Defensive Scheme

[heitclone]

Our problems weren't schematic, this defense is designed to funnel plays to the LB's and have them make plays. For all the flack our dline got, they did there job more often than not. We just didn't have a LB who could make plays when they did. Jevohn Miller stands out as a guy who whiffed tackle after tackle, especially the first few games. Sadly for him, once he got settled in at the mike and started improving he went down with an injury. He wasn't the only problem but when our MLB isn't a consistent tackler, Wally's scheme is never going to work. Guys like Jesse Smith, Jeremiah George and even Jake Knott made their names at ISU by being consistent tacklers, making the routine plays.

 

[Wesley]

Our defense was over simplified this year: took a lot out of it to help with the lack of exoerience and the players not picking it up. Should have more wrinkles and not as easy to pick apart this year.

Understatement.

 

[RustShack]

It's too bad Harris couldn't have picked it up and played completely different style in Juco otherwise he probably would have started. But probably a blessing to have him for two years on better teams.

 

[im4cyclones]

There is virtually no way we could get an average 3-4 NT. No way we could someone that stout at the point of attack who could play both A gaps and take on the center and one of the guards. And then get a second one as a backup? Forget about it.

 

[heitclone]

There is virtually no way we could get an average 3-4 NT. No way we could someone that stout at the point of attack who could play both A gaps and take on the center and one of the guards. And then get a second one as a backup? Forget about it.

We didn't have 4 guys to play LB this year either, not 3-4 LB's anyway. Ferch, Barnett and Knott are much to small to play in a 3-4.

 

[Tre4ISU]

I'd say whatever you can get away with, but that'd just increase our likelyhood of getting flagged for interference- which is high enough already.

A 3-4 should be considered, but you need outstanding hybrid players like Clay Matthews and Cam Chancellor to pull it off. If you have a player that can easily play rush end as well as linebacker, or a strong safety who can also defend the run near the line of scrimmage, then you don't have to worry about substituting players to match changing schemes as much. It also helps to disguise your blitz packages and coverage.

Yeah, we don't have any Clay Matthews or Cam Chancellors.

We need two of the best players at their position in the NFL to pull off a decent defense? Ok. And neither are hybrid players. They are just a really good linebacker and a really good safety. Aldon Smith would be a hybrid player.

I used to think an aggressive defense would be the way to go but I watched two good OCs (which the Big 12 has a lot of) eviscerate what I thought was one of the best defensive schemes I thought there was for us. We need our linebackers to be better and at this point, that should be concern number one. If they aren't much better, you add pressure to the safeties which adds pressure to the corners which doesn't allow the Dline to be effective since they have no time. We may have the best back 4 we have ever had next year and we may have one of the better Dlines next year, at least in terms of your top 6 or so. In the current scheme, if those linebackers aren't much better, none of that will be seen or matter.

 

[Tre4ISU]

There is virtually no way we could get an average 3-4 NT. No way we could someone that stout at the point of attack who could play both A gaps and take on the center and one of the guards. And then get a second one as a backup? Forget about it.

We had one two years ago.

 

[im4cyclones]

We had one two years ago.

Who did we have two years ago that could handle that? Coe? Drawing a blank.

 

[Tre4ISU]

Who did we have two years ago that could handle that? Coe? Drawing a blank.

McDonough

 

[kingcy]

Would be good to see our corners jam the receivers at the line. That's how to slow down teams like Baylor. Otherwise you're just asking for slants all the way down the field.

The CBs were getting beat when they were 10 yard off the WR. Put them closer and thy would have really got beat.

 

[im4cyclones]

McDonough

McDonough isn't built to be a 3-4 NT.

 

[Luth4Cy]

Scheme is not the problem. I really don't think trying to recruit a 3-4 DT or even good outside linebackers would be easy for us either.

 

[Tre4ISU]

The CBs were getting beat when they were 10 yard off the WR. Put them closer and thy would have really got beat.

Beat so bad that one was only second team All Big 12. And they played up a lot of the time but we can continue with the "playing off all the time" narrative if we would like.

 

[Tre4ISU]

McDonough isn't built to be a 3-4 NT.

You're right. I could have sworn he was bigger than he evidently was.

 

[RustShack]

McDonough

He would be a DE in a 3-4. Rubin would have been a NT.

 

[demoncore1031]

Losing Morrissey will hurt, but we have a lot of experience returning on the line, plus Tucker and Leath coming in.

 

[Dreamyfred]

On a scale of 1-10.
Having great athletes 10
The scheme 1

Really, than how does a guy like Zimmer starts coaching the Vikings and have virtually all the same athletes yet go from a 30th ranked defense to a top 10 defense?

 

[RustShack]

Really, than how does a guy like Zimmer starts coaching the Vikings and have virtually all the same athletes yet go from a 30th ranked defense to a top 10 defense?

Because scheme and coaching is a hell of a lot more important in the NFL because EVERYONE in the NFL is super talented. Players on an NFL practice squad were the best players on their college team.

 

[RustShack]

You can win either way... Super talented teams with bad coaching or less talented teams with great coaching.

This team is more talented from top to bottom than the one CPR inherited. They just aren't as experienced. That team laughed when CPR said they would win a bowl game his first year because they were a worse team than this one. But they did it.