Why does our defense line up so far back?

[dad52]

The cornerbacks give at least a 10 yard cushion every time they line up. And the NT lines up about a yard from the ball which gives the center plenty of time to get ready. It looks like where in prevent mode all the time.

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

The cornerbacks give at least a 10 yard cushion every time they line up. And the NT lines up about a yard from the ball which gives the center plenty of time to get ready. It looks like where in prevent mode all the time.

I don't know what his assignments are, but one reason for lining up off the ball is to give himself better angles and creat gaps for LBs because when double teaming it will leave a bigger gap between OL.

 

[KyCatFan]

I always hate the DB's giving up so much cushion when lining up. ULL was getting a ton of easy 6 or 7 yard completions because of it. No one seems to ever give us that kind of space.

 

[dallasg23]

With the NT its kind of a flex technique. Makes the center and guards have to extend farther to reach him creating a crease in the line. Tom Landry created the 4-3 flex to keep o lines off his line backers. Allows line backers to not have take on as many blockers and make more tackles

 

[BlueRaider22]

In the overall scheme of things, Stoops/Eliot run a "bend not break" defense.

This is something that UK fans must get used to. The idea is that you don't mind as much if the opponent gains yds. Why you may ask? Because the emphasis is placed a lot more on preventing TD's and big plays.

If you look back at Stoops' former defenses they tend to have the same traits. They tend to give up pretty good amount of yds, however they don't allow a ton of points......they don't allow many big plays.......and they are very good at causing turnovers. The defense sits back and waits for the opposing offense to screw up. They wait for the field to shrink and then pounce. Notice that when we do get turnovers it likely comes when the offenses go for longer throws or when the field gets shorter.

It is important for UK fans to see and recognize this. Often we get so caught up in "we allowed so-and-so to gain 1500 yds (hyperbole) of offense".......but the bottomline is that if we get 3-4 TO's and hold them to 20 pts, then the yds mean little.

 

[BlueRaider22]

^A couple more points.
-First - I'm not suggesting that Stoops/Eliot want the opponent to gain yds. Quite the opposite. If they could not allow a single yd of offense, they would. It's just not their primary focus.
-2nd - This yr is far from the finished product that we will see. We can realistically expect them to be improved from last yr. We can realistically to shut some teams down......and we can expect them to be blown out.

 

[ulismyman]

Whats wrong eith Remember the Titans defense???? "I don't want them to gain another yard"

 

[Aces Fan]

I had 2 problems with the defense. The first was the CBs giving so much space to average WRs. This cost us the game against WKU in Stoops opener and we have seen it a lot since them. I get giving a guy like Devante Parker some space but the ULL guys are average at best, we should force a below average QB to make them go over the top instead of allowing them to make an easy 6 yard completion.

The second problem was the LBs. I though our DL did a good enough job of eating up blocks but our LBs were always 3 or 4 yards outside the hole instead stepping up and stopping the play at the LOS.

 

[Pike 96]

I had 2 problems with the defense. The first was the CBs giving so much space to average WRs. This cost us the game against WKU in Stoops opener and we have seen it a lot since them. I get giving a guy like Devante Parker some space but the ULL guys are average at best, we should force a below average QB to make them go over the top instead of allowing them to make an easy 6 yard completion.

The second problem was the LBs. I though our DL did a good enough job of eating up blocks but our LBs were always 3 or 4 yards outside the hole instead stepping up and stopping the play at the LOS.

Agree with both of these points. Don't see the point in giving 10,yard cushions to average receivers. Much prefer the LSU approach of manning up and being physical with them. I think we are heading on,that direction with the bigger guys being recruited.

As far as linebackers...I would love to see them attack the line of scrimmage. Forrest in particular still seams to want the play to come to him. One of the reasons Tennessee's defense was so good last year was because their middle backer..Johnson was always going forward. It put a ton of pressure on the Oline and took away a bunch of cutback angles...which typically kills us

 

[NCukcat62]

Whats wrong eith Remember the Titans defense???? "I don't want them to gain another yard"

One of the best lines from the movie

 

[jte123]

in the past i'd say we were slow as dirt and couldn't keep up with anyone, hopefully thats changing.

 

[C1180]

UK plays a lot of cover 3. The basic weakness of this defense is the short zones. The DBs are lined up off the LOS because that is the way you line up for the cover 3. UK is playing with two of its projected starting LBs out. I think most would agree that that would tend to weaken you at those LB positions. Let hope Flanagan is back for the USC game and that Hatcher doesn't do any more silly stuff to get suspended for any more games this season. I would like to think UKs defense will improve when it gets those two starting LBs back.