McCarthy and Assistants Speak, Troll Wist

[pbmax]

HC and the assistants spoke today and coughed up the following info:

1. Moss as the sole ILB
...a. Likes idea of having all LBs in the same room. Neal was developed at OLB to play an elephant role in the defense (OLB, DE and some DT). I take this to mean Neal was out there to be wist's 3rd DL in pass rush nickel.
...b. Notes they spend plurality of time in nickel and not base 3-4. Then says there was always just one linebackers coach. Which seems to point to Green really just teaching OLB technique in the base D and not much else?
...c. One OLB coach (even with elephant position) is something Capers has used before (with McClurey being the assistant coach for Moss).
...d. Interviewed other people for ST assistant before hiring Zook. Liked his personality, experience and big-picture thinking. Plus SEC recruiting.
...e. Wanted to add body to ST coaches (had 2nd asst ST coach last year, part time) because of amount of one on one time it takes to get young players ready.

2. Van Pelt as QB coach. Thought he was already a hell of a coach which is why he was comfortable, when opp. presented itself to make him RB coach initially. Thinks that experience will add to his vision as QB coach. Van Pelt has known the offense as long as McCarthy (Univ of Pitt with Paul Hackett) and is a natural there.

3. RB Coach Sam Gash has worked with Van Pelt before and M3 loved the interview.

4. M3 and Moss have no problem with potentially drafting Michael Sam, fresh off outing himself yesterday, if he can play. M3 reiterated that he demands respect for everyone in the locker room and good play on the field. Moss agreed with last part, refused to speculate how it would play in the locker room.

http://www.packersnews.com/article/20140210/PKR0101/140210026/McCarthy-pleased-new-assistants-new-staff-roles-

http://www.packersnews.com/article/20140210/PKR0101/140210023/Players-sexual-orientation-doesn-t-matter-Packers

Tom Silverstein @TomSilverstein 3h
McCarthy says defense will feature changes. Still 3-4, but wants to be more multiple and go back to things done more in the past. #Packers

Mike Vandermause @MikeVandermause 3h
Mike McCarthy says #Packers will make tweaks to defense but will continue to use 3-4 base.

[mraynrand]

So Neal is the Elephant in the room? In the 4-3 under which = 3-4, Neal is EL:



I like this just fine, with either Perry or Matthews as SL, or Perry as SL and Matthew replacing one of the middle linebackers. Matthews can either rush the passer from a gap, spy the QB, or go into pass coverage. And (watch the steam come out of Wist's ears) you could swap out one DT for a safety (Hayward or Hyde depending on who started) on typical passing downs. I think Wist just hates this when it's there on 1-10 or obvious run downs, but depending on the down and distance, you can swap between hippos (Pickett/Jolly) and PR (Daniels/Jones) as your D-linemen.

UNSOUND!

[pbmax]

So Neal is the Elephant in the room? In the 4-3 under which = 3-4, Neal is EL:



I like this just fine, with either Perry or Matthews as SL, or Perry as SL and Matthew replacing one of the middle linebackers. Matthews can either rush the passer from a gap, spy the QB, or go into pass coverage. And (watch the steam come out of Wist's ears) you could swap out one DT for a safety (Hayward or Hyde depending on who started) on typical passing downs. I think Wist just hates this when it's there on 1-10 or obvious run downs, but depending on the down and distance, you can swap between hippos (Pickett/Jolly) and PR (Daniels/Jones) as your D-linemen.

UNSOUND!

That could be it, and they do line up that way on the D line in Eagle Oakie. But they are in base so little and Neal was on the field for much more nickel, I wonder if McCarthy was talking about something else, or just using elephant in a very general sense.

[pbmax]

Vic Ketchum, gloms onto the Pitt connection of a new coach and Zook being from both Pittsburgh (Capers old stomping ground) and with McCarthy in New Orleans.

http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-1/Mike-McCarthys-vision-links-new-coaches/36bc650e-6284-4dd6-83d3-2cf83ea88d2e?campaign=social_20140211_18366024

[pbmax]

Jason Wilde @jasonjwilde 6m
Duh! moment for me: Looking up Capers past staff structures, #49ers off. coord. Greg Roman was his QBs coach in HOU. Knows his scheme a bit.

[call_me_ishmael]

Vic Fangio, the other SF coordinator, was the DC for Capers in both Carolina and Houston. Kinda crazy actually.

[Patler]

Jason Wilde @jasonjwilde 6m
Duh! moment for me: Looking up Capers past staff structures, #49ers off. coord. Greg Roman was his QBs coach in HOU. Knows his scheme a bit.

Where was Wilde when that was being talked about two years ago?

[mraynrand]

That could be it, and they do line up that way on the D line in Eagle Oakie. But they are in base so little and Neal was on the field for much more nickel, I wonder if McCarthy was talking about something else, or just using elephant in a very general sense.

who was on the field for the Eagle Oakie in 2010 as opposed to 2013?

[pbmax]

who was on the field for the Eagle Oakie in 2010 as opposed to 2013?

Don't remember if they ran in in 2010. I think it might have been toyed with in 2011 and implemented full time in 2012. I think 2010 was straight base Oakie (1 NT, 2 5-tech Des) and the beloved 2-4 nickel.

[wist43]

So Neal is the Elephant in the room? In the 4-3 under which = 3-4, Neal is EL:



I like this just fine, with either Perry or Matthews as SL, or Perry as SL and Matthew replacing one of the middle linebackers. Matthews can either rush the passer from a gap, spy the QB, or go into pass coverage. And (watch the steam come out of Wist's ears) you could swap out one DT for a safety (Hayward or Hyde depending on who started) on typical passing downs. I think Wist just hates this when it's there on 1-10 or obvious run downs, but depending on the down and distance, you can swap between hippos (Pickett/Jolly) and PR (Daniels/Jones) as your D-linemen.

