quote:
Do you think Saban stacks the box early or just relies on keeping forenette somewhat under control in first half then stacks the box in second half in hopes of stopping him all together in second half? Or do you think he stacks the box early and makes harris perform great early.

Saban will play a lot of base and not stack the box most of the time early to see what his options are.

Of course, "stacking the box" isn't applicable to Saban D's. He's had the same tendencies since Mich St, because they work.
1. Goal is to get at least 1 more D player at point-of-attack than there are blockers every play.
2. Instead of putting those players in position pre-snap (and guessing where that point is), put D players in position where if they read keys correctly and with their individual speed/skill they can get to that point.
3. Likes to attack the "fringes", not the teeth of the play. So instead of matching your overload with a safety up close and over the slot or TE, he'll bring that safety or LB through a gap where you've been pulling a G or T from on the backside; or use that S or LB to set the edge on the front side of the play and let the DE/DT free to disrupt the play.

So a player like Ragland (who reads keys very well, and is very fast with agility) won't necessarily cover a gap or adjust to an overbalanced line laterally. So that's how Saban/Smart "stack the box" but disguise it. If you got the hosses, you don't have to show pre-snap.

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