So we have a D cordinator that has no history of running the 3-4 defense

[factchecker]

The biggest question I have is the type of defense line scheme we will use.  Are we going to use a one gap or two gap method.

Coach Grantham Explains One-Gap vs. Two-Gap in the 3-4

3-4 DEFENSE - ONE GAP PRINCIPLES

[gchamblee]

My knowledge doesn't help with Madden at all. My nephews kick my butt all the time.

When it comes to video games I'm old school.  This is the best football game of all time:

at 50, I am still a gamer and spend far too many hours per week doing my best to hold my own online. I moved to computer early on and never looked back. My kid is more of a consoler, and it always drove him crazy that I could beat him at everything we played. I still hold my own against him, but he gets satisfaction in knowing that when he beats me now, I didn't let him win. My background is first person shooters because I'm hoping that twitch gaming will keep my mind sharp, that and lots of glaucoma prevention

[code red]

Rhoads isn't an expert with the 3-4. He's for the most part a 4-3 guy except the 1 year, his last year, at Iowa State. Great coordinators don't need a vast knowledge of a scheme. They can adapt. This describes Rhoads. We hired 2 VERY knowledgeable coaches at the positions that pertain to the base of the 3-4. Rhoads will pick both Walker and Scott Jr.'s brains about the schemes needing to be put in place. The defense is in extremely good hands.

So the question remains....is Rhodes great.

[OneTuskOverTheLine™]

His buddy may very well already be posting on here, there are several who are still pretty busy poo pooing everything they can every chance they get, facts be darned!

What's sad is that the message board mentality has spewed into the streets...

[Inhogswetrust]

That's quite "uncommon".

Not surprised you would believe an anonymous posters "buddy".

[Hoggish1]

Is this correct?  One of my buddies was telling me this and I want to see if this is true, does anyone know?

I assume you are capable of checking things out for yourself, yes? Or are you helpless...?

[Jonteviosk]

For those who are actually interested in understanding the 3-4.

If you have a bad secondary the 3-4 can help to hide it. The basics of the 3-4 requires Large DL 290-300 with big physical NT. Thye have to be able to occupy blockers and keep the LB clean this allows the LB to attack the Pas rush around the edge as well as the running game and in coverage. The secondary can be masked but its good if you have a good secondary of course.

[Jonteviosk]

DE McTelvin Agim 6'3 290   NT Bijhon Jackson 6'2 335     DE Micah Johnson 6'5 285

starters on DL including Johnson a JUCO ALL Am last year. Ideal 3-4 DE

OLB - Randy Ramsey and Alexy Jean Baptiste unless Baptiste is an ILB which one will be Dre Greenlaw.

[HamSammich]

You guys realized you just got trolled right??? Well no you don't and  it's super entertaining ...... please more diagrams of defense!!! Lol

[cosmodrum]

I do not care if we run a 10-1 I just want it better please

I like the 1-5-5 when I play Madden

[ricepig]

DE McTelvin Agim 6'3 290   NT Bijhon Jackson 6'2 335     DE Micah Johnson 6'5 285

starters on DL including Johnson a JUCO ALL Am last year. Ideal 3-4 DE

OLB - Randy Ramsey and Alexy Jean Baptiste unless Baptiste is an ILB which one will be Dre Greenlaw.

We don't have a Micah Johnson, are you talking about this guy? He's 246lbs, he'll need to redshirt to put on the weight to play DE.

https://twitter.com/RazorbackFB/status/826816683205591040

[FANONTHEHILL]

We don't have a Micah Johnson, are you talking about this guy? He's 246lbs, he'll need to redshirt to put on the weight to play DE.

https://twitter.com/RazorbackFB/status/826816683205591040

They were able to land Melvin after getting Michael Taylor who was also at Riverside.  The height and weight listed are from last summer. Melvin is now floating between 270-280 and expected to report this summer at that weight.

[ricepig]

They were able to land Melvin after getting Michael Taylor who was also at Riverside.  The height and weight listed are from last summer. Melvin is now floating between 270-280 and expected to report this summer at that weight.

Umm, several recruiting guys who met him on his visit say he's 246 lbs, he was listed 280ish by Riverside. If you look at his picture from his signing and think he weighs 280, well......

https://twitter.com/Melvinj2Johnson/status/826891125625479168

[Jonteviosk]

We don't have a Micah Johnson, are you talking about this guy? He's 246lbs, he'll need to redshirt to put on the weight to play DE.

https://twitter.com/RazorbackFB/status/826816683205591040

Hey rice the recruiting site had him at 285.

[ricepig]

Hey rice the recruiting site had him at 285.

And the announcement from the UofA had him at 246.

[Jonteviosk]

And the announcement from the UofA had him at 246.

