Dolphins hoping new defensive scheme takes advantage of speed leads to more sacks

[DKphin]

DAVIE — Asking Cameron Wake about the effectiveness of the Dolphins' pass rush last year is futile. His answer is going to be the same every time.

"You can't ask me that, because we're never hitting the quarterback enough, in my opinion," he said.
In reality, the Dolphins' pass rush was pretty good in 2011, finishing the season ranked a respectable tie for 10th in the NFL with 41 sacks.
But the Dolphins started slow in 2011 with just eight sacks in their first five games (1.6 per game) as the Dolphins quickly fell out of contention.
This year, the Dolphins hope to avoid the slow start under new defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle, who replaces Mike Nolan. Coyle is switching the defense to a 4-3 scheme in an attempt to take better advantage of the Dolphins' speed on the defensive line and make a good pass rush even better.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports...-new-defensive-scheme-that-takes-2384693.html

 

[ckparrothead]

In my opinion the Dolphins need more defensive end pass rush talent to successfully run their scheme this way. I don't think they have enough. Cameron Wake scares people and Randy Starks is a pretty good interior pass rusher. But Starks isn't a Geno Atkins, as an example, and on pass rush downs I don't know that this lineup is going to get things done the way you want them to get things done. I'd be pretty watchful of the waiver wire, and see who turns up, if I were them. We have no idea if Olivier Vernon can cut the mustard.

Luckily the 2013 Draft class should have some pretty good pass rushers. I would keep a keen eye on Bjoern Werner and James Gayle. Studs that could come out, and may be available where Miami picks.

Taking either of them wouild not be an admission that taking Olivier Vernon was a mistake. There's room for everyone. You'd ideally like to move Olivier Vernon to the INTERIOR on pass rush downs to use his unusual strength for his size to allow him to press his athleticism advantage over guards to its fullest. Then on run downs you can push him back out to defensive end where he can use that hand strength to stop the run. Cameron Wake is a no-brainer, as far as how you use him. But then you've got to have someone else that you really think puts a lot of pressure on the passer in those situations and is nigh on unblockable. That's why you draft a Bjoern Werner or James Gayle. Having those three together (Vernon, Werner/Gayle, Wake) would give you a fearsome defensive line. Jared Odrick could be the guy that complements them along with Paul Soliai, longer term. Randy Starks' contract is up soon and the Dolphins will have a tough choice to make there, and whether they get him back on board will depend a lot on how he adapts to this scheme this year.

 

[Travis34]

I don't think anyone on the D-line other than Wake really has a whole lot of speed to offer...

 

[ckparrothead]

I don't think anyone on the D-line other than Wake really has a whole lot of speed to offer...

Yeah, I kind of agree with you.

Jared Odrick is pretty athletic for a 3-technique defensive tackle, but his 5.0 speed is slow at end. I don't see Jared Odrick as a defensive end. I understand they're thinking of him as a defensive end on 1st/2nd down for run downs, but to me that's still a weakness, a stretch to put him in there. You're not always going to have the flexibility to sub him out, especially as offenses continue to adopt more no-huddle tendencies. There will be times you're not able to get him off the field and get an extra pass rusher onto the field.

Olivier Vernon is not necessarily fast, he's got 4.65 speed, and may develop into a pass rush force, but right now the only way I trust him to consistently get to the quarterback is by doing what the Kansas City Chiefs do with Wallace Gilberry, or what the Baltimore Ravens do with Pernell McPhee. Those guys reduce down to pass rush over a GUARD, not a tackle, on pass rush downs. They're productive that way. Vernon has very strong hands. Very strong. Hardly ever see him lose a strength battle to anyone. That's good because if he's pass rushing a GUARD then the way a guard will try and block him is by pulling him into the tight spaces of the phone booth and using his physicality/strength advantage over Vernon to prevent Vernon from using his athletic/speed advantage over the guard. If you've got strong enough hands to not necessarily get knocked around by a physically strong guard, then you are free to use that athletic/speed advantage to get by him. In the long run, Olivier Vernon is something like only 20 or 21 years old, very young dude with a lot of physical potential. Down the road, you could be looking at a guy that develops significantly as an outside pass rusher. But he's not there yet. I have to stress once again that when I was taking a look at the pass rush talent in next year's draft, I swear it took me 5 minutes and I was up to my elbows in quality outside pass rush snaps from these guys, whereas with Olivier Vernon I kept having to scroll through tape after tape after tape, just to catch glimpses of it.

Randy Starks certainly isn't fast. He just has good pass rush and penetration skills for the interior, coupled with strong hands. Paul Soliai isn't fast. Tony McDaniel isn't fast.

