To__ Orlan_o - _efensive Coor_inator

[BurntOrange&White 39668]

We have to get better on the defensive line next year.

[taybo20 2815]

Absolutely

[ImissWallyPryor 9045]

So, thanks to Orlando, Hager will never get a haircut.

[satyanash 14281]

Chip Brown: Todd Orlando didn't heed his own advice in Big 12 title game

ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas defensive coordinator Todd Orlando didn’t heed his own advice in the Longhorns' 39-27 loss to Oklahoma in Saturday's Big 12 Championship. Orlando told his guys, especially his seniors, he wanted them to take it all in and then cut it loose and let it all hang out, so there'd be no regrets. “We’re playing for a championship,” Orlando said last Wednesday. “What do we have to lose?”

So why didn’t Orlando heed his own advice? After doing a brilliant job of mixing fronts and pressures through the first quarter and a half against Oklahoma, becoming the first team all season to hold the Sooners out of the end zone in the first quarter, Orlando changed things up. He went to his version of the 3-8 cloud, rushing three and dropping eight into coverage. The result, like it’s been the second half of the season, was disaster.

For a quarter and a half, Orlando was using four- and five-man fronts and mixing pressures brilliantly, unsettling OU quarterback Kyler Murray and giving up only one explosive play - a run of 24 yards - while the Longhorns' built a 14-6 lead. Then, the Longhorns went to the 3-8 cloud and ended up clouding their chances of winning a Big 12 title. Texas promptly gave up a 46-yard pass from Murray to CeeDee Lamb, followed by a 28-yard touchdown pass from Murray to Lamb. That cut Texas’ led to 14-13.

It’d be one thing if Orlando’s defense ran the 3-8 cloud well. But it doesn’t. Not only is there no pass rush, but there are huge gaps in UT's zone coverage. Even worse, it takes Orlando and his attack-style-defense out of an attack mindset. You’d think that would’ve been lesson learned, causing Orlando to go back to mixing fronts and pressures like he had been - and like Orlando did brilliantly for four quarters in a 24-10 win over Iowa State.

But when OU got the ball back at its own 13 with 59 seconds left in the half, Texas was back in the 3-8 cloud - and got eviscerated. Murray ripped through Texas' cloud coverage like a tornado for a five-play, 80-yard, touchdown drive in 41 seconds. Forty-one seconds!

Under no pressure, Murray completed pass plays of 24, 20 and 17 yards — combined with a personal foul (facemask) on Texas’ B.J. Foster — before Murray hit tight end Grant Calcaterra for a 6-yard touchdown pass with 18 seconds left, putting OU up 20-14 at the half after scoring two touchdowns in 5:01 (after failing to score more than six points the previous 25 minutes).

All that after being burned for two big plays in the 3-8 cloud on OU’s previous scoring drive. “We backed off a little bit, but we should've been able to get cranked up,” said senior linebacker Gary Johnson, who finished with 11 tackles, including a tackle for loss, and had one of the plays of the game on a forced fumble midway through the fourth quarter.

When asked about the lack of pressure on Murray in the second quarter, when the game turned in OU’s favor Saturday, junior safety Brandon Jones said: “It was tough, especially with a guy like him who is versatile and can move around and make plays on the run. If you don’t get pressure, he’s going to make plays. He’s the type of quarterback that if he has enough time, he’s going to put the ball where it needs to be or he’ll run and make plays with his feet.”

Murray said after the game he was ready for UT’s 3-8 cloud. “A lot of teams started bringing three and dropping eight against us, because at some point you’ve got to stop the throw,” Murray said. “We were more prepared this time. The more you play against something, the more comfortable you get with it. As an offense, there’s no panic when we see it. We kinda know where to attack it. And on that (five-play, 41-second touchdown drive), we moved down the field. It was a crucial drive for us, and we put the ball in the end zone.”

