What I see as the biggest defensive problem

[gtgilbert]

What I don't understand is where all of these elite pass rushing recruits have gone. Keon Keely was a top 5 recruit last year, yet where is he? What has happened to these guys?

most of them didn't put on the weight they needed. QRob and Koht don't have 3 down size. Pierre is getting close, but isn't quite there. Keeley did the opposite and got a little to big and isn't as quick so he's a Bandit now. The other 2 5 star pass rushers on the roster are now ILBS (Campbell and Alexander). Campbell might need to shift back outside. Alexander doesn't really have the length TBH.

 

[Special K]

To the OP, this is one of the best overall summaries of our defensive issues that I've seen. I'm not a coach but played some and have family with decades of coaching experience. We've discussed exactly some of the issues you brought to light with the ILBs and pressure packages. Awesome insights.

Only thing I'd add is that our safety play has been hit or miss as well, mostly from a technique standpoint from my view. The youth of our corners has shone through at times (to be expected) but overall I think they're actually making progress. Safety, however, hasn't been nearly as consistent as I'd hoped or expected.

 

[merino]

What I don't understand is where all of these elite pass rushing recruits have gone. Keon Keely was a top 5 recruit last year, yet where is he? What has happened to these guys?

Keon was not just 5*, but rated the top pass rusher in the nation-watch his films, strikingly fast off the block. Kane W wants him to gain weight, transforming him to defensive lineman.

 

[TitleWave]

DL and LB is the problem. not his scheme.

My intel is WOEmack got front row tickets to a couple of Gol*ing’s 1-4-6 symposia and has schemed himself into, er, surpassing infamy with the Tide’s transmogrified 1-1-1-8. No pressure up front, no coverage in the middle(s) and decapitated funky chicken on the back end.

 

[gtgilbert]

Keon was not just 5*, but rated the top pass rusher in the nation-watch his films, strikingly fast off the block. Kane W wants him to gain weight, transforming him to defensive lineman.

Keon will.still be an edge guy, just the heavy edge in the bandit role instead of the light edge wolf role

 

[CB4]

All I need to know about this defense is that it is 119th in fourth down efficiency. Out of 17 attempts on 4th down, our opponents have converted 12 times (70%). I might feel somewhat better if most of these conversion were like 4th and two yards or less. But guys these teams are converting 4th and 5 yards+ on us. Getting a third down stop means nothing if 70% of the time the other team converts on 4th down to extend the drive.

I’m not smart enough to say it is scheme or personnel or combinations of both. I just know that halfway through this season someone getting paid the big bucks needs to darn well figure it out.

 

[Foleybammer]

Regarding these pass rushing recruits under Saban they were projected outside
lber types for a 50 front defense. For a 4 man front we need bigger taller bodies
who can run like the defensive end from South Carolina. The most critical peice
In the defensive front is the 3 technique defensive tackle. You need a dude
who can't be blocked 1 on 1. He needs to be able to disrupt the offense. Now
If lacking some of those pieces you adjust with stemming, slanting, line stunts
and blizing. This is where Wommack and the entire defensive staff needs to adjust.
With the competition we're facing we don't have the guys to just line up and
whip their asses.

 

[gtgilbert]

Regarding these pass rushing recruits under Saban they were projected outside
lber types for a 50 front defense. For a 4 man front we need bigger taller bodies
who can run like the defensive end from South Carolina. The most critical peice
In the defensive front is the 3 technique defensive tackle. You need a dude
who can't be blocked 1 on 1. He needs to be able to disrupt the offense. Now
If lacking some of those pieces you adjust with stemming, slanting, line stunts
and blizing. This is where Wommack and the entire defensive staff needs to adjust.
With the competition we're facing we don't have the guys to just line up and
whip their asses.

not really. We only ran a 50 (ish) front on short yardage and goal line for the last decade or so. A vast majority of the time, we were in an even front, with one OLB (and sometimes 2) playing an edge role. Braswell, Anderson and Turner were all recruited as 'edge' players for that on the LOS role and all got to roster weights of 250+. What really happened is that Q Robinson and Koht just didn't put on the weight needed once in the program. Although both made big strides this offseason, they are still a bit light for the 3 down role. Campbell got moved inside. Alexander did also, but didn't really have the length for an edge player. Pierre is still relatively young in the program and made a big jump in the bulk needed so hopefully will be there next year. Same for the TF Carter - just not quite there yet. For that role, out of all the guys we recruited, Russaw has been the only one to really get where he needed, with Pierre next up really and with both of those guys dinged up we really don't have a guy. Wommack has run groupings with 2 Bandits over the last 2 games to try to offset that gap, but then we lose a bit of speed/twitch from the pure outside rush.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Getting back to the Pass Rush, we don't really have one unless we bring the house. I remember Gmac saying earlier in the year that we don't have an athlete that is a threat to pressure like we've had in the past.

