ADVERTISEMENT

Bad Adrian at its finest.

Watching the O-Line on that play, I don't understand the point of pulling the left guard all the way over to block the DE on the opposite side. Is this an attempt to disguise this play as a run to the right? If so, it failed miserably.

Granted, it would have helped if Hixson hadn't whiffed on the DE, but the blocking scheme still makes no sense to me. If Hixson was capable of handling the DE one-on-one, he'd be the starting RT.
 
Last edited:
Watching the O-Line on that play, I don't understand the point of pulling the left guard all the way over to block the DE on the opposite side. Is this an attempt to disguise this play as a run to the right? If so, it failed miserably.

Granted, it would have helped if Hixson hadn't whiffed on the DE, but the blocking scheme still makes no sense to me. If Hixson was capable of handling the DE one-on-one, he'd be the starting RT.
I thought the same thing.
Adrian could have and should have made the throw, but if we sustain that block for 1/2 a second longer the chances go way up he finds it.

Now the other problem is Adrian missed those about 5 times in the game. Teams are definitely letting us run deep realizing Adrian isn’t looking for them unless he has 4.5+ seconds of protection…. which obviously doesn’t happen.

There were a total of about 10+ plays that could be considered “routine” that would have won us that game. That’s what is frustrating the fanbase so much. It’s not just 1-2 miscues. It’s a list during a game they were otherwise dominating.
 
Yeah, that is not a bad play. He is already going backwards to avoid the rush, if he throws that ball, going backwards, it is getting picked for sure.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bleedhuskerred
Looking at that the only opportunity AM has to throw a guy was immediately in his face. I don’t think that’s “bad Adrian”. Kid is 1 of 2 reasons we’re even in these games
This is just one I could actually find on the interwebs. He does some great things and when he sees the field like the OU game he can be pretty good, but with that said he missed a ton of receivers on Saturday night. Yes he bailed us out a few times, but we also had a chance to put it to MSU if good Adrian were playing.
 
Looking at that the only opportunity AM has to throw a guy was immediately in his face. I don’t think that’s “bad Adrian”. Kid is 1 of 2 reasons we’re even in these games
He should still know what the play is and what the coverage is and know that guy is getting open. A lot of other qb's in the country make that throw in the exact same circumstances.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Husker_AMG63
This is just one I could actually find on the interwebs. He does some great things and when he sees the field like the OU game he can be pretty good, but with that said he missed a ton of receivers on Saturday night. Yes he bailed us out a few times, but we also had a chance to put it to MSU if good Adrian were playing.
He never sees the field. He is who he is. Oklahoma game was no different and there were a ton of open plays he missed in that game as well
 
Anyone making an excuse for AM2 due to the rush on that play isn't being objective at all. Freeze the video and play frame by frame from 5 - 7 seconds. The DE hasn't even started to get past the blocker, Falk (I think it was Falk) has already been released by the corner and the safety is flat footed. A good (not even great) quarterback would immediately know Falk was going to be wide open the instant the corner turned him loose on the inside cut, given the safety was flat footed at that point and thrown the pass. Instead Adrian appears to be focused solely on the WR for far too long, who is clearly covered by the corner, requiring a perfectly thrown ball over the corner or back shoulder throw - which I don't think I have seen him successfully throw perhaps ever. It looks like he looks to Falk right as the DE starts to come free of his blocker. He still had enough time to stand in there and make the throw. But for whatever reason, he can't make himself pull the trigger, instead he holds it, and then has to scramble. You will also notice right before he starts to scramble, he had Toure coming open across the middle underneath, which may have been what froze the safety in the first place. He could have made either throw. He might have gotten hit, and far be it for me to tell a kid to stand in there and take the hit from the DE, but there are a lot of QBs willing to do that if that's what it takes to win.
 
