Tampa 2 Defense

[Michael Lastuvka]

For anybody who's interested to learn about what type of defense we'll be running this year, I did a little research on the Tampa 2 out of curiosity.

It's a defense consisting of 4 linemen, 3 linebackers, 2 corners and 2 safeties. It's a variation of the cover 2, and players are assigned to a specific zone of the field. It's not as complex as other defenses, and in a world of Goodfellas references, it'd be a Tommy DeVito (highly aggressive, instinctive, but not the brightest). It's known for the speed and gang tackling necessary to use it.

Here's a picture:

I see our defensive starting lineup as being:
DE's-Rashawn Parker, Kurtis Taylor
DT's-Bryce Braaksma, Ahtyba Rubin
OLB's-Ace Bowen, Fred Garrin (Carper as well)
MLB-Kris Means (alarming lack of depth at MLB)
DB's-Chris Singleton, Drenard Williams
FS-Jason Harris
SS-Jon Banks

I believe we have a pretty speedy team fully capable of covering gaps for this zone type defense, but for how long? The only proven lineman to apply pressure to the qb is Rashawn Parker. I guess time will tell:yes4lo:

 

[brianhos]

I love that defense, if we can get the right players in. To run tampa 2 well you need both speed and hard hitting. One of the big things it counts on is hitting hard and forcing turnovers. You also have to have really fast linebackers in this schema, or you will get lit up by run plays to either side. But if GC can find the speed, and coach the attitude, this could work at ISU.

 

[dbronco7sc]

Thanks Michael for the research!

 

[guitarchitect7]

Great picture. I had heard but cant confirm that possibly J. Harris might be moving back to RB. I cant see this, but who knows. Also where is Jon Banks. He wasn't a senior last year right? I see him getting into the mix.

 

[Erik4Cy]

Great picture. I had heard but cant confirm that possibly J. Harris might be moving back to RB. I cant see this, but who knows. Also where is Jon Banks. He wasn't a senior last year right? I see him getting into the mix.

I don't know about moving J. Harris to RB...i mean, he's already been working for a year in the secondary and Chizik's got Bass, Bell, and Greer coming in at the RB position as well as Josh Johnson and Jason Scales there too...i mean theres a lot of options there, so why take harris out of a place where we honestly need much more help. I am not gonna make any guesses on the starters until the spring game, cuz there are a lot of positions where ppl are gonna come in an challenge, jucos and freshman. Maybe we will see Bibbs in the secondary? Jerrod Black at DT? we will just have to see...

great info on the tampa 2, i already learned about it the same way you did, but great analysis.

 

[rooster]

That is the base for the cover two. The great thing about it is you can do lots of stunts and games and different blitzes out of the same look. So its hard for them to tell where the pressure will come from and who may be dropping into coverage. If you want to see the Tampa Two in action, watch the superbowl as both teams run it. The thing Chicago does better than anybody, is stripping the ball. You will probably see sometime in the game when a reciever catches the ball a defender will grab him and then a second defender will try to tear the ball loose. I hope this is something Chizik will preach because it seems to be so effective. Reminds me of what Moser used to do.

 

[twojman]

ISU has been pretty much running this type of defense in the past. Everyone speaks as if this is some new revelation or something. Look at what % of college and NFL teams that run this or a variation of it and you will see it is pretty common. Everyone is trying to copy what has been successful.

I think the difference will be that ISU will be more aggressive. I was under the assumption this type of defense allows the corners to be more aggressive on defense. From the interview I heard on cyclones.com I am really looking forward to how Chizik is going to be running the show. I think he is going to play to win.

 

[cyfan964]

ISU has been pretty much running this type of defense in the past. Everyone speaks as if this is some new revelation or something. Look at what % of college and NFL teams that run this or a variation of it and you will see it is pretty common. Everyone is trying to copy what has been successful.

I think the difference will be that ISU will be more aggressive. I was under the assumption this type of defense allows the corners to be more aggressive on defense. From the interview I heard on cyclones.com I am really looking forward to how Chizik is going to be running the show. I think he is going to play to win.

