While we are waiting to beat up on W, a very good article on how to defend the spread offense. Defending the Spread
I like what LSU is doing on the D-side of the ball which is going with smaller LBs or converted DBs. Also recruiting long arm and speed LBs and DEs. Mingo and Montegery come to mind. Would not be surprised if you see more DEs playing in the internal line especially on 3rd downs. Basically, you need 5-6 guys in there that can cover well at all times. Gain a lot overall speed without sacrificing much weight. Eventually all the defenses will adjust to the spread and the spread will become less effective and it will at some future date reverse back the other way.
IIRC, we saw a little of this last season with the DEs. Didn't we run some formations with 4 DEs in the game? Seems like it was fairly successful against some teams, but it's hard to remember...when I've tried to wipe LSUs defensive effort last year from my memory.
I think there was a game or two where that was occurring. I would suspect it will happen more. Offenses have the advantage until the defense adjust. Once the defenses start adjusting, than the spread will start to become less effective and than the cycle will go the other way. I would say defenses needs. - 5-6 good cover guys on the field at all times and that has to be your normal set, on passing downs up to 8 guys. - Use large safeties as LBs. - When possible use fast LB as DEs. - Recruit longer armed fast LBs and DEs that can cover distances... Mingo and Montgery. - Don't be scared to go lighter upfront on obvious passing downs.
really? i don't know if i'd say all that. what i see happening is combinations, and hybrid offenses, like what *gasp* CUM has been running. and these "wildcat" offense like CHN has been toying with. i see multiple packages rather than just one tried-and-true method. it's going to become more expansive, and more varied. not the other way around.
Offenses do tend to go in cycles. You generally see new offenses born when defenses catch up to whatever the current trend is. So yes, I think defenses will adapt, and offenses will move on to something else. Each new generation is influenced by the past, however, so it should be more of an evolution than regression.
you said it yourself, though, that "new offenses (are) born when defenses catch up," and that is all i'm saying. it is evolution. and that's my point. i just said that i don't think that they'd revert back to archaic offenses.
