By Coachlamons @nukeit1981 Dec. Were going to have to work the heck out of this. Orlando's rover is typically one of the team leaders in sacks as a result of this strategy. That safety, last year played by the hard-hittingJason Hall, helped support the run defending on his read. Defensive Coordinator & Linebackers. But the concern with this unit is depth. We just had to learn to embrace it, and now we look forward to it.. football@usc.edu. 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(Roger Steinman / AP) Ryan Kartje (LA Times) -- Through spring and summer, the physical, hard-nosed brand of defense Todd Orlando promised to bring to USC remained strictly . Before arriving at Utah State in 2013, Orlando traditionally ran a four-down front. Weve got to be mindful of the stuff were doing or asking him to do. Some of the stuff I was about to say, he was already thinking. Its a combination that spurred a defensive transformation at Texas. But when asked what separates Orlando from other defensive coaches, Herman pointed out a single aspect of Orlandos repertoire: Its just his creativity, his adaptability.. One of the key subplots to USC's season opener against Arizona State is the performance of the Trojans' defense, more specifically the secondary. Take a look at those QBs 2017 season, youd see their matchup with Texas as a low-end outlier amid exceptional overall campaigns. 9 Texas hosts No. A safety begins with his role in installation before even glancing at another spot. The Iowa St. Cyclones rose from #103 in 2016 to a respectable #32in BCfToys efficiency rankings in 2017. The rover is the tip of the spear for the Orlando defensive scheme, and he uses that position as a solution to the main problem for the 3-4 defense in the modern era: How to create a multi-pronged pass rush from a nickel package. Orlando, 48, spent the last three seasons as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Texas, where he was one of the highest paid assistants in college football. Orlando told his team, Its my fault. Then Utah State's defensive coordinator, Orlando flew to Columbus, Ohio to interview with Herman for Houston's defensive coordinator job. Herman said Orlando would be the first assistant in his foxhole. Orlando has also recently had stops at Texas (2017-2019), Houston(2015-2016), and Utah State (2013-2014). They handled the defending Mountain West champion San Jose State Spartans with ease. Under Orlando's direction last season, Texas run defense jumped to eighth nationally from 76th the year prior. You have pass rushers out there, TaQuon Graham, Marqez Bimage, Joe Ossai guys that can get after the quarterback. If youre thinking in football, youre playing slow.. Theres a reason why he was let go. By closing both B gaps, the offense has to either plug it up the A gap (which most Spread teams wont do) or run it outside. Sign up for the Trojans Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. The loss of Jay Tufele, who opted out to focus on the NFL draft, has already thrust senior defensive tackle Brandon Pili into the starting lineup. perspective, he's found Orlando to be a gem of an assistant for a variety of reasons. Theyre helping us as a coaching staff and that stuff, you cant put a price on those things.. Los Angeles Times USC beat writer Ryan Kartje offered this extended answer: Its important to remind everyone listening that I havent actually seen Todd Orlandos defense other than one practice during the spring Weve seen it all over the country that these offenses are running roughshod over defenses. Put together, bad luck and some poor choices cost Orlando his job, in no small part because the defensive line wasnt positioned for success. Herman isnt shy about issuing compliments to his defensive lieutenant. The notion that the Big 12 doesnt play defense is false. From Georgia in the SEC to the Longhorns and Cyclones in the Big 12, the new-age Double Eagle took flight as one of the top ways to contain high powered Spread offenses. Thats where adaptability comes into play. However, Willie Taggart and his staff still need to find ready-to-play talent in the secondary as FAU loses four of their top five snap getters from 2021. The Chargers based out of it for a whole game! Are Dejon Benton and Kobe Pepe ready to play? It also means Orlandos weekly priority of taking away what he calls "game wreckers" is even more imperative. Feb 18, 2023 . Its going to be exciting.. Texas and Georgia, in particular, had great success all year running similar schemes from a base Tite Front. USC's new defensive coordinator didn't waste time schooling Trojans on new scheme New USC defensive coordinator Todd Orlando didn't let the COVID-19 shutdown stop him from familiarizing the Trojans to his defense. Just the traditional tailback running game, if youre not doing good you have no chance of playing elite defense. Contact drills were reduced to virtual cues. Gone were the inside linebackers who were so effective as blitzers. Every time USC football scrimmaged, there was one side of the ball that dominated much of the live periods: the defense. He has a system that allows his talented players to play freely, said Baylor head coachMatt Rhule. The pairing, if things break right, could bring Texas back to where it expects to be annually. The Cyclones used the Dime look as their base defense for the entire season, leading to victories over high-powered offenses like Oklahoma (#1 in BCfToys Offensive Efficiency) and Memphis (#16). 