Why did Orlando back off? Again? Like he did against West Virginia quarterback Will Grier, who was hit only twice the entire game against a ton of 3-8 cloud by Texas. And like Orlando did against Oklahoma State? And late in a near-loss to Baylor? Orlando isn’t made available by Tom Herman after games. But even Herman agreed the lack of pressure on Murray was a huge factor in Saturday’s loss.

“For him to sit back there for as long as he could,” Herman said, “and, you know, he gets a ton of credit — and deservedly so — for how quick and elusive he is. But his release and accuracy are elite as well.” In other words, the last thing you want to do is let Murray sit back in the pocket, set his feet and throw darts. For a quarter and a half, Orlando seemed to understand that. And then, he failed to heed his own advice as OU’s offense heated up and scored 21 unanswered points.

Orlando didn’t keep cutting it loose and playing as if “we have nothing to lose.” OU won the Big 12 Championship on Saturday, when Orlando backed off a little bit in the second quarter, and let OU’s likely Heisman Trophy finalist play like a Heisman Trophy finalist. It’s too bad Orlando didn’t heed his own advice.

[6th Street 6357]

That shitty 3-8 cloud defense likely gets even worse next year given we are replacing all 3 starting DL and Gary Johnson with lesser talent. The only hope is if someone offers Orlando a HC gig.

[Dbeasy 14971]

We weren’t great on D but our talent wasn’t great either. Hopefully the redshirting players will gain strength and we will generate a pass rush somehow next year.

But in my opinion, as I’ve said many times on here, the 3 man front with a standup undersized but too slow LB/DE is fools gold.

Drop down a big strong DE on the front four edge and run two super fast but hard hitting LB’s. They don’t need to be 230/240. They just need great technique to slip off OL and RB/TE blocks to fill the holes, and then cover speed burners on crossing and out routes. The five DB’s in the back cover the rest.

[sushihorn 3233]

20 hours ago, Hamttx said:

But yet most would say they are all better then what OU trotted out there? Other then maybe Murray. Not a single one of OU’s starting 11 would start at Texas. 

And why do all of you give Herman a pass? He had a hand in this as well. He can force a change if he wanted to. To lay it at the feet of Orlando without at least some blame of the head coach is why we see the same shit from the last  four defensive coordinator’s who were employed by Texas.

I just want to be clear here.  We are talking about the "blame" for taking over a losing football team and only getting to a NY6 bowl in year 2, correct?

[ClubWhatever 12087]

Chip doesn’t mention the fact that Boyd and Davis simply could not cover their receivers.   It was pick your poison.  Get sliced and diced 15 yards at a time, or give up 40 yard chunk plays.  

[Cajun 11675]

21 hours ago, That Guy said:

Shit snacks what’s a man without hope?

Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things.

[Nueces River Rat 5530]

2 hours ago, satyanash said:

Chip Brown: Todd Orlando didn't heed his own advice in Big 12 title game

 

  Reveal hidden contents

ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas defensive coordinator Todd Orlando didn’t heed his own advice in the Longhorns' 39-27 loss to Oklahoma in Saturday's Big 12 Championship. Orlando told his guys, especially his seniors, he wanted them to take it all in and then cut it loose and let it all hang out, so there'd be no regrets. “We’re playing for a championship,” Orlando said last Wednesday. “What do we have to lose?”

So why didn’t Orlando heed his own advice? After doing a brilliant job of mixing fronts and pressures through the first quarter and a half against Oklahoma, becoming the first team all season to hold the Sooners out of the end zone in the first quarter, Orlando changed things up. He went to his version of the 3-8 cloud, rushing three and dropping eight into coverage. The result, like it’s been the second half of the season, was disaster.

For a quarter and a half, Orlando was using four- and five-man fronts and mixing pressures brilliantly, unsettling OU quarterback Kyler Murray and giving up only one explosive play - a run of 24 yards - while the Longhorns' built a 14-6 lead. Then, the Longhorns went to the 3-8 cloud and ended up clouding their chances of winning a Big 12 title. Texas promptly gave up a 46-yard pass from Murray to CeeDee Lamb, followed by a 28-yard touchdown pass from Murray to Lamb. That cut Texas’ led to 14-13.

