Benefits of the 3-4 defense

[Reason2succeed]

A lot has been said about how going to more 3-4 base looks on defense will help us to get our best athletes on the field and deal with spread offenses but there is another reason why going to the 3-4 could help.

Namely, Bama. Nick Saban has always played a 3-4 defense. It is only smart to play the same defense that your toughest rival plays. It provides your offense with familiarity with reading and attacking this defense.

The difficulty in playing against a 3-4 is that you have to recognize which LB(s) is going to blitz because there are more options. This presents a new problem to the QB and OL. By playing 3-4 ourselves our offense has all summer to diagnose and understand how a 3-4 works and what to do to beat it.

[Oleo]

No matter which scheme we run, the Defense needs to be the character and definition of this team. This is the year of Defense.

[Spiderman]

A lot has been said about how going to more 3-4 base looks on defense will help us to get our best athletes on the field and deal with spread offenses but there is another reason why going to the 3-4 could help.

Namely, Bama. Nick Saban has always played a 3-4 defense. It is only smart to play the same defense that your toughest rival plays. It provides your offense with familiarity with reading and attacking this defense.



The difficulty in playing against a 3-4 is that you have to recognize which LB(s) is going to blitz because there are more options. This presents a new problem to the QB and OL. By playing 3-4 ourselves our offense has all summer to diagnose and understand how a 3-4 works and what to do to beat it.

Bama runs it because they have NFL caliber 2 gap D-Linemen. Not to mention LBs.

IMO it takes more talent to be a 2 gap D than a 1 gap.

It aint X's and O's, it's Jimmy's and Joe's.

[thf24]

Bama runs it because they have NFL caliber 2 gap D-Linemen. Not to mention LBs.

IMO it takes more talent to be a 2 gap D than a 1 gap.

It aint X's and O's, it's Jimmy's and Joe's.

This. Judging from everything I've heard about it, our version of the 3-4 isn't going to be a real NFL-style 3-4; more like a hybrid of several different schemes that fits our personnel. Bama plays a real 3-4, the one that takes NFL talent at every position in the front 7, two deep at a few. They're possibly the only team in the country who consistently recruits well enough to run it.

[Spiderman]

This. Judging from everything I've heard about it, our version of the 3-4 isn't going to be a real NFL-style 3-4; more like a hybrid of several different schemes that fits our personnel. Bama plays a real 3-4, the one that takes NFL talent at every position in the front 7, two deep at a few. They're possibly the only team in the country who consistently recruits well enough to run it.

I was personally told by a defensive coach on our staff we would be a true 2 gap defense. Simmons for example will be playing the 4- 4i tech. He will be a 2 gap player reading the play and keeping O-linemen off the LBs.

[Coach 57]

We will struggle Vs most spread teams this year until we really figure out out our assignments in the middle of the field. Making the transition from a base 4-3 to 3-4 multiple will take time not just the scheme (because it is the best scheme in the long run) but (as someone said) we've gotta have the right "jimmy's & joe's" on the field. Personnel is HUGE for this transition.

I'd expect us to run some 1-5-5 too Vs teams like TAMU. But that 1 guy has gotta be an anchor for sure! Simmons CAN be that guy, but I don't expect him to be that in his first year. I'm not pessimistic but I know the transition is normally tough even for NFL teams and they do it for a living.

[Reason2succeed]

We will struggle Vs most spread teams this year until we really figure out out our assignments in the middle of the field. Making the transition from a base 4-3 to 3-4 multiple will take time not just the scheme (because it is the best scheme in the long run) but (as someone said) we've gotta have the right "jimmy's & joe's" on the field. Personnel is HUGE for this transition.

I'd expect us to run some 1-5-5 too Vs teams like TAMU. But that 1 guy has gotta be an anchor for sure! Simmons CAN be that guy, but I don't expect him to be that in his first year. I'm not pessimistic but I know the transition is normally tough even for NFL teams and they do it for a living.

Who do you project to be those 5 LBs in a 1-5-5? Taking AJ Jefferson off the field would be a mistake imo.

[lamont]

We are going to have to slant and pinch our front some to be successful or they will get gashed on the inside zone

Mississippi has had a lot of success slanting their front the last few years

[Coach 57]

@Random Poster- we can't do that, we don't have enough "Jimmy's" and too many "Joe's". Too many apples and not enough oranges.


@Reason2- I'm not sure. Gerri, Richie etc need to be at the P.O.A (point of attack) near the 1/0 tech (honestly I think this 1/0 needs to be someone who can and MUST draw the OG & C every snap!) though because of their athleticism & experience.