2017 2 Deep 3-4 Defense

[RebelW]

What do y'all think next years 2 deep 3-4 D roster will look like?

[RaisinHog]

IL give it a shot ...

[lakecityhog]

I posted this in a similar thread a month or so back.

DEFENSE:
DE - McTelvin Agim 6'3" 285
       TJ Smith 6'3" 285 or Armon Watts 6'5" 293
NG - Bijhon Jackson 6'2" 330 or
       Austin Capps 6'4" 320
DE - Johnathan Marshall 6'4" 299
       Daytreion Dean 6'3" 280 or Briston Guidry 6' 3" 294
OLB - Randy Ramsay 6'4" 235
        Tevin Beanum 6'5" 251  Gone so I guess we will need a replacement here.
ILB - De'Jon Harris 6'0" 250
        Alexy Jean-Baptiste 6'2" 235
ILB - Dre Greenlaw 6'0" 230
        Dee Walker 6'2" 208
OLB - Michael Taylor 6'3" 245
         Karl Roesler 6'1" 256
CB - Ryan Pulley 5'11" 200
       Britto Tutt 6'2" 185
CB - Henre' Tolliver 6'1" 190
       Kevin Richardson 6'0" 185
SS - Santos Ramirez 6'2" 210
       DeAndre Coley 6'1" 215
FS - Josh Liddell 6'1" 210
       Nate Dalton 6'3" 200 or
       Montaric Brown 6'1" 185

I think that we see Roesler shed a few pounds and move to the OLB/DE spots. I moved Greenlaw to an inside spot and put Taylor opposite of Ramsey. That gives you 2 bigger bodies to generate a rush, provide run support and maybe enough quickness to cover the flats. I also think that we will need our 2 best tacklers up the middle.

We will probably play a "light" set against pass heavy teams and a "heavy" set against the more physical SEC teams at the OLB spots.

Marshall may indeed grow into a NT and if he does then we might see Guidry, Dean and Smith fight it out for that starting position. Who knows we might yet get another Juco or even a grad transfer to help out that front group.

[bennyl08]

DE: Agim, Guidry
DT: Jackson, Capps
DE: TJ Smith, Dean

OLB: Taylor, Ramsey, Roesler, Fisher
ILB: Harris, Walker
ILB: Eugene, LeFrance
OLB: Greenlaw, AJB
*This is for a Strong/Weak OLB setting with 1 OLB as somebody who can actually cover passes and the other who can rush the passer. For situations where we want both to be pass rushers, Greenlaw would IMO move inside with Taylor and Ramsey manning the two OLB's

CB: Pulley, Dalton
CB: Toliver, Tutt
S: Liddell, Coley
S: Ramirez, Richardson III
*Curl, Brown, Chevin, and Curtis could easily be heavy in the rotation by mid-season. IMO, it would be a major surprise if any of those 4 redshirted.

[RebelW]

I really think Giovanni Lafrance will be huge for us

[RebelW]

Wonder how we will look in alignment going against TCU and their air raid?

[jgphillips3]

I really think Giovanni Lafrance will be huge for us

Absolutely.  He is built for the 3-4 OLB position.

[RebelW]

Absolutely.  He is built for the 3-4 OLB position.

Amen

[jgphillips3]

Man we're young up front besides Bijhon (who really has to step it up this year) and Roesler. I think Agim will be beastly! Marshall and Guidry have a chance to be real contributors, but only RS-Fr. Watts is going into his 4th year as a RS-Jr. I think they'll add a bit of weight to him and he can provide depth at NT. I think he's versatile enough to play a strong side DE, and has the experience. But this is a new system for everybody, so not sure that'll override others. This is the position group that worries me and we didn't bring in immediate help here either.

That youth will actually be an asset in a new system.  If they were all seniors and juniors with 3-4 years in one system, it might be harder to move to the 3-4.  There will probably be some "what the hell" moments in the first three games and a learning curve through the middle of the season but by mid-season on, I expect they will be cooking.

[FANONTHEHILL]

Jake Hall was an undersized offensive tackle last year.  He also played a little TE in the 3 TE sets.  He wore 64 some games and 86 some games.  He was a 3 star DE out of Springdale HarBer.  He's been moved back to defense in off season drills and will likely be in the rotation at one of the DE/DT spots.  He's a 6'5", 270 guy.

[FANONTHEHILL]

Also I expect to see JUCO DE/DE Melvin Johnson at the 5 and JUCO Gabe Richardson at rush end or OLB.

