The Art of Taking Up Space
by ChrisApplewhite on Aug 9, 2009 11:51 PM CDT
in Texas Longhorns and Other Football
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PrintNo, this is not an autobiography.
It's about Ben Alexander, and everything that he isn't. Namely, he isn't good. This is an essay on why he doesn't have to be.
In 2004 we had a new defensive coordinator with a clear, defined vision of what he wanted out of his Sam LB. His choice to man the spot was Eric Hall. In my one legitimate inside baseball moment, I got to ask a player on that team why he started. I was told that he was "the best at doing what they want."
So here is my issue with Greg Robinson. If the best guy on the team to fill your position is Eric Hall, then change the fucking position. Hall might've been better than a one-legged Garnet Smith, but was he better than a whatever safety would've taken that spot in a 5 DB scheme? No. When it comes to defense, you don't need a certain position to be good, you just need A position to be good. You can build around it, whatever it happens to be. The biggest challenge is avoiding weakness (which can lead to OU running 19 of 20 plays directly and unapologetically at your sore thumb).
Alexander is replacing Roy Miller, and you don't need me to tell you who good he was. Miller had two jobs -- take up two blockers, then beat them anyway. That last part is a luxury that we can do without, so long as the ends and blitz schemes take up the slack.
That's not to say it will be easy. Last year between OU and the Fiesta Bowl, we completely lost Sergio Kindle as a pass rusher. Teams adjusted to his lack of moves, or he got tired, or something, and Miller was the one who covered that lack of production. It's a huge burden lifted when you've got Roy Milleresque talent.
Kindle will be better this year. He's bigger and more diversified. But will he be so good that we can survive on essentially a three man rush? Alexander can be a plugger, but he will never be a pass rusher. None of the LBs are really accomplished blitzers, either, outside of maybe Rodderick Muckelroy. On a good day. Against Rice.
The other question is the big one. Can Alexander demand a double team? Against one player, it's easy enough to keep good leverage and technique. These things he has. But to do that for 70 plays for 14 weeks with peak effort every time is not. Maybe Kheeston Randall can spell him, maybe Jarvis Humphrey will recover from space ebola, and maybe Derrick Johnson wasn't taught by a janitor looking to put a few extra bucks on his paycheck.
Or maybe not.
Taking up space is simultaneously one of the hardest and easiest things to do. One one hand, it requires no inate talent beyond a relatively healthy size and strength. As a 7th year senior, he should have that. On the other, it is as exact a science as you could possible imagine, making MMA grappling look like drunk fraternity dry humping. Or, even more like drunk fraternity dry-humping.
First, you have to recognize the blocking scheme in the span of about half a second. This part is actually easier than it sounds. There are only so many combinations, and only so many reactions you can have.
The important part is step two -- once you've found your gap, you need to stay in it. You need to recognize who is trying to block you and how, and then adjust your body to keep your shoulder underneath theirs, giving you the leverage to claim your stake in the dirt and push off and pursue if necessary. The thought of Alexander pursuing anybody is a bit outlandish, but let's run with it. Mmm. That's award winning punsmanship right there.
Anyway, that is way harder than it sounds, only because it happens so fast and requires such a huge amount of energy, like trying to hump a rhino. Or whatever. We won't be able to know how good anyone is at this until we see them do it, so, just like you would at the cusp of the rhino cage, jsut hold your breath and jump in.
Finally, there is splitting double teams and making plays. I feel like it's safe to just write this off. That means that Sergio, Okafor, Acho, and everybody else has to pick up that slack. It also means that when the one game comes where the ends cannot get to the QB (say . . . Tech) it'll be up to Muschamp to manufacture a rush. He can do that, but hopefully he won't have to. We have the best man coverage in the country, but even the best need some time limit to a play before guys start running open all over the place (say . . . Tech).
So that's the battle. Can Alexander (or whomever) be good enough? Can he hold down the fort long enough for the cavalry to come in? Can he fuck a rhino?
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Not sure about fucking a rhino, but if we can’t mount a charge against Tech we will have trouble in Dallas. How does Tech’s O-line compare to OU’s ‘Best Line in a While’ O-line?
Regardless, having a game that should get our pulse up (Tech) prior to playing OU will help.
Let’s hope Ben laid off the tequila a la Lendale.
Hook ’em!
by uthookem on Aug 10, 2009 12:05 AM CDT reply actions
Good article. This kind of candor, humor, and objectivism is refreshing. Orangebloods is starting to kill me and I find myself drifting over here more and more.
by sage on Aug 10, 2009 4:29 AM CDT reply actions
“That’s not to say it will be easy. Last year between OU and the Fiesta Bowl, we completely lost Sergio Kindle as a pass rusher”
Didn’t he have a sack in both of those games?
by Newy25 on Aug 10, 2009 6:18 AM CDT reply actions
“The important part is step two — once you’ve found your gap, you need to stay in it. You need to recognize who is trying to block you and how, and then adjust your body to keep your shoulder underneath theirs, giving you the leverage to claim your stake in the dirt”.
