Why not a 3-4 scheme?

[FTLDOLFAN]

I have brought this up before but I really believe that the talent we have is best suited to a 3-4 scheme. Here is my reasoning.

We used a 2nd round draft pick on a mammoth DT. Jordan Phillips is 6'5 330 lbs so he has the size to play the NT position. All he has to do in anchor and occupy 2 blockers.

Suh has been doubled team almost constantly as a 4-3 DT but would other teams still employ that strategy if was to play DE in a 3-4 defense?

Mitchell has not taken advantage of the double teams Suh is getting. I don't think he would do any worse playing as a 3-4 DE, in fact he is bigger than most 3-4 DE's so he might fare better playing further outside.

OV was thought of more as a 3-4 OLB coming out of college and Chris McCain has the athleticism to play as a 3-4 OLB. They are both undersized as 4-3 DE's and so they might do better not having as much run stopping responsibility as they have as 4-3 DE's. As 3-4 OLB's they would play a little further outside and they can then just react to whatever the offense is doing and run to the ball carrier or simply rush the passer which would give us 5 pass rushers instead of 4.

Misi Jenkins and now Hull would get playing time as our 2 ILB's. They all have good pass coverage ability. If Phillips does his job and eats up 2 blockers that should allow them to run to the ball carrier more easily then they are able to now.

[VAIDER5120]

I'm a 4-3 guy but I like to spice it up with a 3-4 every now and then. We actually ran a 3-4 play in a game under Campbell, I just don't remember which one it was. The last year of the fist pumps campaign we actually used more 4-3 than 3-4. Mitchell was actually a NT in Houston and came here because he wanted to be in a 4-3 but that hasn't panned out at least to my liking. I thought McCain would play as the SOLB and take on what should've been Jordan's role but that doesn't seem to be the case. It'll take a FEW years to convert to a 3-4 as it's harder to do than to convert to a 4-3. Either way we go we have to have coaches that put players in the best position to succeed.

[FTLDOLFAN]

I'm a 4-3 guy but I like to spice it up with a 3-4 every now and then. We actually ran a 3-4 play in a game under Campbell, I just don't remember which one it was. The last year of the fist pumps campaign we actually used more 4-3 than 3-4. Mitchell was actually a NT in Houston and came here because he wanted to be in a 4-3 but that hasn't panned out at least to my liking. I thought McCain would play as the SOLB and take on what should've been Jordan's role but that doesn't seem to be the case. It'll take a FEW years to convert to a 3-4 as it's harder to do than to convert to a 4-3. Either way we go we have to have coaches that put players in the best position to succeed.

Our run defense has been so horrible thats why I was thinking about the move to a 3-4 defense. That would give us tremendous size up front with Phlllips Suh and Mitchell. Our opponents can't double team both Phillipps and Suh. By staying in the 4-3 we are just letting teams take Suh out of the equation. Why not at least show a 3-4 look and give an offensive line something to think about and make them decide if they are going to continue to double team Suh which I don't know how they can do that when you usually have to double team the NT which would be Phillipps.

I also think this would make our LB's more effective. OV and McCain wouldn't have to set the edge against the run which is something they struggle with as 4-3 DE's. They can play standing up at the snap and then just react to the play by going after the RB or rushing the passer or even dropping into coverage. If Phillipps occupies a couple of blockers then that should make things easier on our ILB's.