Isn't this because there has been so many changes at the DC position? Each coach believes in a different scheme so wouldn't they value different players for their respective schemes? I don't think we will have the luxury of getting choose between two 4 stars, by selecting the one who fits the current defensive scheme best.
I really don't know. If I look at who we have on this team, they do not play cover 2 good at all. The CBs do not force inside leverage good allowing the S to pick up coverage, the S are late coming over the top and neither are good tacklers in space. The MLB doesn't get his drop deep enough either. The fact is though, that both Groh and Roof run about the same backend scheme...so they are zone's, alot of cover 2, quarters....which means if they recruited the right guys they should be ok in this scheme....but yet hey really struggle in zone. We always are gashed in zone. Maybe they are not taught well....maybe they are the worst talent in Power5 FBS like the ranking suggests, hard to believe. I think simply the zone drops are too exaggerated...we are dropping in 20 yard zones, vs what other teams drop in 12.
In fact, we are so deep you can't even see the S's in the TV picture. Very rare. I watch tons of college football and have purposely decided to watch other D to really calibrate how off we are. In 5 games i watched saturday the AVG D alignment was ~9-10 players within 10 yards of the LOS. GT's average, is 7. Of those other defenses, 8 players were within 8 yards of the LOS. GT has typically 6. Its staggering. Of the other defenses, one S is out of the screen...GT is often 2 alot. So that is average...that doesn't mean every down, it just means a good portion of the downs. There may be 6 downs, and 4-5 downs 10 are within 10 yards, maybe the 6th they are deeper or maybe the 6th they are within 5 yards. This means in alignment; 7 near the box, the corners all around a 5-9 yard cushion S high and the final S covering the slot right at the 10 yard mark.
GT will have a CB ~7 yard cushion, 6 in the box, S high 15 yards back, S in the slot 12-15 off, field side corner 12 off. Sound familiar? We are in that alignment the majority of the snaps. We have 3 over 12 yards from LOS at snap, then they drop even more at snap...which is even odder to me. Normally when you align that far off at snap, you catch and ride...you allow the WR to come to you, swivel your hips and run back. If the WR plants, you come up in covg and make the tackle or attack the ball. You determine your drop or approach based on the WR plant foot. We backpedal on top of a huge cushion; normally you backpedal with a 5-7 yard cushion. Its like prevent. The 4th player is right at 10 yards.
The front 4 is defenitely not a 2 gap front 4, which is good because we 1 gap. The problem with our front 4 theory is 4 need to beat 5 or 6. That means 1-2 have to get doubled consistently. Not good enough up front to demand that. So here is a clear, the talent doesn't match the scheme issue. Now...my point is, you can force single matchups you might win with a tad more aggressive blitz scheme. Not tenuta aggressive...but maybe more like what charles kelly has been running at FSU (fun to watch his blitz packages). FYI there is no doubt in my mind, we should have kept charles. I know FSU's talent...I am basing this JUST ON the scheme, what they play and Charles's theory of D. Yes that can tweak a bit with personnel capability, but your D theory is your D theory...Just like Pauls O theory is his O theory, he may tweak it....but it is what it is.
The LBs are really playing bad. Not good in coverage, not winning blitzes and not defending the run well. IMO this is a combination of poor coaching and asking too much for who they are. Paul Davis is not going to be good in pass covg. Just isn't tall or fast enough to defend TE or RB. We seen that a ton. Nealy is ok in drops, he is really good anticipating between the hashes, but deeper drops or wide covg he gets into trouble. But he has really struggled in the run game and that is an No No for a MLB. Talent? maybe. DL not doing its job? probably some. Alot of a little adding up to horrendous results. Yup.
Rush 5 or 6 60% of the time...we will get burned...We already do; but we will also force more sacks, TFL and punts. If you assign Nealy a gap and tell him to blitz that aggressively....he will do fine. Same with with the DL,...tell them to stick and force a spill and have the LBs cover the edges..
Long post...lots of issues...