So more likely an OLB right??

[ricepig]

So more likely an OLB right??

Nope, not from what I've read. I don't think he has the speed to play OLB. They plan on bringing him in and putting some weight on him. From what I've read, he hasn't been on a very good diet, and they plan on redshirting him and let him gain some weight. I believe he has 3 to play 2, so I could see them going in that direction.

[Jonteviosk]

good cause in a 3-4 you cant have a 250lb de would make the job of the LBs impossible since the DL in a 3-4 has to occupy blockers.

[FANONTHEHILL]

His weight has been all over.  He got heavy (285) lost a bunch and played about 260 last fall. According to the guys in the program I've talked to, 270 is the target weight.  You can see in the pictures that his face and neck really change between 285 (Riverside head shot) and 255 (signing day pic)

[JIMMY BOARFFETT]

We are going to run a hybrid 3-4.

A 3.5 - 3.5 scheme.................okay I just made that up but it sounds innovative right?

With the right personnel, that just might work.

[FANONTHEHILL]

Something that they are also working on is the Zone Blitz scheme in the 3-4.  Created by former Steeler and current Titan DC Dick LeBeau.  It keeps a safety over the top to allow Blitz pressure without the risk of single man coverage without help over the top.  Here's a good article about the scheme.&

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2102559-nfl-101-breaking-down-the-basics-of-the-zone-blitz

[hawgfan4life]

Another amazing post to start a thread.  Running a 3-4 and a 4-3 are not so much different than running a 3-3, 5-2, 6-2, Monster, Gap 8, 4-4, Split 4, Gap 4, Bear, or any other defense.  Good defense results from:

1.  Lining up correctly and making proper pre-snap reads and/or calls
2.  Reacting properly to the call or assignment post-snap
3.  Getting off blocks.
4.  Playing FAST!
5.  Being good Tacklers.
6.  NOT getting beat deep on pass plays and giving up TD runs
7.  NOT beating yourself with stupid penalties.
8.  Swarming to the ball.
9.  Creating a high percentage of turnovers
10. Winning 3rd downs and in the Red Zone

Not one of those top 10 items are specific to the 3-4 or any other defense.  Running the 3-4 doesn't make a coach better, qualified, or anything else.  Being able to get the players to do those ten things makes the defense great.  The better the athletes doing these things, the greater the defense proportionally.

[FANONTHEHILL]

Good defense results from:

1.  Lining up correctly and making proper pre-snap reads and/or calls
2.  Reacting properly to the call or assignment post-snap
3.  Getting off blocks.
4.  Playing FAST!
5.  Being good Tacklers.
6.  NOT getting beat deep on pass plays and giving up TD runs
7.  NOT beating yourself with stupid penalties.
8.  Swarming to the ball.
9.  Creating a high percentage of turnovers
10. Winning 3rd downs and in the Red Zone

Not one of those top 10 items are specific to the 3-4 or any other defense.  Running the 3-4 doesn't make a coach better, qualified, or anything else.  Being able to get the players to do those ten things makes the defense great.

Excellent points.  A big portion of all of your points is "want to". Regardless of formation and scheme, these guys will give Paul Rhoads all they have.

[ricepig]

Excellent points.  A big portion of all of your points is "want to". Regardless of formation and scheme, these guys will give Paul Rhoads all they have.

Well, it's very disappointing if you're alluding that they didn't give all they had to Robb Smith. Fact is, they should be giving all they have because they're Razorbacks!

[FANONTHEHILL]

Well, it's very disappointing if you're alluding that they didn't give all they had to Robb Smith. Fact is, they should be giving all they have because they're Razorbacks!

Part of coaching, especially at the college level, is relationship.  Rhoads will have that. Smith did not.

[HamSammich]

Part of coaching, especially at the college level, is relationship.  Rhoads will have that. Smith did not.

Lol 🤐🙄

[FANONTHEHILL]

Lol 🤐🙄

You can mock me and be negative about the program with every post, but people don't know how happy these players are with the D.C. change.

[menace_hawg3]

Something that they are also working on is the Zone Blitz scheme in the 3-4.  Created by former Steeler and current Titan DC Dick LeBeau.  It keeps a safety over the top to allow Blitz pressure without the risk of single man coverage without help over the top.  Here's a good article about the scheme.&

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2102559-nfl-101-breaking-down-the-basics-of-the-zone-blitz

Good article. It looks like we are going to have an aggressive defense this year. Hey have you heard anything about who the coaches are high on this year on defense? Who do you think will surprise us this year? (On defense)

[Hawgar The Horrible]

You can mock me and be negative about the program with every post, but people don't know how happy these players are with the D.C. change.

Don't sweat it. You're responding to one of the types running this board into the ground. Let them have at it.

