Going Forward

[Gonzo]

1. Pick a QB
How can we expect to maintain momentum when we switch QB's? I have NEVER been a fan of duel QB sets and I never thought I'd see the day when App ran one. It's not like this is some kind of ploy to confuse defenses when there is a strict and predictable rotation schedule. The snaps, switch. Over and over. Regardless of who does what. IMO, Kam has played FAR better than Jamal and he's also a future investment. Jamal is a great kid, but you can't just keep rotating him in for political reasons.

2. Lose the 3-4
Give Helen Keller a football. Put Tiny Tim in front of her to block. First down.

What is the obsession with this scheme?? We play 4 TO teams this year for christ sake. We don't have a dominant nose guard and, frankly, I'm convinced that we would still have a porous DL even if we did. John Law is a beast, but there's a reason a LB has so many tackles: the DL can't stop a MEAC or Big South OL. UN-BE-LEAVE-A-BLE


It's full melt down mode for me. Just trying to be constructive.

[appst89]

1. Pick a QB
How can we expect to maintain momentum when we switch QB's? I have NEVER been a fan of duel QB sets and I never thought I'd see the day when App ran one. It's not like this is some kind of ploy to confuse defenses when there is a strict and predictable rotation schedule. The snaps, switch. Over and over. Regardless of who does what. IMO, Kam has played FAR better than Jamal and he's also a future investment. Jamal is a great kid, but you can't just keep rotating him in for political reasons.

2. Lose the 3-4
Give Helen Keller a football. Put Tiny Tim in front of her to block. First down.

What is the obsession with this scheme?? We play 4 TO teams this year for christ sake. We don't have a dominant nose guard and, frankly, I'm convinced that we would still have a porous DL even if we did. John Law is a beast, but there's a reason a LB has so many tackles: the DL can't stop a MEAC or Big South OL. UN-BE-LEAVE-A-BLE


It's full melt down mode for me. Just trying to be constructive.

We have good skill position players, but it doesn't matter what combination of them we trot out there, they cannot do anything with no blocking. This is the worst line play, both offensive and defensive, that I have seen in my time following App. Based on what I have seen so far, I really do not think there is another win on our schedule this year. If we don't go the JUCO route and bring in some linemen we are going to get embarrassed next year in the Belt. All the years of signing no linemen has caught up with us in a big way.

[Appstate88]

Totally agree. We need to go recruit 5-6 junior college lineman that are Montana size (6-5, 315lbs). All remaining scholarship offers should be to junior college offense and defensive lineman. I would also find me a 240lbs JUCO fullback that will get us two yards regardless of who is blocking between the tackles. If we can't out coach then we better out recruit.

[AppGrad1]

I love the shotgun but when we have an undersized O line and we hand the ball off 6 yards behind the line of scrimmage it's tough to gain yards, especially on 3rd and short.

[App91]

My issue is these guys do not coach to the talent that they have. We have the worst lines I have seen on either side of the ball, but we play power schemes. Don't get it. Seems that we are playing future players to get experience for the years to come. We are not playing to win this year for sure.

Can we exchange Ol's with the club footbal team? can't be worse.

[firemoose]

2. Lose the 3-4
Give Helen Keller a football. Put Tiny Tim in front of her to block. First down.

What is the obsession with this scheme?? We play 4 TO teams this year for christ sake. We don't have a dominant nose guard and, frankly, I'm convinced that we would still have a porous DL even if we did. John Law is a beast, but there's a reason a LB has so many tackles: the DL can't stop a MEAC or Big South OL. UN-BE-LEAVE-A-BLE


It's full melt down mode for me. Just trying to be constructive.

In a proper 3-4 with a dominate NT (the 3-4 lives and dies at the nose) the LB's are normally the leading tacklers usually followed by the strong safety, depending on the variation used. The DL is supposed to take up a minimum of 4 of the OL's and hopefully 5 through the need for double teams, if they are any good (which is our problem), leaving the OLB's to rush or drop back in coverage depending on what type of offense you are playing. I played LB (both in and out) for years in the 3-4. Lead the teams in tackles all but one. Below is a Wiki article that explains it pretty well.

Back to meltdown mode.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3-4_defense

[hapapp]

1. Pick a QB
How can we expect to maintain momentum when we switch QB's? I have NEVER been a fan of duel QB sets and I never thought I'd see the day when App ran one. It's not like this is some kind of ploy to confuse defenses when there is a strict and predictable rotation schedule. The snaps, switch. Over and over. Regardless of who does what. IMO, Kam has played FAR better than Jamal and he's also a future investment. Jamal is a great kid, but you can't just keep rotating him in for political reasons.

