[JustAnotherFan]

If you are an inside linebacker and know the play is coming off center and shoot the A gap, but are met with a pulling guard (or fullback) who effectively blocks you and springs the running back, it doesn't matter a lick that you knew the play was coming.  And if you (as a defense) sell out completely, you are vulnerable to the rare trick play where the offense totally goes against its alignment (see, for example, touchdowns thrown to our tight end out of the jumbo package).

BC

I believe/hope that Stanford coaches and players are smart enough to recognize that they can pull guards out of the same personnel/formations that can also have a tight end cross, or QB option, or a variety of other plays that do not run off the center's butt.

As I originally said, "if an inside linebacker knows the play is coming off center he can shoot the A gap. But if he has to worry about a tight end release or a slot cross ..."

Even if we believe that the guard or fullback can effectively block the person who knows where the play is being run (because every competent defensive coordinator is going to make sure that their players know the surefire tendencies) there is still a benefit to having the linebacker delay to make proper reads.

It almost seems to me like there is a sense of pride in knowing that the defense knows the play you are about to run, and still beating them on that play. That's brutality, but not intellectual brutality. It works for Arizona State and Oregon State (not this year though), but it does not work quite as well with USC or TCU.

I'm all for using formation/personnel to gain an advantage over the defense, but I'm also for not making half of our plays so predictable that it gives the defense an advantage over us. That's all I'm saying. I said it about three different ways so I'll spare everyone with my saying it a fourth way. 

[JustAnotherFan]

If you are an inside linebacker and know the play is coming off center and shoot the A gap, but are met with a pulling guard (or fullback) who effectively blocks you and springs the running back, it doesn't matter a lick that you knew the play was coming.  And if you (as a defense) sell out completely, you are vulnerable to the rare trick play where the offense totally goes against its alignment (see, for example, touchdowns thrown to our tight end out of the jumbo package).

BC

I believe/hope that Stanford coaches and players are smart enough to recognize that they can pull guards out of the same personnel/formations that can also have a tight end cross, or QB option, or a variety of other plays that do not run off the center's butt.

As I originally said, "if an inside linebacker knows the play is coming off center he can shoot the A gap. But if he has to worry about a tight end release or a slot cross ..."

Even if we believe that the guard or fullback can effectively block the person who knows where the play is being run (because every competent defensive coordinator is going to make sure that their players know the surefire tendencies) there is still a benefit to having the linebacker delay to make proper reads.

It almost seems to me like there is a sense of pride in knowing that the defense knows the play you are about to run, and still beating them on that play. That's brutality, but not intellectual brutality. It works for Arizona State and Oregon State (not this year though), but it does not work quite as well with USC or TCU.

I'm all for using formation/personnel to gain an advantage over the defense, but I'm also for not making half of our plays so predictable that it gives the defense an advantage over us. That's all I'm saying. I said it about three different ways so I'll spare everyone with my saying it a fourth way.