Occam's Muschamp

Good stuff, although it needs more moving dots. You are posting pretty late.

Are you a TCU fan?

Night shift, that’s when I’m awake.

Jones, in what sense? I’m a Texas alumni who watches all the Texas games, goes to every practice I can and writes about them multiple times a week. I like TCU a lot for what they’ve done there and think their coaching staff does one of the best jobs of any in the country.

In terms of both schemes and player development few stand up to what Gary Patterson and co. accomplish year in and out. If they play against Texas I take delight in that amounting to jack as they get rolled.

Spin down, holla!

I like the concept of taking larger DEs with quickness, agility, and good frames that can carry some additional weight and making them into 3-techniques. It also gives you the ability to change between the 4-3 Over and more of a 3-4 look depending on situation. Orakpo is a great example of a smallish LB-type that completely transformed himself as an athlete and player. There’s no reason that the larger, athletic DE types that come in at 6-3 to 6-5 and 240-260 lb can’t make that same transition to the interior line.

As you noted, finding large, agile 300+ lb guys with endurance and a motor isn’t easy, and trying to find enough to fill a two-deep at two DTs spots (following a more traditional 2-technique concept) is at least twice as hard.

This is one of the things I like a lot about Muschamp – he lists about 18 or so guys as ‘starters’ among several different packages and groupings that can be swapped out as needed. Having this thought process – in addition to oustanding athletic talent – allows him to dictate what the offense does in many cases, which is a rare ability among college defensive coordinators.

Clarification: a more “traditional” 3-4 look.

Miller was always a guy who handled double teams like the no. 2 at whataburger, quickly passing them and cleaning up the mess.

I would have gone with Jenna Jameson in place of the cheeseburger. What does that say about our respective psyches Nickel?

thanks for explaining techniques… I have always wondered but was afraid to ask.

Good call on the jargon primer. Otherwise, for many, reading football posts here could be like a kid from the Chihuahuan Desert taking a stab at Master And Commander.

For the reasons you detailed above, Okafor will be a key person of interest to watch tomorrow.

I’m hopeful Bible gets down in the 310 range and produces as he’s capable (though that still leaves him as an NT). Tolly has perhaps the best track record on the staff of taking what he’s given and consistently fashioning impressive results, so I don’t expect much dead weight along the DL.

Nickel: You don’t discuss Ashton Dorsey much. This kid showed pretty good quicks in high school; you don’t see him as a viable 3-tech here?

And I have to agree with you about Daniels. I expect Tolly turns this guy into a beast. My personal favorite among Mack-era DTs is Lamarr Houston (yeah, that includes Hampton), and I might be reaching, but I think this kid’s got a chance to be the same type of athletic DT. If I remember right, Houston came in at about 257#.

Nickle,

A few questions and then I’ll hang up and listen : Any guess as to how Okafor will handle this role? Can and will Acho Ocho Uno play the 3-tech? Thanks

Good stuff.

The name conspicuously absent is Desmond Jackson. He’s going to be a terror 3-tech and probably doesn’t have the frame to grow into the nose. Can’t wait to get him on campus.

I have very high hopes for Desmond Jackson. Looks legit, but there’s still a lot of fast food and twinkies that could be consumed before next year this time.

Randall is not a nose tackle. Maybe in the NFL, but in college he is a great 3.

In that diagram above, I’m definitely hitting ths slot. GD wouldn’t, but I would.

Desmond Jackson “blowing up” would be gaining to 300, he’s not going to ever get much higher than that. He’s ideally suited for the 290 lb. range.

I’ll defer to you, Magnus. Can’t wait to see our defense this year and the years following.

if you live gives you lemons, you liver you likes you change.

What do you think about our Niners, Wook?

I think 10-6, win the division by 2 games, and win one playoff game. That and a vodka soda would suit me just fine.

Nicky, thanks for the rudimentary breakdown on vernacular. Can you now explain the “I” formation for Vasherized? I can’t seem to get through to him.

Is it considered a slight for somebody to be spun from an end to a defensive tackle? Do players generally prefer to play end?