[hawginbigd1]

DE: Agim, Guidry
DT: Jackson, Capps
DE: TJ Smith, Dean

OLB: Taylor, Ramsey, Roesler, Fisher
ILB: Harris, Walker
ILB: Eugene, LeFrance
OLB: Greenlaw, AJB
*This is for a Strong/Weak OLB setting with 1 OLB as somebody who can actually cover passes and the other who can rush the passer. For situations where we want both to be pass rushers, Greenlaw would IMO move inside with Taylor and Ramsey manning the two OLB's

CB: Pulley, Dalton
CB: Toliver, Tutt
S: Liddell, Coley
S: Ramirez, Richardson III
*Curl, Brown, Chevin, and Curtis could easily be heavy in the rotation by mid-season. IMO, it would be a major surprise if any of those 4 redshirted.

This is about how I see it, a lot of people are putting Greenlaw at ILB, I think he is going to be OLB, we are going to have one Hybrid and one regular OLB. If Ramirez is a starter I will  and I think Marshall will be in the 2 deep at DE.

[Biggus Piggus]

DEFENSE:
DE - McTelvin Agim 6'3" 285
       TJ Smith 6'3" 285 or Armon Watts 6'5" 293
NG - Bijhon Jackson 6'2" 330 or
       Austin Capps 6'4" 320
DE - Johnathan Marshall 6'4" 299
       Daytreion Dean 6'3" 280 or Briston Guidry 6' 3" 294
OLB - Randy Ramsay 6'4" 235
        Tevin Beanum 6'5" 251  Gone so I guess we will need a replacement here.
ILB - De'Jon Harris 6'0" 250
        Alexy Jean-Baptiste 6'2" 235
ILB - Dre Greenlaw 6'0" 230
        Dee Walker 6'2" 208
OLB - Michael Taylor 6'3" 245
         Karl Roesler 6'1" 256
CB - Ryan Pulley 5'11" 200
       Britto Tutt 6'2" 185
CB - Henre' Tolliver 6'1" 190
       Kevin Richardson 6'0" 185
SS - Santos Ramirez 6'2" 210
       DeAndre Coley 6'1" 215
FS - Josh Liddell 6'1" 210
       Nate Dalton 6'3" 200 or
       Montaric Brown 6'1" 185

Guidry is very likely first-team DE. Dean won't be in the fall depth chart.

The linebacker setup could be a lot different than this, but who knows what direction Rhoads wants to go. LSU has gone with a speed guy at the middle linebacker position, with the other one being the bigger player. Alabama's the other way around.

LSU's outside linebackers look like 4-3 defensive ends. Alabama's are 250-pounders who would be tweeners for a 4-3. Giovanni LaFrance (6-1, 255) might be a good candidate for OLB in this defense. The midterm freshman Kyrei Fisher will have every chance to get into the two-deep.

Nate Dalton is less likely to get a chance at safety than Micahh Smith and Deon Edwards are. Among the freshmen, it's really unclear who has the best chance to play right away in the secondary. You know the coaches want to put some pressure on the starters, but that might come initially from players who will be around in spring.

Richardson might be available for spring, but Tutt won't. Given the infusion of new cornerbacks, will Tutt and Richardson play corner, safety, nickel/dime?

[Biggus Piggus]

A writer for 24/7 believes the OLBs will be Ramsey, Taylor, Roesler, Jean-Baptiste and Walker.

He had the ILBs as Greenlaw, Harris, Fisher and Eugene.

[menace_hawg3]

A writer for 24/7 believes the OLBs will be Ramsey, Taylor, Roesler, Jean-Baptiste and Walker.

He had the ILBs as Greenlaw, Harris, Fisher and Eugene.

The Rivals guys think the same way. The OLB in a 3-4 are typically tweeners. They are DE/LB hybrids. On one side you would have Ramsey, who is more in the LB range, and on the other side you'll have another who is more in the DE range like Taylor. The only time we'll see Greenlaw on the outside is when they want someone to cover more than rush the QB.

[bennyl08]

Guidry is very likely first-team DE. Dean won't be in the fall depth chart.

What have you seen from Guidry to say that? I would agree that he is a strong candidate to start; however no more or less than guys like TJ Smith or Dean. Speaking of, what makes you say that about Dean? Athletically, I'd put him with anybody else save Agim on the DL. He was a bit more raw and a developmental guy though. Is there an injury or personal issues he has that would keep him off the depth chart in fall, or is his development just not far along enough, and what evidence would you have to say that?

The linebacker setup could be a lot different than this, but who knows what direction Rhoads wants to go. LSU has gone with a speed guy at the middle linebacker position, with the other one being the bigger player. Alabama's the other way around.

