On defensive schemes
I seem to recall that Van Gorder ran a complex, NFL style scheme as DC. I remember Max Redfield saying his Mandarin class was a cakewalk compared to learning Van Gorder’s terminology. Could Chris Ash be doing the same thing? Assuming the personnel can run the scheme when really it needs to be something simpler and easier to execute? I remember that Mike Elko simplified the approach and the defense immediately improved. Maybe not dominating but certainly not giving loads of yards and points. Zone defense can be hard to run especially in the back 7. Everyone has to know what they do with each route and when to pass the receiver to the next defender. I have never been a fan of implementing a new system and getting rid of old concepts that have worked. I can see putting in some aspects of it but largely keep the same design and gradually work in new wrinkles.
Replies to: On defensive schemes
Ash is VanGorder without the porn 'stache
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There is obvious confusion right now
Blame it on whatever but it’s there. And the double whammy is when you’re unsure, you don’t play fast, and that’s the major issue I see with ND defense right now
Whatever the corners were doing by patting the back of their head to signal to the other DBs... No
one had any idea what that meant.
Not the DB doing it, nor the DBs behind them. They were all constantly just yelling at each other and getting beat by 5 yards off the line.