re: Official Coaching Staff Discussion Thread

quote:

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Someone explain to me the difference between saying your base D is 4-2-5 and just playing Nickel, because I've seen people making a big deal out of this with our previous 3-4 base and roster construction, and I'm not seeing it.

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4 man front - 2 DT and 2 DE Typically a 1 gap system
Penetration, slants, and twists
DL gets into the backfield to disrupt flow of the
offense. Split double team. Power to speed pass rush
even front / 4-man front is where Roach is at his
best. He coached 4-man front before coming to
Alabama.
A 3/man (odd) front of a 3-4 tends to be a 2 gap system
The DL clogs up the LoS. Penetration is counter
productive to run control at the LoS as it creates
cutback lanes. Roach is still learning to coach a
3-4. A 3-4 is not great for interior pass rush since
the DL is taught to clog up the LoS so they can
control 2 gaps and not create verticle spacing
breaks.
4-2-5 LB play - Mike and Will. both play pretty much the
same technique as opposed to different techniques in
a 3-4. Mike and Will both fill on play side and
scape on back side.
Back end 4-2-5 - 2 corners, strong safety, free safety,
and a hybred safety.
The hybred safety is a LB/safety blend. In a traditional
offensive set the hybred safety plays much lie a SAM
LB. Goes to TE side
Free safety plays center field. Strong safety rolls
toward the slot
In a 3 wide offense the hybred safety plays more like a
Star

DL - DT's tend to be heavier. They are the run stoppers
and middle penetration for pass rush. DE's ate edge
setting and speed rush. They tend to be a little
lighter and faster. Long arms are helpful.
The larger OLB guys will likely become DE's. The smaller
current DL will also likely be in the DE pool. weak
side DE/DT from a 3-4 would be interior DT in a 4-2.
Strong side DE's in a 3-4 would likely become DE's
in a 4-2-5. Smaller/lighter OLB will likely become
ILBs in a 4-2-5.

The Alabama DL recruiting for the last several years has been more 4 man (even front) type of DL. We have not had a good 3-4 DL coach in a number of years. Really good 3-4 DL are hard to find and the coaches that know how to teach the system are even harder to find.