Time to scrap the CB blitz?

Personally, I am a huge fan of blitzing, and blitzing from anywhere and everywhere. I think deep down in his heart, that's how Bronco likes to run a defense, as well - and would, if he could consistently get the athletes he needed for his 3-3-5 here. But as we tend to do better at LB than DB, we run a more conservative 3-4, while still mixing it up with the LBs quite a bit.



It seems like he started to bring a little bit of that blitz-happy nature back when he had Corby Eason at corner. Suddenly, I started seeing CB blitzes, and Corby was getting a pretty high percentage of sacks per blitz. We were able to do the same thing with Joe Sampson and Preston Hadley, if I recall correctly. I think the key to this was that we blitz from the boundary corner, and we trust the field corner enough on an island that we can have the safeties play over to that side more - kind of a cover 1 look with one of the safeties taking the BC role. With guys like Brian Logan or Jordan Johnson at field and the fantastic safeties we've had, it's a calculated risk that you like your odds on. Also, you need your blitzing corner to be able to play press coverage, or else any D-1 QB can look at him lined up for press coverage and know it's a corner blitz, shift his protection, call an appropriate hot route, and pick up 5-10 easy yards.



Given our corner situation is what it is, is it time to scrap the CB blitz? I've got nothing against Rob Daniel or Skye PoVey, but I haven't seen them in press coverage once. The reason why is plain - they'll get beat deep. We saw that against Texas, Utah, and GT. Yet we're still bringing them up on the line occasionally for a blitz, as if we can still fool people into thinking, "This time, I think he's going to cover." I don't think I've seen a sack out of it yet, and I've also seen the QB make the right read, and throw immediately to where the blitz is coming from for easy yards.



I think you have to scrap it until we start playing tighter coverage at corner.

I think we can still keep the blitz and hide it with tight coverage when we have certain zone defenses called. If the corner is expected to play on the line and then cover deep our guys will get burned every time.

How about playing press and then cover the hot route.

Maybe I haven't been paying attention close enough but I don't remember any CB blitzes this year. I do like it when he brings a CB when the timing is right. It just seems like this year all the blitzes have come from either KVN or Fua.

frdbtr wrote:
Maybe I haven't been paying attention close enough but I don't remember any CB blitzes this year. I do like it when he brings a CB when the timing is right. It just seems like this year all the blitzes have come from either KVN or Fua.

Ding. ding. ding. ding. you havent been playing close attention.

Selective, short memory just might be in play.

I think it was scrapped long ago.

Cougs_Rule wrote:

Maybe I haven't been paying attention close enough but I don't remember any CB blitzes this year. I do like it when he brings a CB when the timing is right. It just seems like this year all the blitzes have come from either KVN or Fua.

Ding. ding. ding. ding. you havent been playing close attention.

Selective, short memory just might be in play.

Ok, since your memory is so good, tell me in what game and situation it has been used this year.

I distinctly recall Robertson Daniel coming on a couple corner blitzes. I want to say it was the Middle Tennessee game.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that they didn't happen. I am saying I don't remember any. The last CB blitzes I remember seeing were last year before Sampson was suspended. I still think they can work depending on where they are called.

Just out of curiosity, I watched the replay of the MTSU game on BYUtv to see how many CB blitzes they ran. They sent Hague once. I can't watch USU, I won't watch the ute game and I am positive that they didn't blitz anyone in the GT game simply because they had to concentrate on the option so that leaves the UT game to check out. If they didn't CB blitz more than once in that game, this entire thread is moot.

I've seen them send PoVey a few times. One on, probably against Texas, he's coming from the boundary at the top of your screen, and the QB makes the right read and throws right back at him, but doesn't have enough touch on the ball and PoVey just gets a hand on it.



I love the play, don't get me wrong, I just think that if we're not ever going to cover tight it will lose its effectiveness.

Robertson has blitzed at least once and so had PoVey And they both were very limited.

The OP suggestion does seem like a good one,

I was able to get through 3 quarters of the Texas game last night at work, they sent Daniel twice and they blitzed a safety 3 times (I was unable to see his number but I think it was bills). It seems Bronco was calling a more aggressive defense, either in that game, or because Hadley was playing middle LB and he felt more comfortable sending CB's and safeties with that lineup. Like I said, I won't watch utah and there aren't other games on BYUTV to check. All of the secondary blitzes were disruptive though so I wouldn't say they need to be scrapped.

Looks like BYU should keep the CB blitz. Go Hague!

I totally and completely repent for doubting. CB blitzes from Rob Daniel and Mike Hague came up huge for us. AND we played some press coverage, too.

Yep, great job with the CB blitz today.

redneckjedi wrote:
I totally and completely repent for doubting. CB blitzes from Rob Daniel and Mike Hague came up huge for us. AND we played some press coverage, too.

Everyone makes mistakes ;)