Anyone making an excuse for AM2 due to the rush on that play isn't being objective at all. Freeze the video and play frame by frame from 5 - 7 seconds. The DE hasn't even started to get past the blocker, Falk (I think it was Falk) has already been released by the corner and the safety is flat footed. A good (not even great) quarterback would immediately know Falk was going to be wide open the instant the corner turned him loose on the inside cut, given the safety was flat footed at that point and thrown the pass. Instead Adrian appears to be focused solely on the WR for far too long, who is clearly covered by the corner, requiring a perfectly thrown ball over the corner or back shoulder throw - which I don't think I have seen him successfully throw perhaps ever. It looks like he looks to Falk right as the DE starts to come free of his blocker. He still had enough time to stand in there and make the throw. But for whatever reason, he can't make himself pull the trigger, instead he holds it, and then has to scramble. You will also notice right before he starts to scramble, he had Toure coming open across the middle underneath, which may have been what froze the safety in the first place. He could have made either throw. He might have gotten hit, and far be it for me to tell a kid to stand in there and take the hit from the DE, but there are a lot of QBs willing to do that if that's what it takes to win.
Exactly, people here must not watch much college football, because I see qb's around the country make that kind of throw all the time. If he sees it right away like he should have, that's a touchdown. The thing I'd worry about though is AM recognizing it late, and if he threw it too late that's probably a pick, because MSU does make a good recovery on the play.
 
Looking at that the only opportunity AM has to throw a guy was immediately in his face. I don’t think that’s “bad Adrian”. Kid is 1 of 2 reasons we’re even in these games
I cant see what the other safety is doing in the clip. was adrian reading him when the dude blew past benhart?
 
It actually looks like he read manning at the top first. probably by the time he made it to faulk, the safety had recovered.
The route tree was supposed to have Faulk as the primary. Wonder if he saw something presnap that caused him to look at omar first instead. I paused it right when levi started to break open, and martinez wasnt even looking at him.
 
Scott Frost literally said in the post game press conference “we practiced that play all week, he is supposed to throw the ball to Falk and he didn’t”
I don't watch press conferences, but if what Frost said is true, then AM needs to throw the effen ball to Faulk. Next time they try to set up that same play, the good DC's will have already identified it, and they will bait AM into an interception.
 
Scott Frost literally said in the post game press conference “we practiced that play all week, he is supposed to throw the ball to Falk and he didn’t”
I suspect this has been the case for the bulk of the last 4 years.

much like Hoiberg, we have open shots all the time, every week. Frost can't go out and throw it for them (both figuratively and literally since Frost sucks at passing, too), just like Hoiberg can't shoot open 3s for all the bricklayers he's trotted out there.

AM severely limits this team's upside, and while many believe he is all we have to keep us in games, I think that's more of a symptom of his ineptitude when it comes to distributing the ball than the actual truth. we have players everywhere, O-Line included. AM just can't get them the ball on time/in rhythm, ever.

it's why we always come up short despite the gaudy total offense numbers he consistently puts up. it's also why we're the least efficient red zone team on the planet.
 
Last edited:
Anyone making an excuse for AM2 due to the rush on that play isn't being objective at all.
I'm not making excuses for Martinez, I just don't understand the blocking scheme. Having watched Martinez and Hixson for 3+ years, I would have fully expected Martinez to hold the ball too long, Hixson to whiff on the block and the DE to blow up the play. In fact, I would have been shocked at any other outcome.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bigboxes
It would seem like AM's first read is if it is zone or man. I don't think he got a good read with the LB taking the RB. It was zone and Manning ran the wheel route taking coverage with him. It appears AM was looking there, but hard to tell. About that time the rush starts to come and all bets are off. AM could have hit the seam or RB and given him more room to cut it up. Falk was open in the seam but it is hard to tell if AM could see him at that time when he was between the two deep safeties and LB's. Toure coming across should pull the the LB with him as well. There was conflict for sure and options were there early.

As for the reason for pulling the left guard, it is to confuse the LB's. They often read the O line which in this case were blocking down to their left. He had a chance to blow the guy up and let the DE come to him and have a chance to work in space.

I said three years ago, the Adrian does not see the field well. On many plays, even on Sundays you will see guys running wide open, it is not unusual. Timing is everything and vision is vital.
 
  • Like
Reactions: countrybob
It would seem like AM's first read is if it is zone or man. I don't think he got a good read with the LB taking the RB. It was zone and Manning ran the wheel route taking coverage with him. It appears AM was looking there, but hard to tell. About that time the rush starts to come and all bets are off. AM could have hit the seam or RB and given him more room to cut it up. Falk was open in the seam but it is hard to tell if AM could see him at that time when he was between the two deep safeties and LB's. Toure coming across should pull the the LB with him as well. There was conflict for sure and options were there early.

