Kirk Cousins on reading defenses and how that has evolved

Sheriff Coffee

Sheriff Coffee

Well-known member
I really love this stuff. Basically, KC said that he would read the D and eliminate half the field if the D had a single high or split safety. But defenses got so good at disguising the coverage that they want to a pure progression game. Basically, the QB has to walk through option 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. The problem is, the QB also has to assess the rush and may not ever get to 3, 4 and 5. At the same time, those options are different if the D runs a zone, man or some kind of hybrid system. I’ve seen teams opt for a box and one (from the old basketball days) where a single defender takes a man but everyone else is in zone. The man taken is based on film study based on the personnel package the O brings out onto the field pre-snap.

One has to also be mindful of that fact that the receivers and QB have to be on the same page with all of these reads and options. You can see that an offense can easily have too many options, that just confuse everyone. So simplification is often a better choice. I am now seeing teams just send out 2 or 3 receivers and tell the QB to throw the ball away or improvise if nobody is open.

Specific to PSU, there is a lot of noise that the passing game was way too complex. That the new WRs we’ve had just were out of synch with Allar and all of the pre-snap movement/reads PSU was asking him to make pre-snap.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2001477747852341324
 
Sheriff Coffee said:
I really love this stuff. Basically, KC said that he would read the D and eliminate half the field if the D had a single high or split safety. But defenses got so good at disguising the coverage that they want to a pure progression game. Basically, the QB has to walk through option 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. The problem is, the QB also has to assess the rush and may not ever get to 3, 4 and 5. At the same time, those options are different if the D runs a zone, man or some kind of hybrid system. I’ve seen teams opt for a box and one (from the old basketball days) where a single defender takes a man but everyone else is in zone. The man taken is based on film study based on the personnel package the O brings out onto the field pre-snap.

One has to also be mindful of that fact that the receivers and QB have to be on the same page with all of these reads and options. You can see that an offense can easily have too many options, that just confuse everyone. So simplification is often a better choice. I am now seeing teams just send out 2 or 3 receivers and tell the QB to throw the ball away or improvise if nobody is open.

Specific to PSU, there is a lot of noise that the passing game was way too complex. That the new WRs we’ve had just were out of synch with Allar and all of the pre-snap movement/reads PSU was asking him to make pre-snap.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2001477747852341324
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The QB needs to be cerebral. Intuition is a key component. There are the Tom Bradies and Aaron Rodgers, the many who just couldn't figure it out, and those in-between who were able to stick with a team and earn a living.
 
Frank Lee said:
The QB needs to be cerebral. Intuition is a key component. There are the Tom Bradies and Aaron Rodgers, the many who just couldn't figure it out, and those in-between who were able to stick with a team and earn a living.
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Agreed. This is why it is hard to evaluate a QB. Guys like Mahomes and Allen get passed over while others high picks just never cut it.

Mahomes, to me, is kind of unique. He is the first highly mobile QB win a Super Bowl. All of the others seem to get success but have to learn to stop running lest never make it to the SB. I am thinking of guys like RG3, Cunningham and Vick. We are seeing these pocket passers (Brady Rodgers, Flacco) playing deep into their 30s and even 40s. I think teams are managing their players differently to get them through 17 regular season and two pre-season games. I feel like they game manage players who are on the edge in terms of injuries for a game. Teams are much more likely to hold out a player for the greater good than win the upcoming game.
 
Sheriff Coffee said:
I really love this stuff. Basically, KC said that he would read the D and eliminate half the field if the D had a single high or split safety. But defenses got so good at disguising the coverage that they want to a pure progression game. Basically, the QB has to walk through option 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. The problem is, the QB also has to assess the rush and may not ever get to 3, 4 and 5. At the same time, those options are different if the D runs a zone, man or some kind of hybrid system. I’ve seen teams opt for a box and one (from the old basketball days) where a single defender takes a man but everyone else is in zone. The man taken is based on film study based on the personnel package the O brings out onto the field pre-snap.

One has to also be mindful of that fact that the receivers and QB have to be on the same page with all of these reads and options. You can see that an offense can easily have too many options, that just confuse everyone. So simplification is often a better choice. I am now seeing teams just send out 2 or 3 receivers and tell the QB to throw the ball away or improvise if nobody is open.

Specific to PSU, there is a lot of noise that the passing game was way too complex. That the new WRs we’ve had just were out of synch with Allar and all of the pre-snap movement/reads PSU was asking him to make pre-snap.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2001477747852341324
Click to expand...
All the more reason to get back to some old school football. Use heavy sets, run the football, once the safeties start cheating up, run play action and throw the ball down the field.
 
Sheriff Coffee said:
Agreed. This is why it is hard to evaluate a QB. Guys like Mahomes and Allen get passed over while others high picks just never cut it.

Mahomes, to me, is kind of unique. He is the first highly mobile QB win a Super Bowl. All of the others seem to get success but have to learn to stop running lest never make it to the SB. I am thinking of guys like RG3, Cunningham and Vick. We are seeing these pocket passers (Brady Rodgers, Flacco) playing deep into their 30s and even 40s. I think teams are managing their players differently to get them through 17 regular season and two pre-season games. I feel like they game manage players who are on the edge in terms of injuries for a game. Teams are much more likely to hold out a player for the greater good than win the upcoming game.
Click to expand...
Allen and Mahomes are effective because they know when to tuck it and run. Mahomes is struggling this year because he can’t run with his bad knee.
 
sr108 said:
Allen and Mahomes are effective because they know when to tuck it and run. Mahomes is struggling this year because he can’t run with his bad knee.
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Yep…and now he is done for the year. He is getting older and more brittle. He’ll need to change his style and stay in the pocket more. He’s got the skill set. I don’t know if Lamar Jackson, for example, does.
 
I like the simplification of reads concept particularly in college. These guys don't have the practice time or the experience that the pros do. You can't overcomplicate the reads.

I think that was our issue on defense to be honest. You play slow and you make mistakes when you are overthinking.
That is Knowles defense to a T. It takes at least 2 years to get it. Well, in college, particularly in this day and age of constant free agency, you don't get 2 years. You need to get these guys playing as a unit and knowing their responsibilities now. And they have to do it without hesitation.

This applies to the offense as well. And @sr108 brought it up above, but a strong power running game came help you simplify. I'm not saying become predictable. But focus on the run setting up the pass. Then you don't need 5 different progressions. The run game draws more into the box and you only need a couple of reads to pop one. You've either fooled them or you haven't. If they compensate with more numbers in the box, take your shots until they back off. Oh, and we had horrible WR development. These guys were in some cases 1000 yard WRs elsewhere and then they show up here and can't get open? That's scheme and it's what they were being taught in route running.
 
PSU Blue said:
Lamar Jackson got a 13 on the Wonderlic.
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He’s an incredible athlete and seems to be doing just fine in terms of football IQ. The problem is that 95% of the Ravens offense goes through him. So that isn’t sustainable or consistent. But he’s a hell of a lot of fun to watch.
 
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