I didn't notice this in the stadium but when watching inside LSU football yesterday when i got home, i saw some game clips, and i noticed something i had never seen before. On the play where Harry Coleman got the sack and the strip and McCray recovered, LSU was lined up in a 3-4, with Levingston (i think), Nevis, and Alem on the line, Sheppard, Cutrera, Coleman, Riley at linebacker, and Danny McCray was SS and was up on the line. the D Line engaged then immediately dropped off in coverage, and all 4 linebackers and McCray blitzed. Holy Smoke. I have never seen anything like that before. I have heard of dropping an end in coverage every once in awhile, but damn. Chavis blitzed the hell out of the linebackers and i think you may see Coleman going after the QB more. Very impressed. Also Coleman should have had 3 strips, the one they called an incomplete pass was definitely a strip, recovered by Sheppard. Another blown call by the wonderful South Eastern Conference refs.
i think chavis has worked out of the 3-4 before. but the main allowance for this is the fact that nevis can play the nose tackle position.
Watching replay now. That worked to perfection with 2:45 to go in the first quarter. Exactly as described. Blitzed linebackers then the three linemen dropped back into coverage with hands up in air. Can only imagine how intimidating it was to the qb who fumbled the ball away in a panic.
what i thought was great about it, was the fact that the linemen engaged auburns O line first, then they dropped back. Them engaging enabled Coleman and McCray to go in virtually unblocked.
I sure hope so, the thought of Alexander or Woods lumbering around trying to cover a short zone is frightening.
My thoughts exactly. That's one of those high risk/reward sell outs that could end badly if picked up quickly enough.
true, but did you notice how many times the LB's blitzed? Coleman got to the qb at least 3 times. This team throughout the year has for the most part only been sending the front 4. I think this is exciting because our defense is getting it. They aren't confused like they were last year, all i can think about when i think of the 08 defense is Darry Beckwith looking over at the sideline with his shoulders shrugged. This D knows what their assignments are and they are playing really good right now, and the more comfortable Chavis gets, the more you will see blitzing. The future is bright my friends.
I was particularly excited about Chavis because he was a LB guru and LB has far and away been the weaker link of an otherwise great LSU defense in the recent past. Recognizing the potential of Coleman at LB and pulling out the unrealized potential in Riley and Sheppard are exactly the kind of results I was hoping for. Watching Baker and Mingo develop and play back there next year is going to be EXCITING. :LSU231:
