Did DC Robb Smith make an adjustment?

[ThisTeetsTaken]

I think he might have!

[jjdlc]

CBB said in his pressed changes were going to happen.

[ballz2thewall]

not really. we sent a few more guys in late in the 4th. we usually do that. this time it worked.

it would be nice to do that in the first half.

[Arkansas Fan]

If there was changes, it was from Bielema.

[passinghog]

Blitzed more, which I've always thought you have to do against spread teams. You have to dictate the action as often as you can since they're dead set on dictating tempo.

[jm]

They looked better tonight with a few exceptions. Still giving up too much on the QB run. The hit that caused the fumble at the end was great, but it would have been a first down if the ball hadn't come out. 

[Pancetta]

I liked that they blitzed Ellis. He has a hard time in coverage so I think that rushing him on obvious passing downs turns a negative into a positive.

[idochog]

We blitzed. Most we have done.

[jfred59]

They looked better tonight with a few exceptions. Still giving up too much on the QB run. The hit that caused the fumble at the end was great, but it would have been a first down if the ball hadn't come out. 

And it should have been a fumble when it did come out

[TNRazorbacker]

They looked better tonight with a few exceptions. Still giving up too much on the QB run. The hit that caused the fumble at the end was great, but it would have been a first down if the ball hadn't come out. 

We gave up some but we also made some plays in key situations.  You have to take chances to make things happen sometimes, particularly when you are playing talented QB's.

[dhizzle]

Seems like we blitzed more. I've been calling for more blitzes since last year. I watched bamer send 7 players last week to our qb.

[Smokehouse]

Blitzed more, which I've always thought you have to do against spread teams. You have to dictate the action as often as you can since they're dead set on dictating tempo.

And especially HUNH teams. Blitz caused some good 1st down plays that took them out of their hurry up that was torching us all night.

[Hogzilla Killa]

We are a much better defense when we have pressure on the passer from the linebackers. I have been waiting for this all year. I'd rather see our aggressive defense give up yards as opposed to sitting back and just getting ripped by the other teams QB seemily without much effort

[Hogs run wild]

someone made a half time adjustment not to take their sweet time getting defensive plays in...

[ballz2thewall]

we actually looked worse in many areas.

it was as though we had never seen a hurry up scheme before. indeed; ole miss brags on this part of their attack. we knew it was coming. we've played it before against ole miss and other teams.

yet, we're fire-drilling getting set up.

[Arkansas Fan]

Did anyone notice the stunt that got Ledbetter the sack? STUNTING!

[MissippHog]

It's amazing what happens when you dial up a few extra blitzes and put a little pressure on the quarterback.

[Youngsta71701]

Blitzed more, which I've always thought you have to do against spread teams. You have to dictate the action as often as you can since they're dead set on dictating tempo.

We also faked the blitz more. Especially in the A gaps.

[Youngsta71701]

We also played more Cover1 which allowed a linebacker to stay in the middle of the field for the most part. Although they still didn't make the tackle plenty of times at least someone was there.

[upperdeck_hawg]

Biggest adjustment was putting a safety on Engram. They were abusing Ellis with that matchup in the first half.

[HawgnCorona]

I think he might have!

They did.

[Steef]

Yes.

So did Enos.

[HOGINTENNESSEE]

Defense played will when they got set. Not so good when Ole Piss got the ball off at like 8 second into the play clock

[Dark Helmet Hog]

They played much more aggressive, and it was a great thing.

[Lake City Hog]

In the first half, Arkansas blitzed just four times on 22 dropbacks, including just once in the first 15. Robb Smith switched it up in the second half, dialing up 13 blitzes in 22 dropbacks. All were linebacker blitzes with Brooks Ellis and Dwayne Eugene. Some were delayed. Others were not.

http://www.wholehogsports.com/news/2016/oct/16/5-observations-arkansas-ole-miss/

Yep, he changed it up a LOT in the 2nd half. MAYBE this will convince everyone that when turned loose this D could be pretty good.

