Baker goes in-depth on injury updates, roster construction, and recruiting

[Cane passion]

Baker is a really nice/cool guy but he gave one of the most awkward defensive clinics I've ever seen.
Homie was talking about "void pressures" (blitzes where they basically leave a certain zone wide open aka "voided"). He showed film of plays where receivers were completely wide open. On many of the plays there were MULTIPLE receivers wide open. Everybody in the clinic was just looking at each other like
Basically they're banking on the blitz getting there before the QB figures it out. I mean, it's cute when it works, but if you're ever wondering why a receiver catches a 5-yard shallow route and gains 20 yards ...there's your answer.

One of my buddies asked if they spot drop or pattern match. He said they do both. On some plays they tell their guys to simply spot drop to give them a "mental rep off". In other words, giving their brain a break from the complexity of pattern matching.

Umm, okay.


I've seen some pretty good defensive coaches give clinics over the last 13 years. Saw Saban twice, Pruitt, Shannon, Muschamp, etc...plenty of other guys from big-time programs, guys with a lot of experience. None of them were as complex or gimmicky as what I've seen from Baker/Diaz. I don't recall any of the big-time guys voluntarily leaving a zone wide open, as most of them placed more of an emphasis on being sound instead of being "****".

That's basically why we get tons of TFL's and sacks but often let opposing offenses score on their first drive of the game... or allow a mediocre QB to have a career game.

I don't think Baker (or Diaz) is a bad DC, I just think they get too cute sometimes. Some of the stuff they do up-front is really cool though.
IMO our defense always looks better when we're vanilla but sound. Scale it back, let the kids play fast and make the opposing offense beat you. (don't give them gifts)

in baker/Diaz defense maybe they have watched film and based on data from (Hudl) they have concluded why defend an area or zone that they don’t throw to. Just leave it voided. for example maybe film has shown them in four games that the team they play this week shows when they line up in trips they don’t throw to the back in the flats therefore why cover the flats This is the only rational I could come up with. And this is not directed towards you but I don’t understand why people get so bent out of shape with the 3man front. If people understood or watched what they are doing on defense they are normally sending another rusher which gives them a four man pressure. So basically they are just giving different looks to confuse the offensive front. THERES NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. If they wanna drop their 6’6 265lb defense end in coverage who was formally a receiver and a safety in Highschool who can run WHATS WRONG WITH THAT? People really have to learn the game.

 

[The Franchise]

Baker is a really nice/cool guy but he gave one of the most awkward defensive clinics I've ever seen.
Homie was talking about "void pressures" (blitzes where they basically leave a certain zone wide open aka "voided"). He showed film of plays where receivers were completely wide open. On many of the plays there were MULTIPLE receivers wide open. Everybody in the clinic was just looking at each other like
Basically they're banking on the blitz getting there before the QB figures it out. I mean, it's cute when it works, but if you're ever wondering why a receiver catches a 5-yard shallow route and gains 20 yards ...there's your answer.

One of my buddies asked if they spot drop or pattern match. He said they do both. On some plays they tell their guys to simply spot drop to give them a "mental rep off". In other words, giving their brain a break from the complexity of pattern matching.

Umm, okay.


I've seen some pretty good defensive coaches give clinics over the last 13 years. Saw Saban twice, Pruitt, Shannon, Muschamp, etc...plenty of other guys from big-time programs, guys with a lot of experience. None of them were as complex or gimmicky as what I've seen from Baker/Diaz. I don't recall any of the big-time guys voluntarily leaving a zone wide open, as most of them placed more of an emphasis on being sound instead of being "****".

That's basically why we get tons of TFL's and sacks but often let opposing offenses score on their first drive of the game... or allow a mediocre QB to have a career game.

I don't think Baker (or Diaz) is a bad DC, I just think they get too cute sometimes. Some of the stuff they do up-front is really cool though.
IMO our defense always looks better when we're vanilla but sound. Scale it back, let the kids play fast and make the opposing offense beat you. (don't give them gifts)

That's a perfect explanation of what I've been complaining about with Manure's defense forever. He's the master of the splash play and then gives up 3rd and 15 with an easy wide open catch and run.

 

[Scorpioncane]

Defense takes a dramatic step back this year. Book it.

