Sark Avoids Short Passes Over Middle

[BillP880]

During yesterday's (1/4/2025) Coffee and Football video, Bobby said that Sark doen't run short passes over the middle to stay away from tipped ball interceptions.

Questions:

1. Doesn't this take away 1/4 to 1/2 of the width of the field in the 1 to 10-15 yards downfield of the line of scrimmage?  My pea-brain says that this reduces a tremendous potential coverage area for opposing LBs and DBs.  (KC Chiefs sure seem to run a lot of plays like this.)
2. Could this be a fertile area for 2-4 receivers crossing with potential to rub off (pick) a defender, run receivers at different depths, put more stress on defense.
3. OTF commentators talk about "breaking tendencies" - maybe we will see a shift against tOSU?

Hook'em.

[Bobby Burton]

They have definitely shied away from it this year. Whether that’s by design, what Sark prefers, or turnover issues, I don’t know.

But it’s obvious that that is what changed the last five minutes of the game. They started working the middle of field and it was open.

[goattalk100]

2 minutes ago, Bobby Burton said:

They have definitely shied away from it this year. Whether that’s by design, what Sark prefers, or turnover issues, I don’t know.

But it’s obvious that that is what changed the last five minutes of the game. They started working the middle of field and it was open.

I’ve also noticed that Quinn can sometimes get laser focused on the primary read & miss wide open shallow crossers. I think that those could be open against Ohio St because they love to run man.

[qaertyisthatdude]

36 minutes ago, BillP880 said:

During yesterday's (1/4/2025) Coffee and Football video, Bobby said that Sark doen't run short passes over the middle to stay away from tipped ball interceptions.

Questions:

1. Doesn't this take away 1/4 to 1/2 of the width of the field in the 1 to 10-15 yards downfield of the line of scrimmage?  My pea-brain says that this reduces a tremendous potential coverage area for opposing LBs and DBs.  (KC Chiefs sure seem to run a lot of plays like this.)
2. Could this be a fertile area for 2-4 receivers crossing with potential to rub off (pick) a defender, run receivers at different depths, put more stress on defense.
3. OTF commentators talk about "breaking tendencies" - maybe we will see a shift against tOSU?

Hook'em.

Yeah, it’s bizarre when you think about it.  They will have to utilize the middle of the field in this game for the pass game to be effective.  I don’t think Texas can swing pass their way to a win in Arlington.  Ohio State is one of the few teams that pound for pound, man for man, can match up with Texas at every position on the field.  When they threw it to the middle of the field against ASU, is was very effective.  That was early in the game and late in the 4th quarter and both overtimes.  Then they went away from it for some reason.

Edited Saturday at 05:29 PM by qaertyisthatdude

[TooBrokeToPayAttention21]

10 hours ago, Bobby Burton said:

They have definitely shied away from it this year. Whether that’s by design, what Sark prefers, or turnover issues, I don’t know.

But it’s obvious that that is what changed the last five minutes of the game. They started working the middle of field and it was open.

I know the middle of the field was open for a good part of the SEC Championship game and they never took advantage of it. Got to start doing that, lots of plays can be made there.

[HookemHorns]

Seems obvious. Let’s hope they do it. I’d love to see more slants and crossers and digs

[bierce]

I have never understood why we don't throw 10 yards or so downfield and not to the sideline on most plays.