Defensive adjustment

Not have half of your starters injured for the season.

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Not have half of your starters injured for the season.

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That's half the puzzle. The other is to find a more suitable role for Pete Golding.

Just to start:

1. Not fatten up the DE's to the point where they can't rush the passer.

2. Do the opposite of whatever they've done with LB's in fall camp the last 2 years that has resulted in season-ending injuries.

I wouldn't call this a schematic adjustment as much as coaching and technique, but what made Joe burrow so special this season and why I think he'll struggle early in the NFL is this-

His shots downfield, more often than not, are 50/50 balls. He's not throwing guys open, he's not throwing pinpoint passes to guys in stride that have a step on the defender, he's simply throwing it to really good players that are looking when their defender isn't. I bet he threw 20 touchdowns this season where the DB was in perfect coverage but never looked for the football. It takes balls to make that throw. It's a risky throw. But if you're confident in your scouting and know that the cornerback hasn't turned to find the football all year, it's really not a risky throw.

Against great QB's like that that realize the reward outweighs the risk, my message to the defensive backs would be pretty simple. Defensive backs know when they're beat or out of phase, you see them panic and start to grab. So, defensive back, if you think you're beat, just turn your head around.

Easier said than done because that has to be instinctive or coached into a kid one, but the difference in Derrick Stingley getting 6 interceptions on the year and leading the country in pass breakups wasn't athleticism of the ability to stay in phase, Diggs did that all year and #8 from Clemson did that all night last night. They both got torched against LSU because they might as well have been blindfolded. Chase and Marshall are looking at the ball and the DB isn't. If you're toasted, resign to punishing the arms and hands and separating the football, don't worry about finding it. If you're beat by a step between 15-40 yards, just turn your damn head around and catch the ball. You know it's coming because that's a good QB and your guy has a step on you down the field. It's the most maddening thing that Saban teaches to me. You need a WR mindset when the ball is in the air. It's fair game when the ball takes flight, find it and go get it.

From a "scheme" standpoint, the same thing will work now that has always worked against any balanced offense.

Be able to pressure the QB with 4 players. That's recruiting, scouting, and execution. Doesn't matter who is playing QB. If he's under pressure and you have 7 guys defending 4, you have a tremendous advantage.

To add to your point, we have got to make signing some elite DBs a priority . With offenses today , you can’t have enough cover men on the roster and I mean corner types

There is one way and one way only to slow down a well executed spread offense with a good QB and WRs and that is to generate consistent pressure with a 4 man rush. If you are constantly having to blitz to create pressure then you'll get burned by it a lot more often than you'll see any benefit from it.

Guys, I am not just talking Alabama, here. I mean defenses in general. Erybody gettin’ burned to death by the offenses right now. Clemson’s seasoned d, with what some consider a GOAT coordinator, was a mercy knee away from giving up 49 to LSU. LSU’s series before that was more junk period run off the clock stuff, and LSU missed a field goal to boot. This could have been worse.

Men! We’ve got to do something to save our phoney-baloney jobs!

Edit: good post Rubble.

What do you think those 4 guys look like size and weight wise? And would you go heavy in the middle and leaner on the Edges?

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Guys, I am not just talking Alabama, here. I mean defenses in general. Erybody gettin’ burned to death by the offenses right now. Clemson’s seasoned d, with what some consider a GOAT coordinator, was a mercy knee away from giving up 49 to LSU. LSU’s series before that was more junk period run off the clock stuff, and LSU missed a field goal to boot. This could have been worse.

Men! We’ve got to do something to save our phoney-baloney jobs!

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Clemson is always going to be very tough to put a measuring stick on before the playoff. Coming out of the ACC with all that talent can make anyone look like fools gold.

And now for the saddest truth of them all, there is no easy defensive fix short of doing away with the constant running clock. At that point, defenses can get on the field after each snap and can now match up with offensive personnel and play to down and distance. I have a sneaky feeling though that the NCAA is in love with watching all these scoreboard explosions.

Any talented QB can throw the ball for 5 to 10 yards in these spread concepts and score in bushels. And that's about all it takes to be called the greatest these days. Ask Tom Brady?

I think our defense will be fine with better tackling, more QB pressure, and more experience that we will have next season. Also, I'm sure every DC and OC is studying the LSU offense and I think the DCs will have a better idea of how to defend such an offense.

I'm interested to see if we hear anything about coaches Saban consults with in the off season about his defense.