Defense

[CardMonarch]

Who's got the info on our LB development? I know we're going to bounce from a 4-3 to 3-4 and Robert Hicks is a stat sheet stud but did anybody see anything in the spring game that generated a lot of optimism?

Its hard to do worse than Sirmon in my opinion. Shouldn't be hard to improve on last year's performance; however, until proven otherwise VanGorder is far from his better days. Louisville is giving him a shot at bouncing back and I don't hate the hire. But if I have to watch Boston College break 40 again I'm going to have an absolute friggin meltdown.


Go Cards

 

[Rollem Cards]

BVG worked for CBP in the past.

If he doesn't pan out it's all on Bobby.

 

[Cardinal Cash]

I think Etheridge, Hicks, Blue, and Avery are a very talented group of LBs. Now if they have issues with scheme that isn’t on them. From what I saw in the spring game the defense looked better than last year in the first half and in the second half they got ramrodded. But that could just be a lack of depth.

 

[Ara64]

Coach VanGorder worked as a linebacker coach and defensive coordinator. Good luck this season folks!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_VanGorder#Coaching_career

 

[genghis_card]

Coach VanGorder worked as a linebacker coach and defensive coordinator. Good luck this season folks!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_VanGorder#Coaching_career

He will shine here.

 

[nccardfan]

Who's got the info on our LB development? I know we're going to bounce from a 4-3 to 3-4 and Robert Hicks is a stat sheet stud but did anybody see anything in the spring game that generated a lot of optimism?

Its hard to do worse than Sirmon in my opinion. Shouldn't be hard to improve on last year's performance; however, until proven otherwise VanGorder is far from his better days. Louisville is giving him a shot at bouncing back and I don't hate the hire. But if I have to watch Boston College break 40 again I'm going to have an absolute friggin meltdown.


Go Cards

We basically have been going with a 3-4 front for years simply because we couldn’t find 4 big linemen like Clemson and Alabama. Our 4th guy was usually a 225 lb linebacker. We also never really had a Ted Washington type NT which is why teams wore us down. We were successful early on with the 3-4 because we blitzed. Last year not so much and couldn’t get to opposing QBs. That has to change.

 

[Smithereen]

We were playing the 3-4 because that was Grantham's preference. We recruited players to fit that system then when he left we tried to go back to a 4-3 but didn't have the personnel to run it. That is why we had undersized DL last year. That will change this year with critical additions to the roster.

 

[gocards1987]

We basically have been going with a 3-4 front for years simply because we couldn’t find 4 big linemen like Clemson and Alabama. Our 4th guy was usually a 225 lb linebacker. We also never really had a Ted Washington type NT which is why teams wore us down. We were successful early on with the 3-4 because we blitzed. Last year not so much and couldn’t get to opposing QBs. That has to change.

The 3-4 is harder to recruit for. You almost need 5 DL instead of 4. In most 3-4s you have 3 DTs and 1-2 DEs because the 4th linebacker is often just a DE who is standing up off the line.

 

[nccardfan]

We were playing the 3-4 because that was Grantham's preference. We recruited players to fit that system then when he left we tried to go back to a 4-3 but didn't have the personnel to run it. That is why we had undersized DL last year. That will change this year with critical additions to the roster.

When he left? How about his last year when we couldn’t stop anybody. It’s why he’s gone.

 

[Smithereen]

When he left? How about his last year when we couldn’t stop anybody. It’s why he’s gone.

Grantham wasn't here last year, Sirmon was our DC last year and was trying to run a 4-3 with players left over from Grantham's 3-4 scheme. We didn't have the players on DL to run it last year. Hopefully with the new additions and the fact that our guys fit the 4-3 better this year translates to a better run stopping defense.

 

[nccardfan]

Grantham wasn't here last year, Sirmon was our DC last year and was trying to run a 4-3 with players left over from Grantham's 3-4 scheme. We didn't have the players on DL to run it last year. Hopefully with the new additions and the fact that our guys fit the 4-3 better this year translates to a better run stopping defense.

Duh. In 2016 we couldn’t stop Houston, UK and LSU in our final 3 games..

 

[rentalman]

Duh. In 2016 we couldn’t stop Houston, UK and LSU in our final 3 games..

Injuries had a lot to do with that. Had a bunch of guys out against UK & LSU. Turnovers killed us against UH. We fumbled the opening kickoff and were down 7 with less than a minute gone in the game.

 

[nccardfan]

Injuries had a lot to do with that. Had a bunch of guys out against UK & LSU. Turnovers killed us against UH. We fumbled the opening kickoff and were down 7 with less than a minute gone in the game.

I would agree with that but in the last 5 games that season, we had 1 sack against VA, 3 against BC, 1 against Houston, 0 against UK and 1 against LSU. Injuries were factors but not the whole story.