Question: Has our defense been "modernized" as much as our offense?

bamagirl 44

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Dec 26, 2014
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I think this defense is young and learning...they will grow and be scary good in the future...this is not our standard but with all the injuries we are watching probably an average defense by Alabama standards...

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mlh

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Apr 28, 2004
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Yup, once a defense is worn out that's not. They're not going to get stops unless they just get lucky.
I have a question. Why does the defense get worn out but not the offense? They're both playing the same number of plays. The linemen are putting forth the same amount of effort. The LBs aren't running any more than the RBs on offense. Basically the same for the DBs and WRs. Assuming both teams substitute players to address different situations and scenarios, why does the defense get worn out more than the offense?

When I played (granted this was high school, not college) I played both offense and defense. My first couple of years I played primarily offense. My last couple of years I played primarily defense. I also played on special teams. I don't remember getting more tired when I played defense. In fact, when I played WR on offense, I got more worn out than when I played corner or safety on defense.

If the offense runs 90 plays in a game, why aren't they as gassed as the defense that played those same 90 plays?
 

Cruloc

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I have a question. Why does the defense get worn out but not the offense? They're both playing the same number of plays. The linemen are putting forth the same amount of effort. The LBs aren't running any more than the RBs on offense. Basically the same for the DBs and WRs. Assuming both teams substitute players to address different situations and scenarios, why does the defense get worn out more than the offense?

When I played (granted this was high school, not college) I played both offense and defense. My first couple of years I played primarily offense. My last couple of years I played primarily defense. I also played on special teams. I don't remember getting more tired when I played defense. In fact, when I played WR on offense, I got more worn out than when I played corner or safety on defense.

If the offense runs 90 plays in a game, why aren't they as gassed as the defense that played those same 90 plays?
Going to say this having never played football, but having played other sports. I'd say the issue with the defense being fatigued more than the offense after playing the same number of plays is....the defense is all reactionary, trying to keep up, running after WR's, trying to break blocks, just reacting to what they are seeing......while the offense is running a play that is designed and knows where they are going.
 

B1GTide

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Apr 13, 2012
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I have a question. Why does the defense get worn out but not the offense? They're both playing the same number of plays. The linemen are putting forth the same amount of effort. The LBs aren't running any more than the RBs on offense. Basically the same for the DBs and WRs. Assuming both teams substitute players to address different situations and scenarios, why does the defense get worn out more than the offense?

When I played (granted this was high school, not college) I played both offense and defense. My first couple of years I played primarily offense. My last couple of years I played primarily defense. I also played on special teams. I don't remember getting more tired when I played defense. In fact, when I played WR on offense, I got more worn out than when I played corner or safety on defense.

If the offense runs 90 plays in a game, why aren't they as gassed as the defense that played those same 90 plays?
Receivers and RBs sub out all game long. DBs do not. Also, while DL and LBs generally sub out all game long, your quality depth is limited, so you do not do so nearly as much as you have been able to in the past.
 

TideEngineer08

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Jun 9, 2009
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Beautiful Cullman, AL
I have a question. Why does the defense get worn out but not the offense? They're both playing the same number of plays. The linemen are putting forth the same amount of effort. The LBs aren't running any more than the RBs on offense. Basically the same for the DBs and WRs. Assuming both teams substitute players to address different situations and scenarios, why does the defense get worn out more than the offense?

When I played (granted this was high school, not college) I played both offense and defense. My first couple of years I played primarily offense. My last couple of years I played primarily defense. I also played on special teams. I don't remember getting more tired when I played defense. In fact, when I played WR on offense, I got more worn out than when I played corner or safety on defense.

If the offense runs 90 plays in a game, why aren't they as gassed as the defense that played those same 90 plays?
The offensive players always know where they are going and almost always running forward. The defensive players are in reactive mode most of the time. Backpedaling, changing directions. It wears more than simply running a route.

But on the LOS, consider that on passing plays, the OL is standing up and attempting to form a wall, while the DL is pressing forward, attempting to muscle their way around the OL. Those guys are going to get worn down quicker than the OL, every time. And on running plays, they are still attempting to press up field while the OL is firing off the line trying to knock them down. In other words, the DL exerts and loses more energy with the way they have the play vs. the OL. And that is where the real differential comes in at - the line of scrimmage. You'll see it a little more with LBs, as they're getting knocked around attempting to blitz or getting winded chasing around RBs and WRs.

The nature of the movements benefits the offensive players. It's why you see the DL getting rotated in and out, and the OL almost never substituting.
 

Ole Man Dan

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Apr 21, 2008
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Gadsden, Al.
I've addressed it elsewhere, but the "thud" method of practice tackling we've been forced to adopt may be coming back to bite us. Two-hand tag doesn't really prepare you for tackling #22 for LSU. OTOH, we simply can't afford any more practice injuries...
Very true.
When I was a kid everybody was taught to wrap em up.
If you didn't accomplish anything else, you slowed down a powerful runner until help arrived.

While some Thud Tackles look showy, they can lead to Targeting Calls, or a missed tackle if the runner is shifty.

The old fashioned Wrap Em Up tackle always works.

Physical teams require wrapping em up.
 
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Ole Man Dan

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I would like to think you're right and you would have been in the past. However, I'm afraid I agree with BB. I'm not sure defenses can ever catch up, with the rules in place and the way they're called. In the reviewed reception at the goal line, the offense was given a 90% preference. To uphold the call, they had to find a phantom push-out by Diggs, which just wasn't there. Offense is what the audience wants to see...
I'm a dinosaur. I love a strong Defense.
I loved watching the John Madden Bears Defense.
(Those guys were Brutal)
Everybody knew they had been in a game when they played the Bears.

Even today guys who play teams that are big, mean, and dominating, have the scars to show for it.
 
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Ole Man Dan

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Maybe, maybe not. Although the 2016 defense was great not many remember that 3 different QB's that season (Chad Kelly, Austin Allen, and Deshaun Watson) threw for 400+ yards against that defense. While some of the problem this season is no doubt injuries and inexperience history sadly shows that our defenses have gotten torched over the years by passing attacks even when we have elite personnel.
LSU took advantage of our mistakes.
Their QB played lights out in the 1st half, and we didn't pressure him.
No wonder he completed almost all of his passes.

Borrow had his Heisman moment in the 1st half.
 

Padreruf

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The offensive players always know where they are going and almost always running forward. The defensive players are in reactive mode most of the time. Backpedaling, changing directions. It wears more than simply running a route.

But on the LOS, consider that on passing plays, the OL is standing up and attempting to form a wall, while the DL is pressing forward, attempting to muscle their way around the OL. Those guys are going to get worn down quicker than the OL, every time. And on running plays, they are still attempting to press up field while the OL is firing off the line trying to knock them down. In other words, the DL exerts and loses more energy with the way they have the play vs. the OL. And that is where the real differential comes in at - the line of scrimmage. You'll see it a little more with LBs, as they're getting knocked around attempting to blitz or getting winded chasing around RBs and WRs.

The nature of the movements benefits the offensive players. It's why you see the DL getting rotated in and out, and the OL almost never substituting.
Defense is much more taxing...especially on the bigger players who are always chasing, etc. That is also why even the best NFL defenses lose their intensity in the 4th quarter...they are just worn down....football and defense have changed dramatically since 2012...much more a speed game than a power game...
 

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