PAC-12 Defences

[rsbgduck]

Does anyone else run our style of defense in the PAC? I know it’s more of a hybrid system than a traditional 4-3 and 3-4 or any combination. The only one that comes to mind would maybe be Cal. Just trying to up my fb knowledge.

[wepto]

Off the top of my head, WSU also runs a multiple front defense. But, they've played awful competition so far this year and I haven't watched one of their games yet, so I can't really comment on how similar it is to Oregon's.

[GrandpaDuck]

Pretty much everyone. Each team has their own terminology and other tweaks but UW and USC and Oregon and Stanford and on and on primarily use combinations of 3-4-4/3-3-5 and 2-4-5/2-3-6 (the 2-6 some people call a 4 man front, but its 2 hands down interior linemen with 2 rush linebackers standing-up but in traditional DE positions.)

You'll probably find much more variance in secondary coverages than in fronts. The true 4-3 is largely dead and almost all the base 3-4 teams use the 2 down lineman formations on passing downs to varying degrees.

[lukeyrid13]

The 4-3 is still run in the Big 10 (Michigan St) and the SEC but they face fewer spread teams in those conferences. Brady Hoke ran a 4-3 defense, so that lets you know how that does in the Pac-12.

The majority of Pac-12 teams run a 3-4. Arizona runs a 3-3-5 and other teams are using a lot more base nickel coverage as well.

Another factor is how often teams blitz and how often teams run man coverage. Michigan St for example runs a 4-3 but plays base man in their secondary 90% of the time. UW also plays a lot of press man coverage which allows their LBs more freedom to roam and blitz

[lukeyrid13]

Another notable defense was Arizona St under Todd Graham. They would run a zone blitz probably 80% of the time. It was a boom or bust defense for sure. Lots of big yardage plays but a lot of negative yardage plays as well. Very risky in the Pac-12 and susceptible to a lot of quick passes and screens.

[rsbgduck]

Thanks for the information. I’m fairly well educated in football as a whole. I had a buddy ask me about it and when I told him in PAC play you will usually see them in a 3-3-5 as a base. We talked again after the first 2 games and his reply was that may be the base but rarely stay in it at the snap. I said it is more of a Hybrid D designed to attack passing and spread O in the PAC by marching up in space while have the size up front to stop the run. Basically we are daring them to put their QB in the pocket with our big guys in the middle our speed guys on the outside and throw into our coverage. I said you’ll see it more in conference play.
As with any defense you’re wanting to creat negative plays and/or put the O in passing situations which numbers wise is better for the defense not necessarily because it’s a strength. With our D we are basically daring you to throw, whether it’s short or long yardage. It also allows us to be more fluid/adapt in situational football IMO.
Again, thank you for the great info and eduction.