1988 & 1989 Front 4: George Seifert 3-4/4-3 Under
LDE/5T Larry Roberts/Pierce Holt - 6.0/10.5 sacks
NT/1T Michael Carter - 6.5 sacks
RDE/3T Kevin f*gan - 3.0/7.0 sacks
SAM/ELEPHANT/LEO Charles Haley - 11.5/10.5 sacks
Today, this is how Seattle ran/runs it. You'll see a ton of interchangeables...like Bruce Irvin starting out at RDE and moving to the SAM (8 sacks), something I'm predicting Eli Harold will be tasked with this year, your fatty 2-gap wide-bodied NT (hence why we went after Brandon Williams), adding another scheme-fit player in Mitchell (slashing 3T), etc.
If we select Thomas, many are projecting him to play RDT/3T and then sliding him out to the LEO in nickel/dime.
LDE/5T
DeForest Buckner/Chris Jones (6.0/10.5 sacks)
NT/1T
Quinton Dial/Mike Purcell/Earl Mitchell (6.5/0.0 sacks)
RDE/3T
Solomon Thomas/Arik Armstead/Ronald Blair/Earl Mitchell (3.0/7.0 sacks)
SAM/ELEPHANT/LEO
Eli Harold/Ahmad Brooks (11.5/10.5 sacks)
Here's a nice breakdown of this defense and the type of prototypical players who fit.
The 4-3 Under, in it's simplest terms, is a gap control system meant to stop the run and to pressure the passer. For the most part, each lineman and linebacker is responsible for one gap - this makes each player's responsibility fairly cut and dry and eliminates a lot of the reads and thinking from the game. Now, the 4-3 Under can be run with 2-gapping personnel as well, and that was something that we saw Red Bryant and Colin Cole doing when they were healthy in 2010, but it really depends on if you have the horses to 2-gap or 1-gap in this system.
As a refresher, here is how the gap and defensive alignment system works.
You see the offensive line on the bottom of that picture as T, G, C, G, T, E. The space between each offensive lineman is a lettered gap. The A gaps are to each side of the center. The B gaps are to the outside shoulder of the guards. The C gaps are to outside shoulder of the tackles. The D gap is on the outside shoulder of a tight end, if he's there.
Similarly, the 'technique' numbering system designates where each defensive lineman lines himself up in relation to the offensive player. As you can see above, an even number 'technique' (0, 2, 4, 6) denotes that a defensive player is lined up helmet to helmet with the opposing offensive player. An odd number denotes that a defensive player is to line up offset from the offensive player. You may hear a lot about the 1-technique, the 3-technique, and the 5-technique in the Seahawks defense. I'll explain each of those as we go along.
In the late 1980's, Monte Kiffin began coaching for the Minnesota Vikings with a coach named Floyd Peters and they further developed the 4-3 Under that emphasized rushing the passer. The 4-3 Under system uses almost exclusively a staggered alignment to the offense in this basic set.
As you can see, in a basic 4-3 Under, the SAM linebacker is lined up to the outside shoulder of the tight end off the line of scrimmage a yard or two and is responsible for the D gap (to the outside of the tight end). He's also responsible for running in pass coverage from time to time. The strongside defensive end is lined up to the outside shoulder of the tackle, in a 5-technique alignment, and is responsible for the C gap (to the right of the tackle). The strongside defensive tackle is usually lined up shading the center in a 1-technique alignment and is responsible for the strongside A gap. The weakside defensive tackle is lined up in a 3-technique alignment off the weakside guard and is responsible for the weakside B gap in front of him. The weakside defensive end is lined up to the outside shoulder of the weakside offensive tackle and is responsible for the C gap on his side.
This leaves the strongside B gap and the weakside A gap open. These are the responsibilities of the MIKE and WILL linebackers.
The 4-3 Under can be run with any combination of secondary assignments, the Cover-1, Cover-2, Cover-3, and even the Cover-4, and the Seahawks run different zone coverages at different times. The number in each "Cover" represents how many players are responsible in zone for the deep part of the field. In a Cover-1, the deep middle safety is responsible as help for the entire deep field, while all the other players are in man coverage. In a Cover-2, there are two safeties and they split the deep part of the field into two zones and help on routes in their zone. Cover three, one safety and two corners have 1/3 of the field as their respective zones. In Cover-4, also known as Quarters, the field is divided into four zones and each of the 4 defensive backs is responsible for his zone. In a Cover-0, each player is on a man and there is no zone help anywhere on the field.
The other coverage you see the Hawks run is called the Tampa-2, which I'll delve into further a little later.
