🏈 🏈 FALL CAMP 2019 🏈 Tide preps for season opener

[TerryP]

To be fair, you really have to look at all the different types of defenses we're running against spread teams as "regular" as opposed to actual reps in our base. Has to be way up there beyond 57%.

Regular is defined as the 3-4.
They were in nickel 57% of the time.
That's what the defense is.
I don't get "to be fair" having anything to do with alignments or terminology.

 

[TUSKtimes]

Regular is defined as the 3-4.
They were in nickel 57% of the time.
That's what the defense is.
I don't get "to be fair" having anything to do with alignments or terminology.

My discussion is more about the philosophy of defensive football changing at Alabama. Can we quantify statistically how much that's true? Should be right up your ally. Both @BamaBoyJosh and myself agree that "regular" could apply to the formations we are in most of the time, that's all. It's mostly how these hurry-up-spread offenses are forever changing the dynamics of what we get done on defense.

In 2011, Alabama had the #1 defense in the nation, giving up only 183 YPG. In 2017, Alabama had the #1 defense in the nation, giving up 261 YPG. In 2018, Alabama gave up 320 YPG, putting us at #16.

Starting with Duke, we will continue to see a lot more of our "regular" defense.

 

[TerryP]

Starting with Duke, we will continue to see a lot more of our "regular" defense.

What makes you say they're going to be in a 3-4 a lot more against Duke? Now, they did play regular about as much as dime against Lousiville and I expect Cut to attack the same areas. But, we're still looking at them being in nicket about 50% of the time. (I'll have to look back, but I'm pretty sure it was about a 50/50 split between regular and dime vs nickel.)

My discussion is more about the philosophy of defensive football changing at Alabama.

The philosophy has not changed. The team is in nickel as much now as they were five years ago.

There have been a few personnel/rotation changes but the scheme and # of alignments have remained constant. IE: Where we've seen three downlinmen get the majority of the snaps over the years, back in '14 Pettway and Allen were the two constants, Reed and Robinson had an equal number of snaps. (All based out of a three down set.)

In '16 we saw a lot of dime (and dime heavy) because there SDH was in the middle. He provided a different talent set based on pass coverage and with Roster they could get away with two linebackers most of the time. However, it was still a set based out of regular: a variation on the 3-4. We were still watching a lot of nickel. Overall, the season ended with the team playing regular about 10% of the time. (Close to 40% against LSU that season.)

 

[TerryP]

Bingo

How much of this is based on the character he plays versus the person he is?

 

[RTB X Bot]

 

[JoshB]

Which ties into my earlier discussion about actual starters and our "regular" defense. No way Surtain and Diggs are coming off the field.

I'm figuring Shy splits time at nickel and safety. When he moves to safety, Jobe goes to nickel. When Shy goes to nickel, Mayden goes to safety. I would expect both Shy and Jobe in dime. Just my guess.

 

[TerryP]

I'm figuring Shy splits time at nickel and safety. When he moves to safety, Jobe goes to nickel. When Shy goes to nickel, Mayden goes to safety. I would expect both Shy and Jobe in dime. Just my guess.

To date, and as we know these things can change in August ...

Carter has remained at safety in both nickel and dime. Jobe has come in for both packages as well. Mayden is at safety when they're in dime with McKinney at Money.

In regular, we're looking at Surtain and Diggs on the corners with McKinney and Carter as the safeties.

 

[TUSKtimes]

To date, and as we know these things can change in August ...

Carter has remained at safety in both nickel and dime. Jobe has come in for both packages as well. Mayden is at safety when they're in dime with McKinney at Money.

In regular, we're looking at Surtain and Diggs on the corners with McKinney and Carter as the safeties.

You mean base?

 

[TUSKtimes]

What makes you say they're going to be in a 3-4 a lot more against Duke? Now, they did play regular about as much as dime against Lousiville and I expect Cut to attack the same areas. But, we're still looking at them being in nicket about 50% of the time. (I'll have to look back, but I'm pretty sure it was about a 50/50 split between regular and dime vs nickel.)