[PorkRinds]

Defense played will when they got set. Not so good when Ole Piss got the ball off at like 8 second into the play clock

I agree with this. That timing is a big deal for our defense. If they're not getting set they aren't ready which leads to confusion. I'll say this though, there were more than a couple of times where OM was so tied to tempo that it screwed them over. It doesn't do much good to get the defense off balance if your offense isn't set or ready either. They tempo'd themselves a few times last night.

[younghog]

Ellis looked lost.. To busy directing instead of getting set.. ~to me

GO HOGS

[LRrazorback]

Blitzed more, which I've always thought you have to do against spread teams. You have to dictate the action as often as you can since they're dead set on dictating tempo.

This. CRS never does this enough in my opinion. But the linebackers came on multiple plays last night. Don't remember a corner or safety blitz all season

[PorkRinds]

Here's my thought. Our linebackers aren't good cover guys so blitz the hell out of them constantly. What's the point of having them cover if they get beat repeatedly.  Maybe that's what CBB and CRS had a spirited discussion about last week.

[pigture perfect]

He did make some nice adjustments at half. I think a previous poster or 2 has mentioned blitzes, so I won't.

[Bacons Rebellion]

Against our pressure game, Mississippi completed 5 passes in the second half in 18 attempts.

[Redhogs]

They looked better tonight with a few exceptions. Still giving up too much on the QB run. The hit that caused the fumble at the end was great, but it would have been a first down if the ball hadn't come out.

Exactly..didn't stop Kelly with that stupid zone read up the middle till halfway through the fourth quarter.

[Redhogs]

Here's my thought. Our linebackers aren't good cover guys so blitz the hell out of them constantly. What's the point of having them cover if they get beat repeatedly.  Maybe that's what CBB and CRS had a spirited discussion about last week.

Agree..slow and often out of position at the snap.

[Redhogs]

Biggest adjustment was putting a safety on Engram. They were abusing Ellis with that matchup in the first half.

Bingo..

[Lake City Hog]

Few LB's are good cover guys. VERY few LB's have the speed to cover a TE, that's why O's scheme to get one-on-one's with a TE or RB on an LB.

Wouldn't it be great if Eugene could really take over Greenlaw's spot and allow Greenlaw to shed a few pounds and become hybrid safety/LB?

I would really like to see a D Coordinator come up with a scheme to disrupt the true spread offenses. Call it a 3-3-5 or even a 3-1-7 with 3 down linemen, 1 true ML, 2 hybrid safety/LB types, 4 corners and 1 true safety. On 1st down plays those offenses usually try to hit the quick 2 or 3 step passes to get a good 4 to 6 yards. It's almost impossible to get to the QB like that, but you could flood the flats with coverage and maybe get a break-up or tackle for minimal gain.

On 2nd or 3rd and long you could rush the normal 3 or bring in a 4th lineman, blitz the ML or the ML and 1 hybrid, or keep the ML home and blitz a corner and a hybrid or maybe even blitz the safety. The combinations could be countless and cause quite a bit of confusion for the O.

I have to believe that sooner or later some defensive guy will think outside the box and come up with a concept to disrupt spread teams.There are only a very few teams with the sheer talent to over-power spread teams for disruption.

[Hognspace]

someone made a half time adjustment not to take their sweet time getting defensive plays in...

He just quit desguising coverage and ran a base cover 2.  The alignment was easy to read.  In the first half we ran basically the same thing, but had guys in different starting positions and rotations into coverages.  I like that he simplified the scheme to adjust for the hurry up. It helped the kids. The problem with that playing an elite qb like Kelly is that he will get comfortable with reads and pick you apart.  A QB doesn't have to question what they see when we do what we did the second half. As far as giving up the run to the scrambling qb...the spread is designed to spread out a defense and give the qb time and options. When the qb can run it is 1 v 1 with the Mike lb.  Ellis is slow. 

[Locutus_of_Boar]

They looked better tonight with a few exceptions. Still giving up too much on the QB run. The hit that caused the fumble at the end was great, but it would have been a first down if the ball hadn't come out.

