Here is what the defense looked like pre-snap. SMU is in a 4 wide receiver set with three receivers to to the top of your screen. Right now, Texas A&M has elected to go with it's base 3-4 defense. At the very bottom of the screen, you see JOKER Caleb Russel standing over the receiver with DB Coryell Judie a few steps behind him. Garrick Williams and Jonathan Stewart are the linebackers in the middle of your screen with OLB Sean Porter playing between the LT and the first WR. S Steven Campbell is playing over the 2nd WR while looking into the backfield. DB Dustin Harris is at the top of your screen playing the last receiver, and S Trent Hunter is to the far right (of the picture) playing the deep middle of the field as a free safety.
Here is what the defense will be doing after the snap. On the defensive line, Jerome Mathis and Tony Jerod-Eddie will try to rush the passer, while Eddie Brown loops around. Also, Sean Porter and Steven Campbell (marked with red arrows) will also come screaming in to rush McDermott from the top. Caleb Russell will try to jam the lone receiver at the bottom of the screen with Coryell Judie playing zone behind him. The two middle linebackers Garrick Williams and Jonathan Stewart will drop back into coverage. Dustin Harris will have coverage over the three receivers with Trent Hunter over the top.
Here is what the receivers will do on this play. The bottom receiver will try to shake off Caleb Russell's jam at the line of scrimmage and go down the field. RB Zach Line will stay in the pocket and try to pass protect the coming blitzers. The inside most receiver will run vertical and then try to cut back towards the middle of the field. The middle receiver in that 3 wide set will run almost a "bubble screen" route and stay as a safety value for the QB in the flats. The top receiver will just run vertically down the field.
Here is the play directly after the ball is snapped. The red arrows again indicate the blitzing defenders (three lineman and Sean Porter is already engaged with a lineman, Steven Campbell is still coming in towards the top), the yellow lines indicated defenders in coverage (not pictured is Trent Hunter playing free over the top), and the blue lines indicated the receiver's routes they are about to run.
Let's just start out by saying that the Aggies have called a very aggressive blitz to the wide side of the field and are sending the OLB from that side along with a safety. In the numbers department, they are already at a disadvantage. That basically leaves Garrick Williams to cover the inside receiver, Dustin Harris to play zone underneath and Trent Hunter with the critical decision on who to cover over the top. Jonathan Stewart is also trying to help cover the middle of the field.
After the snap of the ball, SMU QB McDermott immediately shifts his eyes to the WR running the route in the flat (highlighted by the pink cone). Dustin Harris, playing coverage to that side recognizes this and tries to cover that receiver (highlighted by the orange arrow).
Now, here comes the experience of SMU QB McDermott and his ability to read the play. Dustin Harris (orange) has come up to play the underneath receiver. McDermott now turns his eyes (pink) from the underneath receiver to the one that is running right by Dustin Harris (blue). This is the receiver he will throw to and catch the touchdown reception. Because Dustin Harris has chosen to cover the receiver underneath in the flats and Trent Hunter is playing the middle of the field (not shown on screen) it is an easy pass and catch.
This play is highlighted by the fact that both Sean Porter and Steven Campbell blitzed from that side, leaving open coverage in the flats and over the top of Dustin Harris. Dustin had to make a choice on who he was going to cover, and McDermott made him pay for that choice. Should Dustin not have bit on the underneath play and covered the man running down the field? It would have prevented a touchdown, but you see from the red circle that the underneath receiver in the flat would have picked up some serious yardage as Dustin Harris and Garrick Williams were 10 yards from him. Also, Dustin had Trent Hunter over the top, but because the inside guy was running down the field, he couldn't commit to the receiver on the sideline. There was no way Trent was going to make up that kind of yardage.
The throw is made and it is wide open. Touchdown SMU.
What caused the touchdown?
1) Choosing to blitz both Sean Porter and Steven Campbell from 3 wide side meaning SMU had numbers to that side of the field
2) Dustin Harris left alone to defend the deep pass with no one to cover underneath because of the blitz
3) Eye movement by QB McDermott to look at underneath, making Dustin Harris bite
4) McDermott then throwing to receiver over the top of Dustin Harris
5) Fantastic scheming by June Jones and his offense, plus the play of McDermott
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