Over at Pistols Firing they’re talking about the increasing prevalence of the 3-3-5 in their defensive package. I’ve mentioned this myself as an explainer for what they’re up to moving Ramon Richards to the free safety position that has normally been handled by bigger thumpers like Jordan Sterns and Daytawion Lowe.
What’d I’d be curious to see is them using more “Aztec” type defenses where the “star” is aligned in the middle of the field and can come as a free-hitter. Probably they won’t do a ton of that although they’ve apparently hired Brian VanGorder to their staff and he’s familiar with 3-down defense and Tampa-2 coverage.
If they have the guys for it I’m guessing we’ll see some rotations like this:
That’d be Flowers dropping down into flat coverage or man coverage on that Y slot receiver, Richards dropping deep, and then the “star” linebacker being freed up to play near the box or blitz.
Speaking of 3-3-5 and sub-packages, I dug a little today on how Matt Rhule liked to defend Air Raid teams while at Temple. I’ve broken down how he dealt with spread running teams like Houston and USF but I hadn’t looked quite as closely at how he would approach teams that would fling it around 50+ times a game like you see in the Big 12.
Rhule had multiple answers, generally mixing between playing some base 4-3 with quarters coverage and then unleashing some nasty dime packages that included a lot of diversity of coverage and blitz. In 2014 and 2015 they were more of a 3-2-6 dime team because they wanted to keep Tyler Matakevich on the field at the weak side linebacker position. In 2016 they played more 4-1-6 style dime to keep their four good DL on the field and because they were using Stephaun Marshall and Avery Williams as LBs anyways.
This coming season at Baylor the Bears will be defined mostly by their lack of great interior DL and also the desire to keep Taylor “Rocket” Young on the field as much as possible. So I anticipate something like this:
I’m not sure who’d fit into that dime back role but it sounded like Baylor was rotating a ton of guys in and out at safety in the spring and it was probably to find guys that could staff their dime packages. Eric Ogor and Lenoy Jones Jr seem like solid bets to fill those sam and dime LB positions while Clay Johnston and Taylor Young man the middle.
I’m guessing KJ Smith will end up as the field end if Rhule continues to play his nose to the boundary in his four-down base defense while Brian Nance plays on the boundary. Smith, Nance, and the best DT would be the best bets for your starters in this 30 package.
The interesting question is who will play strong safety, a spot that ends up playing in man coverage a lot in this scheme. Chance Waz is not a good fit there, which is probably why Taion Sells has been listed higher on the depth chart. The Bears may be getting deeper at cornerback with Chris Platt sliding over to defense so perhaps Jameson Houston, Verkedric Vaughns, or Grayland Arnold could help here.
My expectations that the Bears might use more of the “Revenant offense” this year have dipped now that they’re likely relying on converted TE Sam Tecklenburg at center and are ultra-thin along the OL. They’ll surely do it some, but if they can’t win the line of scrimmage with their OL that won’t go so well.
Recently on Twitter I suggested that their run game is probably in better hands with JaMycal Hasty at RB rather than Terence Williams:
This is what I observed when teams actually got square defenders to the POA against Terence Williams: pic.twitter.com/A5ILtHDIWz
— Ian Boyd (@Ian_A_Boyd) July 19, 2017
I think Williams is a solid downhill runner who knew where the easy candy was in the Veer and Shoot running game but once Boise got their guys to the ball they didn’t seem to find him too challenging. Boise plays better D than much of the Big 12, but Williams just isn’t that scary if not playing in the Briles run game.
This profile on K-State cornerback DJ Reed was interesting and explains a lot. I was shocked when he locked down a starting role last year so quickly out of summer but it makes a good deal more sense when you learn how much of a film rat he is, as does his fantastic skill in breaking on throws.
The worry for opponents against K-State next year is that the Wildcats are going to get up to their normal tricks on offense with ball control but be more efficient and score more touchdowns. That will make opponents press, feeling the need to be aggressive and score with the opportunities they get on offense, which is dangerous against a pair of cornerbacks like Duke Shelley and DJ Reed.
