The specialist approach to choosing LBs

Part 2 in my 3 part series on how teams choose the players that form the heart of the defense. This approach is common in the Big 12, where everyone can't load up on versatile hybrids every year. Read about it at Football Study Hall.

Some offseason questions for Texas

Over at Inside Texas I broke down how Texas will try to protect their freshman center, the succession plan at nickel, and the coverage alignment that most of the Big 12 will use to try and handle Gilbert's offense.

Read about it here.

Can Brandon Harris lead LSU back to the title game?

At some point LSU should just focus on snatching up 3-star QBs with good football IQ and strong arms and just stock pile them so that they can always roll out a developed, system guy in his third, fourth, or fifth year to lead the charge every year.

That's what I'd consider doing, were I Les Miles.

In the meantime, maybe their current athletic freak who struggles to execute a pro-style offense will actually put things together. If Brandon Harris does so, obviously LSU is going to be very good in 2016.

The pseudo-dime approach to fielding an anti-spread LB corps

Over at Football Study Hall I'm breaking down the three main ways teams choose their linebackers to balance the stresses of controlling the box and holding up against spread passing attacks.

The first way we're talking about is the "pseudo-dime" where teams basically play six guys with DB characteristics all the time.

How the four former Bears will fit in at Texas in 2016

Quite well, you figure. This couldn't have worked out better for Texas (as Baylor fans are all too aware) since they are now running the Briles offense and get to plug in some of the best new pieces that Baylor planned to plug into that system in Waco in Austin instead.

Read my more detailed scouting reports and fits here.

Don Brown, Jabrill Peppers, and the Michigan D

One of the many reasons I'm really high on Michigan in 2016 is that they hired Don Brown, who crafted a brilliant defense at Boston College, to run their D this year with Greg Mattison.

I wrote up a piece for Athlon on how Brown's approach to defense fits perfectly with this Michigan roster and how he'll use Jabrill Peppers as a rover to muck up the works for opponents. Check it out here.

The seven route, everyone's favorite way to attack cover 4

Over at Football Study Hall I broke down how offenses use slot WRs and the seven route to attack cover 4 and the ramifications of this for the position and the college game.