What will our scheme be to stop the zone-read?

[Großer Kriegschwein]

Anyone have any ideas?

[Prestworthy]

Anyone have any ideas?

The players had talked about staying disciplined in their gaps.  IMO, all you can do is play fundamental football, tackle well, and stay disciplined.  Don't let the motion move you out of position.

[bphi11ips]

Posted mine a few days ago.  Malzahn's offense starts and stops between the tackles.  I'd like to see a 5-2 with Bijhon Jackson heads up on Dismukes.  Then I'd play slow, assignment football.  Aggressive, pin-your-ears-back-gap-shooting defense is just what a read option QB wants.  He wants the weakside end and LB's to commit quickly. 

Take away the dive, string out the read, and fill the counter lane, and you kill the read option.  Easier said than done.

[Hoggish1]

The players had talked about staying disciplined in their gaps.  IMO, all you can do is play fundamental football, tackle well, and stay disciplined.  Don't let the motion move you out of position.

This is it, plus:

A disruptive nose tackled in 50 front.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

So no scrape exchange, just straight up disciplined defense. I like it. Curious, cause this is CRS first game as DC. And not very familiar with his defensive play calling.

[bphi11ips]

So no scrape exchange, just straight up disciplined defense. I like it. Curious, cause this is CRS first game as DC. And not very familiar with his defensive play calling.

The scrape exchange is designed to make the QB make a quick decision.  Kirby Smart uses it to try and force the ball to the least talented running back.  The pros have been using the slow approach successfully for a couple years.  Robb Smith may bring that approach with him.

The Razorbacks held Auburn to 213 yards rushing last year running basically a read and react scheme. 

[Kevin]

i hope we put someone on the center and stay there. i don't want us giving the center a free release to angle block the dt

[Großer Kriegschwein]

The scrape exchange is designed to make the QB make a quick decision.  Kirby Smart uses it to try and force the ball to the least talented running back.  The pros have been using the slow approach successfully for a couple years.  Robb Smith may bring that approach with him.

The Razorbacks held Auburn to 213 yards rushing last year running basically a read and react scheme.

Solid.

[HappyFan]

I would like to see the tilted nose disrupting the backfield and pressuring the QB all day long.

[Josh Goforth]

Posted mine a few days ago.  Malzahn's offense starts and stops between the tackles.  I'd like to see a 5-2 with Bijhon Jackson heads up on Dismukes.  Then I'd play slow, assignment football.  Aggressive, pin-your-ears-back-gap-shooting defense is just what a read option QB wants.  He wants the weakside end and LB's to commit quickly. 

Take away the dive, string out the read, and fill the counter lane, and you kill the read option.  Easier said than done.

Slow assignment football is what Chris Ash gameplanned last year. Problem was the player assigned to the RB one on one could not tackle him. Lake at the weakside lb spot just could not stay with Mason. Every time Auburn ran the zone read, smith or flowers jump up field to cause marshall to give to the back who either bounced to the outside or made the LB miss in the hole.
A 1 gap, slanting, edge blitzing attack is what Florida St used with much more success than a sit back and wait scheme.

[jm]

Assignment football is simple in principal, the question is do we have the personel at every position.

[Josh Goforth]

The scrape exchange is designed to make the QB make a quick decision.  Kirby Smart uses it to try and force the ball to the least talented running back.  The pros have been using the slow approach successfully for a couple years.  Robb Smith may bring that approach with him.

The Razorbacks held Auburn to 213 yards rushing last year running basically a read and react scheme. 

The pros have LBs who have the speed/quickness to make those reads, im not sure we do right now.

[rzrbckfan83]

Gap 8 defense

[HF#1]

It's all about eye discipline more than scheme.  Play your assignment

[bphi11ips]

Slow assignment football is what Chris Ash gameplanned last year. Problem was the player assigned to the RB one on one could not tackle him. Lake at the weakside lb spot just could not stay with Mason. Every time Auburn ran the zone read, smith or flowers jump up field to cause marshall to give to the back who either bounced to the outside or made the LB miss in the hole.
A 1 gap, slanting, edge blitzing attack is what Florida St used with much more success than a sit back and wait scheme.