Ben is only 5’10" so that should make getting lower than his blocker a cinch. I don’t know how fast Ben is but I think he might be fine at being an unmovable object (and that is probably good enough).
by Kafka on Aug 10, 2009 6:29 AM CDT reply actions
isnt parity between DT and G/C going to be enough if the scheme allows kindle / muckelroy an even chance to get into the backfield – i presume that is the direction you are headed?
by EnglishAg on Aug 10, 2009 8:32 AM CDT reply actions
We need somebody that can take pressure of Houston and Alexander is not that guy, imo. Miller taking on double teams freed up Houston last year and Lamarr will have to deal with that extra attention this year (read: holding) if Alexander is just a place holder. This is not Booger Kennedy II unfortunately.
If Randall can learn to keep his pads low, I’d rather have his size in there.
Maybe Howell comes ready to play, who knows.
D. Johnson is a complete unknown coming off surgery and arriving late to camp.
We’re likely to see as much productivity out of Sailor Ripley’s Roman Bacchanalia cruise as we are out of Tyrell Higgins.
by Vasherized on Aug 10, 2009 10:10 AM CDT reply actions
How often do we think we’ll play 3-3-5 this year?
Also, isn’t E. Acho a pretty good blitzer?
by dick on Aug 10, 2009 10:29 AM CDT reply actions
Unless Alexander has morphed into a completely different player since the last time we saw him, I’d rather say fuck it and play with three ends and Houston, plus anything Randall or Howell can give us.
by Nordberg on Aug 10, 2009 11:06 AM CDT reply actions
I think the 3-3-5 will represent a significant portion of our defensive alignments this year… however we need to be able to play 4-3-3 or 4-2-5. One difference with last year is that I think we will be able to play a significant amount of man-free this year which will allow us to bring a DB into the mix in our fronts. That mitigates a lot of the issues potentially created by combo blocking in the front.
The issue is in the redzone and short yardage. It’s no good if our defensive front is always in a gambling situation there.
by LonghornScott on Aug 10, 2009 12:42 PM CDT reply actions
UT’s toughest two games are predicted to be versus the sooners and the cowboys. Both teams run the ball well. If the horns are better at defending the pass than the run, then OU and OSU will run enough to force the horns to play people who can stop the run. In other words OU/OSU will try to force UT to play real DTs (i.e. no DEs spun down to DT) by running on the UT DTs. In that situation, the DTs will have to be run stoppers first and pass rushers second.
The DC wants to put his best 11 players on the field but the OC can make that difficult to accomplish.
by Kafka on Aug 10, 2009 12:44 PM CDT reply actions
Our best 11 is a 3-3-5 like so…
Acho
Houston
Jones
Kindle
Norton or Robinson
Muckelroy
Ch. Brown
AJ Williams
Thomas
Gideon
Scott(hopefully) or Beasley or Cu. Brown
This D will work IF Acho or Jones can, ON OCCASION, spin down to DT, move Kindle to DE, and voila, 4-2-5.
I think this is what we’ll see a lot of on second and long and 3rd and medium-to-long.
by ctex80 on Aug 10, 2009 1:07 PM CDT reply actions
If we are in a 3-3-5 often then Lamar Houston is an All-American nose guard and our defense is great or he is hurt and we stink.
by Travis on Aug 10, 2009 1:17 PM CDT reply actions
“I think the 3-3-5 will represent a significant portion of our defensive alignments this year… however we need to be able to play 4-3-3 or 4-2-5.”
I’m going to try my best to keep us out of the 4-3-3 at all times…
by Coach Boom on Aug 10, 2009 1:19 PM CDT reply actions
Luckily, we play in a conference where DT isn’t all that crucial. I’d rather be stacked at DB & thin at tackle than vice versa, which we are.
We’ve got the studs at DE plus Houston to guarantee a pretty solid pass rush. I think we’ll see Alexander mostly in run situations or 1st-&-10’s, and more 3-DE and 5-DB sets on 2nd/3rd-&-long.
by kenneth on Aug 10, 2009 1:24 PM CDT reply actions
As long as we mix it up a lot there’s no reason we can’t have a linebacker attack an inside gap. CA actually wrote about that adjustment specifically right after the spring game. It’s not as dire a situation as some would make it out to be. OSU is the only team that bothers me in that regard and potentially our bowl opponent (but we’ll have plenty of time to prepare for them).
by LonghornScott on Aug 10, 2009 1:24 PM CDT reply actions
OSU bothers me a whole lot less with no Pettigrew to help them run on us.
by dick on Aug 10, 2009 1:39 PM CDT reply actions
kenneth
August 10, 2009 at 10:24 am
Luckily, we play in a conference where DT isn’t all that crucial.
OMG LOLZ KTHXBAI
by ponderos on Aug 10, 2009 1:57 PM CDT reply actions
“As long as we mix it up a lot there’s no reason we can’t have a linebacker attack an inside gap.”
