3-3-5? Not necessarily
According to Rodriguez at Monday's press conference:
"I don't want to make the perception we changed our defense. We're going against some unique offenses, so we tried to put a package in to help us a little bit in the back end. We had some problems coverage-wise, so we try to do some things there.
"It wouldn't make sense for me to talk strategy for the next game. Each game, coaches come together on Sunday and we look at what we have in our package. Our base is the four-man front, but part of our defensive package has an odd front. Last game we featured more of the odd front, not just the 3-3-5, but we did some of the 3-4 stuff too in the last game.
"The next few games, who knows? It wouldn't make any sense for me to tell you now what we're going to do the next three ballgames."
November 3rd, 2008 at 4:44 PM ^
I swear I said that yesterday.
Edit: "We're probably going to a 3-3-5 for the last three games because it gets BooBoo on the field, and NW and Minnesota run a spread, and OSU will rape us regardless but probably will have a spread look with Wells hammering us anyway."
Close anyway.
November 3rd, 2008 at 4:57 PM ^
The thing that drove me crazy about it (I was in attendance): Why are we putting our best cover corner at safety? Warren spent a majority of the game lined up as the only deep safety (pre-snap). I don't understand this AT ALL. Maybe there's something I'm missing, but that seems like a step in the wrong direction.
He had Brown and Harrison in tight playing like a hybrid linebacker/safety position, while Warren, who hasn't played safety before to my knowledge, is the only deep safety?
November 3rd, 2008 at 4:59 PM ^
I have a reason. It's a bad one, but it's a reason: Warren is the best tackler, and as the last line of defense back there a bad tackler kills you.
He's also the best cover guy though, at least when healthy, so I hope this isn't a regular occurrence.
November 3rd, 2008 at 8:14 PM ^
November 4th, 2008 at 7:01 AM ^
Marlin Jackson made the switch to safety.
I would rather have Warren deep than Brown.
November 3rd, 2008 at 5:00 PM ^
Because any of our corners should be able to cover Purdue's WRs, but we needed someone that could be quick to respond to a short passing attack and get their fast and maybe tackle someone or at least impede their progress. I think, especially if Warren is a bit banged up (didn't he have a leg injury earlier this year) that this move is a really good idea.
I can't believe the coaching staff would put Warren at deep safety if their isn't a reason. I mean, it's not like they suddenly forgot how to coach.November 3rd, 2008 at 5:12 PM ^
November 3rd, 2008 at 5:34 PM ^
November 3rd, 2008 at 5:39 PM ^
November 3rd, 2008 at 7:06 PM ^
I don't know that it's necessarily, "Okay, what package can we put it in that doesn't involve Charles Stewart?" I think it's more of the idea, "Okay, how can we package this so we get our best five DB's on the field?"
Who are our best five DB's? Trent, Warren, Cissoko, Harrison, and Brown (maybe Williams should be in there, but he was out with a concussion). Then you figure out what alignment works best. It would be a waste to burn Cissoko's coverage abilities at safety, and safety is a position that requires experience/intelligence. Cissoko seems to be a pretty smart player, but he lacks experience. So you fill out the defensive backfield to the best of your ability:
CB: Trent, Cissoko
FS: Warren
SS: Brown, Harrison
November 3rd, 2008 at 7:08 PM ^
I think we're saying the same thing - essentially, that the 3rd corner is better than Stewart, so you put the 3rd corner at safety.