Case McCoy to Jaxon Shipley

Ok, got my hands on some posted video from the game and thought I would bring up some highlights for discussion. First, let's talk about the Case McCoy to Jaxon Shipley connection.

Down by 6, Case knows he needs a TD to win this game. Gilbert has had his meltdown and Ash only has a selection of 5 plays that he can run that BYU is already starting to lock onto.

Luckily, he's got a playmaker downfield named Jaxon Shipley.

2nd and 7 around midfield, the game winning drive ( 4:37 video time ):

BYU is in what looks like a 4-3, they're going to drop one DE into coverage and bring two linebackers on Case's blind side. Shipley is running a drag route, Dom. Jones is supposed to chip the DE and head out into the flats. Both of Case's wide outs are going deep and will stay off camera.

Case drops back, feels the pressure from the blitz, and rolls out into the space created by Dom. Jones and the BYU DE, and sees Shipley who might be his only available man. Watch the replay close, and you can see Shipley give Case "The Wave" once he burns the LB in coverage in the center of the field.

Now at this point, Case has one open man and there's a DT bearing down on him. He can either throw the ball into the stands, take a sack, or give Shipley a chance to make the play.

Really Shipley has cleared the LB and Safety, they're both behind the play. What Shipley really has to do is win a one on one with the corner who just gave up covering Harris. What looks like "triple coverage" is actually two guys who are chasing Ship and single coverage. Whatever happens, the ball can't be behind the receiver.

Watch the slow motion replay, and Case delivers a catchable ball with a tight spiral on the run from the pressure. Ideally Case would have been able to stick it out in the pocket and hit Shipley when the corner couldn't make a play on the ball. However, he might have just gotten sacked instead since the O-Line only manages to delay the blitz pressure, not pick it up completely.

Case believes Shipley can make the play 1x1, and sure enough, the corner goes low for the tackle on Shipley instead of playing the ball. Shipley, with preternatural awareness, leaps the low defender and makes the catch with the two bogeys on his tail following up to push him out of bounds.

When I was watching this play during the game I didn't give Case enough credit for what he did here. He made time with this feet, read the coverage, and put the ball accurately where his man could make a play on it. I'll be interested to see if he can keep it up.

Flash forward, 3rd and 9 on the next set of downs ( 6:34 video time ):

Four wide, shotgun, do or die territory. We've already had a drive die on 4th down in the red zone. We either need to move the chains right here or get to 4th and manageable. It's a clear passing down and BYU will try to create pressure with the front four and drop everyone into coverage.

It looks like Case reads the MLB who is sitting around the first down marker and with his motion favoring D. White. Case sits back in the pocket and his first look is to White, who has *real* triple coverage. Case immediately checks and sees Shipley has found space between the LB in coverage and the deep Safety. "The Wave" is there again, and Case fires to the open space in front of Shipley.

This throw was remarkable in that you can see Case put some arm into it to launch it over the heads of the LB's in coverage. He splits the LB's and they don't have a chance to make a play on the ball. Again, Case puts the ball so that Shipley is 1x1, this time with the deep safety. Case throws the ball to open space giving Shipley a chance to make a play on the ball, which he does with a fantastic catch.

This throw made me second guess the rumors about Case's arm strength. That throw was 30 20 yards into traffic with timing and authority.

In both these plays I think we have evidence that Case sees the field, and some evidence that his "arm strength" may not be an issue when he's sufficiently jacked up on adrenaline. Both these plays are high pressure and Case hooks up with another play maker to move the chains. Impressive work, don't sell Case short by focusing on Shipley's contributions.