How so?  Auburn gained 232 yards rushing against Florida State and 233 against Arkansas.  FSU gave up 449 yards of total offense and 31 points, while Arkansas gave up 366 total yards and 35 points.  Turnovers were even in the NC game, with one each.  Arkansas was minus 3 against Auburn.

Control the clock, make Auburn's QB react first, win the turnover and field position battle, and the Hogs have a great shot at repeating 2006.

Warbeagle scare.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

Gap 8 defense

Oh yeah...Ain't Saban running that one this year?  ........sigh


Smart a$$

[bphi11ips]

The pros have LBs who have the speed/quickness to make those reads, im not sure we do right now.

Therein lies the issue, agreed, but whaddayagonnado?

[GoobertownHog]

the quarterback will say, "Hike." That's when the c-center puts the ball
in-into the hands of the quarterback. So what we do is,
we start tacklin' the quarterback, unless he give the ball
to-to s-somebody else, in which case, we try to tackle that person.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

the quarterback will say, "Hike." That's when the c-center puts the ball
in-into the hands of the quarterback. So what we do is,
we start tacklin' the quarterback, unless he give the ball
to-to s-somebody else, in which case, we try to tackle that person.

What do we do if he says turbo buffalo or some darn?

[bphi11ips]

What do we do if he says turbo buffalo or some darn?

Mike LB yells "Omaha"

[Pigstie]

Slow assignment football is what Chris Ash gameplanned last year. Problem was the player assigned to the RB one on one could not tackle him. Lake at the weakside lb spot just could not stay with Mason. Every time Auburn ran the zone read, smith or flowers jump up field to cause marshall to give to the back who either bounced to the outside or made the LB miss in the hole.
A 1 gap, slanting, edge blitzing attack is what Florida St used with much more success than a sit back and wait scheme.

This.....   and do whatever you can to make marshall beat you with his arm. Hit him as much as possible whether he has the ball or not. If we have to take a penalty... so be it. It would be worth it to get in his head.

[supersaint]

the quarterback will say, "Hike." That's when the c-center puts the ball
in-into the hands of the quarterback. So what we do is,
we start tacklin' the quarterback, unless he give the ball
to-to s-somebody else, in which case, we try to tackle that person.

This guy gets it!  Also, I've heard that the Hog DL is working on a mule kick technique where they start in a four point stance, then pirouette at the snap and kick the OL in the groin. Domination incarnate

[chitwnhog]

See ball....get ball.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

This guy gets it!  Also, I've heard that the Hog DL is working on a mule kick technique where they start in a four point stance, then pirouette at the snap and kick the OL in the groin. Domination incarnate

Maybe this?

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Josh Goforth]

How so?  Auburn gained 232 yards rushing against Florida State and 233 against Arkansas.  FSU gave up 449 yards of total offense and 31 points, while Arkansas gave up 366 total yards and 35 points.  Turnovers were even in the NC game, with one each.  Arkansas was minus 3 against Auburn.

Control the clock, make Auburn's QB react first, win the turnover and field position battle, and the Hogs have a great shot at repeating 2006.

Warbeagle scare.

So you are saying neither will slow them down less than 230 yard rushing? I dont think a repeat of the scheme from last year is the answer. It may give up some more big plays, like FSU gave up, but thats where this team is right now, where they have to gamble.

The defense had no answer for the inside zone last season. An under front with a LB at the LOS to mess with who they leave as the read man is what I think Smith will put out there. I think he will also be sending Turner and other second level players flying in on 1st and 2nd down blitzes. Cant see much sit back and read assignment football with this team right now. Maybe down the road when we have the LBS to play that way.

[OTTER]

Thanks for the information all of you gave on this, you made it the best thread in a long, long time.  It's a real " meat and taters" thread!  WPS

[PonderinHog]

What do we do if he says turbo buffalo or some darn?

Drink the Turbo and kill the Buffalo!

[LZH]

Do.....not.....miss.....tackles.  No matter what scheme we've ran over the past few years, we have been horrible at tackling and avoiding the YAC.

[The Boar War]

the quarterback will say, "Hike." That's when the c-center puts the ball
in-into the hands of the quarterback. So what we do is,
we start tacklin' the quarterback, unless he give the ball
to-to s-somebody else, in which case, we try to tackle that person.

I think we should hit the quarterback on every running play.

[MJ2]

Anyone have any ideas?

