Film Review: Saturday's Defensive Standouts

By: Eric Myers

Maryland'south defense force came into Saturday's game against Rutgers with a decided advantage on the stat canvass, as the Scarlet Knights' offense has struggled moving the ball and retaining possession all flavor.

The Terrapins defense force still needed strong performances from their central contributors, especially in the kickoff half without their leading tackler Tre Watson, whose second-half targeting penalty confronting Michigan kept him out of the lineup, to ensure they did not overlook Rutgers.

Darnell Savage, Antoine Brooks Jr. and Byron Cowart led the manner for the Maryland defense, who held Rutgers to seven points and 179 yards in the game, 92 of which came in the quaternary quarter when a number of second-string players were on the field with Maryland's 34-0 lead.

Darnell Savage:

Pro Football Focus Higher named Darnell Savage to their All-Defensive team for the calendar week and he received their highest form amidst any defensive player in the country. Cruel did this despite not registering a tackle on the stat sheet because of his sound laissez passer coverage, and the senior prophylactic ended upwards with ii of the team'south five interceptions.

Interception on a wheel route:

On this third-and-8 play, Roughshod lined upward in the box, traditionally where a linebacker is. In an obvious passing down, Roughshod is a skilful fit to be in this position equally his range allows him to get to where he needs to exist in laissez passer coverage.

On this item play, Savage dropped back to exterior the hash in zone coverage. Rutgers' play was designed to draw the cornerback to the within of the field to clear out the border and leave a wheel route to the running back available. But Barbarous's eventual positioning was right where he needed to exist to take the play away by either making a play on the ball or laying a big hitting.

Interception after undercutting a route:

Savage is playing a similar area of the field as his showtime interception, merely this fourth dimension coming from his usual alignment at safety. The Rutgers' tight end and wide receiver ended their routes very close to 1 some other on the play, giving a 2 Maryland defenders a adventure to intercept the pass. Afterward the ball sailed just beyond the reach of Nnambi Egbuaba, Savage undercut the receiver and collected his second takeaway of the game.

Byron Cowart:

The transfer from Auburn had the breakout game of his career on Sabbatum, totaling 3 tackles, two tackles for a loss, 1 sack and ane interception.

Cowart also had ii other tackles for a loss, just due to personal foul penalties, ane of which was a equus caballus-neckband penalty by Cowart on a sack, neither counted. Yet, the sometime No. 1 recruit in the country had an imposing presence in the game.

Cowart sack:

Cowart lined upwards beyond from the left tackle, but directed his rush to the interior of the line every bit Brooks Jr. blitzed off the edge and was taken on by the tackle. Cowart was then one-on-i with the left guard on his quest to take down the quarterback.

Using a stutter step to the exterior shoulder of the guard, Cowart left the lineman off rest and on his heels. Next came a quick motility to the within coupled with a swim move to neutralize the lineman's unsuccessful final-ditch try to deter his path to the passer. From there, it was but a affair of time until Cowart registered his third sack of the flavour.

Cowart tackle for a loss:

Cowart's sack left Rutgers with a third-and-22 and on the very next play, and the senior defensive lineman made another stop for a loss.

Rutgers ran the ball inside on third-and-long, hoping to either gain yards to improve field positioning before a punt or catch the Maryland defense anticipating the laissez passer. Cowart wasn't fooled by the play and made the tackle.

Even after the sack, Cowart wasn't solely intent on getting afterward the quarterback and used his increasing football IQ to notice what the Scarlet Knights were trying to do. So he cut inside the block of the offensive tackle and took down the ball carrier.

Antoine Brooks Jr.

Before the snap, Brooks Jr. can ofttimes exist found roaming effectually the defense force on the line of scrimmage. Sometimes he drops back in coverage and sometimes he attacks and wreaks havoc in the backfield. Although listed equally a defensive back, Brooks Jr. leads the team in tackles for a loss with 6.5 on the season. Brooks Jr. was in one case over again disruptive at the point of attack against Rutgers for the Maryland defense.

Cowart interception:

Cowart ends up snatching the ball out of the air for his first career interception, merely it was the play by Brooks that made all of that possible.

Lined up just outside the right tackle, Brooks broke toward the quarterback immediately later the snap. Merely before his pursuit of the quarterback was about to culminate in a sack, Brooks noticed that a laissez passer was about to be thrown to the running back on a swing route. The junior defensive back timed his leap exactly right and tipped the ball high into the air.

Brooks tackle for a loss:

Merely before the snap, Brooks slid down from covering the slot to lining up just off the finish of the line of scrimmage. Rutgers didn't notice Brooks lining up off the edge and the play was run right to his side. Unblocked off the edge, Brooks was correct in position to make the stop for a one-yard loss.

Brooks tackle for no gain:

This play didn't effect in a tackle for loss, as the ball carrier made it back to the line of scrimmage, just Brooks' play ensured that the running back didn't make it past the first level. On the run play to the correct side, Brooks shot the gap on the left side opened up by the Rutgers' down blocking. His furious backside pursuit led him to make a diving tackle at the ankles of the back.

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Source: http://wmucsports.net/film-review-saturdays-defensive-standouts/

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