MGoCoaches: Why a 3-man line vs. Army?
Not sure why this was deleted when we have knowledgable people like Space Coyote on this board to make it remotely tolerable.
But I repeat. MGoCoaches or folks that have a deep knowledge of strategy and formations.
Why would we switch to a 3-man line vs. Army? It seems like you'd want more beef in the middle to stop the dive play.
What advantages are there to one or the other?
September 7th, 2019 at 2:31 PM ^
Need support and contain on the outside to protect against option
September 7th, 2019 at 2:35 PM ^
Makes sense.
So why not go 4 linemen, put your outside backers on the edge. Walk Metellus up with Ross, somewhat of a 4-4 look.
Play Hawkins in CF as the deep man.
September 7th, 2019 at 2:57 PM ^
And to have one line to take the OL dives while the other line comes in to tackle.
September 7th, 2019 at 2:34 PM ^
September 7th, 2019 at 2:35 PM ^
To be fair, he's asking a question.
September 7th, 2019 at 2:41 PM ^
September 7th, 2019 at 2:37 PM ^
But it's not a hot take...there is no take. It's a question.
I also included all the info in the title.
It wasn't "3-Man Line"
So fuck off.
September 7th, 2019 at 2:38 PM ^
It also warranted a real response and insight in the VERY first post.
September 7th, 2019 at 2:41 PM ^
Its a question idiot.
September 7th, 2019 at 2:34 PM ^
Because coaches ain't so smart. If they were smaht they would be doing something else. Also because ego and thwy think because "We're Merchergerrn!!!" is enough to win games. OSU doesn't fuck around. They could play the Holy Nuns University of Perfect Unbooable People and would unrelentlessy choke slam them into submission 62-0.
September 7th, 2019 at 2:55 PM ^
Ooooookay
September 7th, 2019 at 4:01 PM ^
Amen brother, OSU has the killer instinct. We on the other hand are like Ric Flair with 17 title reigns of much pomp and grandeur that no one has ever seen and were never the result of decisive victories.
September 7th, 2019 at 2:52 PM ^
I’m not sure it’s the 3 man line that’s the issue, it’s the fact we refuse to recruit an actual NG.
If you have a legit 325+ NG, 3 man lines are fine.
If you don’t?
September 7th, 2019 at 3:48 PM ^
I think because that's all the starting linemen we have, plus army runs outside a lot.
September 7th, 2019 at 4:00 PM ^
Especially when they attempted 5 five passes the entire game. Just a creamy defense. Put the beef on the line and force them to pass - seems less dangerous than playing into their running scheme.
Don Brown needs to go - we never seem to force the other team to go away from their strength like others to do us. Why don’t force them to be 1 dimensional?
September 7th, 2019 at 4:03 PM ^
The three-man front is fine. I have no problem with it. The first level controlled the line by and large today. A fourth man upfront removes likely a linebacker and makes the defense more susceptible to big gains on the outside. The 3-4 Defense has long confused blocking schemes on running plays because of uncertainty as to who the fourth rusher is.
September 7th, 2019 at 4:17 PM ^
Bc If we run a four man front then army doesn’t get to dominate time of possession, that’s why.
September 7th, 2019 at 5:23 PM ^
Rich Rod called Brown and said the 3-3-5 is unbeatable.
September 7th, 2019 at 5:31 PM ^
I ran the flex bone and split back veer for many years as as a prep OC. I loved playing against an odd man front. The 4-2-5 and 4-4 is tough against even when switching blocking schemes. The defense wasn’t bad today guys. The real problem is the offense and it is NOT a true spread. It is very much like last year and highly predictable. Gattis is NOT running this by himself. Shea is never rolled out and looks bottled up just like last year.
September 7th, 2019 at 9:42 PM ^
Excellent. I wish fans understood just what a deep well of knowledge & memory good flexbone coaches draw upon when figuring out how to adjust to defensive formation changes.
I was surprised today to see the number of snaps Army lined up in the "pure" bone formation - 2 A backs, no TE's. Especially in the first half. Monken doesn't run "pure" as much as Navy does.
It *is* interesting how little leeway Hopkins is given at the line. If they're running a dive all the way he can switch the side. But on a standard down if UM deployed something new Hopkins wasn't changing the play or blocking. That TO a minute into the game was a shocker.
Given that I would have liked to see more defensive movement pre-snap. Camera angles were bad but I saw little movement designed to confuse Hopkins. I don't think he's the smartest QB in modern D1 flexbone era.
September 7th, 2019 at 8:19 PM ^
I thought someone had recommended this link about defending the triple option. Seems like he really preferred a 3-4.
September 7th, 2019 at 8:21 PM ^
More men available for assignment ball ie. The pitch, QB keep, or even pass. A dive is hurt by a million cuts. Notice the operative word is hurt, not death.
September 7th, 2019 at 9:55 PM ^
Like a few other people have hinted at, probably has to do with who Don Brown thinks was most dangerous. Want the FB to take the brunt of the carries? A three man line trying to get penetration and force the triple team to happen a yard or more behind the line of scrimmage is a good way to keep the ball out of the QB's (or A back's) hands