D Line Question

[MWBATL]

Our Dline seemed to play much better against VPI&SU.

One of the things I had bene hoping for was more snaps for #90 and I did notice him in the game in a regular series (which had not been the case before this year...he had been limited to goal line defense and mop up duty).

Does anyone have any idea how much he played Saturday? Just curious as to whether he was a major piece in our improved play, or incidental?

 

[danny daniel]

Our Dline seemed to play much better against VPI&SU.

One of the things I had bene hoping for was more snaps for #90 and I did notice him in the game in a regular series (which had not been the case before this year...he had been limited to goal line defense and mop up duty).

Does anyone have any idea how much he played Saturday? Just curious as to whether he was a major piece in our improved play, or incidental?

I saw 90 on film 4 plays in a row. He probably played more. Nothing outstanding. He got pushed back (too straight up) like DL usual on two plays. Another was away from him and he was not involved and he made no effort to get involved. One was a run at him and he helped make the stop for a 2 yard gain. Definitely no domination on his part. I also saw Branch on two plays where he has a nifty sideways skate to get around blockers. Notice how straight up our DL is on pass rush. Too easy to block. Gamble has a strong swim move he used on several plays effectively to get pressure.

An observation: On pass rush we seem to be coached to control the blocker by velcroing to him, pushing, and staying in our lane rather than to get past the blocker ASAP (like Baron #60 who played low and fast and lived in our backfield). Simmons is an exception as he seems to not acknowledge a lane, and he makes more plays per down played than the other DEs. Our D (especially the front 7) seems to be staking out and holding territory rather than attacking the ball location (Davis is an exception). This often leaves the tackles to be made by Davis and the safeties.

 

[takethepoints]

What I noticed was that we played a lot with a three man front with Gamble at SDE. Then we either hung back or blitzed like there was no tomorrow. I think this puzzled the VT OL. Also, Kallon played a lot and played the game of his life. Alternating him and Adams seemed to pay off. It wasn't that they were storming the wall so much as that they occupied the attention of the OLs and made it easier for others. I'll take that any day.