Film Room: A look at the wrinkles Jim Leonhard added to Wisconsin’s offense
Wisconsin Badgers interim head coach Jim Leonhard took over the program on short notice and quickly acknowledged that the offense needed to make some adjustments – as not to beat a dead horse.
Making said adjustments seems easy on paper, but doing this during week six of the college football season gives little time to overhaul what the team has been running since spring and fall camp began.
Before his first game as head coach, Leonhard asked his offensive staff to find a way to manufacture touches for the team’s best playmakers and make them more dynamic.
“We have to play off our passing game,” said Leonhard. “Teams are going to stop the run. They are going to load the box and dedicate a lot of attention to our running backs and o-line. We have to be able to balance that a little bit.”
Bobby Engram heard this message clearly and answered the call, producing a season-high 515 total yards (322 passing, 194 rushing) and scoring 42 points on 7.6 yards per play.
During the 42-7 throttling of Northwestern, anyone with two eyes could see that things looked much different, specifically as it pertained to the offense.
With the proverbial handcuffs removed, the coaching staff added several wrinkles on offense that kept the Wildcats off-balance all afternoon and accentuated the strengths of UW’s best weapons.
Graham Mertz threw for 299 yards and five touchdowns, Braelon Allen rushed for 135 yards with a passing touchdown, and Chimere Dike caught 10 passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns.
If I had told you that would be the outcome after the Illinois game, you would have thought I was using illicit drugs – and I wouldn’t have blamed you.
Wisconsin’s top playmakers had a field day against Northwestern and, to the untrained eye, played loose, confident, and fast, a stark contrast from the offense we’ve watched over the past couple of seasons.
Let’s take a look at a few of the unique offensive installations implemented against Northwestern:
The Pistol:
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS – OCTOBER 08: The Wisconsin Badgers huddle against the Northwestern Wildcats during the first half at Ryan Field on October 08, 2022 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
One of the new ‘wrinkles’ added to the playbook against Northwestern was the use of the Pistol formation.
The Pistol allows quarterback Graham Mertz to read the field as soon as he catches the snap and throw the ball no different than if he were in the shotgun (just a little closer to the center).
However, the Badgers still have the option to run the football – making it a nice little curveball for opposing defenses.
In the clip below, Wisconsin runs a play-action pass out of the Pistol formation – which is certainly something we haven’t seen yet this season.
— Badger Film Clips (@Badgers_Film) October 9, 2022
Jumbo Set:
Sep 10, 2022; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers offensive linenam Logan Brown (50) during the game against the Washington State Cougars at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Wisconsin’s offensive line has endured its fair share of struggles this season, and the injuries to the team’s top two tight ends haven’t helped matters whatsoever.
So, to give the running game some extra push in the trenches, UW added some additional jumbo sets, which isn’t an entirely new concept for the Badgers. However, it’s been underutilized, especially outside of the red zone.
Say what you want about Logan Brown, but there is no denying he can move people in the running game. According to PFF, Brown logged 18 snaps on Saturday as an inline blocking tight end – which helped open things up for Braelon Allen.
In the clip below, you’ll see Brown lined up at the top of the screen, serving as an additional blocking tight end – something I believe we’ll continue to see more of as the season progresses.
— Badger Film Clips (@Badgers_Film) October 11, 2022
RPOs
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS – OCTOBER 08: Graham Mertz #5 of the Wisconsin Badgers throws a pass against the Northwestern Wildcats during the first half at Ryan Field on October 08, 2022 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
People laughed at me when I suggested fans could see Wisconsin begin running RPOs under Jim Leonhard.
On Saturday, Wisconsin ran RPOs on several occasions, and these un-scouted looks kept Northwestern guessing.
I believe we’ll see Leonhard put a premium on the illusion of complexity and the ability to be multiple.
Mertz gets the snap in the clip below, scans the field, and reads the end coming off the edge, middle linebacker, and safety. Once the safety bites down, he recognizes Markus Allen in man coverage and hits him on an in-breaking route he takes for a touchdown.
— Badger Film Clips (@Badgers_Film) October 9, 2022
Wildcat:
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS – OCTOBER 08: Braelon Allen #0 of the Wisconsin Badgers throws a touchdown pass to Chez Mellusi #1 (not pictured) against the Northwestern Wildcats during the first half at Ryan Field on October 08, 2022 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Yes, Wisconsin has been using the wildcat since their matchup vs. Ohio State. The difference, in my eyes, was the timing in which Leonhard chose to deploy the wildcat package – it just made more sense.
Some people want UW to scrap the wildcat entirely, and I can’t say that I agree. I’d like to see it used less and not for more than one play in a row.
Against Northwestern, Braelon Allen threw a 23-yard touchdown pass out of the wildcat to senior running back Chez Mellusi, becoming the first non-quarterback to throw a TD for Wisconsin since James White in 2012.
— Badger Film Clips (@Badgers_Film) October 9, 2022
Jet-Sweep:
Oct 8, 2022; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Vinny Anthony II (86) looks for running room in the first quarter against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
The jet-sweep is something Wisconsin has found great success doing over the years, leaving Badgers fans clamoring for more.
And while Paul Chryst did run it from time to time, Leonhard’s use offers a look at what he might want to add to the playbook moving forward.
I noticed a lot of pre-snap motion on offense relative to weeks past. When Wisconsin spreads the opposing defense out, it allows them to run the ball more effectively – which is essential considering UW hasn’t gotten the same kind of push at the LOS this season.
These tendency breakers help keep defenses honest and allow different playmakers to earn touches, ala Vinny Anthony.
— Badger Film Clips (@Badgers_Film) October 11, 2022
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