Why did Shembo get moved from Dog to Cat?
Why play to Shembos weaknesses in a 4-3? Are you going to make him a DE? Too small. Weakside olb? Id rather have Fox and Carlo in coverage than Shembo. Can you see Shembo trying to run with Rbs and TEs?
People are complaining about the lack of "speed" on defense. 4-3 ND would get even slower to the ball. Nix takes on a double team on abt 70% of the snaps. Getting the LBs to scrape consistently and shoot the right gaps is going to be easier than changing 30 guys responsibilities.
ND runs 4 down DL in their Nickel and Dime sets and that has been played a lot this year bc they have the 3rd guy in Luke and flexibility with Collinsworth and Shumate. So there is your 4 man line...hows that working out?
Changing to a 4-3 just doesnt happen overnight and the team is built on a 3-4. ND doesnt have too many guys that would even fit a 4-3 scheme together. No one compliments each other in a 4-3. Its poses more liabilities than what they have now
Shembo was moved because he is the best pure pass rusher on the team and was being wasted playing the Dog. 6'1"/260 is plenty big to be a DE in a 43 (especially in a rotation), and I think that is where he fits in best. Let him put his hand in the dirt and wreak havoc. It's possible he could play some SAM LB in a 43 like LAX suggested where you let him get after it in pass rushing situations, but I think he's just a better fit at DE.
I don't think moving to a 43 creates a lack of speed to the ball at all. How do you figure that? The fourth down lineman would keep guys like Grace and Jaylon cleaner to flow to the football because it covers more gap responsibility at the point of attack. It also would allow the team to have their best pass rushers on the field at the same time. There is enough natural talent and ability on the roster to get after the QB without having to rely on some exotic blitz scheme that is not getting the job done, creating mismatches, and exposing a porous secondary. Getting a better pass rush from the front four would allow the safety's to stay back more in coverage and allow you to play some zone schemes with the LB's thus improving the horrendous play on the back end of the defense. It's not a difficult scheme to teach and learn and would simplify things for a lot of young guys out there who are just clearly thinking too much and not playing football.
ND does not always run a four man line when they go nickel and dime. They mix it up and will try to zone blitz a linebacker off a three down lineman front, which has not worked too well. I have seen more good than bad this year when they do go with a four man front including Bennett Jackson's INT touchdown against Purdue.
As far as changing to a 43 at this point, I don't think it would be as difficult as some make it out to be being that they do play some 43 already and the players are familiar with the principle's involved with it. I remember two years ago, Bill Belichick who is one of the great innovators of the 34 defense, switched to a 43 mid-season because his scheme was floundering much like ND's is now and he is still running a 43 today. So yeah, you can make changes during the season and I think ND has the personnel to make a successful transition that would alleviate a lot of what is ailing them currently.
