More 4-man in 2024 for the Cyclones?

[SolarGarlic]

He had his moments for sure, but looked kinda bad at times too.

I don't agree with this at all. He had waaaaay more moments of good play than bad. The only "bad" play that springs to mind is getting burned deep against Ok State, but that wasn't really his fault and he actually showed good speed to keep up with the receiver (might've been a RB out of the backfield).

 

[SolarGarlic]

A lot of tackles were made catching backs from behind by our backers. They didn’t do well on setting the edge or picking the hole. Will Mac was probably our best overall backer last year.

Y'all are nuts. Bacon was easily the best LB on the team when he was on the field.

 

[SolarGarlic]

I was not impressed by Sadowsky last year. His name was rarely called on a tackle and he struggled to play the run, especially early on. In fall camp, he was drawing comparisons to Mike Rose, but I saw Rose make more plays in the SDSU game than I saw Sadowsky make most of the year. He is still young, but he would have to take a massive leap in production.

He had the slow choppy feet of a high school linebacker. He's a big boy for his age, but I didn't see Big 12 athleticism.

 

[SolarGarlic]

Meh. Bowl games are dumb now

CW told us before the game that this was like a real bowl game, and the staff and players were excited to cap off the season. Then suddenly after the game, his tune changed completely. Weird.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

CW told us before the game that this was like a real bowl game, and the staff and players were excited to cap off the season. Then suddenly after the game, his tune changed completely. Weird.

Yeah, I hate trying to figure out motivation for bowl games. Who is motivated, who isn't. Does anyone want to be there? Does anyone care? Obviously the David's of the world like Memphis are going to want to show up and beat the Goliath's of the world. Beyond that it seems like it would be really difficult to be excited about. They are glorified scrimmages and have pretty much lost all of their luster in my eyes.

 

[VeloClone]

I don't recall them ever saying it.

I'm glad they're reading my emails. We have really good DL personnel to play in a four man front, especially with Singleton, Onyedim, and Orange. You could play those guys all at the same time with a pure pass rusher opposite Onyedim and cause some real issues.

or , I'm not quite sure which...

 

[Cyforce]

Can teams easily transition from 3 to 4 and back to 3 during a game or does it effect the continuity of line play so that it becomes a weakness rather than a strength to do that?

Actually going back and forth helps identify the weaknesses of the Oline.

 

[Aclone]

because i was curious -

Freyler is 6'2 and 220

LBs:
McLaughlin 6'4 and 230
Sadowsky 6'2 and 240
Ellis 6'1 and 225
Ebel 6'4 and 223
Bacon 6'3 and 240

I don’t remember for sure who said it now, or the exact number, but I think Coach Heacock said a few weeks ago that Kooper has put on 35 pounds since he got here. Maybe in CW’s Summer Series?

But he’s been regarded as one of the team’s “athletic freaks” since Day One.

Looking forward to the updated heights and weights on the roster.

Yeah, the published version is not terribly accurate—but Reid Kagy’s staff tracks all that, and the coaches pay attention.

 

[ClubCy]

CW told us before the game that this was like a real bowl game, and the staff and players were excited to cap off the season. Then suddenly after the game, his tune changed completely. Weird.

Funny how that happens isn’t it? I got roasted for an entire day when I agreed with Hassel that bowl games are meaningless and shouldn’t count toward your final record.

 

[isucy86]

I feel like this change has less to do with the Cyclones talent level at LB (or even DL), but realization opposing coaches have learned to exploit some weaknesses in the 3-3-5 defense.

I don't feel using a 4-2-5 is that big of a change for the staff, I recall prior to Campbell and Heacock coming to ISU they used a 4-2-5 defense at Toledo. Adding a 4th DL does three things:

1. It allows ISU to be more physical at the line-of-scrimmage.
2. Makes it harder for opposition run game to have success running outside the tackles.
3. Puts our DL in position for more one-on-one blocking at the snap and create more disruption along the line-of-scrimmage.

It should also create a more balanced run support decision for safeties like Freyler and Verdon. It always seemed our rush defense needed our safeties to be uber aggressive in run support, creating susceptibility to play-action passes down the middle.

 

[Aclone]

Funny how that happens isn’t it? I got roasted for an entire day when I agreed with Hassel that bowl games are meaningless and shouldn’t count toward your final record.

Funny how that happens, isn’t it?

 

[cyclone1209]

Y'all are nuts. Bacon was easily the best LB on the team when he was on the field.

