Sunday Morning QB ---

[AppState89]

Wonder what changes we made on defense that caused us to become SO much better?

Ask Woody, I am sure he will tell you. Probably has something to do with being more aggressive rather than bend but don't break. but hey, what do I know, you guys are the experts, right RJ?

With a minute to go in the game Saturday, Woody walked over to the end of the bench and told 3 players to wipe that damn smile off your faces!!!!! We still have work to do!!!!!!! Then walked off. They looked at each other like, WHAT THE HELL??? Then started laughing again. Funny thing was, we had the ball and killing the clock. LOL

[appgrad]

Wonder what changes we made on defense that caused us to become SO much better?

Ask Woody, I am sure he will tell you. Probably has something to do with being more aggressive rather than bend but don't break. but hey, what do I know, you guys are the experts, right RJ?

With a minute to go in the game Saturday, Woody walked over to the end of the bench and told 3 players to wipe that damn smile off your faces!!!!! We still have work to do!!!!!!! Then walked off. They looked at each other like, WHAT THE HELL??? Then started laughing again. Funny thing was, we had the ball and killing the clock. LOL

Woody doesn't seem to be the kind of guy that likes to let his players celebrate too early... Saw him light into them after a good series early in Troy game.

Results seem to speak for themselves though!

[AppState89]

Wonder what changes we made on defense that caused us to become SO much better?

Ask Woody, I am sure he will tell you. Probably has something to do with being more aggressive rather than bend but don't break. but hey, what do I know, you guys are the experts, right RJ?

With a minute to go in the game Saturday, Woody walked over to the end of the bench and told 3 players to wipe that damn smile off your faces!!!!! We still have work to do!!!!!!! Then walked off. They looked at each other like, WHAT THE HELL??? Then started laughing again. Funny thing was, we had the ball and killing the clock. LOL

Woody doesn't seem to be the kind of guy that likes to let his players celebrate too early... Saw him light into them after a good series early in Troy game.

Results seem to speak for themselves though!

I agree. I think it's hardcore for 60 minutes with Woody. I like that too.

[appgrad]

Wonder what changes we made on defense that caused us to become SO much better?

Ask Woody, I am sure he will tell you. Probably has something to do with being more aggressive rather than bend but don't break. but hey, what do I know, you guys are the experts, right RJ?

With a minute to go in the game Saturday, Woody walked over to the end of the bench and told 3 players to wipe that damn smile off your faces!!!!! We still have work to do!!!!!!! Then walked off. They looked at each other like, WHAT THE HELL??? Then started laughing again. Funny thing was, we had the ball and killing the clock. LOL

Woody doesn't seem to be the kind of guy that likes to let his players celebrate too early... Saw him light into them after a good series early in Troy game.

Results seem to speak for themselves though!

I agree. I think it's hardcore for 60 minutes with Woody. I like that too.

Related to this discussion, I also like that Satt has made some smart assistant hires that really show...Ledford, Woody, etc. Not sure if he had a day in hiring Sirignano as S&C Coach, but that seems to be paying dividends as well.

Just as important are the guys he kept around like Sloan and Cardwell.

Obviously, all this factors into the success this year just as much as scheme, player maturity, etc.

[AppFan11]

There were scheme changes and personnel changes that happend at the same time. Both played a big part in the monumental change in our D. We started the season (really games they liberty) w/ 3 deep look and cb's playing 5-6 yds off wr's. It was a much more passive.. don't give up the big play theme. Then after the Liberty loss .... changes were made... Playing Gibbs at cb, Stringer and 45 at lb and moving to a two deep look and playing press coverage on wr's and significant blitzing for pressure.... It all worked !!!!! All the players even as freshmen played better than the players they replaced. This is not a slight against those players..... but they are going to have to step up their game if they want to start again. It is hard to overstate the dramatic change in our D. It is mind boggling to think we were giving up 500-600 yds of offense.. to now games 6-11 we are averaging giving up 345 (factoring those first games in) I think if you just take those games we are giving up like 245... that is crazy good... We went from being maybe terrible on D to being the league best( really a shutdown D) in a season .... If we are lucky, we will keep Woody one more season.

[WVAPPeer]

All the guys you mentioned were playing since game 1

[AppStateNews]

I dont think the scheme changed one bit. The scheme itself stayed the same. It's just there was a change in play calling out of that scheme.

A 3-4 inherently has a cover 2 look with the weakside CB dropping into a deep zone to make it a cover 3 (hence the weakside CB was always at least 10 yards off the LOS). This is still the case -- we still have that when we play strictly our base defense. The difference is we are now dialing up blitzes. When you dial up blitzes, the DBs have the opportunity to play closer and more agressive since the QB won't have as much time.

When you are only sending 3 down linemen against 5 O-linemen, it's hard to get pressure so the DBs had to play soft zone in order to try to limit the big play. I don't care who we had at DB in the first 6 games -- Revis Island couldn't have done anything when we let a college QB sit back and read a zone.

[AppSt94]

All the guys you mentioned were playing since game 1

Wasn't Stringer initially inside and switched to outside? But I get your point.

[AppFan11]

Ok... lets take this piece by piece... While we have always played the base D ... for Woody... 3-4 ... The execution of it was that he chose in the beginning of season to try to get pressure w/ 3 DL and play essentially a a 3 deep look.... maybe it's a semantical diff... but while the players mentioned played at beginning of season they did not start but played maybe 20-30% of time.... what changed was that went to about 80% at mid-season. Also undeniable... were results ... Amazing!!!!

[AppSt94]

Ok... lets take this piece by piece... While we have always played the base D ... for Woody... 3-4 ... The execution of it was that he chose in the beginning of season to try to get pressure w/ 3 DL and play essentially a a 3 deep look.... maybe it's a semantical diff... but while the players mentioned played at beginning of season they did not start but played maybe 20-30% of time.... what changed was that went to about 80% at mid-season. Also undeniable... was the results ... Amazing!!!!

Pretty much sums it up.

[moonshine]

Haven't seen this article posted here so my apologies if I overlooked it.

"They crushed the Cajuns chances in 5-yard increments. They beat the Cajuns at their own game."

http://theadvocate.com/sports/ullafayet ... ats-cajuns