Fixing the defense - what would you do?

[Mr. Dynasty1]

ditch the air raid offense, so the defense actually practices against stuff it'll see every saturday (sometimes friday).

but then our offense will suck.

 

[JayCane20]

Getting rid of the nickel position. Playing Porter and OJ exclusively at the boundary. Playing a true 4-3 defense. Get Aguirre, Chase Smith, and Bobby Pruitt on the field in the extra LB role. Pruitt probably the best fit for how the position would have to work to still be effective.

Then letting Zaquan play safety. Or I wonder if Pruitt can play some safety? Maybe even try Richard at safety.

Or I’m having an open competition and challenging anyone to get live action at nickel or safety. Mack, Day, Stafford, Robby Washington, anyone.

 

[PennsylvaniaCane]

Keep the LBs at a normal set depth. This game of walking them up on every play isn’t fooling anyone and it’s taking away their ability to read the play. Go back to the toss sweeps against VT and the swing passes against Cal and our lack of depth made it easy for them to turn the corner. When we walk them up it also creates a huge void that offenses are exploiting across the middle. I counted 4-5 crossing routes that were wide open windows for the QB to throw through. Having a backer starting there could shorten that window as our DBs are slow.

If our current guys are making mistakes then we need to see ZP, R Washington, etc. at least they have the athletic ability and speed to cover for some other deficiencies.

 

[Canesfan1899]

Would mixing some 3-3-5 looks help, seemed to be a good mix last season but not sure that helps fix the busts in the secondary.

My changes would be more Frederique, more Patterson, and more Aguirre. I’d rather have youthful mistakes that can be fixed with reps than constant errors and missed assignments from guys 3 years in.

 

[bobbydigius]

I honestly don’t think we change a thing. Our secondary is and will continue to get carved up and most of our LBs struggle in space. I say we stay aggressive and try to create as many turnovers as possible and let the offense carry us.

This was my concern from the jump, thought we would get carved up by any semi accurate qb and I also thought we would be easily gashed up the middle as well. DTs have been serviecable relative to our schedule with Barrow has been very good though.

 

[Cane_J15]

I would simplify things seems like were doin to much i saw one play the big run in firet half they had where Baron an the DT ran a stunt an made it easy for Louisville plus the backer didnt feel the hole smh. Id also go to a more traditional 4-2-5 but thats hard cause it takes 3 safeties an Safeties we dont have lol. I really wish Kam an JW came back this year!!

 

[BigWindyCane1]

The solution is to develop the Canes highly touted younger defensive players, and try to get marginally better every week. For example, the Canes aren’t asking for anything extraordinary from the safeties. Just don’t hurt us and make the plays you are supposed to make. Zaquan Patterson can help erase some of these defensive issues like we see safeties do every Saturday across the country in college football. Patterson did it routinely at an elite level at Chaminade HS.

We have 5 games to get this fixed before the ACC championship game. Take it one game at a time and start preparing our younger players to contribute. We must see improvement game by game and the coaches and players share responsibility to get this fixed. IMHO, it can be done with a some gradual changes in our rotations in the back 7.

 

[Coach Macho]

I would move to cover 2 with a bigger DB at our nickel/outside backer spot (Demari would be option #1 for this, but maybe Meesh second) alongside Kiko and Wes.

The problem with the safeties is pretty clear, I would stack zaquan and mesh or zaquan and markeith. When we can get Damaris back im going OJ, Porter on the outside, Demari as my nickel. Even if we did this, we’re Going to be really thin with playable depth.

Not many people are talking about the backers lack of pass coverage. We’re actually really good against the run right now. I think we give up an avg ~80yd. I would roll with Kiko and Wes at backer, have Popo off the bench, maybe 3rd down backer.

With this we would have better safety play IMO. More instinctual play, less to process and fail at. Backers can cover underneath routes. DL does what it does.

Cover-2 is trash.
We're already basing out of 2-high anyway. We mixed it up between Cover-4, Cover-2 and Cover-6.

You can't run cover-2 with poor Safety play. It requires too much from that position.

 

[Coach Macho]

Id personally just go quarters coverage and send the 4 DL play. They are good about to create some pressure as is. At this point, we don’t need the defense to win us game. Legit play bend don’t break. Keep things in front and try to find a way to make them kick field goals vs 50 yard td.

