Chad Thomas in pass coverage

ZBHCane

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Feb 22, 2017
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As suspect as our defense has been so far this year, this has been a specific issue that has really stuck out for me. Seeing another defensive end dropping back into the secondary feels like a time warp back to the days of al golden and coach D. I understand that the reason it has occurred is because of the defensive personnel that we have on the field at the time and the formation that the offense lines up in, but to me its just a glaring example of being out coached. We are Miami, we are playing a team that has not recruited as well as us EVER, lets dictate to them and not the other way around. To happen once during a game is something, for it to happen over and over again like against Toledo is just embarrassing. Interested to see if we can keep Chad's hand on ground and away from dropping back and turning in circles 10+ yards in the defensive backfield attempting to cover a dig route this week...
 
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i am no expert but it is done all the time as part of various blitz and other packages. just because a dlineman drops into coverage doesnt make the defense similar to dorito's.
 
In an optimal zone blitz, it's used unpredictably and the dropping lineman is essentially in coverage for a split second into the correct spot. The problem is we're trotting out predictable zone blitzes we and every opponent have already seen. The reason for that I don't know. Someone would ask Manny and I'm sure there'd be a rational response. The zone blitzes are not getting to the QB, and therefore you see massive issues in the coverages behind it.
 
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As suspect as our defense has been so far this year, this has been a specific issue that has really stuck out for me. Seeing another defensive end dropping back into the secondary feels like a time warp back to the days of al golden and coach D. I understand that the reason it has occurred is because of the defensive personnel that we have on the field at the time and the formation that the offense lines up in, but to me its just a glaring example of being out coached. We are Miami, we are playing a team that has not recruited as well as us EVER, lets dictate to them and not the other way around. To happen once during a game is something, for it to happen over and over again like against Toledo is just embarrassing. Interested to see if we can keep Chad's hand on ground and away from dropping back and turning in circles 10+ yards in the defensive backfield attempting to cover a dig route this week...

so are you saying we should never zone blitz from Chad's side when he is n the game or are you just not a fan of zone blitzing? It is common part of a defensive game plan in college and NFL so it's not like it is a Dorito thing or a Manny thing.
 
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Seems like a good idea if your DE is covering a blitz and expecting a screen or dump pass. But I agree we were running it too often. Not just CT, but Jackson was covering the flats on several snaps. Teams will see that on film now and exploit if we're not careful. Got to mask better.

I do like the fact we line up a lot of guys at the line-of-scrimmage now because we're fast enough for the ones who aren't rushing to drop back into position. I saw 7 or 8 guys on the LOS on many plays and think it confused the **** out of the Toledo blockers. It does tire the kids out more, but will stump most inexperienced QBs. Gotta use it vs. FSU.

Our guys just need to get back into peak conditioning, and get their assignments and communications right in the secondary, and our D will look like we did last November/January. I trust Diaz to get them ready by Friday and again next Saturday.
 
In an optimal zone blitz, it's used unpredictably and the dropping lineman is essentially in coverage for a split second into the correct spot. The problem is we're trotting out predictable zone blitzes we and every opponent has already seen. The reason for that I don't know. Someone would ask Manny and I'm sure there'd be a rational response. The zone blitzes are not getting to the QB, and therefore you see massive issues in the coverages behind it.

Is there any chance that he's been continuing to put it on tape so far to provide an opportunity for a different look in a bigger game? I don't know enough about game planning to really think through the implications of it.
 
In an optimal zone blitz, it's used unpredictably and the dropping lineman is essentially in coverage for a split second into the correct spot. The problem is we're trotting out predictable zone blitzes we and every opponent has already seen. The reason for that I don't know. Someone would ask Manny and I'm sure there'd be a rational response. The zone blitzes are not getting to the QB, and therefore you see massive issues in the coverages behind it.

Is there any chance that he's been continuing to put it on tape so far to provide an opportunity for a different look in a bigger game? I don't know enough about game planning to really think through the implications of it.

If Diaz is playing chess like we hope, then this has to be the rationale explanation Lu is looking for. I hope this is like a play action pass, where Diaz is setting up the pass against FSU.
 
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I saw a coach the other day wearing a tie. It feels like Golden is back in charge.
 
In an optimal zone blitz, it's used unpredictably and the dropping lineman is essentially in coverage for a split second into the correct spot. The problem is we're trotting out predictable zone blitzes we and every opponent has already seen. The reason for that I don't know. Someone would ask Manny and I'm sure there'd be a rational response. The zone blitzes are not getting to the QB, and therefore you see massive issues in the coverages behind it.

Is there any chance that he's been continuing to put it on tape so far to provide an opportunity for a different look in a bigger game? I don't know enough about game planning to really think through the implications of it.
Sure, there's that possibility and many other reasons he could be doing it. Perhaps his players aren't ready for more. Perhaps he felt more was not needed against our first two opponents. It could be anything.

I have a ton of screenshots of overreactions and people killing Diaz for these two games. The guy knows what a Nickel defense is and understands where the holes in his fire zone blitzes exist. He watches tape. He does not have a deep philosophy flaw like our previous staff. It's really not to say he is without flaws. But, find a D-Coordinator who is without any flaws now, please. I predict we'll have our issues against spread teams with accurate QBs, but the defensive results should improve over the course of the year and people will somehow believe Diaz remembered how to call plays, I guess.
 
Before anyone goes ahead and freaks out and acts like this is something new, it's not. We did this plenty of times last year. We would put both Joe Jackson and Chad Thomas in coverage a good bit. Even watching the Duke game from last year we did it near every drive it seemed and even did it on 3 back to back to back plays and it resulted in a punt, partly because of a drop, but also because Jones probably didn't expect it three times and threw it right at Thomas once.

Our scheme has not changed.
 
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Not surprised to see the "nothing to see here" responses and how everyone condescendingly points out that it's a zone blitz and that everyone does it. I don't think UM fans have a problem with zone blitz principles; I think our problem is with how horrible our zone blitz game looks.
 
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My only issue is continuing to utilize the SAME zone blitzes that we've used in the past, and using them at inopportune times. Predictability and staleness are just a few of the reasons we've gotten exploited thus far; opposing coordinators know what's coming and how to effectively counter it.
 
Does anyone ever watch the NFL? Put on redzone this Sunday. You'll see plenty of defensive linemen dropping into coverage. If you want to blitz more than 1 person in an even front system while playing zone, then you need to drop a defensive lineman. They cover a tiny zone to the boundary (which is even more condensed than in the NFL). Every team in america does this and its precisely why teams want to base out of odd fronts sometimes. If they block this up, then we're in trouble (as in any blitz). This is happening sometimes and it looks like ****.

Did we watch any of our own games last year? We had defensive ends standing up a decent percentage of the time. And it usually meant we were zone blitzing or bringing the Sam while dropping the WDE as a change-up in the run game. We even did this out of a 50 front, with a 0 tech and all! The only way we can bring 2 extra blitzers without dropping a defensive end is by playing cover 0. We do that too.

One fair criticism that I agree with is when we stay in the blitz when the offense gives us two detached receivers to the boundary. We're just asking for trouble if we don't check out of that by swapping assignments or dropping the blitz all together.
 
Diaz calls it the Salsa Blitz. It's where everyone dances around, but no one gets covered.
 
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