The importance of speed in modern defenses

[Bamabuzzard]

No question that speed/closing speed is a necessity now more than ever in the back of the defense in terms of coverage. And for the most part we (Bama) have had decent speed in the secondary in nickel and dime coverage packages. Our biggest outage at times was getting them “on the ground” when the opponent made the catch or coming up on the edge in run support.

Which brings me to another thing: for the life of me, I can’t understand some projections of Diggs in the first round. Yes he is a decent cover guy and has the “measurables”. But at least to me, especially in run support, it was “hang on and wait for the calvary to arrive” when it came to tackling.

My hope is that combination of the new S&C/Performance guys and greater focus by our staff on tackling fundamentals improves this going forward.

They are probably thinking they can coach that out of him but you can't coach talent into a kid. So if he's got elite, 1st round talent, and "you" think you can quickly coach his flaws out of him. You take him. Because odds are if you don't, another team in the first round will.

I bet the Bears and any team that needed a franchise quarterback are kicking themselves by passing on Patrick Mahomes. He was considered very talented but "raw" and needed "developing". The Chiefs were willing to take that bet and hit the jackpot.

 

[Con]

No question that speed/closing speed is a necessity now more than ever in the back of the defense in terms of coverage. And for the most part we (Bama) have had decent speed in the secondary in nickel and dime coverage packages. Our biggest outage at times was getting them “on the ground” when the opponent made the catch or coming up on the edge in run support.

So many times the last two years, we’ve been in position to stop a runner/receiver after a short gain only to them either break free or “power” for additional crucial yardage. It happened numerous times in our two loses last year.

Speed is a definite need. But we also need guys that “when they get there they arrive with a bad attitude” and put their rear ends on the ground. A five yard out when contact is made can’t continue to turn into a five yard out with ten additional yards because of the player in coverage can’t wrap up.

Which brings me to another thing: for the life of me, I can’t understand some projections of Diggs in the first round. Yes he is a decent cover guy and has the “measurables”. But at least to me, especially in run support, it was “hang on and wait for the calvary to arrive” when it came to tackling.

My hope is that combination of the new S&C/Performance guys and greater focus by our staff on tackling fundamentals improves this going forward.

Now I am not saying Diggs is Deion Sanders, but Deion couldn't tackle well either and he had a pretty good career in the NFL.

 

[OceanDweller]

You chose to pick on the guy that's in position to be the #1 OL drafted this year...He's about to make more money in a signing bonus than any of us will ever see. I see where you're coming from, but meh...

...and I'd love to see you run around him for 4-5 seconds...

I guess you missed where OSU did it to us a couple of years ago with a much lighter guy. Yall are also only thinking of the edge in case of getting to the QB. The edge as you see it is putting pressure, collapsing the pocket, and getting to the QB. I see it as doing all the above but also stopping swing passes, chasing vertical passes, getting RB's on wheel routes, and maybe even covering a TE. It is not as black and white as it looks. Yep I picked a guy that will be making more than us to make a point. If size/strenght were the only intangibles we would have summo wrestlers out there. This is part of the reason saftey blitzes are so effective or ineffective because your often leaving a solid one on one. I am saying take a 6'2 210 saftey and blitz him but still play two safties... one in disquise. That is what Clemson did to us in the NC game numerous times.

 

[OceanDweller]

I agree with you on Diggs. He could be a great NFL corner. I kind of expected our secondary to be a strength this past year on D with Diggs and McKinney but they were toasted a couple of times. We haven't recruited many DB's the last couple of years. I hope a couple Athletes/WR can switch over this year. We need secondary depth bad.

 

[The Ols]

I guess you missed where OSU did it to us a couple of years ago with a much lighter guy. Yall are also only thinking of the edge in case of getting to the QB. The edge as you see it is putting pressure, collapsing the pocket, and getting to the QB. I see it as doing all the above but also stopping swing passes, chasing vertical passes, getting RB's on wheel routes, and maybe even covering a TE. It is not as black and white as it looks. Yep I picked a guy that will be making more than us to make a point. If size/strenght were the only intangibles we would have summo wrestlers out there. This is part of the reason saftey blitzes are so effective or ineffective because your often leaving a solid one on one. I am saying take a 6'2 210 saftey and blitz him but still play two safties... one in disquise. That is what Clemson did to us in the NC game numerous times.

