"(How To) Defend Against Auburn"

[auburnatl1 6,873]

Analysis from another' team's fan on how to stop our offense. Obviously this is a layman's stretch attempt, and some from very early games last year when offense was immature. But continues the theme that everyone finds gus so darn fascinating.

http://hogxando.blogspot.com/2014/05/how-will-arkansas-approach-defending.html?m=1

[StatTiger 3,188]

pray

[1TexasTiger 55]

I think we should ask the Mizzou D Cooridinator

[gravejd 3,382]

Interesting read and thanks for posting. I always enjoy getting outside perspective on AU. In the second half of the BCS game last year Fl ST did a lot of blitzing off the edge with a saftey to make sure everything gets turned inside and contained. I thought this was a pretty effective way to kill the speed sweep and bottle up our explosive play potential. I expect we will see more of that next year if we are still a heavy read option team. The only thing the offense can do with the blitzing safety is to stretch the ball down the field by passing it because you know the D will me man coverage with 1 safety deep. Hopefully the improvement of Marshal in the passing game and the addition of Duke will give AU a good counter to that time of run blitzing defense.

[auburnatl1 6,873]

There's a final part ("part 3") coming in the writeup, which should be interesting and I think the writer did a pretty good job.

But what is really gus' offense? i think we've all only seen partial snap shots of it. Wrong or limited talent, shorts stints, constant 1st year qb's, limitations placed on him by head coaches, and he himself still evolving it makes it difficult to say what exactly our offense will mature into.

So i guess analyze away. Stat's suggestion of prayer may be the most practical

[StatTiger 3,188]

Seriously speaking... breaking down last year's offense should be done after game #4 against LSU. This was the point, where the coaches decided to lean heavily upon the read-option. During the first 4 games of the season, AU averaged 233-yards rushing. During the last 10 games, it shot up to 367-yards per game.

FSU gambled at times on defense, electing to leave a WR uncovered at times based on AU's tendencies to run in certain situations and formations. Rhett Lashlee stated AU basically did not audible last season, relying primarily on execution of the played called. A heavy emphasis has been placed on the vertical passing game for 2014, which will make opponents pay for selling out to stop the run.

With Duke Williams added to the equation, opposing defenses will only be able to keep 7 in the box the majority of time, defending the Tigers with 8 in the running game. The key will be how often Auburn can cash in on those passing opportunities in 2014.

[war3ag13 15]

The key to stopping Auburn's offense is gap integrity. But all that gap integrity can do is make a 1-on-1 match-up with the player running at you. Our offensive line being good and our ball carriers being fast and shifty are key aspects of why our offense is so successful. Look at Mizzou. How many times did they have a player standing in the gap only to be juked out? That's the beauty of our offense. It allows the great players to be put in 1-on-1 situations and allows them to make moves and shine. Plus, our o-line is so good that they do a great job of pushing back the opposing line and putting a lot of responsibility on their linebackers.

[mcgufcm 4,109]

Gap integrity is easier said than done with the amount of misdirection and speed from a variety of angles. For a Safety crashing down against the run, it's not always easy to assess where the ball is much less get yourself into position to tackle one of 3 guys, each coming from a different angle, each of which run between 4.3 and 4.5 fortys. All of that is complicated by our blocking schemes which routinely allow us to place an extra blocker on the play side (by relying on the misdirection to freeze an unblocked defender). Add the dominance our offensive line displayed last season, and that's when the offense starts to hum. That's without even mentioning the forward pass.

It's a well-designed offense, but Nick's speed and ball handling take it to another level.

[StatTiger 3,188]

Gap integrity is easier said than done with the amount of misdirection and speed from a variety of angles. For a Safety crashing down against the run, it's not always easy to assess where the ball is much less get yourself into position to tackle one of 3 guys, each coming from a different angle, each of which run between 4.3 and 4.5 fortys. All of that is complicated by our blocking schemes which routinely allow us to place an extra blocker on the play side (by relying on the misdirection to freeze an unblocked defender). Add the dominance our offensive line displayed last season, and that's when the offense starts to hum. That's without even mentioning the forward pass.

It's a well-designed offense, but Nick's speed and ball handling take it to another level.

Bingo... Alabama is one of the most disciplined defensive teams in the country and has been under Nick Saban. Even with their recognition, discipline and talent, they too are pushed to their extremes defending this offense with Marshall in control. Add tempo to the equation and even the best of players begin to guess and take risky chances. This is the moment they are exposed for an explosive play. FSU had nearly a month to prepare for Auburn and the Tigers still put up nearly 450-yards and 31 points on the board. Better execution on Auburn's part during the first possession alone would have met over 500-yards and 38 points.

[Rednilla 5,469]

I find this article to be quite amusing, as if all Malzahn knows how to do is run the ball. I wonder if any of them realize that his first season as OC at Tulsa, his QB threw for more than 5,000 yards...

Any team that comes in expecting to stop Auburn by stopping the zone read is likely to be down by three or four touchdowns at halftime. I think we might pass the ball more against Arkansas than against most any other team simply to serve notice that the offense has evolved, thereby making defensive coordinators' lives that much more difficult, only to continue running at will so long as the other side isn't stacking the box every play. The implementation of audibles, now that Marshall has a grasp of the offensive concepts, will also pay big dividends, both by allowing him to check out of plays that are going nowhere and, over time, to call out fake audibles that lure the defense into audibling out of the defense that would have stopped whatever play was originally called.

In short, opposing fans can dream about being able to stop Auburn's offense all they want to, but it ain't gonna happen.

