Touchdown Review: Simple Check-Down Turns Into an Easy Six

How Hollywood Smothers scored a 40-yard touchdown against Cal

Nov 21, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack running back Hollywood Smothers (20) runs the ball for a touchdown against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The “Touchdown Review” is a series on North Carolina State Wolfpack On SI that helps scratch that football itch so many fans currently have as the season is so close, but so far. Next up in the series is a fun one, the third touchdown in the Cal game a season ago. 

NC State found themselves down 23-10 at one point in this game, but after a 41-yard touchdown pass from CJ Bailey to Hollywood Smothers, they took the lead and eventually won the game 24-23. Here’s a breakdown of how the play to take the lead happened. 

Third Touchdown against Cal

NC State is in a 3x1 bunch formation towards the wide side of the field; Smothers is lined up towards the strong side of the formation. It’s a third and seven on the Cal 41, so a crucial first down is needed for the Wolfpack. 

Cal responds to this formation with a nickel look and a single-high coverage with one safety in the middle of the hashes. The way the defense is lined up screams pressure, as Cal has six defenders lined up across the line, threatening to blitz, telling Bailey that pressure may be coming. 

Another note is to pay attention to how No. 2 is lined up in the middle of the field, his eyes are on one of the receivers in the bunch formation, with the corner who’s pressed on the line looking in the backfield. There is a slight chance it could be a corner blitz, and the six guys at the line could all drop off as the ball is snapped, or they all could come. 

So many factors to think of with a simple loaded up front, quarterback isn’t easy. 

Nov 30, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey (16) celebrates after the Wolfpack defeat the North Carolina Tar Heels at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The ball gets snapped at the corner, who was pressed on the bunch formation, does end up blitzing, and five guys end up coming eventually, meaning six blitzers are rushing Bailey on this play. The Wolfpack are in a scat protection (Only five blocking, running back has no blocking responsibility), meaning one rusher will come free.

One of the guys threatening to blitz ended up being a quarterback spy in case Bailey scrambles from the pressure. 

The Wolfpack runs a simple mesh concept here, which is good for beating man-to-man concepts, which is what they anticipated Cal would run. Smothers runs a simple flat route, and no one picks him up, making it an easy checkdown for Bailey to get the ball out, avoiding a sack quickly. 

Smothers gets the ball and makes one man miss; then it’s off to the races. He runs it in off a simple flat checkdown route giving NC State the lead in this game. With the aggressive pressure Cal brought, they don’t have many defenders to tackle in the open field, so since Smothers made one guy miss, there aren’t many other guys to make up for the missed tackle, which is what happens here. 

Great toughness by Bailey, knowing he’s going to get hit, and making a great throw off his back foot to get it to Smothers. 

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