Our D is 3rd Nationally in 3rd down conversations

[Crusty]

We are allowing only 23.8% third down conversions 25 out of 105. Only Michigan and Virginia Tech are better (by less than 70 basis points).
Very impressive.

 

[Trueblue25]

Paris Bennet, Chris Slayton and Zaire pretty much form the Bermuda Triangle for 3rd down possessions.


Jonathan Thomas has been impressive getting to the QB on 2nd and third downs as well this year.

 

[721Comstock]

We are allowing only 23.8% third down conversions 25 out of 105. Only Michigan and Virginia Tech are better (by less than 70 basis points).
Very impressive.

And that's action, not just conversation!

 

[Chip]

Paris Bennet, Chris Slayton and Zaire pretty much form the Bermuda Triangle for 3rd down possessions.


Jonathan Thomas has been impressive getting to the QB on 2nd and third downs as well this year.

Frederick is making a lot of plays as well.

 

[Trueblue25]

Frederick is making a lot of plays as well.

Scoop was too. Our defense has a lot of guys that just get it done.

 

[nzm136]

We are allowing only 23.8% third down conversions 25 out of 105. Only Michigan and Virginia Tech are better (by less than 70 basis points).
Very impressive.

THIS stat is big IMHO

 

[TheCusian]

THIS stat is big IMHO

Agree. We are good at getting third downs on O too, and 4th down % is good.

We need to do better on 1st down - that can really get us going tempo-wise.

 

[sufandu]

What's interesting is that we're doing it without getting many sacks or int's. It's like we lure them into a false sense of confidence by getting them to 3rd and short then stuff their 3rd down run. I'm ecstatic about the progress this D has made this year.

 

[blizz]

Yep. Tampa 2 doesn't work in D1 college ball.

 

[sufandu]

Yep. Tampa 2 doesn't work in D1 college ball.

I don't think we're actually playing that much pure tampa 2. Some of the coaches can correct me if I'm wrong. Before the season we were told that we'd use the blitz more this year, and we're seeing that. I think they adapted to the strengths of our current personnel. I expect to see less of that in the next year or two as we get more pieces in place to run it.

 

[PAcuse]

I don't think we're actually playing that much pure tampa 2. Some of the coaches can correct me if I'm wrong. Before the season we were told that we'd use the blitz more this year, and we're seeing that. I think they adapted to the strengths of our current personnel. I expect to see less of that in the next year or two as we get more pieces in place to run it.

I've found some good articles on blitzing in the Tampa 2. You are correct it needs to be adapted to the strengths of your personnel. Take Dungey's Bus they only blitzed around 11% of the time because they got so much good pressure from the front four. The link I attached gives a good overview of blitzing in the Tampa 2.
BLITZOLOGY: Tampa 2 Pressure

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

I don't think we're actually playing that much pure tampa 2. Some of the coaches can correct me if I'm wrong. Before the season we were told that we'd use the blitz more this year, and we're seeing that. I think they adapted to the strengths of our current personnel. I expect to see less of that in the next year or two as we get more pieces in place to run it.

Still playing mostly zone coverage.

 

[CIL]

We do an excellent job of stuffing the run on first downs...Ward is doing an excellent job of dialing up run blitzes. Sure we have burned a few times on long runs away from the blitz, but we really like putting teams in 2nd and long situations.

 

[upperdeck]

I dont think that some of the issues sat were losing Scoop and Dowels as well so that we had almost no rotation for most of the game at many spots.. We had 3 dbs and a 4th we played and started the year with 4 safeties as well.. we played last game with 1 of our top 4 corners and almost no rotation at safety in a nasty hot physical sticky game. one other DB trying to play with one hand and one safety limping around all game.. getting 1-2 DBs back and 1-2 Dls back in two weeks would be huge to the rotation we want to stay fresh.

 

[KaiserUEO]

Scheming the way to great success and stats.

Just wait till the talent catches up to the coaching acumen.

 

[SoBristol]

I don't think we're actually playing that much pure tampa 2. Some of the coaches can correct me if I'm wrong. Before the season we were told that we'd use the blitz more this year, and we're seeing that. I think they adapted to the strengths of our current personnel. I expect to see less of that in the next year or two as we get more pieces in place to run it.

The staff started using more blitzing in the second half of the 2016 season. I think Ward was learning on the fly about what works and what does not work in the ACC. We weren't getting QB pressures without mixing in blitzing -- didn't have the DEs to get pressure. Our DEs are better this season with the JUCO additions (and Coleman would be adding to that if he were healthy), but we still need to rush 5 to create any pressure. Not sure what you mean by "more pieces in place" to run Tampa 4 -- better DL? better LBs? better DBs? I hope Ward sticks with an aggressive defense, mixing in blitzing, even as our talent improves.

 

[sufandu]

The staff started using more blitzing in the second half of the 2016 season. I think Ward was learning on the fly about what works and what does not work in the ACC. We weren't getting QB pressures without mixing in blitzing -- didn't have the DEs to get pressure. Our DEs are better this season with the JUCO additions (and Coleman would be adding to that if he were healthy), but we still need to rush 5 to create any pressure. Not sure what you mean by "more pieces in place" to run Tampa 4 -- better DL? better LBs? better DBs? I hope Ward sticks with an aggressive defense, mixing in blitzing, even as our talent improves.

Yeah, the blitzing started last year. I thougnt we saw some improvement too, at least until the Pitt game. What I meant was primarily LB's that can cover in a zone, and DE's that can get pressure without help. I think we've seen the change in LB's from how they've recruited, at least from the standpoint of measureables, we're a lot longer. I think consistently getting DE's that can rush the passer will always be a bigger challenge. I'm happy to see that we have a staff that is willing to adapt versus one that stubbornly sticks to what they've always done.

 

[sufandu]

Still playing mostly zone coverage.

That doesn't necessarily mean it's tampa 2, does it? We use a lot of 3 down lineman with 8 in coverage on 3rd and long and bring blitzes on early downs.

 

[sufandu]

I've found some good articles on blitzing in the Tampa 2. You are correct it needs to be adapted to the strengths of your personnel. Take Dungey's Bus they only blitzed around 11% of the time because they got so much good pressure from the front four. The link I attached gives a good overview of blitzing in the Tampa 2.
BLITZOLOGY: Tampa 2 Pressure

I didn't mean to imply you can't blitz out of it, just that a pure tampa 2 usually has the LB's in coverage on the pass and reading/reacting to the run. Somebody (maybe it was you) linked some good stuff before last season about blitzing out of it. I assume HCDB wants to get to the Dungey version of it. It'll be interesting to look back 5 years from now and see how things evolve.

Incidentally, I always thought Dungey's Indianapolis teams were too weak at d tackle to run it the way Dungey liked to. When they got a quick lead and could unleash Freeney and Mathis on the QB it was great. When they played teams that were strong running up the middle it wasn't. The strength of your run defense shouldn't depend on an injury prone Bob Sanders shooting up like a missle to make the tackle.