Cover 2 and Safeties.

[Carl Spackler]

I think our defense is going to be better this year, than last. Because we've got the safeties. THey took their lumps early, starting two seasons ago, and they learned, and we've got some great athletes lined up behind them, and in front of them now. Playing those positions takes development time, to go with the skills.

When you can play 2-deep with two athletes back there that can close down horizontally and vertically, that know what they're doing, and can diagnose, call, and run....and lay the wood.....the entire D can make their run fits and tackle, you can play and rotate whatever combination of your five best athletes at LB/DB underneath on D behind the DL and throw all kinds of at college QB's that won't know what they're seeing. And we've got a lot of athletes on D now, and we're going to see a lot of young QB's this year.

Hank Hughes, is a DL coach. He's not going to forget how important that DL is too, to controlling what's happening. Brown and Adams (who I think will be starting as the backside of the 2-deep shell), and the mix of players they can get underneath for the 5 under - I think we start seeing the turnovers coming our way again.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Oh well, I guess I'm the only one. Saturday night in May, and all I can think about is football. UCONN football. Perhaps in 20 years, there will be a few thousand more of me.

Anyhoo, I've been watching Don Brown's D - as much as I could access online, recently, and I see some basic principles of cover-2 / mix pass D, which allows for the chaos up front. Two deep safeties, mixing up their spacing, and playing the inside receiving options from the offensive formation, as they come off the LOS.

It's still zone based coverage, for the most part, totally unlike the Edsall based zone, because it's based on the receiver's release from the LOS, rather than the D focused on covering a space on the field, but still a zone based pass coverage (even though the local media thought it was a man scheme). One of the big reasons, I think, that we didn't get a lot of INT's, and turnovers in the past two seasons, was because our safeties were slow on the recognition, when making decisions on what to do, counting in, from the outside. Somewhere around here rescentlly we were talking about the turnvoers, and I looked.

Anyway - I'm pumped for the football season. I'm expecting big things. From our offense too. These guys on offense have got to be able to start playing with their heads as well as their hearts too.

 

[jdb50]

There were times last year when Brown went to the blitz too often. With our defenders I thought we could stand up faking the blitz and playing a base D. I remember giving up rushing TD's against Cuse and Rutgers when we blitzed deep in our own end. Trying to keep the opponents to a field goal, bend but don't break would have been helpful. Brown couldn't help himself, in a way like GDL putting in to much offense. I also wonder if we would have been better off with Sio at DE once J Joseph was injured, plugging in someone else at LB.

 

[rich1122]

Thanks Carl for thinking about football!! Can't wait for this season.

 

[Srqhusky]

The cover 2 really shines when you can get a four man rush. We were lucky enough to be able to do this the last few years because of studs like reyes and wirth. Looking forward to seeing what the defense does this year. Will be as strong as ever because we r defensive line and linebacker strong! The heart of the defense is getting after the qb and stopping the run. How many more weeks!

 

[Palatine]

We really played more quarters than cover two. In cover two the CBs release the receivers to the safeties and cover the shorter zone. In quarters the CB maintain responsibility all the way down he field. We may see more cover two this year because our CBs are more inexperienced. who knows? In any event a improved pass rush helps and defense.

 

[pj]

It will be fun to see what Hank can do with a defense that has some talent, though less than last year. If Weist can get us a BCS average offense, we might be OK.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

There were times last year when Brown went to the blitz too often. With our defenders I thought we could stand up faking the blitz and playing a base D. I remember giving up rushing TD's against Cuse and Rutgers when we blitzed deep in our own end. Trying to keep the opponents to a field goal, bend but don't break would have been helpful. Brown couldn't help himself, in a way like GDL putting in to much offense. I also wonder if we would have been better off with Sio at DE once J Joseph was injured, plugging in someone else at LB.

It will be fun to see what Hank can do with a defense that has some talent, though less than last year. If Weist can get us a BCS average offense, we might be OK.

We did lose quite a bit of talent at CB and a quality LB but I believe we will have nearly as talented a defense as we had last season. I agree fully with jdb50 in that we we did blitz too often (far too often in my eyes) and I will add that we had far too much talent to put our defense at risk as often as we did. I am hoping that Hank will find a happy medium between the all too passive defense we ran under Edsall and the 'solve your problems with aggression' approach under Brown.

One concern I have (beyond the current HC & his buddy running the offensive line) is the two Texas schools (fortunately we only face one this season). Eight years ago I doubt that anyone was overly concerned with Cincinnati yet when we went to visit them we got beaten up badly. As fans it is easy to underestimate the talent at a school from a talent rich area that played in a lower level conference and had less than outstanding success. It is very possible that both Houston and SMU are a lot better than most of us realize at the moment. I remember in the fall of 2005 many here felt the trip to Cincy would be a walkover, considering how well we handled Syracuse the week before.