Personal, I think ZP meds to play more. I’d also consider going three down and putting a Pruit or Bobby Washington in. At least if they get beat, they are fast enough to pursue to the ball

We do run Cover-4. That's our base.

 

[Coach Macho]

Getting rid of the nickel position. Playing Porter and OJ exclusively at the boundary. Playing a true 4-3 defense. Get Aguirre, Chase Smith, and Bobby Pruitt on the field in the extra LB role. Pruitt probably the best fit for how the position would have to work to still be effective.

Then letting Zaquan play safety. Or I wonder if Pruitt can play some safety? Maybe even try Richard at safety.

Or I’m having an open competition and challenging anyone to get live action at nickel or safety. Mack, Day, Stafford, Robby Washington, anyone.

Putting a less athletic player at that spot will make this defense look worse than it already is. You will get absolutely shredded with a the current nickel spot.

 

[Brains]

Score on every offensive possession.

Bench 7, 25, and 1.

Less Cover 6.

 

[dk72]

Simplicity is the mother of invention. Think we'd be better off playing base 4-3 Cover 2 on nearly every snap with this group. Don't get playing 5 DBs when 4-5 of them stink. Think we confuse ourselves much more than the other team when we show one defense presnap and shift to something else post-snap.

True. I think playing 3 LBs with Alderman as the 3rd makes sense. He's quick and would probably cover the TEs as well or better than our Safeties, plus definitely tackle better on running plays.

 

[Genghis Cane]

We do run Cover-4. That's our base.

How often do we run different variations of cover 3, just out of curiosity?

 

[BigDikDaddyFromCincinnati]

You do realize Patterson took half the snaps in second half right? So obviously a change at safety is already in motion. Keep up bud.

 

[BigDikDaddyFromCincinnati]

Solution:

Harris, Kiko -> bench
Zaquan, Popo -> field

Once Damari is healed, same concept with Richard or Hill to the bench.

 

[Coach Macho]

Get the **** out of all this 2-high ****.

If you have poor/inconsistent Safety play, then take some off of their plate.
If Safety is a weak position, don't play with 2 of them high all the time.

2-high coverage shells put more stress on the Safety position. They have to make quick 2-to-1 or 3-to-2 reads. They often end up playing man coverage on slot WR's who have 2-way goes. (see Meesh versus Cal)

Get in more single-high (Cover-3 Match) stuff. Cover-3 is symmetrical which means it's easily adjustable and not affected by "eye candy" or motion, and defenders won't be running around like a Chinese fire drill.
It'll put one of our sorry Safeties in the box, where they're not as liable to give up big plays or touchdowns. (Harris actually excelled in the box earlier in the season)

Cover-3 will keep the box tight and healthy, and requires less coverage responsibility from the LB's. Kiko won't be covering RB's out of the backfield as much, it'll be the down Safety.

Cover-3 (Match) protects the middle of the field and forces offenses to take outside throws (which are lower percentage)
It's basically man-to-man on the outside and zone on the inside... with a lot less thinking involved for your CB's and middle field Safety. (just stay down the pipe)
If you have some physical, long coverage guys at CB, Cover-3 Match is hard to beat.

It looks to be like Harris struggles with decision-making and angles. That's not a good recipe for a 2-high Safety. He has good length and plenty enough speed to be a down/box Safety. So does Meesh.

Find yourself a quick Nickel who can carry a slot vertical + one Safety to roam the deep middle and you're cooking with grease.

Our own OC (Dawson) told me it's the best coverage in football and he doesn't know why more DC's don't live in it. It's literally the most popular coverage in the NFL (@ 33.8% usage) and in the NCAA.

The issue is... it's kinda expensive. (aka takes time to teach)
And it's too late for that.

 

[Coach Macho]

How often do we run different variations of cover 3, just out of curiosity?

Rarely if ever. Guidry himself told me that he's a Cover-4 guy.

 

[Calinative]

Look right now the clear and obvious thing that should be done is Taking Richard out and Sliding Porter back outside. From there you rotate at Nickel and see who steps up. And I mean you give everyone a shot - ALL our CBs and Zaquon and Markeith included to play that nickel role. Cause right now it is clear that Richard is probably the single worst player on the defense right now, and Porter playing out of position significantly has reduced his positive impact.

