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3-4 Defense

Sexton Hardcastle

Club Member
Club Member
What's your thoughts on this? I would like to see CU use this as their primary defense this year. But if it is going to work, Nate Bonsu better live up to the hype. He's getting himself a lot of pub in the papers.

I also would like to CU use one or the other in terms of defenses. Some 49er players criticized Nolan because they said they were overwhelmed trying to learn both systems.

What do you guys think?
 
I don't think I'd get too worked up about what we call it, as long as we have our best players on the field. When Rippy is in there, is he a DE in 4-3 or an OLB in a 3-4? I don't care as long as he's getting after QBs. Besides, with all the spread teams we are going to face, we'll probably have to run a 3-0-8 most of the time!

In the end, I think we have a special group of LBs, so if the D-Line doesn't perform at a high level, I think you probably try to get more of the LBs on the field and go 3-4. Although I love what I hear coming out of camp on the D-Line (Obi, Kasa, Bonsu, etc).:thumbsup:
 
I'm really excited to see him play this year! I've heard nothing but glowing reports. I haven't heard much about Major. What's going on there? Is he fully healed up? I would think so.
 
I know we will show many looks with Collins. I know that. But I'd like to see them have a basic defense. Whether that's the 3-4 or the 4-3 that's up to the coaches. I just think trying to install too much will have negative effects. jmo.
 
I'm really excited to see him play this year! I've heard nothing but glowing reports. I haven't heard much about Major. What's going on there? Is he fully healed up? I would think so.
He's been practicing at MLB. I think he's going to be 100% by the CSU game. Can't wait to see him out there.
 
Goree and Bonsu are going to be important this year if the 3-4 is here to stay. Not sure we have anyone else at DT that can be effective at NT because the rest of the DTs seem to be fits for the 4-3.
 
losing Nuckols for this season was a killer.
It hurt. I know a lot of people say that it can't hurt losing a kid who never played a down, but that's just not true. The kid would've seen a lot of PT this season. Now the load goes to Bonsu and Cunningham. Hopefully someone else emerges.
 
I'm not so sure about that. I think Nuckols was a pretty strong candidate for a redshirt regardless. Cunningham, Kaynor, and Pericak would have all been ahead of him. We need him to be back in Boulder in January though.

Still a little unsure of where the pressure is going to come from on defense. We really need Obi to step up and for Beatty to continue to progress.
 
Stories on Obi sound good. Said the lightbulb has gone off in his head and he's getting it. Would like to continue to pull some SEC quality kids to Boulder.
 
Still a little unsure of where the pressure is going to come from on defense. We really need Obi to step up and for Beatty to continue to progress.

I'm confident in the LB's providing the pressure needed. Especially Beatty, and Rippy among others.

Stories on Obi sound good. Said the lightbulb has gone off in his head and he's getting it. Would like to continue to pull some SEC quality kids to Boulder.

There were good stories on Obi last year. Not sure what happened. I hope it's different this year. Remember the kid is only a RS-Sophomore.
 
I think CU is playing a straight 4-3, where they sometimes line a LB up at DE, to give them more speed and a speed-rush. That's what they did last year imo. I have never seen them run a true 3-4 and I think that's probably Ringo's lingo or something. It's a 3-4 personnel wise, but not schematically. I've not seen them practice this fall.
 
I think CU is playing a straight 4-3, where they sometimes line a LB up at DE, to give them more speed and a speed-rush. That's what they did last year imo. I have never seen them run a true 3-4 and I think that's probably Ringo's lingo or something. It's a 3-4 personnel wise, but not schematically. I've not seen them practice this fall.
They are supposed to incorporate the 3-4 this year. But Collins hasn't said anything specific.

I expect them to use it this year. But how much is my question.

Colorado’s losses on the defensive line has led the C.U. coaching staff to implement a 3-4 system, a solid move considering the depth at linebacker and the issues up front. While Colorado will still lean heavily upon its 4-3 look, the 3-4 base, as stated, allows the team to get its playmakers on the field while compensating for its lack of able linemen. As is the case with the 3-4, the team must get solid play from its nose tackle.- NYTimes.
 
It would be cool to see Buddy Ryan's 3-4 Eagle with Burton on the line.
fig17.jpg
 
They are supposed to incorporate the 3-4 this year. But Collins hasn't said anything specific.

I expect them to use it this year. But how much is my question.

