3/4 Defense

[ShotgunDawg]

Can some of you coaches on here give us a run down on the 3/4 defense we are now running?

What are the defense's strengths and weaknesses?

How does our personnel match with this scheme?

What will we now be able to do that previously we couldn't ?

Which teams on our schedule does this help against and which does it hurt against?

How does this effect our recruiting and is it easier for us to recruit to this or the 4/3?

Thanks

[HoopsDawg]

Love it in the pro game, hate it in the college game unless Nick Saban is your coach and recruiter. You can do a ton of things out of it, but it can be very complex. Not enough practice time in college so you will really have to dumb it down.

I was hoping for the 4-2-5 from our new DC.

[BankerDog]

The defensive lineman we have on campus right now fit the 3-4 a lot better than a 4-3. We also get some of our better playmakers at LB on the field at the same time.

[PassInterference]

I'm not familiar with a March 4th or April 3rd defense.

[Leroy Jenkins]

I think it helps vs NMS and AU type teams... Hurts vs LSU and Bama.

[sandwolf]

The defensive lineman we have on campus right now fit the 3-4 a lot better than a 4-3. We also get some of our better playmakers at LB on the field at the same time.

I agree that we have a lot of talent at LB, but other than Nick James, who do we have that fits as a nose tackle in the 3-4? I am a little worried that Bama, LSU and Arkansas are going to run it straight down our throats if we come out in a 3-4 against them.

[BankerDog]

I agree that we have a lot of talent at LB, but other than Nick James, who do we have that fits as a nose tackle in the 3-4? I am a little worried that Bama, LSU and Arkansas are going to run it straight down our throats if we come out in a 3-4 against them.

Nelson Adams will excel in the 3-4 at the NG. As well I think you'll see Kendell Jones and Fletcher Adams do well as the NG. Fletcher reminds me a lot of Issac Gross for Ole Miss. Then you have guys like Jefferson, Thomas that can be assets sliding down and having quick first steps on centers. It'll be interesting to see how it goes.

[mic]

3-4 is perfect for Jeffery Simmons .. Perfect for Nick James ..
It gives us a chance to get more speed and playmakers on the field
We can walk down LB's ( Gerri Green) that is probably a better DE than LB esp the next level

And we won't see 3/4 all the time.. Sirmon and crew were coaching their ass off in a freaking spring scrimmage.. These players might be ready to run thru walls for these guys come the fall..

And it may hurt us against LSU and Bama types.. But we haven't been able to beat them running anything else on defense..
I am hoping it makes us look like we have 13-14 guys on defense during the game instead of the 11 that are out there..
We have big guys that have speed on defense.. I want guys flying around and making plays..

[ShotgunDawg]

3-4 is perfect for Jeffery Simmons .. Perfect for Nick James ..
It gives us a chance to get more speed and playmakers on the field
We can walk down LB's ( Gerri Green) that is probably a better DE than LB esp the next level

And we won't see 3/4 all the time.. Sirmon and crew were coaching their ass off in a freaking spring scrimmage.. These players might be ready to run thru walls for these guys come the fall..

And it may hurt us against LSU and Bama types.. But we haven't been able to beat them running anything else on defense..
I am hoping it makes us look like we have 13-14 guys on defense during the game instead of the 11 that are out there..
We have big guys that have speed on defense.. I want guys flying around and making plays..


Well stated. I see Hoops point as well, but I would counter that, if we are truly the development program we claim to be, then we should be able to and must take chances that others shy away from. If we aren't going to be a top 10 recruiter, then this is a risk worth taking.

[deltadawg99]

We had to do something to increase our team speed on defense. 3-4, 4-2-5 and 3-3-5 defense help teams to get their best athletes on the field.

The DL is the key because they have to take up blockers to free up everybody else. You also see some smaller & quicker guys at NT that cause problems for OL guys (like Isaac Gross). Either way they have to cause problems for the OL and not let the LBs and other guys get blocked easily.

Peters, McLaurin, Green and Jung are 4 guys that I look to excel in this defense. Peters and McLaurin can play Safety or LB while Green and Jung can play both LB and stand up DE.

[blacklistedbully]

From our LB POV, I'm excited about the prospect of seeing Richie & Leo in the middle, and Green & Jung on the outside. THAT sounds like an amazing LB corp, plus we have some depth there as well. I guess the question is whether we can consistently put 3 down-linemen in there that can keep guys off our LB's enough so they can do their jobs.

I know we can put a damn good 1st 3. Nick James is going to eat up blockers. Nelson Adams & AJ are capable of being awesome, as well. Do we have the depth to keep it strong the whole game?

Safeties are a strength. CB's will need some help, so hopefully we can get some consistent pressure on the QB from our 3-4.

[DawgNamedScuba]

I'm just ready for the spring game, I wish I could go, I miss good crawfish :(

[bulldawg28]

From our LB POV, I'm excited about the prospect of seeing Richie & Leo in the middle, and Green & Jung on the outside. THAT sounds like an amazing LB corp, plus we have some depth there as well. I guess the question is whether we can consistently put 3 down-linemen in there that can keep guys off our LB's enough so they can do their jobs.

I know we can put a damn good 1st 3. Nick James is going to eat up blockers. Nelson Adams & AJ are capable of being awesome, as well. Do we have the depth to keep it strong the whole game?

