What if you were the DC for Michigan?
This topic is primarily directed at those frequent visitors of the blog who have experience coaching defense, but any of us arm chair coaches can respond as well. I profess no knowledge of defensive schemes aside from what I learn on this blog, but here's the question:
If you were the Defensive Coordinator, what would you do?
Obviously you're stuck with an insanely young defense that lacks depth, experience, and in most positions talent. This question also assumes you're taking over right now and not during spring practice when you can really make wholesale changes.
My answer:
I'd run a conventional 4-3 with 2-deep safeties, one of whom will probably spend a lot of time in the box. My alignment would be:
DE - Roh
DT - Martin
DT - RVB
DE - Banks/Black
LB - Mouton
LB - Demens
LB - Kovacs (with a dose of TGordon/Johnson/Robinson here and there)
FS - Vinopal (yes, I know - but who else? Carvin?)
SS - CGordon
CB - Rogers/Avery
CB - Talbott (I think he's made mistakes, but seems the best in man coverage)
I think a conventional 4-3 is the easiest way to let the defense just play football and not over-think. Right now they're lost mentally and that's affecting them physically. This reminds me exactly of 2008 when the D seemed confused - and THAT defense had a lot of veterans on it. Just put the guys out there and let them play. Try to play man defense for those young corners, play two safeties as much as you can, put Roh with his hand down, and keep Kovacs near the line of scrimmage.
Yes, good offenses will chew you apart, but that's going to happen no matter what!
November 5th, 2010 at 11:16 AM ^
Kill myself
November 5th, 2010 at 2:41 PM ^
Just punch yourself in the balls repeatedly and I will feel better.
November 5th, 2010 at 2:52 PM ^
Snorting lines of Wasabi would do the trick.
And to answer the question, "If I were the DC of U of M football" I'd have a very simple philosophy. I'd tell the D, "Just tackle the guy with the football." That's something this D is having a problem with.
November 5th, 2010 at 3:47 PM ^
I'd run a basic 4-3 defense. It'd be cover 4 deep, cover 3 under, EVERY SINGLE F-ING PLAY.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:17 AM ^
make my hair white and beautiful
November 5th, 2010 at 11:19 AM ^
Honestly, I know nothing about coaching football...baseball is my trade (if I can even say that...) But I would just rush 4 or 5, 75%* of the time. If my secondary is suspect, we're not giving the QB any time to exploit it. Big hits on the QB, Alan Branch style.
* By 75%, i really mean i don't want to be predictable...
Oh, and Roh on the Line.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:21 AM ^
Resign.
November 5th, 2010 at 12:00 PM ^
A man's got to know his limitations.
November 5th, 2010 at 12:55 PM ^
Fire the rest of the defensive staff and tell RR that I'm running this thing my way from now on. If this doesn't work, resign.
November 5th, 2010 at 2:01 PM ^
Run the damn system your way. And maybe get rid of those that aren't seeing things your way as well. It'll be done this offseason one way or another. DB will see to that.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:22 AM ^
as Jibreel Black and play at DE. I would also try to have David Harris pose as Obi Ezeh and play at MLB. Charles Woodson posing as CC and play at CB. There! I win.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:23 AM ^
I would...uhh...uhh...
November 5th, 2010 at 11:23 AM ^
i'd have a lot more money than i do now.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:24 AM ^
DE - Roh
DT - Martin
DT - Banks
DE - RVB
OLB - Mouton
MLB - Demens
OLB - Fitzjerald
FS - C. Gordon
SS - C. Johnson
CB - Rogers
CB - Avery
I would blitz almost every down with either the SS, OLB, MLB, CB! This would cause the quarterback to get the ball out of his hand quickly in a passing down or have an extra defender on running play! Then I would pray that someone would make a tackle!
November 5th, 2010 at 11:33 AM ^
substitute thomas gordon for JB Fitz and that's what i would do.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:25 AM ^
Roh up in a 4-3. Blitz Cam Gordon at will. Bring Mouton or Demens up to the line pre-snap to show LB blitz. Make the RS Freshman with 137 passing yards a game and 10tds/ 7ints see the pressure before the play starts.
He has watched zero film with UM doing this. He will have had zero practice with this as even a possibility.
It will be like when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor....
