"9 in the box"

[TDHog]

I have seen several threads here that talk about how Auburn "put 9 in the box in the 2nd half" and that's why we had to get away from a running game plan and get a little pass happy.  I agree with those that argue the wide receiver play needs to improve.  However, with what would be around the 5th largest line in the NFL let alone college, I disagree that we "have to pass."  I think their D line wears down if we continue to smash the ball.  I also think you can help solve the 9 in the box issue with formations (after all they have to honor a quick hitch on any receiver spread wide).  Finally, I would ask were they not "stuffing the box" in the first half and daring us to pass?  They honored nothing deep.  I am actually encouraged by a lot  of what I saw yesterday, I think  it got out of hand by too many 3 and outs trying to pass too much and giving the ball back too quickly to Auburn's high powered offense.  The long sustained drives in the first half is what allowed us to go toe to toe with them.  In the first half, they still had everyone within 15 -20 yards of the LOS and dared us to pass, yet we stayed committed to the run.  Would like us to have stuck with our game plan a little longer in the 2nd. Felt like we panicked a little once they they went up 2 possessions.  Random thoughts done, still think it will be a decent year and the program is heading in the right direction.  WPS!

[Phil D]

I have seen several threads here that talk about how Auburn "put 9 in the box in the 2nd half" and that's why we had to get away from a running game plan and get a little pass happy.  I agree with those that argue the wide receiver play needs to improve.  However, with what would be around the 5th largest line in the NFL let alone college, I disagree that we "have to pass."  I think their D line wears down if we continue to smash the ball.  I also think you can help solve the 9 in the box issue with formations (after all they have to honor a quick hitch on any receiver spread wide).  Finally, I would ask were they not "stuffing the box" in the first half and daring us to pass?  They honored nothing deep.  I am actually encouraged by a lot  of what I saw yesterday, I think  it got out of hand by too many 3 and outs trying to pass too much and giving the ball back too quickly to Auburn's high powered offense.  The long sustained drives in the first half is what allowed us to go toe to toe with them.  In the first half, they still had everyone within 15 -20 yards of the LOS and dared us to pass, yet we stayed committed to the run.  Would like us to have stuck with our game plan a little longer in the 2nd. Felt like we panicked a little once they they went up 2 possessions.  Random thoughts done, still think it will be a decent year and the program is heading in the right direction.  WPS!

I believe coach BB addressed this in his post game press conference, He said, and i'm paraphrasing, that the coaches started pressing too much in the second half and the players picked up on it and started pressing too much as well. Said it would be addressed.

[Pig Worshipper]

I agree with what you say but Auburn did start stuffing the inside running game in the third quarter. I would have liked to see us run outside a little bit more, maybe with Marshall. Of course, if our receivers had started catching the ball it would have loosened up Auburn's defense so that the running game would have flourished.

[farmhawg]

I believe coach BB addressed this in his post game press conference, He said, and i'm paraphrasing, that the coaches started pressing too much in the second half and the players picked up on it and started pressing too much as well. Said it would be addressed.

who is the leader?

[Hawgey-Davidson]

Sure hope Chaney can figure out an offensive scheme to counteract this stacking of the box. QB roll outs, quick hitches, short slants or something. You can bet your grannys bisquits our remaining opponents will do the same, because our remaining opponents sure got some game film to watch from Saturday.

[ss1000]

I agree. We got beat during halftime. The hogs proved they have players that can play. Sure receivers have to catch the ball but the coaches have to make the adjustments. Auburn did and pulled away in the 2nd half.

[Pig In The City]

Gotta say. I'm getting pretty tired of seeing 9 in the box. There is a reason you draw them close! Not that difficult to figure. Defenses are selling out and we do nothing! That is a coaching problem not a player problem.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

I have seen several threads here that talk about how Auburn "put 9 in the box in the 2nd half" and that's why we had to get away from a running game plan and get a little pass happy.  I agree with those that argue the wide receiver play needs to improve.  However, with what would be around the 5th largest line in the NFL let alone college, I disagree that we "have to pass."  I think their D line wears down if we continue to smash the ball.  I also think you can help solve the 9 in the box issue with formations (after all they have to honor a quick hitch on any receiver spread wide).  Finally, I would ask were they not "stuffing the box" in the first half and daring us to pass?  They honored nothing deep.  I am actually encouraged by a lot  of what I saw yesterday, I think  it got out of hand by too many 3 and outs trying to pass too much and giving the ball back too quickly to Auburn's high powered offense.  The long sustained drives in the first half is what allowed us to go toe to toe with them.  In the first half, they still had everyone within 15 -20 yards of the LOS and dared us to pass, yet we stayed committed to the run.  Would like us to have stuck with our game plan a little longer in the 2nd. Felt like we panicked a little once they they went up 2 possessions.  Random thoughts done, still think it will be a decent year and the program is heading in the right direction.  WPS!

