Could well be, but it's when you ain't in the same ZIP code with your coverage and thus don't even get a chance at bad tackling that's a sign of the golden, er, Golding era, er, error of bad 'Bama defense.is poor tackling a sign of the times?
Could well be, but it's when you ain't in the same ZIP code with your coverage and thus don't even get a chance at bad tackling that's a sign of the golden, er, Golding era, er, error of bad 'Bama defense.is poor tackling a sign of the times?
Some of it isn't on Golding though. It's a product of the 3-3-5 nickel package we run (or sometimes the 2-3-6 dime), in that there are times when the back out of the backfield is the ILBs responsibility, and there are times where it is the OLBs. Sometimes this responsibility is determined post-snap. Saban had this in the toolkit long before golding arrived. This is where things get crossed up and some OCs have figured out how to show the right things to make us miss the coverage. Make the OLB read release and the ILB read another key and the RB wheel is open. In an ideal world, we'd realize we are not making those reads the right way and change something so that it's not a post-snap read, but known pre-snap, or change the philosophy so that our 3-3 morphs into a 4-2 so the OLB is truly a pass-rush DE specialist.Could well be, but it's when you ain't in the same ZIP code with your coverage and thus don't even get a chance at bad tackling that's a sign of the golden, er, Golding era, er, error of bad 'Bama defense.
There are four 1st rounders in many mock drafts for '21 on our defense (Surtain, Moses, Barmore, Ray). I can see at least three more future ones in Harris, Anderson and Battle. Jobe and Moore could possibly be 1st rounders as well. Your point is valid about the 2015 defense being amazing but this year's defense has a bunch of 1st rounders.I personally think it is scheme (coaching) and overall lack of 1st round talent/difference makers. However, I will remind everyone that the 2015 team that won it all against Clemson (45-40) gave up 550 yards in the national championship with Kirby Smart as the DC and players like, A'Shawn Robinson, Jonathan Allen, Dalvin Tomlinson, Da'Shawn Hand, Daron Payne, Jarran Reed, Reggie Ragland, Rashaan Evans, Reuben Foster, Shaun Dion Hamilton, Marlon Humphrey, Tony Brown, Eddie Jackson, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Cyrus Jones. I think literally every one of those guys is currently in the NFL and multiple were 1st rounders. I would kill for those guys to be on this defense in 2020.
agreed, but we are also starting 2 true freshmen, and 4 out of 5 new starters in the secondary. At least two of the coverage busts from mizzou were on TF (Sanders on one, Moore on one) with them also having to be in sync with two brand new safeties...There are four 1st rounders in many mock drafts for '21 on our defense (Surtain, Moses, Barmore, Ray). I can see at least three more future ones in Harris, Anderson and Battle. Jobe and Moore could possibly be 1st rounders as well. Your point is valid about the 2015 defense being amazing but this year's defense has a bunch of 1st rounders.
Wow, thanks for the technical breakdown. This clearly seems to be part of the problem. It's hard to believe even an experienced LB could make those reads correctly all the time.Some of it isn't on Golding though. It's a product of the 3-3-5 nickel package we run (or sometimes the 2-3-6 dime), in that there are times when the back out of the backfield is the ILBs responsibility, and there are times where it is the OLBs. Sometimes this responsibility is determined post-snap. Saban had this in the toolkit long before golding arrived. This is where things get crossed up and some OCs have figured out how to show the right things to make us miss the coverage. Make the OLB read release and the ILB read another key and the RB wheel is open. In an ideal world, we'd realize we are not making those reads the right way and change something so that it's not a post-snap read, but known pre-snap, or change the philosophy so that our 3-3 morphs into a 4-2 so the OLB is truly a pass-rush DE specialist.
Agreed. I was just commenting on his point that we have no 1st round talent on defense which is not the case. We are very inexperienced on the back end and it will probably show again this week but hoping we are better by the time we play UGA. This defense has the potential to be very good.agreed, but we are also starting 2 true freshmen, and 4 out of 5 new starters in the secondary. At least two of the coverage busts from mizzou were on TF (Sanders on one, Moore on one) with them also having to be in sync with two brand new safeties...
We are on the same page. Just illustrating that even with top tier talent, when they don't yet have a lot of experience mistakes can happenAgreed. I was just commenting on his point that we have no 1st round talent on defense which is not the case. We are very inexperienced on the back end and it will probably show again this week but hoping we are better by the time we play UGA. This defense has the potential to be very good.
I don’t think our defense is “bad.” We’re moving to the ball so much quicker than last year. Without a couple late 4th quarter TDs we’re not having the same conversation...As with most things, the answer lies somewhere in the middle. Has the game changed? Absolutely. Is our defense bad? Yup...
Yes, we are averaging tons of points since 2018. We are also averaging 0 national championships...
Wholeheartedly agree on all points.As long as we continue to be a quick strike scoring offense, we'll inevitably give up more points.
The alternative is to try to be more balanced, which we thought we'd be this year. Yet, when teams load up to stop the run we throw it over their heads for TDs. We surely aren't going to run it into a concrete wall when we can throw over and around it.
