Return of 1A-1B?

[PSYCHO(thesis)DEFENSE]

I haven't seen this addressed in another thread so pardon if it's already been worked over. I think this is the year we find out whether 1A-1B was Mullen's baby or truly the work of Juicy Geoff Collins'.

Looking at last year's roster, we did see a fairly heavy rotation at DT & Safety, even w/ stars Chris Jones & B Bryant. However, we didn't have the depth at DE, LB, or CB to pull off 1A-1B. We didn't know what we had in Calvin out of Juco, and Coleman wasn't ready at DE, so we couldn't justify pulling AJ Jefferson & Ryan Brown. Leo Lewis & Traver Jung weren't ready, so we left the Brown Bros in w/ Z Jackson & subbed JT Gray, or G Green. Big drop off after Redmond & Calhoun so they weren't pulled.

This year I think the roster is set up a lot more for 1A-1B. So if Dan indeed had a heavy hand in 2014's defensive rotation, as many thought, then we may see it again this year.

1A DE - AJ Jefferson, 1B J Calvin
DE - T Dale, J Simmons
NT - N James, N Adams
Viper - W Coleman, T Jung
MLB - R Brown, L Lewis
MLB - G Green, K Chairs
Star - JT Gray, D Ward
CB - T Cleveland, C Jiles
CB - L Durr, M Smitherman
FS - B Bryant, M McLaurin
SS - J Peters, K Coman

Left out but will see PT - Tre Brown, Brax Hoyette, Fletch Adams, Cory Thomas, Smokey Graham, Chris Rayford

We'd be relying on a couple of walk ons at LB on 1b, but we did that in 2014 w/ Turtle Holmes. I think the better scenario is that Brown, Green, & Lewis rotate at the 2 MLB spots & Chairs gets mop up duty. I see Ward playing a lot if he's at Star LB, but I'd rather put Peters there when JT Gray isn't in, & let McLaurin play beside Bryant. The entire defensive staff has been here less than a year, so I hope to see less upperclassman loyalty, and more talent on the field earlier. Sirmon's quotes on Tolando Cleveland don't give me much confidence in that, tho.

Definitely not advocating for this. I like for the best players to play until they are too tired to go, and I was upset with the 2014 rotation for much of the year. I feel like Dan was playing for Atlanta in '14, & was very focused on November hence the 1a-1b scheme (Yes, I know we lost to Bama & Northern Miss). I think he'll be more focused on the games at hand each week this year, which favors a traditional rotation; but in order to get PT for both the young talent & his beloved lunch pail seniors, 1A-1B could be Dan's answer. Something to watch for.

[sleepy dawg]

I don't think we'll see the 1A-1B again... at least I sure as hell hope not. Surely Dan saw what a catastrophic failure that was. I'm all for rotating guys, and finding ways to get other/younger guys on the field to build depth, but you do it as needed, and when it makes sense. You don't switch out your entire defense every possession.

[Reason2succeed]

I hope not. I hope the coaches go with a traditional rotation. 1A and 1B is just lazy. Yes we have talented depth but so does Bama and LSU and you don't see them playing 1a and 1b.

[TrapGame]

I don't think we'll see the 1A-1B again... at least I sure as hell hope not. Surely Dan saw what a catastrophic failure that was. I'm all for rotating guys, and finding ways to get other/younger guys on the field to build depth, but you do it as needed, and when it makes sense. You don't switch out your entire defense every possession.

Sleepy you're adorable.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Dan has been here 8yrs we've seen the 1A & 1B 1 year. I don't see how you can say that was Mullen's baby.

[Pinto]

The problem with 1A is when you have an all-American LB like McKinney what sense does it make for him to only play half the snaps a year? Yes, rest him in spots but keep him on the field.

[HSVDawg]

I think you can probably chalk that one up to Collins. 2014 is the only year we've ever done the hockey line substitutions where we have like 8 or 9 of the 2nd string out there at once. One common theme I've noticed under Mullen though is he likes rotating guys a lot when we are between the 20's. Part of the bend but don't break philosophy I suppose.

[TrapGame]

I thought there was an interview where Collins said he and Mullen came up with that particular rotation concept b/c there were so many young guys on defense that year with virtually zero playing time.

[dickiedawg]

That was easily the most catastrophic failure of all our 10-2 seasons.


Easily.

[sleepy dawg]

That was easily the most catastrophic failure of all our 10-2 seasons.


Easily.

We went 10-3 despite 1a/1b, not because of it.

[PSYCHO(thesis)DEFENSE]

Dan has been here 8yrs we've seen the 1A & 1B 1 year. I don't see how you can say that was Mullen's baby.

he could've aborted it in year 7. My point was that there's a lack of evidence pointing it towards either coach. Collins only did it 1 year as DC, and didn't continue it at Florida that I'm aware of, so I can't say Collins is the daddy. Mullen didn't have the roster to do it with in 2015, so I think we have to wait and see what he does with the 2016 roster before putting it to bed. In all likelihood they made it together, parted ways, and we'll never see 1A-1B again.