Run blocking for 60 minutes straight will wear out even the biggest offensive line that lacks depth. You saw that Saturday

[The real Hogules]

I agree. We got beat during halftime. The hogs proved they have players that can play. Sure receivers have to catch the ball but the coaches have to make the adjustments. Auburn did and pulled away in the 2nd half.

The biggest difference in the two halves was Nick Marshall.
The AU defense stacking the line and our receivers inability to make clutch catches that were thrown well enough for them to catch was also a huge factor in the final score .

[online-with-swine]

Put Marshall on the field with Collins.  Motion Marshall out and just send him straight down the field on a fly route.  Even if BA doesn't connect with him it will get the defense to atleast repect his speed and pull back from the line of scrimmage.  We don't necessarily have to complete the pass just make it a threat they have to respect.

[urkillnmesmalls]

Put Marshall on the field with Collins.  Motion Marshall out and just send him straight down the field on a fly route.  Even if BA doesn't connect with him it will get the defense to atleast repect his speed and pull back from the line of scrimmage.  We don't necessarily have to complete the pass just make it a threat they have to respect.

  They showed no respect by stacking the box.  Running a fly route wouldn't have changed anything unless we completed the pass, because they weren't scared of anything getting behind them. 

The answer there is a big physical WR that WILL get separation off the line with his strength and speed, and you hit him in stride on about a 5 yard slant route and then watch him go to the endzone because there's NO ONE THERE to tackle him.  Instead..we have guys that get jammed, never get loose, and when they do they are blanketed.  That's something that can be taught, but I'm not sure how much emphasis we put on it.  There needs to be more now, because I think we'll see more stacked boxes now until we prove we can counteract it. 

[urkillnmesmalls]

The biggest difference in the two halves was Nick Marshall.
The AU defense stacking the line and our receivers inability to make clutch catches that were thrown well enough for them to catch was also a huge factor in the final score .

It was, and Marshall is a difference maker. 

What kills me, is how they stick a RB out there two yards wide, snap the ball, and Marshall just sort of moseys over there to him and hands him the ball, and he takes off from a dead stop and still finds a hole to run through.  It is befuddling how they can run that play that is so slow to develop time and time again with success.  It just goes to show you that when you play Auburn, you have to account for so many options that it makes it tough to play aggressively.  When Marshall came in, he just added a different dimension and it really illustrated what makes that offense so hard to combat.  They can do anything, from any formation. 

[blu]

  They showed no respect by stacking the box.  Running a fly route wouldn't have changed anything unless we completed the pass, because they weren't scared of anything getting behind them. 

The answer there is a big physical WR that WILL get separation off the line with his strength and speed, and you hit him in stride on about a 5 yard slant route and then watch him go to the endzone because there's NO ONE THERE to tackle him.  Instead..we have guys that get jammed, never get loose, and when they do they are blanketed.  That's something that can be taught, but I'm not sure how much emphasis we put on it.  There needs to be more now, because I think we'll see more stacked boxes now until we prove we can counteract it. 

urkillin,
I have agreed with everyone of your posts after the game.

[urkillnmesmalls]

urkillin,
I have agreed with everyone of your posts after the game.

Even the ones where I agreed with HiM for possibly the first time ever?  I got out the thermometer just to make sure I didn't have   a fever!  That dude and I are usually at odds sparring with one another, but it's hard to argue that we have a way to go to beat Auburn.  BUT...it was Auburn, and while they got lucky to play for the NC last season, they were good enough to be in position to use some good fortune to make it.  They're were very good, and they're likely very good again.  I can think of a few seasons not too long ago where we were pretty darn good, but got dismantled by Alabama and they made us look bad.  So...who knows where we stand?  What we know is...we're a ways from beating Auburn, but we weren't completely outclassed until we got behind and got desperate.   

I don't think all hope is lost.  We have some kids that are competent, and need experience.  I think we'll surprise a team or two if we stay healthy, and we can infuse just enough variety to keep the run game going, because that's where our difference makers are. 