.....I still think the key is eliminating the busted coverages. We do that this year and we are holding teams to under 20 points. We do that and we're OK with the kind of offense we've settled into.
I don't know much about Branch, so is he the real deal?Looks like a change may be coming for Wright. Branch is getting reps with 1's
Alot of good things said about him in camp.I don't know much about Branch, so is he the real deal?
I'm assuming it is due to some of those blown coverages that some thought may have been the freshman/young guys. He had that beautiful pick 6 but if you continue to make mistakes you will find yourself watching from the sideline. I guess we will see Sat if we will be starting two TF in the secondary.Looks like a change may be coming for Wright. Branch is getting reps with 1's
Interesting. Wright is clearly struggling, so I’m not surprised that someone else is getting a close look. But....Looks like a change may be coming for Wright. Branch is getting reps with 1's
that's hard to answer entirely because of the variables, but let's take one example. The RB on the wheel route when Mizzou scored. Since i don't truly know the D called, I'm making some assumptionsWow, thanks for the technical breakdown. This clearly seems to be part of the problem. It's hard to believe even an experienced LB could make those reads correctly all the time.
What would have to change/what would we give up if all the reads became presnap (in terms of which LB covers wheel routes)? I'm assuming CNS believes that would compromise something else or he would likely do it.
That is absolutely fascinating. I understand the explanation, but goodness, I wish I could recognize that sort of stuff in real time. Unfortunately, that’s beyond me.that's hard to answer entirely because of the variables, but let's take one example. The RB on the wheel route when Mizzou scored. Since i don't truly know the D called, I'm making some assumptions
They had no receiver on that side, with a TE lined up on the line next to the OT. RB in the backfield. On the other side, there was a TE and two WR.
Because they had two TE, we were actually in our 3-4 base for one of the few plays we used that alignment in the game.
We had three players responsible for that side coverage. Jobe, playing almost like a S since there was no WR there, Moses from ILB, and Sanders playing OLB.
At the snap, the TE releases. Sanders gets a good jam and then releases him to the next level pretty quick after dropping a few steps. That's all as it likely should be.
The RB comes downhill on the snap causing Moses to step in slightly, Sanders briefly engages the RB on what appears to be a flair into the flat. Moses sees this and then turns back inside, right as Sanders releases the RB who is going downfield. Problem is Sanders released him to, well, no one. There was a receiver coming across the formation who had gotten Moses attention also and he ends up in the flat 'covered' by Sanders, but the pass was already away anyway.
This is where I have to assume. Sometimes an OLB has the flats and Sanders would have been correct in the second pass off. Sometimes he's supposed to go with the 2nd receiver no matter what. Sometimes he's got the intermediate 4th of the field. In 2 of those cases Sanders should have been deeper and I think based on how Moses reacted toward the inside when he initially saw Sanders on the RB and Saban talking with Sanders after the play, that Sanders was supposed to stick man coverage.
The reason those options exist is because they all impact what the ILB does, and if the ILB is doing something different depending on the call, you can sometimes trick a QB into thinking the ILB flowing to the RB in the flat/wheel, but he's actually sneaking to support coverage of the underneath routes and get a pick because the ILB isn't where the QB expects.
that's hard to answer entirely because of the variables, but let's take one example. The RB on the wheel route when Mizzou scored. Since i don't truly know the D called, I'm making some assumptions
They had no receiver on that side, with a TE lined up on the line next to the OT. RB in the backfield. On the other side, there was a TE and two WR.
Because they had two TE, we were actually in our 3-4 base for one of the few plays we used that alignment in the game.
We had three players responsible for that side coverage. Jobe, playing almost like a S since there was no WR there, Moses from ILB, and Sanders playing OLB.
At the snap, the TE releases. Sanders gets a good jam and then releases him to the next level pretty quick after dropping a few steps. That's all as it likely should be.
The RB comes downhill on the snap causing Moses to step in slightly, Sanders briefly engages the RB on what appears to be a flair into the flat. Moses sees this and then turns back inside, right as Sanders releases the RB who is going downfield. Problem is Sanders released him to, well, no one. There was a receiver coming across the formation who had gotten Moses attention also and he ends up in the flat 'covered' by Sanders, but the pass was already away anyway.
This is where I have to assume. Sometimes an OLB has the flats and Sanders would have been correct in the second pass off. Sometimes he's supposed to go with the 2nd receiver no matter what. Sometimes he's got the intermediate 4th of the field. In 2 of those cases Sanders should have been deeper and I think based on how Moses reacted toward the inside when he initially saw Sanders on the RB and Saban talking with Sanders after the play, that Sanders was supposed to stick man coverage.
The reason those options exist is because they all impact what the ILB does, and if the ILB is doing something different depending on the call, you can sometimes trick a QB into thinking the ILB flowing to the RB in the flat/wheel, but he's actually sneaking to support coverage of the underneath routes and get a pick because the ILB isn't where the QB expects.