Scouting Journal: Audio Breakdowns from this Past Week

We are caught in the middle of the dead part of an offseason leading up to an NFL season that may not even happen. As a result, I have been working on new and interesting ways to bring you all content in this dry part of the offseason. One way I have started doing that is by featuring audio breakdowns of certain Colts’ players, plays, and schemes over on my Twitter page and YouTube channel. In today’s piece, I will link all the audio breakdowns I have done in the past week and a half for you all to enjoy along with the people who follow me on those two platforms.

Comparing Reich’s Drag Route Concepts to old Chargers OC Ken Whisenhunt

The first audio breakdown I did this week was discussing a simple concept called the drag route. This route isn’t anything special or intricate but it is something that the Colts could utilize more in 2020 with Philip Rivers. In this breakdown, I compared a play from the 2016 Ken Whisenhunt Chargers offense to a play the Colts ran last year with Parris Campbell. I also talked about how this concept could be a perfect fit for Campbell’s skillset and could help him breakout in year two with the team.

Howard Mudd’s Technique in Blocking Von Miller

You all know I love Howard Mudd and will never turn down the chance to praise him and his unique coaching technique for the offensive line. In this clip, I break down one of my favorite pass blocking reps from the Colts in 2019 as Anthony Castonzo locks up Von Miller on the outside. I also discuss how this block is the perfect embodiment of what Mudd coaches in his technique and how Castonzo excelled in this new style of blocking.

Rock Ya-Sin’s Improved Confidence

Rock Ya-Sin has been a player that I have gone to bat for numerous times on this site and over on Twitter. He had some up and down games early in his rookie year but he turned that around in the second half of the season and began playing some outstanding football down the stretch. The biggest reason for that turnaround? Confidence. In this audio breakdown, I look at how Ya-Sin’s change in confidence helped him refine his technique down the stretch and helped him become a legitimate outside corner for the Colts late in his rookie season.

Eberflus’ Exotic Blitz vs the Chargers

While digging through some old clips on my computer, I found a clip I really enjoyed to study from week one of the 2019 season. The Colts ran a beautifully disguised blitz on the first drive of the game that eventually led to the first career sack for Ben Banogu. Here I broke down why that play was so effective and give due praise to the coaching staff for drawing this blitz up.

Khari Willis’ Intellect and Awareness Allowed him to Succeed in Year One

Rookie safety Khari Willis was such a pleasant surprise in year one. It is rare to find a day three player who can comfortably step into a starting role and shine like he did. He had his fair share of mistakes on the season but overall I think it was a really good year for the rookie. In this audio breakdown, I looked at two plays that showcased this young player’s attention to detail and anticipation skills that led to tackles for a loss.

Zach Pascal’s Route Against the Steelers

Zach Pascal was another pleasant surprise last year as he ended up leading the team in receiving yards with 641 on the season. A former UDFA and core special teamer, Pascal has worked tirelessly on his game to get to the point of being a very polished and developed veteran in this league. In this breakdown, I analyze a route he ran against the Steelers and veteran cornerback Joe Haden. I praise the development of Pascal while also discussing how important it is for a receiver to attack a defender’s blind spot when running their route.

Colts’ Success Rushing to the Right Side

Finally, I broke down a play discussing the Colts’ success rushing to the right side. On the year in 2019, the Colts rushed for over 7(!!!) yards per carry when rushing outside the right tackle position. I looked at a clip against the Miami Dolphins for this breakdown to talk about how there isn’t just one factor for this outside rushing to success. It is a product of every player doing their part along with a couple star players (such as Ryan Kelly on this play) going above and beyond to make a great play.