Paskorz on Blue and Gold Radio...

[blmarek]

Over on blueandgold.com there is a Tuesday night radio brodcast and they just interviewed Steve Paskorz. The interviewer asked what he had heard or thought of the DC changes and Steve said Charlie Weis told him they were going to be changing from the 4-3 to the 3-4. Thought this was interesting and wondered if this will be our new base system. I was previously under the impression that our base defense would still be the 4-3 with a mix of 3-4. Some of you are probably saying what's the difference, but the base defense is usually what you run most of the time sort of like your identity.

 

[FleaFlicker]

Over on blueandgold.com there is a Tuesday night radio brodcast and they just interviewed Steve Paskorz. The interviewer asked what he had heard or thought of the DC changes and Steve said Charlie Weis told him they were going to be changing from the 4-3 to the 3-4. Thought this was interesting and wondered if this will be our new base system. I was previously under the impression that our base defense would still be the 4-3 with a mix of 3-4. Some of you are probably saying what's the difference, but the base defense is usually what you run most of the time sort of like your identity.

I'm really surprised if this is true. We better start getting more LB's. I think Zibby could switch to a 3-4 LB next year, if they do it next year. He could just bulk up to his boxer form. Nagel, Paskorz, and Smith (if we get him) could be the outside LB's to go along with Crum, Toryn and Brockington, who could be the middle guys.

WHo knows, we'll see.

 

[Irish93]

Is that for members only?

 

[benneboy]

I'm really surprised if this is true. We better start getting more LB's. I think Zibby could switch to a 3-4 LB next year, if they do it next year. He could just bulk up to his boxer form. Nagel, Paskorz, and Smith (if we get him) could be the outside LB's to go along with Crum, Toryn and Brockington, who could be the middle guys.

WHo knows, we'll see.

I don't necessarily think we need more LB's. The outside linebackers in the 3-4 are really half linebackers and half defensive ends (i.e. Shawn Merriman, Kamerion Wimbeley, Adalius Thomas, etc...). We have some guys that would fit this mold. A guy like Kerry Neal to me perfectly fits the mold for this position. Two other guys that come to mind at this position would be Tez and Ben martin. I hate to be one of those posters but its food for thought.

 

[brownkj002]

Over on blueandgold.com there is a Tuesday night radio brodcast and they just interviewed Steve Paskorz. The interviewer asked what he had heard or thought of the DC changes and Steve said Charlie Weis told him they were going to be changing from the 4-3 to the 3-4. Thought this was interesting and wondered if this will be our new base system. I was previously under the impression that our base defense would still be the 4-3 with a mix of 3-4. Some of you are probably saying what's the difference, but the base defense is usually what you run most of the time sort of like your identity.

Very interesting. So, the rumors about JT not liking the fact that ND is going to the 3-4 has some legs to it. Not saying this is why JT is wavering but it could be.

 

[ACamp1900]

I for one will be stunned if we go to 3-4... we don't have the LB's yet and we sure as hell don't have the dominate DT that one needs for it....

 

[Clausen2Kamara]

I for one will be stunned if we go to 3-4... we don't have the LB's yet and we sure as hell don't have the dominate DT that one needs for it....

Agreed. I hope that we don't. We just do not have the personnel. Trattou needs to come to South Bend.

 

[benneboy]

Why do people sell Trevor Laws short so often. He was a bright spot on our D last year and a lot of people thought he would be a day 1 draft pick. Just to point out in case people think size is a problem.

Laws: 6'1" 295
Kelly Gregg (Baltimore Ravens) : 6'0" 310

 

[ACamp1900]

Agreed. I hope that we don't. We just do not have the personnel. Trattou needs to come to South Bend.

Losing Maritn and Donald imo should have sealed a 4-3 for any year in the near future

 

[brownkj002]

Losing Maritn and Donald imo should have sealed a 4-3 for any year in the near future

This was my thinking as well (and Edwards). I agree with the other guys that ND doesn't have the playmakers at LB "yet.'

 

[Pete]

Why do people sell Trevor Laws short so often. He was a bright spot on our D last year and a lot of people thought he would be a day 1 draft pick. Just to point out in case people think size is a problem.

Laws: 6'1" 295
Kelly Gregg (Baltimore Ravens) : 6'0" 310

It is not that people are selling him short, but you still need more than one or two DTs to play the 3-4. Got to rotate them in.

 

[IrishRamMan10]

guys are saying that we dont have the LB's for a 3-4... which means u think we got the DT's for a 4-3? I dont really see us fitting perfectly into either one

 

[blmarek]

guys are saying that we dont have the LB's for a 3-4... which means u think we got the DT's for a 4-3? I dont really see us fitting perfectly into either one

That's a great point. After thinking about it a little longer, I've almost convinced myself we may be better off in the 3-4 with the personel we have. Your front 7 could ultimately be: DT-Trevor Laws
DEs-John Ryan and Justin Trattou
Outside LBs-Kellen Wade/Kerry Neal and Morrice Richardson
Inside LBs-Toryan Smith and Mo Crum

When you think about it that is a very athletic front 7.

 

[Satans Little Helper]

I don't necessarily think we need more LB's. The outside linebackers in the 3-4 are really half linebackers and half defensive ends (i.e. Shawn Merriman, Kamerion Wimbeley, Adalius Thomas, etc...). We have some guys that would fit this mold. A guy like Kerry Neal to me perfectly fits the mold for this position. Two other guys that come to mind at this position would be Tez and Ben martin. I hate to be one of those posters but its food for thought.

