Let's examine the 3-3-5

[Palatine]

It could be the worst defense ever designed.

It could be the players are completely confused by it.

It could be that it doesn't fit our personnel.

But I have never seen a worse UConn defense in this century. It is still early. Maybe once the kinks are ironed out it will be great. But so far, it is a disaster.

 

[uconnphil2016]

Close to 700 yards speaks for itself. This team didn't break 30 pts against William & Mary

 

[SubbaBub]

I don't know how you can judge scheme when the players are so out of position and getting beat physically. All you can say is that our players can't execute it, which should be the real discussion. Do we try different players or change the scheme to cover for them?

 

[Palatine]

I don't know how you can judge scheme when the players are so out of position and getting beat physically. All you can say is that our players can't execute it, which should be the real discussion. Do we try different players or change the scheme to cover for them?

That could be true. Maybe not. But we don't know that.

What we do know is that this defense is much worse (much much worse) than last year.

 

[UConnDan97]

It could be the worst defense ever designed.

It could be the players are completely confused by it.

It could be that it doesn't fit our personnel.

But I have never seen a worse UConn defense in this century. It is still early. Maybe once the kinks are ironed out it will be great. But so far, it is a disaster.

It's probably more about not having the right players for the scheme. WVU used to kill us with that same formation, and Crocker did well at Villanova with it.

My problem is this; if the players don't currently fit the system, then use another system!

 

[bigAbruns]

It's probably more about not having the right players for the scheme. WVU used to kill us with that same formation, and Crocker did well at Villanova with it.

My problem is this; if the players don't currently fit the system, then use another system!

Crocker probably doesn't know another system, hence why he was at Villanova

 

[UConnDan97]

Crocker probably doesn't know another system, hence why he was at Villanova

I don't believe that for a second. Nor should you...

 

[bigAbruns]

I don't believe that for a second. Nor should you...

He has really adjusted his defense to show me he can yet

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Our DBs have no idea what they are doing. Getting cooked by simple jab steps

 

[Palatine]

Our DBs have no idea what they are doing. Getting cooked by simple jab steps

Our defensive line gets no push at all. And the 3-3-5 is suppose to hide blitzes from the LBs. But I haven't seen that at all yet.

 

[freescooter]

Problem is that the dbacks are either slow or don't know their jobs yet or worst of all worlds both. I think this will improve but I am far from certain of it at this point. this is an attacking defense and we don't have guys who are confident enough to be aggressive. We also need more speed at DE.

 

[blue93]

Tre Bell has been a major disappointment so far. He's been getting picked on routinely.

 

[Milo65]

We do not have the personnel to run the 3-3-5. But to be brutally honest, we don't have the secondary to run the 3-4 or the 4-3 either. Diaco's inherited a team that had Adams, Jones, Summers, and Obi. Even with 3 NFL players in the secondary, Diaco's soft zone got picked apart. Now with the cupboard bare, Edsal needs to reload. It will take time.

 

[Exit 4]

I'm ready to say the 3-3-5 doesn't work at this level. The boys can't get themselves line led up properly and opposing offenses can scheme to confuse these hybrid DB positions.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I don't know how you can judge scheme when the players are so out of position and getting beat physically. All you can say is that our players can't execute it, which should be the real discussion. Do we try different players or change the scheme to cover for them?

It's what the Chiefs ran the whole game against the Patriots on opening night. Sometimes shifting to 3-2-6. Our guys don't know how to play it, and may not have the skills. Hard to say. Lots to work on. But given the direction of the modern game, the system makes sense.

Remember how we were wondering why Edsall appeared to be recruiting nothing but DBs? Makes some sense now.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Tre Bell has been a major disappointment so far. He's been getting picked on routinely.

I can't believe how bad he's been. Summers was invisible today which sometimes for a DB is a good thing.

 

[huskymedic]

I'm ready to say the 3-3-5 doesn't work at this level.

It works @ this level if you have the right players and they have xperience running it:

From a few days ago: What Is: The 3-3-5 Defense | mgoblog - Good primer.

 

[Saab04]

It could be the worst defense ever designed.

It could be the players are completely confused by it.

It could be that it doesn't fit our personnel.

But I have never seen a worse UConn defense in this century. It is still early. Maybe once the kinks are ironed out it will be great. But so far, it is a disaster.

The 3-3-5 can cause crazy havoc once you have the right players to fit that system. Keep in mind, these are Diaco's players.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

The Birth of the 3-3-5 Defense

 

[Duncan Idaho]

They are simply not fast enough to play this defense, yet. Thats it.

 

[Marty Jackson]

We do not have the personnel to run the 3-3-5. But to be brutally honest, we don't have the secondary to run the 3-4 or the 4-3 either. Diaco's inherited a team that had Adams, Jones, Summers, and Obi. Even with 3 NFL players in the secondary, Diaco's soft zone got picked apart. Now with the cupboard bare, Edsal needs to reload. It will take time.

Calling BS.... PP and BD both inherited rosters where the cupboard was bare. It's been the narrative with each coaching change.
Another couple games like this, my guess is we'll start hearing chirps about why we brought RE back. This fan base has zero patience. And after the last two Diasco's, it's not surprising.

 

[Doggie Style]

Don't know if it's neen said previously and don't care to check but what I will say is that this is the WORST tackling defense we have ever had period! I don't really see one player that wants to hit out there and players are running right through our tackles for the most part. Even if our dbacks were slower than their opponents in the past, they always knew our guys would light them up and there was no doubt that had an impact at times. Not so much anymore. That has been my biggest takeaway defensively so far, aside from the obvious.

 

[ScottVib]

Let's be real. This is a learning/install year. These are recruits brought into play a soft zone bend but not break style defense being asked to do something completely different. New positioning/schemes and even new expectations (i.e. Be aggressive).

The kids being asked to play are slower than you'd like for the scheme, but if your plan is to use this defense going forward, you don't lose a year (that was already going to be rough one) of the install to run something similar to the predecessor's failed system.

It's going to be rough, it'll be ugly at points, but if the plan is to really switch to this scheme you push forward with it and take your lumps year 1

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

The 3-3-5 or 4-2-5 is the base defense for EVERYONE nowadays....very few call it the 3-3-5, or 4-2-5 though - everyone just calls it the Nickle. Anytime there is more than 2 WR's, which is pretty much 85% of the time, the 'Nickle D' is used. If a team is usually a 3-4, it's a 3-3-5...if a team is primarily a 4-3, then it's a 4-2-5. Same deal.

No one is reinventing the wheel here. We just suck. And our DB's are getting killed.

Don't overthink this

 

[NEforceUConn]

Was at today's game and DBs sans Summers got lit up. UVA receivers had 2-3 yds separation at will. Not sure if this was a failure of zone but being there live it seemed a lot of man and summers was our only Darius Butler on the field TODAY


One more thing 30 is going to be a star for us. Once he starts getting touches on O either as a RB or Larry Taylor type slot guy he will be awesome