The defense that Pete Carroll now employs uses the basic tenets of the Monte Kiffin 4-3 Under defense and mixes in a variation originally pioneered by the legendary George Seifert in San Francisco. Seifert wanted to create mismatches against the opposing offensive line so he started using his weakside defensive end to rove around and rush the passer from a two-point stance (standing up position). This was the beginning of the "Elephant" position and one that Carroll uses today. We also see this position called the LEO, and in the Hawks' defense can rush standing up or in a three-point stance.
It's the same basic alignment but as you can see, the SAM linebacker comes up closer to the line to play hard contain and the weakside LEO is pushed out a bit, maybe a yard off of the weakside tackle. The LEO's main job is to control the C gap while rushing the passer like a wild banshee and the SAM plays contain against the TE, runs in pass coverage with him, or rushes the passer in some situations.
Here is the basic description of each position in the Pete Carroll 4-3 Under. In a continuing series, I'll get into more specifics about it, but I'll start you out with a general description. The LEO can be a little bit smaller than a normal DE and Pete Carroll tends to like a more athletic and versatile body type for his Elephant position; a guy that can speed rush the QB but also react quick enough to control his gap. Must also be able to drop back into coverage occasionally in zone blitz situations.
The strongside defensive tackle can be short and squat but must be able to take on a double team consistently. The weakside defensive tackle, the 3-tech, must be your premiere interior pass rusher and have an explosive first step. His main job is to pressure the QB and stop the run in his weakside B gap. The 5-tech defensive end can be a bigger guy and must be great against the run. This is why you saw Red Bryant move out there in 2010.
The SAM linebacker needs to be athletic and rangy; great against the run but able to run with tight ends and running backs in pass coverage. The WILL linebacker is going to get a lot of tackles and in Pete's system is typically a faster, smaller linebacker with range. The MIKE linebacker needs to be the field general; very instinctual and savvy. He needs to be quick enough to drop back down the middle third of the field in pass coverage in the Tampa-2 coverage. The free safety is a guy that's going to move around a lot and be very instinctual as well. He's going to come up to the line a lot and will get a lot of tackles. The strong safety has to be good against the run but like the free safety, will move around a lot and have to defend against the deep pass a lot. He will need to be fast and have some ball skills.
Finally, the cornerbacks need to be physical and long. They will get involved in run defense a lot so they must be good tacklers. They are protected over the top a lot of the time so typically they're not all-world defenders but need to be pretty fast. You see Pete running with solid, physical and tall corners but in his tenure at USC we didn't see any all-world prospects come into the NFL.
http://www.fieldgulls.com/2011/5/31/2191847/the-pete-carroll-4-3-under-defense-part-i-an-introduction
You can guestimate that both Saleh and Lynch are looking for system-fit players like we saw with Kyle on offense. We grabbed a couple already in Smith (WILL) & Mitchell (RDT/3T/Rotation) and with the resigning of Chris Jones (LDE/5T).
Based on this, Buckner is your prototypical LDE/5T; someone who's excellent against the run and can add some additional pass rush. He's made for this spot. Quinton Dial is not your ideal NT/1T but he is the best NT on the team for the moment; we need a Carter/Stubblefield. Given how we went after Brandon Williams, my guess is, we'll look for another wide-bodied NT in this draft as well. Solomon Thomas is your absolute ideal, prototypical RDT/3T. His slashing, instincts, anticipation, get-off, closing speed, and swim move reminds me of Bryant Young. That said, he's no LEO. I'd have him gain 15-20 pounds and focus on the 3T. That takes us to LEO. Lynch is
not a LEO either...he is not a smaller, speed rusher, who's bendy and has an array of pass rush moves. That has to be a huge target in this draft. The defense is built around this position. Literally. One position I see intriguing in the SAM. Bruce Irvin made the transition from DE to SAM and with Harold's speed, athleticism and familiarity in stopping the run up at the LOS and with some occasional drop back experience, he might just be the guy. He can also add 'some' pass rush too. Keep your eye on an excellent cover guy in Ray-Ray as well. If he can prove to be an excellent run defender and add some additional pass rush, he could win that job too. This position won't be covering just TE's but speedy RB's so both Harold/Ray-Ray need speed and they have it for this position. Naturally, Bowman and Smith are prototypical MIKE and WILL's. But with Bowman's injuries, it's no surprise we've met with Foster.
What do you do about Armstead, Mitchell, Jones & Blair? Rotation, rotation, rotation. That's the
under stated success behind this defense. That, and a heavy rotation of true pass rushers at both DE and SAM spots (3 or 4 at least).
LDE/5T: DeForest Bucker
NT/1T: Quinton Dial
RDT/3T: Solomon Thomas
RDE/LEO: Aaron Lynch
SAM: Eli Harold/Ray-Ray Armstrong
MIKE: Navarro Bowman
WILL: Malcolm Smith
[ Edited by NCommand on Mar 22, 2017 at 10:48 AM ]
