[MV72018]

I just watched the replay for the first time. Ayomanor did get knocked off of his route by a WF DB, keeping him away from the desired location.

Yep, stuff like that happens. That is why you absolutely can't tell your QB definitively which receiver he must target. He has to read the field, at least minimally. If he doesn't he is going to get intercepted a lot.

Daniels, if he was to check down on that final play, would have had to do so before the pump fake, imo. Small time and space window.

I don't see it that way. Stop the video right as Daniels is throwing the ball toward Ayomanor. Stanford's #15 is down the field 6 yards facing Daniels with a defender completely behind him. He is to the right of Daniels. There is a clear throwing lane to #15. The defender can't get to the ball without going through #15. The defender will probably hit him when the ball gets there but it will still be a pass that can be caught. The defender might be too aggressive, hit early, and get a PI.  There is another receiver facing Daniels further off to the right that is 4 yards downfield. His defender is also behind our receiver but even further off him.  Either one of these receivers were available right after the pump-fake IMO.

The ACC crew pointed out that Ayomanor was gassed for that final play. He was targeted for 6 straight plays before that. 

Richt had perhaps the most salient comment about the final play. How often do you see the same double-move play work when called twice in a row?

Unfortunately I have seen it happen several times, against Stanford. The defender simply could not lay off the first move. It was the typical problem of a Stanford defender that is just too slow to play corner. He had to react immediately because if he hesitated he would for sure be beat. Of course, on a double move if he does react he will be beat because he reacted :-).  I do agree with your point though. It is more common to see the double move called after repeated catches in front of the defender gets said defender ready to react quickly to anything. The WF DB obviously decided to mess up the pattern and wreck the timing. Solved the problem for WF either way.

IMO Ayomanor being gassed was a good reason to use him as a decoy. He was too tired to outrun anybody. WF certainly knew we liked to throw to him. The safety was more than ready to com over and helped cover him. Keeping him on the field used up two of the defenders, at least. Pump-fake in his direction and throw back to the other side of the field.

That's pretty funny, Goose. You took strong exception when I posted that given they'd already thrown to Ayom at least twice on the drive, TT went to the well too often on that last play, and that the play called was ridiculous and poorly executed. Now you seem to recognize that it wasn't a smart call after all, given the situation, and that they should have tried to hit someone else, which I also stated (someone who was open b/c of the multiple defenders on Ayom or at least someone who'd be single-coverage). Curious.

[MV72018]

I just watched the replay for the first time. Ayomanor did get knocked off of his route by a WF DB, keeping him away from the desired location.

Yep, stuff like that happens. That is why you absolutely can't tell your QB definitively which receiver he must target. He has to read the field, at least minimally. If he doesn't he is going to get intercepted a lot.

Daniels, if he was to check down on that final play, would have had to do so before the pump fake, imo. Small time and space window.

I don't see it that way. Stop the video right as Daniels is throwing the ball toward Ayomanor. Stanford's #15 is down the field 6 yards facing Daniels with a defender completely behind him. He is to the right of Daniels. There is a clear throwing lane to #15. The defender can't get to the ball without going through #15. The defender will probably hit him when the ball gets there but it will still be a pass that can be caught. The defender might be too aggressive, hit early, and get a PI.  There is another receiver facing Daniels further off to the right that is 4 yards downfield. His defender is also behind our receiver but even further off him.  Either one of these receivers were available right after the pump-fake IMO.

The ACC crew pointed out that Ayomanor was gassed for that final play. He was targeted for 6 straight plays before that. 

Richt had perhaps the most salient comment about the final play. How often do you see the same double-move play work when called twice in a row?

Unfortunately I have seen it happen several times, against Stanford. The defender simply could not lay off the first move. It was the typical problem of a Stanford defender that is just too slow to play corner. He had to react immediately because if he hesitated he would for sure be beat. Of course, on a double move if he does react he will be beat because he reacted :-).  I do agree with your point though. It is more common to see the double move called after repeated catches in front of the defender gets said defender ready to react quickly to anything. The WF DB obviously decided to mess up the pattern and wreck the timing. Solved the problem for WF either way.

IMO Ayomanor being gassed was a good reason to use him as a decoy. He was too tired to outrun anybody. WF certainly knew we liked to throw to him. The safety was more than ready to com over and helped cover him. Keeping him on the field used up two of the defenders, at least. Pump-fake in his direction and throw back to the other side of the field.

That's pretty funny, Goose. You took strong exception when I posted that given they'd already thrown to Ayom at least twice on the drive, TT went to the well too often on that last play, and that the play called was ridiculous and poorly executed. Now you seem to recognize that it wasn't a smart call after all, given the situation, and that they should have tried to hit someone else, which I also stated (someone who was open b/c of the multiple defenders on Ayom or at least someone who'd be single-coverage). Curious.