AU won't be just zone read this year.   More of the playbook and creativity has been installed.    It'll have to be 11 on 11 and everyone plays assignments to have a hope and they're counting on us being out of place.

[LZH]

Posted mine a few days ago.  Malzahn's offense starts and stops between the tackles.  I'd like to see a 5-2 with Bijhon Jackson heads up on Dismukes.  Then I'd play slow, assignment football.  Aggressive, pin-your-ears-back-gap-shooting defense is just what a read option QB wants.  He wants the weakside end and LB's to commit quickly. 

Take away the dive, string out the read, and fill the counter lane, and you kill the read option.  Easier said than done.

I think you and I had about the same idea the other day when I said 3-4.  In other words, you can pinch your DT's or use you DE/OLB's for containment without much adjustment.  I think if we can keep them from getting outside the tackles we'll be much better off.  Now, if our DT's aren't as stout as I have been thinking they are, then that may be out the window.  But we've gotta cover the edge unless our speed has improved by light years.

Years ago I heard an ex-coach on TV talk about a team that was switching to a 3-4.  He said "your LB's are terrible so your solution is to put more of them on the field?"     

[Tsarcasm]

4-3 with the 3-technique defensive tackle  aligned opposite the single back, the defensive end should treat any down blocks  by the tackle as "Run-away," the proper reaction being to chase down the line of scrimmage. In this manner, the end can be responsible for taking away any cut-back lane to the B-Gap.

The nose guard is responsible for the weak side A-Gap. If the middle or  linebacker reads the running back going to the strong side, they then immediately plug the strong A-Gap. By doing this, all gaps are then accounted for in terms of the inside zone.

For the quarterback, the action of the defensive end in this scenario is a sure "Keep!" read, which is exactly what the defense wants the QB to think. The offense is simply giving the defense a free shot on the quarterback.

[woodrow hog call]

I want somebody busting the QB right at the mesh point, preferably from the backside.
As soon as he rotates to extend to the RB I would love to see him get blown up, mess with his head a little, maybe cause a turn over.

[GoHogs1091]

I'd like to see us use a 4-4-3.  Malzahn has already shown the College Football community during Auburn's 2010 season and their 2013 season that he can take advantage of a 4-3-4.

We know a 3-3-5 doesn't work.  Dave Steckel (Missouri's DC) found that out in the SEC Championship Game.

I think a 4-4-3 with another LB would help with the fact of Malzahn trying to outflank teams.  Malzahn likes to see how the Defense lines up, and then he shifts his offensive personnel in order to try to outflank the Defense.  Having a 4th LB would make it very difficult for Malzahn to outflank a Defense.

[Arkansas Fan]

Let's use the 10-10-10. Gus won't know what to do.

[Fayettechill14]

Mix man and Cover 6 with nine in the box. Sky support.

I would guess that we'll try to use the DL to spill everything outside and then have the OLBs and safeties to make the tackles.

I'll try to diagram some stuff and post it before the game.

[31to6]

Slow assignment football is what Chris Ash gameplanned last year. Problem was the player assigned to the RB one on one could not tackle him. Lake at the weakside lb spot just could not stay with Mason. Every time Auburn ran the zone read, smith or flowers jump up field to cause marshall to give to the back who either bounced to the outside or made the LB miss in the hole.
A 1 gap, slanting, edge blitzing attack is what Florida St used with much more success than a sit back and wait scheme.

Agree.

Willy frickin Robinson called a run blitzes against Malzahn and it worked against everyone not named Cam.

You sit back on your heels and play assignment football and Gus will rip you up with his pre-snap sideline "audibles".

But here's the deal, there is actually very little post-snap option in most of his offense. Plays *look like* options and usually have a lot of misdirection, but he likes to keep it simple and he doesn't like his QB to have to read the defense too much--he mostly wants his athletes to be athletic.

So you have to attack it and disrupt what they are trying to do.

You have to force their QB to think, fast.

[crimsonaudio]

It's no different from the old triple option - everyone has an assignment and all eleven have to play disciplined. Malzahn is masterful at creating multiple bad match ups where the QB can wait for one player to mess up, then they hurt you.

FSU did a fine job of slowing it down for a lot of the BCSCG by pressuring Marshall - if Arkansas can get the DL upfield and pressure whoever the QB is, it changes everything.

