Should we switch to a 3-4 on defense

[VOLfrombama]

Georgia ran a lot of that against Bama to spy on Milroe.

They also have much better secondary that can play man coverage and a front 3 that can still get home, something that the Vols have been missing for a long time.

 

[kckempf]

They did play a similar version of a 3-3-5 by dropping the best pass rusher into coverage on 3rd down. Its a shame too because the second best pass rusher in the SEC could have potentially gotten more sacks had he not been 10 yards from the line of scrimmage. Pearce only needed 1 to tie or 2 to lead the league.

That's not what really is meant by the 3-4 or the 3-3-5. In 3-4 or 3-3-5, one or both of the outside linebackers is usually a pass rusher on passing downs. The base of the 3-front defenses is with only 3 players on the line but the outside linebackers can cover gaps or be edge rushers. It can be a way to get bigger players in your front seven, especially if you're using a 2-gap approach (every lineman covering two gaps and basically acting like 3 DTs) or some approach with multiple DTs taking multiple gaps.

For our defense I'm not sure how much it matters what it's labeled. We use Pearce pretty much like a 3-4 OLB as it is, covering the edge, rushing the passer, and even dropping into coverage sometimes. They call the position a LEO.

 

[titansvolsfaninga]

They also have much better secondary that can play man coverage and a front 3 that can still get home, something that the Vols have been missing for a long time.

So sad, but true.

 

[Sugaray13]

3/4, 4/3, 5/2, 2/5, 10/1, 4/7?? I don't give a rats ass, as long as they stop our opponents offense.

We tried the 11/2 verses LSU and it didn't work.

 

[Sarms58]

I’ll let the coaches decide - as long as they don’t use the Auburn 2 man rush.

 

[VOLfrombama]

That's not what really is meant by the 3-4 or the 3-3-5. In 3-4 or 3-3-5, one or both of the outside linebackers is usually a pass rusher on passing downs. The base of the 3-front defenses is with only 3 players on the line but the outside linebackers can cover gaps or be edge rushers. It can be a way to get bigger players in your front seven, especially if you're using a 2-gap approach (every lineman covering two gaps and basically acting like 3 DTs) or some approach with multiple DTs taking multiple gaps.

For our defense I'm not sure how much it matters what it's labeled. We use Pearce pretty much like a 3-4 OLB as it is, covering the edge, rushing the passer, and even dropping into coverage sometimes. They call the position a LEO.

Oh I know. I was being facetious about dropping our best/only real pass rusher into coverage on 3rd down.

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

So far this off season, it’s been decided “we” should switch to a 3-4 defense, use fake punts and double-reverses. This place is awesome!

 

[Snapper58]

So far this off season, it’s been decided “we” should switch to a 3-4 defense, use fake punts and double-reverses. This place is awesome!

You also forgot bench joe fire banks and Martinez. and never play zone again.

 

[BigOrangeMojo]

The 7-2-4 defense that Dooley ran at the end of the LSU game worked until the refs caught on....

 

[lukeneyland]

The days of having 3 or 4 linebackers on the field are mostly gone anyway.

 

[esarmstrong]

We could run the famous Auburn 2-9 defense.

With the spy in the middle in case Milroe runs it in from 30 yards out.

 

[madbamahater]

7-6-2-8 defense Dooley used to lose at LSU

 

[adam.vol]

The days of having 3 or 4 linebackers on the field are mostly gone anyway.

Yeah. Let’s replace them with a Jumbotron and surround it with cubicles.

You addressed the defensive position so similarly to how Fulmer wiped out 4000 seats from our stadium.

 

[rickyyrs]

Just bring in guys that can play man and apply more pressure more often.

Best answer yet.

 

[Rifleman]

I think a 9-1-1 would really throw our opponents into an emergency situation .

Derek Dooley already tried a 9-1-3 against LSU back in 2010.

 

[UTFranklinVol]

That worked out so well last time

 

[tennesseeduke]

O Thomas, T West, Hobbs up front and Pearce, Josephs, A Carter, and K Pili standing and rotating in Ross, Bradley, C Herring, Spillman,, and Telander. We are recruiting so much speed at edge so would be nice to have them all on the field in a 3-4. Prolly never happen but fun to think about it

Please explain how a 3-4 defense fixes CBs that couldn’t cover their a$$ with both hands?

 

[tennesseeduke]

Derek Dooley already tried a 9-1-3 against LSU back in 2010.

And it did work until they threw the flag!

 

[loosecannon]

There are so many ways to run the 3-4. It can work here. More than anything, schemes have to be understood and executed. 335, 425, 43, 34, it doesn’t matter if it is poorly coached.

After running the 335 and 43 for years, I much prefer a 3 man front at the HS and low college levels. However, anything can work.

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

5* nose tackle is rarer than hen's teeth. when we get one of those, it's time to try the 3-4 again.

 

[eddievols]

Not sure if we should switch to 3 4 or not but I am sure that we need to switch defensive coordinator and defensive back coaches

 

[VolRage]

O Thomas, T West, Hobbs up front and Pearce, Josephs, A Carter, and K Pili standing and rotating in Ross, Bradley, C Herring, Spillman,, and Telander. We are recruiting so much speed at edge so would be nice to have them all on the field in a 3-4. Prolly never happen but fun to think about it

NOOOOOOOO. We don’t have 5 stars along the front. The Georgia’s and Bama’s can pull that off but the Vols, H-E-double hockey sticks no.

 

[RockyTopTexas]

No

 

[lastlapuncle]

Just be multiple with anger and aggression.

 

[rickyyrs]

O Thomas, T West, Hobbs up front and Pearce, Josephs, A Carter, and K Pili standing and rotating in Ross, Bradley, C Herring, Spillman,, and Telander. We are recruiting so much speed at edge so would be nice to have them all on the field in a 3-4. Prolly never happen but fun to think about it

Get a hold of Josh Heupel at UT sports and discuss this with him.