Seems like teams are moving to a defense that has a front 5 and back 6…..and lots of variation in how they react on any given play. Players aren’t in a specific position but in a general area with a flexible assignment as dictated by the defensive call.
Happy Independence Day to all from the US!Happy Thursday to everyone else.
- happy Fourth of July! I always forget when holidays are happening because I have not worked a schedule in over ten years. I only remember Fourth of July is happening because it is my mom’s birthday.
- I am not the best person to be explaining football positions, but hopefully through the process of making more posts like this one, the entire community will learn more about the sport together.
Hope everyone has a safe and great Fourth! Like you said, things are changing and will continue to change, especially at the LB position. But if you don't have at least a very good D-line I don't see how you can basically eliminate at minimum a two LB (medium sized) player set. It will take a very short time for the offenses to take advantage of 220 lb. players trying to stop a decent run game for 60 minutes. Play a front six (four DL-two LB's) style of D with your 5 DB's/safeties- I brought this up and wanted it implemented back in the mid to late nineties and allot of my buds laughed or worse at me. But that has been played allot over the last 15 years and now even more. If it's me I'm looking for that middle with about a 235 lb. LB at the two LB positions that as you stated can do both. But Yea a truly really hard find.
The whole 'positionless' discussion is interesting. I suppose that regardless of what label we've put on somebody for the purposes of being assigned a position, it's really all about your assignment, and your physical ability to execute it at a high level. Whether you are a big, fast safety, or a smallish, fast LB doesn't really matter, as long as you can get the job done.
It's relevant to this discussion in a few ways. First and FWIW, Lofa is not at all concerned about who is in our LB room currently. He likes the two new FA's they brought in, and likes the drafting of Knight. I have a lot of respect for Lofa, so that does give me some comfort.
Second, he highlighted a guy like Brandon Marshall as being a catalyst for smaller LB's. His comment was something to the effect 'big guys aren't supposed to be able to run like that'. Lofa would be considered a 'big' 'backer in todays context, which is pretty funny.
Lastly, part of why he's not fussed about our iLB's is that he really likes the big guys up front, and that should, theoretically, allow the speed of the LB's to show up. He also likes that Dotson and Baker both can hit and not be pushed back, and if they can do that, why do we care whether they weigh 230 or 240? If 230 allows them to close more quickly, and they can still make the play, why would we want them to add more weight? I suppose if they can do it without compromising speed, then by all means. But otherwise, let them go run and hit......and hopefully stay healthy.
Lofa's a great guy, so it was nice to see him and hear him talk about football. It's pretty clear he's a big Rob Rang fan as well. Also, he thinks the Rams are the NFCW team to be most concerned about with the way they've been drafting lately.
KJ Wright was one of those guys. A little bigger but knew how to play behind DE/edge setters, play passing lanes, drop in coverage etc. while not as flashy he is a prime example of that play. One reason that Big Red/KJ/Kam took half a field away allowing Sherman to excel. I wasn’t a huge fan of Sherman but fit so well because he had that run game recognition and knew how to tackle.
Happy Fourth of July, Kenneth.
Seems like teams are moving to a defense that has a front 5 and back 6…..and lots of variation in how they react on any given play. Players aren’t in a specific position but in a general area with a flexible assignment as dictated by the defensive call.
Happy Independence Day to all from the US!Happy Thursday to everyone else.
Happy 4th. Back in the day the Huskies played a mediocre but fast Florida team they out weighed by 40 LBS per man in the El Paso Bowl and got killed !
On the plane back, Don James called the coaching staff and recruiters to the front and said, " from now on we recruit for speed"!
Some football sage once said "speed kills". Some things never really change.
Thanks for sharing that, I like anecdotes like these
Happy 4th to y’all in the US! Eat well and stay safe!
Yes I agree the LB role has changed. Kam is the prototype The new LB. Is Lighter and faster.
Sea More Comments:
- happy Fourth of July! I always forget when holidays are happening because I have not worked a schedule in over ten years. I only remember Fourth of July is happening because it is my mom’s birthday.
- I am not the best person to be explaining football positions, but hopefully through the process of making more posts like this one, the entire community will learn more about the sport together.
Hope everyone has a safe and great Fourth! Like you said, things are changing and will continue to change, especially at the LB position. But if you don't have at least a very good D-line I don't see how you can basically eliminate at minimum a two LB (medium sized) player set. It will take a very short time for the offenses to take advantage of 220 lb. players trying to stop a decent run game for 60 minutes. Play a front six (four DL-two LB's) style of D with your 5 DB's/safeties- I brought this up and wanted it implemented back in the mid to late nineties and allot of my buds laughed or worse at me. But that has been played allot over the last 15 years and now even more. If it's me I'm looking for that middle with about a 235 lb. LB at the two LB positions that as you stated can do both. But Yea a truly really hard find.
I hope y'all had a great July 4th.
The whole 'positionless' discussion is interesting. I suppose that regardless of what label we've put on somebody for the purposes of being assigned a position, it's really all about your assignment, and your physical ability to execute it at a high level. Whether you are a big, fast safety, or a smallish, fast LB doesn't really matter, as long as you can get the job done.
Locked on Seahawks had Lofa Tatupu on recently. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnXPHLqT0pM&t=1790s.
It's relevant to this discussion in a few ways. First and FWIW, Lofa is not at all concerned about who is in our LB room currently. He likes the two new FA's they brought in, and likes the drafting of Knight. I have a lot of respect for Lofa, so that does give me some comfort.
Second, he highlighted a guy like Brandon Marshall as being a catalyst for smaller LB's. His comment was something to the effect 'big guys aren't supposed to be able to run like that'. Lofa would be considered a 'big' 'backer in todays context, which is pretty funny.
Lastly, part of why he's not fussed about our iLB's is that he really likes the big guys up front, and that should, theoretically, allow the speed of the LB's to show up. He also likes that Dotson and Baker both can hit and not be pushed back, and if they can do that, why do we care whether they weigh 230 or 240? If 230 allows them to close more quickly, and they can still make the play, why would we want them to add more weight? I suppose if they can do it without compromising speed, then by all means. But otherwise, let them go run and hit......and hopefully stay healthy.
Lofa's a great guy, so it was nice to see him and hear him talk about football. It's pretty clear he's a big Rob Rang fan as well. Also, he thinks the Rams are the NFCW team to be most concerned about with the way they've been drafting lately.
KJ Wright was one of those guys. A little bigger but knew how to play behind DE/edge setters, play passing lanes, drop in coverage etc. while not as flashy he is a prime example of that play. One reason that Big Red/KJ/Kam took half a field away allowing Sherman to excel. I wasn’t a huge fan of Sherman but fit so well because he had that run game recognition and knew how to tackle.