[Goldendawg]

The thing that I remember most is how the opposition's 1st string drove the field and scored very often due to the wholesale substitution of 1b. Leave our Best players in at all positions regardless of whether they are under class men or not. Substitute based on situation and to give the best a breather. I honestly believe our recruiting has been hurt by not giving young more talented players early snaps over loyalty to less talented upper class men. I think other schools use this against us, especially NMU. There was a lot of scoring in 2014 because of 1b. Total 1b if we are well in control of the game or it is totally out of hand. At best using 1b left us in poor field position even if 1a came back in and stopped a drive (usually deep in our territory). Nearly lost the LSU game because of 1b that year. Sure we find diamonds in the rough, but can't we develop a 4 star to better performance than most walkons?

[Johnson85]

The problem with 1A is when you have an all-American LB like McKinney what sense does it make for him to only play half the snaps a year? Yes, rest him in spots but keep him on the field.

It doesn't make sense for him to play half the snaps in a year. But if you're good, you ought to have 4 or 5 games a year where you can win splitting time between 1A and 1B, and I like that a lot better than the bulk of your snaps for younger guys coming in mop up duty as far as ensuring you don't have a major drop off at a position from one year to the next because of lack of experience.

The problem is you have to recruit well enough to be able to do it. It doesn't help you to get playing time to a guy that doesn't need to be an SEC starter. There are some 1B's whose playing time didn't benefit us at all and I'm thinking we are not nearly as deep now as we were then.

[sleepy dawg]

The thing that I remember most is how the opposition's 1st string drove the field and scored very often due to the wholesale substitution of 1b. Leave our Best players in at all positions regardless of whether they are under class men or not. Substitute based on situation and to give the best a breather. I honestly believe our recruiting has been hurt by not giving young more talented players early snaps over loyalty to less talented upper class men. I think other schools use this against us, especially NMU. There was a lot of scoring in 2014 because of 1b. Total 1b if we are well in control of the game or it is totally out of hand. At best using 1b left us in poor field position even if 1a came back in and stopped a drive (usually deep in our territory). Nearly lost the LSU game because of 1b that year. Sure we find diamonds in the rough, but can't we develop a 4 star to better performance than most walkons?

Yep... if this is not how you remember it, then you have a short memory, or you weren't really paying attention.

[Spiderman]

I haven't seen this addressed in another thread so pardon if it's already been worked over. I think this is the year we find out whether 1A-1B was Mullen's baby or truly the work of Juicy Geoff Collins'.

Looking at last year's roster, we did see a fairly heavy rotation at DT & Safety, even w/ stars Chris Jones & B Bryant. However, we didn't have the depth at DE, LB, or CB to pull off 1A-1B. We didn't know what we had in Calvin out of Juco, and Coleman wasn't ready at DE, so we couldn't justify pulling AJ Jefferson & Ryan Brown. Leo Lewis & Traver Jung weren't ready, so we left the Brown Bros in w/ Z Jackson & subbed JT Gray, or G Green. Big drop off after Redmond & Calhoun so they weren't pulled.

This year I think the roster is set up a lot more for 1A-1B. So if Dan indeed had a heavy hand in 2014's defensive rotation, as many thought, then we may see it again this year.

1A DE - AJ Jefferson, 1B J Calvin
DE - T Dale, J Simmons
NT - N James, N Adams
Viper - W Coleman, T Jung
MLB - R Brown, L Lewis
MLB - G Green, K Chairs
Star - JT Gray, D Ward
CB - T Cleveland, C Jiles
CB - L Durr, M Smitherman
FS - B Bryant, M McLaurin
SS - J Peters, K Coman

Left out but will see PT - Tre Brown, Brax Hoyette, Fletch Adams, Cory Thomas, Smokey Graham, Chris Rayford

We'd be relying on a couple of walk ons at LB on 1b, but we did that in 2014 w/ Turtle Holmes. I think the better scenario is that Brown, Green, & Lewis rotate at the 2 MLB spots & Chairs gets mop up duty. I see Ward playing a lot if he's at Star LB, but I'd rather put Peters there when JT Gray isn't in, & let McLaurin play beside Bryant. The entire defensive staff has been here less than a year, so I hope to see less upperclassman loyalty, and more talent on the field earlier. Sirmon's quotes on Tolando Cleveland don't give me much confidence in that, tho.

Definitely not advocating for this. I like for the best players to play until they are too tired to go, and I was upset with the 2014 rotation for much of the year. I feel like Dan was playing for Atlanta in '14, & was very focused on November hence the 1a-1b scheme (Yes, I know we lost to Bama & Northern Miss). I think he'll be more focused on the games at hand each week this year, which favors a traditional rotation; but in order to get PT for both the young talent & his beloved lunch pail seniors, 1A-1B could be Dan's answer. Something to watch for.

We better pray we have a 1B. If we are gonna run a 2 gap defense, we better have some frigging studs up front..... and enough of them.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

They need to send Rayford on home. He's not SEC material. Not even close.

[sleepy dawg]

We better pray we have a 1B. If we are gonna run a 2 gap defense, we better have some frigging studs up front..... and enough of them.

1B was not subbing guys out as needed. 1B was 11 different guys on the field every other possession.