4-2-5 DEF vs Power Run Teams

blion72

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Oct 30, 2021
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How do you see Penn State adapting this defense vs the power run teams on the schedule? How much do you see PJ Mustipher availability impacting the approach? PJ states he is good to go, but not sure we are seeing him full go at opening game. not sure there is another 1-tech DT on the roster to backup PJ, so when he goes out it looks like we have 2 x 3 tech DTs.

Power run teams - Auburn, Central Michigan, Michigan, MSU and Minny are who seems to fit this style.
 

VaDave4PSU

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Oct 12, 2021
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Many here got upset that Illinois used like 6 or 7 OL, 2 TEs and ran for a ton of yards while we stayed in a base defense. At the end of the day, they didn't score a lot of points and nobody else on the schedule lined up like that, which would seem to prove that it was more "last ditch effort" by Illinois than some actual "very strong strategy" that other teams used and exploited.

Arkansas also gave us fits, but we had about half the starting defense out there and their QBs mobility was a huge advantage point for them.

We are yet to see the differences in a Pry defense and a Diaz defense. All we've heard is that the DL is supposed to attack differently, the DBs may play more 1v1, and that we'll probably play with a hybrid at Sam vs an actual LB, even though Pry subbed like this depending on down and distance and personnel.

The inner triangle of the defense is going to be key. If our DTs get blown up and our MLB can't read, she'd, and tackle then we could be in for another year like '20 defensively.
 

s1uggo72

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Oct 12, 2021
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How do you see Penn State adapting this defense vs the power run teams on the schedule? How much do you see PJ Mustipher availability impacting the approach? PJ states he is good to go, but not sure we are seeing him full go at opening game. not sure there is another 1-tech DT on the roster to backup PJ, so when he goes out it looks like we have 2 x 3 tech DTs.

Power run teams - Auburn, Central Michigan, Michigan, MSU and Minny are who seems to fit this style.
on early downs instead of playing a 3 and 1 play 2 2tech. read the heads, run to the ball. easy. now if you really want to mess with them, take out 2 of the big safety guys and put in outside LBers and play 4-4 -3 and make them throw when they dont want to.
if I see a 3 and 1 I'd trade the TE evey time, so the TE ends up on the 1 side, 2 2's prevents that, no body had to move.
 
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GregInPitt

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Oct 13, 2021
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Although Mustipher is a great player when healthy we won't know how far back from his injury he really is until he lines up against Purdue. But I believe some here underestimate the depth that has been developing at DT the last couple of years. By my count, and after some attrition, there are 5 DT's excluding Mustipher that are in their 3rd year or more at PSU plus a couple of young players that will reportedly force themselves into the rotation in van de Berg and Durant. Mulbah (3rd year at PSU) and Ellies (4th year) are both listed at 300lbs+ Izzard played pretty well in 2021 once the new DT rotation settled in after Mustipher was lost for the season. Sure, PSU needs a couple of the DT's to show improvement over 2021 performances, but that's the nature of college football especially on the inside of the DL. I just don't see DT as a weakness and believe that with decent LB player PSU should hold up pretty well versus power running teams.

If Sutherland proves to be a liability versus power running teams I believe Diaz will find a replacement that holds up better against the run. Buddin or one of the other backups. The option of moving Jacobs back to Sam and inserting another player such as Elsdon, Katshir or Carter at Will versus running teams is also an option for Diaz. I'm looking for Diaz to be a little more reactionary and open to adjusting on the fly than what we experienced on defense from Pry.
 

DaytonRickster

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Although Mustipher is a great player when healthy we won't know how far back from his injury he really is until he lines up against Purdue. But I believe some here underestimate the depth that has been developing at DT the last couple of years. By my count, and after some attrition, there are 5 DT's excluding Mustipher that are in their 3rd year or more at PSU plus a couple of young players that will reportedly force themselves into the rotation in van de Berg and Durant. Mulbah (3rd year at PSU) and Ellies (4th year) are both listed at 300lbs+ Izzard played pretty well in 2021 once the new DT rotation settled in after Mustipher was lost for the season. Sure, PSU needs a couple of the DT's to show improvement over 2021 performances, but that's the nature of college football especially on the inside of the DL. I just don't see DT as a weakness and believe that with decent LB player PSU should hold up pretty well versus power running teams.

If Sutherland proves to be a liability versus power running teams I believe Diaz will find a replacement that holds up better against the run. Buddin or one of the other backups. The option of moving Jacobs back to Sam and inserting another player such as Elsdon, Katshir or Carter at Will versus running teams is also an option for Diaz. I'm looking for Diaz to be a little more reactionary and open to adjusting on the fly than what we experienced on defense from Pry.
I'm kinda excited to see what Van Denberg, Mulbah, Durant and Beamon can do @ DT and if Isaac is able to go all out and become the consistent pass rusher we need to put constant pressure on opposing QBs.
 
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GregInPitt

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I'm kinda excited to see what Van Denberg, Mulbah, Durant and Beamon can do @ DT and if Isaac is able to go all out and become the consistent pass rusher we need to put constant pressure on opposing QBs.
Yep, it should be interesting to see how the rotations at DT and DE shake out. Diaz may be able to break Isaac back into form gradually if Tarburton is solid and DDS and Robinson are as good as advertised. There are some other players at DE that could surprise us such as Vilbert, Vanover and Townley. Should be a fun year from a perspective of some new talent making some exciting plays. Just hope it's enough to get the team to 9+ wins.........
 
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ApexLion

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Keep in mind that a Manny defense gave up 554 yards rushing in one game. I’m wait and see on how the D does vs. the run.
 
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Got GSPs

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I don’t have a lot of expectations for a stout run defense as far as yards per attempt. I think we will make explosive plays on defense and on offense as well. This would hopefully force teams to throw more than they want and thereby become victim to our explosive play defense. Fingers crossed.
 

blion72

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I'm kinda excited to see what Van Denberg, Mulbah, Durant and Beamon can do @ DT and if Isaac is able to go all out and become the consistent pass rusher we need to put constant pressure on opposing QBs.
are there any other true 1-tech DTs on the roster other than PJ? If not, does it matter? maybe we can survive run heavy with 2x3 Tech DTs at the same time.

on the BTN media, you may have heard their comment = "Penn State cannot run the ball and cannot stop the run".
 

VaDave4PSU

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are there any other true 1-tech DTs on the roster other than PJ? If not, does it matter? maybe we can survive run heavy with 2x3 Tech DTs at the same time.

on the BTN media, you may have heard their comment = "Penn State cannot run the ball and cannot stop the run".

Artis, Ellies, Mulbah. Looks like they are growing Van Der Berg into one as well.
 
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