November 5th, 2010 at 3:52 PM ^
It would require Flounder at DT, I'm not sure he has any eligibility left.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:26 AM ^
I know I sure would, norm.
November 5th, 2010 at 2:01 PM ^
and wash it down with a tall, cool Budweiser.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:31 AM ^
I know nothing beyond watching a bunch of football and playing a few years in High School.
First, I think I would make them do up-downs in practice. Maybe have them run through the gauntlet some as well. Next they would tackle some foam tackle dummies and run some sprints.
As for the game, probably run a 4-4 w/ two CB's and a Safety. I played MLB so the coverages will be arbitrary. Just keep mixing it up between man and cover-2 and cover-3. Then we would decide who is filling which gaps and whether or not the D-end or OLB has contain. Flow to the ball. Ready... BREAK!!
We were 0-9, oh well.
November 5th, 2010 at 1:29 PM ^
We ran the 4-4 in high school too. It is one of the most simple defenses you can have, which might be a good thing for this team considering the youth that we have on it.
The linemen and the backers each are assigned one gap. Each linebacker/lineman is one unit. So there are 4 units on the field. Before each play the backer tells the lineman which gap is his.
There are also all kinds of stunts that you can run out of this, and they are pretty simple too. Basic stuff like x's and slants. Blitzing is easy too.
The basic coverage is cover 3 with the corners and safety each taking one third of the deep field. The outside backers take the flats and the two middle backers take the hook zone about 15-10 yards deep or wherever the first down marker is.
The obvious weakness of this defense is in the coverage. You pretty much have 8 guys in the box all the time. But this is what substitutions and nickel and dime packages are for.
DE: RVB
DT: Martin
DT: Banks
DE: Roh
OLB: Kovacs
MLB: Demens
MLB: Ezeh
OLB: Mouton
CB: Rogers
CB: Avery
S: Vinopal
November 5th, 2010 at 11:33 AM ^
than admiring my hair in the mirror. I'm waiting for the TV to catch him holding a mirror in front of his face during a crucial third down.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:33 AM ^
my resume.........I see there's a high school in Grand Junction looking for a D-Coordinator...........
Defensive Coordinator
Thu, 02/26/2009 - 12:33 — Coach O
November 5th, 2010 at 11:34 AM ^
Speak up.
Assert myself.
Stick up for myself.
Don't take "no" for an answer.
Kick some ass.
And at the very last, go out with a bang.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:34 AM ^
Besides update my resume, i would put..
4 men on the line
Roh one of those 4 men with his hand down on an end
2 deep safetys with freshman corners in press man-to-man coverage
Send 5-6 to kill qb every play
and if none of this works, at least i updated my resume
November 5th, 2010 at 11:39 AM ^
You have 11 players
6 of them rush
2 are playing press coverage
2 are playing deep.
This leaves you 1 guy to cover a slot reciever, TE, or RB. Your Mid/Flat will always be exposed. You will also most likely get slanted and bubbled to death.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:36 AM ^
If I'm taking over now, the defense would probably run a 3-4.
DEs - RVB, Banks
DT - Martin
OLBs - Roh, Random Freshman
ILBs - Mouton, Ezeh
SS - Kovacs
FS- C. Gordon
CBs - Any warm body
I think a 4-3 would be the best alignment for our personell, but there's no way that your'e going to install that dramatic of a scheme change this late in the season. A 3-4 would be less dramatic, and to be honest, wouldn't look too much different than this version of the 3-3-5 that isn't a 3-3-5.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:36 AM ^
I'd be as aggressive as RR's offense. If we get burnt, at least the O is back on the field. It makes no sense to force the pace on the O side and then be passive on D.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:38 AM ^
http://alumni.umich.edu/sports/jim-brandstatters-blog/archive?post=17
Sometimes the game is really simple. Sometimes it isn't rocket science, and in the case of Michigan over the past few weeks, the reason for their struggles is simple. Thats what you get. You want any more, hang out on your web pages, and blog sites. Waste your time gnashing your teeth over what are the basics of the game...go ahead if thats what floats your boat.
