How the defense fits into the game plan

outoftown · October 1, 2017

It took me a while to understand what I think I should have seen way earlier. There is method to the strength and weaknesses of this UNT defense, to the surprising change in this being a staunch run-defense but giving up more through the air.

Lets set the scene. You have a coaching crew who feels like building a game plan that is based on offensive success if possible balanced and is therefore willing to spend more schollies on that side and who is fine with winning in shootouts. What kind of choices would such an approach lead to on defense?

Well first, what that means you will perpetually a bit shorter on D. But you are fine giving up some scores, you just need to make sure you don't give up 45. You are ok with rewarding your opponent for taking risks, however you will not be ok with bend don't break keeping your offense off the field. As a consequence your goal is primarily to not allow your opponent to control the clock and wear you down. Controlling the clock is done via the run, so this is what such a defense has has to stop. If you can also prevent long plays that is nice, but if you have to choose between allowing the opponent to control the clock or give up a big play, you will chose allowing the big play. Essentially the approach is: " we will comit enough men to make sure you can't run much, then if possible take away a decent amount of underneath passes, but we will not cry if you hit the occasional big play. At least after that your off the field. We are gonna make sure your off the field 3 minutes after your on the field. Yes we may give you opportunities to score in those 3 minutes, but we are giving up things to not allow you to stay on the field longer than that no matter what."

Given that, it kind of makes sense that UNT is good against the run but has more trouble vs the pass. It is by design. The goal is not only to make the opponent one dimensional. It is for that dimension to be the pass. It also makes kind of sense that at times they had trouble with third and long. It is because that changes the focus completely because we are generally keying in so much on the run (although Reffet disguises it well at times). But if UNT gets even a semi-decent amount of third and longs off the field, then this can completely work. Yesterday was the prime example. Iowa was the prime example of what happens when it doesn't and the offense doesn't contribute.

Edited October 1, 2017 by outoftown

ChristopherRyanWilkes · October 1, 2017

I think that's essentially the idea of an Air Raid offense/team. It's "we're going to force you to out pass us, and good luck." It seems to have more success at this level than the higher level where you have bigger guys on both side of the ball. Leach is making it work at Washington State, however. Rooting for him/them hard.