Allen Efficient Under Pressure in Hogs 1st Spring Scrimmage

[Mike Irwin]

FAYETTEVILLE--Razorback football fans got their first look at new defensive coordinator Robb Smith's handiwork in during a Saturday scrimmage at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The numbers were encouraging for a unit that was repeatedly victimized by SEC opponents last season. The defense served up 11 sacks for 71 yards in losses while picking off a pair of passes, swatting away three other passes and forcing a fumble.

Aside from the sacks junior quarterback Brandon Allen was largely unaffected by the intense pressure. Allen completed 85% of his passes while throwing for 247 yards and a touchdown.

"What I liked is, his natural reaction now is to move up in the pocket instead of dancing around or escaping outside," head coach Brett Bielema said of Allen's play. "He really stepped up and made some nice plays because of it."
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[thebignasty]

Mike trawlin' a little.

[lumphog]

Thanks Mike

[Dark Helmet Hog]

Thanks Mike. Great job on the reports.

[gmarv]

thanks mike

[Hawgzinbowlz]

It will take huge strides by another QB to unseat BA. The gauntlet of the SEC West is no surprise to BA and if he stays healthy I expect him to be effective in his second year as our starting QB.
AA did some nice check downs to at least the third receiver and he appears to have a future.
The appearance of the defensive play seemed slightly different than the play we saw last year. A more cohesive look and feel.
Good report Mr. Irwin.

" GO HOGS "

[hognatx]

It will take huge strides by another QB to unseat BA. The gauntlet of the SEC West is no surprise to BA and if he stays healthy I expect him to be effective in his second year as our starting QB.
AA did some nice check downs to at least the third receiver and he appears to have a future.
The appearance of the defensive play seemed slightly different than the play we saw last year. A more cohesive look and feel.
Good report Mr. Irwin.

" GO HOGS "

I just don't under stand how anyone can say BA had looked good when you can't hit him.

[Wants2Win]

Lol.

[Hawgzinbowlz]

I just don't under stand how anyone can say BA had looked good when you can't hit him.

I believe you. I'm sure you don't understand.

" GO HOGS "

[Squealers]

Mike,

Are you surprised that Robb Smith could move the needle as much as he has  in his very short time here?

[Mike Irwin]

I just don't under stand how anyone can say BA had looked good when you can't hit him.

They recorded sacks and the way they record a sack is if the ref thinks the QB would have been sacked the whistle blows and it's a sack. That doesn't allow for the fact that at times a QB in a game can avoid a sack. The point is, Allen was under a hard pass rush on almost every snap and his receivers were, for the most part, closely covered.

The TD throw across the middle to Hunter Henry was a good example. He was double covered. The ball had to hit Henry in the hands or it would have been knocked away. BA was on the money.

[Mike Irwin]

Mike,

Are you surprised that Robb Smith could move the needle as much as he has  in his very short time here?

Well it's one scrimmage. If we see this consistently then yes, I would be somewhat surprised.

Basically it's a change in philosophy. If you're coaching Alabama's defense where you stockpile the best athletes and play juniors and seniors then what Ash did is the way to go.

What Smith is doing reminds me of what happened when Petrino ditched Willy and Paul Haynes came in right before the Cotton Bowl. He simplified the scheme with an emphasis on going after the ball and making plays.  Arkansas shut down a very potent K-State offense.

You can tie inexperienced players in knots with too much x's and o's stuff.

[HogWildBison2011]

Well it's one scrimmage. If we see this consistently then yes, I would be somewhat surprised.

Basically it's a change in philosophy. If you're coaching Alabama's defense where you stockpile the best athletes and play juniors and seniors then what Ash did is the way to go.

What Smith is doing reminds me of what happened when Petrino ditched Willy and Paul Haynes came in right before the Cotton Bowl. He simplified the scheme with an emphasis on going after the ball and making plays.  Arkansas shut down a very potent K-State offense.

You can tie inexperienced players in knots with too much x's and o's stuff.

Love to hear it! I can't wait for the spring game.

[ChicoHog]

Mike-could you tell if BA did any audibles?  How about using secondary and third options as receivers?  I think that's where he needs the most improvement.  reading the defense, getting us into the right play and finding secondary receivers.  If he can do that I think we will have a good offense. 

[Hogfan1660]

^^^ This? ^^^

[HometownHawg]

Mike-could you tell if BA did any audibles?  How about using secondary and third options as receivers?  I think that's where he needs the most improvement.  reading the defense, getting us into the right play and finding secondary receivers.  If he can do that I think we will have a good offense.

On a couple plays he had a kill option where he would kill to the second play. And he used a couple check downs.

[DeltaBoy]

Thanks Mike it sounds a lot better than last year.

[Mike Irwin]

Mike-could you tell if BA did any audibles?  How about using secondary and third options as receivers?  I think that's where he needs the most improvement.  reading the defense, getting us into the right play and finding secondary receivers.  If he can do that I think we will have a good offense.

I was all the way up under the press box so I could not hear him but Bielema said he was checking off a lot.

As for finding secondary receivers there were some times where he tucked it and ran. His brother did a better job of moving around and continuing to look for a receiver to pop open. But again, it's hard to pick apart a QB that completes 85 % of his passes.

[bphi11ips]

As for finding secondary receivers there were some times where he tucked it and ran. His brother did a better job of moving around and continuing to look for a receiver to pop open.

Same thing with their high school highlights:

[12247]

Did the ones play against the ones or did the one offense get to see the 2s defense?

[HogWildBison2011]

Did the ones play against the ones or did the one offense get to see the 2s defense?

CBB believes in 1s on 1s. So I'm sure it was that way.

[Josh Goforth]

It was 1v 1s for a couple of series and 1s v 2s, 2v2 later on from what I recall. Soneone else may have a better account than I do.

[Mike Irwin]

Did the ones play against the ones or did the one offense get to see the 2s defense?

Mostly the No. 1 offense faced the No. 1 defense. In addition to that Bielema allowed Robb Smith to have his guys cut loose on the No. 1 offense with the package of stunts and blitzes the defense has been working on.

This was apparently done only to Brandon Allen because they wanted to test him under pressure. For those of you who have been critical of Allen, Jim Chaney attributed some of the 11 sacks given up in the scrimmage to Allen. The message was pretty clear. He needs to learn to get rid of the ball quicker under pressure.

The coaches understand that injury or not Allen had some major issues in SEC play last season. Looks like they're doing their best this spring to address those issues.