Article: Defending the Read-Option

Philippines

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Fascinating article. It mentions that Alabama will often use the safety in gap-exchange plays with the defensive end. It shows the value of the fast linebacker-sized safeties like Landon, Hootie, et al.
 
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RTR91

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Fascinating article. It mentions that Alabama will often use the safety in gap-exchange plays with the defensive end. It shows the value of the fast linebacker-sized safeties like Landon, Hootie, Ronnie Clark et al.
I looked at it a different way.

That second player doesn’t even have to be a linebacker. Alabama, which has won three national championships in four years and boasts the best defense in college football, constantly varies the defenders assigned to the quarterback. When Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart gives a “force” call, he explains, that leads to a gap replacement with the defensive end. “The quarterback sees the crashing end and pulls the ball,” Smart says. “We roll the free safety down to the line of scrimmage and he has the quarterback.” And all this varies based on the opponent. “If the quarterback is a better runner, we make him give to the tailback,” said Smart. “If the tailback is the better runner, we give the force call, and the defensive end crashes inside and makes the quarterback pull the ball.”
This defense is what led to offenses incorporating what we saw last year with Auburn's game tying score. There was a thread about that play last week. By having a safety come down to help, the CB(s) are not out on an island - they're out on a piece of plywood in the middle of the Pacific.
 

Philippines

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I looked at it a different way.

This defense is what led to offenses incorporating what we saw last year with Auburn's game tying score. There was a thread about that play last week. By having a safety come down to help, the CB(s) are not out on an island - they're out on a piece of plywood in the middle of the Pacific.
Thanks for the earlier thread RTR.

True. Using the safety to play the gap means you had better have penetration on the QB or it is going to be a long night in the secondary. It will be interesting to see in the early games if the defensive front can step up on the pressure.
 
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CrimsonForce

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I still say beating these teams that run read option/spread/HUNH is more about OUR offense executing. Could our defense have played better in the AU and OU games? Definitely. But the skill level we have at WR, RB, and TE, we should be able to score at least 35, if not more, on just about everybody, especially the AU and OU's of the world. Overall I think our defense will be better against these teams because I feel like our defense is more athletic than it has been in a while..
 

92tide

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I looked at it a different way.



This defense is what led to offenses incorporating what we saw last year with Auburn's game tying score. There was a thread about that play last week. By having a safety come down to help, the CB(s) are not out on an island - they're out on a piece of plywood in the middle of the Pacific.
and i have a feeling that those involved in that gawd-forsaken play have learned a ton in the off season from that experience. iirc, a missed catch by norwood in the 2010 barn game lead to his turning into one of the best possession receivers around in the following years.
 

RTR91

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I still say beating these teams that run read option/spread/HUNH is more about OUR offense executing. Could our defense have played better in the AU and OU games? Definitely. But the skill level we have at WR, RB, and TE, we should be able to score at least 35, if not more, on just about everybody, especially the AU and OU's of the world. Overall I think our defense will be better against these teams because I feel like our defense is more athletic than it has been in a while..
I completely agree with you about Bama's offense deciding to pop a squat on the field.

However, the more I read about the read-option (and like Chris Brown said in the article, that's very redundant), the more I realize Bama's offense will get in more shootouts than we like because of the multiple plays an offense as with a single play call.
 

Philippines

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I fear the days of a Bama defense like we saw in 1992 are far behind us; even with our current talent level. The offenses are just too sophisticated now. There are very few LSU-type teams who feel they can play us straight up. The bright side is that many teams (or conferences:wink:) pretty much ignore the defensive side of the ball. So we will always have the edge there.
 

92tide

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I completely agree with you about Bama's offense deciding to pop a squat on the field.

However, the more I read about the read-option (and like Chris Brown said in the article, that's very redundant), the more I realize Bama's offense will get in more shootouts than we like because of the multiple plays an offense as with a single play call.
i have to say I'm pretty excited to see what saban and smart have come up with to deal with this silliness :)
 

CrimsonNagus

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Is "that" the play that AU had lineman down field and the refs feel asleep?

That's why it worked. Of course our defense will crash in when lineman push down field... that means run. Then AU pulls back and throws but, no flag is thrown. It's tough enough to defend the read option, having to defend against the refs as well is near impossible.

I have no problem with the read option, my problem is with the refs and the blown calls that seem to increase when a HUNH team is on the field.
 

RTR91

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Is "that" the play that AU had lineman down field and the refs feel asleep?

That's why it worked. Of course our defense will crash in when lineman push down field... that means run. Then AU pulls back and throws but, no flag is thrown. It's tough enough to defend the read option, having to defend against the refs as well is near impossible.

I have no problem with the read option, my problem is with the refs and the blown calls that seem to increase when a HUNH team is on the field.
I'm surprised it took someone 5 hours after Brad posted the link to make this comment.
 

Nolan

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Any defense that can consistently push the pocket, defeat blocks, and penetrate the LOS will make things tough for the HUNH offense. I don't agree that it's our offense that has to stop their offense... I don't want high-scoring games. I say just get them off the field.
 

Braveheart

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Any defense that can consistently push the pocket, defeat blocks, and penetrate the LOS will make things tough for the HUNH offense. I don't agree that it's our offense that has to stop their offense... I don't want high-scoring games. I say just get them off the field.
I agree. There was a LOT of uncharacteristic sloppy tackling by Bama in that game. I think the combination of greater emphasis on cardio and being able to sustain the defense on the field for a LONG time, recruiting players that are faster than before, and Coach Saban's obsession with defeating an opponent, I feel pretty confident that Bama will beat the Aubs.

While the article is informative, the idea that this offense may not be "defeatable" is laughable. It's only a matter of time and it's ALWAYS been this way.
 

dadleyblane5

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I said it before and I'll say it again...it's ASSIGNMENT football, WE CAN successfully defend the HUNH or read option plays from the HUNH teams as long as our defenders play their assignment. When they fail to play their assigned duties with a HUNH offense that's where the trouble comes from. Don't believe me? Go back and watch us play Ole Miss from last year, and then watch us play the Barn..Huge difference. JMO...
 

CrimsonForce

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I said it before and I'll say it again...it's ASSIGNMENT football, WE CAN successfully defend the HUNH or read option plays from the HUNH teams as long as our defenders play their assignment. When they fail to play their assigned duties with a HUNH offense that's where the trouble comes from. Don't believe me? Go back and watch us play Ole Miss from last year, and then watch us play the Barn..Huge difference. JMO...
Its a little more than assignment football the way the rules are slanted more to the offense now. You almost have to hope the offense makes a mistake..
 

RTR91

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I said it before and I'll say it again...it's ASSIGNMENT football, WE CAN successfully defend the HUNH or read option plays from the HUNH teams as long as our defenders play their assignment. When they fail to play their assigned duties with a HUNH offense that's where the trouble comes from. Don't believe me? Go back and watch us play Ole Miss from last year, and then watch us play the Barn..Huge difference. JMO...
As Brown says in his piece, that sounds great on paper. Much harder to do in the game, though.

Difference between the Ole Miss and Auburn game primarily comes from the level of competition.


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