It’d be one thing if Orlando’s defense ran the 3-8 cloud well. But it doesn’t. Not only is there no pass rush, but there are huge gaps in UT's zone coverage. Even worse, it takes Orlando and his attack-style-defense out of an attack mindset. You’d think that would’ve been lesson learned, causing Orlando to go back to mixing fronts and pressures like he had been - and like Orlando did brilliantly for four quarters in a 24-10 win over Iowa State.

But when OU got the ball back at its own 13 with 59 seconds left in the half, Texas was back in the 3-8 cloud - and got eviscerated. Murray ripped through Texas' cloud coverage like a tornado for a five-play, 80-yard, touchdown drive in 41 seconds. Forty-one seconds!

Under no pressure, Murray completed pass plays of 24, 20 and 17 yards — combined with a personal foul (facemask) on Texas’ B.J. Foster — before Murray hit tight end Grant Calcaterra for a 6-yard touchdown pass with 18 seconds left, putting OU up 20-14 at the half after scoring two touchdowns in 5:01 (after failing to score more than six points the previous 25 minutes).

All that after being burned for two big plays in the 3-8 cloud on OU’s previous scoring drive. “We backed off a little bit, but we should've been able to get cranked up,” said senior linebacker Gary Johnson, who finished with 11 tackles, including a tackle for loss, and had one of the plays of the game on a forced fumble midway through the fourth quarter.

When asked about the lack of pressure on Murray in the second quarter, when the game turned in OU’s favor Saturday, junior safety Brandon Jones said: “It was tough, especially with a guy like him who is versatile and can move around and make plays on the run. If you don’t get pressure, he’s going to make plays. He’s the type of quarterback that if he has enough time, he’s going to put the ball where it needs to be or he’ll run and make plays with his feet.”

Murray said after the game he was ready for UT’s 3-8 cloud. “A lot of teams started bringing three and dropping eight against us, because at some point you’ve got to stop the throw,” Murray said. “We were more prepared this time. The more you play against something, the more comfortable you get with it. As an offense, there’s no panic when we see it. We kinda know where to attack it. And on that (five-play, 41-second touchdown drive), we moved down the field. It was a crucial drive for us, and we put the ball in the end zone.”

Why did Orlando back off? Again? Like he did against West Virginia quarterback Will Grier, who was hit only twice the entire game against a ton of 3-8 cloud by Texas. And like Orlando did against Oklahoma State? And late in a near-loss to Baylor? Orlando isn’t made available by Tom Herman after games. But even Herman agreed the lack of pressure on Murray was a huge factor in Saturday’s loss.

“For him to sit back there for as long as he could,” Herman said, “and, you know, he gets a ton of credit — and deservedly so — for how quick and elusive he is. But his release and accuracy are elite as well.” In other words, the last thing you want to do is let Murray sit back in the pocket, set his feet and throw darts. For a quarter and a half, Orlando seemed to understand that. And then, he failed to heed his own advice as OU’s offense heated up and scored 21 unanswered points.

Orlando didn’t keep cutting it loose and playing as if “we have nothing to lose.” OU won the Big 12 Championship on Saturday, when Orlando backed off a little bit in the second quarter, and let OU’s likely Heisman Trophy finalist play like a Heisman Trophy finalist. It’s too bad Orlando didn’t heed his own advice.

 

I think this is the first time in a very long time Chip has written something that made sense.

I thought the same damn thing in the later part of the second qtr.

Fricken OU should of been beaten again yesterday..... Instead our coaches got stupid.

[Rockwell Torrey 1277]

49 minutes ago, sushihorn said:

I just want to be clear here.  We are talking about the "blame" for taking over a losing football team and only getting to a NY6 bowl in year 2, correct?