Safeties are a strength. CB's will need some help, so hopefully we can get some consistent pressure on the QB from our 3-4.


Richie isn't physical enough to excel in a 3-4 the entire game. His strength is speed not power. In a 3-4 the uncovered linemen may maul him unless we're stunting to keep them off him.

[Spiderman]

It depends if it's a true 3-4.

Just because you line up with 3 down linemen, doesn't mean you run a 3-4.

It depends on gap responsibility.

A true 3-4 is a 2 gap defense. A 4-3 more of a 1 gap.

Alignment has nothing to do with it.

I'd have to see it before I could comment that we are running a true 3-4.

[archdog]

Well stated. I see Hoops point as well, but I would counter that, if we are truly the development program we claim to be, then we should be able to and must take chances that others shy away from. If we aren't going to be a top 10 recruiter, then this is a risk worth taking.

If you can't tackle, you might as well put 11 in coverage?

[blacklistedbully]

Richie isn't physical enough to excel in a 3-4 the entire game. His strength is speed not power. In a 3-4 the uncovered linemen may maul him unless we're stunting to keep them off him.

Not necessarily. Speed is very much needed, as we'll need guys capable of dropping back into coverage, and/or one able to cover the TE in any pass routes. Richie could be that for sure. More than likely we'd have Leo be the one to take on the blockers on run plays so Richie could be free to take on the runner in the gap.

Beyond that, it seems to me Richie always seems to do better than people expect of him. He's a very heady player, and appears to have great instincts, another important requirement of ILB's in a 3-4.

[DownwardDawg]

All I think about when someone mentions it was the game that we tried it against auburn. They averaged about 20 yards a carry it seemed. I'm not expecting much out of it.

[Offshore Dawg]

I think it helps vs NMS and AU type teams... Hurts vs LSU and Bama.

Since we loose to them anyway, it will not matter what defense the dawgs use.

[GTHOM]

Can some of you coaches on here give us a run down on the 3/4 defense we are now running?

What are the defense's strengths and weaknesses?

How does our personnel match with this scheme?

What will we now be able to do that previously we couldn't ?

Which teams on our schedule does this help against and which does it hurt against?

How does this effect our recruiting and is it easier for us to recruit to this or the 4/3?

Thanks

There are more ways to run a 3-4 than the Bama 3-4. I've seen it ran with more speed guys up front and I've seen it the way Bama does it with big gap eaters up front.

The 3-4 is IMO the best scheme you can run, you can do a lot more out of it pressure wise, its easier to pattern read for your secondary out of, and it will take advantage of our depth and talent at LB.

My only problem with it for us is we only have 1 guy that is a a real 2 gap player up front and thats Nick James. The rest of the guys arent as big I suspect we will do a lot of slanting and stunting with our DL instead of playing 2 gaps.
,
It could hurt us against Bama, LSU, Arkansas if our DL depth doesnt come together but I feel like we have some guys who are going to surprise, they just need some experience. We will be fine up front vs anyone with our starters out of the 3-4.

[bulldawg28]

It depends if it's a true 3-4.

Just because you line up with 3 down linemen, doesn't mean you run a 3-4.

It depends on gap responsibility.

A true 3-4 is a 2 gap defense. A 4-3 more of a 1 gap.

Alignment has nothing to do with it.

I'd have to see it before I could comment that we are running a true 3-4.

Agreed. Two gap he's ok.

[bulldawg28]

Not necessarily. Speed is very much needed, as we'll need guys capable of dropping back into coverage, and/or one able to cover the TE in any pass routes. Richie could be that for sure. More than likely we'd have Leo be the one to take on the blockers on run plays so Richie could be free to take on the runner in the gap.

Beyond that, it seems to me Richie always seems to do better than people expect of him. He's a very heady player, and appears to have great instincts, another important requirement of ILB's in a 3-4.

I love Richie. I just wished we'd put him outside full-time to utilize him better.

[blacklistedbully]

I love Richie. I just wished we'd put him outside full-time to utilize him better.

Outside LB's are gonna be closer to DE's in the 3-4. I think Richie will work out well on the inside if we specify duties between him and whoever else we put in the inside (Leo?).

I like the idea of Richie being able to cover vertically versus a TE.

[bulldawg28]

Outside LB's are gonna be closer to DE's in the 3-4. I think Richie will work out well on the inside if we specify duties between him and whoever else we put in the inside (Leo?).

I like the idea of Richie being able to cover vertically versus a TE.

I'd rather see him outside using his speed versus a TE or tackle than downhill against a guard.

[blacklistedbully]

I'd rather see him outside using his speed versus a TE or tackle than downhill against a guard.

As I understand it, it's usually one of the middle LB's (typically the Will) in a 3-4 that covers the TE. I can easily see Richie as the Will, Leo as the Mike, and Green and Jung as Sam & Joker.

Keep in mind, the OLB's in a 3-4 are the one's who are likely to be closer to the O-linemen, thus more likely to need to shed those blocks.

[SPMT]

Bama runs nickel with 4 down linemen as much as any other defense. Maybe they run it with 4 down but some 3-4 gap principles, but they rarely run a straight 3-4 D.