Magnus,

I’m excited about likely dominating our division, even if it’s one of the worst divisions in not just the NFL, but all sports. Loving the defense. Do I believe in Alex Smith? Of course not, but I like Nate Davis’ potential (you know it’s not THAT good when you’re looking at a backups potential over the starter). I like the skill positions a lot. Crabtree, Davis, Gore and Coffee. I dunno anything about the other wideouts.

Now I’m in ATX so I’m not a real insider. Most of what I know is what I read on ESPN, hear on the radio and remember from last year. With Leinart/Anderson stinking it up in Arizona, 3-pete/no-pete in Seattle rebuilding and St. Louis being St. Louis, we’re primed to take this bull by the horns! Albeit a skinny, ugly bull with no buck to its bronco.

If we can just get consistently good QB play, we’re set. Yes? What do you think?

And by “set” I simply mean make the playoffs and win a game or two. I don’t see them making the superbowl, but would love to be surprised.

Hell I’d take make the playoffs right now, it’s been so long.

" You don’t discuss Ashton Dorsey much. This kid showed pretty good quicks in high school; you don’t see him as a viable 3-tech here?"

I had the same question.

I seem to remember both Dorsey and Bible being projected as 3-techs and Cotton as a 1-tech. Bible is currently a NT for obvious reasons, but I assumed Dorsey was still a 3.

Also, where do Desmond Jackson, Quincy Russell and Cedric Reed project? I’d assume all of them are 3-techs in college.

Dorsey I always though of as a nose, to answer that question. In most of our schemes the Nosetackle doesn’t have two-gap responsibilities, he just has to be able to handle a double team and take one A gap (the gaps to the R&L of the Center). For our purposes you’d like to have someone who can split a double from time to time, especially in the pass-rush, and hold it up the rest of the time.

Maybe Jackson, Russell or Reed stays as a 3-tech but take a look at the list above and you’ll see a lot of names that didn’t end up at either position. My main point is that building tackles out of quick-step ends is likely to be at least as consistent a means of finding such players.

Loblaw: Randall is definitely a nose in college. We line up him either straight up over center or shaded over center. His main purpose this year is keeping Robinson and Acho clean and I suspect he’ll do so magnificently.

Kenneth: Sounds like he’s handling it as well as Acho, which would mean less of that role for Sammy. Scipio pointed out in one of his depth chart breakdowns that if Acho is the more effective guy on the edge, and Oak can also handle the inside duties, there is no reason to wear down ocho uno fighting interior linemen when Okafor can do it.

I like Okafor as the 3-tech in passing situations (about 30-40 percent of the snaps this season) and he’s always been expected to grow into at least the 260’s without dropping weight so I think he grows into that role pretty well. If he can take on weight like Houston did and end up at 280 or better I think he ends up here.

Glen Coffee retired. He’s going back to school.

I hope you didn’t draft him for your fantasy team.

Yeah, he took his 2.9 per carry and is going to become a preacher I believe. I probably would have made as much money as possible and then started up my own church, but I’m neither pious or business savvy.

Wookie, I think if Alex Smith can give us 20 td’s and 12 int’s we’re fine. Not the numbers one would expect out of a number 1 overall, but decent numbers for a team with a strong gound game and defense.

I hate what I’m about to type…..Michael Crabtree is going to blow up this year. Davis will continue on his upswing and Gore, if healthy will be great. I’m interested to see what Westbrook provides. 10-15 touches via run and reception would be nice. We actually have the ability to get D’s off balance.

I’m not as bullish on our defense as most, but any D that has Pat Willis on it will fight. I think he’s the best defensive player since Ray Lewis, circa 2001.

My main goal is to be playing football longer than the Cokeboys.

If recruiting services followed the planet theory, the top 10 players would be 9 cornerbacks and one Garret Gilbert-type. There would be no running backs and a lot more OTs.

Sugarpanchoclaus—Why do you post under two different names?

One small correction: Wilcoxon didn’t transfer—he just retired. He’s still in school at UT. Nice article overall, however!

I’m a Texas alumni who watches all the Texas games,

Alumnus

Dave, I took 4 semester of Latin at Texas…and I hate you.

I once asked for some additional sylabusses in a greek class. I don’t know if I’ve ever been made to look dumber than by my friend in that moment when he corrected me to the amusement of 20 snobby and classically trained peers.