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Old 05-25-2010, 10:13 PM   #1
JasonS
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3 Reasons the UC Defense Will Be Better (BCT Original)

Everyone tends to focus on the offense, and rightfully so. The WR corps has the chance to be amazing. Collaros showed what he could do last year. Pead, Goebel, and Williams make up a physical and explosive RB group. The OL brings back some very good and experienced players. We know all about the offense that Butch Jones ran at Central Michigan and what they were able to accomplish. What we don't know is how good this defense is going to be. Anyone who tells you anything different is either clueless or lying (or both). That is why I am going to focus a little bit on the defense this year compared to last year's team. I think there are 3 reasons why this year's defense will be better than last year.

1. Switching back to a 4-3 from a 3-4.
Let's be honest, it was a very curious decision to switch to a 3-4 last year. There was not a single player on the team that was recruited to fill a spot in a 3-4 and the most important piece to that puzzle is a NT that has to be double teamed and wreaks havoc when he isn't. Asking one of our defensive tackles to be that guy was both unfair and impossible. When your NT can be blocked by 1 offensive lineman, you now have 4 other linemen to block 6 other players (2 DL and 4 LB). Add in a TE and a FB and all of a sudden the advantage sways heavily to the offense. Alabama was able to be successful in the 3-4 because Terrence Cody commanded a double team and allowed a couple line backers to run free. If you don't have that type of player, play a 4-3 base defense. By default this year's team will be more consistent defensively just by switching back to the 4-3 and I think, more productive.

2. The LBs are a year older and wiser.
For the first time in a while we haven't heard all offseason about how our success at LB is dependant upon a player that is either new to the position or a freshman. This year we are both deep and experienced at LB with JK Schaffer, Walter Stewart, and Robby Armstrong (just to name a few). Part of the issue with the 3-4 is that you now need to find more LBs to play and play well. This roster didn't have enough experienced LBs last year. That shouldn't be a problem this year. I look for the 3 I mentioned above to have extremely productive years for the Bearcats this year provided they stay healthy. Armstrong is coming off a knee injury but was a productive player before that injury. JK Schaffer is a junior this year and Walter Stewart is a redshirt Sophomore. Add Robert Martin (JC Transfer), Maalik Bomar (SO), Dorian Davis (JR), Ricardo Thompson (RS JR) and you have a very solid group of LBs.

3. The Secondary will have opportunities to make plays.
I feel like our defensive backs were hung out to dry a bit last year because the front 7 struggled to get consistent pressure on opposing QBs. I don't think that will be as much of a problem this year and as a result I look for guys like Drew Frey, Dominique Battle, and Reuben Johnson to have big seasons. While there are still some questions about this group overall, I think they will be a pleasant surprise. They are young but there is some experience there in Frey (RS SO) and Battle (JR). Johnson is a sophomore and so is another talented player, Chris Williams. I think the secondary is good enough and athletic enough to match up with any receiving group on the schedule. I look for the turnover numbers to resemble those of the UC Orange Bowl run and a good amount of those will come from this secondary.

Last edited by JasonS; 05-25-2010 at 10:21 PM.
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Old 05-26-2010, 04:58 AM   #2
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UConn: 37 rushes, 201 yards
WV: 46 rushes, 202 yards
Ill: 45 rushes, 169 yards (UC had 21 yds)
Pitt: 55 rushes, 193 yards