Don't try to slow down men with pitch forks.  They're on a mission.

[Js1 85122]

3-8 fart cloud defense 

[NowThis 931]

28 minutes ago, Nueces River Rat said:

I think this is the first time in a very long time Chip has written something that made sense.

I thought the same damn thing in the later part of the second qtr.

Fricken OU should of been beaten again yesterday..... Instead our coaches got stupid.

texas coaches shrivel up instead of putting teams away. See Tulsa. It's a disease needing a swift cure. Someone needs to press Herman on it.

[US183 124]

22 hours ago, Rockethorn1978 said:

That’s still a better option than shit(Boyd) and doo doo(Davis). 

How about a GoFundMe for Boyd to call out sick .....

[LTtxfan 48986]

4 minutes ago, NowThis said:

texas coaches shrivel up instead of putting teams away. See Tulsa. It's a disease needing a swift cure. Someone needs to press Herman on it.

Fair comment......

Reading about Greg Davis consulting on the TEXAS Offense with Herman some during this Season, makes me wonder who Herman might hire to consult and review this Defenses performance for the 2018 Season??

[Sgt Hulk 13648]

He has a month to scheme, im quite curious to see what he comes up with against UGA 

[Thatguy 8523]

  It doesn't matter if you drop 8 if OU is only concerned with attacking you deep. Having a pass rush and dropping 8 means OU has to throw into tight windows. Having NO pass rush and dropping 8 means Murray can stand back there and wait for the long routes to open up. Which means only the top of your D is defending.

[Dbeasy 14971]

Part of the issue with the defense was Herman’s philosophy in close games (which was all of them).

He was a GA under Mack and saw Mack win a high percentage of close games by being a little more conversation down the stretch of games.

You can see Herman doing the exact same thing in games. He has the D keep guys in front of them and force offenses to work their way down the field, hoping they make a mistake.

These days, offenses aren’t making many mistakes. They are scoring. Part of making the defense better is having an offense that doesn’t get quite so conservative at the end of games and scores. That allows the defense to also be more aggressive.

[Hamttx 419]

3 hours ago, sushihorn said:

I just want to be clear here.  We are talking about the "blame" for taking over a losing football team and only getting to a NY6 bowl in year 2, correct?

The thread is about Orlando. I am simply saying that singling out Orlando is silly in of by itself. If you played ball at this level you would know what happens on Tuesday, Wednesday and usually a half day on Thursday. And the role the DC has during that time frame. Who he speaks with, what his expectations are. Football at this level is a job for not only the coaches, but the players as well. Any criticism of a specific coordinator carries with it criticism of the head coach who signed off on the game plan and the individual performance of those selected to start. Which is a really big deal to those who never get to see their name on the board.

[satyanash 14281]

Orlando's job is safe

 

[Machinator 32097]

Sarcastic comments about our defense this year aside, I don't think Todd was truly in danger of leaving this year.

[Wiler77 1558]

Christ on a cracker, OU's offense is historically good--and we gave up 39 points.  Included in that is a safety and a TD at the end of the half that never should have happened.  Sometimes your HC has to do you a solid.  We held them to 13 points in the 1st half, and instead of taking a lead to HT, Herman crapped himself.

I'm more concerned why we look like a bunch of pussies in the 4th quarter of half the games.  Offense and defense. 

Also, I'm to the point where I think we should sign 5 DBs every cycle and push the ones that can't keep up out every couple of years.  We need 7 legit DBs in the pipeline at any given time.

That said, I think our future is extremely bright.  Sugar Bowl is way more than I was expecting, and I think we're a 9 win team next year.  2020 is the one I'm eyeing for contending for the CFP.

[ClubWhatever 12087]

14 minutes ago, satyanash said:

Orlando's job is safe

 

Didn't read the link but this is the guy that up and quit mid season at Oregon State and then told a newspaper writer he could publish his texts trashing the assistants and players.

