Both. Many times a DC will run a 4-2-5 when he has a tweaner hybrid safety/LB, like an Ali Highsmith type athlete. Some run it as their base defense and use the hybrid type player as their Monster Man/Rover or whatever term you want to use for it. GA Tech plays a lot of that type defense with number 18 moving all around the field. OSU didn't have a lot of good, big LB's and Miles said they had to use those types of schemes.
They can see the good and bad sides of it too...just was an example where Ronnie Brown broke through the line, and the tacklers then responsible were undersized. If you run it, and the RB gets through your front...the Dbacks have to be great tacklers.
Vtech runs a base defense of a 4-4. The 7-technique D-End, D-Tackle, Nose Tackle, and the Stud D-End, Then You have your Whip, Middle Backer, Mike Backer, and your Rover. Sometimes it is actually a 6-2-3. When they run "Up G". Meaning the 2 outside backers are up on the line.
I read the links in the original post. Holy smoke, it's a lot more complicated than the schemes we used in HS ball many, many years ago :lol:
Good info there. A 4-4 with your OLBs/Rovers walked up is also called an "Under Press" aka a 6-2. A see Va. Tech going to this, usually walking up only one OLB to the wide side or TE side a lot. TV cameras doesn't see everything and doesn't stay in one place too long. Sometimes hard to see it all.
And with OSU playing OU, Texas Tech, A&M and even Nebraska these days--all teams that like to spread out the offense and pass the ball, it's NOT difficult to understand why OSU was in that 4-2-5 defense and gave up yards. SEC teams are more balanced (perhaps Meyer might bring the traditional "Fun-n-gun" back to Florida and Spurrier will certainly run it at South Carolina, but even they run the ball effectively), and we don't have to worry about being stucck in a Bill Clay 4-2-5 defense as much. Plus, we have better personel on the field that can execute it.
