3-3-5 and Recruiting

Submitted by Fresh Meat on
Since we need more threads on the 3-3-5, I decided to start this one. How do you guys think it will effect recruiting? Personally, I think that scheme wise the 3-3-5 is fine and agree with the many comments earlier that it's more about execution and the talent than anything else. But that brings you to the most important point. Do you think this defense will prevent us from getting the more talented players who would make the scheme work? I have to just wonder a bit if some elite talent wouldn't rather play in a more pro-style defense. Similar criticisms are leveled at the offense obviously and you do hear some recruits say they don't want to play in the spread. So do you think this will happen on D? As long as they win I don't care, but I do think that running both a non pro-style offense and defense could hurt us from landing some of the more elite talent who are already eying the NFL. Thoughts?

MaizeAndBlueManGroup

March 25th, 2010 at 12:36 PM ^

From comments I have read by recruits the past couple years, most of them want to play the hybrid positions. For example, I remember several of our past defensive recruits saying they were excited to play the "quick" position. So no, I don't think having hybrid positions will hurt recruiting.

JC3

March 25th, 2010 at 12:38 PM ^

You never know what will happen with the defense either. If we are more successful this year, and Roh grows more, you may see more of a 4-2-5 look. Or if another linebacker or two steps up in the future it could be a 3-4 or 4-3 again. It's all about flexibility baby.

goody

March 25th, 2010 at 4:25 PM ^

They are running a 3-3-5 this year because of need not necessarily because that's what Robinson or RR wants to run. They are short on linemen but have a shit-ton of hybrid safety/LBs. Putting your 11 best players on the field is the mind set of the coaches ... just my epinion.

UMMAN83

March 25th, 2010 at 12:44 PM ^

would this be a D we would run as the situation required. Seems more logical we are practicing with this to improve this area vs. making a wholesale change.

Jedelman11

March 25th, 2010 at 12:49 PM ^

perhaps two of the best defensive players UM has had in the last 5 years and one is destroying it the NFL in a 3-4 system and the other seems ticketed to a 3-4 defense as a first round pick. If we focus on things like that, the recruits will respect that defense and come to AA.

Hoken's Heroes

March 25th, 2010 at 12:53 PM ^

...won't be complete until the 335th one! :) Getting MGOBLOG serious now...one can bet that many a coaches from other teams will probably neg recruit telling kids that the 3-3-5 is a bunch of jive.

steviebrownfor…

March 25th, 2010 at 12:55 PM ^

the way I understand is that it will look something like this: VanBergen/Campbell/Martin Mouton/Ezeh/Roh Floyd/Kovacs/Williams/Hawthorne/Turner i'm not trying to predict starters, more of an anticipation of what type of personnel will be on the field, particularly the secondary. Would Hawthorne be a Rover-type player with 2 deep safeties then? regardless, that is three mean mothers on the D-line.

Zone Left

March 25th, 2010 at 1:04 PM ^

No, there's an INSIDER source that tells me that KOVACS now runs a sub 4.0 forty and is THE NEXT NUMBER 1 PICK in the NFL draft!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! /sarcasm I'm sure Woolfolk is in there--hopefully he's able to stay at safety (if only because then Michigan's CBs should be OK).

Zone Left

March 25th, 2010 at 1:01 PM ^

I don't think it matters as much on defense. A good cornerback is good regardless. Offensive players seem to get more excited about systems with regard to pro prospects--primarily because a lot of guys from those systems seem to struggle to be drafted highly by the NFL.

Space Coyote

March 25th, 2010 at 1:23 PM ^

I think the style of defense could potentially affect recruits more than formation. By that I mean, if we run all cover 2 then some NFL teams look down on that because they are unsure of the CBs ability to cover in man. The others that could get affected are blitzing LBs. In the end however, there are teams in the NFL that run a lot of zone and teams in the NFL that run a 3-4 with blitzing LBs, so I don’t think any particular defense should change a recruits mind because trends in the NFL tend to have a lot of turnover.

Ziff72

March 25th, 2010 at 1:32 PM ^

The NFL likes big fast guys that can tackle and cover. They don't care about scheme. The only player that is effected by college scheme in the draft is qb. Florida played a lot of 3-3-5, I don't see any talk of them dropping. The only possible effect on recruiting is the negative recruiting that the dlineman are used to suck up blocks and not penetrate. This may or may not be true...but our counter will be B. Graham...case closed.

maddogcody

March 25th, 2010 at 1:48 PM ^

Besides the QB position... scheme doesn't matter to NFL teams. One coaches' plays and philosophy rarely matches the next coach. What matters most is having good tape, and having good combine numbers. If the college coach can put the players in position to have a good highlight tape, and if the player is a good athelete who puts up good combine numbers... he'll go high in the draft. Quarterbacks are the only players that really get affected by their college coaches' scheme. To go high in the draft as a QB, the team is going to want a QB that can step in to their system and execute early... otherwise they are deemed a "project". Especially if they never take a snap from under center. Thankfully, Rodriguez does have Michigan QB's take snaps from under the center from time to time. ----- Truly the best news for recruiting (and sending players to the NFL): If Michigan sticks with the 3-3-5 and has good defenses, it is quite possible that Michigan will be KNOWN for sending top safties to the NFL. Can you imagine constantly having good safties on the field?

ijohnb

March 25th, 2010 at 1:39 PM ^

I ran a 3-3-5 for four years with Texas A&M on NCAA football 07. My defense was dominant, and I consistenly won the recruiting battle with other top-tier programs, winning two national championships before signing my current deal with Florida State. Michigan's D will be fine in this formation.

In reply to by ijohnb

Tater

March 25th, 2010 at 1:58 PM ^

How is the 3-3-5 a "non NFL-style defense" when it helped the Saints beat the Colts in the Super Bowl? I see the 3-3-5 as a natural response to offenses spreading the field more at all levels of play.

In reply to by ijohnb

spam and beans

March 25th, 2010 at 3:28 PM ^

I too had great success in video game football. I would pass out of the punt formation and gain huge yardage. It didn't matter what down it was. Does this make me an expert in real college football? Probably. I just can't get anybody to hire me.

In reply to by ijohnb

burntorange wi…

March 25th, 2010 at 7:17 PM ^

did u just cite ur video game success as a reason that the 3-3-5 is a good defensive scheme to run? recruiting is always easy to do in college football and the scheme u run doesnt affect it in video games. in real life, scheme obviously affects recruiting. more secondary players will be looking towards michigan. u will start to recruit bigger dlinemen who can eat up blocks

Tater

March 25th, 2010 at 1:59 PM ^

It still comes down to personnel, anyway. When Michigan has enough players to compete on defense, they will stop people no matter what scheme they play. I am hoping that means this season.

dahblue

March 25th, 2010 at 2:49 PM ^

I've been away from the interwebs for a while, and I return to find that we have a new defense? Is that the deal? I'm not formation expert...not even close. I don't really even want to stuff that info in my head. Here's my question for those who know better than I: -If we're now running a different defense, how does that mesh with the "continuity" that we are supposedly breeding by having the same DC run the show in consecutive years? Is it not an issue?

Rasmus

March 25th, 2010 at 3:13 PM ^

this Spring. That definitely doesn't mean it will be used exclusively next season, but it does probably mean we will see it more often, especially against spread-based offenses. So in answer to your question, having the same DC allows us to run a more complex defensive system, one which now includes a 3-3-5. The ability to run variations on defense is a product of that continuity.