[ckhorn 208]

4 hours ago, longhornmatt said:

We will be more inexperienced on defense next year, but the flip side is that the young guys are generally more athletic and higher ranked recruits than the guys they will replace.  I think it will probably even out in the wash next year, and the defense will be about the same.  

That isn’t great, but in theory our offense should be a lot better next year if the WRs come back.  I’d like a grad transfer at OT, too.

I am more concerned about finding a guard or two. Our rushing issues is that our guards can't get movement at the line.

[BurntOrange&White 39668]

Chip doesn’t mention the fact that Boyd and Davis simply could not cover their receivers.   It was pick your poison.  Get sliced and diced 15 yards at a time, or give up 40 yard chunk plays.  

Expecting DBs to cover receivers for as long as they had to is never going to work out for us.


It starts up front, we get pressure and our guys don’t have to cover as long.

[sushihorn 3233]

1 hour ago, Bevo VIII said:

Expecting DBs to cover receivers for as long as they had to is never going to work out for us.


It starts up front, we get pressure and our guys don’t have to cover as long.

That's where we really miss Poona.  That guy could not only soak up double teams and clog the middle.  He could also split the double team and create pressure right in the QB's face.  Blitzing Malik off his hip almost wasn't fair.

[Machinator 32097]

Probably wishes he could play against a UGA-style offense every week. Take a bow.

[taybo20 2815]

Great scheme. Guys played their ass off stopping the run

[Juke_Em 47]

We'll have him for only one more year...he will have his HC offers after next season unless he really prefers to just be a DC forever like Bud Foster at VA Tech. 

[satyanash 14281]

Orlando after tonight...

[billfromlaketravis 11364]

28 minutes ago, Machinator said:

Probably wishes he could play against a UGA-style offense every week. Take a bow.

F***ing this. Tennessee promoted the wrong defensive coordinator. 

[troph 24573]

Less than a hundred yards rushing. Fuck those guys.

[taybo20 2815]

Anthony Cook not available 1st half against la tech

[Machinator 32097]

Just now, taybo20 said:

Anthony Cook not available 1st half against la tech

Jalen Green will do.

[taybo20 2815]

Just now, Machinator said:

Jalen Green will do.

I think we’ll have some creativity in the secondary

[Guest]

Your defense was what impressed me the most about the Sugar Bowl win last night.  Georgia could never get up off the mat.  Every time the camera showed Orlando, he just looked like he wanted to kill someone for being told for a month that UGa was going to run all over his squad.

Fantastic job in a tough environment.

[satyanash 14281]

 

[alphahorn 1637]

SEC, SEC, SEC

[TreatyOak 16150]

10 minutes ago, alphahorn said:

SEC, SEC, SEC

[Machinator 32097]

 

[Dewey 3280]

After Uga's first series, I was reminded how easy it must be for Orlando and his coaches to scheme for Georgia or any offense in the sec. The equivalent of a light day at the office.

[6th Street 6357]

The running QB Fields would have been a far tougher assignment for Orlando's defense. Thank goodness Fromm is a statue.

[satyanash 14281]

Great read if you want to know more about how our pass coverage schemes work under Orlando.

(Ian Boyd) Inside the Gameplan: Nickel play for 2019

The nickel defender has been one of the most important players in the 21st century. The proliferation of spread tactics made him a focal point and players like Roy Williams and Tyrann Mathieu demonstrated what defenses could do when they had a hybrid playmaker in that role. When you watch film of the 2015 and 2016 Houston Cougars it’s quickly obvious that nickel was a key position for them. Tom Herman’s big opening day win over Oklahoma in 2016 was achieved in large part due to fantastic play by nickel Brandon Wilson, who had 10 tackles while regularly finding himself at the point of attack against OU’s spread. The AAC is largely dominated by “spread to run” offensive tactics that force the nickel to be a hybrid who splits his time between covering slot receivers and supporting the edge against the run. Tite front defenses like Herman’s Houston or UCF under Scott Frost were fueled by having big time playmakers at nickel.

