#wanttowednesday

🏈 The Mathematics of Football: Where are your +2? 🤔

😂 I spent two years as a math major at UU to learn to count to 2.

In football- It’s not just about who has the most talented Jimmy’s and Joe’s—it’s about the numbers.  Let’s break down why +2.

On a traditional run play, the QB hands the ball to the RB, and immediately, two offensive players can no longer block, which means two defensive players go unblocked. Where are these two players, and how does the offense account for them? The answer could be the difference between a big gain or a loss.

Now, let’s dive into the pass game: In a traditional pass play against a base zone defense, the defense sends 4 rushers and drops 7 into coverage. If the offense releases all 5 skill players, it becomes 5 on 7—but how do the defenders relate to the offensive skill players?

The answer? Where and how those +2 are used can shape the success of either the offense or defense.

🏈 Semifinals: Texas vs. Ohio State

In the Texas vs. Ohio State game, Texas used their +2 to slow down OSU’s offense. They made sure that at least one of their +2 always related to #4, Jeremiah Smith, and it worked—until it didn’t. The overcommitment to stopping #4 allowed Treveyon Henderson to break free for a game-changing screen touchdown. Here’s the breakdown:

Pre-Snap:

• OSU: 3 x 1 formation v. field edge zone pressure – Cover 2 -dropping boundary end.
• Texas: Boundary Safety, Cornerback, and Defensive End all focused on #4, creating a +2 towards #4.

Post-Snap:

• The defense had 3 defenders relating to #4, and the RB didn’t release, giving Texas a +3 advantage on the field; the third was the deep half to the field.  This was critical to Texas’ success in limiting #4 and vertical throws to the field?  On 5 snaps in the first half – Texas used this defense to 3 x 1.  Bending but not breaking on the 1st four snaps.

But here on the 5th time is where it gets interesting: Texas overcommitted to covering #4, and Ohio State slipped the back to the field for a screen—the +2 now worked in their favor, with 5 offensive players to block 3 defenders, including 3 linemen blocking.

🚨 Touchdown Treveyon Henderson!
That’s the basic math behind football—Make the #’s work in your favor.

🏈 It’s not just about the play; it’s about where those +2 are.

#FootballMathematics #OffenseVsDefense #FootballStrategy #TexasVsOhioState #JeremiahSmith #TreveyonHenderson #FootballAnalysis #GameChanger