How valuable is starting a drive with a pass play? The Athletic’s Andy Staples and Jason Starrett talked to. coaches and used TruMedia’s research site to crunch the numbers:

“Sometimes, the numbers can identify something that was painfully obvious in the most excruciating manner possible. For example, only one team in the entire FBS gained more on opening runs than it did on opening passes: Kentucky. From 2019-20, the Wildcats averaged 7.2 yards per rush on the first play of a drive and 5.5 yards a pass. Every other team in the country was at least equal, and that level of dysfunction in the passing game is why Kentucky coach Mark Stoops fired coordinator Eddie Gran and replaced him with former Los Angeles Rams assistant Liam Coen.

Not surprisingly, Wisconsin ranked near the bottom in first-play pass rate at No. 120. The Badgers, who make clear that they intend to establish the run and have built a very successful identity doing that, only threw on 30.5 percent of first plays. But if you’re averaging 6.6 yards per carry on those plays and 8.8 yards per pass attempt, that’s not nearly as big a difference as when other programs make that choice.”

Full article: The Athletic

In the MediaRafe AndersonApril 16, 2021College Football, football, The AthleticComment

Matt Corral surprisingly efficient

Max Olson writes on the last season’s most efficient college quarterback, with Ole Miss’ Matt Corral landing in the second spot…

“Among returning Power 5 passers, nobody enjoyed a greater improvement in their YPP average than Ole Miss’ Matt Corral. He jumped from 6.37 YPP to 8.77 in just one year with Lane Kiffin and Jeff Lebby, turning into a 71 percent passer after completing just 59 percent of his throws in 2019. Nobody in college football hit more 50-plus-yard passes (11), and his 57 plays of 20 or more yards ranked fifth nationally according to TruMedia. Corral averaged 39.5 yards per completion on throws of 20-plus yards. If you want explosive offense, you want this dude.”

Full article: The Athletic

In the MediaRafe AndersonApril 2, 2021football, College Football, The AthleticComment

Route trees for QB prospects

Josh Edwards breaks down the draft prospects of top college quarterbacks, using TruMedia’s route trees to analyze different throws:

“According to TruMedia, [Trask’s] weakness has been medium and deep routes breaking towards the boundary. He has been below average in that situation this season but those attempts have accounted for just 3.2% of his total throws. His efficiency on underneath routes has been red hot.”

Full article: CBS Sports

In the MediaRafe AndersonDecember 15, 2020football, NFL, College Football, CBSComment

Najee Harris converting third downs

Josh Edwards has Najee Harris near of the top of his running backs for the 2021 draft:

“With the exception of an early season meeting against Texas A&M, Harris has at least been on the doorstep of 100+ rushing yards each game. The California native has at least two receptions in every game except one and has 20 touchdowns in nine games this season. … Harris has converted 81.3% of his third down runs, according to TruMedia. When the updated CBS Sports draft rankings are posted, one would expect the Crimson Tide running back to be one of the first running backs listed.”

Full article: CBS Sports

In the MediaRafe AndersonDecember 7, 2020NFL, football, College Football, CBSComment

Kyle Trask throws all the routes

Josh Edwards uses TruMedia’s research platform in analyzing quarterbacks for the 2021 NFL Draft…

“Nearly one-quarter of Trask's pass attempts have been on Go routes this season and he has performed well above average on those plays, according to TruMedia. In fact, the quarterback has been average or above average on every route with the exception of intermediate and deep throws to the boundary.

Some projections have included Trask in the first round. With limited mobility, it is difficult envisioning a scenario where he is taken earlier than late Day 1.”

Full article: CBS Sports

In the MediaRafe AndersonNovember 30, 2020NFL, College Football, football, CBSComment

Chubba Purdy good under pressure

Despite the loss to NC State on Saturday, Florida State true freshman Chubba Purdy fared well under pressure:

“One stat from TruMedia (via PFF) that stood out was Purdy’s performance under pressure: Purdy was pressured on 14 drop-backs and was sacked twice. But he had 105 passing yards and both of his scores while under pressure. His NFL Passer Rating Under Pressure was 143.8, which was 6th nationally this past week.”

Full article: CBS Sports

In the MediaRafe AndersonNovember 15, 2020football, College Football, CBSComment

Florida State's youth movement

Florida State is highly committed to a youth movement, writes Brendan Sonnone with the help of TruMedia’s research tool:

“The Seminoles have played freshmen from the Class of 2020 at a high rate compared to other programs across the country according to snap counts at specific positions among individual freshmen, per TruMedia via Pro Football Focus, and other research. FSU has true freshmen who are 11th or higher among classmates in snaps played at quarterback (Tate Rodemaker), running back (Lawrance Toafili), tight end (Preston Daniel), offensive line (Robert Scott), edge defender (Josh Griffis), and linebacker (Stephen Dix Jr. and DJ Lundy).”

