Ron DeSantis and Clay Travis don’t know ball, an SB Nation investigation

Ron DeSantis’ and Clay Travis’ politics are far right. Their football illustrations are far wrong.

With two weeks left until the college football season starts, and the NFL preseason officially beginning this week, it’s now time to dive back into the schematics and X’s and O’s of football. With the use of RPOs and spread offenses, we need a better understanding of how the sport works and what great offensive design looks like.

Well, look no further because two of America’s finest ball knowers have stepped in: Ron DeSantis and Clay Travis. Both have football illustrations in newly released advertisements and books on how their gameplan will defeat the left and return the right to old glory (/“The Eyes of Texas” begins blaring on the speaker).

However, these gameplans might actually be so bad they make NFL Urban Meyer look like a schematic genius. So let’s investigate.

Exhibit A

Let’s start with Florida governor Ron DeSantis, a noted ‘football guy’ who posted his game plan to win over America.

To start off: There’s so much illegal activity on this image, it makes the former president look like a saint. I’m not sure if DeSantis is on the offensive or defensive side here, but both sides are wrong and there will be offsetting penalties.

I’ll start with the offense. There’s FAR too many men in the backfield, none of the receivers are on the line of scrimmage, making one of these routes incredibly illegal. We’re going to assume that the QB is rolling out post snap, because if not then there’s also illegal motions and the center will be snapping the ball to nobody.

The actual play itself also sucks, and if this is the game plan for Team DeSantis he’s getting fired quicker than Nathaniel Hackett in Denver. Nobody is blocking, the QB is rolling out to his right (of course), and the route spacing on that side of the field is horrendous. There’s also no progression or checkdown, so if nothing is open that QB is screwed.

However, this defense, you guessed it, also sucks! First of all, there’s only ten defenders on the field. Unless that safety is playing 70 yards downfield there’s not enough people on for the defense. I’m not even sure why that safety would play so far downfield considering the formation that the offense is in, poor coaching and scheming by the DC there. Secondly, that defender on the left side of the diagram is SUPER offsides. Like, that play is getting stopped before you can even snap the ball. Again, more illegal activity from the governor who wants to…become President. Not a great advertisement sir, I deem you a non-ball knower.

Exhibit B:

Now, it’s time for everyone’s least favorite football “expert” Clay Travis. Travis is writing another book, to the dismay of everyone everywhere, and on the cover is his “American Playbook” on how to win back the country from the Democrats.

If this is Travis’ playbook to “win back the country from the Democrats,” then I would suggest finding a new playbook because this also absolutely sucks. Assuming once again, Travis is on the offensive here, there’s too many men in the backfield. That’s a penalty, once again showing a lack of ball knowledge. Now that we’ve got that out the way, let’s talk about the play itself.

I’m pretty sure this is a run, because otherwise why is the QB rolling out all that way from under center to throw it. It’s not lost on me that the conservative author’s first idea on how to take back the country is the QB sprinting to the left. Second, only two people are running this route, so if nobody is open, the QB is once again absolutely screwed. Something about these conservatives and leaving their QB out to dry and not giving him any help, I have no idea why. That guy to the right of the QB isn’t even running a route, just a little baby ass line. Must be a check down but putting the check down halfway across the field is incredibly stupid. Up front, there’s nothing here that says anything about cohesion.

The linemen are leaving the backside edge unblocked but nobody is accounting for him. Second, the right tackle and I’m assuming a tight end are both blocking too far downfield. You might get away with that in a small town, but not in the big leagues brother. That’s a penalty.

Assuming that Travis is on the defensive side, we can say one thing: he at least knows the rules about offsides and having 11 people on the field. However, this defense is so packed in they have to know that this is a run play. The DL is head up over the opposing offensive linemen, which will help against zone runs but when the offense starts pulling guards you might be screwed. This looks a bit like the old 5-2 defense which I can’t hate too much but it leaves you open to gap runs and the pass, unless you have a good coordinator. Which, if Clay Travis is running the show, you don’t. Get him out of here before you end up down 49-14 midway through the third quarter and their backup QB is running circles around this team.

In the case of Clay Travis, I deem him a non-ball-knower.

In an era where more people are learning about ball and knowing ball, it’s a shame that two of the most prominent dumbasses in the world don’t know ball. Pick a struggle guys, you can’t be both.