Defensive Observations, X's and O's

UNT86 · October 17, 2022

1) We started using a nickel package vs Florida Atlantic two weeks ago. We take out a DL and move the Devil, usually #44 Richards, to DE. We move #25 Thomas-Faulkner to the Devil spot and put in another safety. This week the safety was #22 Crosby who has been out for about a month. This was our best defense for locking down La Tech and creating pass rush.

2) When we rush 3, we also have a spy on the QB. This lets our rush pick the best lane without worrying about contain. We only get in trouble when the QB is a better athlete than our LB.

3) Since #26 Texada has become a starter, we have tried several things to cover for him. SMU exposed his height. He was not out of position, but when he had to play jump ball against a taller WR, he usually lost. Against Texas Southern we tried to run some cover 2 and give him safety help over the top. Southern ran a lot of trips into the boundary which put him back 1 on 1 as the field corner. We tried to replace him against UNLV and another injury put him right back on the field. However, you can see the results of film and coaching since then. He has gotten much better. He still gets picked on, but the only TD Tech got in the second half was when he missed a tackle.

4) Our LB’s stunt poorly. Our LB stunts seem to just run into the fat guys and get wasted. Maybe it is because we don’t stunt much. Maybe we don’t stunt much because we do it poorly. It might just be an example of priority during practice time. You tend to get better at what you work on. I suspect we don’t spend a lot of practice time on it.

5) Our defense got a lot better when #25 Thomas-Faulkner went to safety. He plays the short side safety that has to run support more often. Apparently other teams watch film because a lot of time and effort seems to go into matching him up in coverage. He does a lot for us that does not show up on the stat sheet. Many times he makes the play without being the guy that makes the tackle.

LongJim · October 17, 2022

Please post more often.

Edited October 17, 2022 by LongJim

keith · October 17, 2022

9 hours ago, UNT86 said:

1)      We started using a nickel package vs Florida Atlantic two weeks ago. We take out a DL and move the Devil, usually #44 Richards, to DE. We move #25 Thomas-Faulkner to the Devil spot and put in another safety. This week the safety was #22 Crosby who has been out for about a month. This was our best defense for locking down La Tech and creating pass rush.

2)      When we rush 3, we also have a spy on the QB. This lets our rush pick the best lane without worrying about contain. We only get in trouble when the QB is a better athlete than our LB.

3)      Since #26 Texada has become a starter, we have tried several things to cover for him. SMU exposed his height. He was not out of position, but when he had to play jump ball against a taller WR, he usually lost. Against Texas Southern we tried to run some cover 2 and give him safety help over the top. Southern ran a lot of trips into the boundary which put him back 1 on 1 as the field corner. We tried to replace him against UNLV and another injury put him right back on the field. However, you can see the results of film and coaching since then. He has gotten much better. He still gets picked on, but the only TD Tech got in the second half was when he missed a tackle.

4)      Our LB’s stunt poorly. Our LB stunts seem to just run into the fat guys and get wasted. Maybe it is because we don’t stunt much. Maybe we don’t stunt much because we do it poorly. It might just be an example of priority during practice time. You tend to get better at what you work on. I suspect we don’t spend a lot of practice time on it.

5)      Our defense got a lot better when #25 Thomas-Faulkner went to safety. He plays the short side safety that has to run support more often. Apparently other teams watch film because a lot of time and effort seems to go into matching him up in coverage. He does a lot for us that does not show up on the stat sheet. Many times he makes the play without being the guy that makes the tackle.

What the hell is this?!? Football talk on a football fan site? Don't you know this is only for people to complain about winning, our coaches, the state of the program, attendance, parking, the weather and the ref's microphone!

Just kidding. Great (and much appreciated) insight on what actually happens on the field. Well done!

Dannymacfan · October 17, 2022

Great info here 1986!

zenhuddy · October 17, 2022

Solid observations UNT86 - boils down to Bennett and co are putting our personnel in better places based on skill set like Faulkner is slow so move him, etc. The stunt comment I agree with you as I beat we don’t much practice it or our o-line is washing it out too ha. Thanks for the good review!
Now this week we need to figure out how to heat Harris up and get him uncomfortable as we won’t have the weather to help us out!

greenminer · October 17, 2022

Refreshing

MeanGreenTexan · October 17, 2022

Good stuff @UNT86!

I’ll add another possibility for point #4.

I wonder if it’s not so much “LBs running into fat guys”, but our DLs getting pushed into the gaps the LBs are assigned to hit.

Just basing it off of Gush’s body of work & how he understands PB’s defense better than anyone, VS Passwaters’ “experience”.

UNT86 · October 17, 2022

When our LBs stunt, it is almost always a B gap stunt. We rarely, if ever, stunt an outside LB. I don't remember the last time we brought the Eagle on an edge stunt. We don't cross our DL either. Even when we make a 4 man front with the Devil, we don't cross our DL. They just try to whip the guy in front of them.

My thoughts are that the pressure by the LB is intended to occupy a guard so he cannot help on the nose or end. Mostly however, the QB sees the pressure and dumps the ball where the LB voided.

Anyway, those are my observations.

UNT86 · October 17, 2022

It also looked like we put #25 Thomas-Faulkner in as the Mike last week and ran a version of Tampa 2 where the Mike has some deep middle responsibility. He didn't really get as deep as most do when they run that, so I may be mistaken, but it sure looked like it. That was a first for us too.

Edited October 17, 2022 by UNT86

EagleD · October 17, 2022

19 minutes ago, UNT86 said:

When our LBs stunt, it is almost always a B gap stunt. We rarely, if ever, stunt an outside LB. I don't remember the last time we brought the Eagle on an edge stunt. We don't cross our DL either. Even when we make a 4 man front with the Devil, we don't cross our DL. They just try to whip the guy in front of them.

My thoughts are that the pressure by the LB is intended to occupy a guard so he cannot help on the nose or end. Mostly however, the QB sees the pressure and dumps the ball where the LB voided.

Anyway, those are my observations.

You have a future as an analyst my friend.