Is this the defense that has figured out the spread?

Submitted by sundaybluedysunday on

I understand that a lot of Michigan's success is predicated on the personnel but there's a lot there in the scheme as well, and after 6 weeks of mostly spread opponents, it seems to me like this could be looked at as the team that provides the blueprint for defeating the spread (both spread-to-run and spread-to-pass).

Of course it would be hard to prove without going up against the best spread offenses  (Baylor and TCU come to mind), but who knows if that will happen, and Ohio State should be a stiff test as well if they continue to round into form.

The keys appear to be:

-Multiple and aggressive in your fronts (size doesn't seem to hurt either)
-Hybrid players (the BUCK and a hybrid CB/S)
-Man coverage on the outside
-One deep safety

Components of this defense have shown up elsewhere, but it's the full package that really impresses. Curious to know what people think.

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LSAClassOf2000

October 11th, 2015 at 12:50 PM ^

I think that's true, and as I recall, the big tweak that Foster really made was take that old 4-4 (4 up front with 2 ILB and 2 OLB) formation that Jim Lambright developed to perfection at Virginia Tech and took one OLB off the middle and played him like a hybrid safety in addition to the 2 CBs and the free safety that were alread part of the alignment. That essentially turns it into quarters coverage that can adjust rather easily to the offense thrown at them. 

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FreddieMercuryHayes

October 11th, 2015 at 11:56 AM ^

Not exactly. They played an insanely aggressive form of a sound defensive scheme. And it did work well, but as we saw last year, even with great personnel, it's flaws were exposed to a certain extent. I think UM's scheme is more along the lines of what Patterson has been doing at TCU for a while (except this year apparently). I do think the HSP neutralizing the screen game is the game changer on this D. But, what makes it elite is the personnel. Regardless of spread or traditional, if he DL is in the backfield all the time, it disrupts all offenses.



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klctlc

October 11th, 2015 at 1:37 PM ^

3 1/2 studs on the DL at all times. They are physically outmatching most O'sL. Will be interesting against MSU and OSU.  But it helps to stop the spread when you control the line of scrimmage on every play.

Forgot to add, the true press D on the receivers. That gives your DL time to wreak havoc.  Either way it comes down to talent and coaching.  

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Zarniwoop

October 11th, 2015 at 11:50 AM ^

The spread is easy to figure out. It's just insanely difficult to stop.

To stop the spread you must have:

1. Immense, disciplined pressure regularly applied to the quarterback.

2. The ability to contain the run while doing number 1.

3. DBs that can stay step for step with receivers on 90 percent of the plays.

4. LBs that can clean up and stay with tight ends with regularity.

Now add about 50 lines to properly capture the subtleties that my ham-handed answer doesn't.

We defenitely have 1-3. Four is our weakness in coverage.

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Erik_in_Dayton

October 11th, 2015 at 11:57 AM ^

...to face a spread. As good as the 2006 unit was, English's response to OSU going four-wide was to put a LB on a WR. And in his defense, that team didn't have depth at CB. What I love about Durkin is that he understands that at least 50% of the offenses Michigan faces - if not much more - will be spreads. Your anti-spread defense is your base defense, and he plans accordingly. It's nice to be keeping up with the Joneses.

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BornInAA

October 11th, 2015 at 11:55 AM ^

Our ability to man-to-man cover down field and put people in the backfield every play stops any offense. We have the best DL and corners/safety in the country.

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Jeff09

October 11th, 2015 at 11:57 AM ^

The key to figuring out the spread is simple: win your one on one matchups between your D line and their O line. It's how Stanford started beating Oregon and it's our best shot at beating OSU

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BlueCube

October 11th, 2015 at 12:01 PM ^

Pat Fitzgerald. Basically Fitzgerald says that they thought they had a pretty good idea what Michigan was going to run in certain alignments. The problem is, Michigan would change what they did off that alignment and the Northwestern defense would be defending air.

The article spoke mostly about offense as if the questions were geared to what happened to Northwestern's defense. I think it applies on defense also. I think they mix up things plus we have some exceptional talent on both sides of the ball.

You also have to say the talent is a year older and may be getting better coaching.

Utilizing all these things is what makes Harbaugh a great coach.

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drz1111

October 11th, 2015 at 12:07 PM ^

Anytime, any level, facing any offense:  if you can get consistent pressure on the QB with a 4-man rush, you will win the game.  It hides any deficencies in your defensive backfield and opens up lots of flexibility to do things to handle the run.

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Mr Miggle

October 11th, 2015 at 12:19 PM ^

Of course having a strong DL is great, but some passing spreads get rid of the ball so fast that their impact is minimized.

I think the biggest key to their success is Peppers. He's strong enough that we can stay in nickel and dime the whole game without giving up easy yards on the ground. Of course that wouldn't matter if not for the great coverage from the other DBs.

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Perkis-Size Me

October 11th, 2015 at 12:17 PM ^

Maybe, but only to an extent. I do not think we'll be able to very easily slow down OSU much, or at all. I still believe they'll be hitting their stride come Nov. 28th.

Good mobile QBs have repeatedly given Michigan fits for the better part of 15 years. Until I see us stop one in a game, I'm not really sure we've "figured out" the spread.



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BrownJuggernaut

October 11th, 2015 at 12:26 PM ^

I think it's a combination of scheme and personnel. Having a guy like Jabrill Peppers makes everything easier because he can literally cover 3/4 of the field and if you put him in a position to cover that ground, he is going to make plays. Having a player like Jourdan Lewis makes things easier because he is going to take the opposition's top receiver out. You could go on about how awesome our DL is or how the veteran LBs have been showing up during this 3 game stretch. There's a lot to that, but I don't know if I would attribute the success to one thing (scheme or personnel or whatever).

Whatever it is, it's working.

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WMUKirk

October 11th, 2015 at 12:35 PM ^

The key to beating the spread was doing what LSU did, running a 4-3 base with 4-2-5 pers. We took it further we're running a 4-3 base with 335 pers. We have speed and we have power.

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michiganman001

October 11th, 2015 at 12:36 PM ^

Well when Utah went with the tempo, they did do some damage. However, BYU's vertical passing attack failed misserably and northwestern also runs a quasi spread that the d shut down. If Indiana has sudfeld and howard back, that will be a good test. OSU will of course be a big test as well. 

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