Cal vs Arizona State
Cal LB Evan Weaver vs Arizona State RB Eno Benjamin
The early goings of Pac-12 conference play brings a matchup between a rising stud and a disappointing preseason darling. LB Evan Weaver will lead a fierce Cal defense in an effort to shut down Arizona State RB Eno Benjamin and the Sun Devils’ volatile offense.
Benjamin was a favorite among many draft analysts heading into the 2019 season. Rotoworld’s own Thor Nystrom ranked Benjamin as the fourth-best back in the class in the preseason. Dane Brugler of The Athletic had Benjamin second only to Georgia’s DeAndre Swift, praising the 5-foot-10, 210-pound back for his impeccable balance. The group over at The Draft Network ranked Benjamin fifth in their composite rankings and slotted him just outside the top-50 overall. The list goes on and on, but it’s clear that Benjamin was supposed to be a high-end Day 2 prospect and one of the most prized runners in the class. [[ad:athena]]
Eno Benjamin in space. pic.twitter.com/5L6ia6xOy8
— Derrik Klassen (@QBKlassClips) September 25, 2019
And with lateral agility like this, there is no secret as to why Benjamin was touted as he was. For a runner who can battle between the tackles and is never afraid to take on a defender head on, Benjamin is a dangerous man in space. In the clip above, Benjamin cannot just cut it up the field because there is a weak side linebacker flowing into the only potential gap for him to hit. Benjamin improvises a bit and puts a cut on the strong side linebacker who moved down to the edge in a scrape exchange. The move leaves the linebacker in the dirt and earns Benjamin a foot race that he wins for a touchdown.
Eno Benjamin game-winning TD vs Michigan State. pic.twitter.com/Rtamb5QvjD
— Derrik Klassen (@QBKlassClips) September 25, 2019
Now to circle back on Benjamin’s balance and will to trudge forward. While Michigan State’s front shut down Benjamin for most of their mid-September meeting, Arizona State’s star running back punched in the go-ahead touchdown with a tough, heroic effort to just barely stretch the ball over the goal line while falling forward through a couple of defenders. Not many dudes have the fight and awareness to make this play work the way Benjamin did.
The 2019 season at large has not been favorable for Benjamin’s image, though. After averaging 5.5 yards per carry as a sophomore last year, Benjamin is stuck at a pedestrian 3.8 yards per carry in 2019. Furthermore, Benjamin’s explosive plays have disappeared. He ripped off 47 10-plus yard carries and 14 20-plus yards carries in 2018, but has just seven and one of such runs, respectively, through four games this season. That being said, it’s hard to watch the film and chastise Benjamin for his fall from grace. The junior running back deserves some individual blame, but a majority of the fault falls on the Sun Devils offensive line.
Arizona State disaster OL. pic.twitter.com/DFuPZcwYc1
— Derrik Klassen (@QBKlassClips) September 25, 2019
Breakdowns in the integrity of the offensive line structure have plagued Arizona State’s season. While they were not a fantastic unit last year, they more consistently did enough to enable Benjamin to work some magic. That is no longer the case. Benjamin is constantly being swarmed at or behind the line of scrimmage.
Michigan State’s sound and talented defense teed off on the Arizona State offensive line and run game. Unfortunately for Benjamin, Cal’s defense is primed to do the same.
Weaver, already a leader for the Golden Bears defense in 2018, has emerged as a ball magnet through the early portion of his senior season. Four weeks in, Weaver leads the country with 40 solo tackles, well above the next-highest player at 30 solo tackles. It seems wherever the ball carrier goes, Weaver is there to follow. The veteran linebacker earned Walter Camp Defensive Player of the Week honors versus Washington in Week 2 for posting 18 tackles, two tackles for loss, and a forced fumble.
Evan Weaver vs Washington pic.twitter.com/gLOhCWK3qO
— Derrik Klassen (@QBKlassClips) September 25, 2019
Sometimes, Weaver closes on the line of scrimmage in a hurry and shuts out the running back’s desired rush lane. He is a freight train moving downhill with his 6-foot-3, 235-pound frame and powerful steps. Both in the run game and as a blitzer, Weaver becomes a threat to blow a play up if he can get out to a clean first few steps to build up that momentum.
The worry with Weaver is the flip-side of what it means to have an abundance of tackles. Tackles are often a result of a ball carrier taking the path of least resistance, i.e. whichever rushing lane is least occupied or threatened by a defender. In turn, there are linebackers who regularly concede their assignment early in the down, but find the ball carrier later in the down and tackle them after they have picked up a decent gain. Scooby Wright III was a prime example of this when he was at Arizona; Paul Worrilow is the NFL’s clearest demonstration of such a player. Of course, not all of their tackles come this way — Weaver certainly has his fair share of plays at the line of scrimmage — but there should be concern that he is late to the play as often as he is early.