[hawgsalot]

Nine in the box no matter what formation and force them to pass. I don't care if it's a 5-4-2.  Shoot the gaps to force a quick read every time, that will cause bad reads and mistakes.  I want to be super aggressive, the read and react causes you to stand up and lose leverage, horrible idea with this offense.  Sure they will hit a few big ones but Gus's offense sucks when playing 2nd or 3rd and long.  This offense isn't rocket science, it's the same veer we ran in highschool with a few wrinkles, the whole deal is an athletic qb, without that this offense is dead in the water.

[Fayettechill14]

Agree.

Willy frickin Robinson called a run blitzes against Malzahn and it worked against everyone not named Cam.

You sit back on your heels and play assignment football and Gus will rip you up with his pre-snap sideline "audibles".

But here's the deal, there is actually very little post-snap option in most of his offense. Plays *look like* options and usually have a lot of misdirection, but he likes to keep it simple and he doesn't like his QB to have to read the defense too much--he mostly wants his athletes to be athletic.

So you have to attack it and disrupt what they are trying to do.

You have to force their QB to think, fast.

Yeah most of his stuff is simple misdirection with a lot of window dressing. Got to make open field tackles. Them not having Tre Mason helps a lot.

[passinghog]

Kill the QB on every run play

[razorbackkid]

Kill the QB on every run play

Fify.

[BOAR_N2BWILD]

weed brownies for Marshall before the game.

[31to6]

Yeah most of his stuff is simple misdirection with a lot of window dressing. Got to make open field tackles. Them not having Tre Mason helps a lot.

From what I have seen and been told, on any given play there is at most, one read the QB makes. The guy running the jet sweep? He is either misdirection or getting the ball and everyone knows it before the snap.

There are the zone reads. QB reads one DT (inside) or DE (outside) and keeps or gives.
There is an option toss. QB reads the corner and tosses or keeps.
On pass plays there is usually play action combined with a deep route and an outlet.
Etc.

You won't see an Auburn QB check down to a third or fourth option because there is no 3rd or 4th. Those dudes are decoys and/or setting up to block.

It's not a triple-option like GA Tech or Navy. It's not a pro-style offense like Petrino's with the QB making pre-snap audibles and post-snap reads.

The brilliance of his system is it lets him plug in a great athlete and get very high productivity because they don't have to learn a complex scheme. They just play. And they play fast.

Gotta disrupt them.

[BPsTheMan]

a high dose of blitzing linebackers? No.

gotta be quite a bit of having the defensive ends crashing down and taking away the give to the RB. The LB on that side scrapes off the outside of the DE crash and plays the QB.

we don't want a high dose of the defensive ends having to play the QB.

take away the give, force Aub's QB to keep and our linebackers pound the crap out of him all night

[onebadrubi]

We have the ability to slow their offense.  It is to do our thing, run the ball, and convert on 3rd downs.  You do this, and play assignment D, you can handle auburn.  Us not having 3 N outs will help as much as anything.

[BPsTheMan]

I would guess that we'll try to use the DL to spill everything outside and then have the OLBs and safeties to make the tackles.

yep - take away the first option

got to

[Ramtough]

Just stay at home on defense and the game will come to us. Maybe throw in a few blitz packages on 1st down to keep them guessing. I agree we need to lay out the QB every time he comes down the line, ball or no ball.

[Nuttcracker, Sweet!]

All of those shifts and misdirection are mostly window dressing, like fayettechill said. I can't tell you what scheme Robb Smith will employ. I do believe Taiwan Johnson at the tilt position was done mostly for this game and the other spread teams.

The Barners can't have a lot of film on him since he has seldom played, none inside. Also, the TQ Coleman move to LB was done for the spread teams. That gets more speed on the field...

Regardless of scheme, the key will be tackling in space, something we haven't been good at the last few seasons. Anyone recall the crushing hit by Jerrico Nelson on Mario Fannin a few years back? A few of those would go a long way.

Also, the forecast calls for rain, which I believe would be an edge for us. It would slow down any speed advantage they have. Run J Will right at 'em.

As for stats, the main edge they had was +3 TOs last year. There wasn't much difference anywhere else, but 3 TOs is huge...

[pigture perfect]

Alot of good thoughts in this thread. I think you must have some things installed to interupt timing. Timing is everything.