Griffin was a unique player and not just because he dominated with only one hand. He was a freak athlete who ran a 4.38 at the combine. Griffin knew how to disguise his deployments then used his insane speed to show up where he was not expected. Obviously, Texas’ production at nickel the last two years did not match even what Todd Orlando got from his crew at Houston to say nothing of Griffin’s outstanding play. Texas’ lack of statistical production here as well as some fairly obvious targeting by opponents has led to a lot of consternation over the nickel role in the Longhorn defense. With P.J. Locke graduating and Texas looking to fill this position in the spring, now is a good time to talk through what that position has been and needs to become in 2019.

Does Texas need a super nickel?

One of the challenges confronting a nickel in the tite front defense is the open C-gap created by the front. The dilemma facing four-down defenses is that with defensive ends on the edge, there are four interior gaps to be accounted for by two defensive tackles two linebackers. At least one of those backers also has to match routes in coverage from the inside receivers, so RPOs (run/pass option plays) can force whichever linebacker is in a B-gap to have to cover two different actions at the same time. In this case, getting to the perimeter to stop a screen while the offense runs inside zone downhill into his B-gap:

It’s hard to be in two places at once for anyone but particularly for a 230+ pound inside linebacker. This is a major reason for the bust rate of blue chip linebackers that Scipio has been detailing in his series on finding modern linebackers. The three-down tite front Texas uses erases many of these conflicts for the inside linebackers by planting a big defensive end in each of the B-gaps and trades those problems for an open C-gap, which makes the more athletic nickel the player who’s put into conflict rather than a linebacker. Additionally, Texas’ base scheme against twin receivers is to play “cloud coverage” where the corner reads the slot and picks him up if he goes outside while the safety plays over the top. The benefit of cloud coverage is that it frees up the nickel to attack the edge on an RPO without being put into conflict:

Cloud coverage and the tite front pair very nicely for allowing a defense to play a big, aggressive nickel to help close on the C-gap. P.J. Locke beefed up some in the offseason and learned over the course of his time at Texas how to be a physical edge defender in this scheme, but there were some other problems that emerged for the Longhorns. A considerable issue that Tom Herman and his staff have encountered in the Big 12 is that this league does not embrace a “spread to run” playing style. Big 12 O’s spread you out to throw it and then come back to the run game after you concede leverage in the box in order to give the scoreboard operator a break. Oklahoma State hunted P.J. Locke with slot receiver Dillon Stoner:

 West Virginia hunted Texas’ nickel Josh Thompson anytime the Horns played anything other than cloud coverage that gave him help over the top:

 Trips formations were particularly problematic for Texas because they moved the nickel away from the edge and made him a coverage player while putting the mac linebacker into conflict:

If that Y receiver runs a vertical route then a safety needs to match him over the top. If it’s the strong safety, that means the slot can’t count on him helping over the top against the H receiver if he goes deep. The Air Raid teams don’t let you put run-stopping specialists hardly anywhere on the field. If you play someone that can’t hold up to a good slot receiver in space they’ll find a way to isolate him and make him do exactly that. Eventually you have nearly everyone backpedaling at the snap, then they run the ball.

So a Texas nickel might at one time find himself setting the edge against a downhill run scheme on first down then out wide trying to match a slot fade by a skilled route runner like David Sills on second down. The Longhorns have had a lot of star defenders that could handle such a variety of tasks such as Aaron Williams, Earl Thomas, Kenny Vaccaro, and Quandre Diggs. The tite front ups the ante on the run defense quotient when the nickel has to be a C-gap defender while the Big 12 is constantly upping the ante on the coverage component by asking the nickel to carry vertical routes by increasingly skilled and freakish QB/WR tandems.

