Failure: Three blocked by one Navy guy?

[Digetydog]

When Malone reviewed tape today, he might have need to have a sedative.

How do three guys manage to get blocked by 1 guy?

[Arkpony]

Easy! They play for SMU!

[footballdad]

Irrelevant if Richardson makes the tackle which he is in perfect position to make, in the hole, right at the line of scrimmage. Anybody remember exactly what happened on the play?

[Digetydog]

Irrelevant if Richardson makes the tackle which he is in perfect position to make, in the hole, right at the line of scrimmage. Anybody remember exactly what happened on the play?

1) If 3 of our guys are out of the play because they were blocked by 1 guy, that is never irrelevant - even if someone else makes a play. Both LBs - Rhone and Carroll and the DE - Pruitt are laying on the ground while Richardson has to try to bring down a 245lb FB with a head of steam. That is not a recipe for success.

2) I think Richardson did make a stop, but the back gained about 4-5 yards before he finally went down. A few plays later, they scored.

[JasonB]

There were several times during the game because our DEs could not get a push on the edge, that they were in the same place as our outside LB on that side, who was covering the gap between guard and tackle. Even if one blocker didn't necessarily block both, if he was able to turn the DE inside he would be able to essentially block two players at once.

What is even worse about this particular play is that for most of the game we played a scheme where the MLB was back 7 yards off the line, and was responsible for the edge. In this case, Rhone got caught up in the same spot as the OLB and DE and effectively took himself out of the play. Poor execution.

[footballdad]

Irrelevant if Richardson makes the tackle which he is in perfect position to make, in the hole, right at the line of scrimmage. Anybody remember exactly what happened on the play?

1) If 3 of our guys are out of the play because they were blocked by 1 guy, that is never irrelevant - even if someone else makes a play. Both LBs - Rhone and Carroll and the DE - Pruitt are laying on the ground while Richardson has to try to bring down a 245lb FB with a head of steam. That is not a recipe for success.

2) I think Richardson did make a stop, but the back gained about 4-5 yards before he finally went down. A few plays later, they scored.

So what's your point? We can all find 20 pics a game that will fit whatever narrative we're trying to create.

Our defense sucked because the players are bad, the scheme was bad, and we don't make adjustments. Therefore we gave up 55 more and we're 1-9.

Maybe Tulane will turn the ball over 3 or 4 times to give us a shot.

[Digetydog]

There were several times during the game because our DEs could not get a push on the edge, that they were in the same place as our outside LB on that side, who was covering the gap between guard and tackle. Even if one blocker didn't necessarily block both, if he was able to turn the DE inside he would be able to essentially block two players at once.

What is even worse about this particular play is that for most of the game we played a scheme where the MLB was back 7 yards off the line, and was responsible for the edge. In this case, Rhone got caught up in the same spot as the OLB and DE and effectively took himself out of the play. Poor execution.

My DVR malfunctioned (user error) and I can't find a replay. I wanted to watch for a number of reasons:
1) I loved the option and loved defending it. Navy's version is much more sophisticated then anything I ever played against. I really wanted to see how the blocking schemes worked and how our ends played.

2) Looking at these photos (I think this was the scoring play), I notice that all our DL and LB are out of the play early. Again, Navy has forced our safety to make the play.

Btw - notice the offside OL hunting down our offside safety. My coaches, back in the Stone Age, loved to see that.

[Junior]

Actually looks like 4 guys, not 3.

[Digetydog]

Irrelevant if Richardson makes the tackle which he is in perfect position to make, in the hole, right at the line of scrimmage. Anybody remember exactly what happened on the play?

1) If 3 of our guys are out of the play because they were blocked by 1 guy, that is never irrelevant - even if someone else makes a play. Both LBs - Rhone and Carroll and the DE - Pruitt are laying on the ground while Richardson has to try to bring down a 245lb FB with a head of steam. That is not a recipe for success.

2) I think Richardson did make a stop, but the back gained about 4-5 yards before he finally went down. A few plays later, they scored.

So what's your point? We can all find 20 pics a game that will fit whatever narrative we're trying to create.

Our defense sucked because the players are bad, the scheme was bad, and we don't make adjustments. Therefore we gave up 55 more and we're 1-9.

Maybe Tulane will turn the ball over 3 or 4 times to give us a shot.

Talent issues do not cause three guys to get blocked by one guy. While I have been very impressed with the work Morris has done with the offense, the defense has definitely regressed in year 1 of the new regime. (To be fair Malone, most of Morris' defensive recruits have been (and should have been) redshirted. The others have made no impact. He is trying to make do with players recruited for another defensive system.)

While there are definitely size/speed issues at a number of positions, there are technique issues that are showing up game after game. Having three guys tied up like that is the result of some combination of poor technique and/or a poor scheme.

With the amount of PT that Malone has spread around, I would have expected someone in the LB/DB corps to have become a "standout" by now. When 2016 rolls around, who will be the "anchor" of our defensive backfield?

[ALEX LIFESON]

Uh oh, mrydel is not going to be happy with you guys, questioning the scheme.

[mrydel]

Do you really think a scheme was set up to send 3 players to one spot? The option is difficult to defend. Often the MLB is on the QB and you have to be athletic enough to get there.

I guess I am the idiot here since I only played against it and you guys all know how Malone is coaching it so I will shut up.

[ALEX LIFESON]

Do you really think a scheme was set up to send 3 players to one spot? The option is difficult to defend. Often the MLB is on the QB and you have to be athletic enough to get there.

I guess I am the idiot here since I only played against it and you guys all know how Malone is coaching it so I will shut up.

5 yard penalty flag on you, for being easily drawn offsides!

[Digetydog]

Do you really think a scheme was set up to send 3 players to one spot? The option is difficult to defend. Often the MLB is on the QB and you have to be athletic enough to get there.

I guess I am the idiot here since I only played against it and you guys all know how Malone is coaching it so I will shut up.

1) No. Clearly something went wrong.

2) What do you think of Navy's version of the option compared to the old Wishbone/Veer/I-Back schemes? It is really cool to see how the option has evolved.

[mrydel]

Do you really think a scheme was set up to send 3 players to one spot? The option is difficult to defend. Often the MLB is on the QB and you have to be athletic enough to get there.

I guess I am the idiot here since I only played against it and you guys all know how Malone is coaching it so I will shut up.

5 yard penalty flag on you, for being easily drawn offsides!

If I could post a smilie face I would do it here.

[mrydel]

Do you really think a scheme was set up to send 3 players to one spot? The option is difficult to defend. Often the MLB is on the QB and you have to be athletic enough to get there.

I guess I am the idiot here since I only played against it and you guys all know how Malone is coaching it so I will shut up.

1) No. Clearly something went wrong.

2) What do you think of Navy's version of the option compared to the old Wishbone/Veer/I-Back schemes? It is really cool to see how the option has evolved.

I think what Navy does as compared to the Texas wishbone is like comparing a Lear Jet to a single engine prop. Navy is much more sophisticated. However, the wishbone was so innovative for the time that I believe defenses actually had more difficulty adjusting to it than they do Navy's. Biggest problem today is lack of teams using the triple option gives you no time to properly prepare even if you have the athletes.