plenty of snaps for Auburn in 2023. Here is how he fared against one of the better offensive lines in the SEC a year ago.
Each play is notated below with a timestamp (time in which the play takes place on the video), the grade (+ or -) and the play analysis (explanation on each play grade).
[ WATCH ALONG WITH GRADING HERE ]
Game notes
— AGAINST THE RUN: Harris graded 75 percent earning a plus in 12 of 16 graded snaps. Against double teams, there was only one play that Harris did not earn a plus. He was very difficult for the opposing offensive line to move and played with great leverage for the most part.
— PASS RUSH: Harris played on the interior for the most part against Alabama, but he still was graded on his pass rush. The grading is different for interior defensive linemen in pass rush: Just get a good push and close the pocket from the inside out. His pass rush grade was not good at 29 percent in 17 graded snaps. Harris lacked pass rush moves and often did not close the pocket in time or enough. He was better when used as the contain player and rushed from the outside better. Effort was a problem in pass rush a few times.
— FINAL GRADE: Harris, when combining his pass rush and run game grade, finished with a final grade of 52 percent. This is below where it needs to be overall. It is fair, however, to grade a defensive lineman on different aspects of their game. For Harris, he showed that he can do the dirty work in the run game. He should have a different mentality as a pass rusher when he lines up at the 5 technique. He will move around the formation for Auburn in 2023.
1st quarter
R = run play, P = pass play
4:55: R + Not much he could do here being on the backside of the GT Counter. He fought through and chased. I give a plus for effort.
5:25: P – He let the offensive lineman get hands on and does not get off of the block in enough time. Have to get off of a single block in pass rush better than this.
5:59: R – Great job of fighting across the block against the wide zone. It got him in great position to make the play on the back. Then, he misses the tackle and does not stay on his feet. Have to finish. That’s like crossing someone over, driving down the lane through traffic and then missing the layup.
6:36: P + Went back and forth on this one.. I think this was fine as he worked through two OL.. He knew he had to contain and worked outside. He could have drawn a holding by the way he was fighting through. I think this was an ok job.
17:04: R + Again, the play is away from Harris, but he splits a double team when the offensive line was blocking run on an RPO type play. Good job.
17:41: P – He had a chance to win this rep to the outside shoulder, but he does not commit to it and does not get the tackle’s hands off of him. Young has too long to get the ball out even with Harris bearing down on him at the end.
18:19: R + Fantastic job right here. Harris is doubled here. The guard tries to climb up and Harris then wins against the center and a stop is made for no gain. He was a major reason for it. That’s a big win against a double team.
18:58: R + Another big win against a double. Wow. Nice job here again. This time it is a tackle/tight end combo against Harris. Harris splits it, holds his ground, and makes the tackle work up without giving up ground. The backer has to be there to make the play, Harris cleared the way for it.
19:38: P – Not a good pass rush. Again, just can’t get that separation in the single-man block.
29:21: R + At first glance, this will look like a loss, but it isn’t. Harris makes a quick move inside, he loses his footing and goes down. He has such a good understanding of positioning that he falls into the gap he was trying to close up. By doing so, he helps hold the line of scrimmage.
29:55: P – Another tough pass rush. He can’t shake free from the pass protection.
33:23: P – Bad effort on the pass rush.
33:50: R + Love it. Violent hands, great shuck, great job of holding square shoulders and keeping position at the line of scrimmage. Too bad this was an RPO with an open slant.
34:12: R – Harris loses the pad level battle here and gets driven back by the center.
2nd quarter
50:14: R + Great job fighting through the single block against left tackle. He stands it up, rips underneath and is right there to make the stop. Linebacker has to bring more heat here instead of get run over.
51:39: P + Good push from the inside. Not much else he could do here as the ball was out quickly and edge rush didn’t get home.
53:07: P – Terrible pass rush here. He gets locked up pretty quickly.
54:42: P – Another bad pass rush.. He looks gassed here.
1:04:11: P + Because he got a good push, I give it a plus.. He has no counter moves, however.
1:10:07: R – Bad job here. Gets mauled on the double team.
1:12:12: P – No help at all on the pass rush. With an Empty backfield, he needs to press harder to collapse the pocket.
1:12:50: R – A few low effort plays in a row.. Looks gassed again. He was not much help when tired it looks like.
1:19:31: R + Great job of shooting the gap and making the tackle to end the half.
3rd quarter
1:23:41: P – No counter moves in the pass rush. He has to get off of those blocks eventually.
1:24:25: P + Much better job of using hands to fight through blocks. He got no help from the edges on just a three man rush. He collapsed the inside well though.
1:25:05: P – Once again, not a bad push, but no counter moves to get off of the blocks.
1:39:09: R + He gets cut off by the center, but did enough to hold his positioning. Jones loses his positioning on the play side.
1:40:36: P + Good last push to put the center on his back. Also, he and Wooden together closed the inside well.
4th quarter
1:57:18: R + Great jump on the snap, good fight through the double, almost certainly was held at the end, but fought through and got hands on the back springing him outside and into traffic. Good stuff here.
1:57:59: P – Good fight, but no counter moves to get off of blocks. That’s the main problem I see as an interior pass rusher.
1:59:11: R + This has to be a plus due to the win on the double team. I want better pad level here, but it is a win nonetheless.
2:02:17: P – Way too slow on the twist. He is the late twister but has to come on better than that.
2:02:51: R + This is textbook. Perfect job of holding his position inside and stalemating a double. Gibbs had to bounce out and he slipped down. Harris was the direct cause for this stop. He had a few near perfect snaps against doubles in the run.
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