What I see as the biggest defensive problem

[Foleybammer]

I am a former HS defensive coordinator and ran a similar 4-2-5 scheme. The inside lbers are the heart of the
defense and both are not playing well. Lawson often takes bad angles and mises tackles. Campbell
has become soft and catches everything. Jefferson is the best at running through and attacking down hill.
He should be starting.

That being said we need to be blitzing more off the edges to stop the run. This gets you into a 5-2 look
and takes away gaps. Our dline is solid but also not loaded with high draft picks. We need to pressure the
offense into mistakes.

 

[Tideflyer]

I am a former HS defensive coordinator and ran a similar 4-2-5 scheme. The inside lbers are the heart of the
defense and both are not playing well. Lawson often takes bad angles and mises tackles. Campbell
has become soft and catches everything. Jefferson is the best at running through and attacking down hill.
He should be starting.

That being said we need to be blitzing more off the edges to stop the run. This gets you into a 5-2 look
and takes away gaps. Our dline is solid but also not loaded with high draft picks. We need to pressure the
offense into mistakes.

To my untrained eye, Jefferson certainly seemed to be our best ILB on the field, at least yesterday.

 

[bamacpa]

Your description of Campbell catching everything is so spot on. He gets driven back a lot.

 

[colbysullivan]

Your description of Campbell catching everything is so spot on. He gets driven back a lot.

Campbell literally tackled a guy into the endzone yesterday. Had him stopped at the 2…and then tackled him into the endzone. Unreal.

 

[Padreruf]

I agree with the comments about our defense. Our ILB's have not played well in most of our games....they are hesitant in their reads and therefore slow to react. When they do play fast they often hit the wrong gap...or take bad angles. I am wondering if the change in defensive concept has been too much for them? We will see...

Our DE's often took inside movement against USC and allowed their QB to run to the outside. However, he is one heck of an athlete.

To be sure they are playing hard but they are not playing well. Not a criticism or complaint, just an observation. This is compounded by a DL which is solid but not great at this stage.

We are probably a 3 loss team unless the offense can get their act together and then we will outscore people. However, teams have a book on our offense and stopping us is no secret...stuff the run and put pressure on Jalen Milroe by taking away his first option.

I'm not complaining...just stating what I see as reality. We may make the playoffs...but that would be an overachievement at this stage. I also believe that the SEC is stronger top to bottom than I have ever seen in my lifetime. The blowouts of a few years ago are a thing of the past.

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

Your description of Campbell catching everything is so spot on. He gets driven back a lot.

What does catching it mean?

 

[SkullDuckery]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1845445593788817885

 

[theballguy]

I am a former HS defensive coordinator and ran a similar 4-2-5 scheme. The inside lbers are the heart of the
defense and both are not playing well. Lawson often takes bad angles and mises tackles. Campbell
has become soft and catches everything. Jefferson is the best at running through and attacking down hill.
He should be starting.

That being said we need to be blitzing more off the edges to stop the run. This gets you into a 5-2 look
and takes away gaps. Our dline is solid but also not loaded with high draft picks. We need to pressure the
offense into mistakes.

Very much agree with this take. I also am astonished how we start off the game attacking and then further go more conservative as the game goes on and we almost never go back to attacking near the end (was good to see we did on that very last try or die SC series). Always felt like Kirby or Pruitt would do the opposite. Python constricting as the game went on.

 

[Foleybammer]

Catching is not aggressively attacking the line of scrimmage or ball carrier.
Agree about the strength of the SEC this year. You now have in one conference
where 9 of 14 teams have won National Championships. The bottom is stronger and
every week is a war.

 

[colbysullivan]

What does catching it mean?

Instead of being aggressive and making the tackle going forward, Campbell waits for the offensive player to make the initial contact and gets driven back.

 

[B1GTide]

Instead of being aggressive and making the tackle going forward, Campbell waits for the offensive player to make the initial contact and gets driven back.

Yep, catching the player as he runs either into him or by him instead of aggressively attacking.

 

[JustNeedMe81]

I am a former HS defensive coordinator and ran a similar 4-2-5 scheme. The inside lbers are the heart of the
defense and both are not playing well. Lawson often takes bad angles and mises tackles. Campbell
has become soft and catches everything. Jefferson is the best at running through and attacking down hill.
He should be starting.

That being said we need to be blitzing more off the edges to stop the run. This gets you into a 5-2 look
and takes away gaps. Our dline is solid but also not loaded with high draft picks. We need to pressure the
offense into mistakes.

THIS!!!!!!! I said in the other thread that it was personnel issues. Coaches needs to make adjustment with personnel and bring right guy in and we'll be much better.

 

[Tide&True]

I see our current defense as a “bend not break” defense. Just by its very nature our defense is going to be on the field longer.

 

[colbysullivan]

I see our current defense as a “bend not break” defense. Just by its very nature our defense is going to be on the field longer.

But, this is wrong. It breaks all the time.

 

[Tide&True]

But, this is wrong. It breaks all the time.

Ha! I stand corrected

 

[AlistarWills]

Campbell literally tackled a guy into the endzone yesterday. Had him stopped at the 2…and then tackled him into the endzone. Unreal.

I saw this and yelled at the TV.

 

[Slowpoke Catracho]

I am a former HS defensive coordinator and ran a similar 4-2-5 scheme. The inside lbers are the heart of the
defense and both are not playing well. Lawson often takes bad angles and mises tackles. Campbell
has become soft and catches everything. Jefferson is the best at running through and attacking down hill.
He should be starting.

That being said we need to be blitzing more off the edges to stop the run. This gets you into a 5-2 look
and takes away gaps. Our dline is solid but also not loaded with high draft picks. We need to pressure the
offense into mistakes.

110%

 

[AlistarWills]

I am a former HS defensive coordinator and ran a similar 4-2-5 scheme. The inside lbers are the heart of the
defense and both are not playing well. Lawson often takes bad angles and mises tackles. Campbell
has become soft and catches everything. Jefferson is the best at running through and attacking down hill.
He should be starting.

That being said we need to be blitzing more off the edges to stop the run. This gets you into a 5-2 look
and takes away gaps. Our dline is solid but also not loaded with high draft picks. We need to pressure the
offense into mistakes.

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.

 

[Windsortide]

I am a former HS defensive coordinator and ran a similar 4-2-5 scheme. The inside lbers are the heart of the
defense and both are not playing well. Lawson often takes bad angles and mises tackles. Campbell
has become soft and catches everything. Jefferson is the best at running through and attacking down hill.
He should be starting.

That being said we need to be blitzing more off the edges to stop the run. This gets you into a 5-2 look
and takes away gaps. Our dline is solid but also not loaded with high draft picks. We need to pressure the
offense into mistakes.

Now you are talking about reverting back to a base 3/4 look which equals a 52. We also need to be multiple on D.

 

[Windsortide]

Both ILB’s 0&11 miss a lot of tackles.