That's probably been the biggest player-personnel issue we've had on defense since Q Williams left. I think he was the last DL'man who could disrupt the LOS on just about every play. UGA has been experiencing the same thing since Carter left for the NFL. We simply cannot get pressure on the QB and that "ain't" good.

 

[mlh]

All I need to know about this defense is that it is 119th in fourth down efficiency. Out of 17 attempts on 4th down, our opponents have converted 12 times (70%). I might feel somewhat better if most of these conversion were like 4th and two yards or less. But guys these teams are converting 4th and 5 yards+ on us. Getting a third down stop means nothing if 70% of the time the other team converts on 4th down to extend the drive.

I’m not smart enough to say it is scheme or personnel or combinations of both. I just know that halfway through this season someone getting paid the big bucks needs to darn well figure it out.

I would be tempted to go for it on every 4th down if I was facing us.

 

[GrayTide]

A few comments that may or may not prove anything. First, I still question whether or not the supposedly great recruiting classes were truly great or recruiting services hype. Second, Womack and DeBoer crossed paths at Indiana for one season, IIRC. Is it possible that DeBoer hired Wommack because of a past friendship and the fact that Wommack could help him recruit in the South since DeBoer was coming from a completely different part of the country and had little knowledge of the SEC. We have discussed loyalty to assistants at the expense of success, could this be another situation like that?

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

This defense was always going to be rough after losing 2 star CBs, a star S, and 2 star edge rushers. But the way we have played almost the entire year (the lone exception being the first half vs a Georgia team that looks like it was overrated) has been depressing. Hopefully these young guys especially in the secondary grow quickly and we can make some schematic changes that can at least get us playing at an average level.

 

[tusks_n_raider]

I would be tempted to go for it on every 4th down if I was facing us.

That’s why I’m glad we don’t play Ole Miss this year.

Lane is still impatient at times and I can see him attacking us all 4 downs like UGA in the final 40 mins of that game.

 

[jashleyren2]

So many comments here about the impact of NIL. OP said it right, but I wonder if he just doesn't have the "Jimmys and Joes" to make it work? 4-2-5 could be working, but NIL depleted us so much that it doesn't function properly. With 6 games remaining, and Mercer or maybe Auburn being the only games remaining where we have a very clear and obvious advantage, I'd say a 9-3 finish would be a very good result. It's what I had personally anticipated coming into the year. It will likely not be enough to make it to the CFP.

And NIL is at least partially to blame.

 

[mlh]

A few comments that may or may not prove anything. First, I still question whether or not the supposedly great recruiting classes were truly great or recruiting services hype. Second, Womack and DeBoer crossed paths at Indiana for one season, IIRC. Is it possible that DeBoer hired Wommack because of a past friendship and the fact that Wommack could help him recruit in the South since DeBoer was coming from a completely different part of the country and had little knowledge of the SEC. We have discussed loyalty to assistants at the expense of success, could this be another situation like that?

I believe that was definitely a factor in the hire. And I think that's a good enough reason to hire CKW. The question is, will it be enough to keep him on the staff if the defense continues to struggle for the remainder of the year?

 

[bamadwain]

It's been reported and I didn't pay attention to it Saturday because I was teed off but Womack was not engaged as much with players on the sidelines but it was Chuck McDonald? So maybe some different philosophy is coming?

 

[64 Grad]

The defensive players do not know who they are yet. They looked good on the last two series Saturday except for the face mask penalty. Their touchdown was a great play on their part.

 

[sanjosecrimson]

DL and LB is the problem. not his scheme.

perhaps I was too optimistic with Lawson and Campbell after the first two games.

 

[sanjosecrimson]

most of them didn't put on the weight they needed. QRob and Koht don't have 3 down size. Pierre is getting close, but isn't quite there. Keeley did the opposite and got a little to big and isn't as quick so he's a Bandit now. The other 2 5 star pass rushers on the roster are now ILBS (Campbell and Alexander). Campbell might need to shift back outside. Alexander doesn't really have the length TBH.

Russaw is a future NFL talent, but he's not 100%.
Q Robinson is playing well. Koht has potential but just not consistent.
Pierre will be fine once he gains the necessary weight.

 

[Windsortide]

As someone familiar with the 4-2-5 can you explain the deep safety being 15 yards off the balll? Is this a function of the particular alignment or just how we are doing it. I feel like while that particular safety is deep ball protection, it’s also taking them completely out of the play as run support and we are playing run defense down a man till the runner gets down the field.

Safety playing that deep in Cover 1 are sweepers.They should be able to cover both seams and any 9 sideline to sideline. Many coaches will play them at 20 yards. You are correct we don’t enough in the box frequently against these teams running option. We only had success against the run against UGA running a conventional offense. But that was only for one half.