Personnel mismatches in 2018

Texas got into a lot of trouble in 2018 when it didn’t have complementary skill sets interacting in the defense. Brandon Jones was the best tackler in the secondary but when Texas played in cloud, it turned him into a deep observer while leaving P.J. Locke and Anthony Wheeler underneath trying to cover sideline to sideline. They had some cover 3 match schemes with Sterns rotating deep and Jones spinning down over a slot:

When Jones dropped down, Locke didn’t always have help over the top and had to give up a lot of space underneath to avoid getting burned. Additionally, it left Kris Boyd on an island against some of the league’s best receivers and that island didn’t prove to be a consistent tax haven for the Longhorns. Another solution UT used at times was “sky” coverage. In cloud coverage, the corner and safety read the slot while the nickel plays the run first. In sky coverage the nickel (or outside linebacker) plays the slot first and one or both safeties fit the run from depth.

Sky coverage asks less of the secondary in terms of being on the same page and trading off routes. It’s simpler and ends up turning into man coverage more often than cloud, which often becomes something akin to cover 2. That means the corners have to be able to hold up outside without help over the top (but they do get help inside) and the safeties need to be rangy and active in run support. Texas played some sky in 2018 and it’s the base call when the offense only has one removed receiver from the formation, but cloud remained the default call facing a slot.

Josh Thompson and the nickel position in 2019

Texas has a number of tasks to resolve in 2019 that the nickel tends to be involved in. The Longhorns need to make sure they always have someone capable playing over slot receivers on vertical routes, someone in the C-gap in a timely fashion against the run, and someone who can be effective off the edge in the pass-rush. The base cloud coverage used regularly against twin receiver sets faces two issues here in 2019.

The first is the same as in 2018, it fails to leverage senior Brandon Jones’ talent as one of the better tacklers on the team. The second regards who plays nickel. Currently, Josh Thompson is first in line and he’s yet to master serving as the primary edge defender in the C-gap. When he had to start against West Virginia, once the Mountaineers had forced Texas to keep Sterns over the top to help Thompson against slot receivers, they focused on attacking Thompson’s edge in the run game and gashed the Horns for over 200 yards.

Thompson is going to be a junior next year who’s listed at 6-0, 200 pounds (may be heavier in 2019) and competed at a SPARQ combine in high school where he ran a 4.57 40, 4.27 shuttle, jumped a 40.4” vertical, and threw the power ball 36.5.’ In other words, he’s one of the best overall athletes on the whole team and it’s possible he’ll make a leap this offseason while under the staff’s careful scrutiny and become a “super nickel” that can fulfill every possible obligation of the position with aplomb. It’s also possible that he’ll be a jack of all trades, master of none, who can be exploited either in coverage or run defense because he hasn’t put it all together in either realm yet.

Other options for nickel could include using B.J. Foster or DeMarvion Overshown, both of which are clearly deserving of a role in the defense. That would generate some of the same concerns as with Locke since neither have shown much coverage ability yet. One possible solution here would be to move Brandon Jones closer to the ball to play as a joker, linebacker, or at boundary safety and move Sterns to strong safety.

If Texas wants to stay in cloud coverage more often than not and Thompson becomes a physical edge player or else Foster starts at nickel, then it makes more sense to have the best cover safety behind the nickel. With Sterns growing in confidence in the new defense he should be ready to be a reliable helper over the top. If Thompson wins the job and has a higher upside in coverage though, then Texas needs to consider changing the base coverage against twin receiver sets. Texas will probably run some cloud, sky, and match-3 coverage next season but the main question is where it places emphasis and what is the “home base” call that the defense defaults to.

For the last two years that’s been cloud but that may need to change to make the most of 2019. Sky coverage could allow UT to deploy big, rangy safeties more aggressively against the run while allowing an athletic nickel and young corners to have simpler pattern-matching rules in coverage. This coming spring will be about figuring out who the best players are, what they do best, and what coverages and calls allow the best players to put their best foot forward. Whether or not anyone can be a “super nickel” or whether anyone needs to be will be one of the first questions on the docket.

