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Offense Play Calling / Results Analysis UCLA @ Oklahoma

Chip brought in a handful of subtle wrinkles to the offense this week while largely continuing what has been the base used in the Spring game and vs Cincinnati. There were new personnel groups, a new vanilla option, a new jet sweep, and the unbalanced OZR sweep was gone. There was still very little motion pre snap, and the DTR was still handing off a lot of zone reads that looked like they had upside for a QB keep. Last week we were all scratching our heads wondering if we had "NFL broke" Chip, "playbook sandbagging" Chip, or "Doesn't trust players" Chip to explain the vanilla offense. With the new wrinkles this week, I'm trending down on the broke Chip theory. Make sure to click on the image links going through each section. Here's the link to the game log google doc (help me find stuff using it!):

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Lhs4sKOqLVOS4IIxzoxdBW1hHu_DTpVd_egQ1jZmwnQ/edit?usp=sharing

Overall Personnel Use

Personnel Breakdown

There were 10 Plays showing new personnel groups this week (new groups were 10, 22, and 13) after UCLA used only 11 and 12 vs Cincinnati. Chip Kelly using 3 TE's at the goal line was not something I was expecting to see this year. That third tight end was #33 Drew Platt. Can't wait to see Asiasi fit into the TE group soon. 11 Personnel was used extensively but was much more run/pass balanced than last week. There was a lot less 12 than last week. So far 22 and 13 are used for running plays only. 22 (2 RB) is a sneaky way to get Allen into the game under the radar (with Kelley or Olorunfunmi lined up as tailback). 11 and 10 are somewhat interchangeable with the ability to use Caleb Wilson as a WR.

RB Alignment and RB Personnel

RBs Playing Time and Results

RB Alignment

Olorunfunmi got the most meaningful playing time. However, his presence on the field is a huge run tell. The offense moved the best with Kelley in the game, but his YPC was bad. I think Kelley was possibly in the doghouse after the bungled alignment on the option play. Allen had best YPC (even without breaking a long one this week). As with the Asiasi note above, it will be very interesting to soon see where Soso lands in this wide open platoon RB mix.


The pistol or RB "Behind" alignment disappeared this week. They ran all the IZRs from "Next" or "Hybrid" alignment. In the "Next" or "Hybrid" alignment, the RB has to take an awkward backwards sideways kick step to get momentum going forward. The RB's never got a head of steam. It was interesting that most of the passing came from the RB next to the QB; a big departure from last week's telegraphing (where "Next" almost always meant OZR). The "Max Protect" shotgun alignment (2 skill players behind the QB) was also not used this week. The overall formation theme seemed to be to get the skill players really spread wide and use the UCLA 5 Olineman to win their matchups (hint: they didn't).

Pro Ace (under center, single back) was used 11 times (twice as much as last week), with only one pass play. That lone pass from the run dominant formation was effective and could have been a big gain, but players didn't execute (pass wasn't great, receiver should have caught it anyway). Pro Ace was used a lot last week coming out for the first play of drives. That was true for three drives this week, but it was used a lot more mid drive this week.

Run/Pass by Down

Run/Pass by Down

Much better run/pass balance on 1st down this week. There was a lot of very deliberate low YPC running on 2nd down. There were some long runs on 3rd and longs that were really just concessions. There was twice as much play faking (includes RPO Passes) as last week, which is encouraging.

Yards per play charts

YPP vs Cincinatti

YPP vs Cincinnati zoomed

Here's UCLA vs Cincinatti: Note relatively consistent production. 6 negative plays, 17 0 yard plays, just 2 Allen runs in terms of chunk plays. Note the 3rd quarter bump in the road... was this halftime adjustments (bad by Chip or good by 'Natti), or fatigue?

YPP vs Oklahoma

YPP vs Oklahoma zoomed

Here's UCLA vs Oklahoma: Sameish amount of negative plays (8) and 0 yard plays (18). Same 3rd quarter lurch. A couple more chunk plays. 4th quarter upside probably result of Oklahoma substitutions and preventish defense.

All 4 chunk (big yardage) plays were passes vs Oklahoma (to Caleb Wilson, Howard, and Pabico), where the two vs Cincinnati were Allen runs.

Chip Kelly offenses always take a lot of negative plays, but typically have more offsetting positive chunk plays.

Misc Notes

-Twice that I caught, they showed the unbalanced OZR sweep play pre snap, and then shifted out of it. They didn’t run that play (it was a OZR staple vs Cincinatti) vs Oklahoma.

-Whenever they do an IZR with a built in RPO, I have seen two sets of receiver routes (three's probably more, these just stuck out): 1) They all do 5 yard hitches (usually 2x2) 2) With trips on one side they set up a screen where two receivers start blocking and one sits down for the screen.

-If it wasn't obvious, because of crowed noise they were using the RG to watch the QB for snap signals, then the RG would slap the C on the thigh to hike it.

-Chip said post game: Dorian made right reads / Oline Didn't handle twists

-Does anyone know what this chart is tracking? I am really scratching my head. I think it's most likely something about the Oklahoma offense tendencies to assist calling UCLA's defense, but I really have no idea.

Chip Chart

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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