Play of the (other) Day: Same-Side Pin & Pull vs. Michigan

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Umm…so…yeah.

A lot has transpired in the PSU football world since the Nittany Lions 9-point loss to Michigan on Saturday. For those of you residing the path of a massive windstorm/tsunami/blizzard/bomb cyclone that knocked out power for the past 36 hours, Penn State now has a vacancy at offensive coordinator after Coach James Franklin made the executive decision to part ways with Mike Yurcich.

Having studied Yurcich’s offense for years now, going as far as charting every play from last season, I can conclude that he is a very bright offensive mind and will better whatever program hires him next. However, I’d advise Yurcich to leave Saturday’s “performance” vs. Michigan off his resume when he fires up the copiers at Kinko’s in the near future.

It’s never simple enough to point fingers at one particular thing, but unfortunately the offensive coordinator must take ownership for it all. So, as a parting gift to the guy who was supposed to be THE guy, we’re gonna use this article to highlight a Yurcich-devised positive play/concept from Saturday…as hard as that was to find.

Penn State has run a ton of Pin & Pull Sweep the last few seasons. Varying based on the front (even, odd, 4 down, 5 down, etc), some OL block gap down (pin) and some OL pull around and lead block on the perimeter. It’s a great counterpunch to zone runs because instead of the run going towards the flow of all the OL, the “pinners” are going opposite of the run, which can cause linebackers to hesitate.

This particular rep we’re highlighting this week, however, had another layer added. Observe:

Did you catch it?

Previously, every time PSU has run the Pin & Pull concept, the back has come across the QB’s face. In other words, if the back aligned on the right, it would be a run left and vice versa. Obviously, that tendency is a huge “tell” when defenses scout opponents on film — or illegally in-person (cough).

Not here, though. 13-Kaytron Fatman Allen is positioned to the QB’s left pre-snap – the same side of the field where this sweep is designed to hit.

Why is this significant? Well on traditional Pin & Pulls, defenses can set the front based on the side the RB lines up on. PSU comes out in 11 personnel with TE 84-Theo Johnson lined up in a traditional “Y On” alignment. Michigan counters this with a 4-down-front. The DE opposite of the RB is in a 9 technique – meaning very wide (almost like they anticipated a perimeter run). Instead, Allar uses same-side ball handling to run it back the other way. FYI, This type of QB-RB exchange takes lots of practice. Allen backpedals to get on the proper track while Allar turns his back to the defense – almost mimicking the movement/footwork of a QB lined up under center.

Up front, Theo gets a good pin on the 7 technique and Penn State’s LG 56-JB Nelson  picks up the C-gap fitter who is coming down from the second level. This leaves the play-side-inside-linebacker for the center, who picks him up perfectly. Also, kudos to Penn State WR 1-KLS for his block on future-millionaire/Michigan CB 2-Will Johnson.

If FatMan could have outrun the FatterMan (Michigan DT 78-Kenneth Grant) this one scores.