Full article: CBS Sports

In the MediaRafe AndersonOctober 28, 2020football, College Football, CBSComment

Spencer Brown's yards-per-carry dropoff

UAB running back Spencer Brown has impressed scouts this season, though one number may raise eyebrows, writes Josh Edwards:

“The Alabama native is a bigger back with limited exposure to the passing game. Over the past three seasons, he has averaged five receptions. In a 24-20 loss to Louisiana, Brown rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries. A concern is that his yards per carry has dipped each quarter this season, according to TruMedia stats. He averages 5.77 yards per carry in the first quarter and just 3.35 yards per carry in the fourth quarter.”

Full article: CBS Sports

In the MediaRafe AndersonOctober 27, 2020football, NFL, College Football, CBSComment

Florida State defensive line shines

Florida State’s defensive line play was key to the Seminoles’ win over North Carolina on Saturday, writes Brendan Sonnone:

“But it’s not just the sack numbers that stand out. FSU was able to apply a steady dose of pressure on QB Sam Howell all evening, recording 20 QB Pressures (4th among all teams) on 47 drop backs. So Howell was pressured 42.5 percent of the time he dropped back to attempt a pass. The Seminoles only blitzed 34 percent of the time, so pressure was applied primarily by the defensive front. And this was reflected in the TruMedia (via PFF) Pass Rush Rate metric as the Seminoles controlled the line of scrimmage on pass rushes 60.4 percent of the time (7th nationally).”

Full article: CBS Sports

In the MediaRafe AndersonOctober 19, 2020football, College Football, 24/7 SportsComment

Is Najee Harris the top NFL RB prospect?

Chris Trapasso uses TruMedia’s research platform to look at how Alabama's Najee Harris may be the best running back in next year’s NFL draft:

“Harris has emphatically stated his RB1 case early in his senior season with the Crimson Tide. The boulder of a back has 347 yards on 52 attempts (6.67 yards per) with 10 rushing touchdowns in three games. Because he currently carries the fifth-highest yards before contact per rush figure (among backs with 40 or more rushes) in college football at 3.60, it'd be easy to assume Harris has been running through a parted crimson sea on every play. But there's plenty of wiggle to his game at a strapping 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds.”

Full article: CBS Sports

In the MediaRafe AndersonOctober 16, 2020CBS, football, College Football, NFLComment

Jordan Travis's pass-likely struggles

Brendan Sonnone uses TruMedia’s college football research site to dig into how Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis has struggled in pass-likely situations:

“Per TruMedia (via PFF), Travis is 9 of 11 for 162 yards and a touchdown when FSU is in standard or short-yardage situations. Basically, situations where a run is likely or plausible. That gives him a Passer Rating of 235.5, which is 3rd nationally.

However, on likely passing downs or high-probability passing downs, Travis is 17 of 33 with a touchdown, two interceptions and has 264 passing yards. His 116.6 Passer Rating on passing downs is 58th nationally, well below average.”

Full article: 24/7 Sports

In the MediaRafe AndersonOctober 14, 2020football, College Football, 24/7 SportsComment

Chuba Hubbard slow first half vs Tulsa

In his article on NFL draft prospects, Josh Edwards uses TruMedia’s research tool to analyze Chuba Hubbard’s game vs Tulsa:

“The Alberta, Canada native did break a 20-yard run in the second half and plunged into the end zone for a three-yard score to finish the game with 27 carries for 93 yards and one touchdown. In the first half, the running back was averaging negative yardage before contact, according to TruMedia, which illustrates that the Golden Hurricanes were getting penetration. In the second half, the yardage before contact jumped to roughly 1.65. The Cowboys eventually pulled away to win, 17-6.”

Full article: CBS Sports

In the MediaRafe AndersonSeptember 21, 2020NFL, football, College Football, CBSComment

Michael Carter makes tacklers miss

Josh Edwards of CBS Sports uses TruMedia’s research tool to examine the draft stock of Michael Carter and Trey Ragas:

“[Michael Carter] showed that he was a dual-threat catching six passes out of the backfield for 60 yards. Williams has a muscular build, which allows him to fight through contact and hold up in pass protection. He looks really natural catching passes as well. According to stats from TruMedia, Carter had an adjusted yards before contact of 1.57 and an impressive 9.57 adjusted yards after contact. He was turning missed tackles into larger opportunities.”

Full article: CBS Sports

In the MediaRafe AndersonSeptember 15, 2020College Football, NFL, football, CBSComment

ESPN's mid-season All-America team

Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard of was picked for ESPN's mid-season All-America team by Chris Low and Mark Schlabach, with the help of TruMedia's research platform:

“It took FBS coaches a while to learn about Hubbard, but now they know all about the world-class sprinter from Alberta, Canada. He leads the FBS in rushing yards (1,094), carries (162) and rushing yards per game (182.3) and is second in rushing touchdowns (13). He's on pace to finish the season with 2,188 rushing yards, which would set a Big 12 record (OSU was in the Big Eight when Barry Sanders ran for 2,628 yards in 11 games in 1988) and would be the eighth-highest total in FBS history. According to TruMedia Networks, Hubbard has 594 yards before contact and 500 yards after contact, both No. 1 among FBS players.”

Full article: ESPN.com

In the MediaRafe AndersonOctober 17, 2019espn, College FootballComment