Western Michigan vs. Rice
Monday, November 23, 2009
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Western Michigan Offense vs. Rice Defense Rice has had some success getting to the quarterback, especially during the second half of the season. However, disrupting the rhythm of QB Tim Hiller will prove to be a trying chore for a few reasons. For starters, Western Michigan has surrendered just 14 sacks and its front five is capable of keeping Rice's front four of the backfield. Secondly, RB Brandon West does an excellent job of neutralizing the blitz. He is an aggressive pass blocker who can cut the legs out from under rushing linebackers and a crisp route runner who gets open quickly. Thirdly, 6-foot-2 234-pound WR Jamarko Simmons can shield defenders from the ball and his ability to make catches traffic makes him a viable option when Hiller has to get rid of the ball quickly. Finally, TE Branden Ledbetter is expected to return from an abdominal injury that forced him to miss the final two games of the regular season and he's a reliable possession receiver over the middle. Rice plays three safeties in its base 4-2-5 defense and all three are rangy run defenders. Keep an eye on Travis Bradshaw and Andrew Sendejo in particular. They locate the ball quickly, take sound pursuit angles and tackle well. As a result, West and backup Aaron Winchester shouldn't break many long runs even though they have above-average quickness and can make defenders miss when they get into space. However, Rice is giving up an average of 5.1 yards carry and the front six haven't done a good job of shedding blocks. With that in mind, West and Winchester should be productive enough to set up the play action package and keep Hiller out of a lot of third-and-long situations. |
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