Grizzly Bears VS Sioux Hawks blitzing

[MantanaGrizzly]

Hi All,

Long time lurker, first time poster. 4th gen Montanan with deep Griz roots with multiple family members paying from 2003-2009 (miss those days).

After analyzing the first game UM vs Mo St and UND vs IA St, I noticed many blitz calls on 3rd and long by D coordinators. Why??!! We looked really bad on 3rd downs.

UND looked really good playing up against IA St, especially on 3rd downs. Their screen game also looked good.

A little nervous for Saturday’s game getting caught in massive blitzes with screens and draws for huge yardage.

Do D coordinators relax on blitzing this week as opposed to last week? Thoughts?

 

[Da Boyz Mom]

Hi All,

Long time lurker, first time poster. 4th gen Montanan with deep Griz roots with multiple family members paying from 2003-2009 (miss those days).

After analyzing the first game UM vs Mo St and UND vs IA St, I noticed many blitz calls on 3rd and long by D coordinators. Why??!! We looked really bad on 3rd downs.

UND looked really good playing up against IA St, especially on 3rd downs. Their screen game also looked good.

A little nervous for Saturday’s game getting caught in massive blitzes with screens and draws for huge yardage.

Do D coordinators relax on blitzing this week as opposed to last week? Thoughts?

I've never understood blitzing on 3rd and very long. Back in the Stitt era, his defensive coordinator was notorious for doing that and it always seemed to go badly. My feeling is that rushing four, being disciplined, and playing coverage downfield will usually work out better. The o-line won't be able to hold forever and someone will be able to get some pressure on the QB but if he has no open receivers to throw to, the chances of converting the third down are not as good as when everyone comes on the blitz which leaves open receivers.

I thought the Missouri State quarterback was really good at staying in the pocket and delivering passes right on time to his receivers even in the midst of a lot of pressure in his face. Plus those receivers made some really good contested catches. I don't know how UND QB/receivers stack up although I do know that Belquist is excellent and will need to be accounted for at all times.

I'm hoping and praying that we see the defense playing better assignment football this weekend, and that Cooper lays off calling blitzes on 3rd and long.

 

[MantanaGrizzly]

I've never understood blitzing on 3rd and very long. Back in the Stitt era, his defensive coordinator was notorious for doing that and it always seemed to go badly. My feeling is that rushing four, being disciplined, and playing coverage downfield will usually work out better. The o-line won't be able to hold forever and someone will be able to get some pressure on the QB but if he has no open receivers to throw to, the chances of converting the third down are not as good as when everyone comes on the blitz which leaves open receivers.

I thought the Missouri State quarterback was really good at staying in the pocket and delivering passes right on time to his receivers even in the midst of a lot of pressure in his face. Plus those receivers made some really good contested catches. I don't know how UND QB/receivers stack up although I do know that Belquist is excellent and will need to be accounted for at all times.

I'm hoping and praying that we see the defense playing better assignment football this weekend, and that Cooper lays off calling blitzes on 3rd and long.

Could not agree with you more. Incredibly frustrating to see this as an outsider not able to influence the game


Gotta give credit to Mo St. they were very good at executing. UND quarterback back looks a little shaky on decision making, hopefully our blitzing gets home and shakes him up to giving up some turnovers.

Must account for #1 on every snap. D needs to do their 1/11th only, Wrap up, not over pursue, and let nothing get behind you.

If we do a better job this week I believe we cruise to an easy W.

 

[AZDoc]

Hi All,

Long time lurker, first time poster. 4th gen Montanan with deep Griz roots with multiple family members paying from 2003-2009 (miss those days).

After analyzing the first game UM vs Mo St and UND vs IA St, I noticed many blitz calls on 3rd and long by D coordinators. Why??!! We looked really bad on 3rd downs.

UND looked really good playing up against IA St, especially on 3rd downs. Their screen game also looked good.

A little nervous for Saturday’s game getting caught in massive blitzes with screens and draws for huge yardage.

Do D coordinators relax on blitzing this week as opposed to last week? Thoughts?

I agree somewhat. I think they weren't getting much pressure without blitz, and I think a good strategy could be more schemes up front, or maybe send 1 extra with a twist etc. The difference is Mo St had a seasoned, poised QB. UND is a bit more raw. The screen game will gain huge yards if they get caught. My guess is that UND will screen on 1st and 2nd down some and surprise the Griz. I would stunt up front with 4 or again, maybe 5 on occasion but zone up a bit more to keep screens in front and hold huge gains. The coaches>>>>>smarter than me. I played offense in college, but do have a defense type brain though hahahaha

 

[MantanaGrizzly]

Agreed AZ, I trust the coaches as well. Just had a few head scratching play calls on 3rd and long against Mo St.

Our front 7 played batter as the game went along last week. Hoping for continued improvements and to get a few key pieces back this week

Loved the rotation on D line. Otlewski is going to be a nightmare, just watch. Pat Hayden had flashes of Gub like play at nose.

 

[granitegriz]

RW will make it easier on the defensive coordinators and also VK. The DL is coming along as well!

 

[Da Boyz Mom]

As an update to my opinion: I received a DM from a poster here who emphasized that the strategy involved in blitzing on 3rd and very long is to make the quarterback give up on the primary down the field route(s) and force him to check down to someone underneath who would then be tackled short of the line-to-gain.