 

[rich1122]

It will be fun to see what Hank can do with a defense that has some talent, though less than last year. If Weist can get us a BCS average offense, we might be OK.

I think that overall talent is better - probably deeper with experience is what I mean The line is solid 2 deep - Joesph back; Myers and Knapp are just huge and take off red shirts . Add Stewart to replace Sio. CB's and Safeties are very experienced this year. Like Byron Jones at CB. Lot's of young guys got valuable playing time last year.

 

[SubbaBub]

SMU, Houston, USF, UCF, and Cincinnati and to an far lesser extent Temple, all have natural recruiting advantages over UCONN and should not be taken lightly. A solid coaching staff could turn any one of those programs into a problem in our quest for AAC dominance. We will need to use our advantages as a flagship pubic U. Mainly, spending on coaches and facilities as well as playing up the quality of a UCONN education. We will also need to use the carrot of playing in FL and TX and OH as recruiting bait to get kids this far north.

Lastly, our program needs to find an identity and stick with it. I like the smashmouth, strong D, hardnose, high motor player model because of the climate. Seen more than a few times wilt on cold and windy nights at the RENT. Reminds me of the old SNL skit about a team of one-inch Ditkas (Sio Moores).

If we become a fast, pass happy, spread team that's fine too, but find an identity.

 

[metsfan2323]

It is very possible that both Houston and SMU are a lot better than most of us realize at the moment.

SMU and Houston are just as good talent wise as Pitt and Cuse, and UCF on the road will also be very tough. The American will be much better than people think. I too can't wait for the season to start. Weist gives us a reason to hope for a big improvement and Hughes is a proven commodity.

Michigan at the Rent baby! Lets Go!

.

 

[pj]

Yes, Houston, SMU, USF, UCF, and Cincy will all be consistently good teams. UConn football is going to have to raise its game substantially to become the premier team in the league. But that has to be our mission.

Let's start this year!

 

[UConnDan97]

It's not clear to me whether we can be as good of a defense as we were last year. I feel like we are going to give up more yards, since obviously I think that it will be difficult to replace the NFL-caliber talent that we lost....to the NFL! However, I think that with Hughes at the helm and with some real talent coming in to fill the empty slots (people like Stewart, Donohue, Vann, Jesse Joseph (welcome back!), and a bunch of people in the front four getting better), that we can be very effective.

And it's already been mentioned, but the biggest key to me is the turnover margin. I feel like the new defense will probably be better suited to increase the positive turnover margin. And quite frankly, it needs to happen! I was watching my DVR of the UConn-Pitt SNY PowerHour last night (see, Carl, you're not the only one thinking about football in May), and watching the Pitt game turnover was infuriating. That game should have been 31-10 instead of 24-17, but that pick in the endzone in the 4th kept the game alive. Same story in a lot of other games (including many that we lost!). If we can change our turnover margin to be in the top half of D-1, then we are going to be in great shape...

 

[uconnfan68]

I also wonder if we would have been better off with Sio at DE once J Joseph was injured, plugging in someone else at LB.

Good God no! The kids stepped up big time at DE. Pruitt, Willman, and others. Campenni inside. And keeping Sio off the line made him much more valuable too.

 

[rich1122]

Last year no TO's and too many 3rd and 13's.

 

[Carl Spackler]

We really played more quarters than cover two. In cover two the CBs release the receivers to the safeties and cover the shorter zone. In quarters the CB maintain responsibility all the way down he field. We may see more cover two this year because our CBs are more inexperienced. who knows? In any event a improved pass rush helps and defense.

I don't agree. We were more of a quarters team w/ Edsall. Brown's D, after I looked at it awhile made me smile, b/c it looked like an old 1-AA D. It looked to me like a mix of cover 2/cover4. The key for the coverage shell, in that system, was the #2 receiver / option on either side - counting outside in. The field is divided up in quarters by the DBs, but it's not a strict zone. If the #2 receiver ran an outside route, the corner would take him and the safety would slide over to take the #1. If the #2 released downfield vertical, the safety had him. If the #2 option ran a slant, or quick hitch or something, the CB would drive on the route and leave the #1 and the safety would come over the top to help and slide over to the #1. There are 5 possible route runners, and this D, when you've got safeties over the top that are really good at recognizing what an offense is doing, you never get caught with more than two vertical route trees against four defenders. Basically, the defensive shell, never really has anyone covering a zone of the field, where there are no offensive players - and that's what frees your guys up underneath - to roam.

You need safeties that can think on their feet.

 

[jdb50]

Good God no! The kids stepped up big time at DE. Pruitt, Willman, and others. Campenni inside. And keeping Sio off the line made him much more valuable too.