2. Lose the 3-4
Give Helen Keller a football. Put Tiny Tim in front of her to block. First down.

What is the obsession with this scheme?? We play 4 TO teams this year for christ sake. We don't have a dominant nose guard and, frankly, I'm convinced that we would still have a porous DL even if we did. John Law is a beast, but there's a reason a LB has so many tackles: the DL can't stop a MEAC or Big South OL. UN-BE-LEAVE-A-BLE


It's full melt down mode for me. Just trying to be constructive.

Not necessarily a fan of the dual QB approach but we have done it before. Back in the late 90's with Jeremiah and Reeves.

[App91]

^As they say, if you have 2 equal QB's, you do not have 1.

[Dazed and Confused '13]

I was particularly surprised by our defensive effort (or lack thereof) yesterday, because I thought our D hadn't played that bad at all in the first three games. I was even more surprised considering that we were going against an offense that was substantially similar to Wofford's (a semi wishbone), which is what Coach Woody has faced in practice everyday for the past years.

I really believe football is a game of leverage and angles, and yesterday CSU kicked our ass in terms of physicality and leverage. They played lower and more physical.

But let's keep in mind that our defense truly is a work in progress at this point. New DC, new scheme, new players (Frazier played offense the last two years, Blalock just got switched to OLB, Law is substantially a first year player). That does play a part. We have plenty of talent: we just got to put together.

I'll tell you what boys: call me crazy, but I have the utmost respect and trust for Coach Woody and his staff. I really do believe he's a first class coach. But implementing a whole new defensive structure doesn't happen over night. Plus, the fact that our LBs are racking up so many tackles should not be concerning (as explained very well by somebody else): the linemen's job is that of putting the LBs in the condition to make the play. Plus, as a philosophy we "spill" as opposed to "turn"; which means we teach our defensive people to take on blockers on the outside shoulder to spill plays to our speed players. I know that because Woody himself told me that at the last clinic.
And I may be wrong on this, but I don't think a 3-4 is necessarily predicated upon having an extra-large d-line. It is if you ask your linemen to double gap, but if you simply line'em up in gaps quickness is preferable to size (which is the reason why Woody asked his d-linemen to trim down). For example, my HS runs a 3-5 and we used to place a smaller, quicker guy at nose (on a shade). It just depends.

Oh and we didn't have Blair yesterday.

[bcoach]

I keep reading about hiring Woody because he is so great at defending the triple option. How many teams in the Sun Belt run the TO?

[Yosef84]

I keep reading about hiring Woody because he is so great at defending the triple option. How many teams in the Sun Belt run the TO?

I don't think that Woody was hired BECAUSE he was so great at defending the tripple option. That is a comment that has been made and repeated ad infinitum on this board, but I wouldn't think it would drive a hiring decision. After this year, GaSo will be the only triple option team we see on a regular basis. The CSU version of the triple option doesn't look much like what we have seen in the SoCon. They throw the ball much more than Wofford, GaSo or The Citadel.

For the record, we defended the triple option pretty well yesterday for the most part. The play we couldn't stop was a straight forward dive play up the gut.

[TheMoody1]

I keep reading about hiring Woody because he is so great at defending the triple option. How many teams in the Sun Belt run the TO?

Except for a certain Halloween game, his defenses always played well against App offenses.

[bcoach]

I keep reading about hiring Woody because he is so great at defending the triple option. How many teams in the Sun Belt run the TO?

I don't think that Woody was hired BECAUSE he was so great at defending the tripple option. That is a comment that has been made and repeated ad infinitum on this board, but I wouldn't think it would drive a hiring decision. After this year, GaSo will be the only triple option team we see on a regular basis. The CSU version of the triple option doesn't look much like what we have seen in the SoCon. They throw the ball much more than Wofford, GaSo or The Citadel.

For the record, we defended the triple option pretty well yesterday for the most part. The play we couldn't stop was a straight forward dive play up the gut.

Kind of what I thought as far as the reason. I really didn't know how many times we would be facing it next year though. As far as the past he had to face one less TO team than we did actually so he must have done ok against other offenses .

[bcoach]

I keep reading about hiring Woody because he is so great at defending the triple option. How many teams in the Sun Belt run the TO?

Except for a certain Halloween game, his defenses always played well against App offenses.

For sure. No argument.

