3-4 defense and pass rush

[Dolphus Raymond]

Obviously I'm not a coach and about all I know is that it consists of 3 down linemen and 4 linebackers. So, do you depend on the 3 linemen to pressure the QB or do you "send" 1 linebacker on each play, alternating the one sent from play to play? Or, am I totally lost?
This approach seems well suited to stop the run but the pass?

[dawgday166]

You can do all of the above. It's pretty versatile.

[TUSK]

Speaking from bammer perspective, ya need a "jack" LB. he's big enough to bull rush an OT, but fast enough to cover a RB.

Those cats are hard to find and "special", to say the least.

[Reason2succeed]

I can see how this would very easily become a more complex system. I like easy systems because it seems like I often hear about offensive or defensive systems that are too hard and there is miscommunication or just inconsistency.

As much as we may despise him Hugh Freeze ran a simple offense and his guys thrived in it. It didn't prepare them for the NFL but hey Hugh you don't really care about that do you.

[Todd4State]

I think we can possibly adapt the 3-4 to where it is more easily understood. Apparently there is a one gap and a two gap version and then there are 3-4's that have some of both principles.

I think the problem with last year was Sirmon just wasn't a very good coach. Grantham has run this defense successfully with college players and I think that's the biggest thing we need to look at right now.

And I know a lot of our fans may have forgotten but Bill Clay ran a 3-4 for Jackie's first three years and we had some success with it so it can be done at MSU and with Mississippi recruits.

[dawgday166]

Speaking from bammer perspective, ya need a "jack" LB. he's big enough to bull rush an OT, but fast enough to cover a RB.

Those cats are hard to find and "special", to say the least.

They are. Bammer ran it with some bigger, slower dudes till the last 2 years or so after getting the lack of speed exposed by OSU in '14.

Correct me if I'm off here but pretty sure that back then both their outside backers were about 250 to 260 I believe. Now one is 250 and the other is around 230. The 230 dude it the real fast dude and he's the Will backer. The Jack may be fast too, but not sure he has to be as fast.

What I think the 3-4 does is allow you flexibility with those roles and then the backers can swap sides all the time to. Easier to implement with those tweener (between a 4-3 DE and LB) pass rusher types that don't fit into the typical 4-3 DE size.

I'm by no means an expert on it. Grantham ran it a Lville with success, so I think we should be good at MSU with it.

[Leroy Jenkins]

Here is where recruiting shows up in the game-plan. At some point you have to have the guys to run the scheme you want. This is where I love Simmons and I think he will be huge going forward. In a 3-4 you can have a guy on the nose on a "0 technique" with the intent he eats blocks, if that guy is man enough to command the blocks of the Center and one of the Guards, essentially controlling one "A" gap through occupying that sides Guard. OR... you could shade that "0 tech" to one side or the other (making him a 1 tech) and line him up in the "A" gap with the intent that he makes plays in the backfield. IMO Simmons is both man enough to eat blocks at the 0 tech, and athletic enough to make plays as a 1 tech in the A gap.

I dont know how this will come out in the written word (I'm pretty far down this bottle of Woodford Reserve) but it is completely coherent in my head. Bottom line, Simmons is the key or we will get ran on vs. any team with a decent running attack.

[RiverCityDawg]

Here is where recruiting shows up in the game-plan. At some point you have to have the guys to run the scheme you want. This is where I love Simmons and I think he will be huge going forward. In a 3-4 you can have a guy on the nose on a "0 technique" with the intent he eats blocks, if that guy is man enough to command the blocks of the Center and one of the Guards, essentially controlling one "A" gap through occupying that sides Guard. OR... you could shade that "0 tech" to one side or the other (making him a 1 tech) and line him up in the "A" gap with the intent that he makes plays in the backfield. IMO Simmons is both man enough to eat blocks at the 0 tech, and athletic enough to make plays as a 1 tech in the A gap.

I dont know how this will come out in the written word (I'm pretty far down this bottle of Woodford Reserve) but it is completely coherent in my head. Bottom line, Simmons is the key or we will get ran on vs. any team with a decent running attack.

A 0 technique NT is supposed to take on a double team and control BOTH A gaps. Not many of these beasts around. Shaded over as a 1 technique he is still supposed to take on double teams but only occupy the A gap to that side, still eating blocks and not primarily making plays in the backfield. 3 technique DT's are the ones typically getting sacks from the inside.

[Martianlander]

Football is two things. It's blocking and tackling. I don't care anything about formations or new offenses or tricks on defense. You block and tackle better than the team you're playing, you win.
Vince Lombardi

I've posted this quote before but if we are going to talk football, we all need to read this every couple of months.

[Mjoelner34]

Football is two things. It's blocking and tackling. I don't care anything about formations or new offenses or tricks on defense. You block and tackle better than the team you're playing, you win.
Vince Lombardi

I've posted this quote before but if we are going to talk football, we all need to read this every couple of months.

That made me think of one of John McKay's many good ones: "Well, we didn't block, but we made up for it by not tackling."

[Martianlander]

That made me think of one of John McKay's many good ones: "Well, we didn't block, but we made up for it by not tackling."

Yes-another good one he had when asked about the execution of his team. He said "I think it would be a good idea".

[GTHOM]

You can send any of the 4 LBs or more, from anywhere at anytime and play multiple coverages behind it. You cant do that in a 4-3

[Coach 57]

The most imperative thing is the 0 tech, if you don't have him...it's not going to work. As stated above there are different variations of the 3-4 as far as assignments go. But the ILB's should be able to get penetration in blitzes. If they aren't, the zero isn't doing his job to contain the A gaps. The DL must be guys who are selfless and be willing to garner attention without being in the stat sheet too often.