The B12 (XII) Forum, home of the 'Front Porch, y'all' at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

Most teams with our injury list would be playing backup LBs as Safeties and hoping to hang on.

Now, the notion that I've got some brilliant idea to make it better is obviously stupid. The coaches are paid tons of cash because they're light years better at fixing this than I am.

However, small things should be noted. In particular, when was the last time rushing 3 achieved the desired effect? Our defense is built on aggression, and the longer you give a Big 12 offense, the more you're likely to suffer a long completion. Always bring at least four, keep the OL guessing, and bring 5 or more on 3rd and more than 6.

Most teams with our injury list would be playing backup LBs as Safeties and hoping to hang on.

Now, the notion that I've got some brilliant idea to make it better is obviously stupid. The coaches are paid tons of cash because they're light years better at fixing this than I am.

However, small things should be noted. In particular, when was the last time rushing 3 achieved the desired effect? Our defense is built on aggression, and the longer you give a Big 12 offense, the more you're likely to suffer a long completion. Always bring at least four, keep the OL guessing, and bring 5 or more on 3rd and more than 6.

That is not some kind of panacea.  It absolutely depends on the QB, and to a lesser extent the line in front of him.  Sending more guys on some teams is literally begging to get burnt.  Some guys can have extra time but can't process 8 in coverage and they freeze.  It's not black and white.  There's always a balance between what "you" do well and what your opponent does well, and knowing when to rely on your strength vs. attacking their weakness.  On the days the two align, you get blowouts.  Most of the time, you have decisions to make.  

That is not some kind of panacea.  It absolutely depends on the QB, and to a lesser extent the line in front of him.  Sending more guys on some teams is literally begging to get burnt.  Some guys can have extra time but can't process 8 in coverage and they freeze.  It's not black and white.  There's always a balance between what "you" do well and what your opponent does well, and knowing when to rely on your strength vs. attacking their weakness.  On the days the two align, you get blowouts.  Most of the time, you have decisions to make. 

I fully agree that it isn't some panacea. However, I cannot find many instances at all where rushing 3 works out. It's just a straightforward course, against the Texas defense, of hanging around until your receivers lose their marks. It doesn't matter how long a QB freezes. Against a 3 man Texas rush, he just has to stand there until the situation becomes clear, because it always does.

To be clear, I don't have a problem with the 3 man front. Actually, I like it a lot (although possibly let Keondre Coburn stay on the field). I'm just suggesting that, certainly when the pass is far more likely, Texas should bring extra bodies - the more unpredictable, the better, but always bring more. The chances of a successful stop, even including things like a misfire or dropped pass, go up when the time isn't limitless.

Without commenting on his sportsmanship, if you have Suh on the field, everyone else needs to stand next to a receiver while he throws bodies out of the way until one of them is the QB or otherwise has the football.

I'm not speaking of general defensive tactics. I'm speaking specifically of the abilities Texas has on defense at the moment. Right now, they should never try to defend with 8 while pressuring with 3. The three will never ever threaten the QB, and a receiver will eventually come open. I wish this weren't the case, but it's repeated itself too often.

obviously the same nod to outstanding talent pertains to the back 8 as it does to the front 3

if you have talented, intelligent, instinctive secondary personnel, dropping 8 works better

we dont do talented, intelligent or instructive and we dont tackle either

I'm not speaking of general defensive tactics. I'm speaking specifically of the abilities Texas has on defense at the moment. Right now, they should never try to defend with 8 while pressuring with 3. The three will never ever threaten the QB, and a receiver will eventually come open. I wish this weren't the case, but it's repeated itself too often.

Gotcha.