Question: How do you defend modern offenses

I don’t care what offense they run: new, old, or in between, penetration from the defensive line is key. If you get one lineman who can consistently beat double teams, and one lineman who can disrupt the center of the line your defense will look like it has the key to defend whatever offense it is facing. We haven’t had two linemen playing lights out simultaneously in a couple years.

It’s crazy to think the secondary can defend against the pass with a line that can’t disrupt the pocket.

I’d also like to add that our tackling has been $@@&&&@!)?? here lately.

You can also count on whoever has the back to rush when he delays, effectively falling for the wheel route, etc.

Here lately communication on the rubs has been terrible as well. I consider a rub any route where the receivers come together and then split. Our guys typically chase the same guy, leaving one open.


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Saban4Ever said:

This comes down to coaching and recruiting, something Bama has missed on the past few years with coaches leaving/being fired and Bama missing out on a few recruits.

It will be more difficult from here on out for Saban to get the very best recruits at each position with Clemson, UGA, Ohio State, and now LSU in the recruiting wars.

I think the University/Saban should pay 2 million for a great DC like LSU did. Bama has the $$... heck, I'd take back Pruitt. I know Saban is the GOAT and will hopefully figure it out, but I thought this year would be the year he did. Just because Golding impressed him so much in the interview does not necessarily mean that translates to the field. I bet he gives Golding another year, then after that who knows.

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Well....I don't think there is a coach in America that watches more of his team's own film. He uses the term "fixable" often. The things we saw Saturday evening have mostly been discussed all season, and they were call fixable. When he says that word...I know he means it in one way or another.

I think giving up 14-18 ppg is the new 7-10 ppg in today’s era of football.

Work more guys into the playing rotation. I realize the substitution rules don't necessarily make this simple or easy, but I keep going back to comments Jess made in his Clemson post-mortem last season: he said something to the effect of "Nick Saban still manages his roster like he's in Miami and has a 53-man limit". I can't find the statistic, but I want to say that Clemson played something like 97 total players in the national title game last year, and I'm sure our participation rate was more like 40-50 guys.

This is much easier said than done, but keeping fresh legs out there all the time goes a long way towards combating basketball on grass.

Just Wow...you're a guest here, if you don't like it. UNSUBSCRYBE!!!

scrybe said:

I was pulling for the Tide and I'm sorry they lost.

But Bama lost the game not because of some official's call. Bama lost because LSU and Burrow were better – on that night – than Bama and Tua. I hope the Tide gets another shot at the Tigers.

If I've learned nothing else in my decades of following college football, I've learned there's more honor in accepting a loss than in playing the "what if" game.

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TIDE-HSV said:

Well, obviously, it can't be 97, with an 85 scholly limit, but they played a lot more, for sure...

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Ho many players are allowed to dress for a CFP game? Does the 70/80 man rule apply in the CFP?

The Ols said:

Just Wow...you're a guest here, if you don't like it. UNSUBSCRYBE!!!

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I see what you did there.

graydogg85 said:

Work more guys into the playing rotation. I realize the substitution rules don't necessarily make this simple or easy, but I keep going back to comments Jess made in his Clemson post-mortem last season: he said something to the effect of "Nick Saban still manages his roster like he's in Miami and has a 53-man limit". I can't find the statistic, but I want to say that Clemson played something like 97 total players in the national title game last year, and I'm sure our participation rate was more like 40-50 guys.

This is much easier said than done, but keeping fresh legs out there all the time goes a long way towards combating basketball on grass.

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Clemson also had three 1st round draft picks on that DL. Those boys came back just to get Bama.

Cruloc said:

Clemson also had three 1st round draft picks on that DL. Those boys came back just to get Bama.

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They did - and they also used PEDs to help them get ready for Alabama. Last year's Clemson team was all in on beating Alabama, and they got it done.

TIDE-HSV said:

Well, obviously, it can't be 97, with an 85 scholly limit, but they played a lot more, for sure...

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If I’m not mistaken, NCAA rules allow you to dress 105 players for non-conference games. This would imply that Clemson played a number of walk-ons, which I’m uncertain of. I wish I could find the figure....but either way, yes, they played quite a few more guys than we did.

graydogg85 said:

If I’m not mistaken, NCAA rules allow you to dress 105 players for non-conference games. This would imply that Clemson played a number of walk-ons, which I’m uncertain of. I wish I could find the figure....but either way, yes, they played quite a few more guys than we did.

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I don't think this is true. I have read 80 for the home team, 70 for the road team. I have not read what the number is for bowl teams - both of which are on the road.

B1GTide said:

I don't think this is true. I have read 80 for the home team, 70 for the road team. I have not read what the number is for bowl teams - both of which are on the road.

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Conferences have their own rules about this. In the SEC home teams can dress as many as they want, but can only play 80. Away teams get 70. In neutral site games it's 70 as well. This is for conference games. I'm not sure if this applies to non conference games. Source.

Clemson played 111 players earlier this year in a non conference game. https://theclemsoninsider.com/2019/09/22/clemson-plays-111-players-in-rout-of-charlotte/

I remember hearing the same comments and discussions about the wishbone. Can anyone stop this offense? What does it take to contain the triple option? If a team can gain 3 or 4 or 5 yards on every play, how do you stop that?

Eventually, they figured it out. That will also be the case with the current offenses. It will be interesting to see how the new defenses evolve and change to stop today's offense. It will happen. Then we'll see the next "unstopable" offense.

mlh said:

I remember hearing the same comments and discussions about the wishbone. Can anyone stop this offense? What does it take to contain the triple option? If a team can gain 3 or 4 or 5 yards on every play, how do you stop that?

Eventually, they figured it out. That will also be the case with the current offenses. It will be interesting to see how the new defenses evolve and change to stop today's offense. It will happen. Then we'll see the next "unstopable" offense.

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My guess is the old becomes new again in some way or fashion.

I'm not the smartest football mind but a 3-4 with a OLB that is closer to a hybrid safety instead of a hybrid down lineman would be one way. Going to a 2-4-5 with this concept might be even better against the passing teams with no bowling ball at RB like LSU has. That's part of what makes LSU so difficult to defend. My inclination is that more offenses will try to present this conundrum to defenses.

In our defense’s defense injuries have wrecked what we have wanted to do on defense for at least the last 3 years in a MAJOR way. I would have really liked to see what Terrell Lewis and Dylan Moses could have done with Q last year year. Not to mention Diggs missing the entire year. Hopefully they’ll have a season where the stars align and the best players can stay healthy the whole season. Wouldn’t that be a novel concept?


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NationalTitles17 said:

My guess is the old becomes new again in some way or fashion.

I'm not the smartest football mind but a 3-4 with a OLB that is closer to a hybrid safety instead of a hybrid down lineman would be one way. Going to a 2-4-5 with this concept might be even better against the passing teams with no bowling ball at RB like LSU has. That's part of what makes LSU so difficult to defend. My inclination is that more offenses will try to present this conundrum to defenses.

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Or schools might go old school and build up the rushing attack because the modern defenses would struggle to stop it. See how the Patriots won last year.


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bamacon said:

Or schools might go old school and build up the rushing attack because the modern defenses would struggle to stop it. See how the Patriots won last year.


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That was my point with "the old become new again". I think what we are likely to see in the near term is more of the Scar/Henry/Jacobs/LSU guy type backs that are at least quick enough and tough as nails to bring down intertwined with the modern passing game. Until defenses figure out how to stop that multidimensional attack they are going to have to pick their poison or get faster while staying bigger.