@BamaBoyJosh has copyright privileges on the term "regular." And I don't, they will use the packages that let us best take advantage of their spread concepts.

The philosophy has not changed. The team is in nickel as much now as they were five years ago

The big changes I'm seeing on the defense these days has more to do with the packages that are morphing out of the 3-4 base than a few DBs coming or going.

The defensive schemes Alabama runs is a multi-look front that plays out of the nickel or dime just as much as it does the base 3-4. We've seen the Tide even incorporate quite a few 4-3 and 3-3-5 looks the past few years trying to get a handle on these new-fangled offenses. That's why we've been recruiting a different type of player and talent to make it go. Simply to nullify the proliferation of spread offenses.

In the beginning, I always thought that LSU's defensive approach vs spread teams was ahead of our own in scheme when they were running their 4-3. (see Johnny Football results) Stopping the run, even with all this morphing, either way is a lot harder than it used to be when we were devastating offenses out of our base.

 

[18Champs]

The big changes I'm seeing on the defense these days has more to do with the packages that are morphing out of the 3-4 base than a few DBs coming or going.

The defensive schemes Alabama runs is a multi-look front that plays out of the nickel or dime just as much as it does the base 3-4. We've seen the Tide even incorporate quite a few 4-3 and 3-3-5 looks the past few years trying to get a handle on these new-fangled offenses. That's why we've been recruiting a different type of player and talent to make it go. Simply to nullify the proliferation of spread offenses.

That's exactly what you're being told here. It's a 3-4 regular defense that has four, five, and sometimes six different personnel groupings.

 

[planomateo]

How much of this is based on the character he plays versus the person he is?

At some point, the two blend right. I wouldn't invest the time to find out.

 

[TUSKtimes]

That's exactly what you're being told here. It's a 3-4 regular defense that has four, five, and sometimes six different personnel groupings.

What I've been told is our defensive philosophy hasn't changed in the last 5 years. Which is exactly what I made my conversation about in the first place. The SEC has changed and changed dramatically in their offensive style. It's evolving as we speak, much less the last 5 years. It would stand to reason that Alabama's defensive strategy, in the percentage of defensive snaps for these HUNH offenses has as well. I suggested that defensive stats away from our normal base reps are changing accordingly.

It was also stated back in a Bama article in 2017 that due to the proliferation of HUNH SEC and OOC teams, the Crimson Tide is now a nickel base defense, playing with five defensive backs on the field approximately 80 percent of the time. Which sounds about right given how many SEC teams are left out there that we could actually line up in our base.


Evolution of a Process: Part 3 - New defensive philosophy | TideSports ...

 

[TerryP]

What I've been told is our defensive philosophy hasn't changed in the last 5 years. Which is exactly what I made my conversation about in the first place. The SEC has changed and changed dramatically in their offensive style. It's evolving as we speak, much less the last 5 years. It would stand to reason that Alabama's defensive strategy, in the percentage of defensive snaps for these HUNH offenses has as well. I suggested that defensive stats away from our normal base reps are changing accordingly.

And that's the point; the snap counts haven't changed. The sets have adjusted slightly from year to year based more on what Bama was fielding than what they were facing. IE: When you have pass coverage out of your linebackers (CJ, SDH) there's been a slight snap count change but the packages (nickel, dime, etc.) have remained constant.

It was also stated back in a Bama article in 2017 that due to the proliferation of HUNH SEC and OOC teams, the Crimson Tide is now a nickel base defense, playing with five defensive backs on the field approximately 80 percent of the time

The 80% number applied to two teams last season; ULL and State. The suggestion that Bama is in nickel 80% of the time, overall, isn't correct. Now, if you combine nickel, nickel rabbit, dime, and dime rabbit you are looking at 80% of the snaps being outside of regular. Just as one example citing the year you mentioned (2017) they spent 20% of the snaps in dime. The math, ya know? You can't spend 20% in dime and also spend 80% in nickel.