The problem with our safety play is poor tackling and biting on misdirection basically. That is something I have basically zero faith in Markeith improving. Zaquan could be a solution there, but he just probably isn't ready (and unlike what people wanna say it is possible to be worse). And while everyone is putting all the blame on the safeties - and they've been poor - lets all be real here and say our LBs (and Edges, but imo that is mostly cause Guidry is calling too many DL stunts on run situations) have been incredibly bad at stopping or providing ANY help whatsoever outside on the edge. Like how many 1v1s with a RB to the outside should we honestly be expecting our Safeties to make every game? Sure they are getting beat too much on those situation, but they ARE difficult situations, and our LBs have been less than useless to help out.

Maybe the solution is a little less nickel Defense, and just having more 3 LB sets Or maybe you go to a crazy 5 Man front with Alston, Baron, Barrow, Mesidor, Bain, and and just let them play straight up with nothing crazy and free up the LBs to help outside more and play more different zones focused on making it easier on our safeties... There have been quite a few plays where we are stunting our DLineman and that is what is giving these RBs free lanes outside. To me Guidry needs to immediately cut back on that. Our DLineman need to start just winning straight up head to head. Give Offenses 7 on the line looks and drop guys into zones, and you can stunt a little on more likely passing downs, but these Run stunts/blitzes need to be scrapped. It's putting too much pressure on our safeties.

At this point I think Jaden Harris and Meesh are our safeties. I'd hope that taking Richard out, putting Porter at the position he's better at and not being as agressive on early downs and just letting our Front 4/5 Eat will NET a TD difference defensively. That is all we REALLY need. Our offense is elite. We need a solution that can be the difference in our defense holding teams to <30-35pts. We don't need some crazy solution that tries to get us to play defense that pitches shutouts. Just cut the big play rate and we are good.

 

[mojoxd]

Get the **** out of all this 2-high ****.

If you have poor/inconsistent Safety play, then take some off of their plate.
If Safety is a weak position, don't play with 2 of them high all the time.

2-high coverage shells put more stress on the Safety position. They have to make quick 2-to-1 or 3-to-2 reads. They often end up playing man coverage on slot WR's who have 2-way goes. (see Meesh versus Cal)

Get in more single-high (Cover-3 Match) stuff. Cover-3 is symmetrical which means it's easily adjustable and not affected by "eye candy" or motion, and defenders won't be running around like a Chinese fire drill.
It'll put one of our sorry Safeties in the box, where they're not as liable to give up big plays or touchdowns. (Harris actually excelled in the box earlier in the season)

Cover-3 will keep the box tight and healthy, and requires less coverage responsibility from the LB's. Kiko won't be covering RB's out of the backfield as much, it'll be the down Safety.

Cover-3 (Match) protects the middle of the field and forces offenses to take outside throws (which are lower percentage)
It's basically man-to-man on the outside and zone on the inside... with a lot less thinking involved for your CB's and middle field Safety. (just stay down the pipe)
If you have some physical, long coverage guys at CB, Cover-3 Match is hard to beat.

It looks to be like Harris struggles with decision-making and angles. That's not a good recipe for a 2-high Safety. He has good length and plenty enough speed to be a down/box Safety. So does Meesh.

Find yourself a quick Nickel who can carry a slot vertical + one Safety to roam the deep middle and you're cooking with grease.

Our own OC (Dawson) told me it's the best coverage in football and he doesn't know why more DC's don't live in it. It's literally the most popular coverage in the NFL (@ 33.8% usage) and in the NCAA.

The issue is... it's kinda expensive. (aka takes time to teach)
And it's too late for that.View attachment 308001

I could listen to you break down and explain miami's defensive scheme for hours. Are you seeing the defense playing mostly match quarters, palms, and man?

 

[Jedi Master Cane]

We do run Cover-4. That's our base.

You know more than most of us....but to me I think this part of the problem. That match cover 4 Guidry loves to run comes attached to very specific rules and landmarks....and I think it's pretty evident that most of our explosive plays given up are coming via straight up broken coverages.

Personally, I'd like to see more cover 3 and give up the underneath stuff. Most teams will eventually self destruct if you make them go 10, 11, or 12 plays consistently. Never interrupt your enemy while he's making a mistake kinda thing.