DL injuries

[hubcap]

You guys have a really good, fast and physical defense. I think they'll get after, and hold up very well against most of the teams on your schedule. However... being undersized on the DL is a big problem when you play a big front that likes to pound the football. I know you've had injuries on the DL, but you're running a 3-3-5, and your 2nd string nose is 244 pounds? Gubner is an animal in there but if he's playing every snap in that defense, it's not going to last. Most of the teams that run a 3 man front have at least a couple 300 pound monsters to rotate in at nose.

That's the key to successfully running the 3-3-5 defense. If you don't have the beef, they eat up your LB's and SS's really fast. Makes it hard to do much when you are relying on 1-2 of those folks plus the DB's to make tackles. I never understood why Hauck didn't get the huge DL or switch up the defense and use the strengths that you have year after year, your linebackers.

 

[The.Real.2506]

You guys have a really good, fast and physical defense. I think they'll get after, and hold up very well against most of the teams on your schedule. However... being undersized on the DL is a big problem when you play a big front that likes to pound the football. I know you've had injuries on the DL, but you're running a 3-3-5, and your 2nd string nose is 244 pounds? Gubner is an animal in there but if he's playing every snap in that defense, it's not going to last. Most of the teams that run a 3 man front have at least a couple 300 pound monsters to rotate in at nose.

That's the key to successfully running the 3-3-5 defense. If you don't have the beef, they eat up your LB's and SS's really fast. Makes it hard to do much when you are relying on 1-2 of those folks plus the DB's to make tackles. I never understood why Hauck didn't get the huge DL or switch up the defense and use the strengths that you have year after year, your linebackers.

It's a real head scratcher isn't it. When Bobby was hired for the second run I thought, well 2-3 years he will have this big OL and DL and get them back on top of the league. What is he 5 or 6 years in and the OL and DL are weaker than ever.

 

[Ursus1]

The defense should be designed and built to beat the Cats....they are the team to beat it looks like in conference and maybe in any championship as well not to mention beating the Cats is far more important than any other team in many eyes (including in state recruits). This 3 front that is collectively undersized is not the way to go, having oline guys go after LB's and small dline guys is just asking to have the Cats run for 400....see 2022 game for reference and that was a bigger dline than now

 

[Wolf777]

The defense should be designed and built to beat the Cats....they are the team to beat it looks like in conference and maybe in any championship as well not to mention beating the Cats is far more important than any other team in many eyes (including in state recruits). This 3 front that is collectively undersized is not the way to go, having oline guys go after LB's and small dline guys is just asking to have the Cats run for 400....see 2022 game for reference and that was a bigger dline than now

MSU, NDSU, SDSU all require a scheme that stops the run. As you pointed out we keep getting smaller. Our backup DT is 245. We constantly bring an extra guy up on the line when it’s a running down, so why not just move to a 4-3 and play nickel on passing downs? I’d rather give up a big pass here and there than have teams run for 400 yards
On us.

 

[Ursus1]

The defense should be designed and built to beat the Cats....they are the team to beat it looks like in conference and maybe in any championship as well not to mention beating the Cats is far more important than any other team in many eyes (including in state recruits). This 3 front that is collectively undersized is not the way to go, having oline guys go after LB's and small dline guys is just asking to have the Cats run for 400....see 2022 game for reference and that was a bigger dline than now

MSU, NDSU, SDSU all require a scheme that stops the run. As you pointed out we keep getting smaller. Our backup DT is 245. We constantly bring an extra guy up on the line when it’s a running down, so why not just move to a 4-3 and play nickel on passing downs? I’d rather give up a big pass here and there than have teams run for 400 yards
On us.

The number of sacks is crazy low, no real pressure without a blitz. It requires so much blitzing to get pressure it leaves the middle so open they can easily convert. "Bend don't break" will be become bend over to a TD against good teams

 

[mtgrizrule]

You guys have a really good, fast and physical defense. I think they'll get after, and hold up very well against most of the teams on your schedule. However... being undersized on the DL is a big problem when you play a big front that likes to pound the football. I know you've had injuries on the DL, but you're running a 3-3-5, and your 2nd string nose is 244 pounds? Gubner is an animal in there but if he's playing every snap in that defense, it's not going to last. Most of the teams that run a 3 man front have at least a couple 300 pound monsters to rotate in at nose.

That's the key to successfully running the 3-3-5 defense. If you don't have the beef, they eat up your LB's and SS's really fast. Makes it hard to do much when you are relying on 1-2 of those folks plus the DB's to make tackles. I never understood why Hauck didn't get the huge DL or switch up the defense and use the strengths that you have year after year, your linebackers.

I just covered changing things up in the adjustments thread.