(12-28-2022 09:58 AM)emu79 Wrote:  

(12-28-2022 09:35 AM)cidbearit Wrote:  

(12-27-2022 04:47 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(12-27-2022 03:51 PM)cidbearit Wrote:  

(12-26-2022 09:57 PM)emu79 Wrote:  But the personnel on the roster are configured to play a 4-2-5which means depending on the defense you could have too many DBs and not enough LBs etc.forcexampleca 4-3-4.

If I were a betting man, I'd put money on the eagles running a 4-3, although I'd love to see a 3-4. As 79 commented personnel will dictate a lot. Having been a 4-2 team, the Eagles have recruited for a 4-man front, and they have arguably had some success in setting DE's outside for pressure. Switching to a 4-3 means the only personnel issue is do you have three LB's you can count on. With Sparacio and Kline you have two. And I'm sure one of our current backups or a potential transfer could step into the third slot.

Bingo. Personnel dictates what schemes a team plays on offense and defense.

Sometimes I think fans think of schemes as something within a coordinator's DNA. Truth be told we barely had enough depth at LB to run a 4 - 2 and certainly NOT a 4 - 3 or heaven no to a 3 - 4.

The question is: Are there any FBS ready LBs in the transfer portal interested in EMU?

Are Sparcio and Kline good fits for a 4 - 3? Who plays the middle? Are both best as inside backers in a 4 - 2? Or inside backers in a 3 - 4?

If the Eagles were to go the way of a 3-4, I would see Sparacio playing OLB on the strong side...he is a strong tackler with some good speed and a head for the football. Kline would probably go ILB on the weak side...I see him more as an aggressive hole stuffer, which you need with only three down linemen. Do they have, or could they find, two more guys who would be good cover guys in the flats and also give some good looks on blitzes? Who would fill the role as the Mike (same question for the 4-3)? That needs to be a guy who really knows the game and can make solid reads of the Offense and call shifts on the fly.

The hardest thing, in my mind, if they were to try a 3-4, is you need three strong studs to fill the linemen positions. They need to be solid penetration threats to hopefully draw a double team so the 4th LB can take advantage of open gaps in the line. I'm not sure if we have the three guys who can do that effectively.

You also need a speedy Strong Safety and a quick OLB-weak side that you can sneak up on passing downs to bring pressure on the QB, as you don't have traditional outside DE's to swing around the end of the O-line on pressure plays.

The advantage of a 3-4 is that you have the extra LB and a Strong Safety you can cheat up so can play all kinds of games as to who you bring on pressure, thereby confusing the Offense as to where pressure may come from. Hell...you could blitz a gap and both ends of the line on a third and long passing situation and still have 5 guys (2 LB's, two DB's and a Free Safety) back in coverage.

As I said in another post, I think the best bet for the Eagles is to run a 4-3 as it most closely resembles what they are familiar with in the 4-2. They just need to identify the Mike (if Kline goes Will and Sparacio goes Sam). Do they already have that guy, or do they need to bring him in as a transfer?

I believe CC first defensive coordinator ran a 3-4-4 and it was a bigger disaster than Ned's 4-2-5. I believe the 5 DBs were in zone coverage and playing off the ball early this year and switched to man to man with better success although I could be wrong

I didn't realize CC had someone before Neathery. I assumed Ned came with him, Interesting.