Joe Brady in Carolina
The LSU Tigers produced some storylines of their own last season, during their ascent to the top of the college football world. Of course there is Coach O himself, a tremendous story of perseverance. Yes, their quarterback is another one. But then there is Joe Brady, the young offensive mind who was the Tigers’ passing game coordinator. There were not your father’s LSU Tigers on offense, or even your older brother’s. This was suddenly a modern passing game very different than the offense we are used to seeing down in Death Valley.
One of the biggest changes was the move to more five-man protection schemes. During their 2018 season, the Tigers logged over 300 passing plays with six or more men in protection. Last year, that number cratered to just 89. But it paid dividends for LSU. “Not only does LSU bring in more EPA per play with five or fewer pass-blockers compared to plays with six or more, but they are allowing a pressure rate that’s 6% less with five pass-blockers.”
Part of that has to do with the quarterback – and we will get to him in a moment – but Brady’s scheme has a role to play as well. His offense is a blend of the modern and the traditional, as many route concepts have their origin in Bill Walsh’s West Coast offense, which Brady learned during his time in New Orleans under Sean Payton. But the Tigers also incorporated many run/pass option designs into their playbook, putting defenders in conflict and giving the quarterback favorable opportunities in the passing game.
That is the offense that Brady is bringing to the NFC South, where he will be reunited with Teddy Bridgewater as his quarterback. The two spent a season together in New Orleans, and Bridgewater should be very familiar with what Brady wants to run offensively. He’ll also have some weapons in Curtis Samuel, D.J. Moore, Robby Anderson and yes, Christian McCaffrey. The offensive line has some questions, but as we saw from Brady last year, quick reads/throws and five-man protection schemes can still reduce pressure on the passer.
Tracking Brady’s offense in the NFL is a storyline I will be certainly paying close attention to in the weeks ahead.