FullyERicht
Thunderdome
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2013
- Messages
- 5,591
https://www.canesinsight.com/thread/wanna-savage-dc-don-brown/95022
(For an explanation of the series and Part I on BC's Don Brown, click above.)
Aranda is in his 3rd season at Wisky. Prior to that he was the DC at Utah State. Wisconsin ranks 3rd in total defense, and 1st in scoring defense. Wisconsin's offense doesn't do it's defense many favors, as they rank 83rd and 79th in total and scoring offense respectively, but unlike BC they do possess the ball quite a bit.
Aranda has had a top 10 defense each year in Wisconsin. Even more impressive is that he fielded the 14th total defense and 7th scoring defense in the nation at Utah State.
I can hear the comments from the peanut gallery: "He runs a 3-4!!"
Yes he does. But the defense he runs has significantly more philosophically in common with the Miami 4-3 than it does the Al Groh 3-4. Allow me to explain:
The Golden 3-4 defense is rooted in a principal of 2-gap football. I'm not going to go into 2-gap football too much, but for a history on it and how it differs from single gap systems, read this. The main thing to know is that in order to 2-gap , your front must have size, strength and power. You simply can't play it with 230 pound Inside Backers and 220 pound outside backers.
Because of the need for size, your three DL are weaker pass rushers, and don't stunt very well. Your OLBs are essential standup DEs. The weakside DE will rush about 75% of the time, and play coverage the rest of the time. As a result, it essentially is a three DT, one DE defense, with 3 large, slower LBs, and sometimes the DE plays a zone. I'm not Parcells, but to me, it's an unbelievably stupid way to defend.
Most proponents of 3-4 defenses cite "confusion, unpredictability" as reasons for it's superiority. But the classic 3-4 defenses are tremendously predictable: you either have the standup DE rushing most of the time, or that kid is playing a flat zone, which is a horrendous mismatch in modern football.
Now Aranda's 3-4. It's a single gap. His defensive linemen are all below 300 lbs, and they slant and stunt all game. One DE is 298, the other is 268, and the nose is 278. Their OLBs are 240 lbs and 220 lbs. Their ILB are both in the 230s. It is like taking the exact personnel of the old JJ defense, and replacing one of the DEs with an even faster guy who plays weakside LB.
The emphasis is on speed, stunting, and pressure. The best part is that it actually takes advantage of the real benefit of the 3-4: any LB at any time can be a free rusher. It is a true 3 man front, and the 4th man is often coming from LB depth. It is exceedingly difficult for OL to pick up blocking assignments pre snap, as this 4th guy is off the LOS. The entire premise is to create mismatches and confusion. You will very frequently see 5 guys blocking only 2 defenders.
Additionally, any of the LBs can play coverage, and convincingly, b/c they are actual LBs, with LB speed. There is no "hybrid" standup DE like AQM covering the flat, instead it's a 230 lb dude with quickness who can play in space.
Aranda does to the 3-4 what JJ did to the 4-3. He uses speed and quickness to disrupt offenses, instead of lining up and trying to outmuscle them. And the results speak for themselves.
(For an explanation of the series and Part I on BC's Don Brown, click above.)
Aranda is in his 3rd season at Wisky. Prior to that he was the DC at Utah State. Wisconsin ranks 3rd in total defense, and 1st in scoring defense. Wisconsin's offense doesn't do it's defense many favors, as they rank 83rd and 79th in total and scoring offense respectively, but unlike BC they do possess the ball quite a bit.
Aranda has had a top 10 defense each year in Wisconsin. Even more impressive is that he fielded the 14th total defense and 7th scoring defense in the nation at Utah State.
I can hear the comments from the peanut gallery: "He runs a 3-4!!"
Yes he does. But the defense he runs has significantly more philosophically in common with the Miami 4-3 than it does the Al Groh 3-4. Allow me to explain:
The Golden 3-4 defense is rooted in a principal of 2-gap football. I'm not going to go into 2-gap football too much, but for a history on it and how it differs from single gap systems, read this. The main thing to know is that in order to 2-gap , your front must have size, strength and power. You simply can't play it with 230 pound Inside Backers and 220 pound outside backers.
Because of the need for size, your three DL are weaker pass rushers, and don't stunt very well. Your OLBs are essential standup DEs. The weakside DE will rush about 75% of the time, and play coverage the rest of the time. As a result, it essentially is a three DT, one DE defense, with 3 large, slower LBs, and sometimes the DE plays a zone. I'm not Parcells, but to me, it's an unbelievably stupid way to defend.
Most proponents of 3-4 defenses cite "confusion, unpredictability" as reasons for it's superiority. But the classic 3-4 defenses are tremendously predictable: you either have the standup DE rushing most of the time, or that kid is playing a flat zone, which is a horrendous mismatch in modern football.
Now Aranda's 3-4. It's a single gap. His defensive linemen are all below 300 lbs, and they slant and stunt all game. One DE is 298, the other is 268, and the nose is 278. Their OLBs are 240 lbs and 220 lbs. Their ILB are both in the 230s. It is like taking the exact personnel of the old JJ defense, and replacing one of the DEs with an even faster guy who plays weakside LB.
The emphasis is on speed, stunting, and pressure. The best part is that it actually takes advantage of the real benefit of the 3-4: any LB at any time can be a free rusher. It is a true 3 man front, and the 4th man is often coming from LB depth. It is exceedingly difficult for OL to pick up blocking assignments pre snap, as this 4th guy is off the LOS. The entire premise is to create mismatches and confusion. You will very frequently see 5 guys blocking only 2 defenders.
Additionally, any of the LBs can play coverage, and convincingly, b/c they are actual LBs, with LB speed. There is no "hybrid" standup DE like AQM covering the flat, instead it's a 230 lb dude with quickness who can play in space.
Aranda does to the 3-4 what JJ did to the 4-3. He uses speed and quickness to disrupt offenses, instead of lining up and trying to outmuscle them. And the results speak for themselves.