Agree. Neal and Nagel, with Malcom Smith (hope) Vernaglia. The players are there. We also have the DT and DEs in place. That gives us and experienced line, and young fast LBs to take the pressure off of our DBs. I like it and said ( not here though) it before last year CW would switch, its just a matter of getting the players in. Now with most of the skill postiions on D gone and new blood coming in this is the time to do it. Plus you can confuse the hell out of a college Qb with the 3-4 and dont really need to get pressure on every play.

The defense will again be an issue this year however it will be to experience and not physicality or lack of ability.

 

[Satans Little Helper]

That's a great point. After thinking about it a little longer, I've almost convinced myself we may be better off in the 3-4 with the personel we have. Your front 7 could ultimately be: DT-Trevor Laws
DEs-John Ryan and Justin Trattou
Outside LBs-Kellen Wade/Kerry Neal and Morrice Richardson
Inside LBs-Toryan Smith and Mo Crum

When you think about it that is a very athletic front 7.

Exactly. Plus with Nuss and Nwanko moving over possibly you have unproven but stout fellows to rotate in on certain plays. Like I said before, you dont have to get pressure with the line. The pressure comes from the LBs and the confusion caused by not knowing which LB iscoming or how many which opens up the line for penetration. I love the 3-4. It is such a better defense and i really think it will cause problems for QBs at the college level. No one really runs it as its base D except for Navy.

 

[brucejcarr]

I have a feeling that we will run a 3-4 and the blitz packages by CB are going to confuse many OC's

 

[blmarek]

Exactly. Plus with Nuss and Nwanko moving over possibly you have unproven but stout fellows to rotate in on certain plays. Like I said before, you dont have to get pressure with the line. The pressure comes from the LBs and the confusion caused by not knowing which LB iscoming or how many which opens up the line for penetration. I love the 3-4. It is such a better defense and i really think it will cause problems for QBs at the college level. No one really runs it as its base D except for Navy.

I thought BYU also ran a 3-4 base defense but I could be wrong.

 

[Satans Little Helper]

I thought BYU also ran a 3-4 base defense but I could be wrong.

I didnt mean to state only navy. I knew there are others but very few compared to the 4-3. I thought BYU ran a 3-3-5. They did the last time we played anyway. cause that was when stovall had the game of his life. deep out posts to the sideline and back corner of the endzone. That d is suceptible to those passes and BQ was lights out too.

 

[blmarek]

I didnt mean to state only navy. I knew there are others but very few compared to the 4-3. I thought BYU ran a 3-3-5. They did the last time we played anyway. cause that was when stovall had the game of his life. deep out posts to the sideline and back corner of the endzone. That d is suceptible to those passes and BQ was lights out too.

Your right they do run a 3-3-5. My bad.

 

[kjones]

Saying the 3-4 "is such a better defense" is completely wrong. Both the 3-4 and the 4-3 have different advantages and disadvantages, neither of which makes either one inherently "better" than the other.

The main problem of the 3-4 is it is much harder on the players and much more personel dependent. You have to have a beast of a nose tackle who is responsible for both "a" gaps and will get double teamed every single play (pretty much). You need pretty big strong DT's who each cover the "b and c" gaps and need to be very strong against the run. You need DE/OLB who can rush teh passer and drop into coverage, something not everyone can do. You need ILB's who can face offensive lineman and shed blocks by guards and tackles, yet also have the athleticism to be mobile in coverage.

Do the irish have these sorts of people? Laws could be a good NT, but who will be the dt's? In a 3-4 we need two of them, instead of needed just one more to complement Laws in a 4-3. We have a few guys who can be our OLB/DE's that's not a major worry, but ILB? I love Mo Crum, but he's not a great ILB, he's an OLB in a 4-3 that we moved to the middle of the field. In a 3-4, both ILB's will be facing offensive linemen much more often than in a 4-3, and we all saw Crum struggle when facing the giants coming off the line. I don't know if we have 2 stud Interior LB's who could fit the bill.

That being said, there are many strengths of a 3-4, mainly due to the fact that teh defense doesn't know which OLB/DE is coming at them, which means it's confusing for them to call their blocks and read the coverages. The array of blitz packages and coverage schemes that can be called is more difficult to deal with than a 4-3's, but it's also more difficult to execute.

I have strong reservations about us suddenly switching to a 3-4 on a full time basis. But I guess what I'm really hoping for is for a defense that has confidence in itself and in attacking the offense, and I'll just have to trust the coaches to do their best to install a system and an attitude that makes this happen.

 

[tgolden]

That's a great point. After thinking about it a little longer, I've almost convinced myself we may be better off in the 3-4 with the personel we have. Your front 7 could ultimately be: DT-Trevor Laws
DEs-John Ryan and Justin Trattou
Outside LBs-Kellen Wade/Kerry Neal and Morrice Richardson
Inside LBs-Toryan Smith and Mo Crum

When you think about it that is a very athletic front 7.

Mo Richardson was a LB in high school to begin with (GA Gatorade Player of the Year over Toryn Smith). As it is, he's undersized for DL. Rather than making him put on weight, maybe just keep him at LB. Kallen Wade is undersized for the DL too. He played safety in high school his first few years. He knows how to move. I think it could work.

I'd throw Justin Brown in there in the mix for the DEs. He played well when he wasn't hurt.

 

[KingAdrock99]

I have strong reservations about us suddenly switching to a 3-4 on a full time basis.

You just gotta ask yourself, "Is this going to make our defense any worse than it already is?"