Not off of your opinion! When i see the defense for myself or defensive numbers then i will book it!!

 

[Scorpioncane]

That's a perfect explanation of what I've been complaining about with Manure's defense forever. He's the master of the splash play and then gives up 3rd and 15 with an easy wide open catch and run.

Its a good thing defenses are graded over the course of a season! Because with your reasoning clemson dc, bama dc, ohio taint dc, uga dc, would deserve the same ridicule your giving diaz/baker!

 

[Dude]

in baker/Diaz defense maybe they have watched film and based on data from (Hudl) they have concluded why defend an area or zone that they don’t throw to. Just leave it voided. for example maybe film has shown them in four games that the team they play this week shows when they line up in trips they don’t throw to the back in the flats therefore why cover the flats This is the only rational I could come up with. And this is not directed towards you but I don’t understand why people get so bent out of shape with the 3man front. If people understood or watched what they are doing on defense they are normally sending another rusher which gives them a four man pressure. So basically they are just giving different looks to confuse the offensive front. THERES NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. If they wanna drop their 6’6 265lb defense end in coverage who was formally a receiver and a safety in Highschool who can run WHATS WRONG WITH THAT? People really have to learn the game.

But that 6'6" 265lb DE is also a way, way gifted at getting his hands on the QB and when you drop him back in coverage, you are taking away from your defense's greatest strength... especially on 3rd down. Save the gimmick stuff for Sundays where the talent level is more even. I agree Baker receives too much criticism, but there's not much logic in dropping Garvin and Rousseau into coverage... they're over thinking it trying to get cute. For me the weakness of Manny's/Blake's defense is overall talent level. We lack 1st & 2nd rounders at 2ndary and in the box. If we can change that, we will start to see more of the results we want.

 

[Scorpioncane]

But that 6'6" 265lb DE is also a way, way gifted at getting his hands on the QB and when you drop him back in coverage, you are taking away from your defense's greatest strength... especially on 3rd down. Save the gimmick stuff for Sundays where the talent level is more even. I agree Baker receives too much criticism, but there's not much logic in dropping Garvin and Rousseau into coverage... they're over thinking it trying to get cute. For me the weakness of Manny's/Blake's defense is overall talent level. We lack 1st & 2nd rounders at 2ndary and in the box. If we can change that, we will start to see more of the results we want.

I Don't necessarily agree with that! The year we crushed nd we didn't have 1st or 2nd round talent but what we did have was guys experienced in our scheme and diaz put out a great defense. Clemson had a great defense in our eyes but lsu didn't care or was there defense not good?

 

[rgonzalez9824]

You want us to only use two DE's the entire season?

Plus Rousseau slides inside in our pass rushing package...which would leave Harvey and Roche playing DE.

No I know is a rotation. But your best two should be on the field majority of the time. This clown saying stuff like that scares me. Did u know Rousseau didn’t play much till like the 3rd or 4th game last season ? He was just a rotation player. How do I miss on that much talent. I don’t give Baker on the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Scorpioncane]

Well, he has to

No I know is a rotation. But your best two should be on the field majority of the time. This clown saying stuff like that scares me. Did u know Rousseau didn’t play much till like the 3rd or 4th game last season ? He was just a rotation player. How do I miss on that much talent. I don’t give Baker on the benefit of the doubt.

well, if your not at practice then you don't what the hold up was! I mean he was killing our oline in practice but don't put to much substance into that everybody killed our oline last year.

 

[rgonzalez9824]

I mean u can tell the guy is a freak of nature. To me he was a clear starter from day 1. I don’t know what they were thinking.

 

[Scorpioncane]

I mean u can tell the guy is a freak of nature. To me he was a clear starter from day 1. I don’t know what they were thinking.

It could be more issues then we know! Weight, attitude, team player getting over his injury! I mean calais didnt just come in and take a job at first it took him 2yrs to take job!

 

[Coach Macho]

I mean u can tell the guy is a freak of nature. To me he was a clear starter from day 1. I don’t know what they were thinking.

Maybe so, but it doesn't work like that. It's not like a video game where you just start the guy with the highest overall rating on day one. To be fair, we don't know what was going on in practice.

