NCAA Football 11 Blog: Quarterback

[str8artist]

They threw us a bone with this blog I guess (ok, imo)... I think it is time to at least mention some type of defensive improvements.

[Palo20]

Quote: Originally Posted by khaliib

***They must, must, must expand the width of the field if they are going to con't to have short side WR's spaced the same as those on the wide side.

Yes. Maybe Jersey can comment as a defensive guy, but I posted a few weeks back about QBs never being able to throw a deep out or comeback to the outside WR on the far hash. Pretty sure you will NEVER see this throw unless the pocket is rolled that way.

So Jersey, is the field corner just really trying to shade inside, since a deep out breaking route would be about a 40 yard bullet pass?

[Lava]

Quote: Originally Posted by moose1619

They could fix the DE contain with aproper outside pass rush. A DE is supposed to stay outside on his rush if he is a contain DE, some DE are not contain and are allowed frre reign to the QB, usually if they are not a contain DE a LB from that side is rushing and has outside contain responsibility. These anlgles for contain DE are 2 wide.

This. Disappointing blog; I was hoping for a mention of new QB ratings when I saw the subject matter, but really it's just minor touch ups and slapping a band aid on a gunshot wound when it comes to containing dual threat QBs.

[longshanks]

i think you guys are thinking too hard, and too much about the slot corner lol...normally the inside foot is back, but who knows, this shot could've been taken during an animation or something

[jmik58]

Quote: Originally Posted by Palo20

Yes. Maybe Jersey can comment as a defensive guy, but I posted a few weeks back about QBs never being able to throw a deep out or comeback to the outside WR on the far hash. Pretty sure you will NEVER see this throw unless the pocket is rolled that way. So Jersey, is the field corner just really trying to shade inside, since a deep out breaking route would be about a 40 yard bullet pass?

I'm not Jersey, but I might be able to shed some light on the defensive question above.

As for never seeing deep outs or comebacks, it is something that you will see on a rollout more often than a dropback. The ball is in the air too long with the target at a point that is in front of a defender (meaning the defender won't have to turn his hips and run, which means quicker reaction time and a more dangerous pass )when you are throwing from the pocket.

As far as the field corner alignment... it depends on what coverage they are in. If it's man coverage, then yes his job is to align inside and force the receiver to the outside. The reason isn't as much about protecting against a deep out. It does help on slants but an inside alignment gives leverage to force the receiver to the outside and over the top where there is less field (using the sideline as a defender) and also because it forces a throw to the outside (long throw) and where the safety help often is.

If it's zone coverage (in this case Cover 3), then the field corner is aligning at a spot relative to the hash marks. Different teams prefer different alignments, but a good example would be for the field corner to align two or three yards outside the hash with his hips open to the sideline. This, again, is less about specific route protection, but more about creating an advantageous situation where the player can defend his area and the routes he is likely to see the most.

[jmik58]

Quote: Originally Posted by longshanks

i think you guys are thinking too hard, and too much about the slot corner lol...normally the inside foot is back, but who knows, this shot could've been taken during an animation or something

I've never been a big believer in a dback having to have a certain foot forward. To me it's an excessive detail that forces players to think too much and has little value in the outcome. The way my coaching staff has always taught, and heard several others do this is as well, is to focus on alignment.

The only time you might care about foot placement is if you are going to jam a receiver. But again, a dback should put whatever foot forward that makes them the most comfortable.

Now what IS important is what direction the dback steps first. If the coverage calls for a jam at the line and it's man coverage, then I might tell the dback to put his outside foot forward so he can step forward and cut off the inside release.

If it's a cover 2 corner (zone, not 2 under) then I obviously want him shading the outside and jamming in. This requires an outside alignment. Therefore, I might tell a player to put the inside foot up and step forward and out with the outside foot to help cut off the outside release.

[rhombic21]

So they got rid of rush out for a worthless contain assignment that I could already do relatively easily? Figures.

At least with the rush out there was a middle ground between "go stand in a completely unrealistic quasi-zone and don't rush the QB at all" and "get sucked in and give up the outside every time." Now they've basically eliminated that. Wonderful.

[jmik58]

Also, not all slot receivers are covered with man coverage. And even if a team is covering someone in man coverage, their defensive alignment in relation to a receiver depends on who is blitzing and where the help is defensively.

In obvious passing downs you will likely man up on all receivers if possible, but in a normal situation you may show man coverge and really be in zone. There are so many variables to a defensive call that you can't pull much out of one screen shot.

Also, teams who play zone can guard a slot receiver just fine as well. For example, Virginia Tech (Bud Foster) uses what he calls an "Apex" alignment for slot coverage in a zone. This tells the outside linebacker or nickel back to align at a halfway point between the slot receiver and the end man in the box (TE or OT). This takes away inside routes and also gives the defender a good shot at reacting to outside routes as well. It's obviously giving up the underneath stuff, but most defenses don't care about that area of the field as much.