I agree with you 100%. Most colleges run this defense, I just think that Chizik is just going to get way more agressive. The thing about it that is nice, as aforementioned, is you can run a lot of blitzes out of it that change the whole look of the defense. You can blitz a corner and drop a DE (Parker) back in coverage. Or you can blitz a safety like Texas does with Michael Griffin and then drop the corner back to fill his spot and then have a DE fill the corners spot. It's all about owning positions on the field and making the cornerback throw to a spot that he "thinks" is open.

 

[BryceC]

Good stuff Michael, I love having these kinds of discussions. Nice Corleone Pic too.

The only thing I have to say regarding your potential defensive lineup next year is that with the number of juco's we're bringing in I don't think anybody's job is safe and i doubt we see that as our starting lineup.

 

[kgreeny]

I really think we would benefit from Parker moving to linebacker. Size and speed, he would fit better there.

 

[Steve]

I always thought that Skladany was an excellent coach and that his defenses ususally kept us in the game and gave us a chance to win. As stated above, we have run most if not all of the alignment packages that we will see from bolt & Chizik. I believe that the improvement from the new staff will come in the form of coachs' expectations and players' attitudes.

The old staff hung their hat too often on getting turnovers. If they didn't happen, it was too much bending if not breaking. The new staff is going to put a premium on tackling and agressive play. You simply won't play if you can't tackle - regardless of how fast you are or how well you can cover. The comment from one of the new assistants passed on from a coaching clinic is that the term "cover corner" no longer exists at ISU. They are committed to stopping the run so run support comes first.

The new staff will rely more on pressuring the QB and less on maximum coverage to stop the passing game. There will be more variations in coverage to keep the QB guessing. One of the coaches said that they work hard to hide if they are in a cover 2 or cover 4 scheme as well as were the pressure is coming from. If you can stop the run and make the QB uncomfortable, you have a good chance to win. You take some risks with an attacking style defense, but you usually end up with more rewards.

 

[dinger]

I always thought that Skladany was an excellent coach...

The new staff will rely more on pressuring the QB and less on maximum coverage to stop the passing game. There will be more variations in coverage to keep the QB guessing.

exactly, skaldany was not aggresive enough. he sat back and let the offense come to him. i loved watching the d blitz 2 or 3 consecutive plays and force a 3 and out. then the next series it was like skladany forgot the success he just had being aggresive. the tampa 2 will be similar on paper, as the above graphic displays, but the we run different blitzes and coverages is what is going to make it successful this time around.

 

[spanny]

How much does this system rely on the Middle LB, do we want speed, and in doing so, how much size will we give up? I am just curious?

 

[guitarchitect7]

I don't know about moving J. Harris to RB...i mean, he's already been working for a year in the secondary and Chizik's got Bass, Bell, and Greer coming in at the RB position as well as Josh Johnson and Jason Scales there too...i mean theres a lot of options there, so why take harris out of a place where we honestly need much more help. I am not gonna make any guesses on the starters until the spring game, cuz there are a lot of positions where ppl are gonna come in an challenge, jucos and freshman. Maybe we will see Bibbs in the secondary? Jerrod Black at DT? we will just have to see...

great info on the tampa 2, i already learned about it the same way you did, but great analysis.

I completely agree on this. There are a lot of options at RB right now.

 

[clone33]

Did I miss soemthing? Is James Smith not on the team anymore? Everybody as so excited about him last year but then he broke his ankle. Whats up?

 

[KJCY]

Is Jesse Smith still on the team? MLB last year redshirt freshmen played a little, Kris Means and him both sounded like they would be good MLB.

