Film Room Favorites: KU vs. BYU
The Kansas Jayhawks opened Big 12 play with explosive performances on both sides of the ball, knocking off the BYU Cougars thanks to splash plays defensively and brutalizing force offensively.
We got to see plenty of hallmarks, both established and newly welcomed, on display this week. The defense is playing with a nastier edge (more on that momentarily) and the offense continues to put opposing units in a blender with a devastating combination of deception and talent. BYU played a tough game, but KU was the aggressor and it showed up on film.
Let’s dive into some of the most important and visually stimulating plays from the Jayhawks’ conference-opener victory.
BIG-HIT BRYANT
We know that Cobee Bryant is a star for this Kansas defense, that’s not new information. What has been a pleasant development, though, is how much more of a physical tackler he’s been this season. That developing big-hit ability, a knack for making splash plays and perfectly reading the offense led to KU’s first big play on Saturday.
Read. React. Hit. Scoop. Score. It’s a perfect play by the All-Big 12 cornerback. Watch his helmet from the very beginning of this clip (he’s the bottom-most Jayhawk on screen). He’s reading this play from the jump, and the combination of BYU’s blocking and his speed make him unguardable flying into the backfield. The hit is perfect (don’t listen to Twitter instigators, this is nowhere near targeting to anyone sane) and Bryant never loses concentration, finishing the play with the recovery and return. This is as good of an individual defensive effort you’ll see from a cornerback getting downhill, especially from a player with a build as slight as Bryant’s.
DANIELS TO GRIMM AGAIN
Jalon Daniels barely had to throw in Saturday’s second half, but when he put the ball up it was as efficient as it gets. Daniels was 4-of-4 passing for 40 yards and two touchdowns in the second half, including this dime to Luke Grimm.
Coach Lance Leipold called this play out in the postgame press conference as a “big-time throw.” The pass itself is flawless, with Daniels getting all the time in the world to set up and deliver a strike to Grimm in stride. The setup and Grimm’s route, though, are what make this so beautiful.
BYU’s man coverage is easily identifiable when you see the cornerback trail Grimm in motion across the formation. We end up with trips to the field side of the play with no safety help over the top. Grimm’s route, an out-and-up behind two in-breaking and vertical routes, puts the Cougars’ trio of defensive backs in conflict. They need to pass off the route, but that only makes things more difficult for cornerback Eddie Heckard (5). He sells out to try to cut off the receiver, but Grimm’s turn upfield puts him on skates and leaves him with no chance to defend the pass.
This is a really nice concept that spreads out the defense even in limited space near the end zone and gives your quarterback an easy look to his best target.
SIMPLE COMPLEXITY
In the following two clips, we’ll get a great look into how offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki and the Jayhawks use the “illusion of complexity,” calling different plays/using different options out of similar personnel groupings and formations. That’s an idea we discussed during the offseason, and here Kansas uses it to its advantage in the form of two chunk running plays.
First:
Frankly, BYU probably couldn’t have done a worse job defending this play in this situation. The run action to Dylan McDuffie going right catches the entire second level of the Cougars’ defense flat footed. The one defender who does get downhill takes the pitch man instead of the quarterback, which allows Daniels to run free for a big gain. This is a well-designed split-zone option run, using all your dynamic weapons that could have gone for even more without the shoestring tackle to trip Daniels.
Then, just a few snaps later:
Look familiar?
Kansas comes out in the same alignment as our last clip, even from the same hashmark. The actions in the backfield are all the same: Run action right, Daniels and Devin Neal option to the left, Jared Casey comes across the formation as the lead blocker around the left edge.
Just watch the defense at the beginning of this down and you’ll see why things opened up for a big McDuffie carry. The linebackers, fresh off of getting gashed by the option left, cheat in that direction when Daniels and McDuffie meet at the mesh point. They’re then out of position when Daniels hands the ball off this time, leading to 14 more yards after the offensive line opens up a gaping hole for the Buffalo transfer.
Offensively and defensively, there was a lot to like from KU this week. The offense looked sharper for longer than it did against the Nevada Wolf Pack, while the defense continued to play with an impressive and much-needed edge.
As the schedule continues to get tougher (notably this weekend against the Texas Longhorns), those things must continue to show up on tape.
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