Welcome again to Set up the Enjoyable, of us! Right here at ETF, we stay by the mantra “soccer is enjoyable, and we’re right here to ascertain that,” so come on in, seize a seat, snacks are within the lobby and let’s have some enjoyable!

To start with, thanks for being affected person with me, was a little bit beneath the climate so there was no ETF final week, however we’ve got made near a full restoration and are again on our each day shenanigans and misadventures. By this time within the soccer season, we’re beginning to see groups develop and add on to their base ideas whereas discovering what works finest for the gamers they’ve lively. As well as, we’re seeing some actually enjoyable improvement from gamers and groups which might be going to be enjoyable to observe all through the remainder of the season.

So, with out additional ado, lets get began with a primary spherical choose in Indy that’s conquering the Grand Line of the NFL his personal manner.

Anthony Richardson goes Second Gear

Within the lead as much as the 2023 NFL Draft, I in contrast Anthony Richardson to One Piece’s Monkey D. Luffy for his mind-boggling athleticism and potential, whereas additionally nonetheless needing to harness among the tiny nuances of taking part in the QB place. For probably the most half, that continues to be true. Amongst all NFL QBs with not less than 70 passing makes an attempt this season, Richardson is final in On-Goal Proportion and completion proportion, but his whole EPA as a passer is true in the course of the pack, at sixteenth. So what which means is regardless of not having the very best completion proportion proper now, Richardson continues to be being environment friendly as a passer and serving to add worth to the Colts in that space, and head coach Shane Steichen is giving Richardson ideas he’s having fun with and serving to him attain that second gear.

Richardson is close to the tops of the league in Explosive Play Charge per The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen, and that’s by design: the Colts proceed to provide Richardson a palette of choices within the go and run sport that intensify his strengths. On the College of Florida, Richardson threw the ball downfield quite a bit, however as a consequence of poor go catching choices these passes weren’t accomplished as a lot. Now that he has NFL receivers, he’s letting passes fly, and the Colts are letting his aggressiveness downfield shine.

This can be a 4 Verts idea the Colts run towards the Rams, who’re in Cowl 2 Man. Richardson seems to be left to see if he has something he likes there, then comes again to the suitable. He sees WR Josh Downs with a step on the nickel nook, who has his head turned. That is like if a defender doesn’t have his hand up contesting a shooter in basketball: “hand down, man down”. Richardson rips this go to the highest shelf the place solely Downs can get it, a great thing about an explosive go that strikes the chains.

Like, watch this go from the tip zone angle. A very powerful factor right here for Richardson is the footwork. It’s a lot quieter, nonetheless a little bit little bit of a heel click on however when you’ll be able to rip it like he can you reside with {that a} bit.

That is one other 4 Verts idea that Richardson hits on, and that is simply him being a particular athlete and pure arm expertise on the place. It’s Cowl 1 and Richardson chooses to take the Alec Pierce vertical. The one downside is, Aaron freaking Donald is respiratory down his neck. No downside, informal flick for a 40 yard completion. He’s a particular, particular QB, man.

The place the Richardson impact is absolutely felt is within the crimson zone. By way of 4 video games, the Colts are eighth in whole passing EPA within the crimson zone and ninth in EPA per speeding try within the crimson zone. Steichen and co. have been extraordinarily inventive within the seems to be they present groups to get Richardson shifting downhill, as a result of he’s an enormous plus one within the run sport. Richardson scored on a speeding TD, then transformed on a two level conversion that I consider confirmed the Colts’ creativity with the specter of Richardson within the run sport that they’ll unlock. Consider it like Luffy utilizing his Gum Gum fruit within the alternative ways he does.

On the speeding TD, Indy is lined up at first in a full home pistol formation, then shifts to a heavy formation with everybody in tight and RB Zach Moss in type of a double wing alignment. Already they’ve thrown a lot on the eyes of the Rams protection that now their head is spinning. Moss goes in movement, Colts run a go motion to Richardson’s proper however pull LG Quenton Nelson and TE Kylen Granson, principally working Energy with the QB. All the motion results in small guys being within the field for the Rams, and a TD for the Colts (with a little bit of a 360 celly from Richardson).

On the two level conversion to tie the sport, the Colts are within the pistol formation out of 12 personnel, and convey WR Michael Pittman in movement. The run motion plus Richardson’s risk together with his legs holds the LBs and the EDGE defender, then a busted protection for the Rams results in a superb brief yardage play that may be tucked away now for Indy.

The Colts are discovering methods to not solely ease the transition into the NFL for Richardson, however permit him to grow to be the supernova, King of the Pirates elite NFL QB he may be. If that is simply his second gear, simply wait till he will get to his fifth.