My response was that I appreciated the explanation. The strategy itself does make perfect sense, and you can't really fault it. The problem on Saturday however, was that safeties and linebackers weren't in the right position to make tackles for short gains all day long. Even on first and second down, short passes turned into longer gains due to players being out of position and/or bad tackling.

So all that to say that the play calling and strategy wasn't necessarily bad, however based on how the defense was actually playing the middle of the field, you still have to question the wisdom of calling the blitz on some of those very long third downs. Apparently Cooper thought the risk was worth the reward, but it just didn't work out that way. Over the last several years, those calls would have been the right decision based on the suffocating play from the linebackers and safeties.

 

[AZDoc]

As an update to my opinion: I received a DM from a poster here who emphasized that the strategy involved in blitzing on 3rd and very long is to make the quarterback give up on the primary down the field route(s) and force him to check down to someone underneath who would then be tackled short of the line-to-gain. The strategy itself does make perfect sense, and you can't really fault it. The problem on Saturday however, was that safeties and linebackers weren't in the right position to make tackles for short gains all day long. Even on first and second down, short passes turned into longer gains due to players being out of position and/or bad tackling.

So all that to say that the play calling and strategy wasn't necessarily bad, however based on how the defense was actually playing the middle of the field, you still have to question the wisdom of calling the blitz on some of those very long third downs. Apparently Cooper thought the risk was worth the reward, but it just didn't work out that way. Over the last several years, those calls would have been the right decision based on the suffocating play from the linebackers and safeties.

This is correct, and I wasn't going to get crazy into that detail. But that said, every call should work if people are in the right position or make a tackle. Blitzing on 3rd and long is a great strategy, and truthfully, I like it and have done it a lot. A good, poised QB though is not going to get riled up as easily. It also depends on offense study of the defense. They may know the Griz run certain plays and run specific "blitz beaters" to locations that make it difficult to match up or make the tackle. As I said, coaches are much smarter than I. My issue with it was more...they burned them twice already...maybe the 3rd time show it and back out to cause confusion. Anyway, absolutely agree with the DM about tackling and position in space though.


EDIT: also, that sounded like man-splaining and was not meant to be DBM!

 

[Ursus1]

They wont blitz(unless you consider sending a LB as the 4th rusher a blitz with three man line)....unless they need to....which they likely will without Wilson as they really struggled getting pressure . Last year they had exceptional CB/S play as well, not in the same class yet there with so many new guys and one veteran having about as many missed tackles as he has had in his career

 

[Da Boyz Mom]

This is correct, and I wasn't going to get crazy into that detail. But that said, every call should work if people are in the right position or make a tackle. Blitzing on 3rd and long is a great strategy, and truthfully, I like it and have done it a lot. A good, poised QB though is not going to get riled up as easily. It also depends on offense study of the defense. They may know the Griz run certain plays and run specific "blitz beaters" to locations that make it difficult to match up or make the tackle. As I said, coaches are much smarter than I. My issue with it was more...they burned them twice already...maybe the 3rd time show it and back out to cause confusion. Anyway, absolutely agree with the DM about tackling and position in space though.


EDIT: also, that sounded like man-splaining and was not meant to be DBM!

I didn't take it that way at all. Thanks to some truly misogynistic posters on here over the years, I've had to grow a thick skin which means that you have to work pretty hard at offending me. Plus if I'm annoyed I'll usually let you know. Lol.

And I completely agree with you about the quarterback. The blitzing strategy probably would have rattled a younger less experienced quarterback which would have led to more sacks or even turnovers, but did not work as well on the Missouri State QB until late in the game.

 

[oldngrizzly]

I didn't take it that way at all. Thanks to some truly misogynistic posters on here over the years, I've had to grow a thick skin which means that you have to work pretty hard at offending me. Plus if I'm annoyed I'll usually let you know. Lol.

And I completely agree with you about the quarterback. The blitzing strategy probably would have rattled a younger less experienced quarterback which would have led to more sacks or even turnovers, but did not work as well on the Missouri State QB until late in the game.

Just for the record I do not care who you are. Man,women or alien. If I agree or disagree I will say so.But now we are in the real time game mode there is much more to discuss which seems to make all of us more easier to get a long with.Well most all of us.

That being said, in my simple scouting report I think blitzing an inexperienced quarterback on all downs is the right think to do until it does not work any longer and as long as the field is well covered. The problem with Missouri was they had a good o-line and a very experienced quarterback. Along with our Dline not being in sink with what was happening.

 

[Hoops watcher]

This is correct, and I wasn't going to get crazy into that detail. But that said, every call should work if people are in the right position or make a tackle. Blitzing on 3rd and long is a great strategy, and truthfully, I like it and have done it a lot. A good, poised QB though is not going to get riled up as easily. It also depends on offense study of the defense. They may know the Griz run certain plays and run specific "blitz beaters" to locations that make it difficult to match up or make the tackle. As I said, coaches are much smarter than I. My issue with it was more...they burned them twice already...maybe the 3rd time show it and back out to cause confusion. Anyway, absolutely agree with the DM about tackling and position in space though.


EDIT: also, that sounded like man-splaining and was not meant to be DBM!

As noted lots of new people. Need even more discipline when the back end is short given extra rusher(s). Lots of over pursuit, guys are amped up in a new year. It got a lot better as the season progressed last fall, with Tim Hauck I expect the same this year. Some maybe underestimated the opponent, good team with some very talented players. I get the angst though, nothing more frustrating than seeing opponents convert a third and 19. But I'll trust the D staff to assess the risk/reward of their play calls.