Kansas State Football – Film Room: DJ dominance with a side of beef

It took me a while to settle on a play that I wanted to highlight from last week's game. Then I remembered it's a week off; I get two plays from the Oklahoma State game. I want to show you what went wrong with Avery's interception (besides him throwing it to the wrong team), but I'll save that for next week. It's been a long week here in Athens, Georgia and I need something positive.

You can't find anything more positive than DJ's flawless touchdown run in the third quarter.

Inside the zone

Blocking scheme: The attack circles are responsible for the defense squares that correspond to their color.

I'm not sure I've ever seen a better example of a team running inside the zone. This should be in every coaching film. This run is designed for DJs (Lavender Circle) to reach the A gap at full speed. You'll notice he's lined up with the gun (behind Avery instead of next to him). Essentially, the DJ gets off to a good start and builds momentum behind the line, making it easier for him to reach the second level at full speed.

The 'Cats are known for running power run plays. This involves pulling guards and tackles and blowing up the defense at the point of attack. This is not a “power” run, but rather a perfect example of zone blocking.

The goal for the interior line is to mark a double team and then climb to the second level and eliminate linebackers. To accomplish this, the climbing linemen must attack the double-team with their left arm, tag the defensive player to assist with the double, keep their right arm clean, and climb to the second level.

Oklahoma State essentially plays three linebackers. Your strong security (blue square) is in the barrel box. This is where the zone portion of the inner zone comes into play. Avery Johnson reads the strong safety. If he falls, Avery should pull him and run away from the back of the formation. If he stays, DJ gets the ball.

I don't know if Avery reads the safety or if it's a direct handoff, but at best it's designed to either give DJ a chance at the free safety in space or Avery a chance at the strong safety in Space gives space.

Work on the combo and the climb

Left guard Hadley Panzer (yellow circle) and right guard Taylor Poitier (black circle) are responsible for marking and scrambling on this play. You will not find two more experienced guards, and they perform their duties perfectly.

At the snap, center Sam Hecht ignores the Oklahoma State nose guard and blocks the Cowboys' defensive end to the outside. I didn't mark this because everything was too messed up, but you can see that #75 did a great job in the end. At the same time, Poitier (black circle) marks the defensive end with his left arm and climbs to the linebacker (black square). Notice how he keeps his outside (in this case right) arm free to avoid getting stuck on the first block.

Hadley Panzer (yellow circle) steps left, marks the nose guard with his left arm, then climbs up to find the middle linebacker (yellow square). Oklahoma State's nose almost accidentally spoils the play by stepping left at the snap. Ideally, Panzer will have a better day and allow left tackle Easton Kilty to bring his inside (right leg) further in to defend the nose out. Instead, the nose has his left arm free because he immediately attacks Kilty at the snap. He moves away from Panzer, making the tag less effective. It's a small thing that could turn an otherwise perfectly blocked play into a 3-yard play. Luckily for the Cats, DJ Giddens has the ability to use his power to erase small mistakes.

The strong fuse (blue box) is unlocked. He is the option man and Avery is responsible for “blocking” him with his speed. Security must fear the train enough to ignore the giving in from within. Have you noticed that wide receiver Jadon Jackson (#0) runs something like a slant route? He clears his butt for the QB keep. I assure you; The strong security is afraid of Avery's speed.

The wild thing about this game is that the blocking is so great (I've tried several different adjectives) that I see a touchdown in two ways. DJ in the A gap was the right decision because the strong safety stays home, but if Avery does that, he races the safety into the corner and there's a good chance it will result in a touchdown as well.

A man to beat

From this angle you can clearly see the blocking scheme. Panzer (yellow circle) has the middle linebacker in hell. Poitier attacks the outside linebacker (black circle) and Hecht drives the defense out of the hole.

Here too, the only small problem is the green circle. Did you notice that Kilty's left foot is in front? His right foot should be in front. This isn't Kilty's fault. Panzer's tag is intended to stuff the nose tackle further out and allow Kilty to get his right foot inside to block the nose. Don't get me wrong, Panzer did his job, but because the nose tackle leaned to the right at the snap, it was difficult for Hadley to reach him and still catch the middle linebacker. In any case, the inner arm of the bow device is free. Kilty should be angled like Hecht (actually the opposite of how Hecht is angled, but you get the point) to seal off the inside lane for DJ

The strong safety (blue square) is in a good position. It looks like it could bridge the gap between tank and kilty. The problem is that he knows Avery can fly. If he shoots into the gap and Avery pulls the ball, it's all over. He has to stay outside.

At this point, DJ (lavender circle) is staring at the free safety (purple square). On most big runs the man behind is responsible for hitting a man and DJ has his man lined up. All he has to do is dig through the trash at the queue.

Burst

This is the moment of truth and shows why DJ is an elite college.

The nose tackle makes an attempt and the middle linebacker does a good job of penetrating tanks. He also has some freedom on his inner arm.

It doesn't matter.

DJ hits the seam at full speed because he started with the pistol. I'm not even sure he registers the attempted arm tackles when he puts his foot on the gas and gets past the first line of defense.

I didn't tag it, but look at Jadon Jackson in the top left. This is the type of wide receiver blocking that leads to touchdowns instead of first downs.

You know that sinking feeling you get in your stomach right before something bad happens? This is what Free Security (Lavenderkiste) is doing right now. His absolute worst-case scenario would be DJ Giddens charging towards him in a full sprint, barely touched, and that's where he is right now.

Caught leaning

This is pure trash from DJ

Ignoring the linebacker desperately jumping on his legs, he sits hard on his left leg and gets the linebacker to commit.

Too big and yet too fast

Deuce Vaughn couldn't have done better.

DJ has the free safety so confused that he can't even make an attempt to jump behind him. I'm not sure what you do with a 6-foot-2, 220-pound back that can run over you or knock you off your feet in the open field. Oklahoma State security doesn't know either. This is the definition of an open field no-hitter.

Turn on the jets

DJ is 30 yards away and a step, maybe a step and a half ahead of #2, the corner from the short side of the field. Most backs are pulled down somewhere around 10 or 15, but DJ isn't most backs.

What makes DJ a real threat is his high speed. It eats up soil in open fields. The safety tries to catch up, but eventually gives up and avoids the touchdown shot. The corner tries, but he doesn't gain any ground. At the 30 he was a step and a half back and at the goal line he was another step and a half.

The best thing he can do is pat DJ on the shoulder and congratulate him on the touchdown.