Furman Preseason Preview: Outside Linebackers (Bandit, Spur)

[Bootie]

http://www.furmanpaladins.com/sports/m- ... 0820phsn45

[AstroDin]

http://www.furmanpaladins.com/sports/m- ... 0820phsn45

BIg time underrated player… Chris Washington buried on the depth chart under Fowler, new DC and scheme and boom; 66 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. I'm excited to see Hope get to see his first action, Hope looked good on Saturday.

Willis should have a great season at the spur, Porter got a ton PT on Saturday, also as mentioned I thought Wilkins stood out.

[The Jackal]

So, piecing together the reports we have to this point - our front seven should look something like

SPUR: Willis/Porter/Wilkins
WLB: McKoy/Owen
MLB: Perryman/Gilby
BAN: Washington/Hope/Smith
DT: Tibbs/Hodge/Sochovka
NG: Reid/Stokes
DE: Okonya/Hanff/Seabrook/Lawrence (lot of depth there)

[FUBeAR]

So, piecing together the reports we have to this point - our front seven should look something like

SPUR: Willis/Porter/Wilkins
WLB: McKoy/Owen
MLB: Perryman/Gilby
BAN: Washington/Hope/Smith
DT: Tibbs/Hodge/Sochovka
NG: Reid/Stokes
DE: Okonya/Hanff/Seabrook/Lawrence (lot of depth there)

I’ll update my prospective 2-deep

BTW - I was happy to see the difference in the Bandit & Spur roles explained. The interesting thing (to me) is that, Furman is now running, essentially, a 5-2 Defense, with the ability to ‘flex’ to a 4-3....which is EXACTLY the same Defense that Furman ran in the early to mid 80’s. The Bandit was called the “Rush End” & the Spur was called the “Drop End” and the ‘flex’ to 4-3 was called “Dealer” (as in Death “Dealer”). #EverythingOldIsNewAgain

I would like to see some detail around the difference in the DT & DE role in this “3-4” alignment. I’m assuming the DT always goes to the Bandit’s side & the DE is ‘married’ to the Spur. And I’m guessing it’s Bandit/DT/MLB typically to O’s strength & Spur/DE/WLB to the weak side. NG, typically, in a 1TEC (Shade) weak. Yes?

I believe there is a DL Dad on here who may be able to edify us, or the inimitable Fred Garvin, an award-winning DC in his own right (even though he is now back on the bRight side of the ball), can drop some pearls on us.

[The Jackal]

So, piecing together the reports we have to this point - our front seven should look something like

SPUR: Willis/Porter/Wilkins
WLB: McKoy/Owen
MLB: Perryman/Gilby
BAN: Washington/Hope/Smith
DT: Tibbs/Hodge/Sochovka
NG: Reid/Stokes
DE: Okonya/Hanff/Seabrook/Lawrence (lot of depth there)

I’ll update my prospective 2-deep

BTW - I was happy to see the difference in the Bandit & Spur roles explained. The interesting thing (to me) is that, Furman is now running, essentially, a 5-2 Defense, with the ability to ‘flex’ to a 4-3....which is EXACTLY the same Defense that Furman ran in the early to mid 80’s. The Bandit was called the “Rush End” & the Spur was called the “Drop End” and the ‘flex’ to 4-3 was called “Dealer” (as in Death “Dealer”). #EverythingOldIsNewAgain

I would like to see some detail around the difference in the DT & DE role in this “3-4” alignment. I’m assuming the DT always goes to the Bandit’s side & the DE is ‘married’ to the Spur. And I’m guessing it’s Bandit/DT/MLB typically to O’s strength & Spur/DE/WLB to the weak side. NG, typically, in a 1TEC (Shade) weak. Yes?

I believe there is a DL Dad on here who may be able to edify us, or the inimitable Fred Garvin, an award-winning DC in his own right (even though he is now back on the bRight side of the ball), can drop some pearls on us.

I think the distinctions between some of these defensive fronts is probably fairly slight.

