How about the mini-wheel route to Wadley?

[uihawk82]

Yes, it was the play Wadley had his TD taken away for running in a different style. If you remember Wadley went wide for the swing pass and when the defender bit Wadley ran kept going and ran past him to take a perfect pass in stride.

Not sure if by design, of if it was a read by Wadley and Nate, or just naturally happened but it gives opposing defenses something to think about. And if you can keep their defenders from charging up field that makes easy completions to Wadley in space.

I wonder if BF is setting up some fake wide receiver type screens to run what the Patriots just did which is fake the bubble screen and a slot receiver blocker goes hard slant the other direction and is wide open.

 

[uihawk82]

Do you think it was designed, a read by the players, or just happened.

 

[hawkfan2679]

I would have to look again but i would throw it out there that there is a 90% chance it was called that way. My guess is that is was paired with slant, drag, or post and if memory serves we caught them in man coverage.

 

[trj]

The wheel route was a staple in the GD offense. Of Wadley's 36 catches last year I would bet at least a third of them came off the wheel route. I am sure GD tried it last year, but could not sell it or sell it consistently.

 

[uihawk82]

Just watched two replays from two angles and I think it was a lbkr tried to bump, chuck him at los and missed then it was wide open.

 

[ibahawkeye]

Looked like a great read by Stanley. Blitz came from that side and Wadley had a LB on him and Wadley made him pay.

I think it was designed but I'm no expert.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

Great play, either way.

 

[hawkfan2679]

Just took another look. Absolutely by design; what might not have been by design was how quickly Wadley got the ball. Stanley caught the shotgun snap, took 1 big and 2 small, which is the equivalent of a 5 step from under center (shotgun is usually worth 2 drop steps). If that's true quick game, it's usually catch and throw or catch, one step and throw. The blitz/man coverage dictated Stanley get rid of it early and has already been mentioned, the LB got too aggressive with his post-snap stemming, missed Wadley coming out of the backfield, and never got back in phase.

Actually, watching it a 2nd time, I'm not so sure it's not a carbon copy, at least play side, of the play PSU burned Bower with last year with Barkley. If I had to guess, I'd say that MVB was supposed to provide a rub on the #1 threat to Wadley's route and then continue inside to pull any potential man coverage defenders. Plus, if you watch the rest of the route Vandeberg runs, MVB is basically running himself into coverage, into the backside drive concept Iowa had working (TE dig, flanker drag).

One last thing...watch Wadley release out of the backfield. In order to make the MVB run work (I'm speculating but feel reasonable sure this was the case) he's got to be able to get vertical before the man on him can clear the rub and get vertical with him, so he's busting tail as soon as the ball is snapped.