It is music to my ears that we are supposedly doing more 4 man front next year.

It has to happen. Why? We don't have an Enyi Uwazurike or Will McDonald anymore, both of those were bona fide NFL players.

Doing a 3 man front to ask our LBers to do more just isn't smart. You go with a 4-2-5, that way you mask the weaker part of the D (linebacker). In a 4-2-5 format I would expect JR Singleton, Zaimir Hawk, and Dom Orange to have really good years as they're facing less double teams.

It is a huge boost for our defense if the DE transfer from Louisiana is solid, Kenard Snyder. We need a pure pass rusher badly.

 

[Frak]

Everyone talks about the offense and lack of running game against Memphis. The terrible defense we played got overlooked.

Offense was fine. Yeah we couldn’t run, but they were daring us to pass and Rocco threw for 450. Defense was a different issue. They got torched.

 

[bozclone]

I know there are a lot of great football minds on CF, but I think I am going to trust the professor. Whatever he wants to run is what I want to run. I doubt they deviate from the three man front too much. It has been successful for this staff.

Although, I grew up playing a 5-2 and I could argue that would bring some uniqueness to college football.

 

[clonedude]

I was not impressed by Sadowsky last year. His name was rarely called on a tackle and he struggled to play the run, especially early on. In fall camp, he was drawing comparisons to Mike Rose, but I saw Rose make more plays in the SDSU game than I saw Sadowsky make most of the year. He is still young, but he would have to take a massive leap in production.

Agree. I was kinda hoping someone would step up and grab the starting spot over Sadowsky, or they would bring in a transfer that could start over him immediately.

I just think he's too young... could develop into something in the future though. The fact he was our best choice for starting MLB says a lot about our lack of depth there IMO.

 

[demoncore1031]

It is music to my ears that we are supposedly doing more 4 man front next year.

It has to happen. Why? We don't have an Enyi Uwazurike or Will McDonald anymore, both of those were bona fide NFL players.

Doing a 3 man front to ask our LBers to do more just isn't smart. You go with a 4-2-5, that way you mask the weaker part of the D (linebacker). In a 4-2-5 format I would expect JR Singleton, Zaimir Hawk, and Dom Orange to have really good years as they're facing less double teams.

It is a huge boost for our defense if the DE transfer from Louisiana is solid, Kenard Snyder. We need a pure pass rusher badly.

I wonder if Onyedim might play inside a little bit on passing situations so we can have speedier guys on the edges. Samuel Same is a guy to keep an eye on this year.

 

[NorthCyd]

Everyone talks about the offense and lack of running game against Memphis. The terrible defense we played got overlooked.

Defense gave up 19 points in the first quarter, we had net zero rushing yards for the game, and Rocco set a single game passing record. Weird stuff.

 

[demoncore1031]

It is music to my ears that we are supposedly doing more 4 man front next year.

It has to happen. Why? We don't have an Enyi Uwazurike or Will McDonald anymore, both of those were bona fide NFL players.

Doing a 3 man front to ask our LBers to do more just isn't smart. You go with a 4-2-5, that way you mask the weaker part of the D (linebacker). In a 4-2-5 format I would expect JR Singleton, Zaimir Hawk, and Dom Orange to have really good years as they're facing less double teams.

It is a huge boost for our defense if the DE transfer from Louisiana is solid, Kenard Snyder. We need a pure pass rusher badly.

I wonder if Onyedim might play inside a little bit on passing situations so we can have speedier guys on the edges. Samuel Same is a guy to keep an eye on this year.

 

[IowaState88]

My guess on how the DL looks this year.

LEO: Petersen / Snyder / Same
DT: Singleton / Jones ?
NG: Orange / Hawk
E: Onyedim / Ezeogu / Jones ?

Feels like those are the top 9 guys. Certainly a crowed “Edge and LEO” position, hence desire for the staff to play more 4 man fronts. Thinking Jones may slide inside for more depth there?

 

[cyclone1209]

My guess on how the DL looks this year.

LEO: Petersen / Snyder / Same
DT: Singleton / Jones ?
NG: Orange / Hawk
E: Onyedim / Ezeogu / Jones ?

Feels like those are the top 9 guys. Certainly a crowed “Edge and LEO” position, hence desire for the staff to play more 4 man fronts. Thinking Jones may slide inside for more depth there?

I thought Trent Jones was underrated last year he needs snaps this year even if to spell singleton. Orange is interesting in that he looked like Tuba Rubin in the first game of the season then disappeared rather quickly