[Lefty Noob]

Notre Dame is making the switch to a 3-4 defense this year, and some of the coaches addressed the change during press conferences yesterday.

"It's a personnel group that lets you have a lot of versatility," said head coach Charlie Weis, "and it gives you the flexibility to create pass rushing off the edge, additional pass rushing off the edge, which sometimes in the first two years here I felt that we haven't gotten enough of... So by going to this defense, you can kind of mirror those outside positions that have to be a cross breed between a pass rusher but somebody who can also drop into coverage. I think it gives you more position flexibility."

So has the team done a good job picking it up? Defensive Line Coach Jappy Oliver thinks so: "I was pleased. I thought our guys were receptive and it helps because I have some new guys and they are like eager beavers and all wide-eyed and you can't give them enough. I didn't have any problems and they are excited about taking this package a little bit further because we didn't introduce everything that we are going to in this particular package."

So what do you folks think? Will the Irish defense be better this year because of the change to a 3-4 package?

[Stoney]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Notre Dame is making the switch to a 3-4 defense this year, and some of the coaches addressed the change during press conferences yesterday.

"It's a personnel group that lets you have a lot of versatility," said head coach Charlie Weis, "and it gives you the flexibility to create pass rushing off the edge, additional pass rushing off the edge, which sometimes in the first two years here I felt that we haven't gotten enough of... So by going to this defense, you can kind of mirror those outside positions that have to be a cross breed between a pass rusher but somebody who can also drop into coverage. I think it gives you more position flexibility."

So has the team done a good job picking it up? Defensive Line Coach Jappy Oliver thinks so: "I was pleased. I thought our guys were receptive and it helps because I have some new guys and they are like eager beavers and all wide-eyed and you can't give them enough. I didn't have any problems and they are excited about taking this package a little bit further because we didn't introduce everything that we are going to in this particular package."

So what do you folks think? Will the Irish defense be better this year because of the change to a 3-4 package?

Unless he has some small speedy linemen and extraordinary linebackers it won't. Notre Dame is infamous for thier slow big linemen.

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by Stoney

Unless he has some small speedy linemen and extraordinary linebackers it won't. Notre Dame is infamous for thier slow big linemen.

Yep, my thoughts exactly. Last year's defense was no different. Supposedly they recruited some speed this year, but... I'll believe it when I see it.

[Stoney]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Yep, my thoughts exactly. Last year's defense was no different. Supposedly they recruited some speed this year, but... I'll believe it when I see it.

And we aren't talking greenies [speed] they better hope they find it somewhere but they will have to give up size.