First 15: Nebraska, Part I

 
Obviously the blog is off to a slow start. I had really hoped to do some kind of season preview, but to my dismay/astonishment, I was not able to find video of UW's 2010 games on the web—just some highlight reels here and there. That didn't provide enough footage for meaningful analysis, so the preview didn't happen. Then, I would have started posting analysis pieces as soon as the season opened against EWU, but, well, I had a lot going on. But now I'm back, and will debut "First 15," a series that will take a close look at UW's first 15 offensive plays each (ha!) week, starting with the week-before-last-week's loss to Nebraska.

 
Some things to keep in mind: (1) I am not a football genius and I have no inside information on the UW program, so don't be afraid to disagree (or plain call me out if I get some things wrong); (2) I am not especially tech-savvy, so you'll have to use your imagination until I learn how to embed video; and (3) I am working off TV replays of these games—certain things, like downfield passing routes and coverages, personnel substitutions, etc., are often not visible on the broadcast. But, without further ado…


   
After giving up a long kickoff return and a 50-yard play-action pass to start the game, UW started its first possession down 0-7 at the Nebraska 20

 
Play #1

Down & Distance: 1^st & 10 at the -20

Formation: Ace Spread, motion to Trips R

Play: Long handoff to #15 Jermaine Kearse

Gain: +5 yards

Thoughts: UW brings Kearse in motion, revealing zone coverage. No Nebraska defenders split-out on Kearse, giving UW has a numbers advantage on the field side. Price gets it to Kearse quickly and in-stride. Good block by WR James Johnson to give Kearse the corner, but poor effort by WR Devin Aguilar enables the Husker DBs to hold this to 5 yards.

 
Play #2

Down & Distance: 2^nd & 5 at the -25

Formation: Shotgun 2TE

Play: Counter to #1 Chris Polk

Gain: +7 yards

Thoughts: LT Senio Kelemete demolishes the WDE; C Drew Schaefer & LG Erik Kohler double-team Nebraska NT which opens B gap as the Mike scrapes outside. The bad read lets Polk loose for the first down.

 
Play #3

Down & Distance: 1^st & 10 at the -32

Formation: Ace Trips R

Play: Inside Zone to #1 Chris Polk

Gain: +2 yards

Thoughts: At first
I thought this was a designed counter. But on closer inspection, I think it's an inside zone that Polk had to cut-back immediately due to the Nebraska penetration. Polk falls forward for 2.

 
Play #4

Down & Distance: 2^nd & 5 at the -34

Formation: Shotgun Spread

Play: PA curl to #88 Austin Seferian-Jenkins

Gain: +16 yards

Thoughts: Good play-fake, good protection lets Seferian-Jenkins work to the hole underneath cloud coverage. Nice throw by Price.

 
Play #5

Down & Distance: 1^st & 10 at the 50

Formation: Shotgun Trips L

Play: Long Handoff to #2 Kasen Williams

Gain: +13 yards

Thoughts: Similar to Play #1, but this time the throw goes to the slot receiver rather than the motion man. Nebraska has even numbers this time but Kearse and Aguilar both get good blocks to give Williams a lane. Safety cleans up at the sticks.

 
Play #6

Down & Distance: 1^st & 10 at the +38

Formation: Ace Spread Tight, motion to I-Form

Play: ??

Gain: N/A – play blown dead

Thoughts: Play blown dead after snap due to Nebraska time-out. Looked like it was going to be another zone run.

 
Play #7

Down & Distance: 1^st & 10 at the +38

Formation: Shotgun Twins R

Play: PA Bootleg, Pass to #15 Jermaine Kearse on Fly Route

Gain: +38 yards TD

Thoughts: Gorgeous. Coming out of the timeout, Huskies fake the zone stretch to the opposite side. It's off the screen but I have to assume the run action held the safety because Kearse is one-on-one against the Nebraska corner on a fly route. Perfect throw by Price for the TD.

 
Washington's next possession begins at the UW 30 after a Nebraska punt. Score is tied 7-7

 
Play #8

Down & Distance: 1^st & 10 at the -30

Formation: Pistol Twins R

Play: Fumbled snap

Gain: -4 yards

Thoughts: Was probably going to be a zone read.

 
Play #9

Down & Distance: 2^nd & 14 at the -26

Formation: Ace Trips L

Play: Checkdown to #1 Chris Polk

Gain: +8 yards

Thoughts: Price had Seferian-Jenkins open early on the drag but Price way too late—may have been looking for Kearse on the deeper route. Pressure up the middle forces a scramble and dump-off to Polk late for a decent gain.

 
Play #10

Down & Distance: 3^rd & 6 at the -33

Formation: Shotgun Spread

Play: WR slant to #2 Kasen Williams

Gain: 0 (incomplete)

Thoughts: Kearse, lined up in slot, is the first read. Kearse is covered so Price checks down to Kasen Williams on the outside. He is one-on-one but the Nebraska DB has good inside leverage. Price throws anyway and the defender shuts it down for a PBU. UW checkmated on the playcall here.

 
UW's next possession begins at 7:39 of the First Quarter after Nebraska has kicked a FG to go ahead; UW starts at its own 35 with the score 7-10.

 
Play #11

Down & Distance: 1^st & 10 at the -35

Formation: Ace 2TE Tight

Play: Inside Zone to #1 Chris Polk

Gain: +6

Thoughts: Huskies motion Aguilar from the backside at the snap. Kelemete
gets out on the MLB and gets a big enough piece to give Polk some room, but Aguilar continues playside on a ridiculously wide angle and blocks no one. I am not sure, but I think Aguilar is supposed to get a hat on the Nebraska WLB (#4 Lavonte David) here. Instead, David is unblocked and tackles.

 
Play #12

Down & Distance: 2^nd & 4 at the -40

Formation: Ace Spread, motion to I-Form

Play: Inside Zone to #1 Chris Polk

Gain: +8

Thoughts: Kohler at RT is pwned by the Nebraska DE (#98 Josh Williams), but it doesn't matter because Polk jukes Williams and two other defenders. Then his own fullback (John Amosa) crashes into him, but Polk stays up—and then Polk collides with Schaefer. Terrific individual effort by Polk to gain 8 on a play that should have lost 3.

 
Play #13

Down & Distance: 1^st & 10 at the -48

Formation: Ace 2 TE Tight, motion to I-Form

Play: PA Scramble by #17 Keith Price

Gain: +6

Thoughts: Huskies
fake the inside zone again, but fool no one. The Nebraska LBs stay home and Price can't find a receiver. Good decision to pull it down and scramble for 6 up the middle.

 
Play #14

Down & Distance: 2^nd & 4 at the +45

Formation: Shotgun Spread, motion to Shotgun 2B

Play: A-Gap Iso (Dive) to #1 Chris Polk

Gain: +14

Thoughts: Well-designed play. Polk begins lined-up as a receiver and motions into the backfield, to the right of Price. Johri Fogerson is to Price's left. At the snap, this looks like some type of zone read with the backside DE unblocked as the Huskies double-team both DTs, when Fogerson comes up to block that backside DE. Polk easily into the second-level. I think Kohler is supposed to get off the DT here and pop out to block Lavonte David, but he doesn't get out fast enough and David tackles.

 
Play #15

Down & Distance: 1^st & 10 at the +31

Formation: I-Form Tight

Play: PA Pass to #88 Austin Seferian-Jenkins
on deep out (?)

Gain: N/A - Interception

Thoughts: Great protection but Lavonte David ran Seferian-Jenkins' route for him and easily intercepts. Poor decision by Price to force the ball into coverage.