How to defend that bubble screen- coaches help!

[florange44]

When ND threw that bubble screen ( like 30 times) we had 2 defenders tight and one deep. They had a clear numbers advantage. What options did we have there? Couldn't we have moved the safety up a few yards to only concede 4 yds per play rather than 8? Sure we are more likely to be beaten deep if playing closer. cant we disguise it and start tight and then retreat? or start soft and then press? also noticed that often the safety started deep and then back pedaled on the snap, when they were obviously throwing bubble. Coaching issue?

Thanks for any insight you can provide. Disappointed today, but we're not done yet.

Florange44

 

[Acuse]

Our option is to get better CB's that can defend 1vs1. We simply can't compete with their receivers so we go zone. It didn't help the fact that we were constantly loading up the box to stop the run.

 

[SmilinBob]

Have the team on offense run the bubble like SU. That my friend will be the key to success for your defense but you'd have to talk the other team into it first and on that I can't help you.

 

[memcorsu]

The read was that they threw the bubble when they saw the blitz. When you are blitz heavy, it means you are bringing either a LB, S, or CB and often times combinations of each. If you are bringing a CB it means that the S is having to move from the S spot to the corner allowing the receiver to get off the line of scrimmage and block down field. If you are bringing heat from the LB your are now causing a hole in the interior of the D with the S having to move down to fill. Therefor the WR can catch and run towards the center with the blockers blocking to the outside. The bubble is catching the adjustment of the D.

If you watch the tape, their receivers are getting off the line of scrimmage and blocking 4 or 5 yards down field compared to our screens where the receivers are blocking at the line of scrimmage and the catch is being made 4 or 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage (gasp!!! or at the line of scrimmage with the blockers and D jumping at the ball in a big huddled mass as we have seen to often). If you also notice, the bubble is much more effective under center. It does not allow for the D to set like throwing from the shot gun. Under center, it is much more like a quick slant. Throw it from the shot gun and it is more like a traditional screen where you are letting the D come through and tossing over their head except you have 200 pound receivers blocking instead of 300 pound OL.

If you want to defend it better, you need to get better DL who can get a push without having to blitz so much. It will also help to have CB's who can play press instead of Zone. If you are playing press you are matching up at the line of scrimmage which will clog up the line. If you are playing zone, the CB is either at the line in coverage and drops off through the cadence or is lining up 5 to 10 yards off the receiver.

 

[igor]

did fine. should have scored 45 though.

 

[retro44]

first you fire Will Hicks as N.D. receivers just manhandled our corners and safeties when it came to blocking.

wasn't even close when it came to S&C between the two teams.....Hicks comes on the cheap,something this University knows a lot about of

 

[igor]

first you fire Will Hicks as N.D. receivers just manhandled our corners and safeties when it came to blocking.

wasn't even close when it came to S&C between the two teams...Hicks comes on the cheap,something this University knows a lot about of

did hicks have anything to do with the 13 interceptions.

 

[retro44]

13 interceptions? I must have missed a bunch of them...My bad for not keeping up with the current stats