Given the lack of depth at defensive tackle, could this be a possibility? I'm switching up some names on my depth chart to try to make it work. Given that this is likely to be a transition year on the field this fall with new players, especially defensively, and new coaches.

Really hurt not getting Russell here for the spring but the others should get plenty of reps (hope)

shiftysooner wrote: Really hurt not getting Russell here for the spring but the others should get plenty of reps (hope)

True. Only Phillips, Wade, and Peterson entering the spring.

My guess is if they do go with a 30 they are going to always have 5 DBs on the field so you're going to get a 3-3-5 but it wont be a stack per se - they'll nickel back instead of an extra safety and the alignment, I guess, would be slanted strong side with the DEnd moving to 3 tech. You'll have 3 down linemen but really 4 linemen in the way that we think of them in the 4-3 because one of your LBS will be able to rush or drop (Maybe Chuka). IMO thats the way they should go anyway. They kind of tried it in the Baylor game towards the end of the first half but the personnel was all wrong and one of the DEnds had never played and didn’t play the rest of the season. And Aaron Franlin was playing the stand up DEnd/LB spot...no bueno.

But IMO we have guys that could play it effectively (relative term since I’m not expecting much from our d next year) with the right alignment.

I suspect that if they don't have enough DTs, they'll just stick with the 4-1-6, or whatever that abomination was at the end of the season.

Then hope Bell can put up 50 in order to get the win.

The odd stack doesn't rely on the massive DL players a traditional 3-4 does. It is more about using quickness up front to be disruptive instead of bulk, something OU has little of. It also has roles for the tweener OLB/S types this team has as well. I suggested it a while back and it makes a lot more sense than a traditional 3-4, even a nickel look, because this team just isn't big enough to run it. It actually fits OU's personnel, it provides the same ability to disguise pressure a 3-4 does, it gets more safety type athletes on the field and does not require the jumbo athletes OU lacks. It shares an issue with the 3-4 in terms of who is going to coach it though. The odd stack is fairly complex and no one on the staff currently has any experience with it. the real fathers of it aren't options. Dunn is 66 and obviously Strong has a pretty good gig. There are plenty of guys out there who have coached it at places like BYU, WVU, BSU, TU, ULM, etc. I don't pretend to know if any would even be looked at by OU even if they decided to scrap the TE/FB job for an extra defensive coach.

Thanks for the feedback, guys. I'm hoping we could add some JUCO DTs, if they're good enough, by the time the season starts.

Intriguing idea, is this a possibility? Just have TE's be coached by Norvell/Bedenbaugh and FB's Gundy?

eddyjizza wrote: The odd stack doesn't rely on the massive DL players a traditional 3-4 does. It is more about using quickness up front to be disruptive instead of bulk, something OU has little of. It also has roles for the tweener OLB/S types this team has as well. I suggested it a while back and it makes a lot more sense than a traditional 3-4, even a nickel look, because this team just isn't big enough to run it. It actually fits OU's personnel, it provides the same ability to disguise pressure a 3-4 does, it gets more safety type athletes on the field and does not require the jumbo athletes OU lacks. It shares an issue with the 3-4 in terms of who is going to coach it though. The odd stack is fairly complex and no one on the staff currently has any experience with it. the real fathers of it aren't options. Dunn is 66 and obviously Strong has a pretty good gig. There are plenty of guys out there who have coached it at places like BYU, WVU, BSU, TU, ULM, etc. I don't pretend to know if any would even be looked at by OU even if they decided to scrap the TE/FB job for an extra defensive coach.