My general understanding is that a 5-2 DE is going to be in a 3 point stance lined up on the OT/TE's outside shoulder. He'll have outside contain, but no real pass coverage responsibility. The 3-4 OLB is in a two point stance and will line up further outside with pass coverage responsibility.

Your understanding of the set up mirrors mine, though. The DE/Spur/MLB align to the strong side. The DT/Bandit/WLB align to the weak side. Given that our NGs have actually slimmed down this offseason, I would except that most of our defensive front will have one-gap responsibility.

[The Jackal]

I also think Furman can get really creative with their backfield pressures. They have guys at the SPUR that were safeties. They have a safety who is built like a linebacker. Several of these DL are slimmed down and are incredibly quick off the ball.

[AstroDin]

I would expect we see Cameron Coleman get some action in the first four games before they have to make the redshirt decision. He's pretty darn quick for 6-3 285.

[Flagman]

We had Chris Washington at our house for Dinner with the Paladins. Great young man. Looking forward to watching him play, now that we know him.

[The Jackal]

This is just one play from last year, but it would suggest the formation.

DE (Okonya), Spur, and MLB lined up to the strong side. DT (Tibbs), Bandit (Washington), and WLB lined up to the weak side.

Upon further examination, this is Mercer's overload formation, with three OL to the right side. Washington jams the TE, knocks the RB backwards, and hauls a big QB to the ground.

Whale of a play by Tibbs, though. Mercer puts two men on him, he still pushes the pile back into Riley's face, who tries to escape but runs right into Washington. Furman rushes 4 and Mercer has 7 to block - still gives up a sack.

[FUBeAR]

This is just one play from last year, but it would suggest the formation.

DE (Okonya), Spur, and MLB lined up to the strong side. DT (Tibbs), Bandit (Washington), and WLB lined up to the weak side.

Upon further examination, this is Mercer's overload formation, with three OL to the right side. Washington jams the TE, knocks the RB backwards, and hauls a big QB to the ground.

Whale of a play by Tibbs, though. Mercer puts two men on him, he still pushes the pile back into Riley's face, who tries to escape but runs right into Washington. Furman rushes 4 and Mercer has 7 to block - still gives up a sack.

Yep..got it & NG is shading, or, in this case, ‘picking’ strong. Makes sense.

Horrible blocking effort by Mercer’s H-Back/TE & the RB. O-Line is sliding right, as designed, & LT (Marchman) doesn’t have responsibilty for Tibbs, once Tibbs chooses an outside rush, BUT since Marchman sees/feels that the H-Back/TE just isn’t there, he tries to give Tibbs a little ‘chip’ to help before he turns back to doing what his job is supposed to be, ensuring no rush thru B-Gap. So, another sack that will be attributed by fans to the OL doing a bad job...when it was the ‘Skill Kids’ who failed to execute their blocking assignments.

Coach Lamb & Coach Barfield need to pull out some old FU film from 1980-1983 and show Tee Mitchell how Stanford Jennings used to execute his PassPro blocking assignments. He absolutely DESTROYED people...but, y’know...he was only the leading rusher, number 2 or 3 receiver, and 3 time SoCon POY...so, no reason he should be expected to get his hands dirty blocking...except he WANTED to...with extreme passion. Love to see more (any?) of that from RB’s these days. That same kind of lack of blocking effort by a RB cost the Falcons a Super Bowl. Arrrgggh, it makes me mad!!! Dang you, Jackal...you knew that & posted this just to torque me off, didn’t you?

BTW - #98 was very fortunate not to get ejected for the old ‘helmet-to-helmet’ at the end of that play, or, at a minimum, draw an unnecessary roughness flag. Heck, in the NFL these days, he might have been suspended for the rest of the season!

[Jasper]

Good eye, Jackal, in seeing Tibbs big contribution to that play. He forced the QB out and into Washington's hands. Jonah Tibbs may really come into his own this year. I had dinner with him last week and he is in great shape at 6'3" and 275 or so. Very smart young man too.