If I could WEED my way through all of this...JW is not going top be a top 10 pick just because of his size...and what's funny as heck is, that's the only time you mention him in your long and winding road...

 

[OceanDweller]

If I could WEED my way through all of this...JW is not going top be a top 10 pick just because of his size...and what's funny as heck is, that's the only time you mention him in your long and winding road...

I didn't think it was that hard to read.

 

[gtgilbert]

I guess you missed where OSU did it to us a couple of years ago with a much lighter guy. Yall are also only thinking of the edge in case of getting to the QB. The edge as you see it is putting pressure, collapsing the pocket, and getting to the QB. I see it as doing all the above but also stopping swing passes, chasing vertical passes, getting RB's on wheel routes, and maybe even covering a TE. It is not as black and white as it looks. Yep I picked a guy that will be making more than us to make a point. If size/strenght were the only intangibles we would have summo wrestlers out there. This is part of the reason saftey blitzes are so effective or ineffective because your often leaving a solid one on one. I am saying take a 6'2 210 saftey and blitz him but still play two safties... one in disquise. That is what Clemson did to us in the NC game numerous times.

none of that is what an EDGE player does though. There is a huge difference between a 3-4 OLB and 4-3 OLB. The OLB in our system is mostly an EDGE player who is on the LOS and has to withstand and hold up to an OT right there and give as little ground as possible and not let the play get outside of him. Very rarely will they have a RB out of the backfield or TE in pass coverage, and that is usually when we've blitzed either and ILB or S or both and are dropping an OLB like a zone blitz. In a 4-3 or 4-2 that is the role of the DEs - that's why you see things like the PFF rate 3-4 OLB and 4-3 DEs together as EDGE players and some of Bamas OLBs go on to be 4-3 DEs. The ILB in the system bama runs plays the equivalent of both the ILB and OLB role in a 4-3 or 4-2.

 

[jambama1]

The prototype MLB going forward (Until College changes again ) is your Dylan Moses , R. Smith , Jaylon Smith , Myles Jack , Devin White , CJ Mosely , Kennedy etcetc they all have the same qualities essentially (IMO Moses is the perfect MLB) Speed And Closing Speed.

 

[OceanDweller]

S o GTG, your saying an edge player isn't supposed to collapse the pocket, put pressure on the QB, or get to him? That isn't what they do? I know there is a huge difference between a 3-4 and 4-3. We also advertise based on strenghts but rotate a lot more. We ran a lot of 5-2-4, 4-2-5 last year with injuries. The game today isn't the traditional 3-4, 4-3. Not when your playing LSU or Clemson with 4-5 WR.

 

[The Ols]

S o GTG, your saying an edge player isn't supposed to collapse the pocket, put pressure on the QB, or get to him? That isn't what they do? I know there is a huge difference between a 3-4 and 4-3. We also advertise based on strenghts but rotate a lot more. We ran a lot of 5-2-4, 4-2-5 last year with injuries. The game today isn't the traditional 3-4, 4-3. Not when your playing LSU or Clemson with 4-5 WR.

A lot of what coach preaches is that "mush rush"..so he's not wrong...

 

[mdb-tpet]

These 40 times in the combine are all but worthless. Pure showbusiness at its finest.

The 40 is only run 1 time, when the play is completely fresh, with no pads or helmets, after zero hits, falls, tackles, or hard cuts.

If the players ran the 40, 10 times in a row with 1 minute breaks and averaged the times, that would be something. But, just because you can keep up with a receiver in the first quarter, doesn't mean you can for the whole game.

I know the combine is just a competition to see who can make the best times, but the 40 times correlate to very little with a corner's ability to persevere, stay with a receiver for an entire game, say in-phase, knock balls out of the air, catch interceptions etc.

