First, an observation. In the early fall, I saw a video with, I think Diaz, running a tackling drill and teaching the "alligator roll". When I played we were taught to hit, wrap up and drive-stay on your feet. Seems to me with the "alligator roll", if you start to roll just as your making contact, it turns into an arm tackle. In my day that would have resulted in a face mask dance with a coach and licks after practice.
Second. Manny is supposed to be an intelligent, intellectual, scientific student of defensive football. He's tried his outrageous new age schemes and it appears its not working too well, kinda like the GENIUS Charlie Weis and his offense. My question is: is that all he's got or is he well rounded and smart enough to scrap it next year and change to a more fundamentally sound defense
Thanks and I'll listen.
My uneducated view . . . once you get back of the "Hate Manny" ledge:
His system puts lots of pressure on the linebackers. It works well when you have a veteran group like we did last year or earlier this year when we had Hicks helping run the on-field show.
On the other hand his system + green LB = disaster.
The fundamental flaw in Diaz's run defense is it assumes leverage doesn't matter, and that's just stupid. Scheming to occupy and/or attack the correct gap alone may result in the occasional big loss but it isn't going to ever stop the run consistently. If you are playing high (we often have only two down with our defensive ends standing up in obvious running situations) you are disadvantaged and more easily cut blocked. Losing leverage not only creates a problem for the dline it also makes it also easier for the oline to make it to the second level because it is easier to handle a man one on one.
Manny will always get some spectacular losses from his stunting and attacking, but his schemes invite big plays for the opposing offense. I hate wasting our talent...stunting them out of the play or setting them up for disadvantage and failure with loss of leverage. Carl Reese all over again. How Mack didn't learn the first time is beyond me...
Observation and a question for the big guys on Diaz