RUSH DE RASHAWN PARKER
DE KURTIS TAYLOR/BRYCE BRAASMA
DT BRYCE BRAAKSMA
DT AHTYBA RUBIN
OLB ACE BOWEN/FRED GARRIN
OLB ADAM CARPER/JON BANKS
MLB JESSE SMITH/KRIS MEANS
CB CHRIS SINGLETON
CB DRENARD WILLIAMS
FS JASON HARRIS/STEVE JOHNSON/JAMES SHITH
SS JON BANKS/CALEB BERG
Hopfully the coaches can find the best spots for guys like Jon Banks and Adam Carper, I've always thought they were to small to play LB but, to big to play SS or FS. For some reason I always hopped see them playing SS and FS, I don't know why. I also think that this coaching staff will not have to put player out of their true spot for the better of team but, that is to be seen.

 

[Klubber]

Here's a link to an ESPN article where Bob Davie explains the "Cover 2 D", and diagrams postion responsibilities and how offenses attack it.

http://espn.go.com/ncf/columns/davie/1437187.html

 

[guitarchitect7]

As far as I am concerned, Jesse Smith is on the team. This brings up a good point.

There will be new talent coming in this year. Some JC's and others highschoolers, but all have I bet just as an equal chance to compete for the starting positions as the returning players do.

There is probably going to be new offensive and deffensive styles introduced to these kids, and anyone has as much opprotunity as the next guy to make an impact at it. Players such as Kris Means, Jeses Smith, Jason Harris, and Josh Johnson all have the ability to make a splash for themselves if they really want to.

Some of us, including myself always jump to the more experienced vetran guys to possibly fill these holes. This would be predictable in a more solidified team. But with a new system, it is uncertain at this point who can really fill the necessary holes, or overtake the spots that seemed filled.

Though the beginning of a new era of coaching is sometimes the toughest, it can be one of the more exciting. You get a chance to witness coaching philosphies that you may not have witnessed before. You get to see more of the younger guys contribute to a team that is trying to grow. And you can really witness the battle for playing time and the heart to compete in this game.

Next year might not be pretty record wise, but it could be exciting everywhere else.

 

[bfross]

I don't know about moving J. Harris to RB...i mean, he's already been working for a year in the secondary and Chizik's got Bass, Bell, and Greer coming in at the RB position as well as Josh Johnson and Jason Scales there too...i mean theres a lot of options there, so why take harris out of a place where we honestly need much more help. I am not gonna make any guesses on the starters until the spring game, cuz there are a lot of positions where ppl are gonna come in an challenge, jucos and freshman. Maybe we will see Bibbs in the secondary? Jerrod Black at DT? we will just have to see...

I don't think Greer makes it to campus this year at least. He had that bout with cancer and if he wasn't able to complete his fall (or this spring for that matter) semester because of it, no one would blame him as he has bigger challenges. Maybe he will be a Clone in the future, but he isn't probably going to be this year even though he is listed as a commit on some of the services.

We also have some guys coming off redshirt in Alexander Robinson (had been talk of him changing positions, but you never know) and Mitchell Moore.

 

[Dave19642006]

Pass Defense:

The Tampa 2 is a variation of the Cover 2 formation in which all pass responsibilities are zone coverage (instead of Man-to-man). Zone coverage is where players are assigned an area on the field which they are to cover:

The safeties and middle linebacker cover the deep third: areas of the field usually extending from about 15 yards beyond the line of scrimmage to the endzone, divided into thirds by the middle of the field). The middle linebacker drops into deep coverage, making what first looks like a Cover 2 into a Cover
3. The cornerbacks cover the flats: the area of the field extending about 15 yards from the line of scrimmage, and from the last man on the offensive line to the sideline.
Outside linebackers cover the box: the two outside linebackers split the middle of the field consisting of the area within 15 yards of the line of scrimmage and in between the two flats into halves.

Run defense:

To defend running plays, the Tampa 2 is a single gap defense where each player is responsible to defend his own gap. The assigned gap changes with game conditions and personnel.

Typically this style of defense utilizes smaller but faster linemen and linebackers with above average speed. Also the defensive backs must be above average hitters as well.

Does Iowa State have these caliber players to handle this? I am not arguing that a Tampa 2 is not the way to go, but do we have those players NOW.