Agree and disagree, they are all bad. Only reason bacon looked better was because he got moved inside more and he was the one they would send on run blitz packages. He just got put in a position to make him look better.
Defensive Philosophy
- Thread starter CycloneKC
- Start date
Agree a lot of teams run a 3-4, but do any teams run a 3-3-5? I can't recall any right off. How many NFL teams only rush 3 players a decent shares of snaps? College and pro are different games, so not a huge fan of NFL v College comparison. IMO a solid college defense can be designed bend/don't break because college offenses struggle to put together 10+ play & 75+ yard drives consistently. NFL players are pros, it they make mistakes they are cut.
The argument centers on how does Campbell/Heacock get our defense to be solid enough to allow ISU to be a top 25 team (at a minimum?
IMO a big part of a solid defense is a disruptive unit. Forcing opponent offenses to gain more than 10 yards to keep the sticks moving and putting the opposing QB under duress. Below is the number of TFL** by ISU's defense since 2017 (when ISU switched to 3-3-5) & ISU +/- defense/offense.
- 2017: 96 TFL & 41+
- 2018: 95.5 & 18.5+
- 2019: 99.5 & 43.5+
- 2020: 87 & 31+ (12 games covid)
- 2021: 87.5 & 24.5+
- 2022: 64.0 & 6.0- (12 games no bowl)
- 2023: 69.5 & 1.5+
So the question is, why the decline in TFL's over the last 2 years?
- Scheme
- Jimmys & Joes or
- How much of both.
Then is it fools gold to expect ISU to have a better team next year based on the argument we have something like 18 returning starters?
IMO it's both. And the coaches get paid on how to make the Jimmy & Joes better and/or a scheme that fits our talent. Same decision process the coaching staff went through back in 2017 when they decided to switch from 4-2-5 to 3-3-5.
Oh I agree. That was kind of the point I was trying to make but you did it better.
To really physically dominate, you need the athletes.
The scheme has been found out and they csn't take many risks with the athletes available.
I was responding to the person who made the NFL comparison. At the beginning of the 3-3-5 we did blitz a decent amount. At that time we had backers who could cover TEs and backs in pass coverage or at least cover protection in the zone. This allowed eiseworth and isheem young to come downhill on run support. Those backers also could set the edge on runs. Now the backers fall for every ball fake and can’t shed blocks.
You want to know where our issue is……it’s a linebacker Corp that is completely substandard.
And that is what I meant. The overwhelming majority of the time, it's a three man front, only rushing 3.
Without Will McDonald (or an above avg DE, that just doesn't put any pressure on the QB to make a decision quickly).
I think Lanning was one who graded out poorly as a LB but also had that 'gamer' quality and seemed to make the plays while also being a spy.
There hasn't been a lot of that type even with good yardage/points stats.
He was smart enough and could follow the ball and deduce what was going to happen. Yesterday they would fake the handoff right and every backer would follow and open up the whole left side.
Yes.
If LB's are the weak link of the defense right now, doesn't that sorta say a 4-2-5 would be more ideal?
And maybe next year Jacob Ellis is great off injury, Kooper Ebel is a stud (and he looks like one), and McClaughlin and Willich get better
One point that I think needs to be changed game wise is no fake kneel downs. If we go blasting in on a kneel down we get a personal foul, but if they fake it, then you give up a big play. Either say a victory formation is an automatic kneel or allow defenses to blow them up.
Did Cooper play in the first half of the Bowl game? i don't remember seeing him until after the half.
Did not want to burn a year of eligibility, he's a freshman.
To me Kooper Ebel looks like the next strong ISU linebacker. He looked phsically impressive to me. He has quicker feet than the others and good size.
Sadowsky was a true freshman, rose started as a true freshman. I think McLaughlin did also. So I’m not sure why he wouldn’t play if he was better than what we had in the field.
ISU was arguably the second (maybe 3rd) best defense in the big 12 this season. They gave up the 2nd fewest yards per game of any big 12 team this year (to Texas) and 3rd fewest pts per game (to KSU and Texas). They put up a stinker yesterday but anyone pissing on the defensive philosophy, scheme, plan, etc needs to get checked as more often than not it’s putting us in a position to win.
My problem with the defense is we come out very basic, which has in the past allowed us to get into a hole that we struggle to dig ourselves out of. When you give a decent QB time in the pocket, they are going to find a receiver and burn the defense, that is why the key is not allowing him to have time to scan the field and find an open receiver.
Be aggressive and blitz earlier in the game, making the offensive lineman guess to where the extra rusher is coming from. I do not see ISU stunting or looping any of our D lineman, just a straight-ahead rush, filling their lane.
K State has taken the defense and improved on it, they blitz and keep the offense in check, we need to be doing more things like they have been doing instead of just settling for what we have been in the past.
Be aggressive and blitz earlier in the game, making the offensive lineman guess to where the extra rusher is coming from. I do not see ISU stunting or looping any of our D lineman, just a straight-ahead rush, filling their lane.
K State has taken the defense and improved on it, they blitz and keep the offense in check, we need to be doing more things like they have been doing instead of just settling for what we have been in the past.
KSU was better from a pts per game standpoint by 0.5 pts per game, They had 4 more sacks on the season but 3 less INTs than ISU and you want to use them to justify your case? The defense was not bad this year. You’re letting one game cloud your judgement.