State’s attacking, blitzing style of defense brought about by the infusion of Jon Tenuta into Mike Archer’s defensive coaching staff has made all the difference in the Pack’s fantastic 3-0 start. Call it the “TenArcher” defense.
But the problem State faces this week is this: The TenArcher style of defense won’t work against the triple option of Georgia Tech, for if State tries to bring linebackers and safeties on blitzes, the middle of the field will contain no one to stop a free rushing back.
So Tenuta/Archer face some interesting challenges in defensive coaching this week:
- The only consistent method that seems to slow down Paul Johnson’s attack is well-executed “assignment football.” Each and every player on the field is assigned a corresponding position to defend. It puts the responsibility on all 11 players to tackle their man one-on-one if they have the ball without help from their teammates.
- State has to limit GT’s time of possession when the Jackets have the ball, for several reasons. One, State’s defense will need to stay fresh from start to finish–Tech’s extended, sustained drives tend to wear teams down in the third and fourth quarters. Two, State’s offense tends to be a quick-strike unit, limiting the amount of in-game rest the Wolfpack defense can get even under normal circumstances. If State’s scoring drives are two minutes in length and the Yellow Jackets’ are eight minutes, it could lead to some very tired legs for State’s defense. And third, extended drives from the Jackets keep State’s quick-strike offense off the field, negating any hopes the Pack may have of overwhelming Tech with a deluge of points.
- State has to generate turnovers. Bottom line. If the Pack can’t turn Tech over at any point during the game, the chances of winning in Atlanta are very, very slim.
This is State’s first game against the Yellow Jackets under the Tom O’Brien era, so there’s no precedent to go from to know how the defense will fare against the triple option. Historically, Atlanta has been a very rough venue for State. Facing the Jackets at home would be tough enough; how the Pack defense responds on the road playing a style of defense almost completely opposite from how they’ve been taught all offseason will make all the difference in the game.
If there’s one thing I’ve seen so far that gives me a small measure of solace, it’s this: the tacking seems much better this year than in years past. Our players have done a much better job of wrapping up after contact in the first three games, and the Pack will need to continue doing so against Georgia Tech to limit the huge plays in the Tech running game that typically come when a Jacket sheds their one-and-only defender and takes it to the house.