If the Dolphins want to run this scheme, emulating the Giants, they need to get hold of more of the type of talent the Giants have and the type of talent they have is not a bunch of overgrown defensive tackles trying to move out to end (Starks, Odrick, McDaniel)...but rather a bunch of athletic and lengthy gorilla ends that can rush from the outside or reduce down to tackle (Umenyiora, Canty, Tuck, Pierre-Paul, Kiwanuka). Chris Canty was 6'7" and 279 lbs when he came out of Virginia. Justin Tuck was 6'5" and 265 lbs when he came out of Notre Dame, ran a 4.71 at his pro day. Jason Pierre-Paul was 6'5" and 270 lbs when he came out of South Florida, ran a 4.71 at the Combine. Mathias Kiwanuka was 6'6" and 270 lbs, ran a 4.70 at the Combine. All were athletic for their size, all had great frames with long arms. Osi Umenyiora is the 'small' one but even he is 6'3" and 279 lbs.

Who does Miami have that compares? Olivier Vernon is 6'2" and 261 lbs. Cam Wake is 6'3" and 241 lbs.

The Miami Dolphins are kind of running along with a very confusing model right now, as far as marrying their roster to style of play. It will be interesting to see how it plays out, but right now it merits more caution than anything.

 

[LikeUntoGod]

IMO, in a way this shows the problem I have with the 3-4. With more teams using it, it is very hard to impossible to find two good OLB's. YOu need two guys who can rush the passer plus drop back and they are very hard to find. NFL teams are always drafting college DEs and hoping they can make the change. We simply have not found anyone to be on the other side of Cam Wake.

I also like the Giant way of bring larger DEs inside rushing from a 4-3. I like the way when under Saban we would rotate 10 DL to wear the OL down. As a offense, if I saw the defense putting 260 pound DEs in at DTs, I'd run straight at them. And that begs the question, do we now put LBs at DE? If so, we are really going to be ran on.

I can see something like it happening on "pure" passing downs where they need 8 or more yards.

I think think the 4-3 is better suited to the players we have and the positions we need will be easier to fill.

 

[Travis34]

Thanks for that long analysis ck, I think you're totally right. I wasn't aware that Tuck/JPP only ran 4.7's, if thats the case, theres no reason Vernon can't develop into a speed rusher someday, but yes right now our defense is a little confused it would seem.

 

[ckparrothead]

The thing to note though is those guys were 6'5" and 6'6", running in the 4.70 range. It's not the same, being 6'2" and running in the 4.65-4.70 range. Height matters when it comes to vertical football.

 

[finfan54]

speed? its comin from the DB's and guys like Westerman and Kaddu. I also envision some big plays from Dansby.

 

[Austin Tatious]

Who does Miami have that compares? Olivier Vernon is 6'2" and 261 lbs. Cam Wake is 6'3" and 241 lbs.

The Miami Dolphins are kind of running along with a very confusing model right now, as far as marrying their roster to style of play. It will be interesting to see how it plays out, but right now it merits more caution than anything.

This entire post is spot on. I agree completely. I liked the 3-4 that we built, and that foundation takes years to take shape. But the 3-4 had gotten to the point that it became so in vogue that something like half the teams are running it. This meant that it got harder and harder to get top drawer talent. More importantly, we simply have not been stopping passing teams well, nor creating turnovers. On both fronts, I put a large amount of the blame on the secondary. Scheme wise, we had been pretty adept at generating sacks. When you consider that the Dolphins had 41 sacks last year, and with Wake the only elite pass rusher, that speaks well for what Nolan designed. But at the end of the day, Brady and other top drawer qbs have gone to town against Miami.

Now with the switch to the 4-3, we really need to get some pass rushers with some length and athleticism. If you look at the Giants, they bring outside rushers in waves. Personally, I'd put high draft picks on pass rusher in the next two drafts. I'd like a couple of the tall, angular, pass rushers with long arms and speed like what JT used to bring to the table. I like Vernon's potential but not necessarily his length. We got him a year early and at a bargain rate. Love his hands, strength, ability against the run, and motor. Wake is a really good pass rusher. But we need a couple of TALLER outside rushers.

I do, however, really like our interior DL. That got built up in the 3-4. Even with the departures of high investment guys like Langford and Merling, we are well set up there. I was one who was vigorously banging the table for Soliai. There was alot of noise about him not being worth the same value when Miami eschewed the 3-4. But his abiiity to stop the run transcends any D. Plus, we ended up getting him at a bargain. One thing I hate is developing a talent, and then letting him go. I say, if you focus on the draft then by all means retain your talent. In any event, with interior quickness out of guys like Odrick and Starks, I like Miami on the interior D line but want help at end.

Now that we have drafted a qb, let's hope he works out. And if he does, we can expend resources on stopping the pass. Let's rush the passer in waves.

 

[footsteps_falco]

if wake gets hurt this whole ship sinks

 

[NoblePhin]

I love our D line, that is one area where I will definitely give Ireland props. I really want to see how Koa Misi plays at MLB and what Richard Marshall brings to our defense. So glad everything is up tempo during the summer, our defense needs to lean out and get some speed!