SAN ANTONIO ? Why didn't Oregon State keep running the ball?
Many fans, after watching Storm Woods carry the ball 15 times for 98 yards in the first half Saturday, were asking that question. In the second half, the Beavers took to the air, Texas responded by crushing the Alamo Bowl sack record, and the Longhorns won 31-27.
When it was over, Texas had 10 sacks ? 4 ? by Alex Okafor, who bull-rushed his way up the NFL Draft boards and stole the thunder from former high school teammate Woods ? and the Beavers were left to explain what went horribly wrong after halftime.
"In the second half, we never really did get back to running the ball like we did in the first half,'' OSU coach Mike Riley said. "Offensively, we had a hard time when we dropped back pass blocking the front, and so they gave us some fits doing that. It wasn't very good to get in very many passing situations.''
In a dramatic stat, made more so by the lost yardage in sacks (77 yards), the Beavers rushed for 111 yards in the first half and finished with 103 yards rushing.
Texas, in the midst of its worst defensive season in school history, had two glaring issues in the first half: Tight end Connor Hamlett was roaming free in the large gaps of open field, and Woods was slicing through the Longhorns defense at 6 ? yards a clip.
So the Longhorns stacked the box and went to a man-to-man defense, and Cody Vaz and the OSU passing game couldn't take advantage.
Woods carried six times from 20 yards after halftime, and Okafor put on one of the most dominating performances an opposing defensive lineman has had against the Beavers in recent memory.
Running around but mostly through right tackle Colin Kelly, Okafor single-handedly shifted momentum to the Longhorns, then his rejuvenated teammates got into the act in what was called a "feeding frenzy.''
The Beavers tried putting a tight end over Okafor, they tried "chipping'' him with a running back, but that only seemed to make him angry.
"Those sacks we gave up really put us in a bind,'' offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf said. "They made it hard. It was a bad matchup with that D-end and we weren't able to handle that rush. He gave us fits.''
Okafor, named the bowl's defensive MVP in one of the easiest ballots ever to be filled out, said it was a matter of preparation.
"We've just been breaking down film all month, and coach (Manny) Diaz saw a weakness in the protection, and he put me in a great position to go make plays.
Langsdorf said the Beavers adjusted to Texas' adjustment and ran a few screens, which backfired.
"We just misfired on a few throws,'' Langsdorf said. "You get a few throws, get in better situations, get a better chance to run. We got in some long-yardage situations that just killed us and forced us to throw the ball more.''
On the first play from scrimmage in the second half, Woods carried the ball for two yards.
On the next 10 1st-and-10 plays, the Beavers passed seven times. The combined result of those seven passes: Minus-three yards.
"It's hard to be able to attack a coverage and keep a bunch of guys in to help protect and still be able to get guys open,'' Riley said.
So, in a game of moves and counter-moves, Okafor messed up the whole equation. He said he and Diaz noticed the OSU linemen were "short setters,'' and he simply took the direct approach to disrupting Vaz.
Riley was asked whether he considered going with Sean Mannion at quarterback (he did come in for a series while Vaz had his left ankle attended to but did not throw a pass).
"Sometimes when there's a feeding frenzy, it's not a great deal for anybody quarterbacking at that time,'' Riley said.
Langsdorf agreed there was little Vaz could do in the face of that rush.
"He's got power and strength and speed,'' Langsdorf said of Okafor. "The quarterback had no chance. He would come so fast he was right in his lap.
We've got to be able to get lower and be stronger and keep that pocket open.''
Asked if the Beavers should have run more, Langsdorf said that's easier said than done. Riley said hindsight always makes for some different play calls."I probably will regret a lot of calls as we go through and evaluate this game,'' he said.
Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/index.ssf/2012/12/osu_football_texas_alex_okafor.html
lottery winner lottery numbers mega millions lottery jackpot winning numbers mega millions megamillions drawing olbermann
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.