Sounds good to me.
by Carl Reese on Aug 10, 2009 2:12 PM CDT reply actions
CA, the only thing anyone cares to hear about from you is whether or not you can throw it down yet. My guess at this point is you can barely get rim.
by DDT on Aug 10, 2009 2:13 PM CDT reply actions
You guys are focused on the wrong analysis – 2nd and long, 3rd and long. With your DT situation you need to discuss 2nd and 3, 3rd and 1.
by BillyRay BillyBob, All American on Aug 10, 2009 2:14 PM CDT reply actions
I predict OU runs a lot of offense out of aces so that they can get Brody Eldridge on the field with Gresham at the same time, maximize pass protection when needed, and play to their strengths.
Put Eldridge next to Trent, you’ve got a nice potential edge seal and the chance to run the ball. The best way to disrupt that before it gets going is DT play and a spare lined up next to Houston won’t cut it. If you start outnumbering that to stop the run, you run the risk of Gresham taking someone off of play action.
The other factor is that a 3 man line may be our best use of personnel, but we don’t know if Acho/Jones/Okafor can play five techniques and hold up for any extended period of time.
I think we do a lot of cheating, a lot of stunting and line games, and we accept the occasional 15-20 yard pop in the running game for the opportunity to put them in negative down and distance.
It will be a fun little X & O contest in Dallas.
by Scipio Tex on Aug 10, 2009 2:17 PM CDT reply actions
Where can I find one of these “dry humping” parties?
by Josh Hamilton on Aug 10, 2009 4:03 PM CDT reply actions
Scipio – I agree with you. Jumbo up the middle, jumbo up the middle, safety begins to sneak up, jumbo up the middle and bam – play-action, touchdown Oklahoma. Lots of 2nd and shorts will open the play-action and wear out the D-line for the 2nd half.
by BillyRay BillyBob, All American on Aug 10, 2009 4:41 PM CDT reply actions
I’m having a hard time envisioning Broyles and Tennel winning many battles against Brown and Williams one on one. Muckleroy against Habern is a glaring mismatch as well if the sooners go aces.
I suspect we’ll see a ton of man-free from Texas if Ou does go two tights.
I agree with what Scipio typed about stunting and line games using speed and quickness advantage. The small/fast type of attacking personnel is right in Muschamp’s wheelhouse from his Auburn days.
I actually think this one will be a pretty low scoring affair. My biggest concern as a Horn fan is keeping McCoy upright long enough to make some big plays in the passing game. If he has to throw it 40 times, I’m not sure he makes it.
by Trips Right on Aug 10, 2009 4:54 PM CDT reply actions
Scipio:
You are probably right that OU will play both Gresham and Eldridge at the same time a bunch. Those big horses really help the run blocking while still being tough for a DB to cover because of the size mismatch. As you mentioned, they can also help in pass blocking (and provide a nice dump target after the initial pass block so they are multiple on the same play).
It will be interesting to see how UT covers these huge TEs. Is it reasonable to expect a 6’, 200 pound safety to cover a 6’5", 260 pound TE? It did not work last season. It might be time to try covering a huge TE with a speedy LB (most huge TEs are slower than UT LBs). An LB would be much more likely to be able to disrupt the pattern with an initial jam at the LOS. An LB could also reasonably be expected to solo tackle a huge TE after a pass reception.
Coach Boom can confuse the young OU Oline with lots of stunts, zone blitzes and other tricks, IF he has the time. The problem is that the OU hurry up offense tends to take a DC out of his game to a certain extent because the hurry up offense severely limits the time for a DC to scheme, communicate, and deploy defensive players to their proper position. I think DCs eventually will be forced to use expert systems to reduce the time consumed in analyzing the situation, deciding on the proper response, and communicating the decided upon strategy to the players. Otherwise the D will frequently be forced to play a vanilla scheme to avoid paralysis by analysis.
I expect to see plenty of play action passing and short passes by OU to reduce stress on the OU Oline (and the OU QB) when pass blocking. Maybe OU will not run screen passes as efficiently with their new Oline. Just as UT is copying OU’s hurry up offense, OU will copy UT’s short passing game.
Back in spring, GhostOfBigRoy posted an excellent writeup of the hurry up offense that touched on both OU and UT at:
http://www.burntorangenation.com/2009/4/29/851626/making-the-jump-to-light-speed
by Kafka on Aug 10, 2009 5:32 PM CDT reply actions
What Billy Ray, Bob is forgetting is that while our DT is weak this year, their interior line is also weak. The battle between two weak positions will be a wash, IMO, with neither doing anything spectacular. The problem for OU is that the rest of their line is pretty weak, unlike our DEs.
by bighornfan32 on Aug 10, 2009 5:39 PM CDT reply actions
Ben Alexander needs to pass his summer school courses in order to “take up space” somewhere other than a lawnchair in his grandmother’s front yard in South Carolina.
by CloseToJumping on Aug 10, 2009 5:57 PM CDT reply actions
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