Seems easier to fix pass defense vs run defense.

Discuss

 

Not against spread offenses, I would assume.

 

Lot easier to play pass defense when the QB is pressured.

 

It seems pass D and run D are pretty linked. You strategically place resources to stop one and you weaken the defense of the other. That's the deal with the RPO. Eventually teams found ways to stop the wishbone attack and that has not yet happened with the veer and shoot or air-raid. Somebody may figure it out, but at this point, even Alabama, who has had consistently good recruiting classes and excellent athletes all over the field, has trouble stopping a good spread team with a good QB and OL although an overwhelming pass rush can certainly do it if the OL is not there.

Over the decades, in basketball, scoring increased as players and tactics became better and that may well be what is happening to football. Without rules changes, scoring and total yards may continue to increase.

 

Glad I did not have to defend the spread back in my DB days in High School. Maybe the consistent pass rush without using the back 7 is the best answer. I think Texas lacks the depth to do that for 60 minutes 12 times per season. Alabama, and Louisville seem to have the best front 4 + backups I have seen this year so far. So I look to see them in the playoff. They can get to a QB without blitzing. Most defenses have to blitz. Texas sure does. The less a D has to rely on the back 7 to apply pressure the more those 7 defenders can simply read and cover whether in man or zone. The more pressure they put on the offense equals more TO's created. Texas does not create many TO's and they must use LB and DB to get sacks in many cases. They need to recruit some STUD DE's and DT's next year! Oh and they need a new DB coach.

 

Also, taking away hard hits across the middle makes the spread that much more dangerous. Used to be you could just knock the holly hell out of the inside receiver and then they start to short arm them later in the game. To protect players (and I back that), you are limited in hitting players running crossing routes. Not that you can't do it, but you never know when the DQ is going to get flagged for either hitting high, or hitting a defenseless player if the ball is thrown high. Offense has all the advantages right now except they do call chop blocks more then 20 years ago.

 

I would agree. I have seen several examples where pass defense gets exploited one week, only to shore it up the next week, or over the course of the year.

Usually a porous run defense remains porous until help arrives.

I heard someone on the Horn yesterday (didn't catch their name - writer for Inside Texas I think) who FWIW seemed to know what he was talking about.
He said the coverages were too complicated in the first half and it looked like guys were confused and being asked to do too much. The defense went back to their base defense in the third and that worked for a while (until it didn't).

There is a balance you have to have with athletes in the secondary where they should be able to play and react VS being strategic and complex.

If you tip the balance too far towards the latter, (Like Manny _iaz and Be_ford like to do) when the kids aren't quite practiced at it yet, you get what you had last weekend. Dial it back some, and let them play what they know. Slowly add wrinkles only as they master them in practice. This isn't the NFL.

 

I would second this... Not that I'm an expert. My first thought was there is wayyyyy to much thinking being done in the secondary. Simplify it, if the kids show they don't communicate as well as they should adapt the scheme to help with that. In practice work on communication until it's mastered. The only player I'm pretty convinced doesn't play with a brain is Boyd... Between the penalties, poor decision to take it out on returns and the blown coverage I have no proof that there is anything between the ears. I do think that eliminating one of the two Haines or Hall and replacing them with Jones would add an element of athleticism and playmaking ability we don't have. Just someone with closing speed that can tackle. To go pee wee baseball ... A rover of sorts.

 

also this

 

Wow, that is a surprise. Its too bad we don't play any running teams. LOL

 

THIS! Everything changed when the rules removed the fear out of going across the middle or catching the ball underneath only to take heavy punishment.

Can't even recall how many times I saw a short armed incompletion or receiver quickly hit the deck after the catch to avoid getting knocked senseless.

Vicious old school safeties (Cecil, Lynch, Atwater, etc.) wouldn't have been nearly as game changing if the rules were as pansied up to protect receivers as now.

Defenses used to effectively rely on allowing underneath nickel and dimes with the specific intent of punishing receivers upon completion.

It was especially worrisome for smaller or leaner receivers we now see flying around without a care in the world.

 

But none of this is an excuse for not lining up correctly or following the wrong guy. Something is keeping the secondary from understanding the system, and how they are supposed to play in it.

Also, it should be obvious by now that Jefferson's weakness is in pass coverage same as last year. I wonder why he hasn't been moved to Fox with Roach moving to SS LB as he seems to "get" pass coverage which means he can influence the TE.

 

I don't understand a lot of pass defenses these days. It seems common for defenders to line up a ways off the receiver and straight across from him, or even offset slightly towards the sideline. Naturally the WR just angles towards the middle, and the QB takes the snap and nearly instantly - much faster than any LB or safety can get there - throws a pass for a free 5-10 yards.

And it doesn't take much more time - such that even a good pass rush may not get there fast enough - for the WR to run straight at the DB and then cut inside for 10-20 yards, and if the DB is shading towards the sideline there's literally no way he can stop it unless the pass is thrown badly.

 

Stat, the only thing that has changed is how the intermediate passing game is used as the +15/20 vertical passing game really hasn't changed. The best way to handle the short quick passes is a quick pass rush (no change). You are correct that lining up and trying to stop the quick passes is almost impossible. However limiting the receiver just to the catch is the way to defense the quick passes. Proper angles and sure tackling are the keys. Not really much change, just have to do it on almost every passing play.

The key is to shut off the short passing game and forcing the more traditional vertical game. The receivers are fast which is why you need fast LB's and DB's. Texas has the speed, but the defenders are taking poor angles and trying to arm tackle in space. (Unfortunately this is no change from 2015 when were told that the issue would be fixed for 2016.) We are still waiting.

 

I'm with you Stat. Simple geometry tells me that a wide DB should shade heavily toward the inside (unless you're counting on underneath support to squash the short crossing route), and that a DB in the slot has the toughest job because the receiver can cut left or right and not run out of room. The wide DB can give a bigger cushion because of the extra distance the throw must travel, but the ball moves a helluva lot faster than he does. That extra cushion should be measured in feet, not yards. A 10 yard cushion should guarantee a completion good for 4 - 40 yards. Yet people see that every Saturday and Sunday on our televisions.

I just don't know how much I don't know.

 

Here's the rushing D stats from the Cal game:
Rushing - CAL
Total (Net) 111
Attempts 40
Avg. Per Rush 2.8
Rushing TDs 3
Yds. Gained 155
Yds. Lost 44

The passing D is what is most concerning IMHO.

Here's a link...

http://www.texassports.com/cumestats.aspx?path=football&year=2016

 

I didn't re-watch the game, but what I remembered live was the amount of times we blitzed and got burnt. I just don't think you can blitz a QB that is 1,2 and out more then for a surprise. Why not play everything in front and then stuff them inside the red zone? That was always the way to beat Tech. It's not about 3 and outs. It's about stops. Keep them to 3 TDs and 3 FGs and you win. It's not important to keep them below 20, just at a reasonable number you know you can outscore.