As for the reason for pulling the left guard, it is to confuse the LB's. They often read the O line which in this case were blocking down to their left. He had a chance to blow the guy up and let the DE come to him and have a chance to work in space.

I said three years ago, the Adrian does not see the field well. On many plays, even on Sundays you will see guys running wide open, it is not unusual. Timing is everything and vision is vital.
Any DI qb should be able to read that coverage. It's a cover 3 zone with one of the safeties coming down into a "hook zone". The other safety rotates over and covers deep, but he was late doing this. As soon as the qb realizes the hook zone safety is beat and the deep zone safety is late rotating over, that ball needs to be out. Like I said, any DI qb needs to be able to read this. AM didn't even begin to recognize it and bailed out immediately.
 
  • Like
Reactions: countrybob
Any DI qb should be able to read that coverage. It's a cover 3 zone with one of the safeties coming down into a "hook zone". The other safety rotates over and covers deep, but he was late doing this. As soon as the qb realizes the hook zone safety is beat and the deep zone safety is late rotating over, that ball needs to be out. Like I said, any DI qb needs to be able to read this. AM didn't even begin to recognize it and bailed out immediately.
It's not a secret that Adrian doesn't see everything in front of him. I saw that early on with him, we have to live with it. You can't fix it.

I can't see what he was seeing from his perspective. From the film it is showing two deep safeties. The right corner loosens up because of the motion back and falls into a deep middle zone. A cover three would be three across the end zone, splitting the field in thirds. The safeties I saw were deep into the end zone, not the "hook zone' as you call it. The LBs were getting depth along with DBs. As I said, the conflict was there when the RB goes to the flat and the WR does the wheel route. When it was starting to clear, the DE was running free. Maybe a good block solves the issue.
 
He never sees the field. He is who he is. Oklahoma game was no different and there were a ton of open plays he missed in that game as well
I believe a quarterback either has the ability too see the whole field or not. I don't think it can be taught. Same thing with eye/hand coordination. Thoughts?
 
  • Like
Reactions: John_J_Rambo
I wrote this into the 2nd Half game thread but I watched the first half of the game and then listened to much of the third quarter driving into work. It seemed like Sharpe and Davison were commenting AFTER EVERY offensive pass play that AM was missing wide open TE's and WR's. I think this has been a big part of the problem in the offense over the past few years. AM doesn't seem willing to pull the trigger unless the guy is wide open.
 
I wrote this into the 2nd Half game thread but I watched the first half of the game and then listened to much of the third quarter driving into work. It seemed like Sharpe and Davison were commenting AFTER EVERY offensive pass play that AM was missing wide open TE's and WR's. I think this has been a big part of the problem in the offense over the past few years. AM doesn't seem willing to pull the trigger unless the guy is wide open.
Might as well be ready to endure this for another season and a half. If Frost stays, AM is the QB next season. But from reading other posts - our fanbase seems to be excited that even though we have yet to beat a B1G team this season, we are playing them close.
 
  • Like
Reactions: countrybob
It's not a secret that Adrian doesn't see everything in front of him. I saw that early on with him, we have to live with it. You can't fix it.

I can't see what he was seeing from his perspective. From the film it is showing two deep safeties. The right corner loosens up because of the motion back and falls into a deep middle zone. A cover three would be three across the end zone, splitting the field in thirds. The safeties I saw were deep into the end zone, not the "hook zone' as you call it. The LBs were getting depth along with DBs. As I said, the conflict was there when the RB goes to the flat and the WR does the wheel route. When it was starting to clear, the DE was running free. Maybe a good block solves the issue.
Which is why it's so baffling why SF didn't do anything possible to bring in someone different. Maybe he tried with the portal, but I doubt he tried very hard.
 
So I originally blamed both Adrian and Hixson (not sustaining block long enough- which he should have), but freeze frame that video and Adrian had a full 3 seconds after the snap before the defender even got loose and at the 8 second mark was looking right at Falck running free still with no pressure…. now the key to the read is the safety had his back turned to Falck.
This is as easy as the college game gets.

That safety was not going to cover that with his back turned to the WR and feet pointing the wrong direction while Falck was running right behind him.
THAT’S AS EASY OF A READ AS YOU CAN EVER HOPE FOR!!
Adrian is too hesitant making those throws to win us games. I really think Adrian could be elite if he was better coached. It’s really a shame to me that he’s not been able to really break through.
 