[pearlandhorn 3269]

I don’t care who plays nickel. I just want Foster on the field at all times. I like to watch pain. And he delivers pain.

[LTtxfan 48986]

Dime Defenses in B12....

https://www.footballstudyhall.com/2017/11/3/16599180/why-dime-is-now-base-defense-in-the-big-12

[LTtxfan 48986]

New Defensive Strategies: Simulated Pressure System

https://td328-5f8d55.pages.infusionsoft.net

From Article:

The Simulated Pressure System

"The low-risk, high-reward pressure package that is super-easy for defensive coordinators—and a flat-out “nightmare” for offensive coordinators, quarterbacks, o-line coaches, and running backs… because it gives your defensive coordinator the ability to dictate, then manipulate protection schemes."

If you haven’t heard of Simulated Pressures, or “Replace” blitzes as they are also known, don’t worry. You’re not alone. It’s the hottest new pressure trend this off-season—and for good reason. This new pressure system flat-out keeps offensive coordinators in a lose/lose situation by bringing control back to the defense.

My research team and I have been tracking this system for a few years. It’s the brain-child of some of the most effective defensive minds in all of football…

• Dave Aranda, Defensive Coordinator, LSU
• Pete Golding, Defensive Coordinator, Alabama
• Ron Roberts, Defensive Coordinator, University of Louisiana

In simple terms, Simulated Pressure is four-man rushes that attack an aspect of the protection or blocking scheme by overloading that particular player or side. This part of it is no different than any other pressure package. But, the difference in Simulated Pressure is that by only sending four in the rush (and not five), coverage isn’t compromised like a traditional fire zone.

[Jkwellborn 6654]

Holy hell, I haven’t been on this thread since post 185. And while everything said at the time was true, it’s comical now.

[Parliament 14140]

https://www.elevenwarriors.com/college-football/film-study/2019/02/102658/film-study-a-new-kind-of-hybrid-defender-has-emerged-in-the-big-12-and-the-rest-of-the-nation-should-take

Great write up from an observer outside of the B12. I knew Campbell was doing good things in Ames, but didn't know Herman was copying it.

Ohio State has had "Joker" players in the past. Called the "Star," they played in the slot. Makes sense what Heacock is doing; move him off the line so he won't be blocked so often.

You'd need a traditional, run-stopping MLB for this. Otherwise you'll get meatballed by traditional power-running teams.

[sushihorn 3233]

54 minutes ago, Parliament said:

https://www.elevenwarriors.com/college-football/film-study/2019/02/102658/film-study-a-new-kind-of-hybrid-defender-has-emerged-in-the-big-12-and-the-rest-of-the-nation-should-take

Great write up from an observer outside of the B12. I knew Campbell was doing good things in Ames, but didn't know Herman was copying it.

Ohio State has had "Joker" players in the past. Called the "Star," they played in the slot. Makes sense what Heacock is doing; move him off the line so he won't be blocked so often.

You'd need a traditional, run-stopping MLB for this. Otherwise you'll get meatballed by traditional power-running teams.

ISU was dealing out pain to Air Raid teams with this system.  It allowed them to present an almost irresistible 5-man box count then shut down the run by bringing 1 overhang man into the box and 1-2 additional defenders from depth.  Texas was able to beat it with inside zone runs which hit before the insert box defenders could arrive.  When the middle safety started to play 5-7 yds off the ball instead of 8-10 yds off, the dig and curl opened up.

Most spread teams can't do that since they mostly run B-gap, which can be spilled enough to allow defenders from outside the box to make the play.  OU's counter trey is also slow to develop and Heacock did a pretty good job on them.

[Parliament 14140]

Jon Heacock has Ohio roots, fwiw. He comes from the same NE OH as Pelini and Stoops.

That defense has help just outside the box to crash down on the run, but straight-ahead run plays look to get 2 "easy" yards before help arrives.