Why This Bunch Empty Screen Worked

Texas at Alabama 2023

Empty formations are evidently the theme of the week as today we are discussing an empty bunch screen that the Texas Longhorns completed on their first play of the game against Alabama.

Take a look here at the play and then the breakdown is below:

For the QB, it was an “easy” play number one on the script when you’re playing the Tide in their own home. Catch and throw the ball. The QB’s read was simply based on numbers. If he had a numbers advantage to the bunch, then throw the screen there. If he didn’t he could work the double slant concept to the field (which was the same double slant concept broken down yesterday here).

Because of a shift that happened super fast and not caught on film (unfortunately) the Tide had a tough time getting lined up and didn’t match numbers to the bunch.

So, let’s dive into why this WR screen worked.

Why The Play Worked

1. Ball Out Fast
   This is first on the list because the play was run into the boundary. There isn’t a lot of room, and in turn, not a lot of time to waste. A slow ball from the QB would’ve killed the play. Like all quick screens, the speed of the ball from QB to WR is critical and can’t be understated as a reason the play was successful.
   
   Some people refer to quick WR screens as “long handoffs,” and that was the case here. The QB put the ball right on the WR so that he could catch and get upfield fast.

2. Massive Shift into Empty
   This wasn’t caught on film, but the Longhorns lined up in what looked like a heavy formation first and then moved into this formation. You can see some of it in the wide copy — they even had players switch sides of the formation. Tempo is a great lever to pull in making screens work since it forces the defense to line up fast and potentially misalign, but since this play was the first play of a drive (and the game), they couldn’t use tempo.

3. Good Blocking

   The final reason this play worked so well is because the Longhorns’ WRs blocked it up well. The point man took his man inside and out of the play. The TE on the inside of the bunch man-handled the corner and this allowed the WR with the ball to race upfield until he met a safety. At that point, he’d already gained 9 yards.

Conclusion

WR screens can be a great way to start the game since they are an easy catch and throw for the QB and aren’t a tough read. However, they do present challenges that I discussed heavily previously.

The smartest thing about this play, in my opinion, was the use of a big formation shift to mimic tempo. When trying to figure out why plays work, it’s best to look at the fundamentals of the play and see if they are present. Getting the defense to misalign and lose numbers is a key fundamental of the WR screen. And that formation shift was a creative way to do it since it was the first play of the game.

Until tomorrow,

Emory Wilhite

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