Rawkhawk73
Banned
1. We need to stop covering the slot with a linebacker. Period. That doesn't necessarily mean you need to pull the backer out. You can still leave him in, just bring the safety down to cover him.
2. We need to blitz more on non 3rd down situations. More often than not, defensive performance on 3rd downs isn't predicated by how you actually perform on 3rd down, but how you perform on 1st and 2nd down. I'd like to see this staff do more homework on opponent tendencies based on downs and personnel packages and dial up blitzes more on 1st and 2nd down based on those tendencies.
3. Dial up the defensive pressure in the last 5 minutes of a close game. This isn't the NFL, most college quarterbacks do not perform well when under pressure. However, even an average college quarterback can perform well when rushed by only 3 or 4 linemen.
4. If we have the ball in the last 2 minutes of a half and timeouts to spare, make a concerted effort to move the ball into field goal range. This accomplishes two things. One, it keeps your players in "attack" mentality and two it gives you a chance to "steal" some points. Especially when you consider we always take the ball to start the game and you know the opponent will get it to start the 2nd half.
5. If we are down by 3 or less in the last 2 minutes of a game and have the ball and timeouts, mix in some run to keep the defense from teeing off. 2 minutes plus timeouts are an eternity in college football. There's no need to pass all the time.
6. Don't be afraid to call "trick" plays at the most unobvious times and when the situation presents itself. Onsides to start the 2nd half. Fake punts. Fake field goals. Not all the time and not when you absolutely need them. But enough to keep the opponents guessing as to what or when you might do it.
These aren't things that take away from the staff's overall strategic approach to the game, they are just enhancements that can allow the team to pick up "hidden" points or yardage that, when you play as close to the vest as we do, often make the difference between a win and a loss.
2. We need to blitz more on non 3rd down situations. More often than not, defensive performance on 3rd downs isn't predicated by how you actually perform on 3rd down, but how you perform on 1st and 2nd down. I'd like to see this staff do more homework on opponent tendencies based on downs and personnel packages and dial up blitzes more on 1st and 2nd down based on those tendencies.
3. Dial up the defensive pressure in the last 5 minutes of a close game. This isn't the NFL, most college quarterbacks do not perform well when under pressure. However, even an average college quarterback can perform well when rushed by only 3 or 4 linemen.
4. If we have the ball in the last 2 minutes of a half and timeouts to spare, make a concerted effort to move the ball into field goal range. This accomplishes two things. One, it keeps your players in "attack" mentality and two it gives you a chance to "steal" some points. Especially when you consider we always take the ball to start the game and you know the opponent will get it to start the 2nd half.
5. If we are down by 3 or less in the last 2 minutes of a game and have the ball and timeouts, mix in some run to keep the defense from teeing off. 2 minutes plus timeouts are an eternity in college football. There's no need to pass all the time.
6. Don't be afraid to call "trick" plays at the most unobvious times and when the situation presents itself. Onsides to start the 2nd half. Fake punts. Fake field goals. Not all the time and not when you absolutely need them. But enough to keep the opponents guessing as to what or when you might do it.
These aren't things that take away from the staff's overall strategic approach to the game, they are just enhancements that can allow the team to pick up "hidden" points or yardage that, when you play as close to the vest as we do, often make the difference between a win and a loss.