Tennessee Titans’ Pony Categorical

Earlier than the season, you most likely wouldn’t have believed me if I advised you the Tennessee Titans had been performing some enjoyable issues on offense, and but right here we’re. The Titans are 2-2, and whereas a whole lot of that has to do with a kickass protection, the offense is performing some actually cool issues, particularly with RBs Derrick Henry and rookie Tyjae Spears. They’ve type of a little bit Keanu Reeves and massive Keanu Reeves factor going within the backfield, and when each of them are on the sector on the identical time, and after they’re each concerned within the motion, the offense will get a little bit extra versatile.

Per Sports activities Info Options, with two RBs on the sector, the Titans are third in EPA per rush and may trigger a world of damage out of that personnel. The funniest a part of it’s: they let each backs do the identical issues within the formation, with out doing an excessive amount of specialization. On this play of their win towards the Bengals, the Titans run that burst out movement that has principally taken over the NFL, however as a substitute of utilizing a wideout, they use Spears. This can be a manner for them to stay matchup versatile and drive groups into selecting between taking part in greater or smaller towards this formation. The Bengals are in nickel, with 5 DBs on the sector, so the Titans run GH Counter and get a optimistic play out of it.

A few weeks in the past, of their win over the Los Angeles Chargers, they’d each backs on the sector on the identical time, and utilizing the specter of QB Ryan Tannehill’s legs, they’ll principally run the triple possibility. They did simply that, and Tannehill walked into the tip zone for a landing. Of us, you recognize what I’m about to say: #runthetriple.

After they play the Colts on Sunday, count on the Titans to run a whole lot of this, with a purpose to get their largest and most explosive threats on the sector on the identical time. They might stand to be a little bit higher passing the ball out of this grouping, however I’m curious to see how they proceed incorporating each Henry and Spears into the effectiveness of the offense.

Cam Ward is taking part in Guitar Hero whereas everybody else is taking part in Checkers

One of many extra enjoyable elements of the faculty soccer season has been watching Washington State soccer, particularly on offense. The Cougars are within the high 15 of the faculty soccer high 25 and have a bye this week, however their offense has been extraordinarily enjoyable, led by QB Cameron Ward. Ward has been sensational this season, with near 1,400 yards passing and 13 touchdowns, however the way in which that he’s gone about it has been very fascinating. Within the Cougars’ 38-35 victory, he seemed way more composed and performed throughout the construction of the offense so significantly better than final 12 months.

Ward is a “freelance jazz” QB. He’s the child in highschool jazz band who all the time desires to ad-lib or solo when everybody else is taking part in the sheet music. He’s the random drum solo in the course of a music. Nonetheless, first 12 months offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle came visiting from Western Kentucky and has someway helped Ward tune out the drum solos whereas making him extra environment friendly within the passing sport. By way of 4 video games, Ward’s whole Passing EPA is exponentially increased than it was by way of the primary 4 video games of final season, and his optimistic play charge is up over 10 proportion factors, from 46.3 % to 56.7 %. He’s finished a significantly better job of working throughout the pocket and utilizing his lightning fast launch to create performs with out going into Guitar Hero mode.

On this play, the Cougars are working mesh with the sector facet no 1 receiver working an out route. Usually, you’ll wish to learn out the mesh and sit route over the center. Nonetheless, with Oregon State spinning to single excessive after the snap, Ward diagnoses it and is aware of he’s going to have a one on one state of affairs on the high of the display screen. This can be a area out to the far hash and he places it on the dot. That’s a Sunday throw.

Arbuckle has finished an amazing job of working with Ward, and giving him cleaner reads so he’s not freelancing as a lot as he did final 12 months. This can be a nice design to get to a flood idea, with two of the three receivers working change verticals, and the slot working an out route. The leverage is favoring the slot, and Ward simply calmly shuffles over and places the throw on the cash.

Now, regardless of not all the time having to enter Guitar Hero mode, Cam Ward nonetheless can do it when he’s requested to. That is the Ward that school soccer followers love; the performs the place it seems to be like nothing good can come from it however Ward pulls a rabbit out of his hat. If he had been to double as a magician, I might most likely consider him, as a result of that is actually the place he thrives.

Amid the pleasant confines of Pullman, Washington, Ward has established himself as one of many high QBs within the nation, and a possible NFL Draft choose. All of us knew about his potential to go rogue and play Guitar Hero, however by way of the primary few video games of this season, he’s been strumming to the music Arbuckle lays out for him, and it’s made candy music for the Washington State Cougars.