[AppAttack]

I agree completely. I'm by no means a football coach but I've never understood the 3-4. You're giving them big huge running lanes and 5 yards before the linebacker touches them. It's like a prevent defense. You aren't getting pressure on the QB with 3 and not sending one of the LB's. You cannot give the QB all day. Give me my 4 linemen back! Two great rush ends and two big pluggers up the middle. We sorely need size on the DL. Their OL and just about anybody we face will be able to push us around. You can see that before the game even starts from the 100th row. Sure they made a play here and there on first down but the are going to wear down since they can't get pressure and get off the field. Need some size on the OL too. If you can't get 2 yards in 2 plays against FCS competition, especially with a mobie QB, you're in trouble. And stop lining up 5-6 yards behind the line when you need a foot. These last 5 years recruting the lines and losing all those great coaches has led to this.

1. 4-3 defense, get pressure on qb
2. future size on the DL (look at juco)
3. future size on the OL (look at juco)
4. go with Kam for the future
5. under center on short yardage
6. no more stupid penalties

[Deano]

I looked up the stats in the NFL for defenses that were using the 3-4 vs the 4-3 and found that the teams with defenses who were leading with sacks and are usually the power contenders are the teams with a 3-4 defense. Its easier to disguise blitzes with the 3-4. But obviously we are not in the NFL and I think with our size up front we need to go back to the base 4-3. At least the 4-3 will help us with those teams that like to run. Maybe the 3-4 is much more confusing for our guys to understand in their heads as to who their assignments are.

[GoApps70]

Doubt we are going to change our whole defense 6th game Saturday of the season.

[asumike83]

My $.02:

1) 'Fire Satterfield' talks are premature and counterproductive. He has made some rookie mistakes as it relates to clock management and late-game situations but he's also been given some adverse situations to deal with. Like the players, he has to get better but calling for his job after 4 games is just silly.

2) Has been talked about some but the effects of being without an impact player in every game this season can't be overlooked. No coincidence that the offense is averaging 150 YPG more with Price and the defense is allowing 60 YPG more without Blair. Price is the one player who commands safety help every play and opens the offense up for everyone else. Blair is App's only defensive lineman who can consistently disrupt the line of scrimmage. They have both been sorely missed.

Yes, the gap between App and CSU/A&T should be large enough that one key loss should be easy to shake off but in a pair of games decided by a field goal, it mattered. In the two games the offense has been able to hold up their end, the defense has been without far and away their best defensive lineman.

3) Woody is a 3-4 coach, the alignment is not changing. Worth mentioning that he was hired about a month before signing day and he has not had a chance to recruit for his system. The App defense gave up 29 PPG and over 400 YPG a year ago. From that group, 4 senior all-conference players graduated. There is a freshman on the 2-deep at 9 of 11 positions on defense and even the veterans are adjusting to a new system.

The performances, especially at home, are unacceptable and the team has to get better. It is downright hard to watch at times but the young guys are getting valuable game experience and there is still time to get better heading into the SBC.

[24AppState]

Speaking of Blair, what is his status? At one point someone mentioned a redshirt? Any chance of us getting Blair back this year?

[ASUMountaineer]

My $.02:

1) 'Fire Satterfield' talks are premature and counterproductive. He has made some rookie mistakes as it relates to clock management and late-game situations but he's also been given some adverse situations to deal with. Like the players, he has to get better but calling for his job after 4 games is just silly.

2) Has been talked about some but the effects of being without an impact player in every game this season can't be overlooked. No coincidence that the offense is averaging 150 YPG more with Price and the defense is allowing 60 YPG more without Blair. Price is the one player who commands safety help every play and opens the offense up for everyone else. Blair is App's only defensive lineman who can consistently disrupt the line of scrimmage. They have both been sorely missed.

Yes, the gap between App and CSU/A&T should be large enough that one key loss should be easy to shake off but in a pair of games decided by a field goal, it mattered. In the two games the offense has been able to hold up their end, the defense has been without far and away their best defensive lineman.

3) Woody is a 3-4 coach, the alignment is not changing. Worth mentioning that he was hired about a month before signing day and he has not had a chance to recruit for his system. The App defense gave up 29 PPG and over 400 YPG a year ago. From that group, 4 senior all-conference players graduated. There is a freshman on the 2-deep at 9 of 11 positions on defense and even the veterans are adjusting to a new system.

The performances, especially at home, are unacceptable and the team has to get better. It is downright hard to watch at times but the young guys are getting valuable game experience and there is still time to get better heading into the SBC.

I'm always jealous of your well-reasoned and fact-filled posts.