From: chyang@engin.umich.edu (Chung Hsiung Yang)
Subject: Re: wuck fashington!
Date: Sat, 03 Oct 92 23:41:43 EDT
Organization: University of Michigan Engineering, Ann Arbor
Distribution: usa
Keywords: eight men on the line

In article <1992Oct2.222650.17445@mailer.cc.fsu.edu> kdelgado@loligo.cc.fsu.edu (Kevin Delgado) writes:
>
>"Prove it!" Ah yes, the eternal cry of the self-righteous. Well, Chung, I can
>give you at least one team that has been using the eight man front for some
>time: Virginia Tech. They tried this against us last year, and they had some
	 
	Last Year!  I was expecting you to say that VT used this scheme since
1950 or something.  If they started it last year, who do you think they got it
from?

>success. Of course, they didn't actually have to worry about having recievers
>blowing them away in the backfield, because our recievers were almost non-
>existent (hell...we have had more TD receptions by wideouts in four games this
>year...10 i believe...than we had all of last year...9...again not sure of the
>exact numbers...but suffice it to say we have a passing attack this year...now
>where ever did we put that pesky running game...).
>
>Oh, and as for the eight man front being "rediculous"...well...back when teams
>didn't throw the ball, it wasn't unheard of to have 8 on the line...hell it
>was probably the most eefective means of stopping the run. But about the 
>constant blitzing off this formation. As the saying goes, "live by the blitz,
>die by the blitz." NC state this year tried to hurry up Charlie ward on every
>down by blitzing him constantly...bring in all their LB's. This worked for a
>bit, but once Charlie settled down he started making them pay for it. You see,
>with four...or *ouch* _FIVE_ recievers being put onto the field at once, if
>you only have 3 cover men...you will always have at least one man open. The 
>trick is to be able to "know" where the open spot is gonna be. Charlie was 
>able to do this, and people who are more profiecient with the one back set...
>such as Gino Torreta...have an easier time of doing it. Charlie was an option
>QB in high school so it is taking some time for him to adjust...but he _IS_
>coming along (no INT's this last weekend!).
>
>I'm not saying that Washington isn't having success at using the style of 
>defense that they do...that is bovious. What I am saying is that that style
>of defense has some _MAJOR_ weaknesses...especially against the more modern
>styles of offenses (run-and-shoot variants...etc)
>
	Sure, I agree.  It does have MANY weaknesses.  The key to having 
success with this kind of defense is speed.  I personally think that this
is the defensive scheme of the future.  The bottom line is bend, but don't
break style of defense is just too ineffective for many teams such as 
Washington.  I guess the philosophy of the 8 man front is get to the 
quarterback.  Hit him as hard as you can, take him out of the game!  At 
least that was the way UW played it last year.  If you can do that, it 
doesn't matter what kind of offense you have, you are not going to be 
able to move the ball.  Of course, very few team has the kind of depth and
speed like the 91' Huskies, not even this year.  

	BTW, to describe the UW Huskies as a true 8 man front defense is
misleading.  This team has a very sophisticated defensive philosophy and
they do more than just blitzes.  I guess the bottom like for the opposing
offense is, you never know when they are comming to get you :-).

- May your favoriate team win next weekend.

- Chung Yang
f

>------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Apparently Jackie Sherril managed to find the balls on the alligator.
>
>MSU 30 - UF 6....has a nice ring to it huh?
>
>


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