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Football School: What’s the difference between Sam, Striker and Nickel?

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The only real difference is where their hybrid ability more aligns with. You got hybrid Cb/S that is usually seems to be more referred to as Star that are just nickel DBs. When they’re more Safety than Cb they’re like Meesh Powell for us or like a Brian Branch type (though he rarely ever plays pure Safety as Powell will for us)… When they’re more Cb than safety they’re like how UGA was using Tyrique Stevenson. just in general I’d say they’re more cover guys that can run defend.

When it’s more of a LB/S hybrid is when I’d refer to that more as a Striker. This is basically what James Williams was. You have to be a really athletic linebacker to play here basically. In general I’d say they’re more run defenders who can cover.
 
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@DMoney wearing a Hooters shirt? Oh we back


my man lol GIF by Steve Harvey TV
 
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calinative umstudent said:
The only real difference is where their hybrid ability more aligns with. You got hybrid Cb/S that is usually seems to be more referred to as Star that are just nickel DBs. When they’re more Safety than Cb they’re like Meesh Powell for us or like a Brian Branch type (though he rarely ever plays pure Safety as Powell will for us)… When they’re more Cb than safety they’re like how UGA was using Tyrique Stevenson. just in general I’d say they’re more cover guys that can run defend.

When it’s more of a LB/S hybrid is when I’d refer to that more as a Striker. This is basically what James Williams was. You have to be a really athletic linebacker to play here basically. In general I’d say they’re more run defenders who can cover.
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I thought Williams was a great fit for this position as opposed to being a true Safety.
 
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IMO (even though I'm a defensive guy)...offense is always leading the way when it comes to inventing new ideas. As defensive guys, we then have to play catch-up.

One of the smartest things offensive guys ever did was put more WR's on the field, space-out their formations and extend the running game to the perimeter. (aka bubble screens) That's all a bubble really is, a long toss play.

The reason why it's brilliant is because you put 3/4 WR's on the field...which makes the defense put an extra DB (who's not a run defender). You then throw (essentially toss) the ball out there and make that DB (a cover guy) have to defeat blocks and/or tackle in space. That's a losing situation for most Nickels. That's not what they're good at, and prior to a few years ago, that's not what they practiced. (we practice it now though)

So how do you defend that if you're a DC?
You put a stronger, tougher guy out there. But generally that's gonna be a guy who doesn't cover as well. Now the offense can pick on him with the passing game.

Now WTF do you do?
Well ideally you'd like a guy out there who can cover, can tackle, defeat blocks and help in the running game. Well WHERE THE **** DO YOU FIND THAT GUY?!
Those guys don't grow on trees.

So what we've been forced to do is cross-train multiple guys at that position...since it's so hard to find ONE guy who can do it all.
We train a DB type kid and a hybrid LB type kid at that Nickel position. We put them both through the same drills, teach them the same coverages, etc.
And then we sub accordingly based on the offense's personnel, down & distance, situation, etc. I used 3 different kids at that spot last season. (all 3 with different skill sets)

Football is a very complex game... and it's ever evolving.
 
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