Blocking and tackling, despite your scheme, despite all the other issues that sometimes cloud analytical experts of the game, are the basic fundamentals of the game. If you block better than the other guy, and you tackle better, you will ususally win. If you make the plays available to you when they present themselves, and the other guys don't, you'll usually win.That may sound too simplistic to some, but for the most part it's true. Twice in the Penn State game, Michigan had opportunities for interceptions, they didn't make those plays. It could have turned the game in their favor. A couple of more possessions for Michigan and a couple less for Penn State in a ten point game...big difference.I'm not here to beat anybody up. These kids are playing hard. The effort in practice and in games is great. Playing better is the answer.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:39 AM ^
I have a two part plan
1. Send Mike Barwis with a clone army of Mike Martins to invade the top 20 schools in the country and force players to transfer.
2. Then take the previously mentioned army of Mike Martins and have them "attend" a NCAA rules meeting and "suggest" that they should make an exception to the transfer rule for Michigan in the 2011 season.
---
The other option would be to offer the Mike Martin clones scholarships and play them at every defensive position. This just doesn't feel right. I mean an army of Mike Martins would probably crush the idea of competitive balance. As well as crush most other ideas, people and buildings for that matter.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:41 AM ^
Recruit kids that can actually get into Michigan, and kids that won't cause trouble when they get here.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:41 AM ^
Brush up my resume and get the suit out of the dry cleaners. Oh....and have a "friend" taste my food before I eat it.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:42 AM ^
When tackling, coverage, zone spacing, and making reads are consistent problems, then I don't think scheme is going to help any of that. I guess I would work on those fundamentals before I worried too much about scheme.
I understand the coaches worry about too many tackling drills resulting in injury. But A) we're getting pretty injured anyway, and B) fuck it we're going into the 9th game, fundamentals have to be a priority. Focus on teaching the basics, because they're sorely lacking in that department and nothing else will improve until that improves.
Other than that, I don't know that there's anything a DC can really do at this point.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:45 AM ^
I would have a drinking problem.
A serious drinking problem.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:45 AM ^
November 5th, 2010 at 11:48 AM ^
Since it has become painfully obvious (should have been clear without the experiment but oh well) that making big position and alignment changes mid year is a big fucking mistake (hello purdue and penn state) I would keep the current alignment as close to the 3-3-5 as possible, but I put Roh on the line.
strong DE-VanBergen/Banks
NT-Martin/Sageese
weak DE-Roh/Black
ILB-Demens/Ezeh
OLB-Mouton/
OLB-Fitzgerald/Herron
Bandit-Kovacs/Marving Robinson
Spur-Thomas Gordon/Carvin Johnson
CB-Rogers/Christian
CB-Talbott/Avery
FS-C. Gordon/R. Vinopal
Not much different than we have been running other than starting Roh at defensive end and brining in Fitzgerald for Banks. If you want 4 d linemen then I would pull Fitzgerald for Banks. Put Banks at DT, Roh at DE and run 2 linebackers.
For next year,
DE-VanBergen/
NT-Martin/Q. Washington
DE-Roh/Black
ILB-Demens/
OLB-Jones
OLB-Fitzgerald/C Gordon
Bandit-Kovacs/MRob (It will be really interesting to see if Kovacs somehow keeps his job)
Spur-TGordon/C Johnson
CB-Christian/Hollowell
CB-Talbott/Avery
FS-Vinopal/Freshman (hopefully Avery Walls or Clinton-Dix)
If we wanted to keep the allignment. Otherwise, get rid of Spur and start Martin next to Washington (or one of the current freshman)
November 5th, 2010 at 12:37 PM ^
November 5th, 2010 at 12:44 PM ^
Yeah, I totally fogot. Really hope he comes back 100%. I think he is good for one more win.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:52 AM ^
Base: 4-2-5
- Stud (strongside end, 7-tech): Banks/Black
- Tackle (3-tech): Van Bergen (Sagesse)
- Nose: Martin (Patterson)
- End (weakside 5-tech): Roh (Black/Herron)
- Backer (strongside): Mouton (Fitz)
- Mike: Demens (Obi)
- Rover (strongside overhang): Tom Gordon (Cam)
- Whip (weakside overhang): Kovacs (Furman)
- Corners: Whoever is best at bump man
- Free: M. Robinson (C. Johnson)
Coverages: Va. Tech robber, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 2-deep fire zone, 3-deep fire zone
Other packages: 3-4 for spread, Bear/46 for goal line/heavy
Whip and End are hybrid players. In 3-4, no subs; free moves to SS, whip moves to WS, End moves to weakside overhang.
