How do you stop TTech?

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

Haven't read the whole thread, so if this has been mentioned, I don't mean to belabor the point.....

First, TTU uses insane gaps.... BB73 and I discussed this last time he was in town... we can't understand why you don't have your linemen line up in those gaps. I don't care how fast your O-Line's first step is, if you explode off the ball on the defensive side, you should have a slight advantage.... don't be cute, just shoot the gap.

Second, so much of TTU's game is timing based. Jam the WRs at the line to throw that off. You'll need the athletes to be able to go 1:1 with help over top, I think, to make that work... Likewise, if you go Zone, I think you have to be very cognizant of the holes in that coverage. TTU is very good at sitting down in the holes. Change the holes.. make them in places they're not used to throwing, or going to. Likewise, I think you have to give TTU different looks to worry about. Drop a DE in to coverage.. things like that. Likewise, back to the jamming of WRs... so many of TTUs success is from the quick pass (3 step drops) if you press, those passes are less likely to succeed (especially as a primary read)... if your Linemen are in the gaps and shooting them, you CAN pressure Harrell.

Just my thoughts.

 

[mercer_buckeye]

And cover their five receivers with 4 players? You're going to set a record for YAC allowed.

That. Was a joke fucknut.

 

[LitlBuck]

Haven't read the whole thread, so if this has been mentioned, I don't mean to belabor the point.....

First, TTU uses insane gaps.... BB73 and I discussed this last time he was in town... we can't understand why you don't have your linemen line up in those gaps. I don't care how fast your O-Line's first step is, if you explode off the ball on the defensive side, you should have a slight advantage.... don't be cute, just shoot the gap.

I know that you and BB73 know quite a bit about football but I would have to think that there is some football reason opposing coaches have not tried that. It seems so logical but there must be some type of drawback to that philosophy.

Second, so much of TTU's game is timing based. Jam the WRs at the line to throw that off. You'll need the athletes to be able to go 1:1 with help over top, I think, to make that work... Likewise, if you go Zone, I think you have to be very cognizant of the holes in that coverage. TTU is very good at sitting down in the holes. Change the holes.. make them in places they're not used to throwing, or going to. Likewise, I think you have to give TTU different looks to worry about. Drop a DE in to coverage.. things like that. Likewise, back to the jamming of WRs... so many of TTUs success is from the quick pass (3 step drops) if you press, those passes are less likely to succeed (especially as a primary read)... if your Linemen are in the gaps and shooting them, you CAN pressure Harrell.

As you mentioned, to jam their WRs at the line of scrimmage you have to have the athletes and I don't think there are many teams in the country that have enough athletes to jam all of the Texas Tech WR's. I think going zone against them would be a disaster with the arm that Harrell has. He does not waste much time releasing it and the ball gets to his receivers pretty fast. Again, there must be a football reason for not having the defensive linemen shoot those gaps. I don't know what it is but there must be a reason.

 

[BUCKYLE]

Have a defense worth a fuck? You know, one ranked in the TOP FUCKING FIFTY in the country?

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

First off, get the ball first and score a touchdown. After that, play with 18 men on the field on defense. Two men on each receiver and 8 men to go for the QB. Sure, you'll get a couple 15 yard penalties, but the closer they get to the goalline, the less meaningful each successive penalty is. Eventually, it will only gain them an inch or two. Hell, when they get to the red zone, bring on 5-6 more guys. Make them run through a 13 man front or pass into quadruple coverage. If you can keep them out of the endzone, time will eventually run out (you WILL have to run the final play with just 11 men) and you'll win 7-0 or be going to OT tied at 7.

What do I win?

 

[SparkyOSU]

You need 6 different 6'2'' athletic DBs and the best 6 deep NFL defensive line. That is it. Simple.

 

[BUCKYLE]

First off, get the ball first and score a touchdown. After that, play with 18 men on the field on defense. Two men on each receiver and 8 men to go for the QB. Sure, you'll get a couple 15 yard penalties, but the closer they get to the goalline, the less meaningful each successive penalty is. Eventually, it will only gain them an inch or two. Hell, when they get to the red zone, bring on 5-6 more guys. Make them run through a 13 man front or pass into quadruple coverage. If you can keep them out of the endzone, time will eventually run out (you WILL have to run the final play with just 11 men) and you'll win 7-0 or be going to OT tied at 7.

What do I win?

The refs aren't gonna call every one. Eventually, you might get a turnover, and there's the ballgame.

 

[Hubbard]

With a stick. While they slept.

 

[Oneshot]

Have a defense worth a fuck? You know, one ranked in the TOP FUCKING FIFTY in the country?

Yep. Let's not annoint this TTech offense that was, by the way, EXACTLY THE SAME last year as the most efficient offense ever.

