4-3 Under

[TheTurningPoint]

So with some questions and debate about BVG's new 4-3 scheme, I tried to get some answers for you guys. Feel free to leave some comments/questions on the article so the writer can address them in the future!

Transitioning to a 4-3 Defense: The 4-3 Under | Irish Turning Point

 

[Cackalacky]

Good stuff. If we could have anyone play like Davis we would be doing well.

 

[Johannes]

Excellent work! That clarified a number of questions I had about what to expect this fall, not to mention the projected rolls of the 2015 commits.

Do you anticipate BVG moving to a 4-3 Over when he has the right personnel with the right experience? If so, I think an article on that transition would be equally enlightening. Just a thought. grin:

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Names conspicuously absent : Turner and Onwualu. Que?

 

[Cackalacky]

Turner and Onwualu will be mostly subpackage LBs as I understand it. I don't think they will be base personnel. Against pass happy or spread teams that keep you in nickle packages on early downs is when's we see the most of them I think.

 

[bobbyok1]

Wow, thanks for the clarity on the 4-3 Under Coach Thiel and TP! That really helped clear things up for me and will be exciting to look for the execution as the season goes on.

 

[TheTurningPoint]

Great to hear the feedback guys and I definitely look forward to future pieces by Coach Thiel.

He is one of the better posters on ISD, and I had NDinLA help recruit him to start writing some more "in-depth" pieces for the TP. Great to have him on board!

 

[Wild Bill]

Jaylon and Day are going to kill it in this system. Day is made to play the three tech. He's going to piss all over guards on passing downs.

Jaylon would be a stud in any system but playing WILL in this defense will really give him a chance to use his speed and athleticism. He's going to drive teams nuts flying through gaps and making backside tackles. Teams will be forced to run to the weak side to neutralize his speed.

My concern is SAM and the defensive ends. Playing SAM in a 4-3 under is a pain in the ass. You need a guy that is strong enough to set the edge, quick enough to cover and agile enough to avoid getting reached. Councell is a rangy athlete so I think he'll be fine in coverage and keeping contain, but he may struggle at the point of attack. Councell has to stay healthy, though. We have nobody else even close to his level, IMO. I agree Drue could be a good SAM but he needs to get bigger and stronger.

Okwara has to beat his man one on one and give us a consistent pass rush. I would love to see Trumbetti play well enough to steal some reps. He's young but looks like he'd be a perfect WDE.

Ishaq needs to play tough, especially on run downs. I know the article mentioned Rochelle as a guy who will take some reps but what about Springmann? If he's healthy he'll give us some much needed depth at tackle but I think he'd be a decent option at five tech on running downs.

 

[Black Irish]

A very good read. I find this in-depth Xs and Os stuff really helps my enjoyment of watching games.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

What does a coordinator do on a 4-3 under, when the offense runs counters back to the weak side?

 

[Black Irish]

What does a coordinator do on a 4-3 under, when the offense runs counters back to the weak side?

Shhhh!!! Stop giving the opposition ideas!

 

[goldandblue]

Playing SAM in a 4-3 under is a pain in the ass. You need a guy that is strong enough to set the edge, quick enough to cover and agile enough to avoid getting reached.

This is very true. I played this position in high school. Along with the three attributes you covered here, you have to be able to process information quickly as the play develops. You will have some plays where you have a specific role (usually a designed blitz) but most of the time, it is a matter of being able to quickly read the play to get yourself in the correct position or role. I know reading the play applies at all defensive positions but I think at SAM you have more keys to read than most other positions.

In my opinion it is the hardest of the 3 LB positions to play because you are used in so many different ways. I was always taught to play pass first, run second. Run usually consisted of setting the edge and often times just taking the lead blocker out of the play and allowing MIKE or WILL to clean up the play. You can however make a lot of plays from the SAM position. Especially if you have good coverage skills and can shed blocks.

 

[irishff1014]

Very interesting. Thanks for the article.

 

[connect the dots]

Jaylon and Day are going to kill it in this system. Day is made to play the three tech. He's going to piss all over guards on passing downs.

Jaylon would be a stud in any system but playing WILL in this defense will really give him a chance to use his speed and athleticism. He's going to drive teams nuts flying through gaps and making backside tackles. Teams will be forced to run to the weak side to neutralize his speed.

My concern is SAM and the defensive ends. Playing SAM in a 4-3 under is a pain in the ass. You need a guy that is strong enough to set the edge, quick enough to cover and agile enough to avoid getting reached. Councell is a rangy athlete so I think he'll be fine in coverage and keeping contain, but he may struggle at the point of attack. Councell has to stay healthy, though. We have nobody else even close to his level, IMO. I agree Drue could be a good SAM but he needs to get bigger and stronger.

Okwara has to beat his man one on one and give us a consistent pass rush. I would love to see Trumbetti play well enough to steal some reps. He's young but looks like he'd be a perfect WDE.

Ishaq needs to play tough, especially on run downs. I know the article mentioned Rochelle as a guy who will take some reps but what about Springmann? If he's healthy he'll give us some much needed depth at tackle but I think he'd be a decent option at five tech on running downs.

Your requirements for playing SAM fit prospect Tevon Coney's skill set. His versatility at linebacker has made him an important target. I am anxious to see if Coney turns any heads at the Opening. Team Alpha Pro will have Coney, Masina, and Cherry at linebacker for the 7 on 7 show.

 

[T Town Tommy]

What does a coordinator do on a 4-3 under, when the offense runs counters back to the weak side?

That goes back to the basics of contain rush principles. The weak side DL must stay at home and take responsibility for the counter first before trying to rush. Their job is to counter the counter. If the offense is running counters consistently, then I would transfer to a 3-4 over. It is basically the same as a 4-3 but you have another OLB in instead of a DL. That way you can get more speed to set the corner and hopefully push the RB back to the inside.

 

[Wild Bill]

What does a coordinator do on a 4-3 under, when the offense runs counters back to the weak side?

That goes back to the basics of contain rush principles. The weak side DL must stay at home and take responsibility for the counter first before trying to rush. Their job is to counter the counter. If the offense is running counters consistently, then I would transfer to a 3-4 over. It is basically the same as a 4-3 but you have another OLB in instead of a DL. That way you can get more speed to set the corner and hopefully push the RB back to the inside.

A one technique that can command a double team, safeties that can fly to the ball and MIKE that reads his keys helps too.

 

[T Town Tommy]

A one technique that can command a double team, safeties that can fly to the ball and MIKE that reads his keys helps too.

Yep. To me, the MIKE is the most crucial element of what will be BVG's defensive strategy. They have to do everything correctly, or risk having some serious exposure. Being aggressive is awesome, but missing assignments multiplies the mistakes tremendously. Whoever ends up at the MIKE for the Irish will probably have many headaches learning the system. And they better be able to take a little constructive criticism.... there will be some mistakes made. Let's hope they are early and it allows time to recover in the course of the game.

 

[TheTurningPoint]

What does a coordinator do on a 4-3 under, when the offense runs counters back to the weak side?

Stick to your keys and not worry lol.

 

[Redbar]

Yep. To me, the MIKE is the most crucial element of what will be BVG's defensive strategy. They have to do everything correctly, or risk having some serious exposure. Being aggressive is awesome, but missing assignments multiplies the mistakes tremendously. Whoever ends up at the MIKE for the Irish will probably have many headaches learning the system. And they better be able to take a little constructive criticism.... there will be some mistakes made. Let's hope they are early and it allows time to recover in the course of the game.[/

 

[Catholics_Rule]

Great article!