Tony White -DC syracuse

itseasyas1-2-3

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So if he's also coaching LBs, then what will the 10th assistant coach coach?
Looks like NU still needs a DE/EDGE coach and WR coach. Haven't seen if the DL coach will be interior players or if he handles the DE/EDGE guys also. I'll leave Rhule to figure that out.
 

Husker1078

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Mar 2, 2006
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FWIW... Nebraska gave up 217 yards on the ground to Purdue this year... Mockabee had 178 of those... Syracuse this year held Purdue to 61 yards on 21 carries... Thats 2.9 ypc...
 
Jul 11, 2022
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Good hire

Not sold on the idea of 3-3-5 being effective in the Big 10 West. If Tony wants to continue using these fits, Neb. will significantly have to increase their recruiting quality on the defensive side of the ball.
 
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TTown Tom

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That's what Rhule's DC ran at Carolina. Interesting stuff and the 3-3 is awesome with regards to smoke and mirrors. Will be interesting how its tweaked against DT and Regular pro sets. Will the OLB's be bigger bodied dudes than what you might see in the Big 12? Or will they dial down a stack backer as a standup DE? Will they slide to over and under fronts or use a bear front or stack front exclusively. Lots of things can be done when you have 8 moveable parts on the edge and 2nd and 3rd level. Similar to the 3-4 I guess but typically a 3-4 plays a lot of 2 high safety and the 3-3 plays single high.
I think the 3-3-5 look has the capacity to take us back to our late 70's and 80's defensive look. We were known for the 5-2 monster (or 5-3 according to some) which worked against run heavy teams in the Big 8. The key in the 5-3 and in the 3-3-5 is the edge defenders need to be freak athletes that can both set the edge on the line of scrimmage when necessary and cover out in space especially in the flat.

Put a Mike Brown out there as the strong safety (rover) and a couple Trev Alberts as the outside backers and we would be good to go ;-)
 
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dinglefritz

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I think the 3-3-5 look has the capacity to take us back to our late 70's and 80's defensive look. We were known for the 5-2 monster (or 5-3 according to some) which worked against run heavy teams in the Big 8. The key in the 5-3 and in the 3-3-5 is the edge defenders need to be freak athletes that can both set the edge on the line of scrimmage when necessary and cover out in space especially in the flat.

Put a couple Mike Brown's out there as the strong safeties and a couple Trev Alberts as the outside backers and we would be good to go ;-)
I was thinking instead of calling their rover a rover he should be called a monster back as a nod to NUs history.
 

Truewooper

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I don't hate it. He is a very good recruiter. From El Paso Texas, played at UCLA, coached at New Mexico and San Diego St for Rocky Long. Long is pretty good defensive mind. He has put quite a few dudes in the NFL. Not sure a 3-3-5 will work in the Big 10, unless one of the 5 is a bigger hybrid LB/Safety that can cover in the pass and fill in the run.
well the 3-3-5 is supposed to have tons of hybrid guys. I am assuming they would have this kind of player.
 

dinglefritz

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Looks like NU still needs a DE/EDGE coach and WR coach. Haven't seen if the DL coach will be interior players or if he handles the DE/EDGE guys also. I'll leave Rhule to figure that out.
Going to need a couple of big fast linebackers it appears to me. Butler would have fit that mold
 

jflores

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I think the 3-3-5 look has the capacity to take us back to our late 70's and 80's defensive look. We were known for the 5-2 monster (or 5-3 according to some) which worked against run heavy teams in the Big 8. The key in the 5-3 and in the 3-3-5 is the edge defenders need to be freak athletes that can both set the edge on the line of scrimmage when necessary and cover out in space especially in the flat.

Put a couple Mike Brown's out there as the strong safeties and a couple Trev Alberts as the outside backers and we would be good to go ;-)
I guess at a philosophical level I’d disagree. The huskers of that era were a strength or power defense. The 335 is more of a speed defense. At the grandiose concept level I think it has more in common with McBrides playing undersized but faster players or even Pelinis peso concept where we gave up size for speed.
 

dinglefritz

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I guess at a philosophical level I’d disagree. The huskers of that era were a strength or power defense. The 335 is more of a speed defense. At the grandiose concept level I think it has more in common with McBrides playing undersized but faster players or even Pelinis peso concept where we gave up size for speed.
Pelini’s use of the peso was what I thought of as well.
 

jflores

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well the 3-3-5 is supposed to have tons of hybrid guys. I am assuming they would have this kind of player.
I think we’ve had good luck historically recruiting tweeners. We haven’t been able to attract top flight DL regulars in a generation. Maybe we can get back to that.
 

dinglefritz

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I think we’ve had good luck historically recruiting tweeners. We haven’t been able to attract top flight DL regulars in a generation. Maybe we can get back to that.
How concerned are you about the learning curve for a unique defense like this?
 

