FILM STUDY: 2-3 Georgia Tech has lots of issues, but perhaps Miami’s main challenge will be vs. passing game, QB mobility
The Miami Hurricanes kick off ACC play on Saturday at home against a struggling Georgia Tech team that’s off to a 2-3 start with the lone wins against South Carolina State and at Wake Forest. The losses? To Louisville in the season-opener by five points, 39-34, at Ole Miss two weeks later, 48-23, and then this past weekend to lower level Bowling Green, 28-27, in a game that was 38-14 Falcons late in the third quarter.
The strength of the Yellow Jackets’ team, if there is one? That’s probably the passing game behind mobile QB Haynes King … the run game is so-so, and the defense has certainly struggled plenty (103rd in nation in scoring defense).
Big picture this is an offense that ranks No. 19 in the nation in total offense, No. 54 in rush yards (167.4 yards per game), No. 17 in pass yards (300.0 yards per game) and No. 49 in scoring in scoring (32.4 points per game).
So now let’s – through film study – look at the Yellow Jackets’ offense and the kind of issues the team might pose for the Miami defense. We’ve picked several plays from each of Georgia Tech’s games that help show what Lance Guidry & Co. need to be prepared for and perhaps what the Canes can exploit (tomorrow we’ll look at the issues the Yellow Jackets have on defense and why Miami should be expected to put up a lot of points on that side of the ball):
VS. LOUISVILLE
This is a third-and-three, and Georgia Tech is lined up with stacked receivers to the left and right. Louisville is only rushing four but has seven in the box. The corners are playing off coverage with one safety high. The Yellow Jackets have dialed up a quick hitter on the right side which actually comes free for what should be a first down. But the Yellow Jackets’ left tackle simply can’t handle the one-on-one assignment as the swim move to the inside beats him. King is hit as he throws and the ball bounces off a helmet at the line and Jaylon King intercepts it. This is an offensive line that isn’t going to match up well with Miami’s athleticism in the box, and Guidry has to take advantage of that and get to King.
Georgia Tech will likely be going to the quick passing game quite a bit against a strong Miami front line, and Guidry will have to keep a close eye on the screen game. As you see in this play, Georgia Tech is lined up with three wide and a slot receiver to the right, with an H-back to that side as well. It’s shotgun and one back and Louisville is in a 4-2-5 with two high safeties. At the snap the H-back sprints to his right to get in front of RB Jamal Haynes while both receivers to that side latch onto defenders downfield. Haynes takes the toss five yards behind the line of scrimmage and follows his blocks up the right sideline for a big pickup. The Canes are likely to see plays like this and WR quick hitters on Saturday.
With the above in mind, here is a favorite Georgia Tech quick pass. The team has spread the field with four wide against a 4-2-5 with one high safety. At the snap all the action is to the left on what is setting up as a screen pass in that direction not unlike what you saw in the prior clip. Meanwhile, on the right side, as the fake screen is being worked a DB is backing up. That gives all kinds of room for WR Chase Lane to make the catch when the throw instead goes to his side. He darts up the sideline after a DB who is not engaged takes a bad angle … and he races past the defense for a long TD.
VS. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE
This is a great example of how Georgia Tech will try to buy some space for its tunnel screen passing game. In this case the Yellow Jackets set up with three wide to the left and fake the receiver screen. King even pump-fakes to that pass. And the South Carolina State defenders think they have the play sniffed out, given it’s a favorite in the Yellow Jackets’ arsenal. Two DBs bite up on WR Christian Leary, but meanwhile WR Bryce Gowdy isn’t looking to serve as a lead blocker on the screen but is instead streaking by the DB uncovered for a nice chunk play. Miami has to use good eye discipline to recognize what play is being run and where the ball is going.
Consider this a reminder for Miami not to forget about the tight ends. Georgia Tech usually uses them as pass protectors and blockers, but especially in the red zone when the field gets smaller they can and will be targets. In this case there are three receivers to the top and the team has tight end Brett Seither attached to the left tackle. At the snap Seither runs one-on-one with the linebacker and beats him in the left side of the end zone for the TD.
VS. MISSISSIPPI
Georgia Tech will take its deep shots, and in this case the Yellow Jackets don’t hesitate to do so in a third-and-short from near midfield against Ole Miss. The team has gone with a heavy double H-back set with two slot receivers and at the snap it’s max protect with both slots streaking downfield (Ole Miss has seven in the box). The play-action fake has drawn up the linebackers and caused a bust on the back end for the big gain. So, again, eye discipline is a must as the play-action off a run-heavy look in a run situation actually finds a deep pass play dialed up by Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner.