(The chances of the write-up you mentioned and its author not understanding the differences between nickel, nickel rabbit, dime, and dime rabbit are pretty high or...it's just lazy.)

 

[TerryP]

Inky spoke to the team as well this past weekend.

If things hold true I'm wondering if fans put this next guest higher on their board than KB from last year.

 

[TUSKtimes]

The 80% number applied to two teams last season; ULL and State. The suggestion that Bama is in nickel 80% of the time, overall, isn't correct. Now, if you combine nickel, nickel rabbit, dime, and dime rabbit you are looking at 80% of the snaps being outside of regular. Just as one example citing the year you mentioned (2017) they spent 20% of the snaps in dime. The math, ya know? You can't spend 20% in dime and also spend 80% in nickel.

(The chances of the write-up you mentioned and its author not understanding the differences between nickel, nickel rabbit, dime, and dime rabbit are pretty high or...it's just lazy.)

That's fine Terry. I thought about the nickel/dime packages when I read it. That's the point of discussion for me. And I think at least 80% accurately dictates how much our defenses have had to morph to small-ball with our schedule these days. To be frank, looking at this season's schedule, how many teams would we actually practice for out of our 3-4 base? Tennessee?

Last season, even we became a full-fledged, card-carrying member of the HUNH-RPO spread attack ourselves. A lot of Bama fans are waiting with baited breathe looking for code words to properly describe the kind of spread our offense is going to be running most of the time this year.

 

[TerryP]

To be frank, looking at this season's schedule, how many teams would we actually practice for out of our 3-4 base? Tennessee?

Based on last year we're looking at LSU, UT, and UArk. Speculation includes UofSC and UGA (if we're looking as far as the SECCG.)

baited breathe

I know you don't like to Google things...but, in this case, might take an exception.

 

[BamaFan334]

I'm not a Stephen A fan, but one thing I do know is that he loves Nick Saban and he loves Alabama. He knows Saban is going to be hyper focused and ready to win, and he appreciates that with our program.

 

[TUSKtimes]

Based on last year we're looking at LSU, UT, and UArk. Speculation includes UofSC and UGA (if we're looking as far as the SECCG.)

That's just it, it doesn't work that way. LSU is promising another spread morph this season. And SC has been using more spread techniques with their new OC last year. They actually ended up in the top 20 nationally with their offense. Big step up for them. If we are running base vs Arkansas, get ready for another defensive azz kicking. Morris has been on the cutting edge of the HUNH-RPO spread since his days with Clemson. We will see a lot more of the stuff he ran at SMU this season with his QBs in place.

I know you don't like to Google things...but, in this case, might take an exception.

You sound like a man about out of rebuttal.

 

[TerryP]

That's just it, it doesn't work that way. LSU is promising another spread morph this season. And SC has been using more spread techniques with their new OC last year. They actually ended up in the top 20 nationally with their offense. Big step up for them. If we are running base vs Arkansas, get ready for another defensive azz kicking. Morris has been on the cutting edge of the HUNH-RPO spread since his days with Clemson. We will see a lot more of the stuff he ran at SMU this season with his QBs in place.

You asked how many teams Bama will practice regular for. And, you got your answers. As to how they will practice in prep work for teams this season? You don't have a clue based on what you say.

You sound like a man about out of rebuttal.

Try this on for size. You've been told things in an effort to help you understand a little more about what's going on in Tuscaloosa. Even when presented with facts, you're continued an obstinate stance on many subjects. Out of rebuttal? Try out of energy to put any more effort into things like this.

 

[TUSKtimes]

You asked how many teams Bama will practice regular for. And, you got your answers. As to how they will practice in prep work for teams this season? You don't have a clue based on what you say.

And you continue to struggle mightily with the whole concept, Imagine that?

Try this on for size. You've been told things in an effort to help you understand a little more about what's going on in Tuscaloosa. Even when presented with facts, you're continued an obstinate stance on many subjects. Out of rebuttal? Try out of energy to put any more effort into things like this.

And yet you bring up Arkansas.