3 overall pick),Baker Mayfield(No. The Horns look to close out the inaugural season at the Moody Center with a 17-1 record. After the second day of pads (last spring) we were like, Golly, we havent do this much hitting in a minute. Its just that mental toughness they instill in us. 3 Kansas. Orlandos defensive turnaround in Austin stems back to that interview in Columbus. Safeties Talanoa Hufanga and Isaiah Pola-Mao are expected to take on more active roles in directing the defense. For most of training camp, Jackson was limited by a hamstring issue, which caused some worry for Orlando, who thought the lack of reps might impact the edge rushers tackling. One was down and distance. A fourth linebacker released off the line can more easily pursue the football on outside runs and defend quick passes on the edge. But instead of sending four rushers, USC sent six (Figueroa, the four linebackers and Hufanga) on the final three plays, which forced Daniels, who rushed for 111 yards, to beat the Trojans with his arm. Examine Texas schedule last season, and youll see a murders row of quarterbacks:Sam Darnold(No. Theyre the best in the country. Thinking about becoming a VIP subscriber to Owls247? Orlando usually sent four rushers when he used this package early in the game, and Sun Devils quarterback Jayden Daniels took advantage of the pressure on the first drive by ripping off a 38-yard run. Theres no favoritism. Ryan Kartje is the USC beat writer at the Los Angeles Times. The point behind that question is not that hard to grasp: Is a complex scheme necessary to give USC a winning edge, or should a simplified scheme be used in Week 1, to not load players with too many assignments, reads, or details? We have the same mentality, Orlando said. Boca Raton will not be the first time Orlando coaches in South Florida. Practices under Herman and Orlando are hard. - Rudolphs Cowboys managed a season-low 13 points (All-American wide receiverJames Washingtonmanaged just 32 yards in the win). Hell then put on a video with several examples. Its not likely to last forever. The biggest breakthrough of the spread offense was in creating a clearer pre-snap picture for the offense and the QB in particular so that he had a narrower menu of options and threats to scan through after the snap. He spent just two weeks as an assistant in Lubbock, before Helton and USC came calling. Those disguised blitzes are a favorite ploy. Orlando has a long coaching career with multiple stops across the country. There has been a critical error on this website. One key element I talked about in my latest book, Hybrids: The Making of a Modern Defense, is the use of a more positionless defensive gameplan going forward into the future. After missing the first week of camp in health and safety protocols, Jackson was practically unblockable in practices, using his finesse moves on the edge to cause havoc in the backfield. Be sure to follow us on Twitter at: @Owls247, @MarinelliShane, and @TheKevinFielder. After Utah State, Orlando made his way to Houston for the 2015 and 2016 seasons, where the Cougars were top 30 in scoring defense and sacks both seasons he was there. It could afford to, considering Arizona State wasnt making it pay through the air. The 2015 and '16 Texas defenses had been defined by what could be called "youthful" linebacker play from former five-star recruit Malik Jefferson and former four-star Anthony Wheeler. That much was clear on Saturday, and its why losing a player like Tufele, who possesses all three traits, hurt so much. They were delayed for two months from when they would normally have a camp. USC coach Clay Helton says hes noticed benefits from the Trojans unprecedented start to an unusual, pandemic-shortened season. The only two Pac-12 schools behind them are Cal and winless Arizona. Orlando did present Arizona State with several different looks on Saturday. (Liberty vs Arkansas 22), Dec. 22 Blitz of the Month Georgias Pod Alignment, Blitzing from the Odd Stack vs a Pro Style offense (Ole Miss vs Kentucky 22). In order to acclimate, the Longhorns flipped a script that usually prioritized stopping the run first 95 percent of the time. Though Jackson is officially an outside linebacker now and is listed at 20 pounds lighter than he weighed a year ago (from 275 to 255), it doesnt seem like his role has changed a ton, at least from what he showed Saturday. One of the areas in which Orlando has excelled as a teacher is in the art of disguising pressures and dictating to opponents with stop calls. The football bona fides were clear. Once the guard pulls (the 4is key), he can chase and climb to the mesh. Thats important to know, because Orlando turned down an opportunity to be Pittsburghs DC in his hometown that offseason. After that hell usually return to the picture one last time before moving to the board to draw different concepts out of the same look. It comes as no surprise that in a league that is at the forefront of the evolution of the Spread would feature unique defenses within the league to counter the offensive onslaught. During his time as defensive coordinator at Texas, his defense forced 65 turnovers and ranked in the top 10 nationally for . As defensive coordinator at Houston in 2015 and 2016, he oversaw a defense that finished 20th and 13th in the nation in yards allowed. Get your first month for $1. If the Trojans are going to take a step forward as a program this season, its going to need its defense to make some serious progress. Defenses that base out of the Tite Front dont mind the bounce because their speedy (and usually free)LBs can now chase down the RB while its overhangs box everything back inside (think of them like the Double Eagles wide-9s). Orlando took a job as the linebackers coach and assistant head coach at Texas Tech soon after. When interim defensive