LSU's outside linebackers look like 4-3 defensive ends. Alabama's are 250-pounders who would be tweeners for a 4-3. Giovanni LaFrance (6-1, 255) might be a good candidate for OLB in this defense. The midterm freshman Kyrei Fisher will have every chance to get into the two-deep.

I think LB for us this year will be like OL last year. There are a lot of combinations we have that can work. Which combination gives us the best combo for the style we want? How many different styles do we want?

Nate Dalton is less likely to get a chance at safety than Micahh Smith and Deon Edwards are. Among the freshmen, it's really unclear who has the best chance to play right away in the secondary. You know the coaches want to put some pressure on the starters, but that might come initially from players who will be around in spring.

Richardson might be available for spring, but Tutt won't. Given the infusion of new cornerbacks, will Tutt and Richardson play corner, safety, nickel/dime?

Dalton started off as a corner here, is that what you are suggesting? From the highlights I saw, I like him better at corner, but coaches are around him a lot more than me, and know a lot more football than I do as well. I liked Smith's highlights a lot too and think the only thing keeping him from starting next season (2018) would be the talent of Brown and Curl.

[Biggus Piggus]

Bret Bielema said earlier this week that Ramsey, Roesler and Taylor would be the guys at one of the two OLB positions. I don't know their terminology for these positions, but this would be the one lined up on the side of the left tackle. Some teams call it the Jack.

The strongside LB typically would be larger, taller with arms long enough to help him deal with big blockers. Some teams use the same type of player at both OLB positions. Sounds like Arkansas doesn't intend to cross-train OLBs.

Inside, the Hogs need that RB-like blend of strength, speed and athletic ability. Don't need to be really tall but also not too short to cover receivers.

De'Jon Harris was a good running QB in high school, good inside LB prospect. Giovanni LaFrance is similar. I expect to see Alexy Jean-Baptiste at OLB. He is a little taller.

[ErnestHamingway]

I wonder if Jamario Bell could move back to defense and play OLB.

[bennyl08]

I wonder if Jamario Bell could move back to defense and play OLB.

Physically, he has the ideal size and athleticism. However, that holds true for TE and 4-3 DE.

There's a lot more to football than what are capable of physically doing. What are you willing to work towards doing? What type of mentality do you have? What is you mind capable of doing? What techniques are you more instinctually able to do? And so on and so forth.

[redleg]

DE - M. Agim, B. Guidry, A. Watts
NG - A. Capps, B. Jackson
DE - TJ Smith, J. Marshall, D. Dean
OLB - M. Taylor, Gabe Richardson, K. Roesler
ILB - D. Harris, G. LaFrance, D. Walker
ILB - D. Greenlaw, D. Eugene, A. Jean-Baptiste
OLB - R. Ramsey, K. Fisher
CB - R. Pulley, B. Tutt
CB - H. Tolliver, K. Richardson, C. Calloway
SS - S. Ramirez, D. Coley, K. Curl
FS - J. Liddell, M. Brown, N. Dalton
:razorback:

[HOGINTENNESSEE]

DT-Agim Guidry
NG- Jackson Capps
DE- Guidry Marshall
OLB Taylor Ramsey
ILB Greenlaw Eugene
ILB Harris Eugene
NB Richardson Toliver
CB Tolliver Tutt
CB Pulley Calloway
SS Ramirez Coley- Edwards
FS Liddell Coley- Smith

I doubt we will be in a 3-4 very often, except against Pro Style teams. I suspect this line up versus spread offenses. More of a 3-3-5 look

[DeltaBoy]

I excited to see us in a 3-4 D next fall.

[hawginbigd1]

DE - M. Agim, B. Guidry, A. Watts
NG - A. Capps, B. Jackson
DE - TJ Smith, J. Marshall, D. Dean
OLB - M. Taylor, Gabe Richardson, K. Roesler
ILB - D. Harris, G. LaFrance, D. Walker
ILB - D. Greenlaw, D. Eugene, A. Jean-Baptiste
OLB - R. Ramsey, K. Fisher
CB - R. Pulley, B. Tutt
CB - H. Tolliver, K. Richardson, C. Calloway
SS - S. Ramirez, D. Coley, K. Curl
FS - J. Liddell, M. Brown, N. Dalton
:razorback:

http://www.wholehogsports.com/news/2017/feb/06/state-hogs/

Article states Greenlaw could probably play any of the positions but is primarily the WOLB, as I said. We will have one heavy hybrid strong side, and Greenlaw types on the other, this set-up can morph into a 4-3 look at anytime, and can become a 3-3 look as well.