The Wildcats will need to get a pass-rush to make that work, but that seems entirely plausible with Trey Dishon, Reggie Walker, and Will Geary back on the defensive line.
What’s been interesting to y’all as we finally approach the season?
All hail the 1-1-9 Angry Bird defense.
It only works if you have a 400-pound 1-tech, however.
OSU got shredded by OU for 300+ yards on the ground in their 3-man front and I thought they were much better defensively when they ran a 4-man front. I understand the desire to throw multiple looks at the offense and I understand how difficult it is to find good defensive tackles, but when you have an above average front four which they had last year I really think you weaken your defense.
If the hole idea is to try to create free defenders and you have four defensive linemen who can tie up five offensive linemen and free your linebackers and safeties why go away from it?
I think Patterson has deviated too far from his base in playing his ends out way too wide and I think we see a change back to a base front. Not so sure it is a bad thing for the Big 12 is OSU goes to the 3-3-5.
3-3-5 is good if you have lots of sturdy, versatile DL but lack the edge guys that can dominate or lack a really good anchor tackle.
They just lost a really good 3-technique and might feel like this is an easier system to recruit to or just better suits the current roster.
They’re bringing back 3 DEs that played a lot last year so what happened last year isn’t a great metric for this coming year.
I keep going back to something told to me by a friend who is a college offensive line coach who when I first me him years ago was a high school defensive coordinator. His believe is most college defenses get beat before the snap because their defensive coaches don’t put them in the best situations to succeed. Sounds simple, but his point is too many defensive staffs rely on gimmicks, tricks, and stunts that put their players in bad situations where they are destined to get beat before the snap. Best example to me is what Mike Stoopes’ defense was doing against Texas the past few years. The only way Freeman wasn’t going to gain yardage on some snaps was if he ran into his offensive line or fell down. OU was out of place and combined with bad fundamentals couldn’t stop a thing.
Based from what I have heard and discussed with friends who coach the basics are still the key. It is critical each snap the defense get in proper alignment each snap, they are not asked to do anything they can’t do, they recognize, and they execute. All coaching cliche’s but again all too often their own coaches put them in situations to fail. Another example to me was when Patterson the past year would have his defensive ends line up 3-5 feet outside the offensive tackle. They were there covering up for other players, but it basically made the DE’s ineffective in the pass rush and almost impossible to support the run. TCU’s base defensive concepts were to take away the inside run on first and the short throws to the outside receivers. They went away from that for a variety of reasons and it killed them last year.
Go back to what my friend the o-line coach told me. Best way to attack an offense is to control the interior offensive linemen. I you can limit their effectiveness in the run game and provide pressure in that area in the passing game.
Game of football has and still centers around controlling the LOS. Most of the major changes we have seen offensively center around getting the defense to over compensate one way or another. It isn’t any thing new and we you address a weakness you can’t expose yourself. OSU weakened the best part of their defense last year against OU and got ripped. They might have three very good DE’s but in a three man front they have new responsibilities and in some ways are more limited than in the even front where in the past they have been allowed to attack off the edge.
It takes courage to stand by your base principles and tweak them instead of overhaul your defense. I think it hurt Stoopes and it hurt Patterson. Two guys who made their reps with defense.
Good post, Ian.
I think you hit the nail on the head for Baylor’s D: finding a good Strong Safety is going to be key.
Taion Sells played boundary safety under Phil Bennett, and played pretty well when he got in (he was stuck in a battle with Orion Stewart). But he’s always been more of a downhill guy, explosive and quick, but i’m not sure how he’ll hold up in man-coverage. I do wonder if Travon Blanchard comes back whether they’ll use him as a SAM or a SS.
Davion Hall has serious potential as a Free Safety.
Oh yeah, if they get Blanchard back I think he’d be a great candidate for that SS spot. Last I heard there were charges pressed against him but it was more of the same in regards to the previous charge that a lot of people didn’t think would hold him out for the fall.
I’m sure Baylor will be very cautious here since it’s an allegation of violence against a woman.
I’ve always liked that Owens kid for the Cowboys. Frogs lost a good one when he flipped. Plays a little like Stansley Maponga did.
The El Paso gunslinger and Texas dime – Concerning Sports
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