interesting analysis of how Alabama has pursued a strong outside the tackles running game this year and how it is being incorporated into play calling....
Excerpt only:
Jalen Hurts powers Alabama's dominant outside running game
9:45 AM CT
Brett Rojo/USA TODAY Sports
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Tight end O.J. Howard went in motion, settling just outside right tackle Jonah Williams with running back Damien Harris nestled about 2 yards behind him. Jalen Hurts was in the shotgun. Arkansas linebackers and safety Santos Ramirez shifted left.
"As soon as Bradley Bozeman's snap reached Hurts' outstretched hands, the freshman quarterback was off to his right, blockers churning toward their targets. One by one, Williams, Howard and then Harris connected with their pursuers -- the smacks of Howard and Harris' collisions reaching the press box -- as Hurts slipped into the end zone untouched for a 5-yard touchdown.
Two minutes later, and in almost the exact same spot, Hurts zipped and spun his way in for a 6-yard run on the same play, only this time Hale Hentges replaced Howard. The team that made cracking bones and pads through the middle of the field its staple had once again gashed the Razorbacks by scooting away from the tackles and into the boundary with its quarterback.
Jalen Hurts can get to the edge in the run game, and when he does it's disaster for a defense.
A play that has become common with more and more spread offense influence is now a regular part of a Nick Saban-coached team and a Lane Kiffin-run offense. In Alabama's ever-evolving chase to find new ways to dismantle opponents, the Tide is making the perimeter game more dangerous than ever.
"As a defensive coach, you're always going to see things that are going to give you trouble, and you're going to want to incorporate those into your offense," a Power 5 assistant said of Alabama's change in offensive philosophy. "Nick's always going to be a guy that's gonna try to filter in things that [create] problems for him on defense [through his offense]."
To be fair, Alabama has always run the ball to the outside with force. Alabama has averaged more rushing yards outside the tackles than between them per game in four of the past five seasons. In all five of those seasons, Alabama averaged at least 105 rushing yards to the outside per game and averaged at least 100 yards between the tackles only twice -- 2013 and 2014.
But none of Alabama's past successes on outside runs has come close to 2016's dominance. Through six games, Alabama is averaging a staggering 146.8 yards of rushing outside the tackles per game, compared to 101 inside. That's second only to Auburn (187.8 pg) in the SEC and ninth nationally. Alabama leads the SEC with an average of 7.34 per rush, has scored nine touchdowns and has had 26 carries of 10-plus yards, including 10 going for 20-plus yards, on outside runs. Last year, Alabama averaged 119 yards on outside runs and finished with 92 first downs on outside runs. So far, Alabama has 40 first-down runs to the outside and is on pace for just over 100 in another 15-game season.
Saban credits his outside rushing success to exceptional perimeter blocking and the interior grunt work that has helped push the ball wider on runs. It's a collective effort for this offense, but there's no doubt that the use of a true, speed-option quarterback in Hurts has created a new wrinkle to make Alabama's perimeter game shine. The use of the zone-read and what are essentially quarterback sweeps, like Hurts' touchdown runs against Arkansas, have made Hurts deadly behind center.
Alabama's ability to utilize more run-pass option (RPO) plays with Hurts has created more mismatches outside for defenders. On traditional running plays, defenses can have an unblocked defender covering a gap. But against RPOs, defenses must account for the quarterback, removing that defender and creating 11-on-11 football. With that one-on-one setup, the quarterback has the ability to throw out of what starts as a run read. Add the ability for offensive linemen to block 3 yards down field and the fact perimeter defenders now are slowed because of their attention to the quarterback, and Alabama has more speed and power outside.........."
Rest of Article:
http://www.espn.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/122061/alabamas-outside-offense
Excerpt only:
Jalen Hurts powers Alabama's dominant outside running game
9:45 AM CT
-
Edward AschoffESPN Staff Writer
Brett Rojo/USA TODAY Sports
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Tight end O.J. Howard went in motion, settling just outside right tackle Jonah Williams with running back Damien Harris nestled about 2 yards behind him. Jalen Hurts was in the shotgun. Arkansas linebackers and safety Santos Ramirez shifted left.
"As soon as Bradley Bozeman's snap reached Hurts' outstretched hands, the freshman quarterback was off to his right, blockers churning toward their targets. One by one, Williams, Howard and then Harris connected with their pursuers -- the smacks of Howard and Harris' collisions reaching the press box -- as Hurts slipped into the end zone untouched for a 5-yard touchdown.
Two minutes later, and in almost the exact same spot, Hurts zipped and spun his way in for a 6-yard run on the same play, only this time Hale Hentges replaced Howard. The team that made cracking bones and pads through the middle of the field its staple had once again gashed the Razorbacks by scooting away from the tackles and into the boundary with its quarterback.
Jalen Hurts can get to the edge in the run game, and when he does it's disaster for a defense.
A play that has become common with more and more spread offense influence is now a regular part of a Nick Saban-coached team and a Lane Kiffin-run offense. In Alabama's ever-evolving chase to find new ways to dismantle opponents, the Tide is making the perimeter game more dangerous than ever.
"As a defensive coach, you're always going to see things that are going to give you trouble, and you're going to want to incorporate those into your offense," a Power 5 assistant said of Alabama's change in offensive philosophy. "Nick's always going to be a guy that's gonna try to filter in things that [create] problems for him on defense [through his offense]."
To be fair, Alabama has always run the ball to the outside with force. Alabama has averaged more rushing yards outside the tackles than between them per game in four of the past five seasons. In all five of those seasons, Alabama averaged at least 105 rushing yards to the outside per game and averaged at least 100 yards between the tackles only twice -- 2013 and 2014.
But none of Alabama's past successes on outside runs has come close to 2016's dominance. Through six games, Alabama is averaging a staggering 146.8 yards of rushing outside the tackles per game, compared to 101 inside. That's second only to Auburn (187.8 pg) in the SEC and ninth nationally. Alabama leads the SEC with an average of 7.34 per rush, has scored nine touchdowns and has had 26 carries of 10-plus yards, including 10 going for 20-plus yards, on outside runs. Last year, Alabama averaged 119 yards on outside runs and finished with 92 first downs on outside runs. So far, Alabama has 40 first-down runs to the outside and is on pace for just over 100 in another 15-game season.
Saban credits his outside rushing success to exceptional perimeter blocking and the interior grunt work that has helped push the ball wider on runs. It's a collective effort for this offense, but there's no doubt that the use of a true, speed-option quarterback in Hurts has created a new wrinkle to make Alabama's perimeter game shine. The use of the zone-read and what are essentially quarterback sweeps, like Hurts' touchdown runs against Arkansas, have made Hurts deadly behind center.
Alabama's ability to utilize more run-pass option (RPO) plays with Hurts has created more mismatches outside for defenders. On traditional running plays, defenses can have an unblocked defender covering a gap. But against RPOs, defenses must account for the quarterback, removing that defender and creating 11-on-11 football. With that one-on-one setup, the quarterback has the ability to throw out of what starts as a run read. Add the ability for offensive linemen to block 3 yards down field and the fact perimeter defenders now are slowed because of their attention to the quarterback, and Alabama has more speed and power outside.........."
Rest of Article:
http://www.espn.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/122061/alabamas-outside-offense
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