VT was able to sneak the same TE out for wide open catches THREE TIMES. (a long gain + 2 TD's)
One of them was a very clever play design where they sprinted the QB right and snuck the TE out left on a delayed release...and we were blitzing from the right so we had nobody over there to see the TE coming.
The other 2 TD's were simple play-action passes and we had NOBODY on the second level of the defense who was covering the TE. (on his second TD two guys were wide open) You can't give your LB's responsibility for covering TE's on play-action passes. They're in conflict. They're "run first" players thus they're going to step up on play-action. Once they do that, they lose the TE. Responsibility for covering TE's need to be placed on a box Safety. They're further back, can diagnose things better from that distance, and they're not "run first" players. Actually, their primary read is the release of the TE.
This is like...elementary **** though. Common sense. That's a lot to put on your LB's plate. Read run and cover the TE?
What do you even tell your LB's after that TD?
"You had the TE son!"
"Well coach, we got a run read."
As a DC, what's your rebuttal to that?
The most alarming thing is, why was there no adjustment? How was this same kid able to sneak out for THREE wide open TD's?
At what point do you say - "They're leaking the TE out on play action passes. We need to have a Safety cover that guy." ???
Also, you can miss me with the turnover excuses.
There's no rule in football that says your defense HAS TO GIVE UP A SCORE after the offense turns the ball over.
YOU CAN STOP THEM! Like our old (great) defenses did.
Good defenses don't fold when their back is against the wall. Nothing is more demoralizing to an opponent than when you keep stopping them even after they obtain turnovers. You intercept our QB inside the 35 yard line and we STILL stop you from scoring, or hold you to a FG, that's frustrating.
Some of yall clearly don't understand the concept of a "DEFENSIVE SLUG FEST".
Your offense turning the ball over is never an excuse to allow 28 points in one half or whatever it was. Nah. (especially to a team that got beat by Duke 45-10)