True but the good news is Arkansas has played the last of the really good mobile QBs that torment RS's defense the most. 

CBB had hinted the defense would be more aggressive and they were.  The down side is they might give up a home run or two that way but they are a little more likely to produce some 3 and outs and if the OL is making progress as they looked to be last night that might be a good tradeoff for the defense.

[passinghog]

This. CRS never does this enough in my opinion. But the linebackers came on multiple plays last night. Don't remember a corner or safety blitz all season

Should continue for the rest of the season, IMO. We don't have a quarterback left on the schedule that is experienced enough to make quick enough decisions pre and post snap to find their hot read and make us consistently pay for the blitz. Double A gap pressure is one of the hardest blitzes to slow down because it's a right up the middle, shortest route to QB.

[rzrbackramsfan]

He started blitzing more in the second half and the difference it made was huge. 

[rzrbackramsfan]

I'm a little mad the coaches couldn't figure out how much our defense would be by blitzing our linebackers sooner.  Maybe it took the emergence of some our secondary really being able to cover though.

Idk about you guys, but I feel Pretty alright leaving pulley and Collins out an island.

[jcbville]

If you look at CRS history he has done his best play calling and had his best results when he is mixing in creative blitzing. It seems to be a talent of his that has  not been utilized near enough.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

That's the most stunts and blitzes than I've seen in a long time from our defense. Definitely kept Kelley off balance.

[ballz2thewall]

while we're patting ourselves on the defensive back

why in the hell, for the third year in a row, does it take half the season to figure out that pressuring the qb might help win a game?

i just don't get it. the win last night was great.

but how about those drives that ole miss took straight down the field unchallenged in the first half? hell, kelly coulda done his math homework at the same time because we were so passive.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

while we're patting ourselves on the defensive back

why in the hell, for the third year in a row, does it take half the season to figure out that pressuring the qb might help win a game?

i just don't get it. the win last night was great.

but how about those drives that ole miss took straight down the field unchallenged in the first half? hell, kelly coulda done his math homework at the same time because we were so passive.

I don't think we're getting the pressure with the front 4 that they thought we would in the preseason. If we could, that would be best.

[LRrazorback]

Should continue for the rest of the season, IMO. We don't have a quarterback left on the schedule that is experienced enough to make quick enough decisions pre and post snap to find their hot read and make us consistently pay for the blitz. Double A gap pressure is one of the hardest blitzes to slow down because it's a right up the middle, shortest route to QB.

Totally agree. Wish we could've seen a little more against hurts(freshman)

[husker71]

I agree with Pork Rinds on this one 

[passinghog]

A closer look at the effectiveness of the double A pressure look....

At the college level (Michigan State):

https://www.google.com/amp/www.theonlycolors.com/platform/amp/2012/8/21/3220614/better-know-a-blitz-package-double-a-gap?client=safari

At the pro level (Minnesota Vikings Mike Zimmer):

http://vikingsjournal.com/_/minnesota-vikings-news/minnesota-vikings/sugaring-the-a-gap—zimmers-pressure-du-jour-r92

I don't believe we should become a heavy blitz team, (25-35% on passing situations is fine) but there's no reason why we shouldn't use double A gap blitz as a staple of our defense. You can really dictate what type of protection an offense must use to protect against that pressure, which in turns eliminates some of the plays they can run out of a specific formation.

[Dionysos25]

He adjusted our opponent. We played less Alabama and more Ole Miss.

[B501]

Honestly I feel like the coaches took some plays outta Bamas playbook one they saw the tape  :razorback:

[elksnort]

Here's my thought. Our linebackers aren't good cover guys so blitz the hell out of them constantly. What's the point of having them cover if they get beat repeatedly.  Maybe that's what CBB and CRS had a spirited discussion about last week.

I agree very much.

Also, my answer to the original post is that our number 28 is the one who made the adjustment. Frankly, he played like crap against Bama. When he came out Making Good Hits and wrapping up and tackling last night I knew we had a good chance of winning the game