In general, these DBs need help. How do you best help those in coverage? Pressure. If the DL can get it by itself, utopia. Otherwise, I'm blitzing with 5- to 8-man pressures, mixing up the coverages and disguising them.
People have argued that we will get burned deep with man b/c the technique isn't there. Well, we're getting burned in zone b/c the technique and the understanding isn't there. With man or zone we having trouble executing, but with zone there's the additional problem of not understanding one's assignment. At least with man guys know, "I have that guy." Furthermore, it's easier to shake off one blown coverage from the previous possession than 5 or 6. You want to destroy a D's confidence? Have them get their zone picked apart by a former walk-on making his first start.
November 5th, 2010 at 12:03 PM ^
This post makes me happy. Because it's logical. And it gets our best players on the field in their best positions. Which is a novel concept I know. The only issue I have is...
We don't have any corners who can play man when they are giving a 10 yard cushion at the snap let alone a corner who can come up, get a bump on a receiver to throw off their timing, recognize the route, and then stay with that receiver. I have nightmares of James Rogers whiffing on a bump and Posey sprinting up the sidelines all alone.
November 5th, 2010 at 12:52 PM ^
Only question I have is why put Marvin Robinson in at Free Safety instead of Cam Gordon or Vinopal. Isn't the book on Marvin that he is a man child but a little slow and stiff for free safety? That's why most thought he should be at linebacker. (Of course most also thought Cam Gordon should be a linebacker and Vinopal shouldn't have been recruited by Michigan) I haven't seen enough of him myself to really know.
November 5th, 2010 at 11:53 AM ^
I would tailgate my ass off before the game tomorrow.
November 5th, 2010 at 12:02 PM ^
5-5-5
November 5th, 2010 at 12:04 PM ^
I’d instruct the team to punch the opposing QB in the face on the first play. Have a walk-on do it, get him ejected. The whole game, go on the attack. Jam the shit out of receivers at the LOS, hit running backs as hard as you possibly can, and get in the QB’s face as much as possible. Make the other team think that the DC is fucking insane and wants his players to kill you. Once you have that, their will to play will be significantly less.
November 5th, 2010 at 12:15 PM ^
I would have the cornerbacks man up and simply run with the wide receiver and make the QB make a good throw. This should help a little. If the young db jams and takes away the inside he can use the sideline as team mate. Making for a more difficult throw.
On tackling, I would unstruct the linebackers and secondary to simply latch onto a leg to slow them down until other wolverines can come along for the gang tackle.
I would make the player run his butt off in practice if he tried to tackle a running back up high.
November 5th, 2010 at 12:17 PM ^
put my house up for sale
November 5th, 2010 at 12:23 PM ^
1. Take advantage of all that Gatorade (seriously, it is like free refills all day long on the practice field)
2. Load up on free Michigan gear (even those ugly pale yellow sweatshirts can be used as gifts for less-loved family members)
3. Swear. A lot. (What other job allows you to just cus people out all day? Great stress reliever.)
4. Do something outrageous in the locker room that will create a crazy internet rumor for years to come (Think Woody choking out Lou Holtz or Rick Majerus pooping into a towel)
5. Hope nobody notices that my playbook is copied directly from Madden '94.
November 5th, 2010 at 12:51 PM ^
If we give up 9 yards on a first down, I would make all my defensive players wave their arms horizontally and possibly talk some trash before the 2nd down snap.
November 5th, 2010 at 1:01 PM ^
I had almost forgotten how important rubbing it in is to a college defense. However, you can't just depend on raw talent to be a good trash talker.
I would spend every Wednesday of game week working with the fellas on new dance moves (with a specific segment of practice devoted to the Robot Drill), funny poses, and mini-skits, all the while reminding them that every single play, no matter the outcome, is an opportunity to show that you are better than everyone else.
For film study, we would watch the 2001 Fiesta Bowl and learn from Chad Johnson and TJ Houshmandzadeh as they dominated ND while racking up the 15 yard penalties for things like staging an arrest as punishment for all the horrible crimes being perpetrated against the Irish secondary.
November 5th, 2010 at 12:48 PM ^
We do a poor job disguising the blitz now. Blitz on third and long far more frequently.
Schemes and personnel changes won't do much more for this season. The defensive play calling is the only hope -- need to beat them at RPS.