Secondary...I ain't gonna lie.  I'm nervous about that, and I have no idea why that continues to be a glowing issue.  Scheme, talent, experience...I don't know, but it's bad.  Real bad.   

[Rocky&Boarwinkle]

  They showed no respect by stacking the box.  Running a fly route wouldn't have changed anything unless we completed the pass, because they weren't scared of anything getting behind them. 

The answer there is a big physical WR that WILL get separation off the line with his strength and speed, and you hit him in stride on about a 5 yard slant route and then watch him go to the endzone because there's NO ONE THERE to tackle him.  Instead..we have guys that get jammed, never get loose, and when they do they are blanketed.  That's something that can be taught, but I'm not sure how much emphasis we put on it.  There needs to be more now, because I think we'll see more stacked boxes now until we prove we can counteract it.

Do you think a 2 back set with a wheel route out of the backfield might be an answer too?  Might not be a homerun, but I have to think if any of our 3 backs could catch it in stride out of the backfield down the sidelines would have a chance for a big gainer, and might make them have to account for him and could pull some of their safeties and LBs out of the box to chase him.

[HatfieldEra]

A couple very humble observations:
(1)  9 in the box didn't begin in the 2nd half - it began on the 1st snap and continued uniformly the entire game. 
(2)  We successfully got receivers behind the AU secondary quite a few times.
For those of you who DVR'd it, go back and watch the 1st half.

It was a gamble they were willing to take, apparently.  It cost them quite a few long runs, some good receptions, and a Henry TD.  AU did pull back on their DL a little bit in the 2nd half, and that made a difference.  Our OL is talented enough that with this coaching opportunity, they'll still be able to run the ball with success in this offense.

Just my humble opinion, but the dropoff in the 2nd half was due to a lack of mental toughness when too many things went south.  They got rattled a little bit when they got tired on the road against a top 10 team.  Too many missed assignments and missed opportunities.  The offensive team has got some talent and the future looks bright. 

The weak link on defense (just my very humble opinion) continues to be LB discipline.  The good news is that this is correctable, and I don't believe talent is the issue there.  Game experience and hard knocks will help.  LB's have the toughest mental challenge on defense, with all the keys, the split-second reads, and intuition required... all dead center at the focal point of the defense.  (safeties and CBs are next, but they begin reads top-down, which makes them a close 2nd in difficulty of reads.) 

4th & 5th year LBs are better than 1st and 2nd year players.  Any time the QB can see slants and crossing routes with no defensive players in between, at least 1 LB is out of position.  Lord knows you definitely don't want safeties and CBs playing inside-out across the middle, so LBs have got to be in position, or you'll get  what happened several times Saturday.  AU did a good job of finding a way to vacate the LBs on each of the long slants and crosses. 

That said, their 1st half QB did make a couple throws that were indefensible, regardless. 

Our DBs made a few mistakes, but I like their mentality.  They were out of position on a few plays, but not nearly as much as last year.  They were aggressive, and not reckless.  I can live with that.

AU is going to move the ball on everyone.

[Sooie71923]

You don't come back from being down 14+ In the 2nd half by forcing the run when it wasn't working.

Not sure why that's hard to understand.

[HatfieldEra]

One more thing, and it hasn't been discussed much...

The biggest difference in the 2 halves may have been AU's physicality.  Clearly, AU was not prepared for the Hogs' physicality.  In the 1st half AU got shoved around for the world to see, man for man, and it had to be embarrassing.  The Hogs absolutely dominated the line of scrimmage.  After halftime AU came out with a chip on their shoulder and raised their game.  The Hogs no longer dominated the line of scrimmage.  Without dominating the line of scrimmage, the Hogs struggled to find traction anywhere.

[Hawgphish]

"9 in the box"  is a good thing if it is describing your Krispy Kreme donut situation.

[HognotinMemphis]

That's what she said. 9"

[budcampbellfan]

You don't come back from being down 14+ In the 2nd half by forcing the run when it wasn't working.

Not sure why that's hard to understand.

one word:  Wisconsin
(Jk)

[HognotinMemphis]

I don't see an SEC win this year.  Every single team will stack the line and unless we improve drastically in the passing game in scheme and execution, we simply won't score enough points to win any SEC games.

You are the first one, other than me, to state that here on Hogville. I see either 0-8 or 1-7.