Problem is the game manager has wheels and an OC that knows how to create space in the defense with a lot of weapons. Bennett isn’t any great shakes physically but he doesn’t have to be. Teams tend to load the box because the alternative is what Arkansas tried (drop 8) and we ran them to death to the tune of 37 points. And “stop the run” is more like “stop the run for 3ish quarters.” We have so many backs to rotate in that we are going to lean on you eventually. So, yeah, bit of an oversimplification.

quote:
on offense, sling it around and hope you hit enough big plays to outscore them

It may hit once or twice but what this defense excels at (among many things) is adjusting on the fly. Teams tend to move the ball well on their opening, scripted drives but as soon as the defense gets a sense for what you’re throwing at them and how it matches what they’ve seen on film it’s damn near game over (case in point: our games with Tennessee, Auburn, and Kentucky).

This team is the damndest thing I’ve ever seen. The parts are really good, don’t get me wrong, but given the injuries, transfers out, and Stetson at QB, the sum should not be this great. That it is so great is testament to the coaching job and the veteran intelligence/leadership and there’s nothing an opposing team can do to really negate that. You just have to kind of hope you run into enough pitches to get by it.

I’m just glad it’s us for once.

This post was edited on 12/1/21 at 3:00 pm