"When I first started coaching defense...I was always in the 3-4 and I hope one day to maybe get back to that"

[theknife]

Thought his was noteworthy in terms of the future of the defense.

https://soundcloud.com/kxtg-the-bald-faced-truth/bft-interview-mike-riley-1

Edit: Quote occurs at the 12 minute mark.

 

[girlknowsfootball]

It explains why they want 12-15 LBers on the team and why they are targeting the thick/heavy run stopping Tackles.

 

[cm husker]

Did he explain what he sees as the advantage of a 3-4?

It's a difficult defensive set to consistently recruit for, which may be why he and a bunch of other coaches don't use it.

 

[Kiyoat Husker]

I would almost think there is a recruiting advantage to having less D-linemen spots to recruit to. Mainly due to elite D-linemen being such a finite resource.

I guess the nose tackle type can be even more difficult to find, though. Anyone think we have the personnel to run it right now?

 

[Stumpy1]

Did he explain what he sees as the advantage of a 3-4?

It's a difficult defensive set to consistently recruit for, which may be why he and a bunch of other coaches don't use it.

There are a lot of teams that still run a 3-4 as a base defense. I believe a majority of the SEC along with some PAC schools run a 3-4 as a base. I could see the advantages of running one but there are also disadvantages. You can get more speed on the field but you will also lose size. It is a pick your poison kind of deal.

 

[cm husker]

Did he explain what he sees as the advantage of a 3-4?

It's a difficult defensive set to consistently recruit for, which may be why he and a bunch of other coaches don't use it.

There are a lot of teams that still run a 3-4 as a base defense. I believe a majority of the SEC along with some PAC schools run a 3-4 as a base. I could see the advantages of running one but there are also disadvantages. You can get more speed on the field but you will also lose size. It is a pick your poison kind of deal.

Who runs it in those conferences? Alabama? Georgia may have. It's not coming. The NT and OLB positions are very difficult to recruit effectively for.

 

[Stumpy1]

Did he explain what he sees as the advantage of a 3-4?

It's a difficult defensive set to consistently recruit for, which may be why he and a bunch of other coaches don't use it.

There are a lot of teams that still run a 3-4 as a base defense. I believe a majority of the SEC along with some PAC schools run a 3-4 as a base. I could see the advantages of running one but there are also disadvantages. You can get more speed on the field but you will also lose size. It is a pick your poison kind of deal.

Who runs it in those conferences? Alabama? Georgia may have. It's not coming. The NT and OLB positions are very difficult to recruit effectively for.

Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, A&M, Tennessee and Florida have ran a 3-4 as their base in the last year or 2. Both Mississippi schools and LSU are looking to run a 3-4 this coming year. Notre Dame has ran a 3-4 since Kelly took over. In the Pac, Stanford, Oregon and Washington run a 3-4 along with Cal. Indiana, Maryland and Wisconsin have been running a 3-4 off and on.

As far as recruiting goes, it isn't any different then recruiting for a 4-3. You have one less DT/NG to recruit and you recruit smaller DEs that can also play OLB. We have recruited some damn good OLB recruits the last couple years. The only thing hurting is the DT/NG recruiting.

 

[Cdog923]

Did he explain what he sees as the advantage of a 3-4?

It's a difficult defensive set to consistently recruit for, which may be why he and a bunch of other coaches don't use it.

There are a lot of teams that still run a 3-4 as a base defense. I believe a majority of the SEC along with some PAC schools run a 3-4 as a base. I could see the advantages of running one but there are also disadvantages. You can get more speed on the field but you will also lose size. It is a pick your poison kind of deal.

Who runs it in those conferences? Alabama? Georgia may have. It's not coming. The NT and OLB positions are very difficult to recruit effectively for.

Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, A&M, Tennessee and Florida have ran a 3-4 as their base in the last year or 2. Both Mississippi schools and LSU are looking to run a 3-4 this coming year. Notre Dame has ran a 3-4 since Kelly took over. In the Pac, Stanford, Oregon and Washington run a 3-4 along with Cal. Indiana, Maryland and Wisconsin have been running a 3-4 off and on.

As far as recruiting goes, it isn't any different then recruiting for a 4-3. You have one less DT/NG to recruit and you recruit smaller DEs that can also play OLB. We have recruited some damn good OLB recruits the last couple years. The only thing hurting is the DT/NG recruiting.

The thing is, all those LB recruits have to be hits, or else we would fall right back into a depth problem at that position again.

 

[Mavric]

Did he explain what he sees as the advantage of a 3-4?

It's a difficult defensive set to consistently recruit for, which may be why he and a bunch of other coaches don't use it.

There are a lot of teams that still run a 3-4 as a base defense. I believe a majority of the SEC along with some PAC schools run a 3-4 as a base. I could see the advantages of running one but there are also disadvantages. You can get more speed on the field but you will also lose size. It is a pick your poison kind of deal.

Who runs it in those conferences? Alabama? Georgia may have. It's not coming. The NT and OLB positions are very difficult to recruit effectively for.

Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, A&M, Tennessee and Florida have ran a 3-4 as their base in the last year or 2. Both Mississippi schools and LSU are looking to run a 3-4 this coming year. Notre Dame has ran a 3-4 since Kelly took over. In the Pac, Stanford, Oregon and Washington run a 3-4 along with Cal. Indiana, Maryland and Wisconsin have been running a 3-4 off and on.

As far as recruiting goes, it isn't any different then recruiting for a 4-3. You have one less DT/NG to recruit and you recruit smaller DEs that can also play OLB. We have recruited some damn good OLB recruits the last couple years. The only thing hurting is the DT/NG recruiting.

The one big difference is having a legit NT. Would have worked pretty well last year with Valentine at the NT with Collins and McMullen as the DEs. Not sure we really have a legit NT right now. Other than that, it would probably help cover for also not having a legit edge rusher at DE.

 

[husker_fan_from_sweden]

Peyton Newell and Kevin Maurice are sufficient for a 3-4 NT. Otherwise, the Collin Miller's might be the closest thing to what would need to be brought in for the OLB.

 

[cm husker]

I personally think that 9 out of 10 college defenses that run the 3-4 are average at best.

I don't feel like getting into a debate about whether that's true or why, but it seems to be borne out when someone examines the teams that run a 3-4 currently.

 

[Kiyoat Husker]

Around half of NFL teams regularly use it, and that is up from only one team (the steelers) in 2001. So in the NFL at least, it is trending up.

I know the college game is different, but it's not like some experimental system (like Beck's offense). It CAN work.

 

[Kiyoat Husker]

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/97217/oddball-3-4-defense-catching-on-in-b1g

Article from 2014 on the 3-4 in the B1G ten. Adam Rittenberg.

 

[cm husker]

If this transition happens, It'll be interesting to see how people react to 2-gap DL play. A lot of folks were super excited about a move to an "attacking" defense and away from the last staff's emphasis on 2-gap play.

Subquestion, is banker going to learn or relearn a new scheme or does this signal a change of coordinator?

 

[husker_fan_from_sweden]

I personally think that 9 out of 10 college defenses that run the 3-4 are average at best.

I don't feel like getting into a debate about whether that's true or why, but it seems to be borne out when someone examines the teams that run a 3-4 currently.

Well when you watch the national champions and super bowl champions win games with pass rushers and flying around linebackers from a 3-4, average is a better alternative than what we've had in the past.