Iowa Defense 101 Question

[grandmahawk]

The current battle between Castillo and Lowery for the corner spot opposite Prater got me wondering something that I'm sure someone can answer quickly:

It of course makes sense that Prater will cover the offense's best receiver in any given game. But, not having any game tape in front of me, I'm wondering if, when the offense is lining up before the snap, Prater then moves around -- from the right side (where he seems to line up most of the time) to the left (where Hyde spent his time last year) -- to follow the star receiver if he lines up on the left, or, alternatively, if he always plays on one side or the other.

I seem to remember Prater always lining up on the offense's right side, but I could very well be wrong.

How does that work?

 

[SLarew]

The current battle between Castillo and Lowery for the corner spot opposite Prater got me wondering something that I'm sure someone can answer quickly:

It of course makes sense that Prater will cover the offense's best receiver in any given game. But, not having any game tape in front of me, I'm wondering if, when the offense is lining up before the snap, Prater then moves around -- from the right side (where he seems to line up most of the time) to the left (where Hyde spent his time last year) -- to follow the star receiver if he lines up on the left, or, alternatively, if he always plays on one side or the other.

I seem to remember Prater always lining up on the offense's right side, but I could very well be wrong.

How does that work?

Iowa does not move its CBs around to match up against WRs. Only exception would be if team put all WRs on one side, then I think he would move over and then follow the motion. I dont study it that much but assume that ishow it would happen.

You are correct in that Prater was Iowa's left CB and played the offensive right side.

 

[grandmahawk]

Thanks!

That seems sort of odd, though; if I am an opposing offensive coordinator, why wouldn't I move my receivers around to then create a serious mismatch...like, for example, a James Hardy vs. Shada or Castillo?

 

[Tmoney12]

James Hardy... thanks for bringing me a week of nightmeres

 

[homerHAWKeye777]

As indicated by a prior poster, Iowa doesn't move around their CBs. However, another thing to note is that most QBs are right-handed. Thus, a caveat of throwing to the left side of the field is that they have to throw across their body ... not all QBs are terrific at doing that. Furthermore, many teams also roll their QB out of pocket ... and, again, for a right-handed QB ... they roll out to the right side of the field. When a teams rolls their QB out ... it takes away a whole side of the field.

Given the above considerations, it then makes a lot of sense to have Prater at LC ... thereby defending the O's right side.

 

[ICHawk24]

Even if you move the WR to the "weak" CB side of the field, the defense is rotating towards the weaker CB and leaving the better CB on an island. So you have someone like Castillo against their top WR, but he has a lot of help with him.

 

[grandmahawk]

As indicated by a prior poster, Iowa doesn't move around their CBs. However, another thing to note is that most QBs are right-handed. Thus, a caveat of throwing to the left side of the field is that they have to throw across their body ... not all QBs are terrific at doing that. Furthermore, many teams also roll their QB out of pocket ... and, again, for a right-handed QB ... they roll out to the right side of the field. When a teams rolls their QB out ... it takes away a whole side of the field.

Given the above considerations, it then makes a lot of sense to have Prater at LC ... thereby defending the O's right side.

Even if you move the WR to the "weak" CB side of the field, the defense is rotating towards the weaker CB and leaving the better CB on an island. So you have someone like Castillo against their top WR, but he has a lot of help with him.

That makes sense. These are both great points.