Hail Mary Defense

M

MichiganDad3

All-American
This is a serious question to those who have coached defense. Why give the receivers enough time to run down the field a get position in the end zone, and give the QB plenty of time to make the throw. You guarantee the ball will make it to the end zone with 5 offense players there. It seems stupid to me. Rush at least 4, maybe 5, and make the QB get rid of the ball. You still have enough players to keep two safeties deep.

 
I've never coached football, but I think this "prevent" mentality needs to go away.

Things like this happen from time to time, but it seems to me that pressuring the QB and forcing a throw before the receivers have time to make it to the endzone makes more sense. If the "need" to score, you'd think you'd want to make them throw before the receivers get close to the endzone.

Especially with just :01 seconds left.

 
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MichiganDad3 said:
This is a serious question to those who have coached defense. Why give the receivers enough time to run down the field a get position in the end zone, and give the QB plenty of time to make the throw. You guarantee the ball will make it to the end zone with 5 offense players there. It seems stupid to me. Rush at least 4, maybe 5, and make the QB get rid of the ball. You still have enough players to keep two safeties deep.
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Do you need to be a coach to know that?

 
MichiganDad3 said:
This is a serious question to those who have coached defense. Why give the receivers enough time to run down the field a get position in the end zone, and give the QB plenty of time to make the throw. You guarantee the ball will make it to the end zone with 5 offense players there. It seems stupid to me. Rush at least 4, maybe 5, and make the QB get rid of the ball. You still have enough players to keep two safeties deep.
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Agree 100%. I was calling for blitz the last 2 plays. Alas, they never came.

 
Idk the only thing that needed to happen was Gerry not trying to get an int and batting the ball down/stripping. Would also help if the other guy didn't pull the guy INTO the end zone

 
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I think that was our problem, we were defending against a Hail Mary. What we neglected to take into account is that the LDS folks don't put much faith in the Holy Mary. They ran their "Hail Moroni" pass, caught us unprepared for that an got lucky.

 
Did I hear the press conference correct? Did a DB say that only one DB is supposed to go for the ball to prevent the defenders from interfering with each other? I guess that explains why we had 5 DBs standing in the back of the end zone. You wouldn't want to interfere with the one guy trying to defend the ball.

 
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Gerry attacked the ball. I believe it was Williams who kind of waltzed I like we had already won.

On a side note. Was it gangwish who went down on that last play and held his arm like he took a shot from a sniper? Can't rush 3, especially when one gets hurt

 
I can't see the number, but a single player is behind the receiver, another is about two yards to his right, and there are 5 DBs in the back of the end zone. The ball is in the air nearly four seconds and hits the receiver in the stomach, chest area.; someone should have been in front of the receiver. That is the most pathetic hail mary defense I have ever seen.

 
I also do not understand the time out. BYU has a true freshman playing QB. Why give him time to get coached? Keep him as uncomfortable as possible.

 
I told the people I was with before the play that we should have put four linebackers in for the DLine for that play. Do something to try to get a little pressure.

I don't mind the prevent look for the last play. Just nobody went after the ball - except Gerry but it was too late. With four guys in the end zone before the snap, we should have had at least three guys there waiting for the ball to come down. Everyone was just watching.

But the real problem was the prevent defense on the two plays earlier in the drive where we let them run for about 25 yards because we didn't have anyone up there to make a play.

 
There was nothing wrong with the defense called for the final play. That is how every team, since the beginning of time has played it in those situations, and more often than not it works. We had like 6 guys just standing there. No one played the ball that hung in the air like a punt. Dare I say it... they just didn't execute.

 
You can't give their receivers time to get in the end zone. I like Mavric's idea of using LBs to rush. That was a true Freshman QB. How to let him get that comfortable?

It was beyond not executing. It was like the DBs other than Gerry were texting or something. Did anyone even look for the ball? What is the point of standing 8 yards deep in the end zone?

 
I like what I'm reading about "prevent" defense. It is like you make a deal with the other team. We're going to give you all the time you need to try to make one final play. Why? It's kind of the same thing with punting on 4th and 1. Despite the fact that odds are we could make it more often than not, the agreement is to punt on 4th down, so we do it most of the time.

Crap. It was just crap.

 
3 or 4 rush either is OK I'd go three.

7-8 back all should be DB's no LB's on the field no one within 15 yard of LOS.

But no.....

We lined up in press....terrible idea. Good press with a 3 man rush is useless. Ours failed including on #10 who caught it. In fact he beat 24 so fast and so bad that 24 ended up doing nothing of consequence on the play...and he was ON THE GUY who caught the ball (well...lined up on and watched him blow by him in half a second). 24 being a true frosh safety who is 5'11" attempting and failing to press a giant. So...hate that personnel and that play call.

Finally...we get to the end of the play. Gifford picked up the receiver and had perfect position yet in the end made no useful play on the ball and instead ending up grabbing rec waist and falling/pulling the guy and ball over the line. Ball was not over the line at the catch. Why play a former safety now LB rather than a better break it up guy? Maybe we had no one better? Sad. So anyway he had position to make a good play but instead ended up making a play that was really bad. Thinking back to Hagg Gomes Prince etc etc I think any and all would have made the play. Kalu or Davie probably would have too but I'm sure BYU had that in mind with the play call.

Gerry. He was the open guy center field guy and also played it completely wrong. He came up slow and tentative. Had he raced to high point it he would have either beaten the man to the spot or tied (close enough) to aggressively compete for the spot/ball (collision no catch no call). So he was a bit late so what did he do? He went in too low with his left hand palm up. Totally wrong. Should have gone higher palm aiming at the ball. Sort of looked like he was trying to one hand basket catch it rather than knock it down. And he also interfered but no call.

As for interference....it's 15 freaking yards so if the ball play looks bad hammer the dude. Crush him. Then say sorry smile hypocritically and line up for the redo.

Rose was out of the game that was also awesome. 6'1" SR half starting corner/safety replaced by the smaller frosh safety. Lovely.

There was a half's worth of fail on that one bleeping play.

Anyway...we played roughly toss up football so it's no surprise to lose by one score on a final play toss up.

Peace out lulz

 
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