Teams beat them last year, just look at those tapes.

*shrugs* you need to have a great back 4 and a solid LB crew. D-line just needs to watch the draw.

It just comes down to the defensive talent in the B12 making TTech look unstoppable.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

I know that you and BB73 know quite a bit about football but I would have to think that there is some football reason opposing coaches have not tried that. It seems so logical but there must be some type of drawback to that philosophy.


As you mentioned, to jam their WRs at the line of scrimmage you have to have the athletes and I don't think there are many teams in the country that have enough athletes to jam all of the Texas Tech WR's. I think going zone against them would be a disaster with the arm that Harrell has. He does not waste much time releasing it and the ball gets to his receivers pretty fast. Again, there must be a football reason for not having the defensive linemen shoot those gaps. I don't know what it is but there must be a reason.

There's little question that there are much smarter football people than me, but I truly can't think of any reason not to line up in the gaps. I suppose there might be some sort of "read" related issue... I mean, I sometimes wonder, when a D is clearly not set, why not just snap the damn ball and go at em.. they're not ready.. advantage you, right? Well... yes... unless you need a pre-snap read...

Only time I've seen an O snap the ball before a D was ready (I mean decidedly not ready) was Ohio State v. Illinois 1995. Oddly enough, Eddie only gained about 8 yards....

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

The refs aren't gonna call every one. Eventually, you might get a turnover, and there's the ballgame.

And if they do call every one, you can point to the penalty statistics as an indication that the game was fixed and whine about the horrible officiating for the next 20 years.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

And if they do call everyone, you can point to the penalty statistics as an indication that the game was fixed and whine about the horrible officiating for the next 20 years.

They're not gonna call everyone. Why would they call the 3rd string kicker anyway?

 

[LitlBuck]

There's little question that there are much smarter football people than me, but I truly can't think of any reason not to line up in the gaps. I suppose there might be some sort of "read" related issue... I mean, I sometimes wonder, when a D is clearly not set, why not just snap the damn ball and go at em.. they're not ready.. advantage you, right? Well... yes... unless you need a pre-snap read...

Only time I've seen an O snap the ball before a D was ready (I mean decidedly not ready) was Ohio State v. Illinois 1995. Oddly enough, Eddie only gained about 8 yards....

That remark wasn't meant to be sarcastic because I know they you and Bill do know quite a bit about football. I have watched football for quite awhile and I have no idea why the defensive linemen the lineup in the gaps except for the fact it might leave the perimeter vulnerable.

I know you mean about stepping the ball before the defense is ready. Look at the Patriots and their UFO Defense over the past years they look like they're scrambling all over the place like a Chinese fire drill but the offense never gains much yardage.

 

[LitlBuck]

Yep. Let's not annoint this TTech offense that was, by the way, EXACTLY THE SAME last year as the most efficient offense ever.

That was last year and the team has grown another year. Not only in personnel but also probably in scheme.

Teams beat them last year, just look at those tapes.

Don't you think coaches have looked at last year's films.

*shrugs* you need to have a great back 4 and a solid LB crew. D-line just needs to watch the draw.

Tell me that college team that has "a great back 4" and stud LB's.

It just comes down to the defensive talent in the B12 making TTech look unstoppable.

I really don't think you are giving Texas Tech the credit they deserve. They have outstanding WRs and not just one.

 

[AKAK]

There's little question that there are much smarter football people than me, but I truly can't think of any reason not to line up in the gaps.....

Well, I'd sure as heck "show it" once in a while...

Point is, the pressure won't come from the edge... even if the great T. Pryor is lined up out there. (I remember telling a buddy of mine in the spring that if for some reason he was a bust, to just put him on the edge, though. For now, I'll let him keep trying this QB thing out... see where it takes him )

But, in my view... the splits are a bit of the key. If you're going to pressure Harrel, it has to come from the middle... too far for the DE to get consistent pressure.

So, how do you do that?

Well... they are designed to rip the zone to shreds... and they do that well...

So if they are 4 wide... you kind of get to pick your poison... do you go dime and let them pick you apart, or do you man up and try to come at them.

I think, if I were facing them I'd sort of just focus on red zone D. Limit the YAC's and big plays until you have the end of the field to help you defend... make the receivers pay for every catch, like Rugby mentioned.

Then in the Red Zone, man up... give the side with Crabtree help and start sending everyone else like crazy. Maybe ix up some coverages and send the slot DB in off the edge... show a Safety blitz now and again...

If they get 3 points, so what? that's a win for you.

Easier said than done... they release the ball quickly... so... if you man them up tight, you have to get to the QB.

Generally, I just think you need to shoe them a lot of different stuff and try to be a bit more aggressive than what I saw out of Texas and OK State, and hope you make some plays.