[WDavE 332]

I was for a couple of years the DC of teams that faced this offense many times.

If this offense is blocked well, there is little or no way of stopping it consistently. No matter the scheme you throw at it.

[Tiger 8,908]

Lol, Arky is going to think we will run it 80% of the time, but I think we will be closer to 60-65% which will be enough to throw all the prep Arky has been doing off. I imagine Bielema will play it like FSU did, by bringing the DB down and forcing NM to give on the zone read essentially on every play.

Unfortunately for them I don't think the offense will be so zone read-centric this year. But who knows? Maybe we run the same exact offense as last year with a little more passing mixed in.

[alabamabrown14 9]

Gotta give the guy credit for actually breaking down game film...but he has to realize that offense was dumbed all the way down for the arky game...we maybe ran 4 different plays that game

[mcgufcm 4,109]

And still scored at will.

[buzzurd24 11]

Kirby Smart made some comments a few years ago about defending the read zone. He said you have to dictate the read to help keep your defense from guessing so much. To me, it appeared Bama & FSU made the decision to give the ball to Tre Mason more than letting Nick Marshall have the edge. Smart said you basically ask yourself, when game planning, who would you rather not have the ball? I believe, even as good as Tre Mason was, Nick Marshall in space is just flat out scary. His touchdown run against Bama & the one they said he was out at the 1 yard line were probably enough to tell FSU the same thing.

[Auburnfan91 1,408]

I'm no coach and never played but the best way to stop the hurry up offense is to win on 1st down. If Auburn doesn't gain much on 1st down or has a negative 1st down play then that will slow the tempo down. The offense doesn't want to have a quick 3 and out and have to punt and give the ball back to the other team.

Another way I would stop the offense is to always have a defender ready to crash on the RB in the read-option and force the QB to make a play. I wouldn't let the RB beat me. Make the QB beat me with his arm or legs.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 9,723]

I couldn't stand to read. They really thought we tried that hard? Its the lowest output because its the lowest plays attempted down the stretch

[Dual-Threat Rigby 9,723]

Kirby Smart made some comments a few years ago about defending the read zone. He said you have to dictate the read to help keep your defense from guessing so much. To me, it appeared Bama & FSU made the decision to give the ball to Tre Mason more than letting Nick Marshall have the edge. Smart said you basically ask yourself, when game planning, who would you rather not have the ball? I believe, even as good as Tre Mason was, Nick Marshall in space is just flat out scary. His touchdown run against Bama & the one they said he was out at the 1 yard line were probably enough to tell FSU the same thing.

It was pretty obvious stopping Marshall threw the offense out

[StatTiger 3,188]

I'm no coach and never played but the best way to stop the hurry up offense is to win on 1st down. If Auburn doesn't gain much on 1st down or has a negative 1st down play then that will slow the tempo down. The offense doesn't want to have a quick 3 and out and have to punt and give the ball back to the other team.

Another way I would stop the offense is to always have a defender ready to crash on the RB in the read-option and force the QB to make a play. I wouldn't let the RB beat me. Make the QB beat me with his arm or legs.

Slowing any offense down on first down is a primary goal but Auburn just made it difficult. The Tigers were No. 3 nationally last season, producing 1st downs with their run-offense.

[AU64 10,122]

I'm no coach and never played but the best way to stop the hurry up offense is to win on 1st down. If Auburn doesn't gain much on 1st down or has a negative 1st down play then that will slow the tempo down. The offense doesn't want to have a quick 3 and out and have to punt and give the ball back to the other team.

Another way I would stop the offense is to always have a defender ready to crash on the RB in the read-option and force the QB to make a play. I wouldn't let the RB beat me. Make the QB beat me with his arm or legs.

Just a guess but I bet that Nick made more yards on the read-option than Tre did..and of course that play includes the pass option. Many of Tre's runs were standard power runs following the fullback or something of that sort. Until Nick is gone, always taking the RB is going to be a suicide decision IMO.

[WarEagle84 0]

pray

Won't work. Gus has God on his side. :-\

[C'viewTiger 253]

Another way I would stop the offense is to always have a defender ready to crash on the RB in the read-option and force the QB to make a play. I wouldn't let the RB beat me. Make the QB beat me with his arm or legs.

I think this is exactly what CGM is betting on this year (i.e. the air show for A-Day).

[AUBwins 10,334]

This also worked because they knew Marshall only runs to the left on those read options. Maybe flipping the side he ran to would have gashed them a little more in the QB runs. Who knows? Maybe that would have kept us from stalling on every drive in the 3rd quarter.

Edit: This is in response to gravejd above.

[Tiger 8,908]

What about a triple option where the zone read is there he has the option to give, but if he keeps the other RB (or slot WR) is available for the pitch once the QB hits the outside. It would be a great way to get more of the RB talent we have on the field at the same time and make the defense account for each of them. It would also make it more difficult to predict which way DE will be the read guy since NM could have 2 RBs on either side of him. Seems it could put a lot of pressure on the D to have to worry about that in addition to the speed sweeps.

[Wareagletd 0]

This also worked because they knew Marshall only runs to the left on those read options. Maybe flipping the side he ran to would have gashed them a little more in the QB runs. Who knows? Maybe that would have kept us from stalling on every drive in the 3rd quarter.

Edit: This is in response to gravejd above.

If we would flip the side, the explosive play possibility quadruples. Since he's right handed, he will be running to his throwing arm side so throwing the ball will be easier for him. Set this up. Destroy spirits.