So I originally blamed both Adrian and Hixson (not sustaining block long enough- which he should have), but freeze frame that video and Adrian had a full 3 seconds after the snap before the defender even got loose and at the 8 second mark was looking right at Falck running free still with no pressure…. now the key to the read is the safety had his back turned to Falck.
This is as easy as the college game gets.

That safety was not going to cover that with his back turned to the WR and feet pointing the wrong direction while Falck was running right behind him.
THAT’S AS EASY OF A READ AS YOU CAN EVER HOPE FOR!!
Adrian is too hesitant making those throws to win us games. I really think Adrian could be elite if he was better coached. It’s really a shame to me that he’s not been able to really break through.
add in the fact Frost literally said they'd practiced that play all week and Falck was his only read, and you have a perfect microcosm of the last 3+ years.

AM severely limits our offensive upside due to his complete lack of instincts. anyone who is distracted by his total offensive numbers is oblivious to how offensive football works.

he is just miserable as a distributor of the ball, which is what Frost's entire scheme is based on.

I view AM as equivalent to a shoot-first point guard. sure, he fills the stat sheet, but we cannot get where we want to go until everyone's involved.

anyone who thinks he is our only hope/the only reason we are in games (including @Sean Callahan) is too fixated on the symptoms and not the actual illness.
 
The safety turned his back to Falk after AM threw the pass to the check down route. AM looks like he is about to throw the ball to Falk but opted to throw to the back. Yes, it was the wrong option. But after being told 8 million times “don’t turn the ball over” he has probably gotten gun shy about forcing the passes. And he is used to having .5 seconds to make a decision. So when he has 2 seconds it’s confusing him.
Adrian has been the worst rated passer from a clean pocket in the b1g for 2 straight years (per PFF)

this 'confusion' when he has time is not new, unfortunately
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sker and NikkiSixx
add in the fact Frost literally said they'd practiced that play all week and Falck was his only read, and you have a perfect microcosm of the last 3+ years.

AM severely limits our offensive upside due to his complete lack of instincts. anyone who is distracted by his total offensive numbers is oblivious to how offensive football works.

he is just miserable as a distributor of the ball, which is what Frost's entire scheme is based on.

I view AM as equivalent to a shoot-first point guard. sure, he fills the stat sheet, but we cannot get where we want to go until everyone's involved.

anyone who thinks he is our only hope/the only reason we are in games (including @Sean Callahan) is too fixated on the symptoms and not the actual illness.

Well said.
 
  • Like
Reactions: John_J_Rambo
add in the fact Frost literally said they'd practiced that play all week and Falck was his only read, and you have a perfect microcosm of the last 3+ years.

AM severely limits our offensive upside due to his complete lack of instincts. anyone who is distracted by his total offensive numbers is oblivious to how offensive football works.

he is just miserable as a distributor of the ball, which is what Frost's entire scheme is based on.

I view AM as equivalent to a shoot-first point guard. sure, he fills the stat sheet, but we cannot get where we want to go until everyone's involved.

anyone who thinks he is our only hope/the only reason we are in games (including @Sean Callahan) is too fixated on the symptoms and not the actual illness.
Just as a small example of tempering hype is that when the defense gets an INT in the first half and forces FIVE 3&Outs in a row in the second half, the offense needs to put up more than 440 yards with 0 passing TDs all game, all while Adrian leads the team with 21 carries (some forced) against the pre-game #79 defense in MSU.
This recipe is not getting W’s when the defense is doing its job.
This is not all on Adrian as the OL is a mess, but it’s an indicator of mediocre performance.
Falck was not his only miss on Saturday.
 
  • Like
Reactions: John_J_Rambo
AM should be nick named EC, as in empty calories. He puts up lots of stats, plays above average to great when there's no pressure, but during critical moments of a game he just doesnt perform well. Seems like a great kid, but unfortunately just can't get it done when it matters.
 
Till we have a even decent O line I'm laying of AM. He plays behind the worse ranked O line in the FBS on pass blocking.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Catch50
Adrian has no vision or anticipation when it comes to making throws. The AM apologists will just continue to say it's the offensive line of course.

Obviously they don't watch college football because QB's constantly make throws under pressure! Hell how many times do we get burned by loosing QB's making a throw just before the blitz gets there??! That's football and average QB's make those throw all the time..
 
ADVERTISEMENT