UC played pretty well against the run, all things considered, but teams did not respect the UC run defense. In fact, it was obvious when they were lined up, the team just looked small to some teams in comparison. Moving to a 4-3 is a great move, especially with contenders like Pitt, UConn, and WV are committed to running the ball as much as they do. In fact, all three were just ranked as having the best returning lines (depth/talent) along the offensive line. Having another DT to clog up the middle instead of another LB is a good trade-off as the teams who are most likely to contend with UC will pound the ball against us.
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Old 05-26-2010, 09:06 AM   #3
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I think one of our biggest problems was not getting off the field last year on defense. We were 69th nationally in 3rd down conversion defense and 111th in 4th down conversion defense. We did a decent job on 1st and 2nd down and then it seemed like on 3rd or 4th and short we were doomed to give up those 1 or 2 yards to keep the chains moving. Even in third and long (6-8 yards) it seemed like we played too soft coverage and we would allow the opposing WRs/TEs to catch the ball right at the sticks. It appeared that our defensive philosophy as a whole was that it was fine to allow the opposing team to move the ball slowly but surely and then stiffen up in the red zone to try and force FG attempts. It looked like it was more about not giving up the big play than anything in my opinion. It sounds like our new DCs will have a much more agressive philosophy, though.
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Old 05-26-2010, 10:20 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by Racinejake View Post
I think one of our biggest problems was not getting off the field last year on defense. We were 69th nationally in 3rd down conversion defense and 111th in 4th down conversion defense. We did a decent job on 1st and 2nd down and then it seemed like on 3rd or 4th and short we were doomed to give up those 1 or 2 yards to keep the chains moving. Even in third and long (6-8 yards) it seemed like we played too soft coverage and we would allow the opposing WRs/TEs to catch the ball right at the sticks. It appeared that our defensive philosophy as a whole was that it was fine to allow the opposing team to move the ball slowly but surely and then stiffen up in the red zone to try and force FG attempts. It looked like it was more about not giving up the big play than anything in my opinion. It sounds like our new DCs will have a much more agressive philosophy, though.
QFT! I remember times last year when it was like 3rd and 8 and thinking the odds of them converting was highly likely. If it was 3rd and less than 5, it was pretty much automatic the other team was going to convert. The Fresno State game in particular was brutal. The repeatedly were at 3rd and long only to convert, dragging out the clock and keeping the Cats offense off the field. If we stopped on 3rd down consistently, we could have won that game by about four scores.
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Old 05-26-2010, 10:53 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by Little Danny View Post
QFT! I remember times last year when it was like 3rd and 8 and thinking the odds of them converting was highly likely. If it was 3rd and less than 5, it was pretty much automatic the other team was going to convert. The Fresno State game in particular was brutal. The repeatedly were at 3rd and long only to convert, dragging out the clock and keeping the Cats offense off the field. If we stopped on 3rd down consistently, we could have won that game by about four scores.
I remember that Fresno game and it was brutal. Thank God JK Schaffer picked off that pass in the end zone or that might have been a loss. The defense made plays when it had to last year but you guys are right about 3rd and 4th down. I don't know if the numbers back this up but it always seemed like this team would give up 6 or 7 yards on either 1st or 2nd down and allow the opposition to open up their play book and convert. If there was a negative play (for the opposition offense) on 1st down, the Bearcats would give up 7 or 8 yards and make it third and managable. I contribute a lot of this to being dominated in the trenches. I don't expect that to happen this year.
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Old 05-26-2010, 11:06 AM   #6
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I agree that the 3-4 was not effective last year; but what do we have on the line in the 4-3 that will get pressure on the QB? or stop the run?
I don't know if the 4-3 will be any more effective than the 3-4 we used last year; I don't think we have the DL to play either.
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Old 05-26-2010, 11:09 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by JasonS View Post
I remember that Fresno game and it was brutal. Thank God JK Schaffer picked off that pass in the end zone or that might have been a loss. The defense made plays when it had to last year but you guys are right about 3rd and 4th down. I don't know if the numbers back this up but it always seemed like this team would give up 6 or 7 yards on either 1st or 2nd down and allow the opposition to open up their play book and convert. If there was a negative play (for the opposition offense) on 1st down, the Bearcats would give up 7 or 8 yards and make it third and managable. I contribute a lot of this to being dominated in the trenches. I don't expect that to happen this year.
It was Craig Carey not JK, but I totally agree with you.
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Old 05-26-2010, 01:49 PM   #8
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It was Craig Carey not JK, but I totally agree with you.
I'm pretty sure JK had a key INT in the first half in the endzone...regardless, both were huge.
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Old 05-26-2010, 04:24 PM   #9
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I agree that the 3-4 was not effective last year; but what do we have on the line in the 4-3 that will get pressure on the QB? or stop the run?
I don't know if the 4-3 will be any more effective than the 3-4 we used last year; I don't think we have the DL to play either.
Don't get me wrong, I am not saying the DL will be dominant just better. Guys always play better when they are playing in the right spots. Wolfe will play well this year and so will Brandon Mills. Wolfe has the potential to be a dominant player by the time he leaves UC as he is only a SO this year. The 4-3 will help this team against the run which should ultimately help them get off the field on third down.
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Old 05-26-2010, 04:37 PM   #10
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Don't get me wrong, I am not saying the DL will be dominant just better. Guys always play better when they are playing in the right spots. Wolfe will play well this year and so will Brandon Mills. Wolfe has the potential to be a dominant player by the time he leaves UC as he is only a SO this year. The 4-3 will help this team against the run which should ultimately help them get off the field on third down.
Agreed. I think in the 4-3 Wolfe will do well instead of having to take on double teams every single play. Not that he didn't do great last year it's just we didn't really have a replacement for him as you wear down quickly in that role. I think the combination of Wolfe and Hughes will do well and Mills was productive last year. Also throw in Jordan Stepp to the mix and we could wind up with a solid DT rotation. DE is an area of concern but if Taylor is in fact eligible that could be a huge boost with him and Giordano as the bookends. Not much depth at DE, though Stewart looks like he'll play some combo of OLB/DE in certain situations. I like JK at MLB but I'm not completely sure how Dorian Davis will do in a full time role (seems a little undersized to me). It's clear that we aren't very deep at MLB as well. Who knows at what level JC transfer Robert Martin will be able to play at. Should be an interesting summer camp.
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