UNSOUND!

You guys just can't help yourselves, can you - you're like little Dom Capers apostles, lol...

What you're showing there is close to a standard 3-4, in that at least by definition you have 3 DL, and 4 LB's on the field.

...you could swap out one DT for a safety

Then you can't wait to get one of the fat guys off the field, and replace him with a DB - which gets you right back to your, and Dom's, beloved 2-4!!!

Haven't you guys seen enough of that sieve of a defense?? Seriously, how many times do you need to see a team line up in 3rd and 6, and simply run it down our throats for a 1st down?? Or when Dom comes out in that idiotic alignment on 1st and 10 and gives up an easy 7 yd run?? I know I'm sick to death of watching that mess... you guys really are masochistic.

Pure and simple - Dom has not been putting alignments on the field that play to the strengths of the front seven personnel TT has drafted. The result has been a disgustingly futile defense for 3 years running - setting a league record in '11 for futility.

To maximize the talent available, Dom needs to go to more 3-4 base fronts with Pickett, Jolly, Wilson, and Boyd on the line; and then the first nickel subpackage should be a 3-3 that mixes and matches D. Jones, Raji, Neal, Worthy, Daniels, Mulumba, Matthews, Jolly, Perry, and Hawk.

Now of course Raji and Neal are going to be gone next year; Wilson and Jolly likely won't be back; Brad Jones was a wasted contract; Hawk is as pedestrian as ever; Perry is miscast, and it isn't likely that he will ever be used properly - he'll play out his rookie contract and run screaming for freedom as soon as he can... in short, our front seven is as big a mess as it ever was.

The Packers as an organization - TT, MM, Capers, the defensive staff, and the scouts, have made a monumental mess of the front seven (six by their reckoning).

With all of the departures, and with Capers remaining in the drivers seat - I see next year as being a complete mess. Maybe MM will exert some influence on Capers and force him to play more straight up 3-4, but his first subpackage is still going to be the 2-4.

[mraynrand]

To maximize the talent available, Dom needs to go to more 3-4 base fronts with Pickett, Jolly, Wilson, and Boyd on the line

Seriously, you want to put three DTs and Wilson on the field. There's zero pass rush threat there; I just audible to a pass or, if I'm SF, I sprint Kap right around that mess - to the opposite side of Matthews.

Neal and Perry are converted DEs; they should be able to run defend with fatties like Jolly and Pickett, or take one out and put in Jones if you like and have Matthews outside that. You should be able to defend run and pass with that. They did OK against the run in SF doing pretty much just that. Too bad the safety play and ILBs were terrible.

[pbmax]

wist might have meant those four DL rotate in three positions?

However, I think I have found a bigger issue. In his write-ups for the press conference where the tweaks for 2014 were discussed, Wilde recorded this gem:

McCarthy acknowledged that part of the issue with the defensive scheme was not having the full complement of players for much of the season – outside linebacker Clay Matthews’ twice-broken thumb was the biggest blow but not the only injury the unit endured – and that personnel did factor into how the scheme was run.

But, McCarthy also said that the defense didn’t utilize as many varied personnel groups as he would prefer, and that may be where the changes will come in.

“We’re going through scheme evaluation [right now],” McCarthy said. “We were not as multiple maybe this year as we’ve been in prior years really because of the stress of injuries on that unit, so we want to get back to some of the things that we did very well in the past and make sure we’re carrying enough packages to utilize all of our players.

Which to my way of remembering (getting worse but the day) means more psycho, and I don't remember a 3-3 nickel. However, you could see 4-4 versus run fronts like with Howard Green against the Jets.

But jump to the next comment to witness the real news.

http://www.espnwisconsin.com/common/page.php?feed=2&id=13081&is_corp=1

[pbmax]

Same article, this was articulated:

“Our defense is going to change some. You don’t ever stay the same,” McCarthy said as he stood outside the Bart Starr Room inside the Legends Club at Lambeau Field. “I’ll set the vision for the defense; Dom Capers and the defensive staff will carry it out. There will be some adjustments.”

Now, this is pretty standard coach speak about setting a vision. And I have not seen the video of his PC so I am missing context, but in the article, it looks like McCarthy is ordering up more personnel groups to play to maximize their strengths.

Not exactly revolutionary. But when a HC with one background starts making demands of the other side of the field, I get nervous. For reference, see Rex Ryan's offense.

[Patler]

Same article, this was articulated:



Now, this is pretty standard coach speak about setting a vision. And I have not seen the video of his PC so I am missing context, but in the article, it looks like McCarthy is ordering up more personnel groups to play to maximize their strengths.

Not exactly revolutionary. But when a HC with one background starts making demands of the other side of the field, I get nervous. For reference, see Rex Ryan's offense.

Have to admit, that was my gut reaction, too. Of course, as an offensive guy he can convey what gives him trouble, and ask Capers to devise things employing those.

On the other hand, MM may be entering another phase in his career, one in which he will be less tolerant and more meddling. It kind of strikes me that he has had his fill of under-performance from the STs and defense, which have wasted three seasons of a championship caliber offense.

[bobblehead]

With all of the departures, and with Capers remaining in the drivers seat - I see next year as being a complete mess. Maybe MM will exert some influence on Capers and force him to play more straight up 3-4, but his first subpackage is still going to be the 2-4.

This is where I totally disagree with you. I think its MM and the "don't let them get a big play" attitude that is influencing Dom into playing so much 2-4.