Question Re: KF's answers about LB depth

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EsoxHawk

Well-Known Member
Given that many of our opponents spread us out to isolate slot receivers against LB's in passing situations, and its cost us games KF's entire career, KF says if we weren't so thin at LB we would be better in 3-4 formations against this type of offense.

My question is, are we really that bad in the secondary that our 3rd string CB can't cover that area better than our 4th or 5th LB?

Someone with knowledge about our DB's please help here!
 


I may be reading this wrong, and if so, I apologize. But I think you may be confusing the nickel with the 3-4 D. If we are in a nickel we have a 3rd corner in the game, and 2 linebackers, and 4 DL. We can't run that as oftne as the 3-4 because we are more vulnerable to the run. We can run the 3-4 if we have the personnel and have an extra person in coverage and rush only 3DL and still be able to protect against the run. We did the effectively against MSU. I expected to see it more against NW. Hope this helps.
 


You are reading that wrong CR-

What he is saying, is that if the linebackers aren't healthy enough to be able to effectively put 4 on the field at the same time, why were we not running a nickel?
 


Oh, my mistake. It might be because they believe the nickel doesnt adequately protect against the run, like the 3-4 would. Although running the nickel may not have been a bad idea. It seemed the only person hurting us running was Persa, and more speed on the field would have helped with that problem. I guess in the end, it really shows what huge loss Nielsen was. he is great in pass coverage, and was quietly having a very good season on the outside.
 


I might be mad - but I would recruit players that could be used interchangeable as safeties and linebackers... having 3 players like Bob Sanders or Tyler Sash as linebackers would be fine by me.
 


CR-The hawks have repeatedly gone to a 3-4 defense in the past 3 games in obvious passing situations (so obvious that most teams would be employing a nickel) rather than a nickel D. When asked KF says that LB injuries have hurt us in these situations.

It seems odd to me, or frightening, or both, that the Hawks would run a 3-4 b/c our LB's are that much better than our 3rd or 4th corner. This was more a question about depth than anything else. Although, given our D-line's ability to eat blockers, and our secondary's ability to support the run, using a 3-4 in nickel situations doesn't make a ton of sense to me, unless our LB's are better at pass coverage than our nickel DB, if so YIKES.
 


If it's a tackling issue, i'd have to disagree. Our defensive backs are some of the best tacklers on the team. Iowa's DB's always tackle.

Now if they feel having the extra LB out there to shed blockers for a running play....not sure we're really giving up that much with a nickle db playing.

I know it's worked for us before, but not in the up tempo offense. Too tough to stop playing a zone with 4 LB's, two of which are not named Angerrer, and Edds.
 


DBAHawkFan said:
If it's a tackling issue, i'd have to disagree. Our defensive backs are some of the best tacklers on the team. Iowa's DB's always tackle.

Now if they feel having the extra LB out there to shed blockers for a running play....not sure we're really giving up that much with a nickle db playing.

I know it's worked for us before, but not in the up tempo offense. Too tough to stop playing a zone with 4 LB's, two of which are not named Angerrer, and Edds.
Click to expand...

DBA-That's precisely why this makes no sense to me. I haven't seen many collegiate secondaries support the run as well as the Hawks do, so I don't see the point in running a 3-4, unless Bernstein and Castillo are worse at coverage than Tarp, Neilsen, etc.

That is what I am trying to figure out.
 


When teams line up with 5 WRs, THERE IS NO RB. So why worry about the run. If we don't have the DB depth then maybe we need to recuit more DBs?
 


Our linebacker depth problem goes back to our recruiting classes in 2008 & 2009, where we signed only one true linebacker in each class, and all of them only were unheralded 2-star types, most of whom had no other D1 BCS offers.

In 2008 we brought in only one LB - Steve Bigach - who is now second string DT. We also brought in Jacob Reisen as a greyshirt (which is why he shows up on the 2009 class) and he's now a FB.

In 2009, we have:
Jacob Reisen (2008 greyshirt) - LB recruit, now at FB
Shane DiBona - actually recruited as FB, coaches decided after he signed to place him at LB.
Tyler Harrell - recruited as a defensive end and left the program after one semester and transferred to Louisville, but isn't on their 2010 roster.
Martin Hopkins - recruited as a DE and is now listed as a DL.

Meanwhile, we passed on speedy in-state prospect Jake Knott, and who's now leading the Big12 in tackles at Iowa State and has "Chad Greenway" potential.

Thank goodness we had James Morris coming in ready to play as a true freshman this year to bail out our letdown in recruiting LBs in 2008 & 2009.
 


Lowe, Castillo have played and started before.......You could actually use either one of those guys in nickel situations. Miller and Nielsen(Nick) have been in the program long enough to trust them in nickel packages. '08 the few times they went to a nickel Berstine was pretty good in that spot.....believe he has a couple picks when he was the nickel back.

Iowa is committed to what they do........Will it change in the future? Who knows.
 


AJ Derby is as good a linebacker as James Morris. If Derby was playing linebacker, he would be starting as a freshman this week.
 


KCHawkeyes said:
When teams line up with 5 WRs, THERE IS NO RB. So why worry about the run. If we don't have the DB depth then maybe we need to recuit more DBs?
Click to expand...

Just because there is no RB in a formation doesn't mean that a running play isn't possible. The QB can run or there can be an end around. Sometimes one of the players lining up as a WR is actually a RB who is slotted out wide.

You can't make that assumption or you will likely get burned big time.
 


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