Film Study: Looking At How Cal's Offense Progressed Against Oregon State

Cal's offense, from a balance standpoint, had their best game Saturday. Patrick Laird has 214 yards, the offensive line moved people around, and quarterback Ross Bowers completed 80% of his passes, his most efficient game so far. The Bears did it by setting up plays with other looks, forcing the defense into one on one situations that they could take advantage of, and using wideout Kanawai Noa as more of a decoy this week than he had been in other weeks. It was effective scouting and self-scouting for the Bears in their 37-23 win, where they honestly had a few mistakes that kept the game closer than that.

This time, we start with Patrick Lairds touchdown run in the first quarter.

This play is the ultimate example of why you want to have a QB that can pull the ball on a zone read.

It’s a simple zone read, Cal’s incorporated a couple looks off it this year, with RPOs or Bowers pulling, but Bowers isn’t too inclined to pull it often. Nonetheless, he hands it off, and two defenders go after Bowers, one being a blitzer from the slot, the other being one of the middle linebacker. That gives the Cal line one on one matchups, some of which allow the linemen to get downfield and wash out defenders on the second level. They open a massive hole for Laird, who’s untouched until the two yard line, and by that point he’s hard to stop.

Also of note, the threat of a pass on RPO has the Oregon State OLB dropping into coverage (though admittedly that’s also a discipline issue on OSUs defense, have to actually take a read step before dropping)

Now, the fade TD to Vic Wharton

Trips on the left, Laird on the right. 3rd and goal from the 14.

Three factors here. OSU is playing man coverage. They’ve seen the Laird motion on film, knowing that oftentimes that signals a checkdown toward him. The other is Noa inside on the slot, who they’ve been told is a big threat on third downs. Noa pulls the safety in (and the one on the other side, but that doesn’t play into this), Hungalu goes with Laird on the swing, leaving Wharton 1 on 1 with a safety playing corner, beating him while Bowers makes a great throw. Safety help couldn’t get over fast enough either.

With the first two TDs, the offense did what “multiple” offenses need to do, show looks that make teams that aren’t as disciplined bite, giving you favorable matchups. They went after Hicks-Onu a ton, and it paid off for Wharton.

Now to Laird run that set up Matt Anderson's record breaking FG.

Six man box against Laird, but again this is a look that they run quick screens and play action with (just ran a bubble screen to Noa from the look on the other side the play before), so Noa holds one of the linebackers. Essentially it’s running against a five man box. A great double team block by Saffell and Ooms in the middle to get Ooms onto the linebacker springs this run from 5-7 yards to a 20+ yard gain. Another advantageous situation built from showing the same look. Greatwood’s line is looking more Oregon-like here.

This carry took Laird over the 100 yard mark with 12:36 left in the 2nd quarter.

Next up is a look at the 17 yard comeback to Jordan Veasy late in the 1st half that helped give them some space to work into FG range.

As Cal tried to work into FG range at the end of the 1st, went to a trips right look as OSU moves from a cover 4 look into a cover 3. Laird leaks out of the backfield on an out, dragging the OLB outside, opening a throwing lane for Bowers to hit Veasy on a deep comeback. Bowers noted last week that he wanted to be solid on the timing routes, playing pitch and catch in between zones, and this is about as pitch and catch as you can get, in a higher stress situation at the end of the half. 17 easy (Veasy?) yards. Could’ve thrown it sooner, but he went through his progressions pretty well here.

Continuing with Veasy, a look at his 25 yard TD reception

Easy double move here, as the Oregon State corner appears to expect some sort of out route to come his way, focus is on Noa (teams are gameplanning for him). Bowers pumps, Veasy stutter-steps and fades to the corner, gets behind the corner and is wide open, with an easy catch. Good route, good throw, Noa’s development this year is opening up more for everyone else.

Laird also gets called ‘sneaky athletic’ at the beginning of the clip, take a drink here.

Lastly, the final score of the day, an 8 yard TD run by Vic Enwere.

Malik McMorris has had a big role all year blocking, and this play shows that the running backs need to get together to get him a big Christmas gift or something, he makes their lives so much easier, especially on this play. It’s a basic inside ‘wind’ (as in wind up, not a breeze) play, with McMorris coming across to find someone to destroy. He finds the OSU outside linebacker, puts him on the ground, and makes it very easy for Enwere to cap off senior day with a TD, as the line again does a great job, the left side getting enough push on an initial double team, getting Bennett to the second level on a linebacker to occupy him while Enwere runs by him.

The offense is coming together a bit more, even with all the injuries that have reared their ugly head. The line is connecting, even with a new starter this week, and they needed to get momentum going with a bye week coming and the Big Game looming.