TTown Tom

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I guess at a philosophical level I’d disagree. The huskers of that era were a strength or power defense. The 335 is more of a speed defense. At the grandiose concept level I think it has more in common with McBrides playing undersized but faster players or even Pelinis peso concept where we gave up size for speed.
At its basic level you are correct. The little bit I've seen is when it is utilized against the spread. For it to work in the B1G you have to have freak outside backers and a stud Rover. In the Big 10 most of the time the Rover will be dropped into a backer position and the strong side backer moved up on the line. Also, the nickle back (strong safety) will have to big enough to provide solid run support as well.
 

Truewooper

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I think we’ve had good luck historically recruiting tweeners. We haven’t been able to attract top flight DL regulars in a generation. Maybe we can get back to that.
Correct. It should also be pointed out that Tony White ran this in the 90s and early 2000s before the spread was as prevalent. So I am guessing he will fall back on those principles and run a lot of bear front.
 

BugsAreQualityProtein

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Sounds interesting, both the coach and the supposed scheme. I wouldn’t get caught up too much in scheme though. It will be more interesting what players will have to run said scheme.
 

4-3 D

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Interesting. The Cuse runs a 3-3-5 guy right now. I wonder if that is what he will plan to run here too.
yes, I hinted about this a month ago. It's very flexible & can go to an even front when wanted.
 

jflores

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How concerned are you about the learning curve for a unique defense like this?
I’m not demanding instant results so I’m not. At this point I figure if kids can figure out how to play Callahans offense in college this defense probably won’t be an issue.

The blood lines of this defense have roots in the southwest and Hawaii at schools where top level recruits aren’t available. Presuming we run it, I would assume in the long term ours won’t look exactly like theirs and the types of players we have access too we have the potential to be the best 335 defense seen at a college level.
 

BugsAreQualityProtein

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Iowa State runs a 3-3-5 as well under Heacock. I think it’s the main reason they’ve become more competitive over the last few years.
 

Truewooper

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Iowa State runs a 3-3-5 as well under Heacock. I think it’s the main reason they’ve become more competitive over the last few years.
Correct though I believe Iowa State runs an umbrella 3-3-5 and Syracuse runs one a little bit different. I'm not an expert though so I could be wrong.
 

jflores

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Yah I’m an ISU alum so the 335 is something I’ve watched a decent bit. I def think there possibilities here.
 

Hford

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I think we’ve had good luck historically recruiting tweeners. We haven’t been able to attract top flight DL regulars in a generation. Maybe we can get back to that.
Dino Babers on why he wanted to go to the 3-3-5

 
Sep 29, 2001
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Well that rumor this morning of Patterson becoming the DC sure lasted a long time. Nobody was even mentioning White this morning. Laughing
 

jflores

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Dino Babers on why he wanted to go to the 3-3-5

I’ve hear a couple folks say they’ve seen this against a spread but in that video the guy who invented 335 said it was basically designed to attack a pro style offense with speed.

I’m not deep into the history of this thing but ISU and SU play competently against power 5 competition so I doubt it’s super gimped against a traditional offense.
 

BugsAreQualityProtein

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I’ve hear a couple folks say they’ve seen this against a spread but in that video the guy who invented 335 said it was basically designed to attack a pro style offense with speed
Which is why people shouldn’t be too concerned with it’s effectiveness against Iowa, Minnesota and the like.
 

Truewooper

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I’ve hear a couple folks say they’ve seen this against a spread but in that video the guy who invented 335 said it was basically designed to attack a pro style offense with speed
I think that comes from a lack of information, they watched 2010 Michigan try to run it, or they only watch ISU's version. ISU likes to use hyper-light boxes to combat the air raid. Tony White's often has 7-8 guys in the box with blitzes and has his outside DBs play a little more aggressively. But can consequently also lead to guys getting burned.
 

jflores

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Which is why people shouldn’t be too concerned with it’s effectiveness against Iowa, Minnesota and the like.
I’m less concerned with style than competency. We’re not building the 95 defense every year where no one scores more than ten points. Even the top SEC schools have to be capable of winning a shootout a couple times a year. Saban hates it but that’s where the game is.