Stanford's anti-spread ways

I'd be curious to see a team try to run Stanford's schemes in the Big 12, particularly on defense, you can read about them at SB Nation by following this link.

My favorite thing about them is their dual nickel packages.

One of them puts two swing DL on the field to play tackle, guys that are 6'2" 275 or so and can long-stick (stunt across multiple gaps), two OLBs, and two ILBs.

The two DL are always rushing the passer but they can be joined by any possible combination of two LBs while the other two LBs drop into simple coverage assignments made easy by their base cover 1/3 schemes.

Their other nickel package is a 30 front that subs out an OLB for a nose-tackle, Solomon Thomas, who was a 5-star SDE prospect out of Coppell, Tx.

The remaining OLB can roam the box like a "spinner" choosing gaps to attack, or dropping back and allowing one of the ILBs to do the same.

The best way to deal with the spread is probably to have a versatile, deep front that can give you the chance to do things in a number of different ways on the back end and to play to stop the pass first. There aren't enough teams in the Big 12 that can get good DL play and can attempt schemes like this.

Demographic limitations play a part in this and when 5-star DL are leaving the state of Texas to go to schools in other leagues that ain't helping either.