coordinator Craig Naivar finally allowed Ossai to play that role, Ossai produced three of his five sacks in the Alamo Bowl. Hes at his best when hes trying to get into the backfield, and thats what he was mainly asked to do on Saturday. Defenses in the Leauge were getting scored on at a historic rate. His $1.7 million annual salary is the highest in Texas history for an assistant, and only two assistants nationally earned more in 2017, according to USA Today. The arrangement wasnt ideal for anyone involved, least of all the new defensive coordinator tasked with toughening up a unit that, for seven months, was barred from standing next to each other, let alone colliding. After the Sun Devils started to have success on the ground midway through the second quarter, USC started employing a 4-3 front at times. How do you get your players to play hard? Texas special assistant to the head coach Gary Patterson stepping down from role. I just feel like now that burden is on me, being the veteran.. The initial conversations went well. There are a lot of questions about how the Trojans offensive line will perform, but having Brett Neilon at center and Alijah Vera-Tucker at left tackle should help. But when the Trojans needed Jackson the most, they turned him loose and let him do what he does best at the end of the game: rush the passer. Up front, the Longhorns moved third-down specialist Breckyn Hager into one of the 4i-technique DE positions, where his scrappy playing style allowed him to battle bigger offensive linemen despite his smaller stature (6'2" 240). However, although Hill called Orlandos scheme gimmicky, thats not really true Baylor and Iowa State both had highly productive defenses in 2019 with similar schemes. The coaches threw the entire . If you go out there and you dont know what youre doing after meeting with someone for seven months, that pretty much explains how much you care, Orlando said. Thats not to say those seven months were for naught. Pac-12 reporter and columnist Jon Wilner, on the first episode of our USC Trojans: Wired Podcast, responded to those questions as follows: The two units that require the highest level of cohesiveness take quarterback out are the offensive line and the secondary. Even for much of spring camp. This allows the B backer to be a free player and essentially go get the football! The Longhorns base with a true Nickel as well, and align him opposite the Jack, primarily with the passing strength. Stanley, he has natural mobility. Orlando said that shift occured because of practice habits and strong relationships between the defensive staff and its players. Echols was the extra linebacker who came onto the field in those scenarios. Eventual Florida defensive end signee Princely Umanmielen cited the three-man front as one of the reasons why he decommitted from Texas back in October. Redshirt freshman Max Williams was the extra defensive back on the field in these packages. In fact, Todd Orlandos defense is towards the bottom of the conference in points allowed per game, per SportsPac12s latest. Aside from one spring practice, the intricacies of his scheme were installed only over Zoom. LOS ANGELES Under normal circumstances, first-year USC defensive coordinator Todd Orlando would have just finished the in-person evaluation portion of the recruiting calendar. If that sounds like the start of a football romantic comedy, it isnt you wont find two more hard-nosed personalities than Orlando and Herman. Is USC defense ready to take a leap in Year 2, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window). Texas goal is to play fast on defense, forcing opposing QB to play slow. Except Hermans questions were constantly put on pause so that he, still serving as Ohio States offensive coordinator, could run out of the room to take care of some crisis or another as the Buckeyes prepared for the 2014 College Football Playoff final against Oregon. But so far, its all been against an offense the USC defense knows very, very well. What is the current state of play for one of the elite QB prospects on the board? He spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons under Mario Cristobal and FIU, where he won a share of the Sun Belt title and a bowl game victory. Odd-front defenses with nickel and dime packages on the back end are en vogue across college football. Its really hard to screw up a run play. Stilleto Boy wins the Santa Anita Handicap for trainer Ed Moger Jr. Sierra Canyon girls basketball team is two wins away from perfect season, Practical Move gives trainer Tim Yakteen a win in the San Felipe Stakes, Sam Farmers crystal ball: NFL mock draft 2023 version 1.0, UCLAs freshmen living up to the hype, carry Bruins into Pac-12 title game. Saban has finally embraced the change as well, throwing the ball more than he ever has before with Tua Tagovailoa. But the Trojans just had a full, traditional offseason, from spring football to summer conditioning, creating Were not going to know the answer to that question until Nov. 7, but Todd Orlando seems very confident this defense will have everything straightforward and understood., Sign up for the Trojans Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. The rotation should expand when Pili returns, but at the moment USCs defensive personnel is what it is. LOS ANGELES USC has its new defensive coordinator, Todd Orlando. Youre in this area and theres some really good high school players in this area, the top guys. Learn more about troubleshooting WordPress. Orlandos scheme isnt complicated at least by memorization standards. I let you guys down. Johnson said Orlando repeated these words for two days straight.