I've read all that about the 3-4, but I've yet to see a CU coach come out and say we are going to play a 3-4. It's almost like the coaches have given in to the "media" and said ok - if you want to call it that, we'll call it that too. Unless they are showing a new formation, it looks to me like a 4-3 with a LB lining up at DE, just as Jones did an awful lot last year.
 
Here is something Bandison had to say on personnel last week:

http://www.timescall.com/sports-college/sportscollege-story.asp?ID=17507

CU lists Kaynor behind 6-foot-1, 280-pound sophomore Curtis Cunningham at defensive tackle. Bandison said CU will always have a nose tackle and a defensive tackle in the game, regardless of whether it’s using three or four defensive linemen. When CU inserts four linebackers, it’ll maintain a four-man front, Bandison said.

Not sure what to take from that. Which linebacker will be playing as a down lineman?
 
Here is something Bandison had to say on personnel last week:

http://www.timescall.com/sports-college/sportscollege-story.asp?ID=17507



Not sure what to take from that. Which linebacker will be playing as a down lineman?

I'd say we are playing a 4-3 and will try to use a LB to rush the passer from time to time. Ringo Lingo called that a 3-4 and after it's been referred to 10 million times..... Why bother correcting the media and say we are not doing this, we are doing that? Hawk believes that's how the other teams scout CU is thru the media and message boards after all! ;)

CU runs a 4-3 base with a nickel package more often than not. Expect them to have 4 LB's in the game a lot, but it won't be Bronco's 3-4 schematically, it's still a 4-3.
 
I think Buffaholic might have a good point.

“Every defense is different. The way we play defense we are very gap sound, we stop the run first and foremost and try to apply pressure to aid the defensive backs because we put our DB’s in a lot of man coverage, we don’t play a lot of zone. Defenses are different around the country, guys play 3-4 and run different styles of 4-3’s, and maybe a defense that plays like us, but also you have the right personnel. The coaches did a good job of putting the rights players and personnel on the field.”
- G. Hypolite

Not necessarily changing to the 3-4. Just different personal packages.
 
Yeah, buffaholic seems to be correct here. So I guess we can expect Goree (NT), Cunningham (DT), and Herrod (DE) to play the most when we put a 4th LB in the game?
 
Again. No coaches will talk specifics, but this is as close as I've seen.
[FONT=Cambria, serif]And CU's '09 mix likely will include the use of more linebackers. In spring drills, four linebackers were on the field as much as three, with the Buffs' 4-3 front rapidly giving way to a 3-4.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif]One coach joked (maybe), "We'd like to get into a 2-4-5" - the basis for that remark coming from a defensive line that lost three starters (two tackles and an end) and the returning numbers and experience at linebacker.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif]"If you look at the numbers, that's probably the way to go (four LBs)," Cabral said. "The other side of that is, with the offenses spreading you out and the type of athletic quarterbacks you have (in the Big 12 Conference), you need more linebackers on the field."[/FONT]
 
I'd say we are playing a 4-3 and will try to use a LB to rush the passer from time to time. Ringo Lingo called that a 3-4 and after it's been referred to 10 million times..... Why bother correcting the media and say we are not doing this, we are doing that? Hawk believes that's how the other teams scout CU is thru the media and message boards after all! ;)

CU runs a 4-3 base with a nickel package more often than not. Expect them to have 4 LB's in the game a lot, but it won't be Bronco's 3-4 schematically, it's still a 4-3.

You are correct. In a true 3-4 all of the roles of the front 7 are fundamentally different than those in the 4-3.
 
You'd think it would be burton or sipili, maybe he goes with a smaller quicker guy in a mohler,beatty or major?

the linebacker as the fourth lineman would be a edge pass rusher, not a big linebacker like sipili or burton, which would serve no purpose whatsoever. Think what Brad Jones did last year. They are talking about Rippy and Beatty doing it this year.
 
the linebacker as the fourth lineman would be a edge pass rusher, not a big linebacker like sipili or burton, which would serve no purpose whatsoever. Think what Brad Jones did last year. They are talking about Rippy and Beatty doing it this year.

I thought burton was the fastest according to reports and our workout numbers, you're probably right.
 
I thought burton was the fastest according to reports and our workout numbers, you're probably right.

Fastest may or may not equate to best pass rush. It certainly helps, but there's techniques and also a certain instinct required. Jonesy was good at it.

Speaking of instincts, I'm looking forward to seeing some blocked punts from Mahnke and him laying some wood on some receivers. Has that Nebraska WR come to yet?
 
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