The point of me posting that video was not to highlight those 3 players, but to point out that pretty much everyone is running some version of the nickel (4-2, or 3-3) almost all of the time. Even the old school Nick Saban is running 5 DB's 80% of the time.
People are going nuts about the 3-3-5 as if its a novelty or a gimmick D, but we were one of the few not using it (or a version of it) the past few years. That's how we ended up with so many slow LB's (sometimes even DE's) covering receivers so often. It's just not the right way to look at this.
We need a MAJOR upgrade at LB, and DE. We need faster players who can shed blocks, and take the correct angles to the QB. Better first steps, and a move or 2 that works against an o-lineman. We need to rush the passer better so we're not leaving the DB's out there to cover for 6 seconds. Even the best DB's lose their man under those circumstances. This is not to absolve the DB's of their responsibilities...they have been terrible, but we need pretty much everything but a scheme change. The scheme is finally "of this century".
And im not letting Crocker and the defensive staff off the hook either. They need to make the guys we have better, for sure. Otherwise what the hell are they doing all week, and the offseason.
We have 3 healthy scholarship DT's on the roster, and 1 of them is a true frosh that needs t0 redshirt. A 4-man front just isnt viable right now.