[Athog]

Is this correct?  One of my buddies was telling me this and I want to see if this is true, does anyone know?

Your buddy is a troll.

[Tejano Jawg]

We have 3 new coaches (well, one new old coach) who are taking a fresh look at what we have. And I trust they're motivated.

After what we put out there last year, does anyone think it can get worse??

[bennyl08]

Another amazing post to start a thread.  Running a 3-4 and a 4-3 are not so much different than running a 3-3, 5-2, 6-2, Monster, Gap 8, 4-4, Split 4, Gap 4, Bear, or any other defense.  Good defense results from:

1.  Lining up correctly and making proper pre-snap reads and/or calls Harder to do in a 3-4 than a 4-3 with much more complicated pre snap calls. If you struggled doing this under a 4-3, it won't get any easier; however, that complication is exactly why the 3-4 can confuse and disguise itself better than a 4-3.
2.  Reacting properly to the call or assignment post-snap Similar to 1 and 4. Though, this one is more about reading the offense and your opponent. Requires watching tape and the such.
3.  Getting off blocks. Requires good technique and strength
4.  Playing FAST! The more complicated the play call, the harder it is to play fast. Playing fast means you aren't having to think about what you are doing at all which requires either a simple scheme or an intelligent player.
5.  Being good Tacklers. Just good coaching here
6.  NOT getting beat deep on pass plays and giving up TD runs This is the opposite of an aggressive defense. Not getting beat deep is why teams play 7 yards off the ball and don't blitz much.
7.  NOT beating yourself with stupid penalties. just good coaching
8.  Swarming to the ball. To a certain degree. First and foremost, you need to mind your assignment. In younger and more inexperienced play, things tend towards people just chasing after the ball rather than staying home on the backside of a play. That is often the difference between a sound defense and a big play. CB on the backside chases to the far side of the field to get the ball carrier, who then gives it back on a reverse, and now there's nobody on the backside to make the tackle. Much harder and more important to teach not to swarm to the ball, but trust your teammates to complete their assignment so that you don't neglect yours. Now, there's a certain point where you do swarm to the ball, but only if you are in the vicinity.
9.  Creating a high percentage of turnovers requires good coaching.
10. Winning 3rd downs and in the Red Zone good coaching

Not one of those top 10 items are specific to the 3-4 or any other defense.  Running the 3-4 doesn't make a coach better, qualified, or anything else.  Being able to get the players to do those ten things makes the defense great.  The better the athletes doing these things, the greater the defense proportionally.

I'd agree that none of those are specific to a scheme, but many of those are highly dependent on scheme. If your scheme is to jump routes and play press-man coverage, you are inevitably going to get beat deep. Doesn't matter if your CB's consist of Peterson, Sherman, and Haden. If you have 5 different possible assignments for a given play depending on how the offense lines up, it's going to be harder for you to line up correctly. If you are having to think about when to pass of your guy for another receiver who enters your zone while also needing to watch out for the RB out of the bakcfield or the qb taking off on a run, your play is going to be slowed by you having to think about all of that compared to if you have a simpler task.

[Peter Porker]

Damn good stuff Sickboy. Thanks. Wade Phillips keels it simple.

Yea, I don't know. His dad was a Bum.

[HoggusMaximus]

Lets wait for next years season to play out before we start bashing the defense.

[RebelW]

All the guys saying how bad we will be on defense won't be around in the fall if our defense is as good as I believe it will be.. Lots of Flakey folks around here..

[Snorts]

Another amazing post to start a thread.  Running a 3-4 and a 4-3 are not so much different than running a 3-3, 5-2, 6-2, Monster, Gap 8, 4-4, Split 4, Gap 4, Bear, or any other defense.  Good defense results from:

1.  Lining up correctly and making proper pre-snap reads and/or calls
2.  Reacting properly to the call or assignment post-snap
3.  Getting off blocks.
4.  Playing FAST!
5.  Being good Tacklers.
6.  NOT getting beat deep on pass plays and giving up TD runs
7.  NOT beating yourself with stupid penalties.
8.  Swarming to the ball.
9.  Creating a high percentage of turnovers
10. Winning 3rd downs and in the Red Zone

Not one of those top 10 items are specific to the 3-4 or any other defense.  Running the 3-4 doesn't make a coach better, qualified, or anything else.  Being able to get the players to do those ten things makes the defense great.  The better the athletes doing these things, the greater the defense proportionally.

We did numbers 1, 3, 4, and 8 very poorly last year.  These are all related directly to good coaching and proper motivation.  D staff last year failed at things ALL defenses should do well.

Improve our effort and we will see a much improved D this year, regardless of the scheme.

[DeltaBoy]

We will be fine.