It’s tough to say for certain, but Weaver’s lateness could be linked to his transition from defensive end. He was a defensive end when he first got on campus, eventually switching to an off-ball position in 2017. Playing linebacker is all about reading keys, triggering immediately off those keys, and having the flow in space to execute. Weaver has far too many plays where he struggles to showcase those skills. He is often late getting out of his stance and he is not a particularly impressive athlete moving side-to-side. Though years removed from the position switch, Weaver still moves like a traditional defensive end being asked to play off the ball.
Given the state of Arizona State’s offensive line, Weaver should still have a strong outing if he trusts his instincts and triggers to the ball early. This is not an offensive line that will be able to punish him for triggering early and gambling for a tackle for loss. Cal’s defense around Weaver is so fundamentally sound that they should be able to funnel Benjamin wherever they want, whether that’s Weaver funneling to someone else or the rest of the front funneling to Weaver.
It’s Benjamin’s game if the two meet in space, though. Not only is Benjamin feisty and balanced enough to take Weaver head on, his smooth cuts in space should leave Weaver looking stiff as a board. Benjamin is also a fantastic receiver and yards-after-catch threat, neither of which Weaver has the tools to combat very well.
In the grand scheme of things, Cal’s defense will probably suffocate Arizona State’s offense and keep Benjamin down. If Benjamin and Weaver meet in an individual scenario (well, as much of one as there can be between a linebacker and running back), Benjamin has an overwhelming talent advantage.
Advantage: Benjamin
Notre Dame vs Virginia
Notre Dame WR Chase Claypool vs Virginia CB Bryce Hall
Notre Dame needs to rebound versus a manageable opponent after being handled by Georgia on national television. Virginia, on the other hand, needs to pull off an upset versus a top-10 ranked Fighting Irish squad to maintain their undefeated record. 50 some odd players between the two teams will find their way onto the field to fight for their season, but there may be no two competing players as important as Notre Dame WR Chase Claypool and Virginia CB Bryce Hall.
Claypool is the beneficiary of Notre Dame hemorrhaging receiving talent following the 2018 season. The Irish lost three of their top four pass-catchers, all seniors, including Baltimore Ravens third-round pick Myles Boykin. While Claypool already placed second on the team in receptions and yards last year, he’s been the one to soak up most of the “lost” targets. The passing game functions through Claypool now.
At 6-foot-4 and 229-pounds, Claypool is bordering on being a tight end. An extra ten or so pounds would make him almost identical in size to Evan Engram, Jordan Reed, and Gerald Everett. His play style looks more like a tight end playing wide receiver than a natural at the position, too.
Claypool’s best asset is his ability to box defenders out of the catch point. Few defensive backs can match Claypool’s frame, let alone try to wrestle him off his desired spot. Claypool, similar to JJ Arcega-Whiteside last year, is a menace in the red zone because of this particular strength.
Chase Claypool TD vs Georgia pic.twitter.com/s6O63g2jMl
— Derrik Klassen (@QBKlassClips) September 25, 2019
Ultimately, Notre Dame couldn’t find the win, but Claypool put them in striking range with this bully style touchdown near the front right pylon. Claypool works slightly past the goal line then extends his arm into the defensive back while sinking his hips and sliding back to the sideline. QB Ian Book hits Claypool just before he leaves the end zone and the senior receiver makes a coordinated effort to stay in the end zone and in bounds.
Chase Claypool behind the back catch. pic.twitter.com/FW53Gs35PD
— Derrik Klassen (@QBKlassClips) September 25, 2019
Claypool also sports an impressive catch radius. Separation is king in the NFL, but if a player isn’t great at separating, they ought to make up some of the gap by being able to erase inaccuracy. Claypool has no business catching the pass in the clip above, but he is able to contort his body and make a quick adjustment behind his back for the ball. That pass hits the dirt nine times out of 10 without a receiver like Claypool.
Chase Claypool catch and run. pic.twitter.com/tsvfCA37Jy
— Derrik Klassen (@QBKlassClips) September 25, 2019
It’s also tough to shake the tight end comparisons when you see Claypool run with the ball. He takes long, powerful strides that build momentum, but his change of direction isn’t sexy. If Claypool can do just enough to spring himself free, his full-steam-ahead running style makes him terrifying for any defender at a height/weight disadvantage to try to tackle.
The Cavaliers defense is counting on Hall to keep Claypool in check. Hall, a well-sized player himself at 6-foot-1 and 200-pounds, is a long, top-heavy cornerback with a knack for getting his hand in the way of passes.
Hall lead the country with 24 total passes defended last season, including two interceptions. According to CFB Stats, Hall’s 24 passes defended in 2018 are tied for the third-highest single-season mark since 2009. The two players with more pass breakups in a given season over that span? 2018 second-round pick Josh Jackson (26) and 2016 first-round pick William Jackson III. Hall’s ball-hawking skills bode well for his NFL Draft status.