 

[Coach Macho]

in baker/Diaz defense maybe they have watched film and based on data from (Hudl) they have concluded why defend an area or zone that they don’t throw to. Just leave it voided. for example maybe film has shown them in four games that the team they play this week shows when they line up in trips they don’t throw to the back in the flats therefore why cover the flats This is the only rational I could come up with. And this is not directed towards you but I don’t understand why people get so bent out of shape with the 3man front. If people understood or watched what they are doing on defense they are normally sending another rusher which gives them a four man pressure. So basically they are just giving different looks to confuse the offensive front. THERES NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. If they wanna drop their 6’6 265lb defense end in coverage who was formally a receiver and a safety in Highschool who can run WHATS WRONG WITH THAT? People really have to learn the game.

I hear you, but these were slot WR's wide open on slants. Stuff of that nature.

The good thing is, he wasn't speaking about the defense as a whole, just this one particular concept called "void pressures" that they like to use. It doesn't mean the whole defense is predicated on voiding zones. (that would be a huge schematical problem)

I understand the objective behind it, and it is **** when it works, but there's times where opposing OC's have figured out when we like to get cute and they have exposed it.

 

[Coach Macho]

I have noticed that we tend to buckle up and play better defense in the second half of games.

Part of me wonders if that's the result of them going into the locker room and scrapping all of the cutesy stuff in the second half.

Would be interesting to diagnose the film on that.

 

[HurricaneHauk]

I have noticed that we tend to buckle up and play better defense in the second half of games.

Part of me wonders if that's the result of them going into the locker room and scrapping all of the cutesy stuff in the second half.

Would be interesting to diagnose the film on that.

Diaz as Dc was pretty good at 2nd half adjustments

 

[Cane passion]

I hear you, but these were slot WR's wide open on slants. Stuff of that nature.

The good thing is, he wasn't speaking about the defense as a whole, just this one particular concept called "void pressures" that they like to use. It doesn't mean the whole defense is predicated on voiding zones. (that would be a huge schematical problem)

I understand the objective behind it, and it is **** when it works, but there's times where opposing OC's have figured out when we like to get cute and they have exposed it.

dom capers an NFL DC was famous for this but coined it “ zone blitzing “ is there any difference from what baker is doing?

 

[Scorpioncane]

Yeah, the difference is capers was/is doing it with nfl talent and it still gets sliced up if the blitz and front four don't get there in time! Diaz/ baker is trying to do it with inferior talent and less knowledge of the concept then capers who "created it"! My opinion you need dogs on dline to run that scheme guess what we got dogs on the dline.let the games begin!!

 

[Coach Macho]

dom capers an NFL DC was famous for this but coined it “ zone blitzing “ is there any difference from what baker is doing?

Hard to say without knowing what Capers principles were in regards to the zone drops. Were they eying the quarterback, were they matching wide receivers, etc?

 

[Coach Macho]

Yeah, the difference is capers was/is doing it with nfl talent and it still gets sliced up if the blitz and front four don't get there in time! Diaz/ baker is trying to do it with inferior talent and less knowledge of the concept then capers who "created it"! My opinion you need dogs on dline to run that scheme guess what we got dogs on the dline.let the games begin!!

I hear you, but leaving guys wide open is a schematic issue not a talent issue. What I saw on film in that clinic, this guy would have Deion Sanders playing a deep third while the receiver in front of him ran a wide open slant.

Forgive me, I'm just not a zone-blitz guy. Never been a fan of it.

 

[Shinyheadman]

I hear you, but leaving guys wide open is a schematic issue not a talent issue. What I saw on film in that clinic, this guy would have Deion Sanders playing a deep third while the receiver in front of him ran a wide open slant.

Forgive me, I'm just not a zone-blitz guy. Never been a fan of it.

I can only see its use on third and long with a five step or seven step drop. Or if you're really good at disquiaing to get at a QBs blind spot. You just really have to use it at the moment that you know it can or needs to be used. And those in coverage better know how to tackle.

 

[Cane passion]

Hard to say without knowing what Capers principles were in regards to the zone drops. Were they eying the quarterback, were they matching wide receivers, etc?

I believe it was blitz replace principles for example sending and outside backer and replacing his assignment in a passing situation with a defensive end who might be a “ curl” or “ flat” dropper.