Georgia Tech likes to use King’s athleticism at QB down by the goal line, and this is a typical example of it. Ole Miss is stacked up to stop the run on a third-and-goal play from the one, and WR Dominick Blaylock is coming in motion right to left to clear out CB Deantre Prince from that side, since the play is designed to go there. There’s WR Avery Boyd lined up in the slot to the right, and at the snap he runs to the inside to clear out his man as well. King takes the snap and fakes the handoff up the middle, then follows the tight end pulling from the left side to the right. There is only one defender remaining on that side who has the dilemma of covering the tight end or stopping King on a run. He covers the tight end and King runs in the easy score. It’s going to have to be assignment football for Miami with a mobile QB.
VS. WAKE FOREST
While the Georgia Tech pass game gives reason to be concerned as you can see from the prior clips, especially with Miami’s secondary a bit of a question mark, the run game also shouldn’t be ignored. So we included a typical Yellow Jackets draw here. Georgia Tech has a typical three wide with an H-back on the left side. At the snap the left tackle collapses inside to open a lane and the H-back goes and takes out the linebacker at the second level. The gain goes for 13. In general, though, we think the stout Miami run defense we’ve seen so far should hold up well in the game. The Georgia Tech pass vs. Miami pass defense is probably the area the Yellow Jackets have more of an advantage.
This clip shows the mobility of King. The play is blown up and should go for a sack or a loss, but King fakes a throw and then takes off downfield. You can clearly see his awareness, quickness and ability to make plays with his legs. Miami’s defenses in the past had issues with mobile QBs, and the Canes will need to be aware there could be some designed runs and plays where he tries to break free like this.
Again, let’s not totally discount the run game even though the passing attack is more potent for Georgia Tech … here you see the athleticism and quickness of Haynes. The run is designed to go right, with the left tackle pulling that way and the H-back on the right side engaging the linebacker to that side. But the right defensive tackle beats the left guard at the snap and is in Haynes’ face as he gets the ball. Haynes quickly darts to the left, but now another defender is bearing down on him in the backfield. He stops on a dime and then darts left where he now has King – yes, the QB – blocking in front of him. King actually blocks two defenders and Haynes darts down the left side for a chunk play.
VS. BOWLING GREEN
This was on the first play of the game, and Georgia Tech attempts to make an early statement. The team goes with a run heavy look with a tight end attached, an H-back and the tailback lined up behind King. Bowling Green has six in the box, a two high safety look and really isn’t fooled by the play-action. Four rush but the Yellow Jackets get one-on-one coverage with the safety on slot receiver Eric Singleton, Jr. and there’s just no way he can hang with him. It’s an easy TD. Good read, good pass, but very bad defense – but this does show that Georgia Tech has speed and will take deep shots early, something that Guidry will do well to keep in mind.
This is included because it’s another example of how Georgia Tech loves to use its short passing game in different ways … which can in turn help set up deep shots. It also is another warning of how the team will involve its tight ends in the passing game. Here you see a situation where Georgia Tech has three wide, a tight end attached and the back to the right of King. Bowling Green is in a 4-3, and at the snap King runs an RPO and fakes the handoff. The right tackle busts, though, and blocks for the handoff to the left side, leaving the left defensive end with a totally free shot at King. So what does King do? Use his athleticism. He immediately runs backward away from the end while setting his feet and then gets the ball over the end to tight end Dylan Leonard. Leonard come totally free by initially faking like he was blocking to the interior before releasing to the outside. The blocking in front by the receivers is not good or it could have been sprung for a TD, but it’s still a solid gain. This is a further example of why the Miami defense can’t be over-aggressive with each player needing to do its responsibilities. This could have been a rush to the left, a QB run to the right or the throw you see above to the tight end.
This is an example of the mistakes King makes at times. On this particular play there isn’t much pressure from Bowling Green, and King thinks a double move from his outside receiver has set him free at the second level. But he doesn’t anticipate Deshawn Jones Jr. coming off his man – he undercuts the throw, intercepts it and takes it back for a touchdown. So now factor in the kind of confusion Guidry throws at an offensive line and a quarterback and you can see that – while Georgia Tech has a successful passing game this year – King may struggle at times to diagnose coverages and keep the ball out of harm’s way.
The bottom line?
King averages 296 passing yards per game with 15 TD passes and four interceptions. He’s added 176 rush yards and another score. So yes he can make some plays, but also makes mistakes. The run game isn’t real potent, and we’d expect Miami to make the Yellow Jackets one-dimensional. The Canes should be able to put up a lot of points on Georgia Tech (again, more on that in tomorrow’s film analysis), so if UM limits King/force some turnovers there is no reason this won’t be a blowout win … and then Miami will head into a huge matchup at North Carolina that will tell us a whole lot more.
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