Hall is at his best when he gets to work into the wide receiver’s frame and play a physical game. He has long arms, a thick upper body, and a keen awareness of how to manipulate the space between the ball and the wide receiver. He’s not one to lose ground as soon as he and the receiver lock into “phase.” Once the ball enters Hall’s vicinity, it is incredibly rare that he does not get a hand on it to knock it away from the intended target. He plays aggressively toward the ball in every scenario and isn’t afraid of gambling a little bit to do so.
Where Hall can struggle is when he has to play what is in front of him. Hall reads the field exceptionally well, so the issue is not so much that he isn’t seeing plays on time. Rather, Hall’s trigger out of his stance or backpedal is often poor. In part because he is so tall and rarely plays in a half-turn technique, it takes Hall too many slow steps to redirect himself toward the ball.
Bryce Hall failed tackle. pic.twitter.com/g5nLC2v7b9
— Derrik Klassen (@QBKlassClips) September 25, 2019
Plays like this one pop up regularly on Hall’s film. He just doesn’t have the explosion to get out of his stance to even be in a position to make a clean tackle, much less make a play on the ball. Hall does make up for his lack of twitchiness from time to time by triggering early (likely a product of good film study), but one has to imagine that won’t be as easy in the NFL. Quicker receivers who win the short game will be a problem for him.
The good news, however, is that is not how his upcoming opponent wins. Claypool is not a crisp quick-game route runner; he is a faux tight end who wants to stretch the field between the 20s and box out in the red zone. That plays perfectly into Hall’s unexplosive, physical skill set. Hall should be able to read Claypool like a book and keep him down for a good portion of the contest.
Virginia probably won’t come out with the win, but Hall should be able to say he did his job.
Advantage: Hall
Auburn vs Mississippi State
Auburn OT Prince Tega Wanogho vs Mississippi State DE Chauncey Rivers
The final matchup to keep an eye on this week is a bit more one-sided than the other two. With Weaver vs Benjamin, Weaver at least has the sound structure of Cal’s defense to even the playing field. In the battle between Hall and Claypool, it’s clear that Claypool is talented enough to win a few reps even if he doesn’t win the entire matchup. Auburn OT Prince Tega Wanogho should be able to lock down Mississippi State DE Chauncey Rivers, though.
Rivers has an interesting story. Originally a four-star recruit with Georgia in 2015, Rivers was eventually dismissed for marijuana charges. He landed at East Mississippi, one of the schools spotlighted in Last Chance U. Rivers dominated the JUCO scene and again earned a four-star ranking, this time choosing to stay in state to play for Mississippi State.
There is no denying Rivers has the talent. Rivers rocks a lean 6-foot-3, 275-pound build and moves like someone much lighter. If Rivers can earn a sliver of space around the arc, he has enough bend and power to work through the arc to get to the quarterback.
On this sack, for example, Rivers plays patiently as he works around the edge. Rivers waits for the right time to strike at the offensive tackle’s outstretched hands, then slaps them down and dips down to bend around the block. This is about as close to textbook as one could ask of a college pass-rusher.
That perfect play is why it’s infuriating that Rivers has just one sack in 2019. The talent and flashes of functional technique are there, but they only show up on rare occasion. Rivers has not yet proved he can string together long stretches of high-quality play. He is a good player in theory, but not in practice.
Tega Wanogho is similar in that he is an incomplete prospect, but not in the same way. Rivers has long droughts of poor play without much good to counteract it, whereas Tega Wanogho is mostly a quality player whose lapses in technique make for egregious errors.
Small sample size of Prince Tega Wanogho’s (LT #76) ability to recover while showcasing light feet. #Auburn #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/U6gZjRCZ2b
— Christian Page (@_ChristianPage) August 4, 2019
When Tega Wanogho puts it together on a given play, however, he looks dominant. He moves exceptionally well for a 6-foot-7, 305-pounder. In addition to smooth, quick feet to match around the edge and versus inside counter moves, Wanogho has excellent length and can lock out pass-rushers before they get a chance to get rolling.
Tega Wanogho’s primary issue, like most technically raw players, is that he tends to lunge and reach at targets rather than maintain a square posture while attacking them. This issue is typically rooted in offensive linemen feeling the need to initiate contact under any circumstance as soon as possible, rather than showing the patience to strike at the best time. Tega Wanogho’s lunges often give defenders the chance to swipe him off and move him out of the way.
Thankfully for the Auburn tackle, Rivers likely isn’t the guy to punish him often enough for that. Rivers can do it, but expecting him to do it often is projecting him to be something he has not yet proven he can consistently be.
Advantage: Tega Wanogho
