“Positionless” Defense

[BoxingRobes]

I mean...a lot of good teams and professional teams play guys all over, especially in the back 7 (LBs and DBs).

Big defensive lineman out on the edge to give you a little more against the run, edge guys rushing inside gaps when applicable, hybrid linebacker-safeties playing nickel, Big safeties coming down and playing in the box and ultimately playing linebacker...

 

[Geo305]

I think you're more likely to see variations of 3-2-6 or 3-3-5 fronts against spread option and RPO teams where you prioritize securing the edges and filling from depth. Texas ran that style of defense with Todd Orlando and I wasn't a fan of it. Too often they gave up huge creases on simple zone runs and they still had corners on islands so it doesn't help negate talent issues in the secondary.

You can't afford light boxes against RPO teams that use a lot of Power and Counter like UNC because you'll be outleveraged at the point of attack. Tackling is still an issue for a lot of the DBs on the roster and I'd hate to see scenarios where the scheme funnels them tackles.

I think Miami has the right idea with their base alignment and the Striker position. I'd like to see more of a focus on mixing up fronts (over/under/tite/etc) to take away certain run schemes rather than stunts and run blitzes and upfield tactics that create gap integrity issues and unsound run fits. Save the amoeba fronts for obvious pass downs or Air Raid opponents with spread vanilla run games, but you can't run those if they're more confusing for your players than the opponent. It takes a lot of reps and opponent-specific scouting to time blitzes correctly and we rarely see that work out for us.

My concept of positionless defense is to be flexible with personnel. Find matchups for Leonard Taylor and Thomas Davis to rush. Utilize your best coverage LBs like Troutman or maybe Carter. Play someone like JHH or Roberts at DE if you need extra bulk in the run game. If you're facing a pro-style team like ND that uses 13 personnel maybe give Jennings a shot to be a thumper. Just take advantage of actually having depth and put in the best players for each situation.

Spot on.

 

[Pentagon Cane]

It’s nothing new. He was basically saying having multiple DBs on the field instead of LBs in passing situations

I almost brought up the possibility of a 4-1-6 Defense because of Keontra playing so well behind Frierson last year and boom we essentially did it.
Keontra played well enough that he needed to be on the field at the same time as Frierson. Moving him to WLB and bulking him up a bit essentially keeps this a 4-2-5. Chase Smith playing so well allows the move to be permanent. We need to convince James Williams he is not really a Safety, that he can play closer to the LOS move around much like Isaiah Simmons did at Clemson.

It was either the Pitt or UVA last year we ran 4-1-6 a lot on throwing downs with Brooks at linebacker. Only game and it was quite effective.

 

[CaneThang2020]

You can run a 46 Defense with the line-up below:

DL: Harvey, Ford, Nesta, Johnson
LB: Brooks, Flagg or K. Smith
Strikers: Frierson and Hall
DB: Stevenson, Bolden, Ivey

Rotation
DL: deep rotation
LB/STK's: Huff, Carter, Flagg or K. Smith, J. Williams and/or C. Smith
DB: Couch, Blades, A. & J. Williams

Coverage is cover 3 zone. In my 46 give me Leonard Taylor over Harvey at DE and I'm almost wanting Nesta bumped outside and sliding JMiller at DT with Ford...incredibly tough DEF to run inside on there.

For my "six/6", at CB let's go Tyrique and DJ, Bolden as S....Chase Smith on one side and Gilbert Frierson on the other as OLB/STR, then inside give me JW20 and Sam Brook.

Can rotate guys in for breaks but thats my recipe for stopping the run. Can also run a cover 3 zone blitz where you send either of the two ILBs on blitzes to collapse the pocket alongside Ford and JMiller.

This can also be a 4-4 DEF look

 

[dodaniels]

Coverage is cover 3 zone. In my 46 give me Leonard Taylor over Harvey at DE and I'm almost wanting Nesta bumped outside and sliding JMiller at DT with Ford...incredibly tough DEF to run inside on there.

For my "six/6", at CB let's go Tyrique and DJ, Bolden as S....Chase Smith on one side and Gilbert Frierson on the other as OLB/STR, then inside give me JW20 and Sam Brook.

Can rotate guys in for breaks but thats my recipe for stopping the run. Can also run a cover 3 zone blitz where you send either of the two ILBs on blitzes to collapse the pocket alongside Ford and JMiller.

This can also be a 4-4 DEF look

Right, I forgot to mention to run cover-3 zone and cover-1 man.

For your DL point, I'll add this to the mix.
34 Bear

DL: Nesta, Ford or Miller, E. Roberts or L. Taylor
LB: Brooks, K. Smith or FLAGG
CB: T. Stevenson
FS: Bolden
DB: Frierson or A. Carter
DB: Hall, J. Williams, or A. Carter
DB: A. Williams, J. Williams, or A. Carter
CB: Ivey, Blades, or Couch

For nickel situations (dangerous slot wr): sub Couch in for one of the safeties