The Front Row

Luke just looks like he is in over his head. When things aren't going well you change things up and see what happens. No pass rush then blitz, do line stunts do something. Fickell makes no adjustments whatsoever. He is clueless what to do. I find it hard to beleive he will be here next year if things dont get straightened out real quick. And where is Withers????

Seriously? smh It is for sure the personnel. The problem is, because the D-schemes are so bad, it only exposes just how BAD the personnel IS and it ALSO makes the defense even worse.

THE WINNING DEFENSIVE SCHEME

MrT, I know you weren't speaking to me, but this would be an effective scheme:

1) Put Roby and Howard in man press coverage. No cushion. Bait the QB to throw. Remember, if pressure is coming, he doesn't have time to wait for the receiver to get 25 yards down the field AND he has to get rid of the ball so accuracy is diminished. Put 8 in the box regularly. You can drop them out if need but, but put them in the box to begin with.

2) While the QB is licking his chops at the thought of 1-1 coverage, blitz strategically. No need to bring everyone, but bring zone blitzes and safety blitzes. Be relentless. Bring it on every down.

3) Wear the QB down and get multiple hits on him and multiple sacks. If it's in his head, he'll struggle.

4) By bringing vertical pressure on every down, the chances are, most running plays WILL get blown up. Just have to maintain gap coverage.

THIS IS KEY: Everyone knows adjustments end up turning games around, so you have to set up the offense and be a step ahead with your defensive scheming. Tweak the defense by showing the same blitz schemes as earlier in the game, but occasionally drop a DE into coverage - or blitz a LB right past a dropping DE. The offense will make the following adjustments, which will play right into our hands.

5) Once the opposing OC and QB get used to seeing pressure and man press coverage, start dropping a DE like Spence in the short flat and into coverage and INT's should be on the menu. QB's hate when DE's with athleticism drop into coverage. The natural adjustment to blitzing is to begin to swing passes out to the flat or check downs over the middle - BUT - when you bring pressure, the QB doesn't have TIME to check down. Passes HAVE to be short passes, because there is no time for a 5-7 step drop. If they do, you're looking at sacks. If they play into your hands with short passes, you're looking at disruption and confusion as the QB doesn't know who will be in coverage and if he's trying to get rid of that ball before Spence pounds him, you can expect mistakes to abound.

Stunts would be nice, but they are only effective in two situations: (a) a 5-7 step drop, usually 3rd and long, or (b) running plays inside the tackles. Stunts are not as effective against run plays outside the tackles.

I'd rather see MSU lose 3-4 more games and fire Dantonio and have tOSU hire HIM.

The damn pizza delivery guy knows more than Fickell!!

Also, go back and watch the replays of the two plays I broke down. I am right. Go watch it. Out of position.

PLEEZ.....

You don't have to be a coach to understand how a defense works, genius. How are all those "years of experience" working out for the 'Silver Bullets' these days... Never mind. No need for you to answer that. Everyone on this board will answer it for you. Hold my calls and let me know when Fickell is calling.

Didn't say you weren't right about those two plays, I am saying our defensive problem is more complicated than firing Fickell. Did you not hear what Urban's reasoning were??? He said the have fine coaches but EVERYONE needs to get better and that we are thin as hell in the back 7, PLUS, are frosh LBers are lost. It's scheme, philosophy, attrition and youth that is making our defense as difficult to watch as our offense was last year...