Somebody want to explain the 3-4 to me?

[WildCatzPhreak]

And what kind of athletes we would need to run it?  Fast?  Big?  What type?  How many where?  etc etc.

[Racquetball_Ninja]

You better have some nasty linebackers.  Mean as hell in the middle and fast on the outside.

[fatty fat fat]

Yup, just got done writing this about the "3-4"

http://www.coachz.net/34_defense.htm

[plaincat]

It's a lot like a 5-2.  You have 3 interior linemen.  2 inside LBs and 2 outside which ususally will come down on the line if there is a tight end.  It's better up the middle against the run, but you lose the speed of the smaller OLBs that you can play in a 4-3.  The Josh Buhl and Maurice Mack types can't really get down on the line with a TE.  You need bigger LB types that can knock heads with a TE and take out pulling guards, but also cover the flat and provide outside contain.

Ian Campbell could do very well as an OLB in a 3-4.  I'm not sure about the other DEs.  They all seem more like down linemen.  Antwon Moore would be back to DB.

[WildCatzPhreak]

interesting.

we need some bigger bodies to run this defense, don't we?

[Racquetball_Ninja]

interesting.

we need some bigger bodies to run this defense, don't we?

Ding Ding Ding Ding.

[plaincat]

We would need more DE/LB types, fewer DB/LB types and our DTs would not need to be as good as they have to be in a 4-3.  Our pass coverage will suffer because you will have guys like Ian Campbell back in short coverage instead of Josh Buhls.

[TheShocker]

On Madden 07 John Madden said that the 3-4 is effective because you never know where the fourth blitzer is coming from!

[waks]

We would need more DE/LB types, fewer DB/LB types and our DTs would not need to be as good as they have to be in a 4-3.  Our pass coverage will suffer because you will have guys like Ian Campbell back in short coverage instead of Josh Buhls.

our secondary should be very good next year...

[ksu_FAN]

Another thing about the 3-4 is it gives you some options up front and how you send pressure.  You can slide your front and bring a LB up on the LOS to have essentually a 4-3 look.  You can stay in a base 3-4.  You can bring both OLBs up to play a 5-2.  Then in passing situations you can blitz either OLB and put pressure on the protection b/c they don't know where its coming from.

That said, you're front 3 needs to be solid.  Your NT better be a beast that eats two OL on a consistent basis.  Your DE on the strong side needs to be a decent athlete and usually our weakside DE is a tweaner between a traditional DE and a NT.  Your ILB need to be run stuffers but have enough athleticism to help on the edge, and your OLBs need to be athletes that can run to the ball and make plays.  secondary play isn't that much different than a 4-3, but you can roll coverages a little more based on what you do with your front 7.  Good scheme, it will be interesting to see IF we go to it and how well our current personnel fits. 

[Trog]

interesting.

we need some bigger bodies to run this defense, don't we?

Ding Ding Ding Ding.

It is now confirmed that we have neither the personnel to run the 3-4 or the cover 2.   

[skerinKansas]

I'll take a stab at what a "perfect" 3-4 line up would be.

NG- Run stuffer extrodinaire.  Must be able to get a puch up the middle on passing downs.  Think Quinton Echols

SDE- Must be strong against the run and the pass.  Put your best Dlineman here.  Think Adam Carriker.

WDE- Can maybe afford to be a little smaller and faster, usually can have the outside edge on a OT.  Think Ian Cambell

SOLB- Have to play the flat and cover a RB in pass coverage, jam the TE on the run, and be a pass rusher off the edge.  = Josh Buhl

SMLB- Again, up the middle is big in the D, so he's got to be great on run D.  If he can blitz, perfect.  = Thaddeus Washington

WMLB- very similar to SMLB, but is generally going to blitz more often.  = Rufus Alexander

WOLB- Fastest LB of the bunch, will blitz, play coverage on some slot recievers.  = Terrell Farley, perhaps?

That would give me a dang good front 7. 

[WildCatzPhreak]

That would give me a dang goodan unstoppable front 7. 

I wish.

I actually think we were better suited to run the 3-4 last year, before Q graduated, and had some more experienced linebackers.  This year we don't have the monster nose tackle, and we don't have great depth at linebacker.

[coitus]

NG - Fatafehi
SDE - Howard
WDE - Chris Johnson
SOLB - Buhl
SMLB - Pierce
WMLB - Kelly
WOLB - Cooper