4-3 versus the 4-2-5 versus the 3-4...

[Harry Rex Vonner]

Very few elite college programs have the true personnel to play the 3-4, regardless of people want to draw up on the white board, or regardless of what some fake on 247 pretends to know.


NFL, sure. None of us are NFL. 3-4's basically do not exist for 98% of college football.


A "true 4-3" is not really a 7-man front, it's a 6 and1/2 man front with 4 and 1/2 players truly playing pass first. Well hell, so is a 4-2-5.

4-3 and 4-2-5 aren't cousins, they're twin brothers. You can put folks to sleep talking the "difference" and there basically is no difference. If you have a Willy linebacker who is too big and not a sub-4.5, then you're going to die on the field going against a great short passing game offense.

Many are almost at a "4-1-1-5" concept where the second "linebacker" might weigh in at 195 pounds, as long as he is willing to take on major physicality, playing run first.



Oh by the way, this kind of thread dies on the vine at SECRANT because the very Fun Police who complain about "trolls", never pay attention to real football talk. They just all think they're "general manager quality" because they read "premium content" ( ) on 247 and play Fantasy Football - :cheers:

[SummerOfGeorge]

Entirely correct HRV. Alabama theoretically ran Saban's classic 3-4 last season as they have for 15 years. However, in reality, we had 3 safeties (Downs, Moore, Key) average > 50 snaps per game.

[paperwasp]

4-2-5 is allegedly one of the (perhaps two) base defenses for Kane Wommack at Alabama.

He's meeting with Saban to discuss the switchover to his concepts and their related/new terminology.

Imagine being 36 and sitting down to explain your ideas about defense to Nick Saban.

[Nitro Express]

4-2-5 is allegedly one of the (perhaps two) base defenses for Kane Wommack at Alabama.

He's meeting with Saban to discuss the switchover to his concepts and their related/new terminology.

Imagine being 36 and sitting down to explain your ideas about defense to Nick Saban.

What a privilege for Wommack.

[paperwasp]

What a privilege for Wommack.

Yeah, he was one of the new guys who I wasn't quite sure about, just simply due to unfamiliarity.

He's actually really grown on me, maybe the most of any.

Excited to see what he brings to a unit that probably needs to get some swagger back.

[EarlyCuyler3]

I ran into someone that knew him when he was a lower level coach and they said he's going to do amazing. Of course, who knows at this point.

[DolphinDaddy]

I feel like our defense lacked playmaking due to the style.

Obviously Saban is the GoaT, but I hated our secondary playing with their back to the ball on most throws.

I’m excited to see some more interceptions.

[Harry Rex Vonner]

4-2-5 is allegedly one of the (perhaps two) base defenses for Kane Wommack at Alabama.

He's meeting with Saban to discuss the switchover to his concepts and their related/new terminology.

Imagine being 36 and sitting down to explain your ideas about defense to Nick Saban.

gotta remember, when Kane was born, his Dad was defensive coordinator at Missouri State, and would later be the DC at UNLV, Southern Miss, Arkansas, Georgia Tech and Ole Miss.

So little Kane has horseys and teddy bears and army men lined up in the 4-2-5 on the living room carpet when he was two.

[Harry Rex Vonner]

I feel like our defense lacked playmaking due to the style.

Obviously Saban is the GoaT, but I hated our secondary playing with their back to the ball on most throws.

I’m excited to see some more interceptions.

Saban had them in bump and run man with over the top zone safety help. That's what you do a LOT when you have superior athletes. Wommack will keep doing that.

[paperwasp]

Saban had them in bump and run man with over the top zone safety help

Sort of — his is pattern matching with outside leverage and low vertical leverage (short), which despite fan complaints, actually is a trail technique.

And you're right, one of the reasons why is because that low vertical leverage forces the receiver into the safety (deep).

Typical counters to his system are motion or stacks/bunches to force off-man coverage, which is why we saw it so much.

If the coverage is executed correctly, it takes an elite QB to beat the safety. If the coverage becomes off-man due to a pre-snap concept, it's more on the corner to get proper leverage. Both positions are therefore critical.