I really liked what I saw from Pruitt and Campenni had some moments but not at DE. Once JJ went down Trevardo was a marked man even though we tried to mix the blitz's to get pressure. Sio had to move up to the line once Trevardo couldn't go in he last game. I felt that in passing situations we could have moved Sio up and dropped 7, and see what happened. This year will tell if Norris, Pruitt and Willman getting time last year pays off. Hope so. McBryde takes up alot of room out there on the edge but he needs to get quicker.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Good God no! The kids stepped up big time at DE. Pruitt, Willman, and others. Campenni inside. And keeping Sio off the line made him much more valuable too.

Sio actually got pretty good in pass coverage as a LB. He was pretty bad when he was younger. He was able to be freed to roam by the way the secondary was set up. IMNSHO.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I really liked what I saw from Pruitt and Campenni had some moments but not at DE. Once JJ went down Trevardo was a marked man even though we tried to mix the blitz's to get pressure. Sio had to move up to the line once Trevardo couldn't go in he last game. I felt that in passing situations we could have moved Sio up and dropped 7, and see what happened. This year will tell if Norris, Pruitt and Willman getting time last year pays off. Hope so. McBryde takes up alot of room out there on the edge but he needs to get quicker.

I think we gave up way too many 3rd and long conversions when we dropped back into that kind of coverage. That can't happen in 2013.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

What was the 2-3 deep at FS this spring?

 

[Carl Spackler]

I think that overall talent is better - probably deeper with experience is what I mean The line is solid 2 deep - Joesph back; Myers and Knapp are just huge and take off red shirts . Add Stewart to replace Sio. CB's and Safeties are very experienced this year. Like Byron Jones at CB. Lot's of young guys got valuable playing time last year.

Stewart, Vann, Ashiru, Donohue, Smallwood would be the rotation of linebackers, I would think - with guys like Steg, Hicks, Stephens waiting in the wings and taking over on the kick coverage units.

Adams, and Brown - I already said, I think would be the two guys splitting the field deep. Jones slides to corner opposite Jhavon Williams. Taylor Mack to rotate in as the first extra DB, with your pick of the litter based on practices and ST's production lined up behind him to rotate in.

I doubt our D, under Hughes watch, will be as chaotic as Don Brown's, but who knows? We'll see. I think I figured out how Don Brown was able to free up the players underneath to move around so much, and it was a basic thing that most 1-AA defenses in college football, in New England and the east coast did years ago.

I think if I were even to stretch a bit, I could make a connection that Chip Kelly began building the zone/read/option offense at New Hampshire because passing offenses weren't doing so well against Don Brown's UMass and Northeastern D's.

Fun stuff.

I wonder who are primary kick returner is going to be... but that's another topic.

 

[Carl Spackler]

What was the 2-3 deep at FS this spring?

I don't know. THe spring game was a walk through of backups this year.

 

[Carl Spackler]

THis is a great clip to watch that somebody put together about Sio. I think our base coverage shell was what I'll call a cover 2 mix. We showed all kinds of different looks, on defense from teh front and the back, but watching Gratz play is what jogged it all in place for me how the safeties handled that #2 reciever read and release of the LOS, I think, was pretty important. I could be completely wrong about what I'm saying, but who cares. It's fun for me to look at, and think about, and maybe it gets others thinking and watching and trying to understand it all too.

I'm jacked for football season. I've been waiting for this season for a LONG time.

 

[Carl Spackler]

The cover 2 really shines when you can get a four man rush. We were lucky enough to be able to do this the last few years because of studs like reyes and wirth. Looking forward to seeing what the defense does this year. Will be as strong as ever because we r defensive line and linebacker strong! The heart of the defense is getting after the qb and stopping the run. How many more weeks!

Playing DL has to be run first. The key to everything, on defense - to me, is being able to stop the run. If you can't stop the run.....well. You're in trouble. Filling the gaps and tackling. I don't think that Hughes is going to let that kind of discipline slip from the front 7. When you can get into passing downs and distances, that's when the pass rush can really force things from a QB and help generate turnovers.



You know, I was watching as many clips as I could of Glennon, and NC State UCONN, and as terrible as our offense was that day, and as much crap as the OL, and the coaching staff got (and I was huge slinger at the time) it was the turnovers, more than anything else that cost us the game. 4 TO's from us, ball security from us, and failing to get TO's from them. I'm pretty sure Glennon, who was one of many QB's we faced that will be in the NFL, had one of his worst, if not THE worst game of the season against us, but we couldn't turn him over, and our safeties were a step slow on the biggest play of the game - the TD throw.

We lost a lot of players to the NFL, but I think we're goign to be fine on defense.

On offense? I'm hoping that we're getting better.

Have a great day all.