Saturday, July 25, 2015

Season Preview: Kevin White and the Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears drafted a dynamic receiver by the name of Kevin White in the 2015 NFL Draft. White is a dynamic play maker with exceptional size and speed. In college, White ran a limited number of routes. This is no criticism to his skill set, it is the nature of Dana Holgorsen’s offense at West Virginia. Holgorsen’s offense is a branch on the elegant tree that is the air raid offense. The air raid offense is much simpler than an NFL offense and does not ask receivers to run a wide range of routes. Instead, the air raid focuses on getting receivers to master a few routes in order to perfect their technique.

Dana’s version of the air raid takes this simplicity one step further. After Geno Smith left West Virginia for the NFL in 2013, Holgorsen decided to simplify his schemes. Traditionally, the air raid offense does a nice job of stretching the defense horizontally, not as much vertically. Holgorsen recognized this and made changes in his scheme in order to create more big plays for his dynamic receivers.  He began using tight ends and fullbacks (air raid using a fullback?!)  in order to focus more on the running game. The tighter formations and the focus on the running game provided more opportunities for Kevin White to make big plays down the field. Defenses started bringing a safety down into the box to help out against a more focused ground attack. This created many 1 on 1 matchups for White, a nightmare for even the best of defensive backs:




To help him adjust to more complicated NFL offenses, Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase should provide White with ways to make early impacts in the month of September. This screen play used by Chip Kelly and the Eagles is our first example. This screen play is a packaged play. The Eagles are running a sweep to the left, along with a tunnel screen to the right.





The play call worked well, as the Arizona Cardinals brought a blitz. The quarterback appears to be reading the #2 defender to the side of the screen (either the safety or outside linebacker). If this defender is either in the box or is influenced by the sweep to the left, the quarterback will throw the screen to the right. The right tackle, who will perhaps be Kyle Long in the near future, slides for a few steps to his left to influence the defense, then releases to block the corner. The tight split by the receiver ensures that the defense will not press him, as the play will not work if he is pressed. See a video link below:


This play will provide White with the opportunity early in games to get his hands on the ball and settle in to his first few games in the NFL. After the Bears call a few of these screen plays, White can really show off his downfield skill set. The play below is a diagram of a screen n’ go used by Oregon in the College Football Playoffs.





White is also a physical blocker who can block on the edge for other receivers such as Alshon Jeffery or Eddie Royal. This threat will create the above diagramed play to be open. In the video clip below, the receivers are wide open. In the NFL, this play will get recognized more often than not. It will, however, create the 1 on 1 matchup down the field that offensive coordinators desire.


Having a receiver with the size and speed of Kevin White causes offensive coordinators to salivate at the opportunity to draw up plays on the white board. I am excited to see what Adam Gase has in store for Bears Nation.



No comments:

Post a Comment