Speed is something you can only mildly affect in a program. But I'm a big MEH on the 40 times.

Here's a nice article on how 40 times don't always mean success in the NFL.

Does Running a Fast 40-Yard Dash Correlate With NFL Success?

(Photo via Austin American-Statesman) The 40-Yard Dash has become the must-see event at the NFL Combine. It showcases the awesome […]

www.stack.com

 

[The Ols]

These 40 times in the combine are all but worthless. Pure showbusiness at its finest.

The 40 is only run 1 time, when the play is completely fresh, with no pads or helmets, after zero hits, falls, tackles, or hard cuts.

If the players ran the 40, 10 times in a row with 1 minute breaks and averaged the times, that would be something. But, just because you can keep up with a receiver in the first quarter, doesn't mean you can for the whole game.

I know the combine is just a competition to see who can make the best times, but the 40 times correlate to very little with a corner's ability to persevere, stay with a receiver for an entire game, say in-phase, knock balls out of the air, catch interceptions etc.

Speed is something you can only mildly affect in a program. But I'm a big MEH on the 40 times.

Here's a nice article on how 40 times don't always mean success in the NFL.

Does Running a Fast 40-Yard Dash Correlate With NFL Success?

(Photo via Austin American-Statesman) The 40-Yard Dash has become the must-see event at the NFL Combine. It showcases the awesome […]

www.stack.com

They run it twice...

 

[gtgilbert]

S o GTG, your saying an edge player isn't supposed to collapse the pocket, put pressure on the QB, or get to him? That isn't what they do? I know there is a huge difference between a 3-4 and 4-3. We also advertise based on strenghts but rotate a lot more. We ran a lot of 5-2-4, 4-2-5 last year with injuries. The game today isn't the traditional 3-4, 4-3. Not when your playing LSU or Clemson with 4-5 WR.

That's not what I said, but let me clarify. I highlighted part of the message I quoted. Those roles are not what an edge player does. Edge players DO, hold the edge against the run, potentially push the pocket from the outside and pressure the QB.

If "we' above is 'bama, then no, we didn't run a 5-2-4 last year. The closest we came was a 3-4-4, but that's not something we run much of anymore at all. We do have a specialty goal line package that's a true 4-3-4, but that's the most true DL we ever have on the field. We also never run a true 4-2-5 nickel. Our primary nickel is a 3-3-5 with one of the 3LBs being the OLB/EDGE role. Even when he's up on the LOS, he's most often in a standup rush stance or squared up. Sometimes he'll drop a hand in the dirt so it looks like a 4-2, but that's not the personnel we have in. This has become our primary personnel grouping over the last several years. The other nickel package we run is a 2-4-5, where we pull out one more DL and put in another OLB/EDGE player. In this, typically one EDGe guy will drop a hand down, and the other goes standup stance and can flex into different gaps to create pressure.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

These 40 times in the combine are all but worthless. Pure showbusiness at its finest.

The 40 is only run 1 time, when the play is completely fresh, with no pads or helmets, after zero hits, falls, tackles, or hard cuts.

If the players ran the 40, 10 times in a row with 1 minute breaks and averaged the times, that would be something. But, just because you can keep up with a receiver in the first quarter, doesn't mean you can for the whole game.

I know the combine is just a competition to see who can make the best times, but the 40 times correlate to very little with a corner's ability to persevere, stay with a receiver for an entire game, say in-phase, knock balls out of the air, catch interceptions etc.

Speed is something you can only mildly affect in a program. But I'm a big MEH on the 40 times.

Here's a nice article on how 40 times don't always mean success in the NFL.

Does Running a Fast 40-Yard Dash Correlate With NFL Success?

(Photo via Austin American-Statesman) The 40-Yard Dash has become the must-see event at the NFL Combine. It showcases the awesome […]

www.stack.com

2012 article...

 

[Ole Man Dan]

We could always install the 10 yard dash.
I want to know that we will be quick hitting any hole, or getting to a QB...