I've seen quite a bit of grumbling - both here and from media guys - about our linebacker play this year. I thought it was interesting because I haven't really gotten the sense that they were playing badly - missing tackles, etc. - but they haven't really made a lot of plays either.
I was wondering how much of that could be related to the scheme. So I tried to check on the LBs as I rewatched the game tonight.
As it turns out, I think a lot - if not most - of their "struggles" is how our defense is set up. Almost every time they read run, they are filling their gap hard. The problem with that is if the run isn't into that gap, they've run themselves up into the line and have no lane to scrape to the play. This seems to be how they are taught to run this defense as they all do it and even Gerry and Aaron Williams are often seen filling a gap hard when they read run as opposed to waiting to see where the play develops. I really only watched that in this one game so I won't really make a blanket statement yet but since we are giving up over 6.6 yards per carry over the last three games, I think it's pretty likely that our linebackers often running themselves out of the play has a lot to do with our poor run defense. We are currently #98 in the country in yards per attempt allowed and that 6.6 ypa over the last three games would be dead last in the country for the season by quite a ways.
I think the same scheme issue contributes to the LBs not really making many plays in the passing game either. If there is any play-action look the LBs charge ahead then have to turn and try to get back into the passing lanes. However, by that time the receivers are well into their routes and the LBs have little hope of making up enough ground to be a factor.
I've grabbed a couple screen shots to illustrate this.
This is Illinois' first play of the game. At the snap, we're in our base defense with MRI splitting the gap out to the slot.
The play is a straight ahead run. All three LBs plus Gerry are keying the RB and before the RB even gets to the line Young has filled his gap hard, Bando has come across the formation and filled behind him, Gerry has come from 11 yards off the ball to 4 and into a blocker and MRI has come from a wide left position all the way to over the center. That is all a nice piece of aggressive defense. However the problem is no one is home for the cutback. Three guys (Young, Bando and Gerry) have filled so hard that they are now caught up in traffic and can't scrape back and MRI is unblocked but runs by the RB and can't get back in position to make the tackle. Illinois ends up getting 7 yards on the play.
Here's another example. At the snap, we're in our base personnel and base alignment. The play is an inside zone run, straight handoff.
Neither MRI nor Young are even blocked on the play. They simply run themselves up into the line - presumably filling their gap - but since the play doesn't come through their gap, they've totally run themselves out of the play. Only a saving tackle by Gerry keeps this from being a touchdown.
When you don't even have to block two linebackers and they are non-factors on a straight ahead run, that's an issue. Now, you can say our LBs should be playing it differently and I agree. However, when they are all doing the same thing on most running (and play-action) plays, that has to be how they are being coached to do it. Why we're doing it that way I have no idea but I think it is costing us.
I was wondering how much of that could be related to the scheme. So I tried to check on the LBs as I rewatched the game tonight.
As it turns out, I think a lot - if not most - of their "struggles" is how our defense is set up. Almost every time they read run, they are filling their gap hard. The problem with that is if the run isn't into that gap, they've run themselves up into the line and have no lane to scrape to the play. This seems to be how they are taught to run this defense as they all do it and even Gerry and Aaron Williams are often seen filling a gap hard when they read run as opposed to waiting to see where the play develops. I really only watched that in this one game so I won't really make a blanket statement yet but since we are giving up over 6.6 yards per carry over the last three games, I think it's pretty likely that our linebackers often running themselves out of the play has a lot to do with our poor run defense. We are currently #98 in the country in yards per attempt allowed and that 6.6 ypa over the last three games would be dead last in the country for the season by quite a ways.
I think the same scheme issue contributes to the LBs not really making many plays in the passing game either. If there is any play-action look the LBs charge ahead then have to turn and try to get back into the passing lanes. However, by that time the receivers are well into their routes and the LBs have little hope of making up enough ground to be a factor.
I've grabbed a couple screen shots to illustrate this.
This is Illinois' first play of the game. At the snap, we're in our base defense with MRI splitting the gap out to the slot.
The play is a straight ahead run. All three LBs plus Gerry are keying the RB and before the RB even gets to the line Young has filled his gap hard, Bando has come across the formation and filled behind him, Gerry has come from 11 yards off the ball to 4 and into a blocker and MRI has come from a wide left position all the way to over the center. That is all a nice piece of aggressive defense. However the problem is no one is home for the cutback. Three guys (Young, Bando and Gerry) have filled so hard that they are now caught up in traffic and can't scrape back and MRI is unblocked but runs by the RB and can't get back in position to make the tackle. Illinois ends up getting 7 yards on the play.
Here's another example. At the snap, we're in our base personnel and base alignment. The play is an inside zone run, straight handoff.
Neither MRI nor Young are even blocked on the play. They simply run themselves up into the line - presumably filling their gap - but since the play doesn't come through their gap, they've totally run themselves out of the play. Only a saving tackle by Gerry keeps this from being a touchdown.
When you don't even have to block two linebackers and they are non-factors on a straight ahead run, that's an issue. Now, you can say our LBs should be playing it differently and I agree. However, when they are all doing the same thing on most running (and play-action) plays, that has to be how they are being coached to do it. Why we're doing it that way I have no idea but I think it is costing us.
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